John Aubrey's Brief Lives

Over at The Charlock's Shade, there is a short account of John Aubrey (1626-1697), famous for his Brief Lives. If the Internet were all it's cracked up to be, the Brief Lives would be available unabridged in cyberspace.

Here's a tantalizing sample, from Aubrey's life of Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, 1550-1604:

This Earle of Oxford, making of his low obeisance to Queen Elizabeth, happened to let a Fart, at which he was so abashed and ashamed that he went to Travell, 7 yeares. On his return the Queen welcomed him home, and sayd, My Lord, I had forgott the Fart.

Some claim that De Vere is the real author of Shakespeare's plays.