NOTES

ON

EPISTLES

HEROIC AND AMATORY.

EPISTLE I.

Page 1. THE Author of this Epistle was of Sidney College, Cambridge; and died at an early period, after having given various proofs of uncommon talents.

In 1728 was published a posthumous volume of his Poems.

Page 16. The Duke of Suffolk, being at the instance of the Commons banished the realm, embarked for France, but was taken in his passage by a pirate, who, bringing him back to the English coast, beheaded him. Before his death, he is supposed to write the following lines to his paramour Queen Margaret. The incidents are chiefly taken from the first and second parts of Shakspere's historical plays of Henry the VIth.

21. Here must I fall, fast by the rolling main

(Nor was the mutter'd spell pronounc'd in vain,]

Bol. Tell me what fates await the Duke of Suffolk? Sp. By water shall he die, &c.

See Shakspere, 2d Part of Henry VI. A. 1. S. 3. 22. Of lordships wide and princely treasures vain,

The Benedictine rears his stately fane:] Marmoutier, a noble convent of Benedictines of the regulation of St. Maur. This magnificent structure stands about half a league from Tours, on the banks of the river Loire, by the side of the cliff which skirts the river almost from Blois to Tours, and its lofty spire rises above the height of the rock. Amongst numerous treasures, it boasts the relics of St. Martin the patron Saint of Tours, and a ring of our Henry the Second, to whom Touraine, and most of the adjoining provinces which are watered by the Loire, belonged. The abbacy of this convent is annexed to the Archbishopric of Tours; the declivities of the rock, adjoining to this fabric, are famous for producing many excellent wines, the chief of which are exported at Bourdeaux. J.

24. But now, alas! far other thoughts arise,

Far other scenes distract my closing eyes!

For, ah!

-] An excellent letter of this unfortunate nobleman to his son, just before his own death, and many other interesting anecdotes respecting him, are preserved in the very curious collection of the Paston Letters, lately published by Sir John Fenn.-One, which relates the particulars of his murder, is here subjoined:

"To the ryght worchipfull John Paston, at Norwich. "Ryght worchipfull S". I recomaunde me to yow, and am right sory of that I shalle sey and have soo weshe this litel bill with sorwfulle terys that on ethes (scarcely) ye shalle reede it.

"As on Monday nexte after May (day 4th. May) ther come tydyngs to London that on Thorsday before (30th of April) the Duke of Suff' come unto the costes of Kent full nere Dower with his ij shepes and a litel Spynn' the qweche Spynn" he sente with c'teyn Lett's to c'teyn of his trustid men unto Caleys warde to knowe howe he shuld be resceyvyd, and with hym mette a shippe callyd Nicolas of the Towre, with other shippis waytyng on hym, and by hem that were in the Spyner the maister of the Nicolas hadde knowlich of the Dukes amyng, and whanne he espyed the Dukes shepis he sent forth his bote to wete what they were, and the Duke hym selfe spakke to hem, and seyd he was be the Kyngs comaundement sent to Caleys ward, &c.

"And they seyd he moste speke with here mast' and soo he wt ij or iij of his men wente forth wyth hem

yn here bote to the Nicolas, and whanne he come the mast' badde hym welcome Traitor as me sey, and for th' the maist' desyryd to wete yf the Shepmen woldde holde with the Duke, and they sent word the wold not ynn noo wyse, and soo he was yn the Nicolas tyl Sat'day next (2d. May) folwyng.

"Soom sey he wrotte moche thenke to be delyu'd

to the Kynge, but that is not verily knowe, he hadde his Confessor with him, &c.

"And some sey he was arreyned yn the sheppe on here man' upon the appechementes, and fonde gylty,

&c.

"Also he asked the name of the sheppe, and whanne he knew it he remembred Stacy that seid if he myght. eschape the daung" of the Towr he shud be saffe, and than his herte faylyd hym for he thowght he was dyssevyd, and yn the syght of all drawyn ought of the grete Shippe yn to the Bote, and there was an Exe and a stoke and oon of the lewdeste (meanest) of the shippe badde hym ley down hys hedde and he shud be fair ferd wyth and dye on a swerd, and smotte of his hedde withyn halfe sa doseyn strokes, and toke awey his Gown of russette and his Dobelette of velvet mayled, and leyde his body on the Sonds of Dover, and some sey his hedde was sette oon a pole by it, and hes men sette on the londe grette circostчnce and prey [that is, as I understand it, after the most circumstancial proofs of their not being accessories with the Duke, and intreaties to be discharged] and the Shreve of Kent doth weche the body and sent his Under Shreve to the Juges to wete what to doo, and also to the Kenge whatte shalbe doo.

"Forther I wotte notte but this fer is yt yf the p's (process) be erroneos lete his concell reu'se it," &c. This letter was written on Tuesday 5 of May 1450, & in the 28 of Henry VI.

Sir John adds, that "the Duke's body was taken from Dover Sands, and carried to the Collegiate Church of Wingfield in Suffolk, where it lies interred under an altar tomb, in the Chancel, with his effigies in armor, painted, gilt, &c. carved in wood, lying on it. It is remarkably well executed, as is that of Alice his wife likewise, which lies at his right hand. See Sir John Fenn's observations on the preceding narrative, in the Collection of the Paston Letters.

EPISTLE IV.

Page 26. The Princess Mary, Henry the Eighth's younger sister, being in love with the Duke of Suffolk, was, for public reasons, married to Lewis the Twelfth of France, who died in six months after. The Queen, again at liberty, is supposed to write this Epistle to the Duke of Suffolk, her first lover.

EPISTLE V.

Page 32. To this Epistle the following Dedication was originally prefixed:

To the right honorable MARY LEPEL, Baroness Dowager Hervey of Ickworth, distinguished by her superior accomplishments, as the admirer and protectress of every elegant art, this Poem is, with the greatest respect, inscribed, by her ladyship's obliged humble servant, GEORGE KEATE.