Chapter 5

In the Duke of _Florence's_ Court he published a proud Challenge against all Comers, whether _Christians_, _Turks_, _Canibals_, _Jews_, or _Saracens_, in defence of his _Geraldines_ Beauty. This Challenge was the more mildly accepted, in regard she whom he defended, was a Town-born Child of that City; or else the Pride of the _Italian_ would have prevented him ere he should have come to perform it. The Duke of _Florence_ nevertheless sent for him, and demanded him of his Estate, and the reason that drew him thereto; which when he was advertiz'd of to the full, he granteth all Countries whatsoever, as well Enemies and Outlaws, as Friends and Confederates, free access and regress into his Dominions immolested, until the Trial were ended.

This Challenge, as he manfully undertook, so he as valiantly performed; as Mr. _Drayton_ describes it in his Letter to the Lady _Geraldine_.

The shiver'd Staves here for thy Beauty broke, With fierce encounters past at every shock, When stormy Courses answer'd Cuff for Cuff, Denting proud Beavers with the Counter-buff; Which when each manly valiant Arm essays, After so many brave triumphant days, The glorious Prize upon my Lance I bare, By Herald's Voyce proclaim'd to be thy share.

The Duke of _Florence_ for his approved Valour, offered him large Proffers to stay with him; which he refused: intending, as he had done in _Florence_, to proceed through all the chief Cities in _Italy_; but this his Purpose was frustrated, by Letters sent to him from his Master King _Henry_ the _8th._ which commanded him to return as speedily as possibly he could into _England_.

Our famous _English_ Antiquary _John Leland_, speaking much in the praise of Sir _Thomas Wiat_ the Elder, as well for his Learning, as other excellent Qualities, meet for a man of his Calling; calls this Earl the conscript enrolled Heir of the said Sir _Thomas Wiat_: writing to him in these words;

_Accipe Regnorum Comes illustrissime Carmen, Quo mea Musa tuum laudavit moesta Viallum_.

And again, in another place,

_Perge_, Houerde, _tuum virtute referre Viallum, Dicerisque tuæ clarissima Gloria stirpis_.

A certain Treatise called _The Art of_ English _Poetry_, alledges, _That Sir_ Thomas Wiat _the Elder, and_ Henry _Earl of_ Surrey _were the two Chieftains, who having travelled into_ Italy, _and there tasted the sweet and stately Measures and Style of the_ Italian _Poesie, greatly polished our rude and homely manner of vulgar Poesie from what it had been before; and may therefore justly be shewed to be the Reformers of our_ English _Meeter and Style_.

I shall only add an Epitaph made by this Noble Earl on Sir _Anthony Denny_, Knight (a Gentleman whom King _Henry_ the _8th._ greatly affected) and then come to speak of his Death.

Death and the King did as it were contend, Which of them two bare _Denny_ greatest Love; The King to shew his Love, gan far extend, Did him advance his Betters far above: Near Place, much Wealth, great Honour eke him gave, To make it known what Power great Princes have.

But when Death came with his triumphant Gift, From worldly Cark he quit his wearied Ghost, Free from the Corps, and streight to Heaven it lift, Now deem that can who did for _Denny_ most; The King gave Wealth, but fading and unsure, Death brought him Bliss that ever shall endure.

But to return, this Earl had together with his Learning, Wisdom, Fortitude, Munificence, and Affability; yet all these good and excellent parts were no protection against the King's Displeasure; for upon the _12th_ of _December_, the last of King _Henry_ the _8th._ he, with his Father _Thomas_ Duke of _Norfolk_, upon certain surmises of Treason, were committed to the Tower of _London_, the one by Water, the other by Land; so that the one knew not of the others Apprehension: The _15th._ day of _January_ next following, he was arraigned at Guildhall, _London_, where the greatest matter alledged against him, was, for bearing certain Arms that were said belonged to the King and Prince; the bearing whereof he justified. To be short, (for so they were with him) he was found guilty by twelve common Juriars, had Judgment of Death; and upon the _19th_ day of the said Month (nine days before the Death of the said King _Henry_, was beheaded at _Tower-Hill_) He was at first interred in the Chappel of the Tower, and afterwards, in the Reign of King _James_, his Remainders of Ashes and Bones were removed to _Framingham_ in _Suffolk_, by his second Son _Henry_ Earl of _Northampton_, where in the Church they were interred, with this Epitaph;

Henrico Howardo, Thomæ _Secundi Ducis_ Norfolciæ _filio primogenito_, Thomæ _tertij Patri, Comiti_ Surriæ, _& Georgiani Ordinis Equiti Aurato, immature Anno Salutis 1546, abrepto. Et_ Francisæ _Uxori ejus, filiæ_ Johannis _Comitis_ Oxoniæ. Henricus Howardus _Comes_ Northhamptoniæ, _filius secundo genitus, hoc supremum Pietatis in Parentes Monumentum posuit_, A.D. 1614.

* * * * *

Sir _THOMAS WIAT_ the Elder.

This worthy Knight is termed by the Name of the Elder, to distinguish him from Sir _Thomas Wiat_ the raiser of the Rebellion in the time of Queen _Mary_, and was born at _Allington_ Castle in the County of _Kent_; which afterwards he repaired with most beautiful Buildings. He was a Person of great esteem and reputation in the Reign of King _Henry_ the _8th._ with whom, for his honesty and singular parts, he was in high favour. Which nevertheless he had like to have lost about the Business of Queen _Anne Bullein_; but by his Innocency, Industry and Prudence, he extricated himself.

He was one of admirable ingenuity, and truly answer'd his Anagram, _Wiat_, a Wit, the judicious Mr. _Cambden_ saith he was.

_Eques Auratus splendide doctus_.

And though he be not taken notice of by _Bale_ nor _Pits_, yet for his admirable Translation of _David's_ Psalms into _English_ Meeter, and other Poetical Writings, _Leland_ forbears not to compare him to _Dante_ and _Petrarch_, by giving him this large commendation.

_Bella suum merito jactet_ Florentia Dantem _Regia_ Petrarchæ _carmina_ Roma _probat_, _His non inferior Patrio Sermone_ Viattus _Eloquii secum qui decus omne tulit_.

Let _Florence_ fair her _Dantes_ justly boast, And royal _Rome_ her _Petrarchs_ number'd feet, In _English Wiat_ both of them doth coast: In whom all graceful eloquence doth meet.

The renowned Earl of _Surrey_ in an _Encomium_ upon his Translation of _David's_ Psalms, thus writes of him,

What holy Grave, what worthy Sepulcher, To _Wiat's_ Psalms shall Christians purchase then?

And afterward, upon his death, the said Earl writeth thus:

What Vertues rare were temper'd in thy brest? Honour that _England_ such a Jewel bred, And kiss the ground whereas thy Corps did rest, _&c._

This worthy Knight being sent Ambassador by King _Henry_ the Eighth to _Charles_ the Fifth Emperor, then residing in _Spain_, died of the Pestilence in the West Country, before he could take Shipping, _Anno_ 1541.

* * * * *

Dr. _CHRISTOPHER TYE_.

In the writing this Doctors Life, we shall principally make use for Directions of Mr. _Fuller_, in his _England's Worthies_, fol. 244. He flourished (saith he) in the Reign of King _Henry_ the Eighth, and King _Edward_ the Sixth, to whom he was one of the Gentlemen of their Chappel, and probably the Organist. Musick, which received a grievous wound in _England_ at the dissolution of Abbeys, was much beholding to him for her recovery; such was his excellent Skill and Piety, that he kept it up in Credit at Court, and in all Cathedrals during his life: He translated _the Acts of the Apostles_ into Verse, and let us take a tast his Poetry.

In the former Treatise to thee, dear friend _Theophilus_, I have written the veritie of the Lord Christ Jesus,

Which he to do and eke to teach, began until the day; In which the Spirit up did him fetch to dwell above for aye.

After that he had power to do even by the Holy Ghost: Commandements then he gave unto his chosen least and most.

To whom also himself did shew from death thus to revive; By tokens plain unto his few even forty days alive.

Speaking of God's kingdom with heart chusing together them, Commanding them not to depart from that _Jerusalem_.

But still to wait on the promise of his Father the Lord, Of which you have heard me e're this unto you make record.

Pass we now (saith he) from his Poetry, (being Musick in words) to his Musick, (being Poetry in sounds) who set an excellent Composition of Musick in four parts, to the several Chapters of his aforenamed Poetry, dedicating the same to King _Edward_ the Sixth, a little before his death, and Printed it _Anno Dom._ 1353. He also did Compose many excellent _Services_ and _Anthems_ of four and five parts, which were used in Cathedrals many years after his death, the certain date whereof we cannot attain to.

* * * * *

_JOHN LELAND_.

This famous Antiquary, Mr. _John Leland_, flourish'd in the year 1546. about the beginning of the Reign of King _Edward_ the Sixth, and was born by most probable conjecture at _London_. He wrote, among many other Volumes, several Books of Epigrams, his _Cigneo Cantio_, a Genethliac of Prince _Edward_, _Naniæ_ upon the death of Sir _Thomas Wiat_, out of which we shall present you with these Verses:

_Transtulit in nostram_ Davidis _carmina linguam, Et numeros magna reddidit arte pares. Non morietur opus tersum, spectabile sacrum, Clarior hac fama parte_ Viattus _erit. Una dies geminos Phoenices non dedit orbi, Mors erit unius, vita sed alterius. Rara avis in terris confectus morte_ Viattus, Houerdum _hæredem scripserat ante suum. Dicere nemo potest recte periisse_ Viattum, _Ingenii cujus tot monimenta vigent_.

He wrote also several other things both in Prose and Verse, to his great fame and commendation.

* * * * *

_THOMAS CHURCHYARD_.

_Thomas Churchyard_ was born in the Town of _Shrewsbury_, as himself doth affirm in his Book made in Verse of the _Worthiness of Wales_, taking _Shropshire_ within the compass, (to use his own Expression) _Wales_ the _Park_, and the _Marches_ the _Pale_ thereof. He was one equally addicted to Arts and Arms, serving under that renowned Captain Sir _William Drury_, in a rode he made into _Scotland_, as also under several other Commanders beyond Sea, as he declares in his _Tragical Discourse of the Unhappy Mans Life_, saying,

Full thirty years both Court and Wars I tryde, And still I sought acquaintance with the best, And served the State, and did such hap abide As might befal, and Fortune sent the rest, When Drum did sound, I was a Soldier prest To Sea or Land, as Princes quarrel stood, And for the same full oft I lost my blood.

But it seems he got little by the Wars but blows, as he declares himself a little after.

But God he knows, my gain was small I weene, For though I did my credit still encrease, I got no wealth by wars, ne yet by peace.

Yet it seems he was born of wealthy friends, and had an Estate left unto him, as in the same Work he doth declare.

So born I was to House and Land by right, But in a Bag to Court I brought the same, From _Shrewsbury_-Town, a seat of ancient fame.

Some conceive him to be as much beneath a Poet as above a Rymer, yet who so shall consider the time he wrote in, _viz._ the beginning of the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_, shall find his Verses to go abreast with the best of that Age. His Works, such as I have seen and have now in custody, are as followeth:

_The Siege of_ Leith. _A Farewel to the World_. _A feigned Fancy of the Spider and the Goat_. _A doleful Discourse of a Lady and a Knight_. _The Road into_ Scotland, _by Sir_ William Drury. _Sir_ Simon Burley'_s Tragedy_. _A Tragical Discourse of the Vnhappy Mans Life_. _A Discourse of Vertue_. Churchyard'_s Dream_. _A Tale of a Fryar and a Shoomaker's wife_. _The Siege of_ Edenborough-_Castle_. _Queen_ Elizabeth'_s Reception into_ Bristol.

These Twelve several Treatises he bound together, calling them _Church-yard's Chips_, and dedicated them to Sir _Christopher Hatton_. He also wrote the Falls of _Shore_'s Wife and of Cardinal _Wolsey_; which are inserted into the Book of _the Mirrour for Magistrates_. Thus, like a stone, did he trundle about, but never gather'd any Moss, dying but poor, as may be seen by his Epitaph in Mr. _Cambden's Remains_, which runs thus;

Come _Alecto_, lend me thy Torch, To find a _Church-yard_ in a Church-porch: _Poverty_ and _Poetry_ his Tomb doth enclose, Wherefore good Neighbours be merry in prose.

His death, according to the most probable conjecture, may be presumed about the eleventh year of the Queen's Reign, _Anno Dom._ 1570.

* * * * *

_JOHN HIGGINS_.

_John Higgins_ was one of the chief of them who compiled the History of _the Mirrour of Magistrates_, associated with Mr. _Baldwin_, Mr. _Ferrers_, _Thomas Churchyard_, and several others, of which Book Sir _Philip Sidney_ thus writes in his _Defence of Poesie_, _I account the_ Mirrour of Magistrates _meetly furnished of beautiful parts_. These Commendations coming from so worthy a person, our _Higgins_ having so principal a share therein, deserves a principal part of the praise. And how well his deservings were, take an essay of his Poetry in his induction to the Book.

When Summer sweet with all her pleasures past, And leaves began to leave the shady tree, The Winter cold encreased on full fast, And time of year to sadness moved me: For moisty blasts not half so mirthful be, As sweet _Aurora_ brings in Spring-time fair, Our joys they dim as Winter damps the air.

The Nights began to grow to length apace, Sir _Phoebus_ to th'Antartique 'gan to fare: From _Libra_'s lance, to the _Crab_ he took his race Beneath the Line, to lend of light a share. For then with us the days more darkish are, More short, cold, moist, and stormy, cloudy, clit, For sadness more than mirths or pleasures fit.

Devising then what Books were best to read, Both for that time, and sentence grave also, For conference of friend to stand in stead, When I my faithful friend was parted fro; I gat me strait the Printers shops unto, To seek some Work of price I surely ment, That might alone my careful mind content.

And then he declareth how there he found the first part of this Mirrour for Magistrates, which yet took beginning from the time of King _Richard_ the Second; But he knowing many Examples of famous persons before _William_ the Conquerour, which were wholly omitted, he set upon the Work, and beginning from _Brute_, continued it to _Aurelius Bassianus Caracalla_ Emperour of _Rome_, about the year of Christ 209. shewing in his Writings a great deal of Wisdom and Learning. He flourished about the beginning of the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_.

* * * * *

_ABRAHAM FRAUNCE_.

This _Abraham Fraunce_, a Versifier, about the same time with _John Higgins_, was one who imitated _Latine_ measure in _English_ Verse, writing a Pastoral, called _the Countess of_ Pembroke's _Ivy-church_, and some other things in Hexameter, some also in Hexameter and Pentameter; He also wrote _the Countess of_ Pembroke's _Emanuel_, containing the Nativity, Passion, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ, together with certain Psalms of _David_, all in _English_ Hexameters. Nor was he altogether singular in this way of writing, for Sir _Philip Sidney_ in the Pastoral Interludes of his _Arcadia_, uses not only these, but all other sorts of _Latine_ measure, in which no wonder he is followed by so few, since they neither become the _English_, nor any other modern Language.

He began also the Translation of _Heliodorus_ his _Æthiopick_ History, in the same kind of Verse, of which, to give the Reader the better divertisement, we shall present you with a tast.

As soon as Sun-beams could once peep out fro the Mountains, And by the dawn of day had somewhat lightned _Olympus_, Men, whose lust was law, whose life was still to be lusting, Whose thriving thieving, convey'd themselves to an hill top, That stretched forward to the _Heracleotica_ entry And mouth of _Nylus_; looking thence down to the main sea For sea-faring men; but seeing none to be sailing, They knew 'twas bootless to be looking there for a booty: So that strait fro the sea they cast their eyes to the sea-shore; Where they saw, that a Ship very strangely without any ship man, Lay then alone at road, with Cables ty'd to the main-land, And yet full fraighted, which they, though far, fro the hill-top, Easily might perceive by the water drawn to the deck-boards, _&c._

His _Ivy-Church_ he dedicated to the _Countess of Pembroke_, in which he much vindicated his manner of writing, as no Verse fitter for it then that; he also dedicated his _Emanuel_ to her, which being but two lines take as followeth:

_Mary_ the best Mother sends her best Babe to a _Mary: Lord_ to a _Ladies_ sight, and _Christ_ to a _Christian_.

When he died, we cannot find, but suppose it to be about the former part of Queen _Elizabeth's_ Reign.

* * * * *

_WILLIAM WARNER_.

_William Warner_, one of principal esteem in his time, was chiefly famous for his _Albion's England_, which he wrote in the old-fashioned kind of seven-footed Verse, which yet sometimes is in use, though in different manner, that is to say, divided into two: He wrote also several Books in prose, as he himself witnesseth, in his Epistle to the Reader, but (as we said before) his _Albion's England_ was the chiefest, which he deduced from the time of _Noah_, beginning thus:

I tell of things done long ago, of many things in few: And chiefly of this Clime of ours, the accidents pursue. Thou high director of the same, assist mine artless Pen, To write the Jests of _Brutons_ stout, and Arts of _English-men_.

From thence he proceeds to the peopling of the Earth by the Sons of _Noah_, intermixing therein much variety of Matter, not only pleasant, but profitable for the Readers understanding of what was delivered by the ancient Poets, bringing his Matter succinctly to the Siege of _Troy_, and from thence to the coming of _Brute_ into this Island; and so, coming down along the chiefest matters, touched of our _British_ Historians, to the Conquest of _England_ by Duke _William_, and from him the Affairs of the Land to the beginning of Queen _Elizabeth_; where he concludeth thus,

_Elizabeth_ by peace, by war, for majesty, for mild, Enrich'd, fear'd, honour'd, lov'd, but (loe) unreconcil'd, The _Muses_ check my saucy Pen, for enterprising her, In duly praising whom, themselves, even _Arts_ themselves might err. _Phoebus_ I am, not _Phaeton_, presumptuously to ask What, shouldst thou give, I could not guide; give not me thy task, For, as thou art _Apollo_ too, our mighty subjects threats A _non plus_ to thy double power: _Vel volo, vel nollem_.

I might add several more of his Verses, to shew the worth of his Pen, but the Book being indifferent common, having received several Impressions, I shall refer the Reader, for his further satisfaction, to the Book itself.

* * * * *

_THOMAS TUSSER_.

_Thomas Tusser_ (a person well known by his Book of Husbandry) was born at _Rinen-hall_ in _Essex_, of an ancient Family, but now extinct; where, when but young, his Father, designing him for a Singing-man, put him to _Wallingford_-School, where how his Misfortunes began in the World, take from his own Pen.

O painful time, for every crime, What toosed ears, like baited Bears, What bobbed lips, what yerks, what nips, What hellish toys? What Robes so bare, what Colledge-fare? What Bread how stale, what penny Ale? Then _Wallingford_, how wer't thou abhorr'd, Of silly boys?

From thence he was sent to learn Musick at _Pauls_ with one _John Redford_, an excellent Musician; where, having attained some skill in that Art, he was afterwards sent to _Eaton_-School, to learn the _Latine_ Tongue, where, how his Miseries encreas'd, let himself speak.

From _Pauls_ I went, to _Eaton_ sent, To learn straightways the _Latine_ phrase, Where fifty three stripes given to me, At once I had, For fault but small, or none at all, It came to pass thus beat I was, See _Udal_, see, the mercy of thee To me poor Lad.

Having attained to some perfection in the _Latine_ Tongue, he was sent to _Trinity-Hall_ in _Cambridge_, where he had not continued long, but he was vexed with extream sickness, whereupon he left the University, and betook himself to Court, and lived for a while under the Lord _Paget_, in King _Edward_ the Sixth's days; when, the Lords falling at dissention, he left the Court, and went to _Suffolk_, where he married his first Wife, and took a Farm at _Ratwade_ in that County, where he first devised his Book of Husbandry, but his Wife not having her health there, he removed from thence to _Ipswich_ and soon after buried her.

Not long after he married again to one Mrs. _Amy Moon_, upon whose Name he thus versified:

I chanced soon to find a _Moon_, Of chearful hue; Which well and fine me thought did shine, And never change, a thing most strange, Yet keep in sight her course aright, And compass true.

Being thus married he betook himself again to Husbandry, and hired a Farm, called _Diram Cell_, and there he had not lived long, but his Landlord died, and his Executors falling at variance, and now one troubled him, and then another, whereupon he left _Diram_, and went to _Norwich_, turning a Singing-man under Mr. _Salisbury_, the Dean thereof; There he was troubled with a _Dissury_, so that in a 138 Hours he never made a drop of Water. Next he hired a Parsonage at _Fairstead_ in _Essex_, but growing weary of that he returned again to _London_, where he had not lived long, but the Pestilence raging there, he retired to _Cambridge_: Thus did he roul about from place to place, but, like _Sisiphus_ stone, could gather no Moss whithersoever he went: He was successive a Musician, Schoolmaster, Servingman, Husbandman, Grasier, Poet, more skilful in all, than thriving in any Vocation. He traded at large in Oxen, Sheep, Dairies, Grain of all kinds, to no profit. He spread his Bread with all sorts of Butter, yet none would stick thereon. So that he might say with the Poet,

--_Monitis sum minor ipse meis_.

None being better at the _Theory_, or worse at the _Practice_ of Husbandry, and may be fitly match'd with _Thomas Churchyard_, they being mark'd alike in their Poetical parts, living in the same time, and statur'd both alike in their Estates, and that low enough in all reason. He died in _London_, _Anno Dom._ 1580. and was buried at St. _Mildred's_-Church in the _Poultrey_, with this Epitaph:

Here _THOMAS TUSSER_, clad in earth doth lie, That sometime made the Points of Husbandry: By him then learn thou may'st, here learn we must, When all is done, we sleep, and turn to dust: And yet, through Christ, to Heaven we hope to go, Who reads his Books, shall find his Faith was so.

* * * * *

_THOMAS STORER_.

_Thomas Storer_ was a great writer of Sonnets, Madrigals, and Pastoral Airs, in the beginning of Q. _Elizabeth's_ Reign, and no doubt was highly esteemed in those days, of which we have an account of some of them in an old Book, called _England's Hellicon_. This kind of writing was of great esteem in those days, and much imitated by _Thomas Watson_, _Bartholomew Yong_, Dr. _Lodge_, and several others. What time he died is to me unknown.

* * * * *

_THOMAS LODGE_.