earlier than the Latin, and written about the walls of Saint Innocents cloisters at Paris: from which Lydgate formed his English version1. In the British Museum is a most splendid and elegant manuscript on vellum, undoubtedly a present to king Henry VI2. It contains a set of Lydgate's poems, in honour of saint Edmund the patron of his monastery at Bury. Besides the decoration of illuminated initials, and one hundred and twenty pictures of various sizes, representing the incidents related in the poetry, executed, with the most delicate pencil, and exhibiting the habits, weapons, architecture, utensils, and many other curious particulars, belonging to the age of the ingenious illuminator, there are two exquisite portraits of the king, one of William Curteis abbot of Bury, and one of the poet Lydgate kneeling at saint Edmund's shrine3. In one of the king's pictures, he is represented on his throne, crowned, and receiving this volume from the abbot kneeling in another he appears as a child prostrate on a carpet at saint Edmund's shrine, which is richly delineated, yet without any idea of perspective or proportion. The figures of a great number of monks, and attendants, are introduced. Among the rest, two noblemen, perhaps the king's uncles, with bonnets, or caps, of an uncommon shape. It appears that our pious monarch kept his Christmas at this magnificent monastery, and that he remained here, in a state of scclusion from the world, and See the DAUNCE OF MACABRE, MSS. Harl. 116. 9. fol. 129. OBSERVATIONS on the FAIRY QUEEN, vol. ii, p. 116, seq. The DANCE OF DEATH, falsley supposed to have been invented by Holbein, is different from this, though founded in the same idea. It was painted by Holbein in the Augustine monastery at Basil, 1543. But it appeared much earlier. In the chronicle of Hartmannus Schedelius, Nerimb. 1493, fol. In the Quotidian Offices of the church, Paris, 1515. 8vo. And, in public buildings, at Minden, in Westphalia, so early as 1993. At Lubec, in the portico of St. Mary's church, 1463. At Dresden, in the castle cr Palace, 1934- At Annaberg, 1525. At Leipsic, &c. Paul Christian Hilscher has written a very learned and entertaining German book on this subject, printed at Dresden, 1705, 8vo. rgravings of Holbein's pictures at Basil were published, curante Matthæo Meriano, at Francfort 1649, and 1725, 4to. The German verses there ascribed, appeared in Latin elegiacs, in Caspar Laudisman's DECENNALIA HUMANE PEREGRINATIONIS, A.D. 1584. I have not mentioned in my Observations on Spenser, that Georgius Emylus published this DANCE at Lyons, 1542. One year before Holbein's painting at Basil appeared. Next, at the same place, 1547. 8vo. The most ancient complete French copy of LA DANSE MACABRE was printed in folio at Lyons, in 1499, together with some other short spiritual pieces, under the title La Grand DANSE MACABRE des hemmus et des femmes historiae avec de beaux dits en Latin et huitains en Francois, &c. To this work Erasmus alludes in the third book of his RATIO CONCIONANDI, where he says, 'Quin et vulgares rhetorista censuerunt hoc decus, qui interdum versibus certo numero camprehensis, pro crrusula, accinunt brevem et argutam sentertiam, velut in Rhythmus quos Gallus quispiam editit in CHOREAM MORTIS,' tom. v, Opp. pag. 1007. Naude calls this allegory, Chorea ab eximio Macabro edita.' MASCUR. P. 224. I believe the first Latin edition, that of Pierre Desrey which I have mentioned, was printed at Troye in 1430, not 1466. The French have an old poem, partly on the same idea, LA DANSE LES AVEUGLES, under the conduct of Love, Fortune, and Death, written by Pierre Michault, about the year 1456. See MEM. ACAD. INSCRIPT. et BFL. LLT. ii, 742. And Goujet, BIBL. FR. ix. 358. In De Bure's BIBLIOGRAPHIE INSTRUTIVE, ar older but less perfect edition of Le Danse Macabre is recited, printed at Paris in 1486, for Guyot Marchant. fol. In this edition the French rhymes are said to be by Michel Marot. tom. i, p. 512, num 3109. BELL. LETTR. He has catalogued all the ancient editions of this piece in French, which are many. Pierre Desrey abovementioned wrote a French romance called LA GENEALOGIE, on Godfrey Paulsign. Paris, 1511. fol. * MSS. Harl. 2278 410. 3 There is an ancient drawing, probably coeval, of Lydgate presenting his poem called the PILGRIM to the earl of Salisbury, MSS. Harl. 4826, 1. It was written 1426. Another of Liese drawings will be mentioned below. 552 LYDGATE'S LIFE AND HISTORY OF ST. EDMUND. of an exemption from public cares, till the following Easter: and that at his departure he was created a brother of the chapter1. It is highly probable, that this sumptuous book, the poetry of which was undertaken by Lydgate at the command of abbot Curteis2, was previously prepared, and presented to his majesty during the royal visit, or very soon afterwards. The substance of the whole work is the life or history of saint Edmund, whom the poet calls the precious charboncle of martirs alle3. In some of the prefatory pictures, there is a description and a delineation of two banners, pretended to belong to saint Edmund. One of these is most brilliantly displayed, and charged with Adam and Eve, the serpent with a human shape to the middle, the tree of life, the holy lamb, and a variety of symbolical ornaments. This banner our bard feigns to have been borne by his saint, who was a king of the east Angles, against the Danes; and he prophesies, that king Henry, with his ensign, would always return victorious. The other banner, given also to saint Edmund, appears to be painted with the arms of our poet's monastery, and its blazoning is thus described. The' other standard, ffeld sable, off colour ynde, A sort of office, or service to antiphone, versicle, response, and verses. 1 Fol. 6. saint Edmund, consisting of an collect, is introduced with these To all men present, or in absence, 2 Curteis was abbot of Bury between the years 1429, and 1445. It appears that Lydgate was also commanded, 'Late charchyd in myn oold days,' to make an English metrical translation of De Profundis, &c. To be hung against the walls of the abbey church. MSS. Harl. 2255. 11. fol. 40. See the last stanza. The poet's Prayer to St. Edmund for his assistance in compiling his LIFE, fol. 9 The history begins thus, fol. ro, b. In Saxonie whilom ther was kyng Called Alkmond of excellent noblesse. It seems to be taken from John of Tinmouth's SANCTILOGIUM, who flourished about the year 1360. At the end, connected with St. Edmund's legend, and a part of the work, is the life of St. Fremund, fol. 69, b. But Lydgate has made many additions. It begins thus, Who han remembre the myracles merueilous Which Crist Jhesu list for his seyntes shewe. Compare MSS. Harl. 372, 1. 2, fol. 1, 25. 43. b. 6 Blue. 4 Fol. 2, 4. 5 Fol. 2. 7 See fol. 103, b. f. 104. 8 Sing. Two hundred days is grauntid of pardoun, Go littel book, be ferfull, quaak for drede, For to appere in so hyhe presence1. Lydgate's poem called the LYFE OE OUR LADY, printed by Caxton3, is opened with these harmonious and elegant lines, which do not seem to be destitute of that eloquence which the author wishes to share with Tully, Petrarch, and Chaucer3. He compares the holy Virgin to a star. O thoughtfull herte, plonged in distresse With slombre of slouth, this long wynter's night! Awake anon, and loke upon the light Of thilke sterre, that with her bemys bright, And with the shynynge of her stremes merye, This sterre in beautie passith Pleiades, That towarde evyn, at midnyght, and at morowe, And dryeth up the bytter terys wete And causeth Phebus, the bryght somers daye, Now fayre sterre, O sterre of sterrys all! Lydgate's manner is naturally verbose and diffuse. This circumstance contributed in no small degree to give a clearness and a fluency to his phraseology. For the same reason he is often tedious and 1 Fol. 118. b. This book was compyled by Dan John Lydgate monke of Burye, at the excitation and styrrynge of the noble and victorious prynce, Harry the fyfthe, in the honowre, glory and reverance of the byrthe of our most blessed lady, &c.' Without date. fol. Afterwards by Robert Redman. 1531. 4to. See MSS. Harl. 629. fol. membran. 3 Cap. xxxiii. xxxiv. 7 Float. Drop. 5 Sphere. 6 Affright. Remove, • Hemisphere. 8 Burnished with gold. So in Lydgate's Legend on Dan Joos a monk, taken from Vincentius Bellovacensi's Speculum HISTORIALE, the name Maria is ful fayre igraven on a red -ose, in lettris of BOURNID geld, MSS. Harl. 2251. 39. fol. 71. b. 9 Prologue. 354 CHARACTER OF THE POETRY OF LYDGATE.-THE VIRGIN MARY. languid. His chief excellence is in description, especially where the subject admits a flowery diction. He is seldom pathetic, or animated. In another part of this poem, where he collects arguments to convince unbelievers that Christ might be born of a pure virgin, he thus speaks of God's omnipotence. And he that made the high and cristal heven, And redde Marse2, with his sterne here; For he that doth the tender braunches sprynge, Myght he not make his grayne to growe and sede, We are surprised to find verses of so modern a cast as the following at such an early period; which in this sagacious age we should judge to be a forgery, was not their genuineness authenticated, and their antiquity confirmed, by the venerable types of Caxton, and a multitude of unquestionable manuscripts. Like as the dewe discendeth on the rose With sylver drops.— Our Saviour's crucifixion is expressed by this remarkable metaphor. Whan he of purple did his baner sprede On Calvarye abroad upon the rode, To save mankynde". Our author, in the course of his panegyric on the Virgin Mary, affirms, that she exceeded Hester in meekness, and Judith in wisdom; and in beauty, Helen, Polyxena, Lucretia, Dido, Bathsheba, and Rachels. It is amazing, that in an age of the most superstitious devotion so little discrimination should have been made between sacred and profance characters and incidents. But the common sense of mankind had not yet attained a just estimate of things. Lydgate, in another piece, has versified the rubrics of the missal, which he applies 1 Of the sun. 2 Mars. 3 Nature. 4 True. 5 Cap. xx. 6 Cap. xix. 7. Cap. ix. 8 Cap. iv. In a LIFE of the Virgin in the British museum, I find these easy lyrics introduced, MSS. Harl. 2382. 2. 3, fol. 75. fol. 86. b. Though I am not certain that they properly belong to this work. A mery tale I telle yow may Mayden and moder was never none, Of seynt Marie that swete may: to the god Cupid: and declares, with how much delight he frequently meditated on the holy legend of those constant martyrs, who were not afraid to suffer death for the faith of that omnipotent divinity1. There are instances, in which religion was even made the instrument of love. Arnaud Daniel, a cclebrated troubadour of the thirteenth century, in a fit of amorous despair, promises to found a multitude of annual masses, and to dedicate perpetual tapers to the shrines of saints, for the important purpose of obtaining the affections of an obdurate mistress. SECTION XXII. BUT Lydgate's principal poems are the FALL OF PRINCES, the SIEGE OF THEBES, and the DESTRUCTION OF TROY. Of all these I shall speak distinctly. About the year 1360, Boccacio wrote a Latin history in ten books, entitled DE CASIBUS VIRORUM ET FEMINARUM ILLUSTRIUM. Like other chronicles of the times, it commences with Adam, and is brought down to the author's age. Its last grand event is John king of France taken prisoner by the English at the battle of Poitiers, in the year 1359. This book of Boccacio was soon afterwards translated into French, by one of whom little more seems to be known, than that he was named Laurence; yet so paraphrastically, and with so many considerable additions, as almost to be rendered a new work3. Laurence's French translation, of which there is a copy in the British Museum1, 1 MSS. Fairfax, xvi. Bibl Bodleian. Printed at Ausbourg. And at Paris, 1544. fol. It is amazing, that Vossius should not know the number of books of which this work consisted, and that it was ever printed. De Hist. Lat. lib. iii. cap. ii. It was translated into Italian by Betussi, in Fi enza 1566. 8vo. 3 In Lydgate's PROLOGUE, B. i. fol. i. a col. 1. edit. ut infr. The boke of Bochas in French to translate Out of Latin, he called was LAURENCE. 2 volum. He that sumtime did his diligence He says that Laurence (in his Prologue) declares, that he avails himself of the privilege of skilful artificers; who may chaunge and turne, by good discretion, shapes and forms, and newly them devise, make and unmake, &c. And that old authors may be rendered more agreeable, by being cloathed in new ornaments of language, and improved with new inventions. Ibid. a. col. 1. He adds, that it was Laurence's design, in his translation into French, to amende, correct, and declare, and not to spare thinges touched shortly. Ibid. col. 2. Afterwards he calls him this noble translatour. Ibid. b. col. 1. In another place, where a panegyric on France is introduced, he says that this passage is not Boccacio's but added, By one LAURENCE, which was translatour Of this processe, to commende France; To prayse that lande was all his pleasaunce E. ix. ch. 28. fol. a. col. 1. edit ut infr. Our author, in the Prologue above-cited, seems to speak as if there had been a previous translation of Boccacio's book into French. Thus LAURENCE from him envy excluded Though toforne him translated was this book. But I suspect he only means, that Boccacio's original work was nothing more than a collection or compilation from more ancient authors. 4 MSS. Harl. ibid. MSS. Reg. 18 D. vii. And 16 G. v. And MSS. Bodl. F. 1o. 2. [2465] He is said to have translated this work in 1409. MSS. Reg. ut supr. 20 C. iv. |