THE LIFE OF GEORGE GASCOIGNE. BY MR. CHALMERS. THE life of this ingenious poet has long been involved in obscurity. Most of his biographers have either not seen his works, or have not read them with attention, and the rarity of all the editions for many years past has prevented curious inquirers from an opportunity of resolving their doubts. Anthony Wood's life of Gascoigne is, upon the whole, more free from errors than might have been expected in a biographer who was wont to undervalue the sons of the Muses. Bishop Tanner's and Dr. Berkenhout's accounts are abridged from Wood, but a very judicious sketch may be seen in the first volume of the Censura Literaria, and in addition to that, and other notices scattered over the same useful publication, I am now enabled to avail myself of a manuscript life written by the late Richard Gough, Esq. for the Biographia Britannica, and, what probably may be considered as of more importance, of a pamphlet of uncommon rarity, which has lately been brought to light, after a concealment of nearly a century. Bishop Tanner is the first who notices this pamphlet, under the title of " A Remembrance of the well employed life, and godly end of George Gascoigne, Esq. who deceased at Stamford in Lincolnshire, 7th October 1577, reported by George Whetstone." But it is very extraordinary that the learned prelate should inform us of this pamphlet being in his possession, and at the same time express his doubt, "Vita an nostri an alius Geo. Gascoigni?" when a very slight inspectión must have convinced him that it could be no other, and that, in its principal facts, it agreed with the account he had just transcribed from Wood. Since the antiquities of poetry have become a favourite study, many painful inquiries have been made after this tract, but it could not be found in Tanner's library, which forms part of the Bodleian, or in any other collection, private or public, and doubts were entertained' whether such a pamphlet had ever existed. This ought not to have been the case, as Herbert mentions that Aggas had a licence to print it, which I find, by the books of the Stationers' Company. was granted on the fifteenth of November 1577. C. About three years ago, however, it was discovered in the collection of a deceased gentleman, a Mr. Voight of the Custom-house, London, and was purchased at his sale by Mr. Malone. It consists of about thirteen pages small quarto, black letter, and contains, certainly not much life, but some particulars unknown to his biographers, which are now incorporated in the following sketch, and a transcript of the whole is subjoined. George Gascoigne was born of an ancient and honourable family in Essex, and was son and heir of sir John Gascoigne, who, for some reason not assigned in Whetstone's account, chose to disinherit him. Previously to this harsh step, he had been privately educated under a clergyman of the name of Nevinson, perhaps Stephen Nevinson, L.L.D. prebendary and commissary of the city and diocese of Canterbury. After this he was removed either to Oxford or Cambridge. Wood says, he "had his education in both the universities, though chiefly, as he conceives, in Cambridge;" but Gascoigne himself, in his Steele-Glasse, informs us that he was a member of the university of Cambridge, without mentioning Oxford. His progress at Cambridge is unknown; but he removed from it to Gray's Inn, for the purpose of studying the law. It is probable that in both places he wrote a considerable number of his poems, those of the amatory kind particularly, as he seems to include them among his youthful follies. Wood now informs us, that Gascoigne, "having a rambling and unfixed head, left Gray's Inn, went to various cities in Holland, and became a soldier of note, which he afterwards professed as much, or more, as learning, and therefore made him take this motto, Tam Marti quam Mercurio. From thence he went to France to visit the fashions of the royal court there, where he fell in love with a Scottish dame." In this there is a mixture of truth and error. The story of the Scottish dame has no better foundation than some lines in his Herbes, written probably in an assumed character. His being in France is yet more doubtful, and perhaps the following is nearly the fact. While at Gray's Inn he incurred the expences of a fashionable and courtly life, and was obliged to sell his patrimony, whatever that might be; and it would appear that his father, dissatisfied with his extravagance, refused him any farther assistance, and, probably about this time, disinherited him. Without blaming his father, unless by calling his disinheritance "a froward deed," he now resolved to assume the airs of independence, in hopes that his courtly friends would render him in reality independent; but he soon found, what is no uncommon case, that their favours were not to be obtained without solicitations incompatible with a proud spirit. A more honourable resource then presented itself. William, prince of Orange, was at this time endeavouring to emancipate the Netherlands from the tyranny of the Spanish monarch, and Gascoigne, prompted by the hope of gaining laurels in a field dignified by patriotic bravery, embarked on the 19th of March 1572, for Holland. The vessel being under the guidance of a drunken Dutch pilot was run aground, and twenty of the crew who had taken to the long boat were drowned. Gascoigne, however, and his friends, remained at the pumps, and being enabled again to put to sea, landed safe in Holland. The drunkenness of the pilot he never forgot: “Wel plaste at length, among the drunken Dutch." Having obtained a captain's commission under the prince of Orange, he " acquired considerable military reputation; but an unfortunate quarrel with his colonel retarded his career. Conscious of his deserts, he repaired immediately to Delf, resolved to resign his commission to the hands from which he received it; the prince in vain endeavouring to close the breach between his officers. 66 "While this negociation was mediating, a circumstance occurred which had nearly cost our poet his life. A lady at the Hague (then in the possession of the enemy) with whom Gascoigne had been on intimate terms, had his portrait in her hands (his counterfayt," as he calls it), and resolving to part with it to himself alone, wrote a letter to him on the subject, which fell into the hands of his enemies in the camp; from this paper they meant to have raised a report unfavourable to his loyalty; but upon its reaching his hands, Gascoigne, conscious of his fidelity, laid it immediately before the prince, who saw through their design, and gave him passports for visiting the lady at the Hague; the burghers, however, watched his motions with malicious caution, and he was called in derision "the Green Knight." Although disgusted with the ingratitude of those on whose side he fought, Gascoigne still retained his commission, till the prince coming personally to the siege of Middleburg, gave him an opportunity of displaying his zeal and courage, when the prince rewarded him with 300 guilders beyond his regular pay, and a promise of future promotion. He was, however, surprised soon after by 3000 Spaniards when commanding, under captain Sheffield, 500 Englishmen lately landed, and retired in good order, at night, under the walls of Leyden. The jealousy of the Dutch was then openly displayed by their refusing to open their gates; our military bard with his band were in consequence made captives. At the expiration of twelve days his men were released, and the officers, after an imprisonment of four months, were sent back to England." These particulars, so accurately gleaned from his works by the intelligent correspondent of the Censura Literaria, are confirmed in some measure by the information he gave to Whetstone. In this he adverts to his heroic spirit in volunteering his services for the Dutch, appeals to “his slender gaine," as a proof what little share avarice had in his conduct, and insinuates that after he "Cacht by sly hap, in prison vile was popt," his life would have been in danger, had he not exerted his utmost eloquence with his foe, which, we are told, he was enabled to do by his familiarity with the Latin, Italian, French, and Dutch languages. On his return to England, he resided partly in Gray's Inn, and partly at Walthamstowe. In his Flowers he informs us, that he had, in the midst of his youth, determined to abandon all vain delights, and to return to Gray's Inn, there to undertake again the study of the common law; and that at the request of five gentlemen of the Inn, namely, Francis and Anthony Kinwelmersh, Messrs. Vaughan, Nevile, and Courtop, he wrote what he calls his Memories. These tasks, however, may have been per 2 Vol. I. p. 109. &c. C. "Such 3 In the dedication of the Hermit's Tale to queen Elizabeth, hereafter mentioned, he says, Italian as I have learned in London, and such Latin as I forgot at Cambridge, such French as I borrowed in Holland, and such English as I stole in Westmoreland, even such and no better have I here poured before you." From this last expression, the writer of his life in the Censura thinks he may have been a native of Westmoreland. C. VOL. II. GG formed at an earlier period of life, if it can be proved that he left the Inn twice before this time; but his general design now was to trust to his wit, and to "ope the windows of his Muse;" in other words, to publish his early poems, and those other works, written in his more serious moments, that were intended to counteract the licentious tendency of his amatory verses. As a general apology for the latter, he asserts that they "do showe "The woes of love, but not the wayes to love." In the summer of 1575, he accompanied queen Elizabeth in one of her stately progresses, and wrote for her amusement, in the month of July, a kind of mask, entitled The Princely Pleasures of Kenelworth Castle*. Some of the verses were not only written, but spoke by him on this occasion; but the whole of the entertainment, owing to the unfavourable weather, was not performed. This piece was first printed in the posthumous edition of his works. On his return from this progress, his principal residence, while preparing his works, was at Walthamstowe. Here, it appears by Whetstone's account, he wrote The Steele Glasse, The Glass of Government, The Delicate Diet, a Book of Huntings, and the Doom's Day Drum, which last was not published until after his death. He left other pieces behind him, some of which were afterwards printed in various collections, but without his name. Although he enjoyed the esteem of many of his poetical contemporaries, and the patronage of lord Grey of Wilton, the earl of Bedford, sir Walter Rawleigh, and other persons of distinction, yet during this period. he complains bitterly of what poets in all ages have felt, the envy of rivals and the malevolence of critics, and seems to intimate that, although he apparently bore this treatment with patience, yet it insensibly wore him out, and brought on a bodily distemper which his physicians could not cure. In all his publications, he takes every opportunity to introduce and bewail the errors of his youth, and to atone for any injury, real or supposed, which might have accrued to the public from a perusal of his early poems, in which, however, the proportion of indelicate thoughts is surely not very great. His biographers, following the Oxford historian, have hitherto placed his demise at Walthamstowe in the year 1578; but Whetstone, on whom we can more certainly rely, informs us that he died at Stamford in Lincolnshire, Oct. 7, 1577. He had perhaps taken a journey to this place for change of air, accompanied by his friend Whetstone, who was with him when he died, so calmly that the moment of his departure was not perceived. He left a wife and son behind him, whom he recommended to the liberality of the queen, whether successfully, or what became of them, cannot now be known. The registers of Stamford and of Walthamstowe have been examined without success". Although his age is not mentioned by any of his biographers, yet from various expressions in his works, it may be conjectured that it did not exceed forty years, and ✦ See many curious particulars of this entertainment in Nichols' Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, vol. I. C. This is not known. He has commendatory verses before Turbervile's Art of Venerie. C. even a much shorter period might be fixed upon with great probability. His stay at Cambridge was perhaps not long; in 15667, when his comedy of the Supposes was acted at Gray's Inn, he was denominated one of the students. In one of his prefaces, he calls himself of middle age; his exploits in the army are consistent with the prime of life; and it is certain that he did not survive these above five years. As the editions of Gascoigne's works are all extremely scarce, and often imperfect, it may be necessary to give a more particular account of them than has yet been published. The first, and by far the most rare edition of Gascoigne's works, is a quarto volume printed in 1572, and entitled "A Hundreth sundrie Flowres bounde vp in one small Poesie. Gathered partely (by translation) in the fyne outlandish Gardins of Euripides, Ouid, Petrarke, Ariosto, and others: and partly by inuention, out of our owne fruitefull Orchardes in Englande: Yelding sundrie sweete sauors of Tragical, Comical, and Morall Discourses, bothe pleasaunt, and profitable to the well smellyng noses of learned Readers. Meritum petere; graue. At London, Imprinted for Richarde Smith." This volume contains, "First an excellente and pleasante Comedie entituled Supposes. The second, the wofull tragedie of Jocasta, conteining the vtter subuersion of Thebes. Thirdly, a pleasant discourse of the aduentures of master F. J. conteyning excellent letters, sonets, Lays, Ballets, Rondlets, Verlays and verses. Fourthly, diuers excellent deuises of sundry Gentlemen. Fifthly, certayne deuises of master Gascoyne, conteyning his anothamie, his arrignement, his prayse of mistresse Bridges now Lady Sands, then his praise of Zouche late the lady Grey of Wilton. Gascoyne his passion; libell of diuorce; praise of his mistresse; Lullabie; Recantation; five notable deuises upon fiue sundry theames giuen to him by fiue sundry Gentlemen in fiue sundry meeters; gloze vpon Dominus iis opus habet; good morrowe; good night; counsell to Douglas Diue; counsell to Bartholomew Wythipole; Epitaph vpon Captaine Bourcher lately slayne in Zelande, called the tale of the stone; deuise of a maske; wodmanship; gardening; last voyage into Holland in Marche; Lastly the dolorous discourse of Dan Bartholomew of Bathe, wherin is conteyned his triumphes, his discourse of loue, his extreme passion, his libell of request to Care, his last will and testament, his farewel; Last of all the reporter." Of this very rare edition, only two perfect copies are known, one which was in Mr. Steevens's collection, and a second in Emanuel college library, placed there probably by Dr. Farmer; a third, now before the editor, is the property of Thomas Hill, esq. and was completed by manuscript from Dr. Farmer's copy. Mr. Steevens's account of it was, that it differed very materially from its successor in 1587, and contained several pieces not to be found in it: it was, in short, an unchastised work, published, as it should seem, without the formal consent of Gascoigne, though not perhaps without his connivance. The pages in all the copies extant break off abruptly at 164, and recom mence at 201. 7 It appears from the records of Gray's Inn, that in 1565 George Gascoigne being called an Ancient, paid his fines for the vacations past, to complete the number of nine vacations required by the statutes of the society. If this was the poet, which is very probable, his pursuit of his studies must, at this time, have been serious. See Malcolm's Lond. Rediv. vol. II. p. 246. 8 Ariosto allegorized, a short piece, not very delicate, is the only omission I can discover in the subsequent editions. C. |