SABIE, FRANCIS (fl. 1595), poetaster, was a schoolmaster at Lichfield in 1587 (Arber, Stationers' Registers, ii. 146). He published three volumes of verse—two in 1595, and one in 1596. His earliest publication, in two parts, was entitled ‘The Fishermans Tale: Of the famous Actes, Life, and Loue of Cassander, a Grecian Knight,’ 1595. The second part bears the heading ‘Flora's Fortune. The second part and finishing of the Fisher-mans Tale.’ The poem, which was licensed for publication to Richard Jones on 11 Nov. 1594, is a paraphrase in monotonous blank verse of ‘Pandosto, the Triumph of Time,’ afterwards renamed ‘Dorastus and Fawnia,’ a romance by Robert Greene (1560?–1592) [q. v.] A reprint from a Bodleian manuscript, limited to ten copies, was issued by James Orchard Halliwell (afterwards Halliwell-Phillipps) [q. v.] in 1867. Later in 1595 there appeared ‘Pan's Pipe, Three Pastorall Eglogues in English Hexameter, with other poetical verses delightfull.’ The publisher was Richard Jones, who obtained a license for the publication on 11 Jan. 1594–5 (Arber, ii. 668). The prose epistle ‘To all youthful Gentlemen, Apprentises, fauourers of the diuine Arte of sense-delighting Poesie,’ is signed F. S. The hexameters run satisfactorily. In his third volume, which contains three separate works, Sabie showed for the first time his capacity in rhyme. The book was entitled ‘Adams Complaint. The Olde Worldes Tragedie. Dauid and Bathsheba,’ London, by Richard Jones, 1596, 4to. These poems, which are in rhyming stanzas (each consisting of three heroic couplets), versify scripture. ‘The Olde Worldes Tragedie’ is the story of the flood. The volume is dedicated to Dr. Howland, bishop of Peterborough.
Copies of Sabie's three books—all extremely rare—are in the British Museum and at Britwell. The British Museum copies of ‘The Fisher-mans Tale’ and ‘Flora's Fortune,’ which are in fine condition, were acquired from Sir Charles Isham's collection in 1894 (Times, 31 Aug. 1895; Bibliographica, iii. 418–29).
Sabie's son Edmond was apprenticed to Robert Cullen, a London stationer, 12 June 1587 (Arber, ii. 146), and was admitted a freeman on 5 Aug. 1594.
[Collier's Bibl. Cat. ii. 2, 305–7; Collier's Poet. Decameron, i. 137-41; information kindly supplied by R. E. Graves, esq.]
SABINE, Sir EDWARD (1788–1883), general, royal artillery, and president of the Royal Society, fifth son and ninth child of Joseph Sabine, esq., of Tewin, Hertfordshire, and of Sarah (who died within a month of her son's birth), daughter of Rowland Hunt, esq., of Boreatton Park, Shropshire, was born in Great Britain Street, Dublin, on 14 Oct. 1788. Sir Edward's great-grandfather was General Joseph Sabine (1662?–1739) [q. v.], and Joseph Sabine (1770–1813) [q. v.] was his brother.
Sabine was educated at Marlow and at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, which he entered on 25 Jan. 1803. He received a commission as second lieutenant in the royal artillery on 22 Dec. of the same year, and was stationed at Woolwich. He was promoted to be first lieutenant on 20 July 1804, and on 11 Nov. sailed for Gibraltar, where he remained until August 1806. On his return to England on 1 Sept. he was posted to the royal horse artillery, in which he served at various home stations until the end of 1812. He was promoted to be second captain on 24 Jan. 1813, and on 9 May sailed for Canada from Falmouth in the packet Manchester. When eight days out she was attacked by the Yorktown, an American privateer, but, carrying some light guns and carronades, was able to maintain a running fight for twenty hours, after which an hour's close engagement compelled her to strike her colours. Sabine and his soldier-servant were of great service in working the guns. On 18 July the Manchester was recaptured by the British frigate Maidstone, and Sabine was landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, whence he proceeded to Quebec.
In the winter of 1813–14 there was an advance of American militia on Quebec, and Sabine was directed to garrison a small outpost. He served during August and September 1814 in the Niagara frontier (Upper Canada) campaign under Lieutenant-general Gordon Drummond, was present at the siege of Fort Erie, took part in the assault on that fort on 15 Aug., when the British lost twenty-seven officers and 326 men, and was engaged in the action of 17 Sept. against a sortie, when the British loss was twenty officers and 270 men, was twice favourably mentioned in despatches, and was privileged to wear the word ‘Niagara’ on his dress and appointments. He returned home on 12 Aug.
