Microcosmography Part 20

No. VI.

ON MR. BEAUMONT.

WRITTEN THIRTY YEARS SINCE, PRESENTLY AFTER HIS DEATH.

[_From "Comedies and Tragedies written by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, Gentlemen" folio. London. 1647._]

Beaumont lies here: And where now shall we have A muse like his to sigh upon his grave?

Ah! none to weep this with a worthy tear, But he that cannot, _Beaumont_ that lies here.

Who now shall pay thy tomb with such a verse As thou that lady's didst, fair _Rutland's_ herse.

A monument that will then lasting be, When all her marble is more dust than she.

In thee all's lost: a sudden dearth and want Hath seiz'd on wit, good epitaphs are scant.

We dare not write thy elegy, whilst each fears He ne'er shall match that copy of thy tears.

Scarce in an age a poet, and yet he Scarce live the third part of his age to see, But quickly taken off and only known, Is in a minute shut as soon as shown.

Why should weak Nature tire herself in vain In such a piece, to dash it straight again?

Why should she take such work beyond her skill, Which, when she cannot perfect, she must kill?

Alas! what is't to temper slime and mire?

But Nature's puzzled when she works in fire.

Great brains (like brightest gla.s.s) crack straight, while those Of stone or wood hold out, and fear not blows; And we their ancient h.o.a.ry heads can see Whose wit was never their mortality.

_Beaumont_ dies young, so _Sidney_ did before, There was not poetry he could live to more, He could not grow up higher, I scarce know If th' art itself unto that pitch could grow, Were't not in thee that hadst arriv'd the height Of all that wit could reach, or nature might.

O when I read those excellent things of thine, Such strength, such sweetness couched in ev'ry line, Such life of fancy, such high choice of brain, Nought of the vulgar wit or borrow'd strain, Such pa.s.sion, such expressions meet my eye, Such wit untainted with obscenity, And these so unaffectedly exprest, All in a language purely flowing drest, And all so born within thyself, thine own, So new, so fresh, so nothing trod upon: I grieve not now that old _Menander's_ vein Is ruin'd to survive in thee again; Such, in his time, was he of the same piece, The smooth, even, nat'ral wit and love of Greece.

Those few sententious fragments shew more worth, Than all the poets Athens e'er brought forth; And I am sorry we have lost those hours On them, whose quickness comes far short of ours, And dwell not more on thee, whose ev'ry page May be a pattern for their scene and stage.

I will not yield thy works so mean a praise; More pure, more chaste, more sainted than are plays: Nor with that dull supineness to be read, To pa.s.s a fire, or laugh an hour in bed.

How do the Muses suffer every where, Taken in such mouth's censure, in such ears, That 'twixt a whiff, a line or two rehea.r.s.e, And with their rheume together spaul a verse?

This all a poem's leisure after play, Drink, or tobacco, it may keep the day: Whilst ev'n their very idleness they think Is lost in these, that lose their time in drink.

Pity then dull we, we that better know, Will a more serious hour on thee bestow.

Why should not _Beaumont_ in the morning please, As well as _Plautus_, _Aristophanes_?

Who, if my pen may as my thoughts be free, Were scurril wits and buffoons both to thee; Yet these our learned of severest brow Will deign to look on, and to note them too, That will defy our own, 'tis English stuff, And th' author is not rotten long enough, Alas! what phlegm are they compar'd to thee, In thy _Philaster_, and _Maid's-Tragedy_?

Where's such a humour as thy _Bessus_? pray Let them put all their _Thrasoes_ in one play, He shall out-bid them; their conceit was poor, All in a circle of a bawd or wh.o.r.e; A coz'ning dance; take the fool away And not a good jest extant in a play.

Yet these are wits, because they'r old, and now Being Greek and Latin, they are learning too: But those their own times were content t'allow A thirsty fame, and thine is lowest now.

But thou shalt live, and, when thy name is grown Six ages older, shall be better known, When th' art of _Chaucer's_ standing in the tomb, Thou shalt not share, but take up all his room.

JOHN EARLE.

No. VII.

DEDICATION TO THE LATIN TRANSLATION

OF THE

[Greek: Eikon Basilike].

"Serenissimo et Potentissimo Monarchae, Carolo Secundo. Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Franciae et Hiberniae Regi, Fidei Defensori, &c.

Serenissime Rex,

Prodeat jam sub tuis auspiciis illa patris tui gloriosissimi imago, illa qua magis ad Dei similitudinem, quam qua Rex aut h.o.m.o accedit. Prodeat vero eo colore peregrino, quo facta omnibus conspectior fiat publica. Ita enim tu voluisti, ut sic lingua omnium communi orbi traderem, in qua utinam feliciorem tibi operam navare licuisset, ut illam nativam elegantiam, illam vim verborum et lumina, illam admirabilem sermonis structuram exprimerem. Quod c.u.m fieri (forta.s.se nec a peritissimis) a me certe non possit, praestat interim ut c.u.m aliqua venustatis injuria magnam partem Europae alloquatur, quam intra paucos suae gentis clausa apud caeteros omnes conticescat. Sunt enim hic velut quaedam Dei magnalia quae spargi expedit humano generi, et in omnium linguis exaudiri: id pro mea facultate curavi, ut si non sensa tanti authoris ornate, at perspicue et fide traderem, imo nec ab ipsa dictione et phrasi (quantum Latini idiomatis ratio permitt.i.t) vel minimum recederem. Sacri enim codicis religiosum esse decet interpretem: et certe proxime ab illo sacro et adorando codice, (qui in has comparationes non cadit,) spera non me audacem futurum, si dixero nullum inter caeteros mortalium, vel autore vel argumento ill.u.s.triorem, vel in quo viva magis pietas et eximie Christiana spiratur.

Habet vero sanct.i.tas regia nescio quid ex fortunae suae majestate sublimius quiddain et augustius, et quae imperium magis obtinet in mentes hominum, et reverentia majore accipitur: quare et his maxime instrumentis usus est Deus, qui illam partem sacrae paginae ad solennem Dei cultum pertinentem, psalmos scilicet, et hymnos: caeteraque ejusmodi perpetuis ecclesiae usibus inservitura, transmitterent hominibus, et auctoritatem quandam conciliarent. Quid quod libentius etiam arripiunt homines sic objectam et traditam pietatem. Quod et libro huic evenit, et erit magis eventurum, quo jam multo diffusior plures sui capaces invenerit.

Magnum erat profecto sic meditari, sic scribere; multo majus sic vivere, sic mori: ut sit haec pene nimia dictu pietas exemplo illius superata. Scit haec illa orbis pars miserrima jam et contaminatissima. Utinam hanc maturius intellexissent virtutem, quam jam sero laudant, et admirantur amissam, nec illa opus fuisset dira fornace, qua tam eximia regis pietas exploraretur, ex qua nos tantum miseri facti sumus, ille omnium felicissimus; cujus illa pars vitae novissima et aerumnosissima et supremus dies, (in quo hominibus, et angelis spectaculum factus stet.i.t animo excelso et interrito, summum fidei, constantiae, patientiae exemplar, superior malis suis, et tota simul conjesta inferni malitia) omnes omnium triumphos et quicquid est humanae gloriae, susuperavit. Nihil egistis O quot estis, hominum! (sed nolo libro sanctissimo quicquam tetrius praefari, nec qaos ille inter preces nominat, maledicere) nihil, inquam, egistis hoc parricidio, nisi quod famam illius et immortalitatem c.u.m aeterno vestro probro et scelere conjunxistis. Nemo unquam ab orbe condito tot veris omnium lacrymis, tot sinceris laudibus celebratus est. Nulli unquam principum in secundis agenti illos fictos plausus vel metus dedit, vel adulatio vendidit, quam hic verissimos expressere fuga, carcer, theatrum et illa omnium funestissima securis, qua obstupe, fecit hostes moriens et caesus triumphavit.

Tu interim (Rex augustissime) vera et viva patris effigies, (cujus inter summas erat felicitates humanas, et in adversis solatium te genuisse, in quo superst.i.te mori non potest) inflammeris maxime hoc mortis illius exemplo, non tam in vindictae cupidinem, (in quem alii te extimulent, non ego) quam in heroicae virtutis, et constantiae zelum: hanc vero primum adeas quam nulla vis tibi invito eripiet, haereditariam pietatem; et quo es in tuos omnes affectu maxime philostorgo, hunc librum eodem tec.u.m genitore satum amplectere; dic sapientiae, soror mea es, et prudentiam affinem voca; hanc tu consule, hanc frequens meditare, hanc imbibe penitus, et in animam tuam transfunde. Vides in te omnium conjectos oculos, in te omnium bonorum spes sitas, ex te omnium vitas pendere, quas jamdiu multi taedio projecissent, nisi ut essent quas tibi impenderent. Magnum onus inc.u.mbit, magna urget procella, magna expectatio, major omnium, quam quae unquam superius, virtutum necessitas: an sit regnum amplius in Britannia futurum, an religio, an homines, an Deus, ex tua virtute, tua fortuna dependet: immo, sola potius ex Deo fortuna; cujus opem quo magis hic necessariam agnoscis, praesentaneam requiris, eo magis magisque, (quod jam facis) omni pietatis officio promerearis: et illa quae in te large sparsit bonitatis, prudentiae, temperantiae, just.i.tiae, et omnis regiae virtutis semina foveas, augeas, et in fructum matures, ut tibi Deus placatus et propitius, quod detraxit patri tuo felicitatis humanae, tibi adjiciat, et omnes illius aerumnas conduplicatis in te beneficiis compenset, et appelleris ille restaurator, quem te unice optant omnes et sperant futurum, et ardentissimis precibus expet.i.t.

Majestatis tuae humillimus devotissimusque subditus et sacella.n.u.s,

JO. EARLES.

No. VIII.

INSCRIPTION ON DR. PETER HEYLIN'S[BS] MONUMENT IN WESTMINSTER-ABBEY.

[_Written by Dr. Earle, then Dean of Westminster._]

Depositum Mortale Petri Heylyn, S. Th. D.

Hujus Ecclesiae Prebendarii et Subdecani, Viri plane memorabilis, Egregiis dotibus instructissimi, Ingenio acri et foecundo, Judicio subacto, Memoria ad prodigium tenaci, Cui adjunxit incredibilem in studiis patientiam Quae cessantibus oculis non cessarunt.

Scripsit varia et plurima, Quae jam manibus hominum teruntur; Et argumentis non vulgaribus Stylo non vulgari suffecit.

Et Majestatis Regiae a.s.sertor Nec florentis magis utriusque Quam afflictae, Idemque perduellium et scismaticae factionis Impugnator acerrimus.

Contemptor invidiae Et animo infracto Plura ejusmodi meditanti Mors indixit silentium: Ut sileatur Efficere non potest.

Obiit Anno aetatis 63, et 8 die Maii, A. D. 1662.

Possuit hoc illi maestissima conjux.

FOOTNOTES:

[BS] Peter Heylin was born at Burford, in Oxfords.h.i.+re, Nov. 29, 1599 and received the rudiments of his education at the free school in that place, from whence he removed to Harthall, and afterwards obtained a fellows.h.i.+p at Magdalen College, Oxford. By the interposition of Bishop Laud, to whom he was recommended by Lord Danvers, he was presented first to the rectory of Hemingford, in Huntingdons.h.i.+re, then to a prebend of Westminster, and lastly to the rectory of Houghton in the Spring, in the diocese of Durham, which latter he exchanged for Alresford, in Hamps.h.i.+re. In 1633 he proceeded D. D. and in 1638, became rector of South Warnborough, Hamps.h.i.+re, by exchange with Mr. Atkinson, of St. John's College, for Islip, in Oxfords.h.i.+re. In 1640 he was chosen clerk of the convocation for Westminster, and in 1642 followed the king to Oxford. After the death of Charles, he lost all his property, and removing with his family from place to place, subsisted by the exercise of his pen till the Restoration, when he regained his livings, and was made sub-dean of Westminster. His constancy and exertions were supposed by many to merit a higher reward, from a government, in whose defence he had sacrificed every prospect; but the warmth of his temper, and his violence in dispute, were such as rendered his promotion to a higher dignity in the church impolitic in the opinion of the ministers. He died May 8, 1662, and was interred in Westminster-abbey, under his own stall. A list of his numerous publications, as well as a character of him, may be found in Wood's _Athenae Oxonienses_, ii. 275.

No. IX.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN DR. EARLE AND MR. BAXTER.

[_See Kennet's Register, folio, Lond. 1723, page 713._]

MR. BAXTER TO DR. EARLE.

"REVEREND SIR,

"By the great favour of my lord chancellor's reprehension, I came to understand how long a time I have suffered in my reputation with my superiors by your misunderstanding me, and misinforming others; as if when I was to preach before the king, I had scornfully refused the tippet as a toy; when, as the Searcher and Judge of Hearts doth know, that I had no such thought or word. I was so ignorant in those matters as to think that a tippet had been a proper ensign of a doctor of divinity, and I verily thought that you offered it me as such: and I had so much pride as to be somewhat ashamed when you offered it me, that I must tell you my want of such degrees; and therefore gave you no answer to your first offer, but to your second was forced to say, "It belongeth not to me, Sir." And I said not to you any more; nor had any other thought in my heart than with some shame to tell you that I had no degrees, imagining I should have offended others, and made myself the laughter or scorn of many, if I should have used that which did not belong to me. For I must profess that I had no more scruple to wear a tippet than a gown, or any comely garment. Sir, though this be one of the smallest of all the mistakes which of late have turned to my wrong, and I must confess that my ignorance gave you the occasion, and I am far from imputing it to any ill will in you, having frequently heard, that in charity, and gentleness, and peaceableness of mind you are very eminent; yet because I must not contemn my estimation with my superiors, I humbly crave that favour and justice of you, (which I am confident you will readily grant me,) as to acquaint those with the truth of this business, whom, upon mistake, you have misinformed, whereby in relieving the innocence of your brother, you will do a work of charity and justice, and therefore not displeasing unto G.o.d, and will much oblige,