JOHN, a dramatic poet, considered by some a reformer of the English language, was born in Kent about 1553. At sixteen he entered Magdalen College, Oxford, became Bachelor of Arts in 1573, and Master of Arts in 1575. After staying for some time at Cambridge, he repaired to London; and in 1579 was a dependant upon courtiers, and patronized by Queen Elizabeth. In 1580 was published his first work, *Euphues*, a romance, which, partly from its satire, and partly from its apophthegms and antitheses, gave popularity to an affected style of phraseology, called *Euphuism*. Lilly also published nine plays, six of which had been played before the Queen, and were afterwards published together in 1632. About 1589 appeared his pamphlet against Martin Marprelate, entitled *Poppe with a Hatchet*, which has sometimes been attributed to Nashe. The date of Lilly's death is unknown, but according to Anthony Wood, he was living in 1597, when his last comedy was published.

WILLIAM, the astrologer, was born at Diseworth, a village in Leicestershire, 1st May 1602. He was educated at the grammar-school of Ashby-de-la-Zouch; and went as an adventurer to London in 1620. There he was servant for some time to a mantua-maker; but in 1624 he became a domestic, and also clerk, to Mr Wright, master of the Salters' Company, in the Strand. Soon after his master's death, in 1627, Lilly married his widow, and receiving L.1000 as her dowry, he was released from the cares of any stated employment. After busying himself for some years in the interests of the Puritans, he began in 1632 to study astrology under Evans, a clergyman who had been expelled from his curacy for several frauds practised under the guise of his art. In 1633 he lost his first wife, and married a second with a dowry of L.500. He was employed in the following year to discover a treasure reported to be buried in Westminster Abbey, but while engaged at night in the presence of thirty others in poising his "Musical rods," a terrific storm arose, and scared the party. In 1644 appeared, for the first time, his almanac, entitled *Merlinus Anglicus Junior*, of which the first edition was sold in the course of a week, and which continued to be published annually for about 20 years. In the same year, three suns were seen on Prince Charles's birthday; and Lilly, in 1645, publishing an interpretation of this phenomenon, under the title of the *Starry Messenger*, was charged before the Committee of Examinations with having, by certain passages in this book, incited the populace to insult the Commissioners of Excise, and burn the excise office. On its being proved, however, that these two offences had been committed previous to the publication of the *Messenger*, Lilly was acquitted. In 1647 Charles, LILYBEAM whilst under guard at Hampton Court, sent a messenger to him to inquire in what part of the country he might safely lurk should he contrive to escape from his enemies. Lilly recommended some part of Essex, about 20 miles from London; an advice which circumstances did not suffer to be tested. Not more effectual were the aqua fortis and the saw which he sent to the king in 1648, to aid his escape from Carisbrooke Castle. About the same time some important information touching the affairs of France, which he received from the confessor to one of the French secretaries, was communicated to the Council of State as the fruit of his astrology, and was rewarded with L50, and an order for a yearly pension of L100. In 1654 his second wife died, and he married a third. In 1659 the King of Sweden, who had been praised in his Almanac of 1657, presented him with a gold chain and medal. At the Restoration, he was apprehended by order of parliament, but sued out his pardon under the great seal. During the plague of 1665, after all his attempts to recommend his art to the ministry had failed, he retired to Hersham, and practised as a physician under a license from Archbishop Sheldon. In 1666 he was consulted about the great fire, and though he claimed to have predicted it and the plague fifteen years before, confessed his ignorance of its cause. He died in 1681 of a dead palsy, bequeathing a considerable property to a tailor whom he had adopted, and was buried at Walton-upon-Thames, where a monument was erected over his grave by his friend Ashmole.

Among his works are—Christian Astrology, 1647; Monarchy or no Monarchy in England; Greiner's Prophecy; Passages on the Life and Death of King Charles, Loudon, 1651; Anus Tenebrosus, 1652; and History of his Life and Times from 1602 to 1681; containing Observations upon the Life and Death of Charles I., London, 1715 and 1721, and published, with notes by Ashmole, London, 1774.

LILYBETUM (modern Marsala), in Ancient Geography, a city of Sicily, was situated on a promontory of the same name, forming the most westerly point of the island, and distant from Africa about 90 geographical miles. It was built and fortified by the Carthaginians, for the reception of the inhabitants of Motya, when that city was sacked by Dionysius of Syracuse, in B.C. 397. Owing to its fortified strength, its safe harbour, and its proximity to Africa, it soon became the chief stronghold of Carthaginian power in Sicily; and, in B.C. 276, successfully withstood a siege of two months from Pyrrhus, after all the other cities of Sicily had been reduced. During the first Punic war it baffled the besieging Roman troops for more than nine years, till it was ceded, at the close of the struggle, in B.C. 241, according to the conditions of the treaty of peace. Though only a Roman provincial town, it continued prosperous; and, in the second and third Punic wars, and for many years after, it was often the mustering-ground for forces about to invade Africa. After the ruin of the Roman empire, it passed successively into the hands of the Goths, Vandals, and Saracens. Some portions of an aqueduct, coins, vases, and pieces of sculpture, are among the few remnants of the ancient city.