William Davenant

“ Where Love, and pleasure, know no Lust nor Art.
106.
And Love he taught; the Soul's stoln Visit made,
Though froward Age watch hard, and Law forbid;
Her walks no Spie has trac'd, nor mountain staid;
Her friendship's cause, is as the Loadstone's hid.
107.
He taught them love of Toyl, Toyl which does keep
Obstructions from the Mind, and quench the bloud;
Ease but belongs to us like sleep, and sleep
Like Opium, is our Med'cine, not our Food.
108.
To dangers us'd them, which Death's Visards are,
More uglie than himself, and often chace
From Battel Coward-life ”

“ It is Mr. Pepys (December 30, 1668) who chronicles Davenant’s splendid revival of Henry VIII, in which Betterton, as the King, was instructed by Sir William Davenant, who had it from old Mr. Lowen, that had his instruction “from Mr. Shakespear himself.” Lowin, or Lowen, joined Shakespeare’s Company in 1604, being then a man of twenty-eight. Burbage was the natural man for Hamlet and Henry VIII; but it is not unusual for actors to have “understudies.” ”

“ Is now of all the Forrest most distrest!
40.
The Herd deny him shelter, as if taught
To know their safety is to yield him lost;
Which shews they want not the results of thought,
But speech, by which we ours for reason boast.
41.
We blush to see our politicks in Beasts,
Who Many sav'd by this one Sacrifice;
And since through blood they follow interests,
Like us when cruel should be counted wise.
42.
His Rivals that his fury us'd to fear
For his lov'd Female, now his faintness shun;
But were his season hot, and she but near,
(O mighty Love!) his Hunters were undone. ”

“ From thence breaks lovely forth, the Worlds first Maid;
Her Breast, Love's Cradle, where Love quiet lies;
Nought yet had seen so foul, to grow afraid,
Nor gay, to make it crie with longing Eyes,
64.
And thence, from stupid sleep, her Monarch steals;
She wonders, till so vain his wonder grows,
That it his feeble sov'reigntie reveals;
Her Beautie then, his Manhood does depose.
65.
Deep into shades the Painter leads them now;
To hide their future deeds; then storms does raise
Ore Heav'n's smooth face, because their life does grow
Too black a storie for the House of Praise. ”

“ Sir William hath writt about 25 (quaere) playes; the romance called Gondibert; and a little poeme called Madagascar.
His private opinion was that Religion at last,—e.g. a hundred yeares hence,—would come to settlement, and that in a kind of ingeniose Quakerisme.
[782] That sweet swan of Isis, Sir William Davenant, dyed the seaventh day of April last, and lyes buried amongst the poets in Westminster abbey [783] , by his antagonist, Mr. Thomas May, whose inscription of whose marble was taken away by order since the king came in.
Sir William was Poet Laureat; and Mr. John Dryden hath his place. ”

“ Where Pow'r's strong Nets of Wire were never laid?
But childish Love took Cradle as at home.
86.
Where can we safe our harmless blessings keep,
Since glorious Courts our solitude invade?
Bells which ring out, when th' unconcern'd would sleep;
False lights to scare poor Birds in Countrey shade!
87.
Or if our joys their own discov'rie make,
Envie (whose Tongue first kills whom she devours)
Calls it our Pride; Envie, The poys'nous snake,
Whose breath blasts Maids, as innocent as Flow'rs! ”

“ Thomas Bond, knew him) : the witt came by the mother.
Quaere Dr. Busby if he was not of Westminster schoole? he might be about his time. I have heard Sir William Davenant say that he went to the university of Cambridge at eleaven yeares of age, where he studied three or four yeares (I thinke, four) . By 18 he had well travelled France and Italie, and part of Germany, and (I thinke also) of Spaine.
He returned into England an extraordinary accomplished gentleman, grew famous at court for his readie sparkling witt which was envyed, and he was (Sir William sayd) the bull that was bayted. ”

“ As makes me blush that I am still alive!
38.
Gone is your fighting Youth, whom you have bred
From milkie Childhood to the years of bloud!
By whom you joy'd so often to be led,
Where firm, as now your Trophies, then you stood!
39.
Gon is he now, who still with low regard
Bow'd to your age, your wounds as beautie kist;
Knew Age was of your temp'rance the reward;
And Courts in beauty by your skars subsist.
40.
Yet was he not for mean pretensions slain,
Who for your int'rest, not his own has fought;
Vex'd that the Empire which your wounds did gain,
Was by a young unwounded Army sought! ”

“ And with last looks his Forrest walks did view;
Where sixtie Summers he had rul'd the Heard,
And where sharp Dittanie now vainly grew:
56.
Whose hoarie Leaves no more his wounds shall heal;
For with a Sigh (a blast of all his breath)
That viewless thing call'd Life, did from him steal;
And with their Bugle Horns they wind his death.
57.
Then with their annual wanton sacrifice
(Taught by old custom, whose decrees are vain,
And we like hum'rous Antiquaries prise
Age though deform'd) they hasten to the Plain. ”

“ Here unquestionably Sir John Davies far excels Lord Brooke and Donne, and later, Sir William Davenant in "Gondibert." The two former are occasionally (it must be granted) semi-inarticulate, and the last is very often monotonous and trying. "Nosce Teipsum" is throughout articulate and unmistakeable, and never flags. You have a fear o' times that a metaphor will prove grotesque or mean: or a vein of thought pinch and go out from ore to bare limestone. ”

“ In a dark Lanthorn she would bear Love's flame,
To hide her self, whilst she her Lover seeks.
30.
And to that Lover let our Song return:
Whose Tale so well was to her Father told,
As the Philosopher did seem to mourn
That Youth had reach'd such worth, and he so old.
31.
Yet Birtha was so precious in his Eyes,
Her vanish'd Mother still so near his mind,
That farther yet he thus his prudence tries,
Ere such a Pledge he to his trust resign'd.
32.
Who ere (said he) in thy first story looks,
Shall praise thy wise conversing with the Dead ”

“ Which yield to Laws, and now our voice is Law.
56.
This Tybalt heard with sorrow and disdain,
(Who here with Hurgonil a Mourner came)
And strait the peacefull Fathers strives to gain,
And thus the Peoples Oratour reclaim.
57.
Most usefull Fathers! some trace secret things
Even to his Closet, who is hid in Heav'n;
Vainly as Nilus to his hidden springs,
And not enjoy, but censure what is giv'n.
58.
You with such temper their intemp'rance bear,
To shew your solid science does rely
So on it self, as you no trial fear;
For Arts are weak that are of Scepticks shie. ”

“ Are Enemies enough to humane life,
None need ore-charge Death's Quiver with a crime.
47.
To unfrequented Fields bear then your slain,
Where neither Dirge nor Requiem shall be giv'n;
To those who by usurp'd Revenge disdain
To take from Men, neglects they put on Heav'n.
48.
But now the People's passions run too far;
Their untaught love, artless extreams does wed;
Of times they like the past, and since they are
Opprest still by the living, love the Dead:
49. ”

“ For fears are hurtfull'st when attempts are high.
49.
And you should think your noble dangers less,
When most my praise does her renown prefer;
For that takes off your hasty hope's excess;
And when we little hope, we nothing fear.
50.
Now you are taught your sickness, learn your cure;
You shall to Court, and there serve Rhodalind;
Trie if her virtue's force you can endure
In the same Sphear, without eclipse of mind.
51.
Your Lord may there your Souls compare; for we,
Though Souls, like stars, make not their greatnes known;
May find which greater than the other be ”

“ But straight she in the lower Closet spies
Th'accomplish'd dress, and Garments of a Man.
56.
Then starting, she her Hand shrunk nicely back,
As if she had been stung; or that she fear'd
This Garment was the skin of that old Snake,
Which at the fatal Tree like Man appear'd.
57.
Th'ambitious Maid at scornfull distance stood,
And bravely seem'd of Love's low vices free;
Though vicious in her mind, not in her blood:
Ambition is the Minds immodestie!
58.
He knew great minds disorder'd by mistake,
Defend through pride, the errours they repent ”

“ Nor varie Battels shapes in the Foes view;
But now in forreign Fields means to improve
His early Arts, to what his Father knew,
That merit so might get him leave to love.
81.
Till then, check'd passion, shall not venture forth:
And now retires with a disorder'd Heart;
Griev'd, lest his Rival should by early'r worth
Get Love's reward, ere he can gain desert. ”

“ Till Time my dutie cancel with my life.
60.
And fruitfully if Heav'n ere make me bring
Your Image to the World, you then my pride
No more shall blame, than you can tax the Spring
for boasting of those Flowr's she cannot hide. ”

“ For on sacred Days they walk gravely and sadly from Temples, as if they had newly buried their sinfull Fathers; at night sleep as if they never needed forgiveness; and rise with the next Sun, to lie in wait for the Noble, and the Studious. And though these quiet Couseners are amongst the People, esteemed their steddy Men; yet they honour the courage, and more active parts of such disobedient Spirits, as disdaining thus tamely to deceive, attempt bravely to rob the State ”

“ For a wise Poet, like a wise General, will not shew his strengths till they are in exact government and order; which are not the postures of chance, but proceed from Vigilance and Labour.
Yet to such painfull Poets some upbraid the want of extemporary fury, or rather inspiration, a dangerous word; which many have of late successfully us'd; and inspiration is a spiritual Fit, deriv'd from the ancient Ethnick Poets, who then, as they were Priests, were States-men too, and probably lov'd dominion ”

“ Study breeds doubt, where reading should suffice.
60.
But these to joyn Nature no Counsel needs;
Whom Sympathy, her secret Priest, does wed;
Much fam'd will be their loves, and Martial Deeds;
Which fill all Books that are of Lombards read.
61.
With gracious Eyes, and Bodie lowly bent,
The Duke his Fathers rev'rend Troops salutes;
To Bergamo He holds his first intent;
Which to oppose, old Ulfin thus disputes.
62.
Thou seest (my Prince) the faint decays of Light;
How hastily the Suns hot Steeds begin
To mend their pace, as if their longing sight
Had newly spy'd their usual Western Inn. ”

“ The work, a folio, was succeeded by various comedies, several of them written when Lord Newcastle was in banishment, and acted, after his return to England, at Blackfriars. He wrote, it is said, in the manner of Ben Jonson, to whom he was a kind patron. The Earl was a singular compound of military skill and ardour with literary tastes; by him Sir William Davenant, poet-laureate after Jonson’s death, was made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. ”

“ Now Goltho mourns, yet not that Birtha's fair;
Or that the Duke shuns Empire for a Bride,
But that himself must joyn love to despair;
Himself who loves her, and his love must hide.
60.
He curs'd that him the wounded hither brought
From Oswald's field; where though he wounds did scape
In tempting Death, and here no danger sought,
Yet here met worse than Death in Beauty's shape.
61.
He was unus'd to love, as bred in wars,
And not till now for beauty leasure had;
Yet bore Love's load, as Youth bears other Cares;
Till now despair makes Love's old weight too sad. ”

“ An ardent Loyalist, he was imprisoned at the beginning of the civil war, but escaped to France. He is best known by his heroic poem Gondibert, founded upon the reign of King Aribert of Lombardy, in the seventh century. The French taste which he brought back from his exile, is shown in his own dramas, and in his efforts to restore the theatre at the Restoration. His best plays are the Cruel Brother and The Law against Lovers. He was knighted by Charles I., and succeeded Ben Jonson as poet laureate. On his monument in Westminster Abbey are these words: "O rare Sir William Davenant." ”

“ For the remember'd virtues of Great men are chiefly such of his works (mention'd by King David) as perpetually praise him: and the good fame of the Dead prevails by example, much more than the reputation of the Living, because the later is always suspected by our Envy, but the other is chearfully allow'd, and religiously admir'd: for Admiration (whose Eyes are ever weak) stands still, and at gaze upon great things acted far off ”

“ Betterton, who received a good education, displayed some taste for reading. According to the 'Biographia Britannica,' presumably following Southerne, the intention of bringing him up to a learned profession was abandoned, owing to the 'violence and confusion of the times putting this out of the power of his family. That the lad elected to be apprenticed to a bookseller is acknowledged by all authorities. he was, according to the 'Biographia Britannica,' bound to Mr. John Holden, who, as the publisher of 'Gondibert,' was much in the confidence of Sir William Davenant. ”

“ High Heav'n (from whose best Lights your beauty grows,
Born high, as highest Minds) preserve you still
From such, who then appears resistless Foes,
When they allyance joyn to Arms and Skill!
49.
Most by conjunction Planets harmfull are;
So Rivers joyning overflow the Land,
And Forces joyn'd make that destructive war,
Which else our common conduct may withstand.
50.
Their Knees to Hurgonil the People bow
And worship Orna in her Brothers right;
They must be sever'd, or like Palms will grow,
Which planted near, out-climb their native hight. ”