tificiall workmanship that haue trauayled herein, as well as myselfe, should somewhat couer my nakednesse, and purchase my pardon.— Theirs I knowe to be deliuered with singular dexterity: myne, I confesse to be an vnflidge [unfledged] nestling, vnable to flye; an vnnatural abortion, and an vnperfect embryon: neyther throughlye laboured at Aristophanes and Cleanthes candle, neither yet exactly waighed in Critolaus his precise ballaunce. Yet this I dare saye, I haue deliuered myne authors meaning with as much perspicuity as so meane a scholar, out of so meane a stoare, in so smal a time, and vpon so short a warning, was well able to performe," &c.§ Of Thomas Newton, a slender contributor to this volume, yet perhaps the chief instrument of bringing about a general translation of Seneca, and otherwise deserving well of the literature of this period, some notices seem necessary. The first letter of his English THEBAIS is a large capital D. Within it is a shield exhibiting a sable Lion ram Dated, "From Butley in Cheshyre the 24. of Aprill, 1581." I am informed by a manuscript note of Oldys, that Richard Robinson translated the Thebais. Of this I know no more, but R. Robinson was a large writer both in verse and prose. Some of his pieces I have already mentioned. He wrote also "Christmas Recreations of histories and moralizations aplied for our solace and consolacions," licensed to T. East, Dec. 5, 1576. Registr. Station. B. fol. 136 b. And, in 1569, is entered to Binneman, 66 The ruefull tragedy of Hemidos, &c. by Richard Robinson." Registr. A. fol. 190 a. And, to T. Dawson in 1579, Aug. 26, "The Vineyard of Vertue a booke gathered by R. Robinson." Registr. B. fol. 163 a. He was a citizen of London. The reader recollects his English Gesta Romanorum, in 1577. He wrote also "The avncient order, societie, and vnitie laudable, of Prince Arthure, and his knightly armory of the Round Table. With a threefold assertion, &c. Translated and collected by R. R." Lond. for J. Wolfe, 1583. bl. lett. 4to. This work is in metre, and the armorial bearings of the knights are in verse. Prefixed is a poem by Churchyard, in praise of the Bow. His translation of Leland's Assertio Arthuri (bl. lett. 4to.) is entered to J. Wolfe, Jun. 6, 1582. Registr. Station. B. fol. 189 b. [It was published in the same year.-PARK.] I find, licensed to R. James in 1565, "A boke intituled of very pleasaunte sonnettes and storyes in myter [metre] by Clement Robynson." Registr. B. fol. 141 a. [In 1584 was printed "A Handefull of pleasant Delites, containing sundrie new sonets and delectable histories, in diuers kindes of meeter, newly devised to the newest times, &c. by Clement Robinson and others." 16mo. Extracts from this Miscellany are given in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. and Ellis's Specimens, vol. ii. Richard Robinson put forth the following works, "The Rewarde of Wickednesse, discoursing the sundrye monstrous Abuses of wicked and ungodlye Worldelinges, in such sort set downe and written, as the same have been dyversely practised in the persones of popes, harlots, proude princes, tyrauntes, Romish byshoppes, and others," &c. Author's address, dated May 1574. Lond. by W. Williamson. 4to. n. d. From this tract it appears, that R. Robinson was in the household service of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and employed by him as a domestic sentinel over the Q. of Scots. In 1576, he published a work, which Mr. Warton had entered as duly licensed. It was entitled "Robinson's Poems; certain selected histories for Christian recreations, with their several Moralizations. Brought into English verse, and are to be sung with several notes composed by Rich. Robinson." Lond, for H. Kirkham. In 1578 he printed "A Dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or devine Exercise of the Mind; instructing us to live unto God, and to dye unto the world," &c. Lond. by Hugh Singleton. This was translated from the Latin of Fox, bishop of Durham and Winchester. A work of a similar kind, translated from the Latin of Dr. Urbanus, was printed in 1587-1590, and lastly, by R. Jones in 1594. It was called "The Solace of Sion and Joy of Jerusalem, or ConIsolation of God's Church in the latter Age, redeemed by the preaching of the Gospell universallie." In these three latter pieces he designates himself as a citizen of London.-PARK.] pant, crossed in argent on the shoulder, and a half moon argent in the dexter corner, I suppose his armorial bearing. In a copartment, towards the head, and under the semicircle, of the letter, are his initials, T. N. He was descended from a respectable family in Cheshire, and was sent while very young, about thirteen years of age, to Trinity college in Oxford. Soon afterwards he went to Queen's college in Cambridge; but returned within a very few years to Oxford, where he was re-admitted into Trinity college. He quickly became famous for the pure elegance of his Latin poetry. Of this he has left a specimen in his ILLUSTRIA ALIQUOT ANGLORUM ENCOMIA, published at London in 1589k. He is perhaps the first Englishman that wrote Latin elegiacs with a classical clearness and terseness after Leland, the plan of whose ENCOMIA and TROPHÆA he seems to have followed in this little work'. Most of the learned and ingenious men of that age appear to have courted the favours of this polite and popular encomiast. His chief patron was the unfortunate Robert earl of Essex. I have often incidentally mentioned some of Newton's recommendatory verses, both in English and Latin, prefixed to cotemporary books, according to the mode of that age. One of his earliest philological publications is a NOTABLE HIstorie of the SARACENS, digested from Curio, in three books, printed at London in 1575m. I unavoidably anticipate in remarking here, that he wrote a poem on the death of queen Elizabeth, called " ATROPOION DELION," or, "the Death of Delia with the Tears of her funeral. A poetical excusive discourse of our late Eliza. By T. N. G.* Lond. 1603"." The next year he published a flowery romance, new history, or a fragrant posie made of three flowers Rosa, Rosalynd, and Rosemary. London, 1604°." Phillips, in his THEATRUM PoetaRUM, attributes to Newton a tragedy in two parts, called TAMBURLAIN The Great, or THE SCYTHIAN SHEPHERD. But this play, printed at London in 1593, was written by Christopher Marlowe P. He seems to have been a partisan of the puritans, from his pamphlet of CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP, with an Invective against dice-play and other profane games, printed at London, 1586. For some time our author practised physic, and, in the character of that profession, wrote or translated many medical tracts. The first of these, on a curious subject, A direction for the health of magistrates and students, from Gratarolus, appeared in 1574. At length taking orders, he first taught school at Macclesfield in Che1 Lond. 1589. 4to. Reprinted by Hearne, Oxon. 1715. 8vo. Registr. ibid. i Ibid. His master John Brunswerd, at Macclesfield school, in Cheshire, was no bad Latin poet. See his Progymnasmata aliquot Poemata. See Lond. 1590. 4to. Newton's Encom. p. 128. 131. Brunswerd died in 1589; and his epitaph, made by his scholar Newton, yet remains in the chancel of the church of Macclesfield. Alpha poetarum, coryphæus grammati corum Flos παιδαγωγων, hac sepelitur humo. "A plesant shire, and afterwards at Little Ilford in Essex, where he was beneficed. In this department, and in 1596, he published a correct edition of Stanbridge's Latin Prosody. In the general character of an author, he was a voluminous and a laborious writer. From a long and habitual course of studious and industrious pursuits he had acquired a considerable fortune, a portion of which he bequeathed in charitable legacies. It is remarkable, that Shakspeare has borrowed nothing from the English Seneca*. Perhaps a copy might not fall in his way. Shakspeare was only a reader by accident+. Hollinshed and translated Italian novels supplied most of his plots or stories. His storehouse of learned history was North's Plutarch. The only poetical fable of antiquity which he has worked into a play, is TROILUS. But this he borrowed from the romance of Troy. Modern fiction and English history were his principal resources. These perhaps were more suitable to his taste; at least he found that they produced the most popular subjects. Shakspeare was above the bondage of the classics. I must not forget to remark here, that, according to Ames, among the copies of Henry Denham recited in the register of the Company of Stationers, that printer is said, on the eighth of January, in 1583, among other books, to have yielded into the hands and dispositions of the master, wardens, and assistants of that fraternity, "Two or three of Seneca his tragedies." These, if printed after 1581, cannot be new impressions of any single plays of Seneca, of those published in Newton's edition of all the ten tragedies. Among Hatton's manuscripts in the Bodleian library at Oxford", there is a long translation from the HERCULES OETAEUS of Seneca, by queen Elizabeth. It is remarkable that it is blank verse, a measure which her majesty perhaps adopted from GORBODUC; and which therefore proves it to have been done after the year 1561. It has, however, no other recommendation but its royalty. "Vocabula magistri Stanbrigii ab infinitis quibus scatebant mendis repurgata, observata interim (quoad ejus fieri potuit) carminis ratione, et meliuscule etiam correcta, studio et industria Thomae Newtoni Cestreshyrii. Edinb. excud. R. Waldegrave." I know not if this edition, which is in octavo, is the first. See our author's Encom. p. 128. Our author published one or two translations on theological subjects. [Yet the learned Mr. Whalley remarks, it exceeds the usual poetry of that age, and is equal perhaps to any of the versions which have been made of it since. Inquiry into the Learning of Shakspeare. -PARK.] [Mr. G. Chalmers scouts this intelligence; and points out to curious inquirers the very books which Shakspeare studied. See Suppl. Apol. p. 228.-PARK.] I find nothing of this in Register B. They are mentioned by Ames, with these pieces, viz. "Pasquin in a traunce. The hoppe gardein. Ovid's metamorphosis. The courtier. Cesar's commentaries in English. Ovid's epistles. Image of idlenesse. Flower of frendship. Schole of vertue. Gardener's laborynth. Demosthenes' orations." I take this opportunity of acknowledging my great obligations to that very respectable society, who in the most liberal manner have indulged me with a free and unreserved examination of their original records; particularly to the kind assistance and attention of one of its members, Mr. Lockyer Davies, bookseller in Holborn. " MSS. Mus. Bodl. 55. 12. [Olim Hyper. Bodl.] It begins, "What harming hurle of Fortune's arme," &c. SECTION LVIII. Most of the classic poets translated before the end of the sixteenth century. Phaier's Eneid. Completed by Twyne. Their other works. Phaier's Ballad of Gad's-hill. Stanihurst's Eneid in English hexameters. His other works. Fleming's Virgil's Bucolics and Georgics. His other works. Webbe and Fraunce translate some of the Bucolics. Fraunce's other works. Spenser's Culex. The original not genuine. The Ceiris proved to be genuine. Nicholas Whyte's story of Jason, supposed to be a version of Valerius Flaccus. Golding's Ovid's Metamorphoses. His other works. Ascham's censure of rhyme. A translation of the Fasti revives and circulates the story of Lucrece. Euryalus and Lucretia. Detached fables of the Metamorphoses translated. Moralisations in fashion. Underdowne's Ovid's Ibis. Ovid's Elegies translated by Marlowe. Remedy of Love, by F. L. Epistles by Turberville. Lord Essex a translator of Ovid. His literary character. Churchyard's Ovid's Tristia. Other detached versions from Ovid. Ancient meaning and use of the word Ballad. Drant's Horace. Incidental criticism on Tully's Oration pro Archia. BUT, as scholars began to direct their attention to our vernacular poetry, many more of the ancient poets now appeared in English verse. Before the year 1600, Homer, Musaeus, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and Martial, were translated. Indeed most of these versions were published before the year 1580. For the sake of presenting a connected display of these early translators, I am obliged to trespass, in a slight degree, on that chronological order which it has been my prescribed and constant method to observe. In the mean time we must remember, that their versions, while they contributed to familiarise the ideas of the ancient poets to English readers, improved our language and versification; and that in a general view, they ought to be considered as valuable and important accessions to the stock of our poetical literature. These were the classics of Shakspeare. I shall begin with those that were translated first in the reign of Elizabeth. But I must premise, that this inquiry will necessarily draw with it many other notices much to our purpose, and which could not otherwise have been so conveniently disposed and displayed. Thomas Phaier, already mentioned as the writer of the story of OWEN GLENDOUR in the MIRROUR FOR MAGISTRATES, a native of Pembrokeshire, educated at Oxford, a student of Lincoln's Inn, and an advocate to the council for the Marches of Wales, but afterwards doctorated in medicine at Oxford, translated the seven first books of the Eneid of Virgil*, on his retirement to his patrimonial seat in the forest of Kilgarran, in Pembrokeshire, in the years 1555, 1556, 1557. They were printed at London in 1558, by Ihon Kyngston, and dedicated to queen Mary. He afterwards finished the eighth book on the tenth of September, within forty days, in 1558. The ninth, in thirty days, in 1560. Dying at Kilgarran the same year, he lived only to begin the tenth. All that was thus done by Phaert, one William Wightman published in 1562, with a dedication to Sir Nicholas Bacon, "The nyne first books of the Eneidos of Virgil conuerted into English verse by Thomas Phaer doctour of physick," &c. The imperfect work was at length completed, with Maphaeus's supplemental or thirteenth book, in 1583 [4], by Thomas Twyne‡, a native of Canterbury, a physician of Lewes in Sussex, educated in both universities, an admirer of the my [With this title: The seven first Bookes of the Eneidos of Virgill, converted in Englishe meter by Thos. Phaer, esq. sollicitour to the king and quenes majesties, attending their honorable counsaile in the marchies of Wales. Anno 1558. xxviij. Maij.-PARK.] a In ["To the ende," says Phaer, "that like as my diligence employed in your service in the Marches, maie otherwise appeare to your Grace by your hon'ble counsaile there; so your Highness hereby may receine the accompts of my pastyme in all my vacations, since I haue been prefered to your service by your right noble and faithful counsaillour William lord marquis of Winchester, my first bringer-up and patron."-PARK.] quarto, bl. lett. At the end of the seventh book is this colophon, "Per Thomam Phaer in foresta Kilgerran finitum iij Decembris. Anno 1557. Opus xij dierum." And at the end of every book is a similar colophon, to the same purpose. The first book was finished in eleven days, in 1555. The second in twenty days, in the same year. The third in twenty days, in the same year. The fourth in fifteen days, in 1556. The fifth in twenty-four days, on May the third, in 1557, "post periculum eius Karmerdini," i. e. at Caermarthen. The sixth in twenty days, in 1557. Phaier has left many large works in his several professions of law and medicine. He is pathetically lamented by sir Thomas Chaloner as a most skilful physician. Encom. p. 356. Lond. 1579. 4to. He has a recommendatory English poem prefixed to Philip Betham's Military Precepts, translated from the Latin of James earl of Purlilias, dedicated to lord Studley, Lond. 1544. 4to. For E. Whitchurch. There is an entry to Purfoot in 1566, for printing "serten verses of Cupydo by Mr. Fayre [Phaier]." Registr. Station. A. fol. 154 a. [In his version of the Eneid, Phaer was thus complimented along with several of his cotemporaries : Who covets craggy rock to clime Or of the happy Helicon To drawe and drinke his fille; Or Googe, or Golding Gascoine else, bEx coloph. ut supr. [In the poems of Barnabe Googe, written before March 1563, there is an epitaph on maister Thomas Phayre, which flatters him with having excelled the earl of Surrey, Grimaold, and Douglas (bishop of Dunkeld) in his style of translating Virgil, and expresses regret that his death, in the midst of his toil, had left a work imperfect which no other man could end.— PARK.] Hall. In quarto. Bl. lett. For Rowland [The joint translation of Virgil by Phaer and Twyne was first published in 1573.-RITSON.] |