Sir Francis, a soldier, statesman, and a poet of no inconsiderable fame in his time, was born of a genteel family, educated at Oxford, and afterwards spent some time in travelling abroad. In the year 1522, the 14th of Henry VIII., he attended in a military capacity the earl of Surrey in his expedition to the coast of Brittany; and commanded the troops in the attack of the town of Morlaix, which he took and burnt. For this service he was knighted on the spot by the earl. In 1528, he was in Spain; but on what service is doubtful. In 1529, he was sent ambassador to France; and the year following to Rome, on account of the king's divorce. He had also been there in 1522, in the same capacity, when Cardinal Wolsey's election to the holy