sima Oxoniensi Achademia LAUREATI, DE OCTO PARTIBUS ORATIONIS"." In his PANEGYRIC to cardinal Wolsey, he mentions his laurel, Suscipe LAURICOMI munuscula parva Roberti". With regard to the Poet laureate of the kings of England, an officer of the court remaining under that title to this day, he is undoubtedly the same that is styled the KING'S VERSIFIER, and to whom one hundred shillings were paid as his annual stipend, in the year 1251°. But when or how that title commenced, and whether this officer was ever solemnly crowned with laurel at his first investiture, I will not pretend to determine, after the searches of the learned Selden on this question have proved unsuccessful. It seems most probable, that the barbarous and inglorious name of VERSIFIER gradually gave way to an appellation of more elegance and dignity: or rather, that at length, those only were in general invited to this appointment, who had received academical sanction, and had merited a crown of laurel in the universities for their abilities in Latin composition, particularly Latin versification. Thus the king's Laureate was nothing more than "a graduated rhetorician employed in the service of the king." That he originally wrote in Latin, appears from the antient title versificator: and may be moreover collected from the two Latin poems, which Baston and Gulielmus, who appear to have respectively acted in the capacity of royal poets to Richard the First and Edward the Second, m Lond. 1513. See the next note. " In his " Opusculum Roberti Whittintoni in florentissima Oxoniensi achademia laureati." Signat. A. iii. Bl. Let. 4to. Colophon, "Expliciunt Roberti Whittintoni Oxonii protovatis cpigrammata, una cum quibusdam panegyricis, impressa Londini per me Wynandum de Worde. Anno post virgineum partum м.CCCCC. xix. decimo vero Kal. Maii." The Panegyrics are, on Henry the Eighth, and cardinal Wolsey. The Epigrams, which are long copies of verse, are addressed to Charles Brandon duke of Suffolk, sir Thomas More, and to Skelton, under the title Ad lepidissimum, poetam SCHELTONEM carmen, &c. Some of the lines are in a very classical style, and much in the manner of the earlier Latin Italian poets. At the end of these Latin poems is a defence of the author, called ANTILYCON, &c. This book is extremely scarce, and not mentioned by Wood, Ames, and some other collectors. These pieces are in manuscript, Oxon. MSS. Bodl. D. 3. 22. • See supr. vol. i. P. 51. officially composed on Richard's crusade, and Edward's siege of Striveling castle?. Andrew Bernard, successively poet laureate of Henry the Seventh and the Eighth, affords a still stronger proof that this officer was a Latin scholar. He was a native of Tholouse, and an Augustine monk. He was not only the king's poet laureate, as it is supposed, but his historiographer', and preceptor in grammar to prince Arthur. He obtained many ecclesiastical preferments in England. All the pieces now to be found, which he wrote in the character of poet laureate, are in Latin. These are, an ADDRESS to Henry the Eighth for the most auspicious beginning of the tenth year of his reign, with an EPITHALAMIUM on the marriage of Francis the Dauphin of France with the king's daughter", A NEW YEAR's Gift for " See supra, vol. ii. p. 64. By the way, Baston is called by Bale "laureatus apud Oxonienses." Cent. iv. cap. 92. See an instrument PRO POETA LAUREATO.dat. 1486. Rymer's FOED. tom.xii. p. 317. But, by the way, in this instrument there is no specification of any thing to be done officially by Bernard. The king only grants to Andrew Bernard, Poeta laureato, which we may construe either THE laureated poet, or A poet laureate, a salary of ten marcs, till he can obtain some equivalent appointment. This, however, is only a precept to the treasurer and chamberlains to disburse the salary, and refers to letters patent, not printed by Rymer. It is certain that Gower and Chaucer were never appointed to this office, notwithstanding this is commonly supposed. Skelton, in his CROWNE OF LAWRELL, sees Gower, Chaucer, and Lydgate approach: he describes their whole apparel as glittering with the richest precious stones, ar.d then immediately adds, They wanted nothing but the LAURELL. Apostolo Zeno was both poet and historiographer to his imperial majesty. So was Dryden to James the Second. It is observable that Petrarch was laureated as poet and historian. One of these, the mastership of saint Leonard's hospital at Bedford, was given him by bishop Smith, one of the founders of Brase-nose college, Oxford, in the year 1498. Registr. SMITH, episc. Lincoln. sub ann. Some of Skelton's Latin poems seem to be written in the character of the Royal laureate, particularly one, entitled "Hæc Laureatus Skeltonus, orator reginæ, super triumphali," &c. It is subscribed "Per Skeltonida Laureatum, oratorem regium." Works, p. 110. edit. ut supr. Hardly any of his English pieces, which are numerous, appear to belong to that character. With regard to the ORATOR REGIUS, I find one John Mallard in that office to Henry the Eighth, and his epistolary secretary. He has left a Latin elegiac paraphrase on the Lord's prayer, MSS. Bibl. Reg. 7 D. xiii. Dedicated to that king. Le premier livre de la cosmographie, in verse, ibid. 20 B. xii, And a Psalter, beautifully written by himself, for the use of the king. In the margin, are short notes in the hand-writing, and two exquisite miniatures, of Henry the Eighth. Ibid. 2 A. xvi. "MS. olim penes Thom. Martin de Palgrave, the year 1515. And verses wishing prosperity to his ma jesty's thirteenth year*. He has left some Latin hymns: and many of his Latin prose pieces, which he wrote in the quality of historiographer to both monarchs, are remaining2. I am of opinion, that it was not customary for the royal laureate to write in English, till the reformation of religion had begun to diminish the veneration for the Latin language: or rather, till the love of novelty, and a better sense of things, had banished the narrow pedantries of monastic erudition, and taught us to cultivate our native tongue. In the mean time it is to be wished, that another change might at least be suffered to take place in the execution of this institution, which is confessedly Gothic, and unaccommodated to modern manners. I mean, that the more than annual return of a composition on a trite argument would be no longer required. I am conscious I say this at a time, when the best of kings affords the most just and copious theme for panegyric: but I speak it at a time, when the department is honourably filled by a poet of taste and genius, which are idly wasted on the most splendid subjects, when imposed by constraint, and perpetually repeated. To what is here incidentally collected on an article more curious than important, I add an observation, which shews that the practice of other nations in this respect altogether corresponded with that of our own. When we read of the laureated poets of Italy and Germany, we are to remember, that they most commonly received this honour from the state, or some university; seldom, at least not immediately, from the prince: and if we find any of these professedly employed in the department of a court-poet, that they were not, in conse "MSS. Coll. Nov. Oxon. 287. * Brit. Mus. MSS. Reg. 12 A. x. The copy presented. In paper. There is a wretched false quantity in the first line, Indue, honor, cultus, et adole munera flammis. And a Latin life of saint An drew. MSS. Cotton. DoMITIAN. A. xviii. 15. ZA chronicle of the life and atchievements of Henry the Seventh to the taking of Perkin Warbeck, MSS. Cotton. DoMITIAN. A. xviii. 15. Other historical commentaries on the reign of that king. Ibid. JUL. A. 4. JUL. A. 3. quence of that peculiar situation, styled poets laureate. The distinction, at least in general, was previously conferred. John Scogan is commonly supposed to have been a cotemporary of Chaucer, but this is a mistake. He was educated at Oriel college in Oxford: and being an excellent mimic, and of great pleasantry in conversation, became the favourite buffoon of the court of Edward the Fourth, in which he passed the greatest part of his life. Bale inaccurately calls Scogan, the JOCULATOR of Edward the Fourth: by which word he seems simply to understand the king's JOKER, for he certainly could not mean that Scogan was his majesty's MINSTREL. Andrew Borde, a mad physician and a dull poet in the reign of Henry the Eighth, published his JESTS, under the title of SCOGIN'S JESTS4, which are without humour or invention; and a The reader who requires a full and particular information concerning the first origin of the laureation of poets, and the solemnities with which this ceremony was performed in Italy and Germany, is referred to Selden's TIT. HON. Op. tom. p.457. seq. VIE DE PETrarque, tom. iii. Notes, &c. p. 1. Not. quat. And to a memoir of M. l'Abbè du Resnel, MEM. LIT. X. 507. 4to. I will only add, the form of the creation of three poets laureate by the chancellor of the univer sity of Strasburgh, in the year 1621. "I create you, being placed in a chair of state, crowned with laurel and ivy, and wearing a ring of gold, and the same do pronounce and constitute, POETS LAUREATE, in the name of the holy Trinity, the father, son, and holy ghost. Amen." See Hollinsh. Chron. iii. f. 710. It is uncertain whether the poem addressed by Chaucer to Scogan, was really written by the former, MSS. Fairfax. xvi. [Mr. Ritson has shewn that the contemporary of Chaucer was Henry, and the person mentioned by Hollinshed John Scogan. The moral balade, noticed in the text, must be attributed to the former, to whom Mr. Ritson also ascribes on the authority of a MS. in C. C. C. Oxford, "a "balade' usually printed as Chaucer's, and beginning "fle from the prese," &c. Warton in a note below, says the same MS. calls it C Script. xi. 70. By the way, the SERJEANT of the King's Minstrels occurs under this reign: and in a manner, which shews the confidential character of this officer, and his facility of access to the king at all hours and on all occasions. "And as he [k. Edward IV.] was in the north contray in the moneth of Septembre, as he laye in his bedde, one namid Alexander Carlisle, that was sariaunt of the mynstrallis, cam to him in grete haste, and bade hym aryse, for he hadde enemys cummyng," &c. A REMARKABLE FRAGMENT, etc. [an, ix. Edward IV.] ad calc. SPORTTI CHRON. edit. Hearne. Oxon. 1729. 8vo. Compare Percy's Ess. MINSTR. p. 56. Anstis, ORD. GART. ii. 303. d It is from these pieces we learn that he was of Oriel college: for he speaks of retiring, with that society, to the hospital of saint Bartholomew, while the plague was at Oxford. These JESTS are sixty in number. Pr. Pref. "There is nothing besides." Pr. "On a time in Lent.' They were reprinted about the restoration. 4to. give us no very favourable idea of the delicacy of the king and courtiers, who could be exhilarated by the merriments of such a writer. A MORAL BALADE, printed in Chaucer's works, addressed to the dukes of Clarence, Bedford, and Gloucester, and sent from a tavern in the Vintry at London, is attributed to Scogan. But our jocular bard evidently mistakes his talents when he attempts to give advice. This piece is the dullest sermon that ever was written in the octave stanza. Bale mentions his COMEDIES, which certainly mean nothing dramatic, and are perhaps only his JESTS above mentioned. He seems to have flourished about the year 1480. Two didactic poets on chemistry appeared in this reign, John Norton and George Ripley. Norton was a native of Bristol, and the most skillful alchemist of his age". His poem is called the ORDINAL, or a manual of the chemical art. It was presented to Nevil archbishop of York, who was a great patron of the hermetic philosophers; which were lately grown so numerous in England, as to occasion an act of parliament against the transmutation of metals. Norton's reason for treating his subject in English rhyme, was to circulate the principles of a science of the most consummate utility among the unlearned'. This poem is totally void of every poetical elegance. The only wonder which it relates, belonging to an art, so fertile in striking inventions, and contributing to enrich the store-house of Arabian romance with so many magnificent imageries, is that It may yet be doubted whether it belongs to Scogan; as it must have been written before the year 1447, and the writer complains of the approach of old age. Col. i. v. 10. It was first printed, under Scogan's name, by Caxton, in the COLLECTION OF CHAUCER'S and LYDGATE'S POEMS. The little piece, printed as Chaucer's, [Urr. ed. p. 548.] called FLEE FROM THE PRESSE, is expressly given to Scogan, and called PROVERBIUM JOANNIS SKOGAN, MSS. C.C.C. Oxon. 209. f xi. 70. He speaks of the wife of William Canning, who will occur again below, five times mayor of Bristol, and the founder of saint Mary of Radcliffe church there. ORDINAL, p. 34. h Printed by Ashmole, in his THEATRUM CHEMICUM. Lond. 1652. 8vo. p. 6. It was finished A. D. 1477. ORDIN. p. 106. It was translated into Latin by Michael Maier, M. D. Francof. 1618. 4to. Norton wrote other chemical pieces. i See ORDIN. p. 9. 10. Norton declares, that he learned his art in forty days, at twenty-eight years of age. Ibid. p. 33. 88. * Ashmole, ubi supr. p. 455. Notes. 1 Pag. 106. |