Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fitzgeffrey, Henry
FITZGEFFREY, HENRY (fl. 1617), writer of satires and epigrams, is commonly assumed to have been a son of Charles Fitzgeffrey [q. v.], but no evidence in support of the conjecture has been adduced. A Henry Fitz-Jeffrey, who is on the list of Westminster scholars elected to Cambridge in 1611 (Welch, Alumni Westmonast. p. 81), may, or may not, be the satirist. In 1617 appeared 'Certain Elegies, done by Sundrie excellent Wits. With Satyres and Epigrames,' 8vo; 2nd edition, 1618; 3rd edition, 1620; 4th edition, undated. The elegies are by F[rancis] B[eaumont], N[athaniel ?] H[ooke?], and M[ichael] D[rayton]. They are followed by 'The Author in Praise of his own Booke,' four lines; and 'Of his deare Friend the Author H. F.,' eight lines, signed 'Nath. Gvrlyn,' to which is appended 'The Author's Answer.' In the first satire there are some curious notices of popular fugitive tracts. After the second satire is a copy of commendatory verses by J. Stephens. Then follows 'The Second Booke: of Satyricall Epigram's,' with a dedication 'To his True Friend Tho: Fletcher of Lincoln's Inn, Gent.;' and at the end of the epigrams is another copy of commendatory verses by Stephens. 'The Third Booke of Humours: Intituled Notes from Black-Fryers,' opens with an epigram 'To his Lou : Chamber-Fellow and nearest Friend Nat. Gvrlin of Lincolnes-Inn, Gent.' The notes are followed by some more verses of Stephens, the epilogue 'The Author for Himselfe,' and finally a verse 'Post-script to his Book-binder.' Twelve copies of the little volume were reprinted, from the edition of 1620, for E. V. Utterson at the Beldornie Press in 1843.
[Corser's Collectanea Anglo-Poetica, pt. vi. pp. 356–60; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 608.]