- different title-page) 1624. In the Bodleian Library copy of the first edition the signature of the address to the reader is 'Nicholas Breton.'
- 'A Murmurer,' written 'against murmurers and murmuring,' London, 1607. The dedication, to 'the Lords of his Maiesties most Honorable privie Counsel,' is signed 'Nicholas Breton.' One copy is at Bridgewater House.
- * 'Divine Considerations of the Soule ... By N. B., G.,' London, 1608. It is dedicated to 'Sir Thomas Lake, one of the Clarkes of his Maiesties Signet, health, happinesse, and Heaven,' with the signature of 'Nich. Breton.'
- 'Wits Private Wealth stored with Choice of Commodities to content the Minde,' 1612* and 1639—a collection of proverbial remarks—dedicated to 'Iohn Crooke, son and heire to Sir Iohn Crooke, knight,' with the signature of 'N. Britton.'
- * 'Characters upon Essaies, Morall and Diuine,' London, 1615, dedicated by 'Nich. Breton' to Sir Francis Bacon.
- 'The Good and the Badde, a Description of the Worthies and Vnworthies of this Age,' London, *1616 and 1643, dedicated by 'Nicholas Breton' to Sir Gilbert Houghton. 19**. 'Strange Newes ovt of Divers Countries,' London, 1622, with an address to the reader signed 'B. N.'
- * ' Fantasticks, serving for a perpetuall Prognostication,' London, 1626. Copies are in Mr. Huth's and Dr. Grosart's libraries. There is a dedication to 'Sir Marke Ive, of Riuers Hall in Essex,' signed 'N. B.' Extracts appear in J. O. Halliwell's 'Books of Characters,' 1857.
- 'The Court and Country, or a briefe Discourse betweene the Courtier and Countryman, of the Manner, Nature, and Condition of their lives. Dialoguewise set downe. … Written by N. B., Gent.,' London, 1618. A unique copy belongs to Mr. Christie-Miller of Britwell. 'Nich. Breton' signs the dedication to 'Sir Stephen Poll of Blaikmoore in Essex.' Mr. W. C. Hazlitt reprinted this book in his 'Inedited Tracts' (Roxburghe Club, 1868).
- 'An Eulogistic Character of Queen Elizabeth, dedicated by the author, Nicholas Breton, to Robert Cecil, earl of Salisbury,' is extant in Breton's handwriting, in the Brit. Mus. MS. Harl. 6207 ff. 14-22. It was printed by Dr. Grosart for the first time.
The most serious mistake made by Breton's bibliographers has been the ascription to him of 'Sir Philip Sydney's Ourania … by N. B.' 1606. The author of this work is Nathaniel Baxter [q. v.] In the British Museum Catalogue 'Mary Magdalen's Lamentations for the Losse of Her Maister Jesus, London, 1604, and 'The Passion of a Discontented Mind,' London, 1601, 1602, 1621, are erroneously ascribed to Breton. Robert Southwell was more probably the author of the latter. A unique copy of the first edition is in the Huth Library, and the second edition (in the Bodleian) is reprinted in J. P. Collier's 'Illustrations,' vol. i. The Rev. Thomas Corser ascribes 'The Case is Altered. How? Aske Dalio and Millo,' London, 1604 and 1635, to Breton; Mr. J. P. Collier assigns it to Francis Thynne, although internal evidence fails to support this conclusion.
Breton's name was pronounced Britton.
[Dr. Grosart has collected most of Breton's works in his edition, privately published, in the Chertsey Worthies Library (1877). The poetical works numbered above 1, 7, 13, and 15 do not appear there. The editions marked * and ** are in the British Museum, and the latter are believed to be unique. See also Corser's Collectanea; Ritson's Anglo-Poetica; Ellis's Specimens of the Early English Poets (1803) and Hunters MS. Chorus Vatum in Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 24487, ff. 307 et seq., which is especially valuable.]
BRETON, WILLIAM. [See Briton.]
BRETT, ARTHUR (d. 1677?), poet, was, Wood believes, 'descended of a genteel family.' Having been a scholar of Westminster, he was elected to a studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1653. He proceeded B.A. in 1656 and M.A. in 1659. He was one of the 'Terræ filii' in the act held in St. Mary's Church, 1661, 'at which time he showed himself sufficiently ridiculous.' Having taken orders, he became vicar of Market Lavington, Wiltshire, but he seems after a while to have given up the living. He came up to London, and there fell into poverty, begging from gentlemen in the streets, and especially from Oxford men. He was somewhat crazed, according to Wood, who met him by chance in 1675, and was perhaps annoyed by his importunity, for he writes with some bitterness of him. Brett was 'a great pretender to poetry.' He wrote:
- 'A Poem on the Restoration of King Charles II,' 1660, included in 'Britannia rediviva.'
- 'Threnodia, on the Death of Henry, Duke of Gloucester,' 1660.
- 'Poem on the Death of the Princess of Orange,' 1660.
- 'Patientia victrix, or the Book of Job in Lyric Verse,' 1661; and is also said to have written an essay on poetry. He died in his mother's house in the Strand 'about 1677.' Wood knows not 'where his lean and macerated carcase was buried, unless in the yard of St. Clement's church, without Temple Bar.'
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. iii. col. 1144; Fasti, ii. 192, 220 (Bliss); Welch's Alumni Westmon. (1852), 141.]
