through fictitious personalities, bearing the names of living people, and created, to some extent, out of their circumstances. This method was rendered possible by the absence of publicity and other conditions of the times. It had the advantage not only of effectively concealing the author's identity, but of dispersing his personality in such a way as to enable him to write in a great number of styles. It also enabled him to speak his mind comparatively freely, and from many points of view, on subjects which the author himself, owing to his social position and connections, his desire for an official career, and for other reasons connected with the circumstances of that time, could not safely, or suitably, have handled in print. It enabled him also to publish poems and to produce plays, which in those days was not thought suitable for a man of position.1 I could not, of course, expect the reader to accept these views on such a statement of them at this stage, but I will ask him to do so provisionally, and so to admit for the purpose of the argument such a statement as that made above about Harvey, as the nature of this subject is such that it would not be possible, without interminable digressions, to make good every statement at the earlier stages. The argument of this book is cumulative, and I hope, if the reader has the kindness to follow me through it, that he will find justification for the conclusions in the end. I have referred above to William Webbe. "William Webbe, Graduate" produced a treatise in 1586 called "A Discourse of English Poetrie," which in style closely resembles the epistle of "E. K." It is a document which shows originality, wide reading and facility, yet the supposed author is not known to have written anything else. "Webbe" is, in my opinion, one of the many prosopopeias" (impersonations), the treatise being un1 Even a professional writer like Daniel pleads "necessity" for the latter; see his Apology for Philotas, 1605. 2 "Prosopopoia" is the first title of Spenser's Mother Hubberds Tale. The word is the Greek προσωποποΐα 66 = personification, a dramatic form of composition" (Liddell & Scott). Compare: "His notable Prosopopeias when he maketh you, as it were, see God mistakably (as I think) by the same hand as that which penned the "E. K." epistle. The writer quotes from it, and, in a similar manner, raises expectation of more publications : Sorry I am that I can not find none other with whom I might couple him1 in this Catalogue, in his rare gyft of Poetry: although one there is, though nowe long since, seriously occupied in grauer studies, (Master Gabriell Haruey), yet, as he was once his most special freende and fellow Poet, so because he hath taken such paynes, not only in his Latin Poetry (for which he enjoyed great commendations of the best both in judgment and dignity in thys Realme) but also to reforme our English verse, and to beautify the same with braue deuices, of which I thinke the cheefe lye hidde in hatefull obscurity: therefore wyll I adventure to set them together, as two of the rarest witts, and learnedst masters of Poetrie in England. Whose worthy and notable skyl in this faculty, I would wysh if their high dignities and serious businesses would permit, they would styll graunt to bee a furtheraunce to that reformed kinde of Poetry, which Master Haruey did once beginne to ratify and surely in mine opinion, if hee had chosen some grauer matter, and handled but with halfe that skyll, which I knowe he could haue doone, and not powred it foorth at a venture, as a thinge betweene iest and earnest, it had taken greater effect then it did. As for the other Gentleman, if it would please him or hys freendes to let those excellent Poemes, whereof I know he hath plenty, come abroad, as his Dreames, his Legends, his Court of Cupid, his English Poet with other: he shoulde not onely stay the rude pens of my selfe and others, but also satisfye the thirsty desires of many which desire nothing more then to see more of hys rare inuentions. If I ioyne to Master Haruey hys two Brethren, I am assured, though they be both busied with great coming in his Majestie," used of David, as a poet, in Sidney's Apologie for Poetrie. "And if they raise a slaunder upon a man of a thing done at home when he is thousand mile off, it is but Prosopopeya, personae fictio, the supposing or faining of a person."-Nashe, Have with you to Saffron Walden, p. 178 (Grosart's edition). "Let them make what prosopopaias they will of her Majesty's nature." Bacon, Letter to the Earl of Essex. Spedding, Life, ii. 41. In the anonymous Arte of English Poesie (1589) it is defined as counterfait impersonation."-Arber Reprints, p. 246. - 66 a 1 Mentioned in a passage above as "the Author of the Sheepeheardes Kalender . . . whether it was Master Sp. or what rare Scholler in Pembrooke Hall soeuer" (see p. 5). and waighty callinges (the one a godly and learned Diuine, the other a famous and skylfull Phisition) yet if they lysted to sette to their helping handes to Poetry, they would as much beautify and adorne it as any others. There is a great deal of mystery attaching to these allusions to unpublished works, both in "E. K.'s" glosse and elsewhere. Gabriel Harvey began as a writer in Latin, and those pieces are of no real value, and full of much harmless absurdity. They ceased (apparently with the death of his patron, Sir Thomas Smith) in 1578. He reappears, however, in 1580, and again in 1592, as an English writer of exceptional resource and power, but nothing came from his pen after 1597, though he is reputed to have lived until 1631. A further reference by "E. K." to books by Harvey is given below (p. 23). I shall hope to say more on this subject later. In Webbe's treatise "E. K.'s" remarks as to the "rakehellye route of our ragged rymers" (quoted above, p. 7) are cited, and the writer prefaces them with some remarks of his own in a precisely similar vein : If I let passe the uncountable rabble of ryming Ballet makers and compylers of sencelesse sonets, who be most busy, to stuffe every stall full of grosse deuises and vnlearned Pamphlets: I trust I shall with the best sort be held excused. Nor though many such can frame an Alehouse song of five or sixe score verses, hobbling vppon some tune of a Northern Iygge, or Robyn hoode, or La lubber etc. And perhappes obserue just number of sillables, eyght in one line, sixe in another, and there withall an A to make a ierke in the ende: yet if these might be accounted Poets (as it is sayde some of them make meanes to be promoted to ye Lawrell) surely we shall shortly have whole swarmes of Poets and euery one that can frame a Booke in Ryme, though for want of matter, it be but in commendations of Copper noses or Botle Ale, wyll catch at the Garlande due to Poets; whose potticall poeticall (I should say) heades, I would wyshe, at their worshipfull commencements might in steede of Lawrell, be gorgiously garnished with fayre greene Barley, in token of their good affection to our Englishe Malt. One speaketh thus homely of them, with whose words I wyll content myselfe for thys time, because I woulde not bee too broade with them in myne owne speeche. He then proceeds to quote "E. K.": "I scorne Os rabidum fera corda domans, &c." (see pp. 7, 8 above). Further on he refers to what he describes as a fewe balde ditties made over the Beere potts."1 Fairly arrogant certainly, but amusing enough. This vein, never wholly divorced from truth, even in its most fantastic forms, reaches its full period in "Nashe.” To return to the Shepheards Calender: the "Epistle is followed by a statement (unsigned, but apparently intended to be attributed to the expositor, "E. K.") entitled "The General Argument of the Whole Booke." It begins with some observations on the history of the Eclogue, and concludes with a learned discourse on the propriety of beginning the year (as the poem does) with January instead of March, the latter being the style in more general use at that time in England, though the new style had come into use abroad. I have not observed any comment on this, but of course it is noticeable. The same thing occurs in the Harvey "Letter-book," and the editor (Camden series) draws attention to it as a curious fact. Only a man of a reforming tendency would have adopted 1 The following passage in the Arte of English Poesie (1589) presents the same characteristics: "Note also that rime or concorde is not commendably vsed both in the end and middle of a verse, vnlesse it be in toyes and trifling Poesies, for it sheweth a certaine lightnesse either of the matter or of the makers head, albeit these common rimers vse it much, for as I sayd before, like as the Symphonie in a verse of great length is (as it were) lost by looking after him, and yet may the meetre be very graue and stately: so on the other side doth the ouer busie and too speedy returne of one maner of tune, too much annoy and as it were glut the eare, vnlesse it be in small and popular Musickes song by these Cantabanqui vpon benches and barrels heads where they haue none other audience then boys or countrey fellowes that passe by them in the streete, or else by blind harpers or such like tauerne minstrels that giue a fit of mirth for a groat, and their matters being for the most part stories of old time, as the tale of Sir Topas, the reportes of Beuis of Southampton, Guy of Warwicke, Adam Bell, and Clymme of the Clough and such other old Romances or historicall rimes, made purposely for recreation of the common people at Christmasse diners and brideales, and in tauernes and ale-houses and such other places of base resort, also they be vsed in Carols and rounds and such light or lascivious Poemes, which are commonly more commodiously vttered by these buffons or vices in playes then by any other person. Such were the rimes of Skelton (vsurping the name of a Poet Laureat) being in deede but a rude rayling rimer and all his doings ridiculous, he vsed both short distaunces and short measures pleasing onely the popular eare: in our courtly maker we banish them vtterly." a change of this kind under the circumstances, and we may therefore expect the author to be a man of this quality. We come now to the poems under the several months. Each is preceded by an "Argument" and closed with an "Embleme," in various languages, English, French, Italian, Latin and Greek. Then follows the "Glosse" or commentary. The "Arguments," in my opinion, could only have been written by the author of the poems, though words are here and there inserted to give them the appearance of being written by some one else the fabulous "E. K." I quote two, being characteristic examples of the author's thought and manner: APRIL EGLOGA QUARTA. ARGUMENT THIS Æglogue is purposely intended to the honor and prayse of our most gracious sovereigne, Queene Elizabeth. The speakers herein be Hobbinoll and Thenott, two shepheardes : the which Hobbinoll, being before mentioned greatly to have loved Colin, is here set forth more largely, complayning him of that boyes great misadventure in Love; whereby his mynd was alienate and withdrawen not onely from him, who moste loved him, but also from all former delightes and studies, as well in pleasaunt pyping, as conning ryming and singing, and other his laudable exercises. Whereby he taketh occasion, for proofe of his more excellencie and skill in poetrie, to recorde a songe, which the sayd Colin sometime made in honor of her Majestie, whom abruptely he termeth Elysa. IN Cuddie is set out the perfecte paterne of a Poete, whiche, finding no maintenaunce of his state and studies, complayneth of the contempte of Poetrie, and the causes thereof: Specially having bene in all ages, and even amongst the most barbarous, alwayes of singular accoumpt and honor, and being indede so worthy and commendable an arte; or rather no arte, but a divine gift and heavenly instinct not to bee gotten by laboure and learning, but adorned with both; and poured into the witte by a certain 'Ev@ovoriaσpós and celestiall inspiration, as the Author hereof els where at large |