The most poetical of Edwards's ditties in the PARADISE OF DAINTIE DEVISES is a description of May: the rest are moral sentences in stanzas. His SOUL-KNELL, supposed to have been written on his deathbed, was once celebrated. His popularity seems to have altogether arisen from those pleasing talents of which no specimens could be transmitted to posterity, and which prejudiced his partial cotemporaries in favour of his poetry. He died in the year 15661. In the Epitaphs, Songs, and Sonets of George Turbervile, printed in [1567 and] 1570, there are two elegies on his death; which record the places of his education, ascertain his poetical and musical character, and bear ample testimony to the high distinction in which his performances, more particularly of the dramatic kind, were held. The second is by Turbervile himself, entitled, "An Epitaph on Maister Edwards, sometime Maister of the Children of the Chappell and gentleman of Lyncolnes inne of court." Ye learned Muses nine, And sacred sisters all; Now lay your cheerful cithrons downe, And to lamenting fall..... For he that led the daunce, The chiefest of your traine, I mean the man that Edwards height, Ye courtiers, chaunge your cheere, For now your Orpheus has resignde, O ruth! he is bereft, That, whilst he lived here, So stately eke his stile, i Carm. 6. edit. 1585. It seems to have been a favourite, and is complimented in another piece, A reply to M. Edwardes May, subscribed M. S. ibid. Carm. 29. This miscellany, of which more will be said hereafter, is said in the title to "be devised and written for the most parte by M. Edwardes sometime of her maiesties Chappell." Edwards however had been dead twelve years when the first edition appeared, viz. in 1578. [It will be seen from Mr. Haselwood's careful reprint of Edwards's Metrical Miscellany, that the first edition appeared in 1576, and a second in 1577.—PARK.] It is mentioned by G. Gascoigne in his Epistle to the young Gentlemen, before his works, 1587. qu. [But it is only mentioned in derision, as a vulgar and groundless notion, to which those who gave credence are ridiculed for their absurdity.-PARK.] I Wood, Ath. Oxon. i. 151. See also, ibid. Fast. 71. m Shakspeare has inserted a part of Edwards's song In Commendation of Musicke, extant at length in the Paradise of Daintie Deuises, (fol. 34 b.) in Romeo and Juliet: "When griping grief," &c. act iv. sc. 5. In some Miscellany of the reign of Elizabeth, I have seen a song called The Willow-Garland, attributed to Edwards: As all the learned Greekes, His verse with scornefull eine". And learned Terence wan, &c.o The other is written by Thomas Twyne, an assistant in Phaer's Translation of Virgil's Eneid into English verse, educated a few years after Edwards at Corpus Christi college, and an actor in Edwards's play of PALAMON AND ARCITE before queen Elizabeth at Oxford in 1566P. It is entitled, “An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Mayster Richarde Edwardes late Mayster of the Children in the queenes maiesties chapell." O happie house, O place Of Corpus Christi, thou That plantedst first, and gaust the root Plunge up a thousand sighes, for griefe and the same, I think, that is licensed to Fol. 142 b. [The following is one of The sunne, with open chaps, Turb. Poems, 1570, p. 83 b. Miles Winsore of the same college was another actor in that play, and I suppose his performance was much liked by the queen for when her majesty left Oxford, after this visit, he was appointed by the university to speak an oration before her at lord Windsor's at Bradenham in Bucks; and when he had done speaking, the queen turning to Gama de Sylva, the Spanish ambassador, and looking wistly on Windsore, said to the ambassador, Is not this a pretty young man? Wood, Ath. Oxon. i. 151. 489. Winsore proved afterwards a diligent antiquary. г Corpus Christi college at Oxford. bough, branch. At Oxford. While the royal chapel and its singing-boys remain. In a puritanical pamphlet without name, printed in 1569, and entitled, "The Children of the Chapel stript and whipt," among bishop Tanner's books at Oxford, it is said, "Plaies will neuer be supprest, while her maiesties unfledged minions flaunt it in silkes and sattens. They had as well be at their popish service, in the deuils garments," &c. fol. xii. a. 12mo. This is perhaps the earliest notice now to be found in print, of this young company of comedians, at least the earliest proof of their celebrity. From the same pamphlet we learn, that it gave still greater offence to the puritans, that they were suffered to act plays on profane subjects in the royal chapel itself. "Even in her maiesties chappel do these pretty vpstart youthes profane the Lordes Day by the lascivious writhing of their tender limbs, and gorgeous decking of their apparell, in feigning bawdie fables gathered from the idolatrous heathen poets," &c. ibid. fol. xiii. b. But this practice soon ceased in the royal chapels. Yet in one of Stephen Gosson's books against the stage, written in 1579, is this passage:-"In playes, either those thinges are fained that neuer were, as CuPID AND PSYCHE plaid at PAULES, and a great many comedies more at the Blackfriars, and in euerie playhouse in London," &c. Signat. D. 4. Undoubtedly the actors of this play of Cupid and Psyche were the choristers of saint Paul's cathedral: but it may be doubted, whether by Paules we are here to understand the Cathedral or its Singing school, the last of which was the usual theatre of those choristers. See Gosson's "PLAYES CONFUTED IN FIVE ACTIONS, &c. prouing that they are not to be suffred in a christian common weale, by the waye both the cauils of Thomas Lodge, and the Play of Playes, written in their defence, and other objections of Players frendes, are truely set downe and directly aunsweard." Lond. Impr. for T. Gosson, no date. bl. lett. 12mo. We are sure that religious plays were presented in our churches long after the reformation. Not to repeat or multiply instances, see Second and Third Blast of Retrait from Plaies, printed 1580, pag. 77. 12mo.; and Gosson's Schoole of Abuse, p. 24 b. edit. 1579. As to the exhibition of plays on Sundays after the reformation, we are told by John Field, in his Declaration of God's Judgement at Paris Garden, that in the year 1580, "The Magistrates of the citty of London obteined from queene Elizabeth, that all heathenish playes and enterludes should be banished upon sabbath dayes." fol. ix. Lond. 1583. 8vo. It appears from this pamphlet, that a prodigious concourse of people were assembled at Paris Garden, to see plays and a bearbaiting, on Sunday Jan. 13, 1583, when the whole theatre fell to the ground, by which accident many of the spectators were killed. [ [As this accident happened three years after the above order was issued, Dr. Ashby supposes that the order extended only to the city, and that Paris Garden was out of that jurisdiction.PARK.] (See also Henry Cave's [Carre's] Narration of the Fall of Paris Garden, Lond. 1588; and D. Beard's Theater of Gods Judgements, edit. 3. Lond. 1631. lib. i. c. 35. p. 212; also Refutation of Heywood's Apologie for Actors, p. 43, by J. G. Lond. 1615. 4to.; and Stubbs's Anatomie of Abuses, p. 134, 135. edit. Lond. 1595.) And we learn from Richard Reulidges's Monster lately found out and discovered, or the Scourging of Tiplers, a circumstance not generally known in our dramatic history, and perhaps occasioned by these profanations of the sabbath, that "Many godly citizens and wel-disposed gentlemen of London, considering that play-houses and dicing-houses were traps for yong gentlemen and others,-made humble suite to queene Elizabeth and her Privy-councell, and obtained leave from her Majesty, to thrust the Players out of the citty; and to pull downe all Play-houses and Dicinghouses within their liberties: which accordingly was effected, and the Play-houses in Gracious [Gracechurch] street, Bishops gate street, that nigh Paules, that on Ludgate-hill, and the White-friers, were quite put downe and suppressed, by the care of these religious senators." Lond. 1628. pp. 2, 3, 4. Compare G. Whetstone's Mirrour for Magistrates of Citties. Lond. 1586. fol. 24. But notwithstanding these precise measures of the city magistrates and the privy-council, the queen appears to have been a constant attendant at plays, especially those presented by the children of her chapel. [So, also, she retained some relics of popery, as tapers on the altar, &c. which greatly offended the puritans.-ASHBY.] ARCITE and PALAMON, With moey full fit for princes eares, &c.1 Francis Meres, in his "PALLADIS TAMIA, Wits Treasurie, being the second part of WITS COMMONWEALTH," published in 1598, recites Maister EDWARDES of her maiesties chapel as one of the best for comedy, together with "Edward earle of Oxforde, doctor Gager of Oxforda, maister Rowly once a rare scholler of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge, eloquent and wittie John Lillie, Lodge, Gascoygne, Greene, Shakspeare, Thomas Nash, Thomas Heywood, Anthony Mundye, our Fleet-street, in the year 1570, "The tragicall comedie," &c. See supr. p. 238. But perhaps it may be necessary to retract this assertion; for in the Register of the Stationers, under the year 1565, a receipt is entered for the licence of Alexander Lacy to print "A ballat entituled tow [two] lamentable Songes Pithias and Damon." Registr. A. fol. 136 b. And again, there is the receipt for licence of Richard James in 1566, to print "A boke entituled the tragicall comedye of Damonde and Pithyas." Ibid. fol. 161 b. In the same Register I find, under the year 1569-70, "An EnterJude, a lamentable Tragedy full of pleasant myrth," licenced to John Alde. Ibid. fol. 184 b. This I take to be the first edition of Preston's Cambyses, so frequently ridiculed by his cotemporaries. Ibid. fol. 78 b. And not to multiply in the text citations in proof of Edwards's popularity from forgotten or obscure poets, I observe at the bottom of the page, that T. B. in a recommendatory poem prefixed to John Studley's English version of Seneca's Agamemnon, printed in 1566, ranks our author Edwards with Phaer the translator of Virgil, Jasper Haywood the translator of Seneca's Troas and Hercules Furens, Nevile the translator of Seneca's Edipus, Googe, and Golding the translator of Ovid, more particularly with the latter. With him also, as seemeth me, Our Edwards may compare; Who nothyng gyuing place to him Doth syt in egall chayre. [Churchyard's panegyric on the English poets contains a similar species of commendation. Phaer did hit the pricke Have helpt our Englishe toung. PARK.] A famous writer of Latin plays at Ox ford. See supr. vol. ii. p. 527. note. But I have never seen any of Antony Munday's plays. It appears from Kemp's Nine Daies Wonder, printed in 1600, that he was famous for writing ballads. In The request to the impudent generation of Balladmakers, Kemp calls Munday "one whose employment of the pageant was utterly spent, he being knowne to be Elderton's immediate heire," &c. Signat. D. 2. See the next note. He seems to have been much employed by the booksellers as a publisher and compiler both in verse and prose. He was bred at Rome in the English college, and was thence usually called the Pope's scholar. See his pamphlet The Englishman's Roman Life, or how Englishmen live at Rome. Lond. 1582. 4to. he afterwards turned protestant. He published "The Discoverie of Edmund Campion the Jesuit," in 1582. 12mo. Lond. for E. White. He published also, and dedicated to the earl of Leicester, Two godly and learned Sermons made by that famous and worthy instrument in God's church M. John Calvin, translated into English by Horne bishop of Winchester, during his exile. "Published by A. M." For Henry Car, Lond. 1584. 12mo. Munday frequently used his initials only. Also, a Brief CHRONICLE from the creation to this time, Lond. 1611. 8vo. This seems to be cited by Hutten, Antiquit. Oxf. p. 281. edit. Hearne. See Registr. Station. B. fol. 143 b. He was a city-poet, and a composer and contriver of the city pageants. These are, Chryso-triumphos, &c. devised and written by A. Munday, 1611.-Triumphs of old Drapery, &c. by A. M. 1616.-Metropolis Coronata, &c. by A. M. 1615. with the story of Robin-hood. Printed by G. Purstowe.-Chrysanaleia, [The goldenfishery] or the honor of fishmongers, concerning Mr. John Lemans being twice Lord-mayor, by A. M. 1616. 4to.-The Triumphs of reunited Britannia, &c. by A. Munday, citizen and draper of London, 4to. Probably Meres, as in the text, calls him the best plotter, from his invention in these or the like shows. William best plotter, Chapman, Porter, Wilson, Hathway, and Henry Chettle." Puttenham, the author of the Arte of English Poesie, mentions the Webbe, in the Discourse of English Poetrie, printed in 1586, says, that he has seen by Anthony Munday," an earnest traveller in this art, very excellent works, especially upon nymphs and shepherds, well worthy to be viewed, and to be esteemed as rare poetry." In an old play attributed to Jonson, called The Case is altered, he is ridiculed under the name of Antonio Balladino, and as a pageant-poet. In the same scene, there is an oblique stroke on Meres, for calling him the best plotter. "You are in print already for the best plotter." With his city-pageants, I suppose he was Dumb-show maker to the stage. where his epitaph gives him the character of a learned antiquary. Seymour's Surv. Lond. i. 322. He collected the Arms of the county of Middlesex, lately transferred from sir Simeon Stuart's library to the British Museum. © Fol. 282. I do not recollect to have seen any of Chettle's comedies. He wrote a little romance, with some verses intermixed, entitled, "Piers Plainnes seauen yeres Prentiship, by H. C. Nuda Veritas. Printed at London by J. Danter for Thomas Gosson, and are to be sold at his shop by London-bridge gate, 1595." 4to. bl. lett. He wrote another pamphlet, containing anecdotes of the petty literary squabbles, in which he was concerned with Greene, Nashe, Tarleton, and the players, called "Kinde-Harts Dreame. Containing five Apparitions with their inuectives against abuses raigning. Deliuered by severall Ghosts vnto him to be publisht after Piers Penilesse Post had refused the carriage. Inuita Inuidia. By H. C. Imprinted at London for William Wright." 4to. without date. bl. lett. In the Epistle prefixed, To the Gentlemen Readers, and signed Henrie Chettle, he says, "About three moneths since died M. Robert Greene [in 1592], leaving many papers in sundry Booke sellers handes, among others his Groats worth of Wit, in which a letter written to diuers Play-makers is offensively by one or two of them taken," &c. In the same, he mentions an Epistle prefixed to the second part of Gerileon, falsely attributed to Nashe. The work consists of four or five Addresses. The first is an ironical Admonition to the Ballad-singers of London, from Antonie Now Now, or Antony Munday, just mentioned in the text, a great Ballad-writer. From this piece it appears, that the ancient and respectable profession of ballad-making, as well as of ballad-singing, was in high repute about the metropolis and in the country fairs. Signat. C. "When I was liked, says Anthonie, there was no thought of that idle vpstart generation of ballad-singers, neither was there a printer so lewd that would set his finger to a lasciuious line." But now, he adds, "ballads are abusively chanted in every street; and from London this evil has overspread Essex and the adjoining counties. There is many a tradesman, of a worshipfull trade, yet no stationer, who after a little bringing vppe apprentices to singing brokerie, takes into his shoppe some fresh men, and trustes his olde servauntes of a two months standing Munday's Discovery of Campion gave great offence to the catholics, and produced an anonymous reply called "A True Reporte of the deth and martyrdom of M. Campion, &c. Whereunto is annexed certayne verses made by sundrie persons." Without date of year or place. bl. lett. Never seen by Wood. [Ath. Oxon. col. 166.] Published, I suppose, in 1583, 8vo. At the end is a CAUEAT, containing some curious anecdotes of Munday. "Munday was first a stage player; after an aprentise, which time he well serued by with deceeuing of his master. Then wandring towards Italy, by his owne reporte, became a cosener in his journey. Coming to Rome, in his shorte abode there, was charitably relieued, but neuer admitted in the Seminary, as he pleseth to lye in the title of his boke; and being wery of well doing, returned home to his first vomite, and was hist from his stage for folly. Being thereby discouraged, he set forth a balet against playes,-tho he afterwards began again to ruffle upon the stage. I omit among other places his behaviour in Barbican with his good mistres, and mother. Two thinges however must not be passed over of this boyes infelicitie two seuerall wayes of late notorious. First, he writing upon the death of Everaud Haunse was immediately controled and disproued by one of his owne hatche. And shortly after setting forth the Aprehension of Mr. Campion," &c. The last piece is, "a breef Discourse of the Taking of Edmund Campion, and divers other papists in Barkshire, &c. Gathered by A. M." For W. Wrighte, 1581. He published in 1618, a new edition of Stowe's Survey of London, with the addition of materials which he pretends to have received from the author's own hands. See Dedication. He was a citizen of London, and is buried in Coleman-street church;, |