876 JASPER HEYWOOD, LORD OF MISRULE, AND FELLOW OF OXFORD. O kyng of Dytis dungeon darke, and grysly ghost of hell, That in the deepe and dreadfull denne of blackest Tartare dwell, Where leane and pale Diseases lye, where Feare and Famyne are, Where Discord standes with bleeding browes, where cuery kinde ≈ care; Where Furies fight on beds of steele, and heares of crauling snakes, In the TROAS, which was first faultily printed in or before 1560. afterwards reprinted in 1581 by Newton, he has taken greater liberties. At the end of the chorus after the first act, he has added about sixty verses of his own invention. In the beginning of the second act. I has added a new scene, in which he introduces the spectre of Achles raised from hell, and demanding the sacrifice of Polyxena. This scent, which is in the octave stanza, has much of the air of one of the legen in the MIRROUR OF MAGISTRATES. To the chorus of this act, he has subjoined three stanzas. Instead of translating the chorus of the third act, which abounds with the hard names of the ancient geography,arc which would both have puzzled the translator and tired the Englis reader, he has substituted a new ode. In his preface to the reader, from which he appears to be yet a fellow of All Souls college, be modestly apologises for these licentious innovations, and hopes to be pardoned for his seeming arrogance, in attempting to set forth a 'English this present piece of the flowre of all writers Seneca, among so many fine wittes, and towardly youth, with which England this day 'florisheth' [Fol. 95. a.] Our translator Jasper Heywood bas several poems extant in the Paradise of Daintie Deuises, published in 1573. He was the son of John Heywood, commonly called the epigrammatist, and born in London. In 1547, at twelve years years of age, he was sent to Oxford, and in 1553 elected fellow Merton college. But inheriting too large a share of his father's face tious and free disposition, he sometimes in the early part of life isdulged his festive vein in extravagancies and indiscretions, for which being threatened with expulsion, he resigned his fellowships. He exercised the office of Christmas-prince, or lord of misrule, to the college; and seems to have given offence, by suffering the levities and jocularities of that character to mix with his life and general conversation*. In the 1 So Milton, on the same subject, and in the true sense of the word, PAR. L. ii. 645, All monstrous, all PRODIGIOUS things. 2 I have never seen this edit. of 1560 or before, bnt he speaks of it himself in the METRICAL PREFACE to the THYESTES just mentioned, and says it was most carelessly priced at the sign of the hand and star. This must have been at the shop of Richard Tortel was Temple Bar. 3 Harrington's Epigrams, 'Of Old Haywood's sonnes.' B. ii. 102. 4 Among Wood's papers, there is an oration DE LIGNO ET FOENO, Spoken by Heywood's cotemporary and fellow-collegian, David de la Hyde, in commendation of his execution d his office year 1558, he was recommended by cardinal Pole, as a polite scholar, an able disputant, and a steady Catholic, to sir Thomas Pope founder of Trinity college in the same university, to be put in nomination for a fellowship of that college, then just founded. But this scheme did not take place. He was, however, appointed fellow of All Souls college the same year. Dissatisfied with the change of the national religion, within four years he left England, and became a Catholic priest and a Jesuit at Rome, in 1562. Soon afterwards he was placed in the theological chair at Dilling in Switzerland, which he held for seventeen years. At length returning to England, in the capacity of a popish missionary, he was imprisoned, but released by the influence of the earl of Warwick. For the deliverance from so perilous a situation, he complimented the earl in a copy of English verses, two of which, containing a most miserable paronomasy on his own name, almost bad enough to have condemned the writer to another imprisonment, are recorded in Harrington's Epigrams. [EPIGR. lib. iii. Epigr. i.] At length he retired to Naples, where he died in 1597. [ATH. Oxon. i. 290.] He is said to have been an accurate critic in the Hebrew language. His translation of the TROAS, not of Virgil as it seems, is mentioned in a copy of verses by T. B3. prefixed to the first edition, above-mentioned, of Studley's AGAMEMNON. He was intimately connected abroad with the biographer Pitts, who has given him rather too partial a panegyric. Thomas Newton, the publisher of all the ten tragedies of Seneca in English, in one volume, as I have already remarked, in 15814, himself added only one to these versions of Studley, Nevile, Nuce, and Jasper Heywood. This is the THEBAIS, probably not written by Seneca, as it so essentially differs in the catastrophe from his OEDIPUS. Nor is it likely the same poet should have composed two tragedies on the same subject, even with a variation of incidents. It is without the chorus and a fifth act. Newton appears to have made his translation in 1581, and perhaps with a view only of completing the collection. He is more prosaic than most of his fellow-labourers, and seems to have paid the chief attention to perspicuity and fidelity. In the general EPISTLE DEDICATORY to sir Thomas Henneage, prefixed to the volume, he says, ' I durst not haue geuen the aduenture to approch 'your presence, vpon trust of any singularity, that in this Booke hath 'vnskilfully dropped out of myne owne penne, but that I hoped the 'perfection of others artificiall workmanship that haue trauayled herein, 'as well as myselfe, should somewhat couer my nakednesse, and pur 1 MSS. Collectan. Fr. Wise. LIFE OF SIR T. Pope, 2 H. Morus, HIST. PROVINC. ANGL. SOC. JES. Lib. iv. num. 11. sub. ann. 1585. 3 With these initials, there is a piece prefixed to Gascoigne's poems, 1579. 4 There is a receipt from Marsh for 'Seneca's Tragedies in Englishe.' Jul. 2. 1581. REGISTR STATION. B. fol. 181. b. The English version seems to have produced an edition of the ori ginal for Man and Brome, Sept. 6. 1585. Ibid. fol. 205. b. 878 THOMAS NEWTON AND HIS CLASSIC LATIN ELEGIACS. 'chase my pardon.-Theirs I knowe to be deliuered with singul 'dexterity: myne, 1 confesse to be an vnflidge [unfledged] nestling 'vnable to flye; an vnnatural abortion, and an vnperfect embrycz 'neyther throughlye laboured at Aristophanes and Cleanthes candie 'neither yet exactly waighed in Critolaus his precise ballaunce. Ye 'this I dare saye, I haue deliuered myne authors meaning with a 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 per 'forme, &c1' Of Thomas Newton, a slender contributor to this volume, yet perhaps the chief instrument of bringing about a general translation (f Seneca, and otherwise deserving well of the literature of this period some notices seem necessary. The first letter of his English THESS is a large capital D. Within it is a shield exhibiting a sable Li rampant, crossed in argent on the shoulder, and a half moon argent the dexter corner, I suppose his armorial bearing. In a copartment towards the head, and under the semicircle, of the letter, are £5 initials, T. N. He was descended from a respectable family Cheshire, and was sent while very young, about thirteen years of age to Trinity college in Oxford. [REGISTR. ibid.] Soon afterwards went to Queen's college in Cambridge; but returned within a ve few years to Oxford, where he was readmitted into Trinity college He quickly became famous for the pure elegance of his Latin počty Of this he has left a specimen in his ILLUSTRIA ALIQUOT ANGLORIE ENCOMIA, published at London in 15892. He is perhaps the first Englishman that wrote Latin elegiacs with a classical clearness and terseness after Leland, the plan of whose ENCOMIA and TROPHÆAÈ. seems to have followed in this little work3. Most of the learned and Dated, 'From Butley in Cheshyre the 24. of Aprill. 1581.' I am informed by a MSS. note of Oldys, that Richard Robinson translated the THEA Of this I know no more, but R. Kobinson was a large writer both in verse and prose. S his pieces I have already mentioned. He wrote also 'CHRISTMAS RECREATIONS of bal and moralizations aplied for our solace and consolacions,' ncenced to 1. East. Dec. 3. 15 REGISTR STATION. B. fol. 136. E. And, in 1569, is entered to Binneman, The rude. tragedy of Hemidos, etc. by Richard Robinson.' REGISTR. A. fol. 1yo a And, to T. L son in 1579, Aug. 26, The Vineyard of Vertue a booke gathered by R. Robinson' RECTA B. fol. 163. a. He was a citizen of London. The reader recollects his English GESTA NORUM, in 1577: He wrote also "The avncient order, societie, and vnitie laudable, cf P 'ARTHURE, and his knightly armory of the ROUND TABLE. With a threefold assertion, to 'Translated and collected by K. K. Lond. for J. Wolfe, 1583. Bl. Lett. 4to. This wikt in metre, and the armorial bearings of the knights are in verse. Prefixed is a poen? Churchyard, in praise of the Bow. His translation of Leland's ASSERTIO ARTHURI (EL. Le 4to.) is entered to J. Wolfe, Jun. 6. 1582. REGISTR, STATION. B. fol. 189. D. 1 find, to R. James in 1565, A boke intituled of very pleasauute sounettes and storyes in whi [metre] by Clement Robynson., REGISTR. B. fol. 141. a. 2 His master John Brunswerd, at Macclesfield-school, in Chesnire, was no bad Latm pot PROGYMNASMATA ALQUOT POEMATA, Lond. 1590, 4to. See Newton's ENCOM. p. 12 f Brunswerd died in 1589, and his epitaph, made by his schola. Newton, yet remams in the chancel of the church of Macclesfield. Alpha poetarum, coryphæus grammaticorum. 3 Lond. 1589. 4to. Reprinted by Hearne, Oxon. 1715. 8vo. 6 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 1575'. 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.' [qto. W. Johnes.] The next year he published a flowery romance, ‘A 'pleasant new history, or a fragrant posie made of three flowers Rosa, Rosalynd, and Rosemary, London, 1604.' [qto.] Philips, 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 Marloe2. He seems to have been a partisan of the puritans, from his pamphlet of CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP, with an Invective against diceplay and other profane games, printed at London, 15863. 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 Cheshire, 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. He died at Little Ilford, and was interred in his church, in 1607. 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 Shakespeare has borrowed nothing from the English Seneca. Perhaps a copy might not fall in his way. Shakespeare 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 his In qto. With a SUMMARY annexed on the same subject. Heywood's Prologue to Marlow's JEW OF MALTA, 1633. 3 In octavo. From the Latin of Lamb. Danæus, 4 'Vocabula magistri Stanbrigiii ab insinitis quibus scatebant mendis repurgata, observata 'interim (quoad ejus fieri potuit) carminis ratione, et meliuscule etiam correcta, studio et in'dustria Thomae Newtoni Cestreshyrii. Edinb, excud. R. Waldegrave.' I know not it this edit. which is in oct, is the first, Our author published one or two translations on theological subjects. 880 TRANSLATION OF SENECAS' HERCULES OETAEUS BY ELIZABETH. tory were his principal resources. These perhaps were more suitabi: to his taste at least he found that they produced the most popular subjects. Shakespeare was above the bondage of the classics. I must not forget to remark here, that, according to Ames, among the copies of Henry Denman recited in the register of the Company of Stationers1, that printer, is said, on Jan. 8, 1583, among other bocks to have yielded into the hands and dispositions of the master, wardens and assistants, of that fraternity, 'Two or three of Seneca his trage dies. These, if printed after 1581, cannot be new impressions of acy single plays of Seneca, of those published in Newton's edition of all the ten tragedies. Among Hatton's MSS. in the Bodleian library at Oxford3, 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 GORDOBUC; and which therefore proves it to have been done after the year 1561. It has, however, no other recommendation but its royalty. verse. SECTION LVIII. BUT, as scholars began to direct their attention to our vernacular poetry, many more of the ancient poets now appeared in English 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 peetical literature. These were the classics of Shakespeare. I shall begin with those that were translated first in the reign of Eliz 1I find nothing of this in REGISTER. B. Gardener's 2 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 triendship. Schole of vertue. laborynth. Demosthene's orations.' I take this opportunity of acknowledging my grest obligations to that very respectable society, who in the most liberal manner have indulged 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 Holboura 3 MSS. Mus. BODL. 55. 12. [Olim HYPER. BODL.] It begins, "What harminge hurle of Fortune's arme, etc.' |