to himself alone, wrote a letter to him on the subject, which fell into the hands of his enemies in the camp; from this paper they meant to have raised a report unfavourable to his loyalty; but upon its reaching his hands Gascoigne, conscious of his fidelity, laid it immediately before the prince, who saw through their design, and gave him passports for visiting the lady at the Hague: the burghers, however, watched his motions with malicious caution, and he was called in derision "the Green Knight." Although disgusted with the ingratitude of those on whose side he fought, Gascoigne still retained his commission, till the prince, coming personally to the siege of Middleburg, gave him an opportunity of displaying his zeal and courage, when the prince rewarded him with 300 guilders beyond his regular pay, and a promise of future promotion. He was (however) surprized soon after by 3000 Spaniards when commanding, under Captain Sheffield, 500 Englishmen lately landed, and retired in good order, at night, under the walls of Leyden; the jealousy, of the Dutch then openly was displayed by their refusing to open their gates; our military bard with his band were in consequence made captives. At the expiration of twelve days his men were released, and the officers, after an imprisonment of four months, were sent back to England. Returning to his native country, Gascoigne betook himself once more to Grays Inn, where it may reasonably be conjectured he continued but a short time; for in 1575 we find him retired to "his poore-house" at Walthamstow, where he col lected and published his poems having previously finished "the complaint of Phylomene" (begun, as early as 1562), and written a satire called the Steele Glass. Glass. In the summer of this year he accompanied Queen Elizabeth in her progress, and supplied part of the entertainment at Kenelworth Castle, and at Woodstock. Here the source of my information, his own writings, necessarily fails me, as the poet probably died soon after, in all probability at Walthamstow. In an address to the Queen, prefixed to "the Hermit's Tale" dated 1st Jan. 1576 (a MS. in the British Museum) he complains of his infirmities; and as nothing appeared from his futile pen, subsequent to 1576, we may reasonably conclude that he soon after terminated his existence. * For It may here be necessary to answer for the variations from Wood's account. In no part of his works, which abound with accounts of himself, does it appear that Gascoigne travelled in Holland," according to the acceptation generally received; it is true he was in Holland, but it was in his military capacity: that "he went from thence into France to visit the fashions of the Royal Court there, where he fell in love with a Scottish dame," is a ludicrous mistake of honest Antony's, originating, most probably, in a superficial examination of our author's works, among which is a Sonnet "wrote unto a Scottish Dame whome he chose for his mistresse in the French Court;" which, upon minuter inspection, he would have perceived was written in an assumed character: indeed in The Hermit's Tale" he thinks it necessary to apologize for his French, as being learned in Helland. His return into England appears above to have proceeded from other causes than "a weariness of those vanities, and of his travels in other countries." It is to be regretted and admired that Tanner, having Whetstone's life of Geo. Gascoigne, if it was "our Gascoigne," gave no account from it. That the voluminous author of Promos and Cassandra (who has also a copy of verses prefixed to Gascoigne's works) should execute such an undertaking is highly Printed in the 1st Vol. of Queen Elizabeth's Progresses, where the Editor's industry has forsook him, and where he has compiled a life of Gascoigne, in which the errors of Wood's account are heightened. For the general merits of Gascoigne's poetry the reader is referred to the last edition of Philips's Theatrum Poetarum, p. 94 (White, 1800) and as specimens may be found in Headley, Ellis, Cooper, &c. they will be the less necessary in this place: one short poem which has not hitherto obtained the honour of selection may, however, tend to relieve the tædium of an extended narrative; Cantates, licet usque, minus via lædet, eamus. At the end of a close walk in the author's garden were written these lines in rime. will; If any flower that here is grown, For so my wife taught me to say. highly probable, but whether it related to this or to another must now remain a matter of bare conjecture. The tract not being among the Bishop's books in the Bodleian Library has probably ❝ perished mid the wreck of things that were." I have in vain searched the registers of Stamford (which are unusually perfect) for the name of George Gascoigne. It It were endless to remark on every part of this multifarious volume, but it may be observed that, to the list of his writings in the "Biographia Dramatica" should be added" the device of a Mask for the Rt. Hon. Visct. Montacute, pronounced on account of the marriage of his sonne and heire, to the daughter of Sir W. Dormer; and the marriage of the son and heire of Sir W. Dormer, to the daughter of Lord Montacute." By this time it may be thought that I have written sufficient on the subject; and but that such was my opinion it was my intention to have observed that to this edition (as to that of 1575) are prefixed three several Epistles, from the second of which the following passage is worth transcribing: it will be necessary first to observe that some of Gascoigne's works, "the fable of Ferdinando Jeronimi," more particularly, had been supposed to reflect on particular individuals, and in ridicule of those "who being indeed starke staring blind would yet seem to see far into a milstone," he adds, "I will forbear to recite examples, by anie mine own doings. Since all comparisons are odious, I will not saie how much the arraignment and divorce of a lover," (being written in a jest) have been mistaken in sad earnest. It shall suffice that the contentions passed in verse long sithense between M. Churchyard and Camel, were by a blockheaded reader, construed to be indeed a quarrel between two neighbours; one of whom having a camel in keeping, and the other In the list of Gascoigne's works Wood enumerates a "discourse of the adventures of Mr. F. J. (Freeman Jones) about 1572." This is no other than the first edition of "the fable of Ferdinando Jeronimi! Risum teneatis. having charge of the churchyard, it was supposed they had grown to debate, because the camel came into the churchyard Laugh not, lustie yonkers at this; since the pleasant dittie of the noble Earl Surrie beginning thus, In winter's just return, was also construed to be made indeed by a shepheard. What should I stand much in rehersal how the L. Vaux his dittie beginning thus, I loth that I did love, was thought by some to be made upon his death-bed; and that the Soulknil of Mr. Edwards was also written in extremitie of sickness." These trifling memoranda, as reflecting the opinions of our forefathers, are yet worth preserving, and do well as notes to the poems they refer to. "Let us cast nothing away," says Pandarus, "for we know not the use we may have for it." 0. G. G. ART. III. "Here begynnith the firste volum of Sir John Froissart, of the Cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spayne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretaine, Flaunders: and other places adjoynynge. Translated oute of Frenche into our materall * Englyshe tongue, by John Bouchier Knyghte, Lord Berners : at the com aundement of oure moste hyghe redoubted soveraygne Lorde Kynge Henry the Eyghth Kynge of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faith and of the church of Englande, and also of Irelande, in earth the supreme heade.” Sic. On |