9 
circle, Brooke could not fail to be imbued with the poetic 
spirit. He lightened the dull studies of his professional pur¬ 
suits by paying court to the Muses, and was probably more 
frequently employed in ‘^penning stanzas” than reading his 
briefs. 
In the year 1611, that eccentric wuiter, Tom Coryat, the 
author of Coryat’s Crudities hastily gobbled up,”* published 
a poem in latin rhymes, called The Odcombian Banquet, 
dished forth by Thomas the Coryat, and served in by a number 
of noble wits, in praise of his crudities and crambe too.”t The 
poem professes to give a description of a philosophical feast, the 
guests at which were Christopher Brooke, John Donne, Inigo 
Jones, and several other literary persons, and was, in fact, a 
farrago of burlesque testimonies to the author’s merit. Brooke 
is said to have had a considerable hand in dishing up this 
banquet. 
It was not until the year 1613 that Brooke published his 
first poetical essay, in the form of ^^An elegy consecrated to the 
never dying memorie of the most worthily admyred ; most 
hartily loved ; and generally bewayled Prince, Henry, Prince 
of \yales.”J His friend, William Browne, the author of 
Britannia’s Pastorals,” a poem of which Milton himself was 
an admirer, had produced a similar effusion, and their two 
offerings were printed together in a small 4to volume.$ 
In the second booke of his Pastorals, Brown pays the follow¬ 
ing tribute to the poetical genius of his friend :— 
“ Brooke, ’whose polish’t lines, 
Are fittest to accomplish high designs ; 
Whose pen (it seemes) still young Apollo guides; 
Worthy the forked hill, for ever glides 
Streames from th}^ hmine, so fair, that time shall see, 
Thee honour’d by thy verse, and it by thee. 
And when thy temple’s well deserving hayes, 
Might impe a pride in thee to reach thy praise. 
As in a crystall glasse, filled to the ring. 
With the cleare water of as cleare a spring, 
A steady hand may very safely drop 
Some quantity of gold, yet o’re the top 
* London, 4to, 1611. f London, 4to, 1611. % London, 4to, 1613. 
