SUMC. were published Epigrams by sir John Davies, author of NOSCE TEIPThese must not be confounded with the SCOURGE OF FOLLY, by John Davies of Hereford, printed in 1611. In 1598 also, was published in quarto, "Tyros roaring Megge, planted against the walls of Melancholy, London, 1598." With two Decads of Epigrams. The author appears to have been of Cambridge. Tyro is perhaps a real name. The dedication is to Master John Lucas. In the year 1598, was also published, under the general title of CHRESTOLOROS, seven Books of Epigrams, by Thomas Bastard. Bastard, a native of Blandford in Dorsetshire, was removed from a fellowship of New-College Oxford, in 1591, being, as Wood says, "much guilty of the vices belonging to the poets," and "given to libelling." Harrington, the translator of Ariosto, has an Epigram addressed to "Master Barnard, a minister, that made a pleasant Booke of English Epigrams." Wood, in his manuscript Collection of Oxford libels and lampoons, which perhaps he took as much pleasure in collecting as the authors in writing, now remaining in the Ashmolean Musuem, and composed by various students of Oxford in the reign of queen Elizabeth, has preserved two of Bastard's satirical pieces". By the patron Marlowe's Ovid's Elegies were accompanied with these Epigrams. The whole title is, "Epigrammes and Elegies, by J. D. and C. M. [Marlowe,] at Middleburgh." No date. Davies's Epigrams are commended in Jonson's Epigrams, xviii. And in Fitzgeoffry's Affania, Lib. ii. Signat. E. 4. DAVISIOS lædat mihi, Jonsoniosque la cessat. [One edition of these Epigrams, which appears to have been the earliest, had Marlowe's name annexed to the title of Ovid's Elegies. From the printed conversation between Drummond and Ben Jonson, the Epigrams are ascertained to belong to sir John Davis the Judge, and not to Davies of Hereford the writinginaster, as was conceived by Mr. Chalmers. Sce Apol. The author in Skialetheia is styled our English Martial, and at that period the appellation seems not to have been misapplied.-PRICE.] [The following specimen becomes interesting from its allusions to remarkable persons and events. Gereon's mouldy memory corrects The siege of Bulloigne and the plaguy sweat, The going to saint Quintin's and New- The rising in the North, the frost so great, were seene; The fall of money and burning of Paul's steeple, The blazing starre, and Spaniards overthrow: By these events, notorious to the people, But most of all he chiefly reckons by This is to him the dearest memory d With "sequitur Tyronis Epistola.” One of them is entitled, "An Admonition to the City of Oxford, or Mareplate's Bastardine." In this piece, says Wood, he "reflects upon all persons of note in Oxford, who were guilty of amorous exploits, or that mixed themselves with other men's wives, or with wanton houswives age or favour of lord-treasurer Suffolk, he was made vicar of Bere-regis, and rector of Hamer in Dorsetshire; and from writing smart epigrams in his youth, became in his graver years a quaint preacher. He died a prisoner for debt, in Dorchester gaol, April 19, 1618. He was an elegant classic scholar, and appears to have been better qualified for that species of the occasional pointed Latin epigram established by his fellow-collegian John Owen, than for any sort of English versification. In 1599, appeared "MICROCYNICON, six snarling satyres by T. M. Gentleman," perhaps Thomas Middleton. About the same time appeared, without date, in quarto, written by William Goddard, "A Mastif Whelp, with other ruff-i-landlike currs fetcht from amongst the Antipedes, which bite and barke at the fantastical humourists and abusers of the time. Imprinted at the Antipedes, and are to be bought where they are to be sold." It contains eighty-five satires. To these is added, "Dogges from the Antipedes," containing forty-onek. in Oxon." The other is a disavowal of this lampoon, written after his expulsion, and beginning, Jenkin, why, man, &c. See Meres, Wit's Tr. f. 284. There are two sets of his Sermons, Five, London, 1615, 4to. The first three of these are called the Marigold of the Sun. Twelve, London, 1615. 4to. The name of the author, who appears to have been a soldier, is added in the Dedication, to some of his flatt-cappe friends at the Temple. The Satires were written after Bastard's Epigrams, which are [thus] commended, Sat. 81. [Talke you with Poet Asse, sitting in 's seate, You'le heare him ex'lent Epigrames repeate; Demaund him "whose they bee, they runn soe fine?" He answers straight-" Fruits of this brayne of myne;" Yet let a well-read Poet heare the vaine, Hee'lle finde they came out of a Bastardes braine. Thomas Bastarde has a copy of Latin verses, "In laudem Annæ Comitissæ Oxoniensis Carmen," Lansd. MSS. 104.PARK.] I will give a specimen from the second part, Sat. 5. To see Morilla in her coach to ride, With hatt and feather worn in swaggring With buttned boddice, skirted dubblett wise, A satirical piece in stanzas, which has considerable merit, called PASQUILL'S MAD-CAP, was printed at London in quarto, for V. S. in the year 16001. With Pasquill's MESSAGE. Also by the same author, perhaps Nicholas Breton, Pasquill's FOOLE-CAP, printed for T. Johnes in the same year, the dedication signed, N. B.* At the end is "Pasquill's passion for the world's waiwardnesse"." In the year 1601, was published in duodecimo, "The whipper of the Satyre, his pennance in a white sheete, Or the Beadles Confutation, Imprinted at London, by John Fasket, 1601." And by way of reply, "No whippinge nor trippinge, but a kind of snippinge, London, 1601." Again, “The whipping of the SATYRE, Imprinted at London for John Fasket, 1601"." About the same time, as I conjecture, were published, Epigrams served out in fifty-two severall dishes, for every man to taste without surfeiting. By I. C. gentleman." At London, without date. In 1608, "Epigrams, or Humour's Lottery." The same year, "A Century of Epigrams, by R. W. Bachelor of Arts, Oxon." The same year, Satyres, by Richard Myddleton, gentleman, of Yorke." In 1619, "Newe Epigrams, having in their Companie a mad satyre, by Joseph 66 1600. [by N. Breton.]-Pasquill's Palinodia, and his Progresse to the taverne, where, after the survey of the Sellar, you are presented with a pleasant pynte of poeticall sherry, 1619." " In duodecimo. It is dedicated to the "Vayne glorious, the Humourist, Satyrist, and Epigrammatist." The writer's ini tials are I. W. I believe this piece to be a Reply to Rowlands. But in one place he seems to attack Marston. Signat. D. 2. But harke, I heare the Cynicke Satyre crie, A man, a man, a kingdom for a man! He mentions the fatness of Falstaff. Signat. D. 3. That sir John Falstaffe was not any way More grosse in body, than you are in brayne. Entered, April 11, to Busbie and Holme. Registr. Station. C. f. 165 b. P Entered, Apr. 21, to T. Thorpe, Ib. f. 166 a. I take R. W. to be Richard West, who is the author of " Newes from Bartholomew fair," entered to I. Wright, Jul. 16, 1606. Ibid. f. 141 b. I find "Merry Jests, concerning popes, monks, and fryers, from the French, by R. W. Bachelor of Arts, of H. H. [Hart-Hall] Oxon, assigned to John Barnes." Registr. Station. D. f. 11 a. Entered to Jos. Harrison, May 4. Registr. C. f. 167 a. Martin, London, for Elde1." In 1613, were published two books of epigrams, written by Henry Perrot, entitled, "LAQuei ridiculosi, or Springes for Woodcockes. Caveat emptor. Lond. for J. Busbie, 1613"." Many of them are worthy to be revived in modern collections. I am tempted to transcribe a specimen. A Welshman and an Englishman disputed, Which of their landst maintain'd the greatest state: The Englishman the Welshman quite confuted; Yet would the Welshman nought his brags abate; "Ten cookes in Wales (quoth he) one wedding sees;" "True (quoth the other)—Each man toasts his cheese." John Weaver, I believe the antiquary who wrote ANTIENT FUNERAL MONUMENTS, published a book of Epigrams*, in 1599†, or rather Taylor the water poet has mentioned Parrot's Epigrams, in Epigrams, p. 263. fol. edit. Epigr. vii. My Muse hath vow'd reuenge shall haue her swindge, To catch a Parrot in the woodcockes springe. See also p. 265. Epigr. xxxi. [Mr. Comb of Henley possesses a copy of Weever's Epigrams, which was lent to Mr. Beloe, who has thus given the title in his "Anecdotes of Literature," vol. vi. "Epigrammes in the oldest cut and newest fashion. A twise seven houres, in so many weekes studie. No longer, like the fashion, not unlike to continue. The first seven John Weever. Sit voluisse sit valuisse. Lond. by V. S. for Tho. Bushel, 1599." 12mo. Mr. Beloe regards the book as unique, which is probably the case. I therefore extract two specimens. The following commendatory verses are said to be better than the author's own, which are more remarkable, says Mr. B., for quaintness than elegance, for coarseness than for wit. IN AUTHOREM. I wish my rough hewne lines might gratifie The first born of thy pleasing poesie; These be but blossomes, what will be the fruite When time and age hath made thee more acute? Meanwhile, however Momus bite the lippe, Each man will praise the WEEVER's workmanship. When witte [wittie] verse is worthily regarded, Then shall thy verse be thankfully rewarded. The following sonnet, a tribute to our great dramatic poet, has hitherto been unexplored by his Commentators. Tenth Week. Epig. 22. AD GULIELMUM SHAKSPEARE. Honie-tong'd Shakspeare, when I saw thine issue, I swore Apollo got them, and none other, Their rosie-tainted features clothed in tissue, Some heaven-born goddesse said to be their mother. Rose-cheeckt Adonis, with his amber tresses, Faire fire-hot Venus charming him to love her: Chaste Lucretia, virgine-like her dresses, Proud lust-stung Tarquin seeking still to prove her. Romeo, Richard, more whose names I know not, Their sugred tongues and power attractive beauty, Say they are saints, although that saints they shew not, For thousand vowes to them subjective dutie, They burn in love, thy children: Shak speare! let them, Go, wo thy Muse, more nymphish brood beget them.-PARK.] t [1599, 8vo.-RITSON.] 1600, which are ranked among the best, by Jonson". Thomas Freeman, a student in Magdalen college Oxford, about the year 1607, who appears to have enjoyed the friendship and encouragement of Owen, Shakspeare, Daniel, Donne, Chapman, and Heywood the dramatist, printed in quarto, "RUB AND A GREAT CAST. In one hundred Epigrams, London, 1614." To these is annexed, "RUB AND A GREAT CAST. The second Bowl* in an hundred Epigrams." Both sets are dedicated to Thomas Lord Windsor. Thomas Wroth of GlocesterHall, Oxford, about 1603, published at London, in quarto, 1620, “An Abortive of an idle Hour, or a century of Epigrams"." To the opening of 1600, I would also assign "The MASTIVE or young Whelpe of the old dogge. Epigrams and Satyres. London, printed by Thomas Creede. In quarto, without date." The Advertisement to the reader is subscribed H. P. We are sure that they were Jonson's Epigr. xviii. They are in duodecimo, and cited in England's Parnassus, 1600. I am tempted to give the following specimen of our author's humour, more especially as it displays the growing extent of London, in the year 1614. Sign. B. 3. Epigr. 13. LONDON'S PROGRESSE. Quo ruis, ah, demens? Why how nowe, Babell, whither wilt thou I see old Holborne, Charing-crosse, the Are going to Saint Giles's in the field. And Hogsdon will to Hygate ere 't be long. London is got a great way from the streame, I thinke she meanes to go to Islington, creame. The City's sure in progresse I surmise, Well, say she do, 'twere pretty, yet tis A Middlesex Bailiff should arrest the This poetical rant has been verified far [For this odd title, which would seem to have travelled from the bowling-green, the author assigns a fanciful reason in the following lines: Sphæra mihi, calamus; mundi sunt crimina nodi, Ipse sed est mundus sphæromachia mihi : Sive manere jubes, lector, seu currere sphæram, Lusori pariter, curre maneque placent. Thomas Freeman was a Glocestershire man, and born near Tewkesbury, about 1590. At the age of 16, he became a student at Magd. Coll. Oxon, where he took the degree of B. A. Retiring from thence to London, he set up for a poet, says Wood1, and was shortly after held in esteem by Daniel Donne, Shakspeare, Chapman, and others. To the poets here named, and also to Spenser's Fairy Queen, and Nash, he appears to have addressed but it is not hence to be affirmEpigrams; ed that he was personally acquainted with all of them. The specimen here given of our author's humour, acquaints us, even in his time, that "London itself seemed going out of Town." In the last edition of Mr. Ellis's Specimens, a more favourable instance has been shown of Freeman's poetical talents.-PARK.] They are mentioned with applause in Stradling's Epigrammata, published 1607. z I know not if these initials mean Henry Parrot, an epigrammatist before recited. There is also, "The More the Merrier, containing threescore and odde headlesse Epigrams shott, like the Fools bolt amongst you, light where you will. By H. P. Gent." Lond. 1608. 4to. Who says in his dedication, "Concerning vnsauorie lewdnesse, which many of our Epigrammatists so much affect, I haue esteemed it fitter for Pick-hatch than 1 Athen. Oxon. i. 398. |