Benjamin Johnson

, a Poet as soon as he was born, afterwards the Father of our Poetry, and most admirably well vers’d in classical authors, and therefore belov’d of Camden, Selden, Hoskins, Martin, &c. made his first entry on the stage of this vain World within the City of Westminster, (being the Son of a grave Minister,) educated in the College School there, while Camden was Master, which was the reason why Ben did afterwards (e)(e) In his Epigrams, nu. 14. acknowledge, that all that he had in Arts and all that he knew he own’d to him. Thence his silly Mother, who had married to her second Husband a Bricklayer, took him home, and made him, as ’tis said, work at her Husbands trade. At length being pitied by some generous Gentlemen, Camden got him a better imployment, which was to attend or accompany a Son of Sir Walt. Raliegh in his adventures, whereby gaining experience, made his company acceptable among many. After their return they parted, I think not in cold blood, and thereupon Ben went to Cambridge, and was, as ’tis said, statutably elected into St. Johns coll. but what continuance he made there, I find not. Sure ’tis, that his Genie being mostly Poetical, he did afterwards receed to a Nursery or obscure Play-house called The Green Curtain, about Shoreditch or Clerkenwell, but his first action and writing there, were both ill. At length improving his fancy much by keeping Scholastical company, he betook himself again to write plays, which he did so admirably well, that he was esteemed paramount in the dramatick part of Poetry, and to teach the stage an exact conformity to the Laws of Comedians. Whereupon Sir Jo. Suckling bringing (f)(f) In his Fragmenta aurea, or Poems. Lond. 1648. p. 7. him into the Session of Poets, Ben broke silence, spoke to the Poets, and

Bid them remember how he had purg’d the Stage

Of Errours that had lasted many an age.

His own proper industry and addition to books, especially to ancient Poets and Classical authors, made him a person of curious learning and judgment, and of singular excellence in the art of Poetry. Which, with his accurate judgment and performance, known only to those few, who are truly able to judge of his works, have gain’d from the most eminent Scholars of his time (particularly from the learned Selden) an increasing admiration. Dr. Rich. Corbet of Ch. Ch. and other Poets of this University, did in reverence to his parts, invite him to Oxon, where continuing for some time in Ch. Ch. in writing and composing Plays, he was, as a Member thereof, actually created M. of A. in 1619. and therefore upon that account I put him among the Oxford writers, for at Cambridge his stay was but short, and whether he took a degree in that University, I cannot yet learn of any. His works are these.

Every Man in his humour, a Comedy.—Acted 1598.

Every Man out of his humour, Com.—Act. 1599.

Cynthia’s Revels, Com.—Act. 1600.

Poetaster, or his arraignment, Com.—1601.

Sejanus his Fall, a Tragedy—Act. 1602.

Volpone, or the Fox, Com.—1609.

Alchemist, Com.—1610.

Cataline his Conspiracy, Trag.—1611.

Epigrams—in number 134.

Epigrams called the Forrest—in number 15.

Part of the Kings entertainment in passing to his Coronation— in prose and verse.

A panegyre on the happy entrance of K. James to his first high Session of Parliament, 19. March 1603.—A Poem.

A particular entertainment of the Queen and Prince at Apethorp, at the house of the Lord Spencer, 25. June 1603.—A Poem.

Private entertainment of the K. and Q. on May day in the morn. at Sir Will. Cornwallis his house at Highgate 1604—In verse and prose.

Entertainment of the two Kings of Great Britain and Denmark at Theobalds 24. Jul. 1606.—In Lat. and Engl. verse.

Entertainment of K. James and Q. Anne at Theobalds, when the house was delivered up with the possession, to the Queen by the Earl of Salisbury, 22. May 1607.— Written in verse.

Twelve Masks at Court.

Barthelmew-Fair, Com.—Acted 1614.

Devil is an Asse, Com.—1616.

Staple of News, Com.—1625.

Magnetick Lady, or humours reconciled, Com.

Tale of a Tub, Com.

Sad Shepherd, or a tale of Robin Hood, Trag.

Masks.

Underwoods.—Consisting of divers Poems, entertainments, and of some Odes of Horace translated.

Mortimer his fall, Trag.—imperfect.

Horace his Art of Poetry made English.—This last was afterwards printed by it self. Lond. 1640. oct. and with it, (1) Execration against Vulcan. (2) Masque of the Gypsies. (3) Epigrams to several noble personages—about 23. in number. All composed by B. Johnson.

English Grammar for the benefit of all strangers.

Discoveries made upon men and matter.

All which are contained in two vol. in fol. printed 1616. and 1640.

Tragedy of Thierry K. of France, and his Brother Theodored.

The New-Inn, or the light heart, Com. Lond. 1631. octav.

His Motives.—Printed 1622. oct. He also had a hand in a Com. called, The Widdow. Lond. 1652. qu. Jo. Fletcher and Th. Middleton were his Assistants. Also in Eastward hoe, Com. assisted by Geo. Chapman, &c. and did with Dr. Hacket (afterwards B. of Lichfield) translate into Latin the Lord Bacons Essays or Counsels Civil and Moral. At length B. Johnson after he had arrived to the sixty third year of his age, marched off from the stage of this vain World on the 16. 1637 of August in sixteen hundred thirty and seven, and was buried three days after in S. Peters Church within the City of Westminster, commonly called the Abbey Church, not among the Poets, but at the west end near to the belfry, under the Escoheon of Rob. de Ros, or Roos, with this engraven on a common pavement stone laying over his grave, at eighteen pence charge, given by Jack Young of Great Milton in Oxfordshire, (afterwards a Knight by the favour of K. Ch. 2.) O rare Ben, Johnson. There was a considerable sum of money gathered from among the Wits and Vertuosi of his time for the erection of a monument and a Statua for him, but before they could be done, the Rebellion broke forth and hindred the design; whereupon the money was refunded. I have been informed by a worthy Prelate (*)(*) Dr. G. M. B. of Wint. several years since deceased, that this Poet Ben had a pension of an 100. l. per an. from the King, a pension also from the City of London, and the like from several of the Nobility, and from some of the Gentry, particularly from Sutton, Founder of the Hospital that now bears his name, which were commonly well paid either out of pure love to him, or out of fear of his railing in verse or prose, or both. When he was in his last sickness, the said Prelate, who was then M. of A. did, among other of his acquaintance, often visit him, and as often heard him repent of his prophaning the Scripture in his Plays, and that with horrour, &c. Many years after his death did appear to the World another Poet of both his names, who writes himself in his Poems, published 1672. Ben. Johnson Junior, but what relation there was between him and the former I know not.