EDWARD II.

"

CHRISTOPHER MARLOW, a writer of considerable eminence in his time, was, according to Oldys, born in the former part of the reign of Edward the Sixth, and received his education at Cambridge. The place of his birth is unknown, as are the circumstances of his parents, and the reason which induced him to quit the destination for which, by the nature of his education, he seemed to be intended. After leaving the university, he appeared upon the stage with applause as an actor, and then commenced dramatic writer with no inconsiderable degree of reputation. His character as a man does not appear in a favourable light. He is represented by an author, quoted in Wood's Athena, p. 338, as giving too large a swing to his own wit, and suffering his lust to have the full reins, by which means he fell to that outrage and extremity as Jodelle, a French tragical poet did, (being an epicure and atheist,) that he denied God and his Son Christ, and not only in word blasphemed the Trinity, but also, as was credibly reported, wrote divers discourses against it, affirming our Saviour to be a deceiver, and Moses to be a conjuror; the Holy Bible also to contain only vain and idle stories, and all religion but a device of policy.” A late writer is willing to believe, that the whole of Marlow's offence was daring to reason on matters of religion; than which nothing could be a greater crime, in the opinion of those who did not dare to think for themselves. But the opinion of this gentleman will have less weight, when the violence of his prejudices against every kind of religi ous establishment are considered. Marlow was most probably a dissipated, abandoned man; and the circumstances of his death, as related by Wood, sufficiently prove it: " Being deeply in love with a certain woman, he had for his rival a bawdy serving-man, one rather fit to be a pimp, than an ingenious amoretto, as Marlow conceived himself to be. Whereupon Marlow, taking it to be a high affront, rushed in upon, to stab him with his dagger; but the serving-man, being very quick, so avoided the stroke, that withal catching hold of Marlow's wrist, he stabbed his own dagger into his own head, in such sort, that notwithstanding all the means of surgery that could be wrought, he shortly after died of his wound before the year 1593."

193

As a writer, Marlow's character stands in a much fairer light. Langbaine 5 observes, that he was accounted an excellent poet by Jonson; and Heywood, his fellow-actor, stiles him the best of poets. Meres' names him with Sidney, Spenser, Shakespeare, Daniel, &c. for having mightily enriched and gorgeously invested in rare ornaments, and resplendent habiliments, the English tongue. Carew the Cornish antiquary, places him along with Shakespeare, where he says, " Would you read Catullus, take Shakespeare and Marlow's fragments." Nash, speaking of Hero and Leander, says, "Of whom divine Musaus sung, and a diviner muse than he, Kit Marlow." The author of The Returne from Pernassus 10 characterizes him thus:

9

"Marlowe was happy in his buskin❜d muse,

Alas! unhappy in his life and end:

Pity it is that wit so ill should dwell,

Wit lent from heav'n, but vices sent from hell."

'MS. Additions to Langbaine.

2 Beard's Theatre of God's Judgments.

3 Among the papers of Lord Keeper Puckering, in the British Museum, are some which give an ac

count of Marlow's principles and tenets.

5 P. 342.

4 Berkenhout's Historia Literaria, Vol. I. p. 358.

6 Verses to the memory of Shakespeare.

7 Second Part of Wit's Commonwealth, p. 280. 9 Lenten Stuff, 4to. 1599, p. 42.

8 Excellencies of the English Tongue, p. 13. 10 1606, A. 1. S. 2.

Drayton " in these terms :

"Next Marlow, bathed in the Thespian springs,
Had in him those brave sublunary things,
That your first poets had; his raptures were
All air and fire, which made his verses clear:
For that fine madness still he did retain,

Which rightly should possess a poet's brain."

And George Peele, in The Honour of the Garter, 4to. 1593, or 99, mentions him in this manner :

"Unhappy in thy end,

Marlow, the muses darling for thy verse,
Fit to write passions for the souls below,
If any wretched souls in passions speak.'

His Dramatic Works are as follow:

1. The Tragedie of Dido, queene of Carthage. Played by the children of her Majesties chappel. Written by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nash, gent. 1594, 4to.

2. The troublesome Raigne and lamentable Death of Edwarde the Second, &c.

3. Tamberlaine the Greate. Who, from the state of a Shepherd in Scythia, by his rare and wonderful Conquests, became a most puissant and mightie Monarque, 1605, 4to. 1st Part, B. L.

4. Tamberlaine the Greate. With his impassionate furie, for the death of his Lady and Love faire Zenocrate his forme of exhortation and discipline to his three sonnes, and the manner of his owne death. The second Part, 4to. 1606, 4to. B. L.

5. The Massacre of Paris, with the Death of the Duke of Guise. A Tragedy play'd by the Right Honourable the Lord Admiral's Servants. 8vo. N. D.

6. The famous Tragedy of the rich Jew of Malta.

7. The Tragicall Historie of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, with new additions, 1631, 4to. B. L. 1663, 4to. B. L.

8. Lust's Dominion; or, the Lascivious Queen. A Tragedy, 12mo. 1661.

Besides these, he was the Author of

1. Hero and Leander, translated from Musaus, with the first Book of Lucan, 4to. 1600. This translation, or at least Marlow's part of it, must have been published before 1599, being mentioned by several writers earlier than that year. It was entered at Stationer's Hall, in 1593 and 1597; and 12 Henry Petowe's Second Part of it appeared in 1598. Marlow's part was left unfinished, and was

1 Censure of Poets, p. 1236.

12 This author exceeds all the panegyrists of Marlow in the extravagance of his eulogium, The fol lowing lines are taken from his poem :

Again,

"Marlow admir'd, whose honey flowing vaine,

No English writer can as yet attaine.

Whose name in Fame's immortall treasurie,

Truth shall record to endles memorie.

Marlo late mortall, now fram'd all divine,
What soule more happy, than that soule of thine?
Live still in heaven thy soule, thy fame on earth
(Thou dead) of Marlo's hero findes a dearth."

"What mortall soule with Marlow might contend,
That could against reason force him stoope or bend?
Whose silver charming toung mov'd such delight,
That men would shun their sleepe in still dark night,
To meditate upon his goulden lynes,

His rare conceyts and sweete according rimes.
But Marlo still admired Marlo's gon,

To live with beautie in Elyzium,

Immortal beautic who desires to heare,

His sacred poesies sweete in every eare:
Marlow must frame to Orpheus melodie,
Himnes all divine to make heaven harmonie,
There ever live the prince of poetrie,
Live with the living in eternitie."

completed by Chapman. Although the First Book of Lucan is mentioned in the title-page, not a line of that author is to be found with Marlow's Work.

2. Certaine of Ovid's Elegies; by C. Marlow, 12mo. at Middleburgh, no date. Afterwards published, with additions, under the title of All Ovid's Elegies, Three Books; by C. M. at Middleburgh, no date.

Mr Steevens says, (first volume of Shakespeare, p. 94,) that, in the forty-first of Queen Elizabeth, these translations from Ovid were commanded by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London to be burnt at Stationer's Hall.

He was also the author of that beautiful Sonnet, quoted in The Merry Wives of Windsor, A.3. S. 1. called The Passionate Shepherd to his Love; to which Sir Walter Raleigh wrote a Reply, Both these pieces are printed in Dr Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, Vol. I. p. 218.

Is as Elysium to a new-come soul;
Not that I love the city, or the men,
But that it harbours him I hold so dear,
The king, upon whose bosom let me lie,
And with the world be still at enmity.
What need the artick people love star-light,
To whom the sun shines both by day and night?
Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers;
My knee shall bow to none but to the king.
As for the multitude, they are but sparks,
Raked up in embers of their poverty,
Tanti: I'll fan first on the wind,
That glanceth at my lips, and flieth away.
But how now, what are these?

Enter three Poor Men.

Shall bathe him in a spring; and there hard-by, 14 One, like Acteon peeping through the grove,

Poor men. Such as desire your worship's service. Shall by the angry goddess be transformed, Gav. What canst thou do?

1 Poor. I can ride.

Gav. But I have no horse-What art thou? 2. Poor. A traveller.

Gav. Let me see-thou wouldst do well
To wait at my trencher, and tell me lies at din-
ner-time;

And as I like your discoursing, I'll have you.-
And what art thou?

3 Poor. A soldier, that hath served against
the Scot.

Gav. Why there are hospitals for such as you;

I have no war, and therefore, sir, be gone.

Sol. Farewell, and perish by a soldier's hand,
That would'st reward them with an hospital!
Gav. Ay, ay, these words of his move me as
much,

As if a goose should play the porcupine,
And dart her plumes, thinking to pierce my

breast.

[Exeunt.

Gav. Do:-these are not men for me;
I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
Musicians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant king which way I please:
13 Musick and poetry are his delight;
Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,
Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
Like Sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad;
My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
Shall with their goat-feet dance the antick hay.
Sometimes a lovely boy in Dian's shape,
With hair that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,
And in his sportful hands an olive-tree,
To hide those parts which men delight to see,

And running in the likeness of an hart,
By yelping hounds pull'd down, shall seem to die;
Such things as these best please his majesty.
My lord here comes; the king and the nobles,
From the parliament. I'll stand aside.

Enter the King, LANCASTER, MORTIMER senior,
MORTIMER junior, EDMUND Earl of KENI,
GUY Earl of WARWICK, &c.

Gav. That villain, Mortimer, I'll be his death. [Aside.

Mort. jun. Mine uncle here, this earl, and I
myself,

Were sworn unto your father at his death,
That he should ne'er return into the realme :
And know, my lord, ere I will break my oath,
This sword of mine, that should offend your foes,
Shall sleep within the scabbard at thy need,
And underneath thy banners march who will,
For Mortimer will hang his armour up.
Gav. Mort dieu!

[Aside.

That naturally would love and honour you,
But for that base and obscure Gaveston?
Four earldoms have I, besides Lancaster;
Derby, Salisbury, Lincoln, Leicester:
These will I sell, to give my soldiers pay,
Ere Gaveston shall stay within the realm;
Therefore, if he be come, expel him straight.

13 Music and poetry, &c.-How exactly the author, as the learned Dr Hurd observes, has painted the humour of the times, which esteemed masks and shows as the highest indulgence that could be provided for a luxurious and happy monarch, we may see from the entertainment provided, not many years after, for the reception of King James at Althrop, in Northamptonshire; where this very design of Silvan Nymphs, Satyrs, and Acteon, was executed in a masque by Ben Jonson.-Moral and Political Dialogues, Vol. I. p. 194.

14 One like Acteon, &c.—Sce Grim the Colier of Croyden.

Edw. Barons and earls, your pride hath made | I'll 16 bandy with the barons and the earls,

Glozing-Flattering. See Note 22 to Alexander and Campaspe, p. 111.

16 Bandy-Oppose with all my force, totis viribus se opponere, says Skinner, voce bandy.

17 If for these dignities thou be envied-That is, hated; in this sense the word is frequently used. Green's Thieves falling out :-" The mayd replyed, that she spake not of envy to him, but of meere love she bare unto him."

Lyly's Euphues, p. 47 :—“ Although I have bene bolde to invay against many, yet am I not so brutish to envie them all."

"And, I am justly pay'd,

That might have made my profit of his service;

But by mistaking have drawn on his envy,

And done the worst defeat upon myself."

See also Mr Steevens's Note on the Merchant of Venice, A. 4. S. I.

Euphues and his England, p. 111 :-The regiment that they have dependeth upon statute law, and that is by parliament, &c.'

"And gives his potent regiment to a trull."

See Mr Steevens's Note on the last passage,