_Si bonus sis, venias, si nequam, nequaquam_.

Whereupon for the future, to avoid the occasion of such Jokes, he
altered his Name from _Nequam_, to _Neckam_.

His admirable knowledge in good Arts, made him famous throughout
_England_, _France_, _Italy_, yea and the whole World, and that with
incredible admiration, that he was called _Miraculum ingenij_, the
Wonder and Miracle of Wit and Sapience. He was an exact Philosopher,
and excellent Divine, an accurate Rhetorician, and an admirable Poet,
as did appear by many his Writings which he left to posterity, some of
which are mentioned by _Bale_.

That he was born at St. _Albans_, appears by a certain passage in one
of his _Latine_ Poems, cited by Mr. _Cambden_, and thus Englished by
his Translatour, Doctor _Holland_.

_This is the place that knowledge took of my Nativity,
My happy Years, my Days also of Mirth and Jollity.
This Place my Childhood trained up in all Arts liberal,
And laid the ground-work of my Name, and skill Poetical.
This Place great and renowned Clerks into the World hath sent;
For Martyr bless'd, for Nation, for Sight, all excellent.
A troop here of Religious Men serve Christ both night and day,
In Holy Warfare, taking pains duly to watch and pray._

He is thought by some, saith _Bale_, to have been a Canon Regular, and
to have been preferred to the Abbotship of _Glocester_, as the
Continuater of _Robert of Glocester_ will have it.