lucasta-第6章
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he same person who is described in the pedigree as dying in 1576。 His death happened; no doubt; like that of Sir Robert Bell and others; at the Oxford Summer assizes for 1576。 See Stow's ANNALES; fol。 1154。
In 1563; Barnaby Googe the poet dedicated his EGLOGS; EPITAPHES; AND SONNETTES; NEWLY WRITTEN; to 〃the Ryght Worshypfull M。 Richard Lovelace; Esquier; Reader of Grayes Inne。〃
The following is a list of the members of the Lovelace family who belonged to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn from 1541 to 1646:
Thomas Lovelace; admitted 1541。 William Lovelace; 〃 1548。 Called to the bar in 1551。 Richard Lovelace; 〃 1557。 Reader in 1563。 Barnaby Googe's friend。 Lancelot Lovelace; 〃 1571。 William Lovelace; 〃 1580。 Laneelot Lovelace; 〃 1581。 Recorder of Canterbury; ob。 1640; aet。 78。 Francis Lovelace; 〃 1609。 Perhaps the same who was Recorder of Canterbury in 1638。 Francis Lovelace 〃 1640。 Probably the poet's younger (of Canterbury); brother。 William Lovelace; 〃 1646。
For these names and dates I am indebted to the courtesy of the Steward of Gray's Inn。
Sir William Lovelace; the poet's grandfather who; according to Berry; died in 1629; was a correspondent of Sir Dudley Carleton (see CALENDARS OF STATE PAPERS; DOMESTIC SERIES; 1611…18; pp。 443; 521; 533; Ibid。 1618…23; p。 17)。 It appears from some Latin lines before the first portion of LUCASTA; that the poet's father served with distinction in Holland; and probably it was this circumstance which led to Lovelace himself turning his attention in a similar direction: for the latter was on service in the Low Countries; perhaps under his father (of whose death we do not know the date; though Hasted intimates that he fell at the Gryll); when his friend Tatham; afterwards the city poet; addressed to him some verses printed in a volume entitled OSTELLA (printed in 1650)。
Mr。 A。 Keightley; Registrar of the Charterhouse; with his usual kindness; examined for me the books of the institution; in the hope of finding the date of Lovelace's admission; &c。; but without success。 Mr。 Keightley has suggested to me that perhaps Lovelace was not on the foundation; which is of course highly probable; and which; as Mr。 Keightley seems to think; may account for the omission of his name from the registers。
〃He was matriculated at Gloucester Hall; June 27; 1634; as 〃filius Gul。 Lovelace de Woolwich in Com。 Kant。 arm。 au。 nat。 16。'〃 Dr。 Bliss; in a note on this passage in his edition of the ATHENAE。
Bethersden is a parish in the Weald of Kent; eastward of Smarden; near Surrenden。 〃The manor of Lovelace;〃 says Hasted (HISTORY OF KENT; iii。 239); 〃is situated at a very small distance SOUTH…WESTWARD from the church 'of Bethersden'。 It was in early times the property of a family named Grunsted; or Greenstreet; as they were sometimes called; the last of whom; HENRY DE GRUNSTED; a man of eminent repute; as all the records of this county testify; in the reigns of both King Edward II。 and III。; passed away this manor to KINET; in which name it did not remain long; for WILLIAM KINET; in the 41st year of King Edward III。; conveyed it by sale to JOHN LOVELACE; who erected that mansion here; which from hence bore his name in addition; being afterwards styled BETHERSDEN… LOVELACE; from which sprang a race of gentlemen; who; in the military line; acquired great reputation and honour; and by their knowledge in the municipal laws; deserved well of the Commonwealth; from whom descended those of this name seated at BAYFORD in SITTINGBORNE; and at KINGSDOWN in this county; the Lords Lovelace of Hurley; and others of the county of Berks。〃 The same writer; in his HISTORY OF CANTERBURY; has preserved many memorials of the connexion of the Lovelaces from the earliest times with Canterbury and its neighbourhood。 William Lovelace; in the reign of Philip and Mary; died possessed of the mansion belonging to the abbey of St。 Lawrence; near Canterbury; after the death of his son William; it passed to other hands。 In 1621; Lancelot Lovelace; Esq。; was Recorder of Canterbury; in 1638; Richard Lovelace; Esq。; held that office; and in the year of the Restoration; Richard Lovelace; the poet's brother; was Recorder。 In the Public Library at Plymouth; there is a folio MS。 (mentioned in Mr。 Halliwell's catalogue; 1853); containing 〃Original Papers of the Molineux and LOVELACE Families。〃 I regret that I have not had an opportunity of inspecting it。 Mr。 Halliwell does not seem to have examined the volume; at all events; that gentleman does not furnish any particulars as to the nature of the contents; or as to the period to which the papers belong。 This information; in the case of a MS。 deposited in a provincial library in a remote district; would have been peculiarly valuable。 It is possible that the documents refer only to the Lovelaces of Hurley; co。 Berks。
〃The Humble Petition of the Gentry; Ministers; and Commonalty; for the county of Kent; agreed upon at the General Assizes for that county。〃 See JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS; iv。 675…6…7。 The 〃framers and contrivers〃 of this petition were Sir Edward Dering; Bart。; of Surrenden…Dering; Sir Roger Twysden; the well…known scholar; Sir George Strode; and Mr。 Richard Spencer。 On the 21st May; 1641; Dering had unsuccessfully attempted to bring in a bill for the ABOLITION of church government by bishops; archbishops; &c。; whereas one of the articles of the petition of 1642 (usually known as DERING'S PETITION) was a prayer for the restoration of the Liturgy and the maintenance of the episcopal bench in its integrity。 A numerously signed petition had also been addressed to both Houses by the county in 1641; in which the strongest reasons were given for the adoption of Dering's proposed act。 From 1641 to 1648; indeed; the Houses were overwhelmed by Kentish petitions of various kinds。 This portion of Wood's narrative is confirmed by Marvell's lines prefixed to LUCASTA; 1649:
〃And one the Book prohibits; because Kent Their first Petition by the Authour sent。〃
〃Sir William Boteler; of Kent; returning about the beginning of APRIL 1642; from his attendance (being then Gentleman Pentioner) on the king at YORKE; then celebrating St。 GEORGE'S feast; was by the earnest solicitation of the Gentry of Kent ingaged to joyn with them in presenting the most honest and famous Petition of theirs to the House of Commons; delivered by Captain RICHARD LOVELACE; for which service the Captain was committed Prisoner to the GATE HOUSE; and SIR WILLIAM BOTELER to the Fleet; from whence; after some weeks close imprisonment; no impeachment in all that time brought in against him 'Boteler'; many Petitions being delivered and read in the House for his inlargement; he was at last upon bail of 20;000 '15;000' remitted to his house in LONDON; to attend DE DIE IN DIEM the pleasure of the House。〃 MERCURIUS RUSTICUS; 1646 (edit。 1685; pp。 7; 8)。 The fact was that; although on the 7th of April; 1642; the Kentish petition in favour of the Liturgy; &c。 had been ordered by the House of Commons to be burned by the common hangman (PARLIAMENTS AND COUNCILS OF ENGLAND; 1839; p。 384); Boteler and Lovelace had the temerity; on the 30th of the same month; to come up to London; and present it again to the House。 It was this which occasioned their committal。 In the VERNEY PAPERS (Camd。 Soc。 1845; p。 175) there is the following memorandum:
〃Captaine Lovelace committed to the Gatehouse ! Concerning Sir William Butler committed to the Fleete ! Deering's ! petition。〃
〃Gatehouse; a prison in Westminster; near the west end of the Abbey; which leads into Dean's Yard; Tothill Street; and the Almonry〃Cunningham's HANDBOOK OF LONDON; PAST AND PRESENT。 But for a more particular account; see Stow's SURVEY; ed。 1720; ii。 lib。 6。
〃The Gatehouse for a Prison was ordain'd; When in this land the third king EDWARD reign'd: Good lodging roomes; and diet it affords; But I had rathe