LILLY (John), a dramatic poet, was born in the wilds of Kent, about the year 1553, and educated in Magdalen-college, Oxford, where he took the degree of bachelor of arts in 1573, and that of master in 1575. From Oxford he removed to Cambridge; but how long he continued there, is uncertain. On his arrival in London, he became acquainted with some of queen Elizabeth's courtiers, by whom he was cared for, and admired as a poet and a wit; and her majesty, on particular festivals, honoured his dramatic pieces with her presence. His plays are nine in number. His first publication, however, printed in 1580, was a romance called Euphuus, which was universally read and admired. This romance, which Blount, the editor of six of his plays, says introduced a new language, especially among the ladies, is, according to Berkenhout, in fact a most contemptible piece of affectation and nonsense: nevertheless it seems very certain, that it was in high estimation by the women of fashion of those times, who, we are told by Whalley the editor of Ben Jonson's works, had all the phrases by heart; and those who did not speak Euphuism were as little regarded at court as if they could not speak French. "He was," says Oldys, "a man of great reading, good memory, ready faculty of application, and uncommon eloquence; but he ran into a vast excess of allusion." When or where he died, is not known. Anthony Wood says he was living in 1597, when his last comedy was published. After attending the court of queen Elizabeth thirteen years, notwithstanding his reputation as an author, he was under a necessity of petitioning the queen for some small stipend to support him in his old age. His two letters or petitions to her majesty, on this subject, are preserved in manuscript.