Sir John, an ingenious English poet, was the son of John Harrington, Esq., who was committed to the Tower by Queen Mary for holding a correspondence with her sister Elizabeth; who, when she came to the crown, stood godmother to this son. Before he was 30, he published a translation of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, a work by which he was principally known; for though he afterwards published some epigrams, his talent did not seem to have lain that way. He was created knight of the Bath by James I.; and presented a MS. to Prince Henry, levelled chiefly at the married bishops. He is supposed to have died about the latter end of James's reign.

James, a most eminent English writer in the 17th century, bred at Oxford, travelled into Holland, France, Denmark, and Germany, and learned the languages of those countries. Upon his return to England, he was admitted one of the privy-chamber extraordinary to King Charles I. He served the king with great fidelity, and made use of his interest with his friends in parliament to procure matters to be accommodated with all parties. The king loved his company except when the conversation happened to turn upon commonwealths. He found means to see the king at St James's; and attended him on the scaffold,