lucasta-第8章
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THE GATEHOUSE AT WESTMINSTER; whither he had been committed;〃 &c。 No authority; however; is given for in assertion so wholly at variance with the received view on the subject; and I am afraid that Hone has here fallen into a mistake。
Aubrey; in what are called his LIVES OF EMINENT MEN; but which are; in fact; merely rough biographical memoranda; states under the head of Lovelace:〃Obiit in a cellar in Long acre; a little before the restauration of his Matie。 Mr。 Edm。 Wyld; &c。 had made collections for him; and given him money。。。。。Geo。 Petty; haberdasher; in Fleet street; carried xx to him every Monday morning from Sr。。。。Many and Charles Cotton; Esq。 for。。。。moneths; BUT WAS NEVER REPAYD。〃 Aubrey was certainly a contemporary of Lovelace; and Wood seems to have been indebted to him for a good deal of information; but all who are acquainted with Aubrey are probably aware that he took; in many instances; very little trouble to examine for himself; but accepted statements on hearsay。 Wood does not; in the case of Lovelace; adopt Aubrey's account; and it is to be observed that; IF the poet died as poor as he is represented by both writers to have died; he would have been buried by the parish; and; dying in Long Acre; the parochial authorities would not have carried him to Fleet Street for sepulture。
P。 xxiv。 MR。 EDM'UND' WYLD。 This gentleman; the friend of Aubrey; Author of the MISCELLANIES; &c。; and (?) the son of Sir Edmund Wyld; seems to have furnished the former with a variety of information on matters of current interest。 See Thoms' ANECDOTES AND TRADITIONS; 1839; p。 99。 He is; no doubt; the E。 W。 Esq。; whom Aubrey cites as his authority on one or two occasions; in his REMAINS OF GENTILISM AND JUDAISM。 He was evidently a person of the most benevolent character; and Aubrey (LIVES OF EMINENT MEN; ii。 483) pays him a handsome tribute; where he describes him as 〃a great fautor of ingenious and good men; for meer merit's sake。〃
See p。 149; NOTE 3。 His acquaintance with Hellenic literature possibly extended very little beyond the pages of the ANTHOLOGIA。
His favourites appear to have been Ausonius and Catullus。
On the 5th May; 1642; a counter…petition was presented by some Kentish gentlemen to the House of Commons; disclaiming and condemning the former one。JOURNALS OF THE H。 OF C。 ii。 558。
〃The humble petition of Richard Lovelace; Esquire; a prisoner in the Gate…house; by a former order of this House。〃 JOURNALS; ii。 629。
This property; which was of considerable extent and value; was purchased of the Cheney family; toward the latter part of the reign of Henry VI; by Richard Lovelace; of Queenhithe。
I do not think that there is any proof; that Gunpowder…alley was; at the time when Lovelace resided there; a particularly poor or mean locality。
See Lambarde (PERAMBULATION OF KENT; 1570; ed。 1826; p。 533)。
As so little is known of the personal history of Lovelace; the reader may not be displeased to see this Dedication; and it is therefore subjoined:
〃To my Noble Friend And Gossip; CAPTAIN RICHARD LOVELACE。 〃Sir; 〃I have so long beene in your debt that I am almost desperate in my selfe of making you paiment; till this fancy by ravishing from you a new curtesie in its patronage; promised me it would satisfie part of my former engagements to you。 Wonder not to see it invade you thus on the sudden; gratitude is aeriall; and; like that element; nimble in its motion and performance; though I would not have this of mine of a French disposition; to charge hotly and retreat unfortunately: there may appeare something in this that may maintaine the field courageously against Envy; nay come off with honour; if you; Sir; please to rest satisfied that it marches under your ensignes; which are the desires of 〃Your true honourer; 〃Hen。 Glapthorne。〃
It has never; so far as I am aware; been suggested that the friend to whom Sir John Suckling addressed his capital ballad:
〃I tell thee; Dick; where I have been;〃
may have been Lovelace。 It was a very usual practice (then even more so than now) among familiar acquaintances to use the abbreviated Christian name in addressing each other; thus Suckling was JACK; Davenant; WILL; Carew; TOM; &c。; in the preceding generation Marlowe had been KIT; Jonson; BEN; Greene; ROBIN; and so forth; and although there is no positive proof that Lovelace and Suckling were intimate; it is extremely probable that such was the case; more especially as they were not only brother poets; but both country gentlemen belonging to neighbouring counties。 Suckling had; besides; some taste and aptitude for military affairs; and could discourse about strategics in a city tavern over a bowl of canary with the author of LUCASTA; notwithstanding that he was a little troubled by nervousness (according to report); when the enemy was too near。
From Andrew Marvell's lines prefixed to LUCASTA; 1649; it seems that Lovelace and himself were on tolerably good terms; and that when the former presented the Kentish petition; and was imprisoned for so doing; his friends; who exerted themselves to procure his release; suspected Marvell of a share in his disgrace; which Marvell; according to his own account; earnestly disclaimed。 See the lines commencing:
〃But when the beauteous ladies came to know;〃 &c。
ADDITIONAL NOTES。
LUCASTA:
Epodes; Odes; Sonnets; Songs; &c。
TO WHICH IS ADDED
Aramantha; a PASTORALL。
BY RICHARD LOVELACE; Esq。
LONDON; Printed by Tho。 Harper; and are to be sold by Tho。 Evvster; at the Gun; in Ivie Lane。 1649。
THE DEDICATION。
TO THE RIGHT HON。 MY LADY ANNE LOVELACE。
To the richest Treasury That e'er fill'd ambitious eye; To the faire bright Magazin Hath impoverisht Love's Queen; To th' Exchequer of all honour (All take pensions but from her); To the taper of the thore Which the god himselfe but bore; To the Sea of Chaste Delight; Let me cast the Drop I write。 And as at Loretto's shrine Caesar shovels in his mine; Th' Empres spreads her carkanets; The lords submit their coronets; Knights their chased armes hang by; Maids diamond…ruby fancies tye; Whilst from the pilgrim she wears One poore false pearl; but ten true tears: So among the Orient prize; (Saphyr…onyx eulogies) Offer'd up unto your fame; Take my GARNET…DUBLET name; And vouchsafe 'midst those rich joyes (With devotion) these TOYES。 Richard Lovelace。
This lady was the wife of the unfortunate John; second Lord Lovelace; who suffered so severely for his attachment to the King's cause; and daughter to the equally unfortunate Thomas; Earl of Cleveland; who was equally devoted to his sovereign; and whose estates were ordered by the Parliament to be sold; July 26; 1650。 See PARLIAMENTS AND COUNCILS OF ENGLAND; 1839; p。 507。
VERSES ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR。
TO MY BEST BROTHER ON HIS POEMS CALLED 〃LUCASTA。〃
Now y' have oblieg'd the age; thy wel known worth Is to our joy auspiciously brought forth。 Good morrow to thy son; thy first borne flame Which; as thou gav'st it birth; stamps it a name; That Fate and a discerning age shall set The chiefest jewell in her coronet。
Why then needs all this paines; those season'd pens; That standing lifeguard to a booke (kinde friends); That with officious care thus guard thy gate; As if thy Child were illigitimate? Forgive their freedome; since unto their praise They write to give; not to dispute thy baye