to give an account of his ill success to those who sent him.

Upon Davenant's return to Paris, he associated with a set of people,
who endeavoured to alleviate the distresses of exile by some kind of
amusement. The diversion, which Sir William chose was of the literary
sort, and having long indulged an inclination of writing an heroic
poem, and having there much leisure, and some encouragement, he was
induced to undertake one of a new kind; the two first books of which
he finished at the Louvre, where he lived with his old friend Lord
Jermyn; and these with a preface, addressed to Mr. Hobbs, his answer,
and some commendatory poems, were published in England; of which we
shall give some further account in our animadversions upon Gondibert.

While he employed himself in the service of the muses, Henrietta
Maria, the queen dowager of England whose particular favourite he was
found out business for him of another nature. She had heard that vast
improvements might be made in the loyal colony of Virginia, in case
proper artificers were sent there; and there being many of these in
France who were destitute of employment, she encouraged Sir William to
collect these artificers together, who accordingly embarked with his
little colony at one of the ports in Normandy; but in this expedition
he was likewise unfortunate; for before the vessel was clear of the
French coast, she was met by one of the Parliament ships of war, and
carried into the Isle of Wight, where our disappointed projector was
sent close prisoner to Cowes Castle, and there had leisure enough, and
what is more extraordinary, wanted not inclination to resume his
heroic poem, and having written about half the third book, in a very
gloomy prison, he thought proper to stop short again, finding himself,
as he imagined under the very shadow of death. Upon this occasion it
is reported of Davenant, that he wrote a letter to Hobbes, in which he