William D’Avenant

made his first entry on the stage of this vain world in the Parish of S. Martin within the City of Oxford, about the latter end of the month of Febr. and on the third of March following, an. 1605/6, he received baptism in the Church of that Parish. His Father John Davenant was a sufficient Vintner, kept the Tavern now known by the name of the Crown, (wherein our Poet was born) and was Mayor of the said City in the year 1621. His Mother was a very beautiful Woman, of a good wit and conversation, in which she was imitated by none of her Children but by this William. The Father who was a very grave and discreet Citizen (yet an admirer and lover of Plays and Play-makers, especially Shakespeare, who frequented his house in his journies between Warwickshire and London) was of a melancholick disposition, and was seldom or never seen to laugh, in which he was imitated by none of his children but by Robert his eldest son, afterwards Fellow of S. Johns Coll, and a venerable Doct. of Div. As for William, whom we are farther to mention, and may justly stile the sweet Swan of Isis, was educated in Grammar learning under Edw. Sylvester, whom I shall elsewhere mention, and in Academical in Linc. Coll. under the care of Mr. Dan. Hough, in 1620. 21, or thereabouts, and obtained there some smattering in Logic; but his genie, which was always opposite to it, lead him in the pleasant paths of Poetry, so that tho he wanted much of University learning, yet he made as high and noble flights in the poetical faculty, as fancy could advance, without it. After he had left the said Coll, wherein, I presume, he made but a short stay, he became servant to (Frances) the first Duchess of Richmond, and afterwards to Foulk Lord Brook, who being poetically given (especially in his younger days) was much delighted in him. After his death (an. 1628.) he being free from trouble and attendance, betook himself to writing of Plays and Poetry, which he did with so much sweetness and grace, that he got the absolute love and friendship of his two Patrons Endimyon Porter and Hen. Jermyn afterwards Earl of S. Alban; to both which he dedicated his poem, which he afterwards published, called Madagascar. Sir John Suckling also, was his great and intimate friend, who exercis’d his fancy on that book, and other of his Poems, but could not let him pass without this censure in his ((a))((a)) In his Poems called Fragmenta aurea. Lond. 1648. oct. p. 8. Session of Poets.

Will. Davenant asham’d of a foolish mischance,

That he had got lately travelling into France;

Modestly hoped the handsomness of his muse

Might any deformity about him excuse.

Thus Sir John, son of Sir Joh. Suckling of Whitton in Middlesex Knight, sometimes ((†))((†)) The said Sir Joh. Suckling was made one of the principal Secretaries of State, 30 of March 1622. So Camden in his Annals of K. James 1. an. 1622. one of the Secretaries of State, afterwards Controller of the Houshold to K. Jam. and K. Ch. 1. to which last he was of the Privy Council: who dying 27 March 1627 (at which time Sir John the Poet was 19 years of age) was buried in the Church of S. Andrew in the City of Norwych. The said mischance which Sir John mentions, hapned to D’avenant by lying with a handsome black girl in Axe yard in Westminster, on whom he thought when he spoke of Dalga in his Gondibert, which cost him his nose; and thereupon some Wits were too cruelly bold with him, and his accident, as Sir Jo. Mennes, Sir Jo. Denham, &c. After the death of Ben. Johnson he was created Poet Laureat, an. 1637: At which time Tho. May the translator of Lucan, a candidate for that place, was put aside; which ever after, especially when the times were changed, caused him in his writings to be an enemy to the King and his Cause. In the month of May 1641 our author D’avenant being accused to be one of the conspirators to seduce the Army against the Parliament, he absconded, but upon the issuing out of a Proclamation to have him and others taken, he was apprehended at Faversham in Kent, and committed to the custody of a Serjeant at Arms. Among the said conspirators Hen. Percy Esq. Brother to the Earl of Northumberland was one, who afterwards lived and died a perfect Hobbist at Paris. Hen. Jermyn Esq. (afterwards E. of S. Alban) Sir John Suckling Kt. &c. were two more, who all escaped: But D’avenant being bailed in July following, he fled towards France, and in his way thither he was seized on by the Mayor of Canterbury, and strictly examined; upon which Sir John Mennes hath a pleasant Poem. After he had spent some time there, he returned, was entertained by William Marquess of Newcastle, and by him made Proprefect or Lieutenant General of his Ordnance. In Sept. 1643 he received ((†))((†)) Thomas Walkley in his New Catalogue of the Dukes, Marques. Earls, Viscounts, Barons of England, &c. also Baronets, Kts, &c. Lond. 1658. oct. p. 163. the honour of Knighthood from his Maj. near to Glocester, that City being then besieg’d, at which time Sir William was in great renown for his Loyalty and Poetry. But upon the declining of the Kings cause, and all things thereupon, especially the Church, being visibly tending to ruine, he retir’d again into France, changed his Religion for that of Rome, and setling for a time in Paris, where Charles Prince of Wales then was, he began to write his Romance in verse called Gondibert, and had not wrot scarce two books, but being very fond of, did print, them with a large Epistle to Hobbes of Malmsbury, and Hobbes’s excellent Epistle to him, before them. The Courtiers who were then with the said Prince, could never be at quiet for the discourse had about this piece, which was the reason why some there (George Duke of Buckingham Sir John Denham, &c.) made Satyrical verses on him and his poem. Afterwards having laid an ingenious design to carry a considerable number of Artificers, chiefly Weavers, from France to Virginia (being encouraged thereunto by Henr. Maria the Qu. Mother of England, who got leave for him so to do from the K. of France) he did effect it so far, that he and his company were ship’d in their way thither, and had got on the main Ocean; but being soon after seized on by certain Ships belonging to the Parliament of England, he was carried Prisoner, first to the Isle of Wight an. 1650 and afterwards to the Tower of London, in order to be tried for his life in the High Court of Justice, an. 1651, but upon the mediation of Joh. Milton and others, especially two godly Aldermen of York (to whom he had shewed great civility, when they had been taken prisoners in the North by some of the Forces under William Marquess of Newcastle) he was saved, and had liberty allow’d him as a prisoner at large. At that time Tragedies and Comedies being esteemed very scandalous by the Presbyterians, and therefore by them silenced, he contriv’d a way to set up an Italian Opera to be performed by Declamations and Musick: And that they might be performed with all decency, seemliness and without rudeness and profaneness, John Maynard Serjeant at Law and several sufficient Citizens were engagers. This Italian Opera began in Rutland-house in Charterhouse-yard, and was afterward translated to the Cock-pit in Drewrylane, and delighting the eye and ear extreamly well, was much frequented for several years. So that he having laid the foundation of the English Stage by this his Musical Drammas, when plays were, as damnable things, forbidden, did, after his Majesties restauration, revive and improve it by painted sceenes, at which time he erected a new company of Actors, under the patronage of James Duke of York, who acted several years in a Tennis court in Little Lincolns inn Fields. He hath written and published,

The tragedie of Albovine King of the Lombards. Lond. 1629 qu.

Just Italian, Trag. Com. Lond. 1630. qu.

Cruel Brother. Trag. Lond. 1630. qu.

Coelum Britannicum. Masque at Whitehall. 18. of Feb. 1633.—This is attributed to D’avenant, but Th. Carew and Inigo Jones drew it up.

Triumphs of Prince D’amour. A masque presented by his highness at his pallace in the middle Temple, the 24 of Feb. 1635. Lond. 1635. qu.

Platonick Lovers, Tr. Co. Lond. 1636. &c.

The Wits, Com. Lond. 1636 &c.

Britannia Triumphans: A masque presented at Whitehall by the Kings Maj. and his Lords on Sunday after Twelfth night, an. 1637. Lond. 1637. qu. In this Masque Sir W. Davenant was assisted by Inigo Jones surveyor of his Majesties works.

Temple of Love: Masque before the Queen at Whitehall.

Salmacida Spolia. A Masque presented to the K. and Qu. at Whitehall 21. Jan. 1639 Lond. 1639. qu. The Subject was set down by D’avenant and Inigo Jones, the invention, ornament, scenes, &c. by the said Jones; and what was spoken or sung was by the said D’avenant then her Majesties servant, and the musick belonging to it, composed by Lewis Richard Master of her Majesties Musick.

Unfortunate Lovers, Tr. Lond. 1643. 49. qu.

Madagascar, with other poems. Lond. 1648. oct. 2d. Edit.

Love and honour, Tr. Co. Lond. 1649 qu.

A discourse upon Gondibert, an heroick poem. Par. 1650. in tw. This was written by way of pref. to his Gondibert in prose, dat. at the Lower in Paris 2. Jan. 1649/50. To which is added the answer of Th. Hobbes of Malmsbury.

Gondibert, an heroick poem, in 3. Books. Lond. 1651. qu. On the first two, finished before the author took his voyage towards Virginia, Abr. Cowley hath an excellent copy of verses; and so hath Edm. Waller, which is remitted into his Poems on several occasions, printed at Lond. 1668. p. 166.167. The third book of the said Gondibert, or most part of it, was finish’d during his imprisonment in Cowes Castle in the Isle of Wight, an. 1650. But such who took themselves to be the Wits of that time, as Sir Joh. Denham, Jo, Donne Sir Allen Brodrick, &c. did club together and made abusive verses on that poem, in a little book entit. Certain verses written by several of the authors friends to be reprinted with the second edition of Gondibert. Lond. 1653. oct. in 1. sh. and an half: whereupon Sir W. D’avenant came out with a little thing intit.

The incomparable Poem Gondibert vindicated from the Wit-cabals of four Esquires, Clinias, Dametas, Sancho and Jack pudding. Lond. 1653. oct. in 1. sh. Which, tho it seems to be written by D’avenants friend, yet he himself was the author. It was printed at the end of a second Edition of the said Certain verses, &c. with Hero and Leander a mock Poem.

The first days entertainment at Rutland house by Declamations and Musick. Lond. 1657. oct. Published in Sept. 1656, notwithstanding the nicety of those times.

Play-house to be let, containing the History of S. Franc. Drake, and the cruelty of the Spaniards at Perue. Com.

News from Plymouth, Com.

Law against Lovers, Co.

The Distresses. Tr.

The Siege. Co. or Tr. Co.

Fair favourite. Co.

A Panegyrick to his excellency the Lord Gener. Monk. Lond. 1659. On one side of a sheet of paper, printed in the beginning of March the same year.

A Poem upon his Majesties most happy return to his dominions. Lond. 1660 qu.

The Siege of Rhodes, Tr. Com. in two parts. Lond. 1663 qu. &c.

Poem on the Kings most sacred Majestie. Lond. 1663. qu.

Mans the Master, Com. Lond. 1669. qu.

Poems on several occasions.

The Tempest, or the enchanted Island. Com. Lond. 1676. qu. This play was originally Shakespears (whom and his works D’avenant much admired) as those that have seen his Sea Voyage may easily discern.

The seventh or last canto of the third book of Gondibert. Lond. 1685. oct. never before printed.

Most of which Comedies, Tragedies, Trag. Com. Masques and Poems were printed together in a large folio—Lond. 1672.—3. with the authors picture before them (adorned with a wreath of Lawrel) and a notch in his nose, as over the first letter of his sirname. At length this noted and celebrated author having lived to about his grand climecterical year, made his last exit in his house in Little Lincolns-inn Fields, in the Parish of S. Clement Danes near London, on the seventh day of April in sixteen hundred sixty and eight,1668. and was two days after buried in the s. Cross Isle, or south trancept of the Abbey Church of S. Peter within the City of Westminster, without any Lawrel upon his Coffin, which, I presume, was forgotten. His body was deposited in the very place, or near it, where his Antagonist Tho. May the English Lucan had been buried, of whom I shall speak more anon, and in the mean time give you the Epitaph of Sir Will. D’avenant, made on him soon after his death, which runs thus.

Here lies a Subject of immortal praise,

Who did from Phoebus hand receive his bayes:

Admir’d by all, envied alone by those

Who for his glories made themselves his foes:

Such were his virtues that they could command

A general applause from every hand:

His Exit then, this on record shall have,

A Clap did usher D’avenant to his grave.

In the office of Poet Laureat succeeded Joh. Driden, Son of Erasmus Driden of Tichmersh in Northamptonshire, third Son of Erasm. Driden of Canons Ashby in the same County Baronet: which John was born at Oldwincle (called by some Aldwincle) near to Oundle in the same County, (being the very same place that gave breath to Dr. Tho. Fuller the Historian) educated in Grammar learning in the College School in Westminster, elected thence a Scholar of Trin. Coll. in Cambridge, an. 1650, and is now highly celebrated among ingenious men for his poetry, and other polite learning.

As for Tho. May before mentioned, he was the Son of Tho. May of Mayfield in Sussex Knight, by his Wife, the Daughter of .... Rich of Hornden on the hill in Essex, was educated in all kind of humane learning when he was a youth, and in Academical in his manly years in Cambridge. Afterwards, his genie being chiefly enclined to Poetry, he retired to, and mostly lived in, the City of Westminster, where performing divers things for the honour of this nation, never paralell’d by any English man before, was graciously countenanced by K. Ch. 1. and his royal Consort; but he finding not that preferment from either, which he expected, grew discontented, sided with the Presbyterians upon the turn of the times, became a Debauchee ad omnia, entertained ill principles as to Religion, spoke often very slightly of the Holy Trinity, kept beastly and atheistical company, of whom Tho. Chaloner the Regecide was one; and endeavour’d to his power to asperse and invalidate the King and his cause. Among several things that he hath written and translated, some are these (1) The Trag. of Antigone the Theban Princess. Lond. 1631. oct. ( [•] ) The Heir, a Com. Acted 1620. Lond. 1633. qu. (3) The victorious raign of K. Ed. 3. in 7. books. Lond. 1635. oct. Written in verse by the special command of K. Ch. 1. (4) The raign of Hen. 2. Lond. in oct. Written also in verse, and dedicated to K. Ch. 1. (5) Trag. of Cleopatra Qu. of Aegypt. Acted 1626. Lond. 1639. oct. Dedic. to Sir Ken. Digby. (6) Trag. of Julia Agrippina Empress of Rome. Acted 1628. Lond. 1639. oct. (7) Supplementum Lucani, lib. vii. Lugd. Bat. 1640. oct. Written in so lofty and happy Lat. Hexameter, that he hath attained to much more reputation abroad, than he hath lost at home. (8) The old couple, Com. Lond. in qu. (9) Historiae Parliamenti Angliae Breviarium, tribus partibus explicitum. Lond. 1649 or thereabout, in oct. It was afterwards translated into English by the Author, with this title. Breviary of the History of the Parliament of England, in three parts, &c. Lond. 1655. oct. see. edit. Before which is the picture of the author in a cloak, with a wreath of Laurel over his head. He hath also translated from Lat. into Engl. (1) Lucans Pharsalia; or the civil wars of Rome, between Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar. In 10 books. Lond. 1635. oct. third edit. with annotations made by Th. May on each book. (2) A continuation of the subject of Lucans Historical poem, till the death of Julius Caesar. in 7. books. Lond. 1635. oct. sec. edition, with annotations made by Tho. May on each book. (3) Virgils Georgicks, four books. Lond. 1622. oct. with annotations on each book. (4) Selected Epigrams of Martial. Lond. 1629. oct. At length this Person Tho. May (who had been favoured by the rebellious Parliament so much, as to be made their Historian) going well to bed, was therein found next morning dead, an. 1650 occasion’d, as some say, by tying his night-cap too close under his fat chin and cheeks, which choak’d him, when he turned on the other side. Afterwards his body being conveyed to the Abbey Church of S. Peter in Westminster, was buried on the west side of the large south Isle or transcept there: And soon after had a large monument of white marble set in the w. Wall over his grave, with this inscription thereon made by March. Nedham. Quem Anglicana Respub. habuit vindicem, ornamentum literaria, secli sui Vatum celeberrimus, deliciae futuri, Lucanus alter plusquam Romanus, Historicus fidus, Equitis aurati filius primogenitus Thomas Maius h. s. e. Qui paternis titulis claritatis suae specimen usꝫ adeo superaddidit, ut à supremo Anglorum senatu ad annales suos conscribendos fuerit ascitus. Tandem fide intemeratâ Parliamento praestitâ, morte inopinâ noctu correptus diem suum obiit id. Nov.

Hoc in honorem servi tam bene meriti, Parliament. Reipub. Angl. P. P. Soon after was an Epitaph made in answer to it, beginning thus. Asta viator, & poetam legas Lucani interpretem, quem ita feliciter Anglicanum fecerat, ut Maius simul & Lucanus videbatur, &c. But before his body had rested in the said South Isle eleven years, ’twas taken up, with other bodies that had been unwarrantably buried there, from 1641. to his Majesties restauration, and buried in a large pit in the yard belonging to S. Margarets Church in Westminster, where to this day it continueth. At the same time his monument also was taken down, and throw’d aside; and in the place of it was set up that of Dr. Tho. Triplet, an. 1670.