The ode, which is the comparison of the author's faithful and painful passion with that of Troilus [fol. 81], is founded on Chaucer's poem, or Boccace's, on the same subject. This was the most favorite lovestory of our old poetry, and from its popularity was wrought into a drama by Shakespeare. Troilus's sufferings for Cressida were a common topic for a lover's fidelity and assiduity. Shakespeare, in his MERCHANT OF VENICE, compares a night favorable to the stratagems or the meditation of a lover, to such a night as Troilus might have chosen, for stealing a view of the Grecian camp from the ramparts of Troy. And sigh'd his soul towards the Grecian tents Where Cressid lay that night. [Act V. Sc. i.] Among these poems is a short fragment of a translation into Alexandrines of Ovid's epistle from Penelope to Ulysses. [Fol 87.] This is the first attempt at a metrical translation of any part of Ovid into English, for Caxton's Ovid is a loose paraphrase in prose. Nor were the heroic epistles of Ovid translated into verse till the year 1582, by George Tuberville. It is a proof that the classics were studied, when they began to be translated. It would be tedious and intricate to trace the particular imitations of the Italian poets, with which these anonymous poems abound. Two of the sonnets [fol 74.] are panegyrics on Petrarch and Laura, names at that time familiar to every polite reader, and the patterns of poetry and beauty. The sonnet on The diverse and contrarie passions of the lover [fol. 104], is formed on one of Petrarch's sonnets, and which, as I have remarked before, was translated by sir Thomas Wyat. So many of the nobility, and principal persons about the court, writing sonnets in the Italian style, is a circumstance which must have greatly contributed to circulate this mode of composition, and to encourage the study of the Italian poets. Beside lord Surrey, sir Thomas Wyat, lord Boleyn, lord Vaux, and sir Francis Bryan, already mentioned, Edmund lord Sheffield, created a baron by Edward VI., and killed by a butcher in the Norfolk insurrection, is said by Bale to have written sonnets in the Italian manner. [Tanner BIBL. p. 688. Dugd. BAR. iii. 386.] I have been informed, that Henry lord Berners translated some of Petrarch's sonnets. [MSS. Oldys.] But this nobleman otherwise deserved notice here, for his prose works, which co-operated with the romantic genius and the gallantry of the age. He translated, and by the king's command, Froissart's chronicle, which was printed by Pinson in 1523. Some of his other translations are professed romances. He translated from the Spanish, by desire of the lady of sir Nicholas Carew, THE CASTLE OF LOVE. From the French he translated, at the request of the earl of Huntingdon, SIR HUGH OF BOURDEAUX, €64 HENRY VIII. AS A POET AND MUSICAL COMPOSER. which became exceedingly popular. And from the same language, THE HISTORY OF ARTHUR an Armorican knight. Bale says, [Cent. ix. p. 706.] that he wrote a comedy called Ite in Vinean, or the PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD, which was frequently acted at Calais, where lord Berners resided, after vespers1. He died in 1532. I have also been told, that the late lord Eglintoun had a genuine book of manuscript sonnets, written by Henry VIII. There is an old madrigal, set to music by William Bird, supposed to be written by Henry, when he first fell in love with Anne Boleyn2. It begins, The eagles force subdues eche byrde that flyes, It appears in Bird's PSALMES, SONGS, AND SONNETS, printed with musical notes, in 1611. [NUGÆ ANTIQUÆ, ii. 248.] Poetry and music are congenial; and it is certain, that Henry was skilled in musical composition. Erasmus attests, that he composed some church services [Hawkin's HIST. MUS. ii. 533]: and one of his anthems still continues to be performed in the choir of Christ-Church at Oxford, of his foundation. It is in an admirable style, and is for four voices. Henry, although a scholar, had little taste for the classical elegancies which now began to be known in England. His education seems to have been altogether theological and, whether it best suited his taste or his interest, polemical divinity seems to have been his favorite science. He was a patron of learned men, when they humoured his vanities; and were wise enough, not to interrupt his pleasures, his convenience, or his ambition. SECTION XL. To these SONGES and SONNETTS of UNCERTAIN AUCTOURS, in Tottell's edition are annexed SONGES WRITTEN BY N. G1. By the initials N. G. we are to understand Nicholas Grimoald, a name which never appeared yet in the poetical biography of England. But I have before mentioned him incidentally. He was a native of Huntingdonshire, and received the first part of his academical institution at Christ's college in Cambridge. Removing to Oxford 1 ATH. OXON. i, 33. It is not known, whether it was in Latin or English. Stowe says, that in 1528, at Greenwich, after a grand tournament and banquet, there was the most good'liest Disguising or Interlude in Latine, &c.' CHRON. p. 539. edit. fol. 1615. But possibly this may be Stowe's way of naming and describing a comedy of Plautus. 2 I must not forget, that a song is ascribed to Anne Boleyn, but with little probability, called her COMPLAINT. Hawkins, HIST. Mus. iii. 32. v. 480. 3 They begin with fol. 113. in the year 1542, he was elected fellow of Merton: but about 1547, having opened a rhetorical lecture in the refectory of Christ-church, then newly founded, he was transplanted to that society, which gave the greatest encouragement to such students as were distinguished for the proficiency in criticism and philology. The same year, he wrote a Latin tragedy, which probably was acted in the college, entitled ARCHIPROPHETA, sive JOHANNES BAPTISTA, TRAGEDIA, That is, The Arch-prophet,or Saint John Baptist, a tragedy, and dedicated to the dean Richard Cox. [Printed, Colon. 1548, 8vo.] In the year 1548, he explained all the four books of Virgil's Georgics in a regular prose Latin paraphrase, in the public hall of his college. [Printed at London in 1591, 8vo.] He wrote also explanatory commentaries or lectures on the Andria of Terence, the Epistles of Horace, and many picces of Cicero, perhaps for the same auditory. He translated Tully's Offices into English. This translation, which is dedicated to the learned Thirlby bishop of Ely, was printed at London, 1553. [Again, 1574.-1596] He also familiarised some of the purest Greek classics by English versions, which I believe were never printed. Among others was the CYROPÆDIA. Bale the biographer and bishop of Ossory, says, that he turned Chaucer's TROILUS into a play: but whether this piece was in Latin or English, we are still to seek: and the word Comedia, which Bale uses on this occasion, is without precision or distinction. The same may be said of what Bale calls his FAME, a comedy. Bale also recites his System of Rhetoric for the use of Englishmen1, which seems to be the course of the rhetorical lectures I have mentioned. It is to be wished, that Bale, who appears to have been his friend2, and therefore possessed the opportunities of information, had given us a more exact and full detail, at least of such of Grimoald's works as are now lost, or, if remaining, are unprinted3. Undoubtedly this is the same person, called by Strype one Grimbold, who was chaplain to bishop Ridley, and who was employed by that prelate, while in prison, to translate into English, Laurentio Valla's book against the fiction of Constantine's DONATION, with some other popular Latin pieces against the papists. In the ecclesiastical history of Mary's reign, he appears to heve been imprisoned for heresy, and to have saved his life, if not his credit, by a recantation. But theology does not seem to have been his talent, nor the glories of martyrdom to have made any part of his ambition. One of his plans, but which never took effect, was to print a new edition of Josephus Iscanus's poem on the TROJAN WAR, with emendations from the most correct manuscripts. 1 Rhetorica in usum Britannorum, 2 Bale cites his comment, or paraphrase on the first Eclogue of Virgil, addressed ad Amicum Joannem Baleum, viii. 99. 3 Titles of many others of his pieces may be seen in Bale, ubi supr. 4 Strype's CRANMER, B. iii. c. 11. p. 343. And GRINDAL, 8. Fox. edit. i 1047. And Wood, ATH. Oxon. i. 178. 666 NICHOLAS GRIMOALD, LIKE SURREY, WROTE IN BLANK VERSE. I have taken more pains to introduce this Nicholas Grimoald to the reader's acquaintance, because he is the second English poet after lord Surrey, who wrote in blank-verse. Nor is it his only praise, that he was the first who followed in this new path of versification. To the style of blank-verse exhibited by Surrey, he added new strength, elegance, and modulation. In the disposition and conduct of his cadencies, he often approaches to the legitimate structure of the improved blank-verse: but we cannot suppose, that he is entirely free from those dissonancies and asperities, which still adhered to the general character and state of our diction. In his poem on the DEATH OF MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO are these lines. The assassins of Cicero are said to relent, -When They his bare neck behelde, and his hore heares, Scant could they hold the teares that forth gan burst, Nor is this passage unsupported by a warmth of imagination, and the spirit of pathetic poetry. The general cast of the whole poem shows, that our author was not ill qualified for dramatic composition. Another of Grimoald's blank-verse poems, is on the death of Zoroas an Egyptian astronomer, who was killed in Alexander's first battle with the Persians. It was opened with this nervous and animated exordium. Now clattering armes, now ragyng broyls of warre, 1 His constrained spirit. 8 Peitho, the goddess of persuasion. 5 The reader must recollect Shakespeare's, Graia. Greek. 4 Fol. 117. Loud larums, neighing steeds, and TRUMPETS CLANG. Shrowded with shafts the heaven, with clowd of darts As forceth kindled yre the lyons keene, Whose greedy gutts the gnawing honger pricks, So Macedonians' gainst the Persians fare. [Fol. 115.] In the midst of the tumult and hurry of the battle, appears the sage philosopher Zoroas: a classical and elegant description of whose skill in natural science, forms a pleasing contrast amidst images of death and destruction; and is inserted with great propriety, as it is necessary to introduce the history of his catastrophe. Shakyng her bloody hands Bellone, among Him smites the club; him wounds far-strikyng bow; The Memphite Zoroas, a cunning clarke, To whom the heaven lay open as his boke And in celestiall bodies he could tell Our astronomer, finding by the stars that he is destined to die speedily, chuses to be killed by the hand of Alexander, whom he endeavours to irritate to an attack, first by throwing darts, and then by reproachful speeches. Of mothers bed! Shameful stain Why loseth thou thy strokes A match more mete, sir king, than any here. Alexander is for a while unwilling to revenge this insult on a man eminent for wisdom. 1 Brave, is richly decked. 2 With plenty. 3 Spring. Printemps. 4 Whether any music made by man can resemble that of the Spheres. Hinder 6 Saturn. 7 Of Mavors, or the planet Mars. |