Richard Edwards

, a Somersetshire Man born, was admitted Scholar of Corp. Chr. Coll. under the tuition of George Etheridge, on the eleventh of May 1540, Student of the upper table of Christ Church at its foundation by K. Hen. 8. in the beginning of the Year 1547. aged 24, and the same Year took the Degree of M. of Arts. In the beginning of Qu. Elizabeth, he was made one of the Gentlemen of her Chappel, and Master of the Children there, being then esteemed not only an excellent Musician, but an exact Poet, as many of his compositions in Musick (for he was not only skill’d in the practical but theoretical part) and Poetry do shew, for which he was highly valued by those that knew him, especially his associats in Lincolns Inn (of which he was a member, and in some respects an Ornament) and much lamented by them, and all ingenious Men of his time, when he died. He hath written,

Damon and Pythias, a Com.—Acted at Court and in the University.

Palaemon and Arcyte, a Com. in two parts.—Acted before Qu. Elizab. in Ch. Ch. hall 1566. which gave her so much content, that sending for the Author thereof, she was pleased to give him many thanks, with promise of reward for his pains: And then making a pause, said to him and her retinue standing about her, these matters relating to the said Play, which had entertain’d her with great delight for two nights in the said hall. “By Palaemon—I warrant he dellieth not in love, when he was in love indeed. By Arcyte he was a right martial Knight, having a swa [•] t countenance and a manly Face. By Trecatio—Gods pitty what a knave it is? By Peritbous his throwing St. Edwards rich cloak into the funeral fire, which a stander by would have sta [•] d by the arm,” with an oath, go fool—he knoweth his part I’ll warrant you, &c.—In the said play was acted a cry of hounds in the quadrant, upon the train of a fox in the hunting of Theseus: with which, the young Scholars who stood in the remoter parts of the stage, and in the windows, were so much taken and surpriz’d (supposing it had been real) that they cried out, there, there,—he’s caught, he’s caught.—All which the Queen merrily beholding, said, O excellent! those boys in very troth are ready to leap out of the windows to follow the hounds.—This part being repeated before certain Courtiers in the lodgings of Mr. Rog. Marbeck one of the Canons of Ch. Ch. by the players in their gowns (for they were all Scholars that acted, among whom were Miles Windsore and Thom. Twyne of C. C. C.) before the Queen came to Oxon, was by them so well liked, that they said it far surpassed Dam [•] n and Pythias, than which, they thought, nothing could be better. Likewise some said that if the Author did proceed to make more plays before his death, he would run mad. But this it seems was the last, for he lived not to finish others that he had laying by him. He also wrot,

Several Poems in Engl. and Latine—Those that speak English are for the most part extant in a Book intit. The paradise of dainty devises. Lond. 1578. qu. Which Book being mostly written by him, was published by Hen. D’isle a Printer, with other Mens Poems mix’d among them. Among which, are those of Edward Vere Earl of Oxford, the best for Comedy in his time, who died an aged Man 24 June 1604. Will. Hunnys (a crony of Tho. Newton the Lat Poet) who hath about nine Copies in the said collection; Jasp. Heywood, Nich. Lord Vaux, Franc. Kynwelmersh who hath about 8 Copies therein, R. Hall, R. Hill, T. Marshall, Tho Churchyard a Salopian, Lodowyke Lloyd, one Y [•] oop, and several others. At length this noted Poet and Comedian, R. Edwards, made his last Exit before he arrived to his middle age, 1566 in Fifteen hundred sixty and six, or thereabouts. When he was in the extremity of his sickness, he composed (*)(*) George Gasc [••] gne the Poet, in his Epist. to the young Gentlemen, set before his works.—Lond. 15 [••] . qu. a noted Poem called Edwards Soulknil or the Soules knell, which was commended for a good piece. One George Turbervile in his Book of Epitaphs, Epigrams, Songs, Sonnets, &c. (which I shall hereafter mention) printed at Lond. the second time 1570, hath an Epitaph on his death, made by Tho. Twyne of C. C. Coll. and another by himself.