HABINGTON, WILLIAM, was the son of Thomas Habington, a Roman Catholic of family and fortune in Worcestershire. Ilia mother, the of Lord Morley, has been supposed to have been the writer of the famous letter which revealed the Gunpowder Plot [Fawkes, Guino); and her husband (who had been imprisoned as implicated in conspiracy) gave shelter to some of the accomplices of Fawkes, and was sentenced to die, but received a pardon through the intercession of his wife's brother, on condition of retiring to his manor of Hiudlip. Their son had been bora there upon the very day now marked as the date of the plot, the 5th of November 1605. He was educated in the Jesuit of St. Omer, and afterwards at Paris ; and endeavours were used, but in vain, to induce him to enter the society. He returned to England, and lived in retirement with his father, who long survived him, and who directed and co-operated with him in historical and other studies. William Habington married Lucy, daughter of William Herbert, the first Lord Powia ; and the whole of his life appears to have been spent in literary and rural quiet. It is said by Anthony Wood that he "did run with the times, and was not unknown to Oliver the Usurper," a charge which may either be untrue or involve nothing discreditable. He died at Hindlip on the 13th of November 1645, when he had but just completed his fortieth year. His pub lished writings were the following :-1, Casters, a collection of poems, first printed in 1635, and more fully and cor rectly in 1640. They were included iu Chalmers's ' Poets' in
1810, were reprinted separately in 1812, and a're given wholly in Southey's 'Select Work, of the British Poeta. The name at the head of them is the poetical one he gave to the lady whom he married. They aro in three parts : the first containing sonnets and other small pieces, chiefly seldressed to his mistress before marriage; the second part containing similar poem; chiefly addressed to her as his wife; and the pieces in the third being mainly religions and contemplative. ' The Queen of Amgen; • Tragi-Comedic,' acted both at court and at the Blackfriars theatre against the author's will, printed in 1640, folio, brought again upon the stage in 1666, with a prologue and epilogue by the author of ' and reprinted in all the three editions of Dodders ' OM Plays.' 3, ' The Ilistory of Edward I V.,' 1640, fob, said to have been partly written by his father. 4, ' Obeerva Hoes upon History,' 1641, 8vo.
liabington'e poems, although infected by the tendency to puerile and abstruse conceit which prevailed in his time, are yet iu most parte exceedingly delightful. Their fancy is sweet, especially in rural description ; their feeling is refined and ideal ; the language is correct and tasteful ; and the tone of moral sentiment is everywhere pure and elevated. The romautic and chivalrous cast of thought and sentiment gives much interest to his play, although the story is meagre., end the characters are not vigorously depicted.