regni civem, cujus est liber hujus commatis, TIRANT LE BLANCH inscriptus, atque anno 1480, ut aiunt, Valentiæ in folio editus. MORE HIC ALIORUM TALIUM OTIOSORUM CONSUETO, fingit se hunc librum ex ANGLICA in Lusitanam, deinde Lusitana in Valentinam linguam, anno 1460, transtulisse," &c. That is, "I now turn to a writer of fabulous adventures, John Martorell of the kingdom of Valencia, who wrote a book of this cast, entitled TIRANTE THE WHITE, printed in folio at Valencia in 1480*. This writer, according to a practice common to such idle historians, pretends he translated this book from English into Portuguese, and from thence into the Valencian language.” The hero is a gentleman of Bretagne, and the book was first written in the language of that country. I take this opportunity of observing, that these mistakes of England for Brittany tend to confirm my hypothesis, that Bretagne, or Armorica †, was anciently a copious source of romance: an hypothesis, which I have the happiness to find was the (en lengua Anglesa); that he had translated them out of that language into the Portuguese, at the direct instance of the above prince, who thought that as Martorell had been some time in England (en la illa de Angleterra) he would know the tongue better than others; that he had since translated the book out of Portuguese into his native dialect, the Valencian and apologises for the defects of his version, as being in some measure occasioned by the peculiar difficulties of the English language, which he had in many places found it impracticable to translate. It is strange enough that an author, more especially of Martorell's consequence, should have the confidence to impose upon his patron, not only a feigned original, but a feigned command to translate it, and an imaginary translation too. It is not impossible, however, that Martorell might actually pick up some part of his subject during his residence in England. What makes the conjecture the less improbable, is the use he has made of the story of Guy earl of Warwick (Comte Gillem de laroych) which we know to have been then extant in English. The origin of the Garter, the magnificent celebration of the nuptials of the king of England (alluding most likely to those of Richard the Second) with the king of France's daughter, and some few other particulars, he may undoubtedly have got here: though one might be led to think, that he has derived his principal information on these heads from old Froissart, a favourite historian during the continuance of chivalry. But, independent of his own assertions, the venial deceits of a romantic age, there is the strongest and most conclusive evidence, as well intrinsic as extrinsic, that Martorell, whether he The report was false; for it was not printed at Valencia in 1480, but at Barcelona in 1497, and no where else during the fifteenth century. Early in the sixteenth it was translated into Castilian; from thence into Italian, and at a later period into French. The two latter translators were entire strangers to the original, of which there is not perhaps more than one single copy known to be extant."Ritson's Obs. p. 46.-PARK.] The "Armorica," says Ritson, "was by the French called La petite Bretagne; by us, Little Britain; merely to distinguish it from the island of Great Britain, by them styled La grande Bretagne. word British," he subjoins, "may, for aught I know, be common to both countries, but I firmly believe the inhabitants of Brittany were never so called by any writer, English or foreign, before Mr. Warton. But let the word British mean what it will, how does it connect with or apply to the quotation from Nicholas Antonio? He says nothing at all about British he expressly tells us, that Martorell pretended to have translated the romance of Tirante ex Anglica, out of English." Obs. P. 44.-PARK.] : opinion of the most learned and ingenious M. La Croze, as I am but just now informed from an entertaining little work, Histoire de la vie et des ouvrages de Monsieur La Croze, printed by M. Jordan at Amsterdam, in 1741 b. La Croze's words, which he dictated to a friend, are these. "Tous les ROMANS DE CHEVALERIE doivent leur origin à la BRETAGNE, et au pays de Galles [Wales] dont notre Bretagne est sortie. Le Roman D'AMADIS DE GAULE commence par un Garinter roi de la PETITE BRETAGNE, de la Poquenna Bretonne, et ce roi fut ayeul maternel d'Amadis. Je ne dis rien ici de LANCELOT DU Lac, et de plusieurs autres qui sont tous BRETONS. Je n'en excepte point le Roman de PERCEFOREST, dont j'ai vu un très-beau manuscrit en velin dans la bibliothèque du roi de France.-Il y a une fort belle Préface sur l'origine de notre BRETAGNE ARMORIQUE.-Si ma santé le comportoit, je m'étendrois davantage et je pourrois fournir un Supplément assez amusant au Traité du docte M. Huet sur L'ORIGINE DES ROMANS." I know not from what Italian fabler the little romance called the BANISHMENT OF CUPID was taken. It is said to have been translated out of Italian into English by Thomas Hedly, in 1587d. I conceive also "The fearfull fantyses of the Florentyne Cowper" to be a translation from the Italiane. Nor do I know with what propriety the romance of AURELIO AND ISABELLA*, the scene of which is laid in Scotland, may be mentioned Chez François Changuion, 12mo. e Pag. 219. seq. See Crescimben. Hist. Poes. Vulgar. 1. v. ch. 2, 3, 4. "The Historye of twoe Brittaine louers," that is of Brittany, is entered to Charlewood, Jan. 4, 1580. Registr. Station. B. fol. 176 b. Again, "Philocasander and Elamira the fayre ladye of Brytayne," to Purfoot, Aug. 19, 1598. Registr. C. fol. 40 b. Our king Arthur was sometimes called Arthur of Little Brittayne, and there is a romance with that title, reprinted in 1609. [That there is a romance with that title, which may have been reprinted in 1609, Ritson professed himself ready to allow. But he persisted that Arthur of Little Britain, the hero of that romance, was a very different person from king Arthur of Great Britain. Obs. p. 46. Arthur of Little Brittaine, I observe, is registered along with other romances in Nash's Anatomie of Absurditie, 1589: but as the title is all that is given, I cannot proceed to adjust the difference of opinion between Mr. Warton and his pertinacious observator. "Philo-chasander and Ela nira," a stanza-poem by Henry Petowe, 2 c print of a romance translated by Lord Berners from the French, and noticed above, p. 64. The Comte de Tressan conceived the original to have been written in the reign of Charles the Sixth, and its resemblance in style and language to Froissart has been conjectured to have secured for it the noble translator's attention. The hero's genealogy will prove, that Warton has confounded an imaginary prince with his illustrious British namesake: "a noble hystory makynge mencyon of the famous dedes of the ryght valyaunt knyght Arthur, sonne and heyre to the noble duke of Brytayne, and of the fayre ladye Florence, daughter and heyre to the myghty Emendus, kynge of the noble realme of Soroloys," &c. See Brit. Bibliographer, vol. iv. p. 231.-PRICE.] d Lond. For Thomas Marshe, 12mo, It is among Sampson Awdeley's copies, as a former grant, 1581. Registr. Station. B. fol. 186 a. e Licensed in 1567. Registr. Station. A. fol. 164 b. There is an edition in 1599. Bl. lett. 8vo. Purfoot. * [Several editions of this romance are registered by Quadrio: but he has omitted one edition, which I am informed by J. C. Wallen, esq., is in the possession o his friend Mr. Eccles.-PARK.] here. But it was printed in 1586, in one volume, in Italian, French, and English; and again, in Italian, Spanish, French, and English, in 15888. I was informed by the late Mr. Collins of Chichester, that Shakspeare's TEMPEST, for which no origin is yet assigned, was formed on this favorite romance. But although this information has not proved true on examination, a useful conclusion may be drawn from it, that Shakspeare's story is somewhere to be found in an Italian novel, at least that the story preceded Shakspeare. Mr. Collins had searched this subject with no less fidelity than judgment and industry; but his memory failing in his last calamitous indisposition, he probably gave me the name of one novel for another. I remember he added a circumstance, which may lead to a discovery, that the principal character of the romance, answering to Shakspeare's Prospero, was a chemical necromancer, who had bound a spirit like Ariel to obey his call and perform his services. It was a common pretence of the dealers in the occult sciences to have a demon at command. At least Aurelio, or Orelio, was probably one of the names of this romance, the production and multiplication of gold being the grand object of alchemy. Taken at large, the magical part of the TEMPEST is founded in that sort of philosophy which was practised by John Dee and his associates, and has been called the Rosicrusian. The name Ariel came from the Talmudistic mysteries with which the learned Jews had infected this science. To this head must also be referred, the Collections which appeared before 1600, of tales drawn indiscriminately from French and Spanish, as well as Italian authors, all perhaps originally of Italian growth, and recommended by the general love of fable and fiction which now prevailed. I will mention a few. In point of selection and size, perhaps the most capital miscellany of this kind is Fenton's book of tragical novels. The title is, "Certaine TRAGICALL DISCOURSES written oute of French and Latin, by Geffraie Fenton, no lesse profitable than pleasaunt, and of like necessitye to al degrees that take pleasure in antiquityes or forraine reportes. Mon heur viendra. Imprinted at London in Flete-strete nere to sainct Dunstons Churche by Thomas Marshe. Anno Domini 1567h." This edition never was seen by Ames, nor was the book known to Tanner. The dedication is dated from his chamber at Paris, in 1567', to the Lady Mary Sydney, and contains many sensible reflections on this kind of reading. He says, "Neyther do I thynke that oure Englishe re f Licensed to E. White, Aug. 8, 1586. Registr. Station. B. fol. 209 b. I have "L'Histoire d'Aurelio et Isabella en Italien et Françoise," printed at Lyons by G. Rouille, in 1555. 16mo. Annexed is La Deiphire, by the author of the romance, as I apprehend, Leon-Baptista Alberti, in Italian and French. Licensed to Aggas, Nov. 20, 1588. Registr. B. fol. 237 a. In 4to. Bl. lett. cont. 612 pages. See license from the archbishop of Canterbury, 1566. Registr. Station. A. fol. 156 a. See ibid. fol. 162 b. Ames mentions another edition by Marshe, 1579. 4to. i Jun. 22. cordes are hable to yelde at this daye a ROMANT more delicat and chaste, treatynge of the veraye theame and effectes of loue, than theis HYSTORIES, of no lesse credit than sufficient authoritie, by reason the moste of theyme were within the compasse of memorye," &c. Among the recommendatory poems prefixed', there is one by George Turberville, who lavishes much praise on Fenton's curious fyle, which could frame this passing-pleasant booke. He adds, The learned stories erste, and sugred tales that laye Remoude from simple common sence, this writer doth displaye: Of louynge ladyes haples haps, theyr deathes, and deadly cares, &c. Most of the stories are on Italian subjects, and many from Bandello, who was soon translated into French. The last tale, the Penance of Don Diego on the Pyrenean mountains for the love of Genivera la blonde, containing some metrical inscriptions, is in Don Quixote, and was versified in the octave stanza apparently from Fenton's publication, by R. L. in 1596, at the end of a set of sonnets called DIELLA". Fenton was a translator of other books from the modern languages. He translated into English the twenty books of Guicciardin's History of Italy, which he dedicated to queen Elizabeth from his apartment near the Tower, the seventh day of January, 1578". The predominating love of narrative, more especially when the exploits of a favorite nation were the subject, rendered this book very popular; and it came recommended to the public by a title page which promised almost the entertainment of a romance, "The historie of Guiccardin, containing the warres of Italie, and other partes, continued for many yeares under He commends his illustrious patroness, for "your worthie participation with the excellent gifts of temperance and wonderfull modestie in the ii. moste famous erles of Leicester and Warwike your bretherne, and most vertuous and renowned ladye the countesse of Huntington your syster," &c. The 1 Sir John Conway, M. H. who writes in Latin, and Peter Beverley. latter wrote in verse "The tragecall and pleasaunte history of Ariodanto and Jeneura daughter vnto the kynge of Scots," licensed to H. Weekes, 1565. Registr. Station. A. fol. 140 b. There is an edition dedicated from Staples-inn, for R. Watkins, 1600. 12mo. [There was another in the late duke of Roxburgh's romance collection, without date, and printed by Thomas East, for Frauncis Coldocke. It thus began: Amongst the vanquisht regions That worthy Brute did winne, And stor'd with pleasant fieldes; m"Diella, Certaine Sonnets adioyning to the amorous poeme of Dom Diego and Gineura. By R. L. Gentleman. Ben balla á chi fortuna suona. At London, Printed for Henry Olney, &c. 1596." 16mo. The sonnets are twenty-eight in number. n I observe here, that there is a receipt from T. Marshe for printing the "Storye of Italie," Jun. 24, 1560. Registr. Station. A. fol. 62 b. sundry kings and princes, together with the variations of the same, Diuided into twenty bookes, &c. Reduced into English by Geffrey Fenton. Mon heur viendra"." It is probably to this book that Gabriel Harvey, Spenser's Hobbinol, alludes, where he says, "Even Guiccardin's siluer Historie, and Ariosto's golden Cantos, growe out of request, and the countess of Pembrooke's Arcadia is not greene enough for queasie stomaches but they must haue Greene's Arcadia," &c." Among his versions are also, the GOLDEN EPISTLES of Antonio de Guevara, the secretary of Charles the Fifth, and now a favorite author, addressed to Anne countess of Oxford, from his chamber at the Dominican or black friars, the fourth of February, 1575%. I apprehend him to be the same sir Jeffrey Fenton, who is called "a privie counsellor in Ireland to the queen," in the BLAZON OF JEALOUSIE written in 1615', by R. T. [Robert Tofts] the translator of Ariosto's Satires, in 1608 3. He died in 1608t. With Fenton's DISCOURSES may be mentioned also, "Foure straunge lamentable tragicall histories translated out of Frenche into Englishe by Robert Smythe," and published, as I apprehend, in 1577". A work of a similar nature appeared in 1571, by Thomas Fortescue. It is divided into four books, and called "The FOREST, or collection of Historyes no lesse profitable than pleasant and necessary, doone out of Frenche into English by Thomas Fortescue"." It is dedicated to John Fortescue esquire, keeper of the wardrobe. The genius of these tales may be discerned from their history. The book is said to have been written in Spanish by Petro de Messia, then translated into Italian, thence into French by Claude Cruget a citizen of Paris, and • For Norton, with his rebus, Lond. 1579. fol. There were other editions, in 1599. 1618. fol. P Foure Letters, &c. Lond. 1592. 4to. Lett. 3. p. 29. Lond. 1577. 4to. His Familiar Epistles were translated by Edward Hellowes groome of the Leashe, 1574. 4to. Fenton also translated into English, a Latin Disputation held at the Sorbonne, Lond. 1571. 4to. and an Epistle about obedience to the pastors of the Flemish church at Antwerp, from Antonio de Carro, Lond. 1570. 8vo, His discourses on the civil wars in France under Charles the Ninth, in 1569, are entered with Harrison and Bishop. Registr. Station. A. fol. 191 a. There was an Edward Fenton, who translated from various authors, "Certaine secretes and wonders of nature," &c. Dedicated to lord Lumley, 1569. 4to. For H. Binneman. See Fuller, Worth. ii. 318. MSS. Ashmol. 816. Lond. 1615. 4to. See fol. 60. 63. For R. Jackson. t Ware, 137. There is an old Art of English Poetry by one Fenton. [In this assertion Mr. Warton is likely to have been misled, either by Rawlinson's catalogue, or Capel's Shaksperiana, where Puttenham's book is inserted under the name of Fenton.-PARK.] "Licensed to Hugh Jackson, Jul. 30. Registr. Station. B. fol. 142 a. I have never seen a work by Tarleton the player, licensed to H. Bynneman, Feb. 5, 1577. "Tarleton's Tragicall Treatises conteyninge sundrie discourses and pretie conceiptes both in prose and verse." Ibid. 145 a. Lond. 4to. Bl. lett. A second edition was printed in 1576, for John Day, 4to. It is licensed with W. Jones in 1570, and with the authority of the bishop of London. Registr. Station. A. fol. 205 b. Again with Danter, Nov. 8, 1596. Registr. C. fol. 15 a. Similar to this is the "Paragon of pleasaunt Historyes, or this Nutt was new cracked, contayninge a discourse of a noble kynge and his three sonnes,' with Ponsonby, Jan, 20, 1595. Ibid. fol. 7 a. |