The history of English poetry: from the close of the eleventh to the commencement of the eighteenth century. To which are prefixed, two dissertations. ... By Thomas Warton, ... [pt.3]

SECT. XLII.

BUT the ardour of translation was not now circumscribed within the bounds of the classics, whether poets, histo∣rians, orators, or critics, of Greece and Rome.

I have before observed, that with our frequent tours through Italy, and our affectation of Italian manners, about the middle of the sixteenth century, the Italian poets became fashionable, and that this circumstance, for a time at least, gave a new turn to our poetry. The Italian poets, however, were but in few hands; and a practice of a more popular and general nature, yet still resulting from our communications with Italy, now began to prevail, which produced still greater revolutions. This was the translation of Italian books, chiefly on fictitious and nar∣rative subjects, into English.

The learned Ascham thought this novelty in our literature too important to be passed over without observation, in his reflec∣tions on the course of an ingenuous education. It will be much to our purpose to transcribe what he has said on this subject: although I think his arguments are more like the reasonings of a rigid puritan, than of a man of liberal views and true penetration; and that he endeavours to account for the origin, and to state the consequences, of these translations, more in the spirit of an early calvinistic preacher, than as a sensible critic or a polite scholar.

"These be the inchauntments of Circe, brought out of Italie to marre mens manners in England: much, by example of ill life, but more by precepts of fonde bookes, of late tran∣slated oute of Italian into English, solde in euery shop in London, commended by honest titles, the sooner to corrupt

honest manners, dedicated ouer boldly to vertuous and honor∣able personages, the easelyer to beguile simple and honest wittes. It is pitty, that those which haue authoritie and charge to allow and disallow works to be printed, be no more circumspect herein than they are. Ten Sermons at Paules Crosse doe not so much good for moouing men to true doc∣trine, as one of these bookes does harme with inticing men to ill living. Yea I say farther, these bookes tend not so much to corrupt honest liuing, as they do•• to subuert true re∣ligion. More papists be made by your merry bookes of Italy, than by your earnest bookes of Louain a 1.1.—When the busie and open papists could not, by their contentious bookes, turne men in Englande faste inough from troth and right iudge∣mente in doctrine, then the suttle and secret papists at home procured bawdie bookes to be translated out of the Italian toong, whereby ou••rmany yong willes and witts, allured to wantonnes, doe now boldly conte••ne all seuere bookes that sound to honestie and godlines. In our forefathers time, when papistrie, as a standing poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, few bookes were red in our toong, sauyng cer∣tayne Bookes of Chiualrie, as they sayd for pastime and plea∣sure, which, as some say, were made in monasteries by idle monkes or wanton chanons: as one for example, MORTE ARTHUR, the whole pleasure of which booke standeth in two specyall poyntes, in open mans slaghter and bolde baw∣drie: in which booke those be counted the noble••t knights that doe kill most men without any quarrell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by sutlest shifts: as, syr Launcelote with the wife of king Arthure his maister: syr Tristram with the wife•• of king Marke his vn••le: syr Lamerocke with the wife of king Lote that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe for wise men to laughe at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I knowe when God's Bible was banished the court, and

MORTE ARTHUR receaued into the princes chamber. What toyes the dayly reading of such a booke may worke in the will of a yong ientleman, or a yong maide, that liueth welthely and idlely, wife men can iudge, and honest men doe pittie. And yet ten MORTE ARTHURES doe not the tenth part so much harme, as one of these bookes made in Italie, and translated in England. They open, not fond and common ways to vice, but such suttle, cunning, new and diuerse shifts, to carry yong willes to vanitie and yong wittes to mis∣chiefe, to teache old bawdes new schoole pointes, as the sim∣ple head of an Englishman is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was heard of in England before, yea when papistrie ouer∣flowed all. Suffer these bookes to be read, and they shall soon displace all bookes of godly learning. For they, carry∣ing the will to vanitie, and marring good manners, shall easily corrupt the minde with ill opinions, and false judgement in doctrine: first to thinke ill of all true religion, and at last, to thinke nothing of God himselfe, one speciall poynt that is to be learned in Italie and Italian bookes. And that which is most to be lamented, and therefore more nedefull to be looked to, there be more of these vngracious bookes set out in print within these fewe moneths, than haue been seene in England many score yeares before. And because our English∣men made Italians cannot hurt but certaine persons, and in certaine places, therefore these Italian bookes are made Eng∣lish, to bringe mischie••e inough openly and boldly to all states b 1.2, great and meane, yong and old, euery where.—Our English men Italianated haue more in reuerence the TRI∣UMPHES of Petrarche c 1.3, than the GENESIS of Moyses. They make more accompt of Tullies Offices, than saint Paules

Epistles: of a Tale in Boccace, than the Story of the Bible, &c d 1.4."

Ascham talkes here exactly in the style of Prynne's HISTRIO∣MASTIX. It must indeed be confessed, that by these books many pernicious obscenities were circulated, and perhaps the doctrine of intrigue more accurately taught and exemplified than before. But every advantage is attended with its inconveniencies and abuses. That to procure translations of Italian tales was a plot of the papists, either for the purpose of facilitating the pro∣pagation of their opinions, of polluting the minds of our youth, or of diffusing a spirit of scepticism, I am by no means con∣vinced. But I have nothing to do with the moral effects of these versions. I mean only to shew their influence on our literature, more particularly on our poetry, although I reserve the discussion of this point for a future section. At present, my design is to give the reader a full and uniform view of the chief of these translations from the Italian, which appeared in England before the year 1600.

I will begin with Boccace. The reader recollects Boccace's THESEID and TROILUS, many of his Tales, and large passages from Petrarch and Dante, translated by Chaucer. But the golden mine of Italian fiction opened by Chaucer, was soon closed and forgotten. I must however premise, that the Italian language now began to grow so fashionable, that it was explained in lexi∣cons and grammars, written in English, and with a view to the illustration of the three principal Italian poets. So early as 1550, were published,

"Principal rules of the Italian grammar, with a dictionarie for the better vnderstanding of Boccase, Petrarche, and Dante, g••thered into this tonge by William Thomas e 1.5."

It is dedicated to sir Thomas Chaloner, an accomplished scholar.

The third edition of this book is dated in 1567. Scipio Len∣tulo's Italian grammar was translated into English in 1578, by Henry Grantham f 1.6. Soon afterwards appeared, in 1583,

"CAMPO DI FIOR, or The Flourie Field of four Languages of M. Claudius Desainliens, for the furtherance of the learners of the Latine, French, and English, but chieflie of the Italian tongue g 1.7."

In 1591, Thomas Woodcock printed,

"Florio's second frutes to be gathered of twelve trees of divers but de∣lightfull tastes to the tongues of Italian and Englishmen. To which is annexed a gardine of recreation yelding 6000 Italian prouerbs h 1.8."

Florio is Shakespeare's Holophernes in Love's Labour Lost i 1.9. And not to extend this catalogue, which I fear is not hitherto complete, any further, The ITALIAN SCHOOLE∣MASTER was published in 1591 k 1.10. But to proceed.

Before the year 1570, William Paynter, clerk of the Office of Arms within the Tower of London, and who seems to have been master of the school of Sevenoaks in Kent, printed a very considerable part of Boccace's novels. His first collection is en∣titled,

"The PALACE OF PLEASURE, the first volume, con∣taining sixty novels out of Boccacio, London, 1566."

It is dedicated to lord Warwick l 1.11. A second volume soon appeared,

"The PALLACE OF PLEASURE the second volume containing thirty-four novels, London, 1567 m 1.12."

This is dedicated to sir George Howard; and dated from his house near the Tower, as is the former volume. It would be superfluous to point out here the uses which Shakespeare made of these volumes, after the full investigation which his antient allusions and his plots have so lately received. One William Painter, undoubtedly the same, translated William Fulk's ANTIPROGNOSTICON, a treatise written

to expose the astrologers of those times n 1.13. He also prefixed a Latin tetrastic to Fulk's original, printed in 1570 o 1.14.

With Painter's PALACE OF PLEASURE, we must not con∣found

"A petite Pallace of Pettie his plesure,"

although pro∣perly claiming a place here, a book of stories from Italian and other writers, translated and collected by William Pettie•• a stu∣dent of Christ-church in Oxford about the year 1576 p 1.15. It is said to contain,

"manie prettie histories by him set forth in comely colors and most delightfully discoursed."

The firs•• edition I have seen was printed in 1598, the year before our au∣thor's death, by James Roberts. The first tale is SINORIX AND CAMMA, two lovers of Sienna in Italy, the last ALEXIUS q 1.16. Among Antony Wood's books in the Ashmolean Museum, is a second edition dated 1608 r 1.17. But Wood, who purchased and carefully preserved this performance, solely because it was writ∣••en by his great-uncle, is of opinion, that

"it is now so far from being excellent or fine, that it is more fit to be read by a school-boy, or rusticall amoretto, than by a gentleman of mode and language s 1.18."

Most of the stories are classical, perhaps supplied by the English Ovid, yet with a variety of innovations, and a mixture of modern manners.

Painter at the end of his second volume, has left us this cu∣rious notice.

"Bicause sodaynly, contrary to expectation, this Volume is risen to greater heape of leaues, I doe omit for this present time SUNDRY NOUELS of mery devise, reseruing the same to be joyned with the rest of an other part, wherein shall succeede the remnant of Bandello, specially sutch, suf∣frable, as the learned French man François de Belleforrest hath selected, and the choysest done in the Italian. Some also out of Erizzo, Ser Giouanni Florentino, Parabosco, Cyn∣thio, Straparole, Sansouino, and the best liked out of the Queene of Nauarre, and other Authors. Take these in good part, with those that haue and shall come forth."

But there is the greatest reason to believe, that no third volume ever ap∣peared. And it is probable, that Painter by the interest of his booksellers, in compliance with the prevailing mode of publi∣cation, and for the accommodation of universal readers, was af∣terwards persuaded to print his sundry novels in the perishable form of separate pamphlets, which cannot now be recovered.

Boccace's FIAMETTA was translated by an Italian, who seems to have borne some office about the court, in 1587, with this title,

"AMOROUS FIAMETTA, wherein is sette downe a cata∣logve of all and singvlar passions of loue and iealousie inci∣dent to an enamored yong gentlewoman, with a notable ca∣ueat for all women to eschew deceitfull and wicked loue, by an apparent example of a Neapolitan lady, her approued and long miseries, and wyth many sound dehortations from the same. Fyrst written in Italian by master John Boccace, the learned Florentine, and poet lavreat. And now done into English by B. Giouanno del M. Temp t 1.19."

The same year was also printed,

"Thirteene most pleasaunt and delectable questions entituled A DISPORT of diuers noble personages

from Boccace. Imprinted at London by A. W. for Thomas Woodcock, 1587 u 1.20."

Several tales of Boccace's DECAMERON were now translated into English rhymes. The celebrated story of the friendship of TITUS AND GESIPPUS was rendered by Edward Lewicke, a name not known in the catalogue of English poets, in 1562 w 1.21. The title is forgotten with the translator.

"The most wonder∣full and pleasaunt history of Titus and Gisippus, whereby is fully declared the figure of perfect frendshyp drawen into English metre by Edwarde Lewicke. Anno 1562. For Tho∣mas Hacket x 1.22."

It is not suspected, that those affecting stories, the CYMON AND IPHIGENIA, and the THEODORE AND HONORIA, of Boccace, so beautifully paraphrased by Dryden, appeared in Eng∣lish verse, early in the reign of queen Elisabeth.

THEODORE AND HONORIA was translated, in 1569, by doc∣tor Christopher Tye, the musician, already mentioned as a volu∣minous versifier of scripture in the reign of Edward the sixth. The names of the lovers are disguised, in the following title.

"A notable historye of Nastagio and Trauersari, no less pitiefull than pleasaunt, translated out of Italian into English verse by C. T. Imprinted at London in Poules churchyarde, by Tho∣mas Purefoote dwelling at the signe of the Lucrece. Anno. 1569 y 1.23."

Tye has unluckily applied to this tale, the same stanza which he used in translating the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. The knight of hell pursuing the lady, is thus described.

He sawe approche with swiftie foote The place where he did staye,

A dame, with scattred heares vntrussde, Bereft of her araye.—

Besides all this, two mastiffes great Both fierce and full he sawe, That fiercely pinchde her by the flanke With greedie rauening rawe.

And eke a Knight, of colour swarthe, He sawe behinde her backe, Came pricking after, flinging forthe Vpon a courser blacke:

With gastlye thretning countenaunce, With armyng sworde in hande; His looke wold make one feare, his eyes Were like a fiery brande, &c z 1.24.

About the same time appeared the tale of CYMON AND IPHI∣GENIA,

"A pleasaunt and delightfull History of Galesus, Cymon, and Iphigenia, describing the ficklenesse of fortune in love. Translated out of Italian into Englishe verse by T. C. gentle∣man. Printed by Nicholas Wyer in saint Martin's parish be∣sides Charing Cross a 1.25."

It is in stanzas. I know not with what poet of that time the initials T. C. can correspond, except with Thomas Churchyard, or Thomas Campion. The latter is among the poets in ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS printed in 1600, is named by Camden with Spenser, Sidney, and Drayton; and, among other pieces, published

"Songs, bewailing the untimely death of Prince Henry, set forth to bee sung to the lute or viol by John Coprario, in 1613 b 1.26."

But he seems rather too

late to have been our translator. Nicholas Wyer the printer of this piece, not mentioned by Ames, perhaps the brother of Robert, was in vogue before or about the year 1570.

It is not at all improbable, that these old translations now en∣tirely forgotten and obsolete, suggested these stories to Dryden's notice. To Dryden they were not more antient, than pieces are to us, written soon after the restoration of Charles the se∣cond: and they were then of sufficient antiquity not to be too commonly known, and of such mediocrity, as not to preclude a new translation. I think we may trace Dryden in some of the rhymes and expressions c 1.27.

It must not be forgot, that Sachetti published tales before Boc∣cace. But the publication of Boccace's DECAMERON gave a stabi∣lity to this mode of composition, which had existed in a rude state before the revival of letters in Italy. Boccace collected the com∣mon tales of his country, and procured others of Grecian origin from his friends and preceptors the Constantinopolitan exiles, which he decorated with new circumstances, and delivered in the purest style. Some few perhaps are of his own invention. He was soon imitated, yet often unsuccessfully, by many of his countrymen, Poggio, Bandello, the anonymous author of LE CIENTO NOVELLE ANTIKE, Cinthio, Firenzuola, Malespini, and others. Even Machiavel, who united the liveliest wit with the profoundest reflection, and who composed two comedies while he was compiling a political history of his country, con∣descended to adorn this fashionable species of writing with his NOVELLA DI BELFEGOR, or the tale of Belphegor.

In Burton's MELANCHOLY, there is a curious account of the diversions in which our ancestors passed their winter-evenings. They were not totally inelegant or irrational. One of them was to read Boccace's novels aloud.

"The ordinary recreations which we haue in winter, are cardes, tables and dice, shouel∣board, chesse-play, the philosopher's game, small trunkes, balliardes, musicke, maskes, singing, dancing, vle-games d 1.28, catches, purposes, questions: merry tales, of errant-knights, kings, queenes, louers, lords, ladies, giants, dwarfes, thieves, fayries, BOCCACE'S NOUELLES, and the rest e 1.29."

The late ingenious and industrious editors of Shakespeare have revived an antient metrical paraphrase, by Arthur Brooke, of Bandello's history of Romeo and Juliet.

"THE TRAGICALL HYSTORY OF ROMEUS AND JULIET: Contayning in it a rare example of true Constancie, with the subtill Counsels and practises of an old ••ryer and ther ill event. Imprinted at London in Fleete-streete within Temple Barre at the signe of the hand and starre by Richard Tottill the xix ••ay of No∣vember. Ann. Dom. 1562 f 1.30."

It is evident from a coinci∣dence of absurdities and an identity of phraseology, that this was Shakespeare's original, and not the meagre outline which appears in Painter. Among the copies delivered by Tottel the printer to the stationers of London, in 1582, is a booke called ROMEO AND JULETTA g 1.31. But I believe there were two diffe∣rent translations in verse. It must be remembered here, that the original writer of this story was Luigi da Porto, a gentleman of Verona, who died in 1529. His narrative appeared at Venic•• in 1535, under the title of LA GIULIETTA, and was soon after∣wards adopted by Bandello. Shakespeare, misled by the English

poem, missed the opportunity of introducing a most affecting scene by the natural and obvious conclusion of the story. In Luigi's novel, Juliet awakes from her trance in the tomb before the death of Romeo. From Turberville's poems printed in 1567, we learn, that Arthur Brooke was drowned in his passage to New-haven, and that he was the author of this translation, which was the distinguished proof of his excellent poetical abilities.

Apollo lent him lute for solace sake, To sound his verse by touch of stately string; And of the neuer fading baye did make A laurell crowne, about his browes to clinge,

In proofe that he for myter did excell, As may be iudge by Iulyet and her Mate; For ther he shewde his cunning passing well When he the tale to English did translate.—

Aye mee, that time, thou crooked dolphin, where Wast thou, Aryon's help and onely stay, That safely him from sea to shore didst beare, When Brooke was drownd why was thou then away? &c h 1.32.

The enthusiasts to Shakespeare must wish to see more of Ar∣thur Brooke's poetry, and will be grati••ied with the dullest anec∣dotes of an author to whom perhaps we owe the existence of a tragedy at which we have all wept. I can discover nothing more of Arthur Brooke, than that he translated from French into English, The Agreement of sundrie places of Scripture seeming to iarre, which was printed at London in 1563. At the end is a copy of verses written by the editor Thomas Brooke the younger, I suppose his brother; by which it appears, that the author Ar∣thur Brooke was shipwrecked before the year 1563 i 1.33. Juliet soon furnished a female name to a new novel. For in 1577,

Hugh Jackson printed

"The renowned Historie of Cleomenes and Juliet k 1.34."

Unless this be Brooke's story disguised and altered.

Bishop Tanner, I think, in his correspondence with the learned and accurate Thomas Baker of Cambridge, mentions a prose English version of the NOVELLE of Bandello, who endeavoured to avoid the obscenities of Boccace and the improbabilities of Cinthio, in 1580, by W. W. Had I seen this performance, for which I have searched Tanner's library in vain, I would have informed the inquisitive reader, how far it accommodated Shakespeare in the conduct of the Tragedy of ROMEO AND JULIET. As to the translator, I make no doubt that the initials W. W. imply William Warner the author of ALBION'S ENG∣LAND l 1.35, who was esteemed by his cotemporaries as one of the re∣finers of our language, and is said in Meres's WIT'S TREA∣SURY, to be one of those by whom

"the English tongue is mightily enriched, and gorgeously invested in rare ornaments and resplendent habiliments m 1.36."

Warner was also a translator of Plautus; and wrote a novel, or rather a suite of stories, much in the style of the adventures of Heliodorus's Ethiopic romance, dedicated to lord Hunsdon, entitled,

"SYRINX, or a seauenfold Historie, handled with varietie of pleasant and pro∣fitable, both commicall and tragicall, argument. Newly pe∣rused and amended by the first author W. WARNER. At London, printed by Thomas Purfoote, &c. 1597 n 1.37."

Warner

in his ALBION'S ENGLAND, commonly supposed to be first printed in 1592 o 1.38, says,

"Written haue I already in Prose, allowed of some, and now offer I Verse, attending indifferent censvres."

In 1598 was published, as it seems,

"A fyne Tuscane hys∣torye called ARNALT AND LUCINDA."

It is annexed to

"The ITALIAN SCHOOLEMAISTER, conteyninge rules for pronouncynge the Italyan tongue p 1.39."

Among George Gascoigne's WEEDES printed in 1576, is the Tale of Ferdinando Jeronimi, or

"The pleasant fable of Fer∣dinando Ieronimi and Leonora de Valasco, translated out of the Italian riding tales of Bartello."

Much poetry is inter∣woven into the narrative. Nor, on the mention of Gascoigne, will it be foreign to the present purpose to add here, that in the year 1566, he translated one of Ariosto's comedies called SUPPO∣SITI, which was acted the same year at Gray's-inn. The title is,

"SVPPOSES. A comedie written in the Italian tongue by Ariosto, Englished by George Gascoigne of Graies inne esquire, and there presented, 1566 q 1.40."

This comedy was first written in prose by Ariosto, and afterwards reduced into rhyme. Gas∣coigne's translation is in prose. The dialogue is supported with much spirit and ease, and has often the air of a modern conver∣sation. As Gascoigne was the first who exhibited on our stage a story from Euripides, so in this play he is the first that produced an English comedy in prose. By the way, the quaint name of Petruchio, and the incident of the master and servant changing habits and characters, and persuading the Scenese to personate the father, by frightening him with the hazard of his travelling from Sienna to Ferrara against the commands of government,

was transferred into the TAMING OF THE SHREW. I doubt not however, that there was an Italian novel on the subject. From this play also the ridiculous name and character of Doctor Dodipoll seems to have got into our old drama r 1.41. But to return.

In Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Beatric•• ••uspects she shall be told she had

"her good wit out of the HUNDRED MERRY TALES s 1.42."

A translation of LES CENT NOUVELLES NOUVELLES, printed at Paris before the year 1500, and said to have been written by some of the royal family of France, but a compilation from the Italians, was licenced to be printed by John Waly, in 1557, under the title of

"A Hun∣dreth mery tayles,"

together with The freere and the boye, stans puer ad mensam, and youthe, charite, and humylite t 1.43. It was fre∣quently reprinted, is mentioned as popular in Fletcher's NICE VALOUR; and in the LONDON CHAUNTICLERES, so late as 1659, is cried for sale by a ballad-vender, with the SEVEN WISE MEN OF GOTHAM u 1.44, and Scogan's JESTS w 1.45.

In 1587, George Turberville the poet, already mentioned as the translator of Ovid's EPISTLES, published a set of tragical tales in prose, selected from various Italian novelists. He was a ••kilful master of the modern languages, and went into Russia in the quality of secretary to Thomas Randolph esquire, envoy to the emperor of Russia x 1.46. This collection, which is dedicated to his brother Nicholas, is entitled,

"TRAGICAL TALES, translated

by Turberville in time of his troubles, out of sundrie Italians, with the argument and lenvoy to each tale y 1.47."

Among Mr. Oldys's books, was the

"Life of Sir Meliado a Brittish knight z 1.48,"

translated from the Italian, in 1572. By the way, we are not here to suppose that BRITTISH means Eng∣lish. A BRITTISH knight means a knight of Bretagne or Bri∣tanny, in France. This is a common mistake, arising from an equivocation which has converted many a French knight into an Englishman. The learned Nicholas Antonio, in his SPANISH LIBRARY, affords a remarkable example of this confusion, and a proof of its frequency, where he is speaking of the Spanish translation of the romance of TIRANTE THE WHITE, in 1480.

"Ad fabularum artificem stylum convertimus, Joannem Mar∣torell Valentiae regni civem, cujus est liber hujus commatis, TIRANT LE BLANCH inscriptus, atque anno 1480, ut aiunt, Valentiae 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 a 1.49."

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 histo∣rians, pretends he translated this book from English into Por∣tugueze, 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 Britanny, tend to confirm my hypothesis, that Bretagne, or Armorica, was an∣tiently a copious source of romance: an hypothesis, which I have the happiness to find was the 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 1.50. La Croze's words, which he dictated to a friend, are these.

"Tous les ROMANS DE CHEVALERIE doivent leur origin á la BRETAGNE, et au pays de Galles [Wales] dont notre Bretagne est sortie. Le Roman D'AMADIS DE GAULE commençe 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 au∣tres qui sont tous BRETONS. Je n'en excepte point le Roman de PERCEFOREST, dont j'ai vu un tres-beau manuscrit en velin dans la bibliotheque du roi de France.—Il y a un fort belle Preface sur l'origine de notre BRETAGNE ARMORIQUE.—Si ma santé le comportoit, je m'étendrois davantage et je pourrois fournir un Supplement assez amusant au Traitè du docte M. Huet sur L'ORIGINE DES ROMANS c 1.51."

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 1587 d 1.52. I conceive also

"The fearfull fantyses of the Florentyne Cowper,"

to be a translation from the Italian e 1.53.

Nor do I know with what propriety the romance of AURELIO AND ISABELLA, the scene of which is laid in Scotland, may be mentioned here. But it was printed in 1586, in one volume, in Italian, French, and English f 1.54. And again, in Italian, Spanish,

French, and English, in 1588 g 1.55. I was informed by the late Mr. Collins of Chichester, that Shakespeare's TEMPEST, for which no origin is yet assigned, was formed on this favorite ro∣mance. But although this information has not proved true on examination, an useful conclusion may be drawn from it, that Shakespeare's story is somewhere to be found in an Italian novel, at least that the story preceded Shakespeare. 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 remem∣ber he added a circumstance, which may lead to a discovery, that the principal character of the romance, answering to Shake∣speare'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 multipli∣cation 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 ap∣peared 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 mis∣cellany 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 pro••itable than pleasaunt, and of like necessitye to al degrees that take pleasure in antiquityes or forraine reportes. Mon be••r viendra. Imprinted at London in Flete-strete nere to sainct Dunstons Churche by Thomas Marshe. Anno Domini, 1567 h 1.56."

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 i 1.57, to the Lady Mary Sydney, and contains many sensible reflections on this of reading. He says,

"Neyther do I thynke that oure Englishe recordes are hable to yelde at this daye a ROMANT more delicat and chaste, treatynge of the veraye th••am•• and effect••s of loue, than theis HYSTORIES, of no lesse credit than sufficient authoritie, by reason the moste of theym were within the compasse of memorye, &c k 1.58."

Among the recommendatory poems pr••fixed l 1.59, 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: Nowe men of meanest skill, what BANDEL wrought may vew, And tell the tale in Englishe well, that erst they neuer knewe: Discourse of sundrye strange, and tragicall affaires, 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 inscrip∣tions, 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 m 1.60.

Fenton was a translator of other books from the modern lan∣guages. He translated into English the twenty books of Guic∣ciardin's History of Italy, which he dedicated to queen Elisa∣beth from his apartment near the Tower, the seventh day of January, 1578 n 1.61. 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 sundry kings and princes, together with the variations of the same, Diuided into twenty bookes, &c. Reduced into Eng∣lish by Geffrey Fenton. Mon heur viendra o 1.62."

It is proba∣bly to this book that Gabriel Harvey, Spenser's Hobbinol, al∣ludes, where he says,

"Even Guiccardin's siluer Historie, and Ariosto's golden Cantos, growe out of request, and the coun∣tess of Pembrooke's Arcadia is not greene enough for queasie stomaches but they must haue Greene's Arcadia, &c p 1.63."

Among his versions are also, the GOLDEN EPISTLES of Antonio de Guevara, the secretary of Charles the fifth, and now a favo∣rite author, addressed to Anne countess of Oxford, from his chamber at the Dominican or black friars, the fourth of February, 1575 q 1.64. 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 r 1.65, by R. T. the tran∣slator of Ariosto's Satires, in 1608 s 1.66. He died in 1608 t 1.67.

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 appre∣hend, in 1577 u 1.68.

A work of a similar nature appeared in 1571, by Thoms For∣tescue. 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 w 1.69."

It is dedicated to John Fortescue esquire, keeper of the wardrobe. The genius of these tales may be dis∣cerned from their history. The book is said to have been writ∣ten in Spanish by Petro de Messia, then translated into Italian, thence into French by Claude Cruget a citizen of Paris, and lastly from French into English by Fortescue. But many of the stories seem to have originally migrated from Italy into Spain x 1.70.

The learned doctor Farmer has restored to the public notice a compilation of this class, unmentioned by any typographic an∣nalist, and entitled,

"The ORATOR, handling a hundred seue∣rall Discourses in form of Declamations: some of the Ar∣guments being drawne from Titus Liuius, and other an∣cient writers, the rest of the author's own Invention. Part of which are of matters happened in our age. Written in French by Alexander Silvayn, and Englished by L. P. [or

"Lazarus Pilot.] London, printed by Adam Islip, 1596y 1.71."

The subject of the ninety-fifth DECLAMATION is, Of a Jew who would for his debt haue a pound of the flesh of a Christian z 1.72. We have here the incident of the BOND, in Shakespeare's MER∣CHANT OF VENICE, which yet may be traced to a much higher source a 1.73. This Alexander Sylvain compiled in French Epitomes de cent Histoires Tragiques partie extraictes des Actes des Romains et autres, a work licenced to Islip to be translated into English in 1596 b 1.74. Perhaps the following passage in Burton's MELAN∣CHOLY, may throw light on these DECLAMATIONS.

"In the Low Countries, before these warres, they had many solemne feastes, playes, challenges, artillery [archery] gardens, col∣ledges of rimers, rhetoricians, poets, and to this day, such places are curiously maintained in Amsterdam. In Italy, they have solemne Declamations of certaine select yonge gentlemen in Florence, like these reciters in old Rome, &c c 1.75."

In 1582, a suite of tales was published by George Whetstone, a sonnet-writer of some rank, and one of the most passionate among us to bewaile the perplexities of love d 1.76, under the title of HEPTAMERON, and containing some novels from Cinthio e 1.77. Shakespeare, in MEASURE FOR MEASURE, has fallen into great improprieties by founding his plot on a history in the HEPTAMERON,

imperfectly copied or translated from Cinthio's original f 1.78. Many faults in the conduct of incidents for which Shakespeare's judgement is arraigned, often flowed from the casual book of the day, whose mistakes he implicitly followed without looking for a better model, and from a too hasty acquie••cence in the present accommodation. But without a book of this sort, Shakespeare would often have been at a loss for a subject. Yet at the same time, we look with wonder at the structures which he forms, and even without labour or deliberation, of the basest materials g 1.79.

Ames recites a large collection of novels in two volumes, de∣dicated to sir George Howard master of the armory, and printed for Nicholas England in 1567 h 1.80. I have never seen them, but presume they are translations from Boccace, Cinthio, and Ban∣dello i 1.81. In 1589, was printed the CHAOS OF HISTORYES k 1.82. And in 1563,

"A boke called Certaine noble storyes contayn∣ynge rare and worthy matter l 1.83."

These pieces are perhaps to be catalogued in the same class.

In the year 1590, sir James Harrington, who will occur again in his place as an original writer, exhibited an English version of Ariosto's ORLANDO FURIOSO m 1.84: which, although executed without spirit or accuracy, unanimated and incorrect, enriched our poetry by a communication of new stores of fiction ••nd imagination, both of the romantic and comic species, of Gothic machinery and familiar manners.

Fairfax is commonly supposed to be the first translator of Tasso. But in 1593, was licenced

"A booke called Godfrey of Bolloign an heroycall poem of S. Torquato Tasso, Englished by R. E. esquire n 1.85."

In consequence of this version, ap∣peared the next year

"An enterlude entituled Godfrey of Bolloigne

with the Conquest of Jerusalem o 1.86."

Hall in his Satires published in 1597, enumerates among the favorite stories of his time, such as, Saint George, Brutus, king Arthur, and Charlemagne,

What were his knights did SALEM'S SIEGE maintayne,

To which he immediately adds Ariosto's Orlando p 1.87.

By means of the same vehicle, translation from Italian books, a precise and systematical knowledge of the antient heathen theo∣logy seems to have been more effectually circulated among the people in the reign of queen Elisabeth. Among others, in 1599 was published,

"THE FOUNTAINE OF ANTIENT FIC∣TION, wherein is depictured the images and statues of the gods of the antients with their proper and particular expo∣sitions. Done into Englishe by Richard Linche gentleman p 1.88. Tempe è figliuola di verità. London, imprinted by Valentine Sims, 1599 q 1.89."

This book, or one of the same sort, is cen∣sured in a puritanical pamphlet, written the same year, by one H. G. a painfull minister of God's word in Kent, as the Spawne of Italian Gallimawfry, as tending to corrupt the pure and unidola∣trous worship of the one God, and as one of the deadly snares of popish deception r 1.90. In the history of the puritans, their appre∣hensions that the reformed faith was yet in danger from paga∣nism, are not sufficiently noted. And it should be remembered, that a PANTHEON had before appeared; rather indeed with a view of exposing the heathen superstitions, and of shewing their conformity to the papistic, than of illustrating the religious fable of antiquity. But the scope and design of the writer will appear

from his title, which from its archness alone deserves to be inserted.

"The GOLDEN BOOKE OF THE LEADEN GODDES, wherein is described the vayne imaginations of the heathen pagans, and counterfeit christians. With a description of their severall tables, what each of their pictures signified s 1.91."

The writer, however, doctor Stephen Batman, had been domestic chaplain to archbishop Parker, and is better known by his ge∣neral chronicle of prodigies called Batman's DOOM t 1.92. He was also the last translator of the Gothic Pliny, BARTHOLOMEUS DE PROPRIETATIBUS RERUM, and collected more than a thousand manuscripts for archbishop Parker's library.

This enquiry might be much farther enlarged and extended. But let it be sufficient to observe here in general, that the best stories of the early and original Italian novelists, either by imme∣diate translation, or through the mediation of Spanish, French, or Latin versions, by paraphrase, abridgement, imitation, and often under the disguise of licentious innovations of names, in∣cidents, and characters, appeared in an English dress, before the close of the reign of Elisabeth, and for the most part, even be∣fore the publication of the first volume of Belleforrest's grand repository of tragical narratives, a compilation from the Italian writers, in 1583. But the CENT HISTOIRES TRAGIQUES of Belleforrest himself, appear to have been translated soon after∣wards u 1.93. In the meantime, it must be remembered, that many translations of Tales from the modern languages were licenced to be printed, but afterwards suppressed by the interest of the puritans. It appears from the register of the Stationers, that among others, in the year 1619••

"The DECAMERON of Mr. John Boccace Florentine,"

was revoked by a sudden in∣hibition of Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury w 1.94. But not only the clamours of the Calvinists, but caprice and ignorance, per∣haps partiality, seem to have had some share in this business of

licencing books. The rigid arbiters of the press who condemned Boccace in the gross, could not with propriety spare all the licentious cantos of Ariosto. That writer's libertine friar, me∣tamorphosis of Richardetto, Alcina and Rogero, Anselmo, and host's tale of Astolfo, are shocking to common decency. When the four or five first books of AMADIS DE GAUL in French were delivered to Wolfe to be translated into English and to be printed, in the year 1592, the signature of bishop Aylmer was affixed to every book of the original x 1.95. The romance of PAL∣MERIN OF ENGLAND was licenced to be printed in 1580, on condition, that if any thing reprehensible was found in the book after publication, all the copies should be committed to the flames y 1.96. Notwithstanding, it is remarkable, that in 1587, a new edition of Boccace's DECAMERON in Italianz 1.97 by Wolfe, should have been permitted by archbishop Whitgift a 1.98: and the English AMOROUS FIAMETTA of Boccace, abovementioned, in the same year by the bishop of London b 1.99.

But in the year 1599, the Hall of the Stationers underwent as great a purgation as was carried on in Don Quixote's library. Marston's Pygmalion, Marlowe's Ovid, the Satires of Hall and Marston, the Epigrams of Davies and others, and the CALTHA POETARUM, were ordered for immediate conflagration, by the prelates Whitgift and Bancroft c 1.100. By the same authority, all the books of Nash and Gabriel Harvey were anathematised; and, like thieves and outlaws, were ordered to be taken wheresoever they maye be found. It was decreed, that no S••tires of Epigrams should be printed for the future. No plays were to be printed without the inspection and permission of the archbishop of Canterbury

and the bishop of London, nor any Englishe Historyes, I suppose novels and romances, without the sanction of the Privy-council. Any pieces of this nature, unlicenced, or now at large and wan∣dering abroad, were to be diligently sought, recalled, and deli∣vered over to the ecclesiastical arm at London-house d 1.101.

If any apology should be thought necessary for so prolix and intricate an examination of these compositions, I shelter this section under the authority of a polite and judicious Roman writer,

"Sit apud te honos ANTIQUITATI, sit ingentibus factis, sit FABULIS quoque e 1.102."

Notes

• a 1.1

  Serious book•• in divinity, written by the papists. The study of controversial theo∣logy flourished at the univ••rsity of Louvain.
• b 1.2

  Conditions of life.
• c 1.3

  In such universal vogue were the TRI∣UMPHS of Petrarch, or h•••• TRIONFI D' AMOUR, that they were made into a public pageant at the entrance, I think, of Charles th•• fifth into Madrid.
• d 1.4

  Ascham's SCHOOLEMASTER, edit. 1589. fol. 25. a. seqq. This book was begun soon after the year 1563. PREFACE, p. 1.
• e 1.5

  In quarto, for T. Berthelett. Again, 4to, 1561. For T. Powell. Again, 4to. 1567. For H. Wykes. It was written at Padua in 1548. Thomas, a bachelor in civil law at Oxford, and a clergyman, is said to have been rewarded by Edward the sixth with several preferments. See Strype's GRINDAL, p. 5.
• f 1.6

  For T. Vautrollier. 8vo.
• g 1.7

  For Vautrollier. 12mo.
• h 1.8

  But his First Frute, or, Dialogues in Italian and English, with instruction for the Italian, appeared in 1578. His Italian dictionary, in 1595.
• i 1.9

  See ACT iv. Sc. ii.
• k 1.10

  For Thomas Purfoot. 12mo.
• l 1.11

  A second edition was printed for H. Binneman, Lond. 1575. 4to.
• m 1.12

  A second edition was printed by Tho∣mas Marsh, in octavo. Both volumes ap∣peared in 1575. 4to.
• n 1.13

  Lond. 1570. 12mo. At the end is an English tract against the astrologers, very probably written by Painter. Edward Dering, a fellow of Christ's college Cam∣bridge, in a copy of recommendatory verses prefixed to the second edition o•• Googe's Palingenius, attacks PAINTER, ••ucas, and others, the abettors of Fulk's ANTIPROGNOSTICON, and the censu••••rs of astrology. In the antient registers of the Stationers company, an Almanac is usually joined with a PROGNOSTICATION. See REGISTR. A. fol. 59. b. 61. a.
• o 1.14

  In 1563, is a receipt for a licence to William Joiner for printing

  "The Citye of Cyvelite, translated into Englesshe by William Paynter."

  REGISTR•• A•• ut supr. fol. 86. b. In 1565, there is a receipt for licence to W. James to print

  "Serten his∣toryes collected oute of dyvers ryghte good and profitable authors by William Paynter."

  Ibid. fol. 134. b. The second part of the

  "Palice of Pleasur••,"

  i•• enter∣ed with Nicholas Englonde, in 1565. Ibid. fol. 156. a.
• p 1.15

  Entered that year, Aug. 5. to Wat∣kins. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 134. a.
• q 1.16

  There is an Epistle to the Reader by R. W. In 1569, there is an entry with Richard James for printing

  "A ballet in∣t••tuled Sinorix Canna and Sinnatus."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 191. b. In Pettie'•• tale, Camma is wife to Sinnatus.
• r 1.17

  There was a third in 1613. By. G. Eld. Lond. 4to. Bl. Lett.
• s 1.18

  ATH. OXON. i. 240. Pattie in con∣junction with Bartholomew Young, tran∣slated the Civil•• Conversation of Stephen•• Guazzo, 1586. 4to.
• t 1.19

  In quarto, for Thomas Gubbins.
• u 1.20

  In quarto. There is entered with Ri∣chard Smyth, in 1566,

  "A boke intituled the xiij questions composed in the Italian by John Boccace."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 153. a.
• w 1.21

  See supr. vol. ii. p. 342 And EM. ADD.
• x 1.22

  In 12mo Ad calc.

  "FINIS quod Ed∣ward L••wick."

  There is entered, in 1570, with H. Binneman,

  "The pet••full history of ij lovyng Italians."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 204. b.
• y 1.23

  In 12mo. Bl. Lett. In that year Pur∣foot has licence to print

  "the History of Nostagio."

  The same book. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 183. b. [See supr. p. 194.]
• z 1.24

  SIGNAT. A v.
• a 1.25

  In 12mo. Bl. Lett.
• b 1.26

  See also Meres, ubi supr. fol. 280. Under his name at length are

  "Obserua∣tions on the Art of English Poesie, Lond. by R. Field, 1602."

  12mo. Dedicated to lord Buckhurst, whom he calls

  "the noblest judge of poesie, &c."

  This piece is to prove that English is capable of all the Roman measures. He gives a specimen of Lincenti••te Iambickes in English, our present blank verse, p. 12. More of this hereafter. T. C. in our singing-psalms, is affixed to psalm 136. See above, p. 170. I believe he is the author of a Masque pre∣sented on Saint Stephen's Night, 1604.
• c 1.27

  In 1569, Thomas Colwell has licence to print

  "A ballet of two faythfull frynds beynge bothe in love with one lady."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 193. a. This seems to be PALAMON AND ARCIT••. I know not whether I should mention here, Robert Wilmot's tragedy of TANCRED AND GISMUND, acted before queen Elisa∣beth at the Inner-temple, in 1568, ••nd printed in 1592, as the story, originally from Boccace, is in Paynter's Collection, and in an old English poem. [See supr. vol. ii. 238.] There is also an old French poem called GUICHARD ET SIGISMONDE, translated from Boccace into Latin by Leo Aretine, and thence into French verse by Jean Fleury. Paris. Bl. Lett. 4to. See DE∣CAM••RON, Giorn. iv. Nov. i.
• d 1.28

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 games. See what is said a∣bove of UL••, vol. ii. p. 315.
• e 1.29

  P. ii. §. 2. pag. 230. edit. fol. 1624.
• f 1.30

  Under which year is entered in the register of the Stationers,

  "Recevyd of Mr. Tottle for his license for pryntinge of the Tragicall history of the ROMEU•• AND JULIETT with Sonnettes."

  RE∣GISTR. A. fol. 86. a. It is again entered in these Registers to be printed, viz. Feb. 18, 1582, for Tottel. And Aug. 5, 1596•• as a n••we ballet, for Edward White. RE∣GISTR. C. fol. 12. b.
• g 1.31

  REGI••TR. B. fol. 193. a. See last Note.
• h 1.32

  Fol. 143. b. 144. a. Epitaph on th•• Death of Maister Arthur Brook••. edit. 2. 12mo. 1570.
• i 1.33

  In octavo. PRINC.

  "Some men here∣tofore h••ue attempted."
• k 1.34

  Oct. 14. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 142. b.
• l 1.35

  But W. W. may mean William Webbe, author of the DISCOURSE OF ENGLISH POETRIE, 1586. I remember an old book with these initials; and which is entered to Richard Jones, in 1586,

  "A history entituled a strange and petifull nouell, dyscoursynge of a noble lorde and his lady, with their tragicall ende of them and thayre ij children executed by a blacke morryon."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 187. b. There is a ••ine old pa∣thetic ballad, rather too bloody, on this story, I think in Wood's collection of bal∣lads in the Ashmolean Museum.
• m 1.36

  Fol. 280. edit. 1598.
• n 1.37

  In quarto. Bl. Lett. This is the se∣cond edition. The first being full of faults. TO THE READER, he says,

  "One in pen∣ning pregnanter, and a schollar better than myselfe, on whose graue the grasse now groweth green, whom otherwise, though otherwise to me guilti••, I name not, hath borrowed out of ••uerie CALA∣MUS [of the Syri••x,] of the Storie here∣in handl••d, argument and inuention to seuerall bookes by him published. An∣other of late, hauing (fayning the same a Translation) set foorth an historie of a Duke of Lancaster neuer before author∣ed, hath vouchsafed to incerte therein whole pages verbatim as they are herein extant, &c."

  The first edition i•• entered to Pur••oot, Sept. 22, 1584. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 201. a.
• o 1.38

  Lond. by T. Orwin. 4to. Bl. Lett. But it is entered to Thomas Tadman, Nov. 7, 1586. REGISTR. B. fol. 212. b. As printed.
• p 1.39

  Entered to the two Purfootes, Aug. 19, REGISTR. STATION. C. fol. 40. b.
• q 1.40

  See Gascoigne's HEAR••••S, fol. 1.
• r 1.41

  See fol. 4, &c. See also Nashe's Pre∣face to G. Harvey's Hunt is up: printed in 1596.

  "The wisdome of doctor Dodepole plaied by the children of Paules,"

  is en∣tered to R. Olyffe, Oct. 7, 1600. REGISTR. STATION. C. fol. 65. b.
• s 1.42

  Act ii. Sc•• i.
• t 1.43

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 22. a. See also B. sub ann. 1581. fol. 186. a.
• u 1.44

  Of these, see supr. p. 72. There is an entry to R. Jones, Jan. 5, 1595,

  "A COMEDIE entitled A KNACK TO KNOWE A KNAVE, newlye sett fourth, as it hath sundrye tymes ben plaid by Ned Allen and his companie, with Kemp's MERY∣MENTES OF THE MEN OF GOTHEHAM."

  REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 304. a.
• w 1.45

  Under a licence to T. Colwell, in 1565,

  "The geystes of Skoggon gather∣ed together in th••s volume."

  REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 134. a.
• x 1.46

  It may be doubted whether the trea∣••ise on Hunting reprinted with his Fal∣conrie, in 1611, and called a translation, with verses by Gascoigne, is to be ascribed to him. One or both came out first in 1575. The Dedication and Epilogue to the Falconrie, are signed by Turbe••vill••.
• y 1.47

  Lond. for Abel Jeffes, 15••7. 12mo.
• z 1.48

  Meliadu•• del Espinoy, and M••liadus le noir Oeil, are the thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth knights of the ROUND TA∣••LE, in R. Robinson's AVNCIENT ORDER, &c. Lond. 1583. 4to. Bl. Lett. Chiefly a French translation.
• a 1.49

  BIBL. HISPAN. L. x. c. ix. p. 193. num. 490.
• b 1.50

  Chez François Changuion, 12mo.
• c 1.51

  Pag. 219. seq. See Crescimben. HIST. POES. VULGAR. L. v. ch. 2, 3, 4.

  "The Historye of twoe Brittaine louers,"

  that is of Britanny, is entered to Charlewood, Jan•• 4, 1580. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 176. b. Again,

  "Philocasander and Ela∣mira the fayre ladye of Brytayne,"

  to Purfoot, Aug. 19, 1598. REGISTR. C. fol. 40. b. Our king Arthur wa•• some∣times called Arthur of Little Brittayne, and there is a romance with that title, re∣printed in 1609.
• d 1.52

  Lond. For Thomas Marshe, 12mo. It is among Sampson Awdeley's copies, a•• a former grant, 1581. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 186. a.
• e 1.53

  Licenced in 1567. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 164. b. There is an edition in 15••9. Bl. Lett. 8vo. Purfoot.
• f 1.54

  Licenced to E. White, Aug. 8, 1586. R••GISTR. STATION. B. fol. 209. b. I have

  "L'HI••TOI•••• D'AU••••LIO ET ISA∣BELLA en Italien et Françoise,"

  printed at Lyons by G. Rouille, in 1555. 16mo•• Annexed ••s LA D••IPHIRE, by the author of the romance, as I apprehend, Leon∣Baptista Alberti•• in Italian and French.
• g 1.55

  Licenced to Aggas, Nov. 20, 1588. RE••ISTR. B. fol. 237. a.
• h 1.56

  In 4to. Bl. Lett. Cont. 612 pages. See licence from the archbishop of Canter∣bury, 1566. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 156. a. See ibid. fol. 162. b. Ames men∣tions another edition by Marshe, 1579. 4to.
• i 1.57

  Jun. 22.
• k 1.58

  He commends his illustrious patroness, for

  "you•• worthi•• participation with the excellent gifts of temperance and won∣derfull modestie in the ii. moste famous erles of Leicester and Warwike your bretherne, and most•• vertuous and re∣nowned ladye the countesse of Hunting∣ton your sy••ter, &c."
• l 1.59

  Sir John Conway, M. H. who writes in Latin, and Peter Beverley. The latter wrote in verse

  "The tragecall and plea∣saunte history of Ariodanto and Jen••u∣ra daughter vnto the kynge of Scots,"

  licenced to H. We••kes, 1565. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 140. b. There is an edition dedicated from Staples inn, for R. Wa••kins, 1600. 12mo.
• m 1.60

  "DIELLA, Certaine Sonnets adioy••∣ing to the amorous poeme of Dom Diego and Gineura. By R. L. Gentleman. Ben balla á chi fortu••a suona. At London, Printed for Henry Olney, &c. 1596."

  16mo. The sonnets are twenty-eight in number.
• n 1.61

  I observe here, that there is a receipt from T. Marshe for printing the

  "Storye of Italie,"

  Jun. 24, 1560. REGISTR. STA∣TION. A. fol. 62. b.
• o 1.62

  For Norton, with his rebus, Lond, 1579. Fol. There were other editions, in 1599. 1618. Fol.
• p 1.63

  Foure Letters, &c. Lond. 1592. 4to. LETT. 3. p. 29.
• q 1.64

  Lond. 1577. 4to. His FAMILIAR EPISTLES were translated by Edward Hel∣lowes groome of the Leashe, 1574. 4to. Fen∣ton also translated into English, a Latin DISPUTATION held at the Sorbonne, Lond. 1571. 4to. And, an Epistle about obe∣dience 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 Bi∣shop. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 191. a. There was an Edward Fenton, who tran∣slated from various authors.

  "Certaine se∣cretes and wonders of nature, &c."

  De∣dicated to lord Lumley, 1569. 4to. For H. Binneman. See Fuller, WORTH. ii. 318. MSS. Ashmol. 816.
• r 1.65

  Lond. 1615. 4to. See fol. 60. 63.
• s 1.66

  For R. Jackson.
• t 1.67

  Ware, 137. There is an old Art of English Poetry by one Fenton.
• u 1.68

  Licenced to Hugh Jackson, Jul. 30. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 142. a. I have never ••een a work by Tarleton the player, licenced to J. Charlewood, Feb. 5, 1577.

  "Tarketib's TRAGICALL TREA∣TISES conteyninge sundrie discourses and pretie conceiptes both in prose and verse."

  Ibid. 145. a.
• w 1.69

  Lond. 4to. Bl. Lett. A second edi∣tion was printed in 1576. For John Day, 4to. It is licenced 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 the this Nutt was new cracked, con∣tayninge a discourse of a noble kynge and his three sonnes,"

  with Ponsonby, Jan. 20. 1595. Ibid. fol. 7. a.
• x 1.70

  Among many others that might be mentioned I think is the romance or novel entitled,

  "A MARGARITE OF AMERICA. By T. Lodge. Printed for John Busbie, &c. 1596."

  4to. Bl. Lett. This piece has never yet been recited among Lodge's works. In the Dedication to Lady Russell, and Pre••ace to the gentlemen rea••ers, he says, that being at sea four years before with M. Cavendish, he found this history in the Spanish tongue in the lib••ary of the Jesuits ••f Sanctum; and that he translated it in the ship, in passing through the Straits of Magellan. Many sonnets and metrical inscriptions are intermixed. One of the sonnets is said to be in imitation of Dolce the Italian. SIGNAT. C. Again, SIGNAT. K 3. About the walls of the chamber of prince Protomachus,

  "in curious imagerie were the Seuen Sages of Greece, set forth with their seuerall vertues elo∣quently discouered in Arabicke verses."

  The arch of the bed is of ebonie sett with pretious stones, and depictured with the stages of man's life from infancy to old∣age. SIGNAT. B 3. The chamber of Mar∣garite, in the same castle, is much more sumptuous. Over the portico were carved in the whitest marble, Diana blushing at the sudden intrusion of Acteon, and her

  "naked Nymphes, who with one hand couering their owne secret pleasures, with blushes, with the other cast a beautifull vaile ouer their mistresse daintie naked∣ness. The two pillars of the doore were beautified with the two Cupides of Ana∣creon, which well-shaped Modestie often seemed to whip, le••t they should growe ouer-wanton."

  Within,

  "All the chaste Ladies of the world inchased out of sil∣uer, looking through faire mirrours of chrisolites, carbuncles, sapphires, and greene emeraults, fixed their eyes on the picture of Eternitie, &c."

  In the tape••∣try, was the story of Orpheus, &c. SIGN. B 3. A sonnet of

  "that excellent poet of Itali•• Lodouico Pascale,"

  is introduced, SIGNAT. L. Another,

  "in imitation of Martelli, hauing the right nature of an Italian melancholie,"

  SIGNAT. L. He mentions••

  "the sweet conceites of Philip du Portes, whose poeticall writings be∣ing alreadie for the most part Englished, and ordinarilie in euerie man's hands,"

  are not here translated. SIGNAT. L 2.

  I think I have also seen in Italian

  "The straunge and wonderfull aduentures of Simonides a gentilman Spaniarde. Con∣teyning uerie pleasaunte discourse. Ga∣thered as well for the recreation of our noble yong gentilmen as our honourable courtly ladies. By Barnabe Riche gentil∣man. London, for Robert Walley, 1581."

  Bl. Lett. 4to. Much poetry is intermixed. A recommendatory poem in the octave stanza is prefixed by Lodge, who says he corrected the work, and has now laid his muse aside. There is another in the same stanza by R. W. But it would be endless to pursue publications of this sort. I only add, that Barnabe Riche abovementioned wrote in prose THE HONESTIE OF THIS AGE, &c. Lond. 1615. 4to, A curious picture of the times. Also

  "the PATHWAY TO MILITARY PRACTICE, with a ka∣lendar for the ymbattallinge of men, newly written by Barnabie Riche,"

  en∣tered to R. Walley, 22 March, 1586. RE∣GISTR. STATION. B. fol. 216. b. Riche in the title-page to his IRISH HUBBUB (Lond. 1617. 4to.) call•• that book his twenty-sixth. I have seen most of them.
• y 1.71

  I know not exactly what connection this piece may have with an entry, under the year 1590, to Aggas and Wo••fe,

  "Cer∣ten tragicall cases conteyninge Lv Hys∣tories with their seu••rall declamations both accusative and defensive, written in ffrenshe by Alexander Vandenbrygt alias Silvan, translated into Englishe by R. A."

  REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 263. b. Perhaps R. A. is Robert Allot, the publisher of ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS in 1600. See supr. p. 280. And add, that he has some Latin hexameters prefixed to Christopher Middleton's LEGEND OF DUKE HUMPHREY, Lond. 1600. 4to.
• z 1.72

  See fol. 401.
• a 1.73

  See supr. DISS. GEST. ROMAN. lxxxiii.
• b 1.74

  Jul. 15. REGISTR. C. fol. 12. a.
• c 1.75

  P. ii. §. 2. p. 229. edit. 1624.
• d 1.76

  Meres, ubi supr. fol. 284. W. Webbe, a cotemporary, calls him

  "A man singu∣la••ly well skilled in this faculty of poe∣try."
• e 1.77

  This title adopted from the queen of Navarre was popular. There is entered to Jones, Jan. 11, 1581,

  "An HEPTAME∣RON of civill discourses vnto the Christ∣mas exercises of sundry well courted gentlemen and gentlewomen."

  REGISTR. STATION. B. fol 185. b. I suppose a book of tales. There is also, August 8, 1586, to E. White,

  "MORANDO, the TRITAMERON OF LOV••."

  Ibid. fol. 209. b.
• f 1.78

  See Whetstone's RIGHT EXCELLENT AND FAMOUS HISTORYE OF PROMOS AND CASSANDRA, Divided into Commi∣cal DISCOURSES, printed in 1578. En∣tered to R. Jones, 31 Jul. 1578. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 150. b.
• g 1.79

  In the Prologue to a comedy called CUPID'S WHIRLIGIG, As it hath bene sun∣drie times acted by the Chil••ren of his Maies∣ties Reuel••, written by E. S. and printed in quarto by T. Creede in 1616, perhaps be∣fore, an oblique stroke seems intended at some of Shakespeare's plots.

  Our author'•• pen loues not to swimme in blood, He dips no inke from oute blacke Acheron: Nor crosses seas to get a forraine plot.— Nor doth he touch the falls of mighty kings, No ancient hystorie, no shepherd's love, No statesman's life, &c.

  He blames some other dramatic writers for their plots of heathen gods. So another, but who surely had forgot Shakespeare, in PASQUI••L'S MADCAPPE'S MESSAGE, p. 11. Lond. 1600. Printed by V. S. 4to.

  Go, bid the poets studdie better matter, Than Mars and Venus in a tragedie.
• h 1.80

  Pag. 328.
• i 1.81

  Cont. 856 leaves•• 8vo.
• k 1.82

  REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 246. a. Jul. 28, to Abell Jeffes.
• l 1.83

  To Berys. REGISTR. A. fol. 89. b. I have here thrown together many pieces of the same sort, before 1585, from the registers of the Stationers. Mar. 10•• 1594, to T. Creede,

  "MOTHER REDD-CAPPE her last will and testament, conteynyng sundrye conceipted and pleasant tales furnished with muche varyeti•• to move delighte."

  REGISTR. B. fol. 130. a.—Nov. 3•• 1576, to H. Bynneman,

  "MERY TALES, wittye questions, and quicke an∣swers."

  Ibid fol. 135. b.—April 2, 1577, to R. Jones,

  "A FLORISHE UPON FANCIE, as gallant a glose of suche a triflinge a texte as euer was written, compiled by N. B. gent. To which are a••nexe•• manie pretie pamphlets for pleasaunte heades to passe away idell time withall compiled by the same author."

  Ibid. fol. 138. b. And by the same au∣thor, perhaps Nicholas Breton, Jun. 1, 1577, to Watkins, afterwards T. Dawson,

  "The woo••kes o•• a yong witte truste up, with a FARDELL of pretie fantasies pro∣••itable to yong poets, compiled by N. B. gent."

  Ibid. fol. 139. b.—Jun. 5, 1577, to R. Jones,

  "A HANDEFULL OF HIDDEN S••CRETS, conteyninge therein certayne Sonnettes and other pleasaunte devises, pickt out of the closet of sundrie wor∣thie writers, and collected by R. Wil∣liams."

  [N. B. This is otherwise en∣titled, The GALLERY OF GALLANT IN∣UENTIONS.] Ibid. fol. 140. a.—Jun. 23•• 1584, to T. Hacke••, two books,

  "A DIALL for daintie darlings,"

  and

  "the B••NQUET of daintie conceipts."

  Ibid. fol. 200. b.—

  "The parlour of pleasaunte delyghtes,"

  to Yarret James, Jan. 13, 1580. Ibid. fol. 177. b.—

  "A ballad of the traiterous and vnbrideled crueltye of one Lucio a knyght executed ouer Eri∣phile daughter to Hortensia Castilion of Genoway in Italy,"

  to H. Carre, Sept. 3, 1580. Ibid. fol. 171. b.—

  "The de∣ceipts in loue discoursed in a Comedie of ij Italyan gentlemen and translated into Engli••she,"

  to S. Waterson, Nov. 10, 1584. Ibid. fol. 202. a. Most of these pieces I have seen: and although perhaps they do not all exactly coincide with the class of books pointed out in the text, they illustrate the general subject of this ••ection.
• m 1.84

  At least in that year, Feb. 26, was en∣tered to Richard Field, under the hands of the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishop of London,

  "A booke enti••uled John Harrington's Orlando Furioso, &c."

  REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 271. b. But there is entered to Cuthbert Burbye, to be printed by Danter, May 28, 1594,

  "The Historie o•• Orlando Furioso."

  Ibid. fol. 306. b. See also fol. 303. a. And Arios∣to's story of Rogero and Rhodomont, translated from the French of Philip de Portes, by G. M. [Gervis Markham] is entered to N. Linge, Sept. 15, 1598. Ibid. C. fol. 41. b.
• n 1.85

  To Christopher Hunt, Jan. 25. RE∣GISTR. STATION. B. fol. 304. b. The same version of T••sso is again entered Nov. 22, 1599. REGISTR. C. fol. 54. a. Among Rawlinson's manuscripts are two fair copies in large folio of a translation of Tasso in octave stanzas, by sir G. T. An inserted note says this is George Turber∣ville, the poet of queen Elisabeth's reign•• and that he was knighted by the queen while ambassador.
• o 1.86

  To John Danter, Jun. 19. Ibid. fol. ••09. b.
• p 1.87

  B. vi. Sat. i.
• p 1.88

  B. vi. Sat. i.
• q 1.89

  In quarto. From some other book of the kind, says John Marston in his SA∣TYRES, Lond. for E. Matts, 1593. 12mo. SAT. ii.

  Reach me some poets Index that will shew IMAGINES DEORUM. Booke of Epithites, Natalis Comes, thou, I know, recites, And mak'st anatomie of poesie.

  With this might have been bound up

  "A treasorie and storehouse of similis,"

  for T. Creede, 1600.
• r 1.90

  In 1599 was published by G. Potter,

  "A commendacion of true poetry and a discommendacion of all baudy, pybald, and paganizde [paganised] poets, &c."

  See REGISTR. STATION. C. fol. 55. b.
• s 1.91

  In quarto, for Thomas Marshe, 1577. It contains only 72 pages. Licenced Aug. 26, 1577. REGISTR. STATION. B. fol. 142. b.
• t 1.92

  Lond. 1581. 4to.
• u 1.93

  See, under 1596, REGISTR. STATION. C.
• w 1.94

  REGISTR. C. fol. 311. a.
• x 1.95

  RE••ISTR. STATION. B. fol. ••86. a. Hence D••kker's familiarity of allusion, in The VNTRUSSING OF THE HUMOROUS PO••••••

  "Farewell my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 d•• Gaule!"

  Lond. 1602. 4to. Signat. D 2.
• y 1.96

  To John Charlewood, Feb. 13. Ibid. fol. 177. ••.
• z 1.97

  Two or three other Italian book••, •• proof of the popularity of the language, were allowed to b•• printed in 1588. Ibid. fol. 233. b. fol. 234•• b.
• a 1.98

  Sept. 13. Together with the Histori•• of Chi•••••• ••oth in Itali••n a••d English.
• b 1.99

  Ibid. Sept. 18.
• c 1.100

  There are also r••cited,

  "The Sha∣dowe of Truth•• in Epigram•• and S••tires. Sn••••••ing Satyres. The book•• againste women. The xv ioyes of marriage."
• d 1.101

  REGISTR. STATION. C. fol. 316. a. b.
• e 1.102

  Plin. EPIST. viii. 24.