GASCOIGNE, George, an English poet of some fame in the early part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was born at Walthamstow in Essex, of an ancient family, and educated at both universities, but principally at Cambridge. From thence he removed to Gray's Inn, and commenced student of the law; but having a genius too volatile for that study, he travelled abroad, and for some time served in the army in the Low Countries. He afterwards went to France; where he became enamoured of a Scottish lady, and married her. Being at length, says Wood, weary of those vanities, he returned to England: and settled once more in Gray's Inn, where he wrote most of his dramatic and other poems. The latter part of his life he spent in his native village of Walthamstow, where he died in the year 1578. He had the character of a polite gentleman, an eloquent and witty companion, et vir inter poetas sui seculi præstantissimus. His plays, first printed separately, were afterwards, with several other poems, &c. reprinted into two volumes 4to; the first volume in 1577, the second in 1587.