The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) - Theophilus Cibber
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When he first went embassador to Italy, as he passed through Germany
he staid some days at Augsburgh, where having been in his former
travels well known by many of the first reputation in learning,
and passing an evening in merriment, he was desired by Christopher
Hecamore to write a sentence in his Album, and consenting to it, took
occasion from some accidental conversation which happened in the
company, to write a pleasant definition of an embassador in these
words. "Legatus est vir bonus, peregre-missus ad mentiendum Republicae
causa;" which he chose should have been thus rendered into English: An
Ambassador is an honest Man, sent to lie abroad for the good of his
Country; but the word lie, upon which the conceit turned, was not
so expressed in Latin, as to admit a double meaning, or so fair a
construction as Sir Henry thought, in English. About eight years
after, this Album fell into the hands of Gaspar Scioppius, a restless
zealot, who published books against King James, and upbraided him
for entertaining such scandalous principles, as his embassador had
expressed by that sentence: This aspersion gained ground, and it
became fashionable in Venice to write this definition in several glass
windows. These incidents reaching the ear of King James, he was much
displeased with the behaviour of his embassador on that occasion, and
from an innocent piece of witticism Sir Henry was like to pay very
dear, by losing his master's favour. Upon this our author wrote two
apologies, one to Velserus, which was dispersed in Germany and Italy,
and another to the King; both which were so well written, that his
Majesty upon reading them declared, "that Sir Henry Wotton had
sufficiently commutted for a greater offence."
Upon this reconciliation, Sir Henry became more in favour with his
Majesty than ever; like friends who have been for some time separated,
they meet again with double fervour, and their friendship increases
to a greater warmth. During the twenty years which Sir Henry was
ambassador at Venice, he had the good fortune to be so well respected
by all the Dukes, and the leading men of the Republic, that his
interest every year increased, and they seldom denied him any favour
he asked for his countrymen who came to Venice; which was, as Walton
expresses it, a city of refuge for all Englishmen who were any way
distressed in that Republic. Walton proceeds to relate two particular
instances of the generosity, and tenderness of his disposition, and
the nobleness of his mind, which, as they serve to illustrate his
character, deserve a place here.
There had been many Englishmen brought by commanders of their own
country, to serve the Venetians for pay, against the Turks; and those
English, by irregularities, and imprudence, committed such offences as
brought them into prisons, and exposed them to work in gallies.
Wotton could not be an unconcerned spectator of the miseries of his
countrymen: their offences he knew proceeded rather from wantonness,
and intemperance, than any real principles of dishonour; and therefore
he thought it not beneath him to become a petitioner for their
releasement. He was happy in a successful representation of their
calamities, they were set at liberty, and had an opportunity of
returning to their own country in comfort, in place of languishing
in jails, and being slaves at the Gallies; and by this compassionate
Interposition with the Republick, he had the blessings of many
miserable wretches: the highest pleasure which any human being can
enjoy on this side immortality.
Of the generosity and nobleness of his mind, Walton gives this
instance;
Upon Sir Henry Wotton's coming a second time to Venice, he was
employed as embassador to several of the German princes, and to the
Emperor Ferdinando II. and this embassy to these princes was to
incline them to equitable measures, for the restoration of the Queen
of Bohemia, and her descendants, to their patrimonial inheritance
of the Palatinate. This was by eight months constant endeavours and
attendance upon the Emperor and his court, brought to a probability
of a successful conclusion, by a treaty; but about that time the
Emperor's army fought a battle so fortunately, as put an end to the
expected treaty, and Sir Henry Wotton's hopes, who when he quitted
the Emperor's court, humbly advised him, to use his victory with
moderation, which advice the Emperor was pleased to hear graciously,
being well satisfied with Wotton's behaviour during his residence at
his court. He then told him, that tho' the King his master was looked
upon as an abetter of his enemy, yet he could not help demonstrating
his regard to him, by making him a present of a rich jewel of
diamonds, worth more than ten thousand pounds. This was received with
all possible respect by Sir Henry; but the next morning upon his
departing from Vienna, at his taking leave of the Countess of Sabrina,
an Italian lady, in whose house he resided, he expressed his gratitude
for her civilities by presenting her with the jewel given him by the
Emperor, which being afterwards discovered, was by the Emperor taken
as an affront; but Sir Henry acknowledging his gratitude for the mark
of distinction shewn to him, at the same time declared, he did not
chuse to receive profit from any present, given him by an enemy of his
royal mistress, for so the Queen of Bohemia, the eldest daughter of
the King of England, permitted him to call her.
Upon Sir Henry Wotton's return from his embassy, he signified an
inclinacion to the King to be excused from any further employment in
foreign affairs, to retire from the bustle of life, and spend the
evening of his days in studious ease and tranquility. His Majesty in
consequence of this request, promised him the reversion of an office,
which was the place of Master of the Rolles, if he out-lived Sir
Julius Caesar, who then possessed it, and was grown so old, that he was
said to be kept alive beyond nature's course, by the prayers of the
many people who daily lived upon his bounty. Here it will not be
improper to observe, that Sir Henry Wotton had, thro' a generosity of
temper, reduced his affairs to such a state, that he could not live
without some profitable employment, as he was indebted to many persons
for money he borrowed to support his dignity in his embassy, the
King's appointment for that purpose being either not regularly paid,
or too inconsiderable for the expence. This rendered it impossible for
him to wait the death of Sir Julius Caesar; besides that place had been
long sollicited by that worthy gentleman for his son, and it would
have been thought an ill-natured office, to have by any means
prevented it.
It luckily happened at this time, that the Provostship of his
Majesty's college at Eaton became vacant by the death of Mr. Murray,
for which there were many earnest and powerful sollicitations. This
place was admirably suited to the course of life Wotton resolved to
pursue, for the remaining part of his days; he had seen enough of the
world to be sick of it, and being now three-score years of age, he
thought a college was the fittest place to indulge contemplation, and
to rest his body and mind after a long struggle on the theatre of
life. In his suit for this place he was happily successful, and
immediately entered into holy orders, which was necessary, before
he could take possession of his new office. Walton has related the
particular manner of his spending his time, which was divided between
attendance upon public devotion, the more private duties of religion,
and the care which his function demanded from him of the affairs of
the college. In the year 1639 Sir Henry died in Eaton-College, and
was buried in the chapel belonging to it. He directed the following
sentence to be put upon a marble monument to be erected over him.
Hic jacit hujus sententiae primus author. Disputandi
pruritus ecclesiarum scabies. Nomen alias
quaere.
Which may be thus rendered into English;
Here lyeth the first author of this sentence.
The itch of disputation will prove the scab of the
church.
Enquire his name elsewhere.
Sir Henry Wotton has been allowed by all critics to be a man of
real and great genius, an upright statesman, a polite courtier,
compassionate and benevolent to those in distress, charitable to the
poor, and in a word, an honest man and a pious christian. As a poet he
seems to have no considerable genius. His versification is harmonious,
and sometimes has an air of novelty, his turns are elegant, and his
thoughts have both dignity and propriety to recommend them. There is a
little piece amongst his collections called the World, which we shall
quote, before we give an account of his works.
The world's a bubble: and the life of man,
Less than a span.
In his conception wretched: from the womb,
So to the tomb,
Nurst from his cradle, and brought up to years,
With cares and fears.
Who then to frail mortality shall trust,
But lymns in water, or but writes in dust.
Yet whil'st with sorrow here we live opprest,
What life is best?
Courts are but only superficial schools,
To dandle fools:
The rural part is turned into a den
Of savage men:
And where's a city from vice so free,
But may be termed the word of all the three?
Domestic cares afflict the husband's bed,
Or pains his head.
Those that live single take it for a curse,
Or do things worse,
These would have children, those that have them none,
Or wish them gone:
What is it then to have, or have no wife,
But single thraldom, or a double strife?
Our own affections still at home, to please,
Is a disease.
To cross the seas, to any foreign soil
Peril and toil.
Wars with their noise, affright us, when they cease.
We're worse in peace.
What then remains, but that we still should cry
For being born, and being born to die.
He is author of the following works;
Epistola de Casparo Scioppio, Amberg. 1638, 8vo. This Scioppius was a
man of restless spirit, and had a malicious pen; who in books against
King James, took occasion from a sentence written by Sir Henry Wotton,
in a German's Album, (mentioned p. 260.) to upbraid him with what
principles of religion were professed by him, and his embassador
Wotton, then at Venice, where the said sentence was also written in
several glass windows, as hath been already observed.
Epist. ad Marc. Velserum Duumvir. Augustae Vindelicae, Ann. 1612.
The Elements of Architecture, Lond. 1624, 4to. in two parts,
re-printed in the Reliquae Wottonianae, Ann. 1651, 1654, and 1672, 8vo.
translated into Latin, and printed with the great Vitruvius, and an
eulogium on Wotton put before it. Amster. 1649, folio.
Plausus & Vota ad Regem e scotia reducem. Lond. 1633, in a large 4to.
or rather in a little folio, reprinted by Dr. John Lamphire, in a
book, entitled by him, Monarchia Britannica, Oxon. 1681, 8vo.
Parallel between Robert Earl of Essex, and George late Duke of
Buckingham, London 1642, in four sheets and a half in 4to.
Difference, and Disparity between the Estates, and Conditions of
George Duke of Buckingham, and Robert Earl of Essex.
Characters of, and Observations on, some Kings of England.
The Election of the New Duke of Venice, after the Death of Giopvanno
Bembo.
Philosophical Survey of Education, or moral Architecture.
Aphorisms of Education.
The great Action between Pompey and Caesar, extracted out of the Roman
and Greek writers.
Meditations 22. [Chap. of Gen. Christmas Day]
Letters to, and Characters of certain Personages.
Various Poems.--All or most of which books, and Treatises are
re-printed in a book, entitled, Reliquae Wottonianae already mentioned,
Lond. 1651, 1654, 1672, and 1685, in 8vo. published by Js. Walton, at
the End of Sir Henry Wotton's life.
Letters to the Lord Zouch.
The State of Christendom: or, a more exact and curious Discovery of
many secret Passages, and hidden Mysteries of the Times, Lond. 1657,
folio.
Letters to Sir Edmund Bacon, Lond. 1661, 8vo. There are also several
Letters of his extant, which were addressed to George Duke of
Buckingham, in a Book called Cabala, Mysteries of State, Lond. 1654,
4to.
Journal of his Embassies to Venice, Manuscript, written in the Library
of Edward Lord Conway.
The Propositions to the Count d'Angosciola, relating to Duels.
[Footnote 1: Walton, ubi supra.]
* * * * *
GERVASE MARKHAM.
A gentleman who lived in the reign of Charles I. for whom he took up
arms in the time of the rebellion, being honoured by his Majesty with
a captain's commission.[1] He was the son of Robert Markham, of Cotham
in the county of Nottingham, Esq; and was famous for his numerous
volumes of husbandry, and horsemanship; besides what he has wrote on
rural recreations and military discipline, he understood both the
practice and theory of war, and was esteemed an excellent linguist,
being master of the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, from all
which he collected observations on husbandry. One piece of dramatic
poetry which he has published, says Mr. Langbaine, will shew, that he
sacrificed to Apollo and the Muses, as well as Mars and Pallas. This
play is extant under the title of Herod and Antipater, a
tragedy, printed 4to, 1622; when or where this play was acted,
Mr. Langbaine cannot determine; for, says he, the imperfection
of my copy hinders my information; for the foundation, it
is built on history: See Josephus. Mr. Langbaine then proceeds to
enumerate his other works, which he says, are famous over all England;
of these he has wrote a discourse of Horsemanship, printed 4to.
without date, and dedicated to Prince Henry, eldest son to King
James I. Cure of all Diseases incident to Horses, 4to. 1610. English
Farrier, 4to. 1649. Masterpiece, 4to. 1662. Faithful Farrier, 8vo.
1667. Perfect Horsemanship, 12mo. 1671. In Husbandry he published
Liebault's le Maison Rustique, or the Country Farm, folio, Lond. 1616.
This Treatise, which was at first translated by Mr. Richard Surfleit,
a Physician, our author enlarged with several additions from the
French books of Serris and Vinet, the Spanish of Albiterio and the
Italian of Grilli and others. The Art of Husbandry, first translated
from the Latin of Cour. Heresbachiso, by Barnaby Googe, he revived and
augmented, 4to. 1631. He wrote besides, Farewell to Husbandry,
4to. 1620. Way to get wealth, wherein is comprised his Country
Contentments, printed 4to. 1668. To this is added, Hunger's
Prevention, or the Art of Fowling, 8vo. His Epitome, 12mo. &c.--In
Military Discipline he has published the Soldier's Accidence and
Grammar, 4to. 1635--Besides these the second book of the first part of
the English Arcadia is said to be wrote by him, in so much that he
may be accounted, says Langbaine, "if not Unus in omnibus, at least
a benefactor to the public, by those works he left behind him, which
without doubt perpetuate his memory." Langbaine is lavish in his
praise, and not altogether undeservedly. To have lived a military
life, which too often engages its professors in a dissipated course of
pleasure, and at the same time, make himself master of such a variety
of knowledge, and yield so much application to study, entitles him
to hold some rank in literature. In poetry he has no name, perhaps
because he did not apply himself to it; so true is the observation
that a great poet is seldom any thing else. Poetry engages all the
powers of the mind, and when we consider how difficult it is to
acquire a name in a profession which demands so many requisites, it
will not appear strange that the sons of Apollo should seldom be
found to yield sufficient attention to any other excellence, so as to
possess it in an equal degree.
[Footnote 1: Langbaine's Lives, p. 340.]
* * * * *
THOMAS HEYWOOD
Lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. He was an
actor, as appears from the evidence of Mr. Kirkman, and likewise from
a piece written by him called, The Actor's Vindication. Langbaine
calls his plays second rate performances, but the wits of his time
would not permit them to rank so high. He was according to his own
confession, one of the most voluminous writers, that ever attempted
dramatic poetry in any language, and none but the celebrated Spaniard
Lopez de Vega can vie with him. In his preface to one of his plays he
observes, that this Tragi-comedy is one preserved amongst two hundred
and twenty, "in which I have had either an entire hand, or at least a
main finger." Of this prodigious number, Winstanley, Langbaine, and
Jacob agree, that twenty-four only remain; the reason Heywood himself
gives is this; "That many of them by shifting and change of companies
have been negligently lost; others of them are still retained in the
hands of some actors, who think it against their profit to have them
come in print, and a third, that it was never any great ambition in me
to be voluminously read." These seem to be more plausible reasons than
Winstanley gives for their miscarriage; "It is said that he not only
acted himself every day, but also wrote each day a sheet; and that he
might lose no time, many of his plays were composed in the tavern, on
the backside of tavern bills, which may be the occasion that so many
of them are lost." That many of our author's plays might be plann'd,
and perhaps partly composed in a tavern is very probable, but that any
part of them was wrote on a tavern bill, seems incredible, the tavern
bill being seldom brought upon the table till the guests are going to
depart; besides as there is no account of Heywood's being poor, and
when his employment is considered, it is almost impossible he could
have been so; there is no necessity to suppose this very strange
account to be true. A poet not long dead was often obliged to study
in the fields, and write upon scraps of paper, which he occasionally
borrowed; but his case was poverty, and absolute want.[1] Langbaine
observes of our author, that he was a general scholar, and a tolerable
linguist, as his several translations from Lucian, Erasmus, Texert,
Beza, Buchanan, and other Latin and Italian authors sufficiently
manifest. Nay, further, says he, "in several of his plays, he has
borrowed many ornaments from the ancients, as more particularly in his
play called the Ages, he has interspersed several things borrowed from
Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Seneca, Plautus, which extremely set them off."
What opinion the wits of his age had of him, may appear from the
following verses, extracted from of one of the poets of those
times.[2]
The squibbing Middleton, and Heywood sage,
Th' apologetick Atlas of the stage;
Well of the golden age he could entreat,
But little of the metal he could get;
Threescore sweet babes he fashion'd at a lump,
For he was christen'd in Parnassus pump;
The Muses gossip to Aurora's bed,
And ever since that time, his face was red.
We have no account how much our author was distinguished as an actor,
and it may be reasonably conjectured that he did not shine in that
light; if he had, his biographers would scarce have omitted so
singular a circumstance, besides he seems to have addicted himself
too much to poetry, to study the art of playing, which they who are
votaries of the muses, or are favoured by them, seldom think worth
their while, and is indeed beneath their genius.
The following is a particular account of our author's plays now
extant:
1. Robert Earl of Huntingdon's downfall, an historical Play, 1601,
acted by the Earl of Nottingham's servants.
2. Robert Earl of Huntingdon's Death; or Robin Hood of Merry Sherwood,
with the tragedy of chaste Matilda, 1601. The plots of these two
plays, are taken from Stow, Speed, and Baker's chronicles in the reign
of King Richard I.
3. The Golden Age, or the Lives of Jupiter and Saturn, an historical
play, acted at the Red Bull, by the Queen's servants, 1611. This play
the author stiles the eldest Brother of three Ages. For the story see
Galtruchius's poetical history, Ross's Mystagogus Poeticus; Hollyoak,
Littleton, and other dictionaries.
4. The Silver Age, 1613; including the Love of Jupiter to Alcmena. The
Birth of Hercules, and the Rape of Proserpine; concluding with the
Arraignment of the Moon. See Plautus. Ovid. Metamorph. Lib. 3.
5. The Brazen Age; an historical play, 1613. This play contains the
Death of Centaure Nessus, the tragedy of Meleager, and of Jason and
Medea, the Death of Hercules, Vulcan's Net, &c. For the story see
Ovid's Metamorph. Lib. 4--7--8--9.
6. The Iron Age; the first part a history containing the Rape of
Helen, the Siege of Troy, the Combat between Hector and Ajax. Hector
and Troilus slain by Achilles, the Death of Ajax, &c. 1632.
7. Iron Age, the second part; a History containing the Death of
Penthesilea, Paris, Priam, and Hecuba: the burning of Troy, the Deaths
of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemnestra, Helena, Orestes, Egistus,
Pylades, King Diomede, Pyrrhus, Cethus, Synon, Thersetus, 1632,
which part is addressed to the author's much respected friend Thomas
Manwaring, Esq; for the plot of both parts, see Homer, Virgil, Dares
Phrygius; for the Episodes, Ovid's Epistles, Metamorph, Lucian's
Dialogues, &c.
8. A Woman kill'd with Kindness, a comedy acted by the Queen's
Servants with applause, 1617.
9. If you know not Me, you know Nobody; or the Troubles of Queen
Elizabeth, in Two parts, 1623. The plot taken from Camden, Speed, and
other English Chronicles in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
10. The Royal King, and Loyal Subject, a tragi-comedy, 1627, taken
partly from Fletcher's Loyal Subject.
The Fair Maid of the West, or a Girl worth Gold, 1631. This play was
acted before the King and Queen. Our author in his epistle prefixed to
this play, pleads modesty in not exposing his plays to the public view
of the world in numerous sheets, and a large volume under the title of
Works, as others, by which he would seem tacitly to arraign some of
his cotemporaries for ostentation, and want of modesty. Langbaine is
of opinion, that Heywood in this case levelled the accusation at
Ben Johnson, since no other poet, in those days, gave his plays the
pompous title of Works, of which Sir John Suckling has taken notice in
his session, of the poets.
The first that broke silence, was good old Ben,
Prepar'd before with Canary wine;
And he told them plainly, that he deserved the bays,
For his were called works, where others were but plays.
There was also a distich directed by some poet of that age to Ben
Johnson,
Pray tell me, Ben, where does the mystery lurk?
What others call a play, you call a work.
Which was thus answered by a friend of his,
The author's friend, thus for the author says,
Ben's plays are works, when others works are plays.
12. Fair Maid of the West, or a Girl worth Gold, the second part;
acted likewise before the King and Queen with success, dedicated to
Thomas Hammond, of Gray's-Inn, Esq;
13. The Dutchess of Suffolk, an historical play 1631. For the play see
Fox's Martyrology, p. 521.
14. The English Traveller, a tragi-comedy, acted at the Cock-pit in
Drury-lane, 1633, dedicated to Sir Henry Appleton, the plot from
Plautus Mostellaria.
15. A Maidenhead well lost, a comedy acted in Drury-lane, 1634.
16. The Four London Apprentices, with the Conquest of Jerusalem; an
historical play, acted by the Queen's servants 1635. It is founded on
the history of Godfrey of Bulloign. See Tasso, Fuller's history of the
holy war, &c.
17. A Challenge for Beauty; a tragi-comedy, acted by the King's
servants in Black-Fryers, 1636.
18. The Fair Maid of the Exchance; with the Merry Humours of the
Cripple of Fen-church, a comedy, 1637.
19. The Wise Woman of Hogsden; a comedy, acted with applause, 1638.
20. The Rape of Lucrece, a Roman Tragedy, acted at the Red Bull, 1638.
Plot from Titus Livius.
21. Love's Mistress, or the Queen's Mask; presented several times
before their Majesties, 1640. For the plot see Apuleius's Golden Ass.
22. Fortune by Land or Sea, a comedy; acted by the Queen's servants,
1653. Mr. Rowley assisted in the composing of this play.
23. The Lancashire Witches, a comedy; acted at the Globe by the King's
servants. Mr. Brome joined with Mr. Heywood in writing this comedy.
This story is related by the author in his Hierarchy of Angels.
24. Edward IV. an historical play, in two parts. For the story see
Speed, Hollinshed and other chronicles.
This author has published several other works in verse and prose, as
his Hierarchy of Angels, above-mentioned; the Life and Troubles of
Queen Elizabeth; the General History of Women; An Apology for Actors,
&c.
[Footnote 1: See the Life of Savage.]
[Footnote 2: Langbaine, p. 258.]
* * * * *
WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT,
A Gentleman eminent for learning. The place of his birth, and his
father's name, are differently assigned by authors, who have mentioned
him. Mr. Loyd says[1], that he was son of Thomas Cartwright of Burford
in Oxfordshire, and born August 16, in the year 1615; Mr. Wood[2],
that he was the son of William Cartwright, and born at Northway, near
Tewksbury in Gloucestershire in September 1611, that his father had
dissipated a fair inheritance he knew not how, and as his last refuge
turned inn-keeper at Cirencester; when living in competence, he
procured his son, a youth of a promising genius, to be educated under
Mr. William Topp, master of the free school in that town. From thence
he was removed to Westminster school, being chosen a King's scholar,
when compleating his former learning, under the care of Mr. Lambert
Osbaldiston, he was elected a student in Christ Church in Oxford,
in 1628, under the tuition of Mr. Jerumael Terrent[3], having gone
through the classes of logic and philosophy with unwearied diligence,
he took the degrees of Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1605.
Afterwards he entered into holy orders, and gained great reputation,
in the university for his pathetic preaching.