1 Nashe and Peele? The wonder is, that still reminds the passer-by of the spot where among these poor outcasts any one should" rare Ben Jonson "first trod the boards, and have retained his self-respect; that some few shonld have been decent, striving family men; that the greatest among them should, when but just passed his middle age, have retired to his native town honored as a worthy householder, as well as famed as our greatest dramatist; and that the chief actor of his day, Alleyn, the employer too, of 80 many of our foremost writers, should, in his honored old age, have numbered nobles and prelates among his guests at "God's Gift College," and taken the daughter of the Dean of St. Paul's (Dr. Donne) for his second wife. There must have been a depth of moral feeling among all classes of society in the reign of Elizabeth, which has not been sufficiently recognized, to account for this; the salt must have penetrated deeply, when we find, too, that even the most profligate among these dramatists dared not to treat morality or religion with the scorn which was considered indispensable in the days of Charles the Second, and that whatever coarseness may be found in their writings, the more serious charge of calling evil good, and good evil, cannot be brought against them. In society such as we have just described there must have been much attraction for the young man-at-arms whose earlier years had been passed at Westminster School. Wild excitement, license, unknown to the sober craftsman under whose roof his childhood had been fostered, Jonson had doubtless already found in camp and garrison; but here, with equal excitement, with equal freedom, were now the superadded pleasures of converse with educated and highly-gifted men. We can scarcely assign a later date than the beginning of 1592 for Jonson's introduction to the stage: and, at that time, both Greene and Marlowe were living. With them he may have revelled, perhaps quaffed with them draughts of the "rich canary so celebrated by him in after days; and then, Peele, Nashe, Dekker, Heywood, Shakespere, ere long became his associates. Jonson's first engagement, we are told, was at the "Green Curtain," near Shoreditch, an inferior theatre, but which has given its name to a locality which, through all the changes of more than two hundred and sixty years, it has retained; and the Curtain-road made his first essays in dramatic literature. From various sources we learn that Jonson gained but little credit as an actor. His huge size, though not as yet spread out to the enormous bulk of his later years, the awkward bearing which his satirizers always ridicule, and a humor in his face-very probably resulting from insufficient diet during his sojourn in Flanders-for inveterate scurvy was one of the commonest diseases of the disbanded man-at-arms—all were against him as an actor, and all were sarcastically brought forward, years after, in the course of his bitter feud with Marston and Dekker. But even had Jonson been more favored in person, it is very unlikely that he would have been a good actor, for we have not a single instance on record of a superior dramatic writer being so. Most probably therefore, Jonson, like most of his contemporaries, began early to write for the stage, and although still an actor, looked to his pen as his chief means of subsistence. About this time, it would seem, he married ; who his wife was, even her Christian or surname, cannot be ascertained; she was probbly of low origin, and, from the epitaph on his eldest daughter, we find she was a Roman Catholic. The marriage seems to have been an ill-assorted one; and five years before her death, which was some time previous to 1618, he wholly separated from her. His remark to Drummond, that she was honest, but a shrew, seems to place her before us as a homely, ignorant woman, certainly all unfit to be a poet's bride. The earliest dramatic efforts of Ben Jonson have, doubtless, like so many more of our fine early dramas, been wholly lost; for the first work that can be definitively traced to him is Every Man in his Humor, as it was played with the Italian characters some time in 1596: a play not only displaying so much talent, but such dramatic skill, that it cannot be accepted as the first fruits of his genius. As an earlier composition, although by no means as the earliest, we should be inclined to place the comedy, published in 1609, with his name, but without his direct sanction, of The Case is Altered. This play, which contains some admirable writing, very much resembles those of Greene, and Greene we know was a writer upon "I have lost one of my company, which burteth me greatly, that is Gabriel (Spenser), for he is slain in Hoxton-fields by the hands of Benjamin Jonson, bricklayer; therefore, I would fain have little of your counsel, if I could.” Mr. Collier to whom whom many of the rising writers for the great dramatists—seems very probable, espestage formed their style. As one of Jonson's cially as we find that Shakespere himself took earliest plays, it is deserving especial notice the principal character. for the great sweetness with which the char- But ere the end of this year, Jonson beacter of Rachel is delineated. Indeed, this came involved in a quarrel with an actor is the only interesting female character to be which led to serious results-a fight in Finsfound in the whole range of Jonson's plays. bury-fields, where, having killed his oppoFrom the Green Curtain, Jonson seems to nent, he was committed to prison on the have transferred himself to the Rose, at charge of murder. Many have been the Bankside, and to have become "a coven- conjectures of Jonson's biographers, both as anted servant to Philip Henslowe, the to who his opponent was, and what the "serjeant of the Bear Garden, proprietor of cause of their quarrel might be. The latter the Rose Theatre, and joint shareholder in | is still unknown, but a letter of Henslowe, the Fortune," whose curious diary is so addressed to his son-in-law Alleyn, then at valuable an illustration of the literary his- the Brille, in Sussex, dated September 26th, tory of that day. From entries here, we 1598, supplies specific information as to the find that Every Man in his Humor, called former. "Since you were with me," he in the old manager's book The Comedy of writes, we do not give his spelling, which Humors, was performed by Henslowe's com- really beats all the bad spelling we ever saw, pany early in 1596. It appears to have been very successful, but we cannot ascertain the sum " Benjemy " received for it. He was now, however, evidently one of Henslowe's regular play-writers, and, like most of his brethren, was continually receiving small sums in advance for work in we are indebted for the publication of this hand. He was probably at this time very letter, remarks on the singular fact of necessitous, for among other entries there is Henslowe calling Jonson-although, as well a loan of five shillings to him, while we as Gabriel Spenser, one of his own comnever meet with his name among the pur-pany, a writer too, actually in his pay, chasers of cloaks, "sylke stockens," cloth, and who, not a month before, had received, or jewellery, all of which Henslowe was as we learn from his diary, an advance of accustomed to supply in the regular tally-money for a play writen by himself and two shop fashion, taking instalments of a shilling others" a bricklayer," as though he or sixpence a week, and doubtless stopping really did not know who he was. But this the salary if not duly paid. Indeed, from could not be the case; more likely was it the sarcastic remark of Dekker, "how you that the wary manager of the Rose, and borrowed Roscius' (Alleyn's) cloke to be now about to become joint proprietor of the mad in," it would seem that Jonson at this Fortune within sight of which, in those time was destitute even of the usual actor's pleasant Finsbury-fields, the deadly encounapparel. Still, at this very time, his name, ter had taken place, dreaded the discreditaas we learn from contemporary writers, ble report of a fatal duel fought by two of stood high, not only as a writer of comedies, his company, and therefore ignored the but of tragedies; Meeres especially, in his actor and dramatist, and rested the charge Palladis Tamia, published in 1598, ranking on the "bricklayer." An entry of not a him with Marlowe, Peele, Shakspere, and month later in his diary,-evidently before some others, as "the best in England for Jonson could have stood his trial,-curiously tragedy." In that year, Jonson offered his illustrates this supposition: "Lent unto Shaw amended play of Every Man in his Humor and Jewby, to lend unto Mr. Chapman on to the Blackfriars Theatre, where Shakespere his book, and two acts of a tragedy of Benthen was; and the story which Gifford so jamin's plot, £3." Master Henslowe well angrily impugns of this play being on the knew the low estimation in which point of rejection when Shakespere interposed" hireling players" were held by the city in its favor-a kindness which led to the authorities, and the severe punishment with subsequent friendship between these two which their brawls were visited; not un The garland that she wears their hands must Who can both censure, understand, define, Nothing like this do we ever find in Shake- too. likely therefore,-for he had a character to maintain, he was churchwarden of St. Saviour's but a few years after, he kept aloof from all reference to Jonson as one of his company, until the result of the trial should be known. This result was favorable; Johnson was acquitted, and there seems no reason to doubt that the case was, as he informed Drummond," that Spenser That his brother dramatists were annoyed acted dishonorably, by fighting with a sword at this assumption of superiority was very ten inches longer than his own.” It was natural, and that they let him know it, during the interval between his committal was very natural Among these, and trial that Jonson "taking his religion Marston and Dekker seem to have been foreupon trust," as he says, turned Roman Cath- most, so in the following year, Jonson olic. With the remembrance of his father, brought out his Poetaster with the express and his sufferings for a purer faith, the intention of holding them up to ridicule as less manner in which Jonson relates this Crispinus and Demetrius; and to show, change seems very heartless. Twelve also, that even years afterwards, he, however, returned to the Church of England, and characteristically enough, signalized his reconciliation by drinking off the full cup of sacramental This wearisome dull play, in which a Roman wine. "Jonson did every thing lustily," citizen talks of andirons and cushions for says Mr. Bell; we may add, it is to be the parlor window-seats, and his wife comes feared, he did every thing recklessly, and in with "whalebone boddice" and muff, from the impulse of the moment, rather was, however, soon after prohibited by than from principle. authority, in consequence of sarcastic re care Virgil, Horace, and the rest On his release from prison, Jonson re-flections in it upon the army and the law. turned to his former profession; and we With the former, Jonson soon reconciled now find his name again at full length in himself; but the law was more inexorable, Henslowe's book. His play of Every Man and it was only through the good offices of out of his Humor was brought out at the the "worthy master Richard Martin" that Globe early in the next year; and in the he was saved from its visitations. The August, we find him associated with Dekker dramatists whom he had made the esin the composition of a play, now lost, called Page of Plymouth. Jonson's fortunes were now evidently rising; he seems to have gained some friends at Court, and and we find that Queen Elizabeth on one occasion honored Every Man out of his Humor with her presence. There are notices of other works on which he was employed by Henslowe, and among them, one entitled The Scots Tragedy. This is lost, but that strange jumble of classical mythology and personal satire, Cynthia's Revels, still remains to us. It was acted at Blackfriar's by the children of the Queen's chapel, and is chiefly deserving notice for the arrogant style in which the author speaks of himself, both in the prolouge and epilogue. His muse, he remarks,— pecial objects of his satire next took their turn, and in the Satiromastix every thing discreditable to Jonson that could be collected was brought forward, with much bitterness, but certainly not without some humor. Gifford, who almost rages against the memory of Marston and Dekker because of this satire, might have remembered that it was Jonson who began the quarrel,—that it was cruel in them" to depress a young writer depending on his pen for subsistence," it was equally cruel in him to do the same to them; and that if they did strike the hardest blows, the combatant who began the strife had only himself to thank for it. There seems, we think, little doubt, judging both from this feud and subsequent ones, that Jonson was haughty and overbearing, while his campaign in the Low Countries had rendered him both impatient of contradiction, and ready to take up any real joy; or imaginary ground of quarrel. Indeed, "doing" the Latin and the long speeches, his pugnacity is often referred to by him- while his rival, Dekker, took the larger part self, and he boasts of the beating he gave and most of the poetry, the graceful masque Marston, in addition to the figurative casti- that welcomed the Queen and Prince Henry gation he bestowed upon him. at Althorpe, and the May-day entertainment Notwithstanding the open contempt he at Sir William Cornwallis', at Highgate, had avowed for a popular audience, Jonson were both his composition. But about this still continued to write for the Rose and the time a deep sorrow overwhelmed him, in the Fortune, and was still glad to receive instal-loss of his eldest son, by the plague; and ments from Henslowe for work in hand. In the grief-stricken father recorded his irreparJune this year (1602) we find "lent unto able loss in those beautiful lines beginningBenjemy Jonson, in earnest of a book called Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and Richard Crookback, and for new additions for Jeronymo, the sum of £10." Shakespere's Richard had now been more than five years before the public; it is curious, therefore, to find Jonson taking up the subject so long after. The play is lost, but the additions to He seems now to have removed to BlackJeronymo have been given by Mr. Collier, infriars, and as we soon after find notices of his edition of Dodsley's Old Plays. Dur- his library-which subsequently became very ing these years Jonson seems to have lived large and valuable-he must have been renear the Fortune, for we find from the isters that an infant son was buried at St. Giles, Cripplegate, in 1599, and another in 1600, at Bishopsgate; of his infant daughter Mary, on whom he wrote that beautiful epitaph, no record has been found. reg My sin was too much hope of thee, loved boy; Seven years thou wert lent to me-I thee pay, Exacted by thy fate on the just day." lieved from the pressure of immediate want. He still, however, continued writing for the stage, and produced Sejanus, the first of his tragedies which has been preserved to us. This met with violent opposition, and it was withdrawn. The following year Jonson was About this time Jonson seems to have involved in greater difficulties. In conjuncformed acquaintance-probably through the tion with Chapman and Marston,-with introduction of Camden-with many learned whom he was now reconciled, he brought men. Sir Henry Saville, Sir Robert Cotton, out that admirable comedy of old London Selden, and perhaps Bacon, were among manners, Eastward Hoe, which is especially these. He also became a member of that deserving of notice as the source from whence celebrated club at the Mermaid, in Bread-Hogarth derived the outline of his powerful street, which now boasted a list of illustri-series, the "Idle and Industrious Apprenous names never equalled in the annals of tices." In this there was a passage which the thousand clubs which have sprung up, was construed into a reflection upon the flourished, and died away since then. It is Scotch, and James, with an arbitrariness highly creditable to Jonson, that he owed this companionship with the first scholars of the age to his deep and various learning. Ever, from the time when, with trowel in his hand and book in his pocket, he worked at Lincoln's Inn, he seems to have been a hard student; and when we look back upon the wandering, precarious life he had led, we are astonished at the energy with which he continued to pursue those studies which, under On his liberation Jonson the auspices of Camden, he had far more were set free. favorably begun at Westminster School. gave a banquet, at which his aged mother This superior learning doubtless pointed him was present, who, drinking to her son, out to the notice of the Court on the acces- showed him a paper of poison which she sion of James, and although the Entertainment had prepared to mix in his wine, and to of the King, in passing to his Coronation, take herself, if the threatened sentence had was only partially assigned to Jonson, he been inflicted. Fortunately, as Mr. Bell re which must have startled the nation, sent Chapman and Marston forthwith to prison. Jonson, feeling himself equally responsible, though not included, nobly accompanied them. It was reported that the favorite punishments of the Stuart dynasty, ear-cutting, and nose-slitting, were to be the penalties, but Jonson had friends at court, and on due submission, and the expunging of the obnoxious passage, the luckless playwrights marks, "the fierce old lady was spared the ars; but Italian literature seems to have tragedy she contemplated, but the anecdote been viewed with a strange contempt by the is curious, as revealing the source from pupil of Camden, and the friend of Sir Robwhence Jonson derived his hot blood and ert Cotton, and Selden. indomitable spirit." It is curious to find From this time Jonson appears to have that, notwithstanding this narrow escape, been duly recognized as "the court poet," Chapman and Jonson, not much above a and to have passed his time chiefly at Whiteyear after, were again imprisoned for some hall, or in visiting the houses of the nobilpersonal reflections in a play. The nature ity. And a joyous life he there led; while of these is not known, nor even the name his former associates, Shakespere excepted, of the play, but Jonson's admirable letter were still striving hard, even for bread; to the Earl of Salisbury, inserted in Gifford's Massinger earnestly imploring Alleyn for life, seems to hint that the license taken by the loan of a few pounds, and Dekker sendthe players with the text was the cause, for ing grateful letters from the King's Bench he urges," My noble lord, they deal not Prison, acknowledging the kind manager's charitably who are witty in another man's aid. We cannot see that there was any works, and utter sometimes their own mali- superior prudence, or aught of higher princi cious meanings under our words." He ple, in Jonson, thus to raise him above therefore prays "to be examined by all my them, but he was singularly adapted for the works, past and present, and not trust to station. It is true that the roughness of rumor, but my books." His application the man-at-arms who had trailed a pike in was successful, and soon after we find him Flanders, and the love of license, the reckagain in favor at court, and commissioned to lessness of the wandering player, were with preparo the Masque of Blackness for the him to the last, and woe to the silken galQueen against twelfth-night, 1605. In this lant, even within the verge of the court, year he brought out Volpone, which met a who dared the thrust of that rude and ready more fortunate fate than Jonson's earlier hand. Strange, too, must he have looked plays, and the following Christmas he was among the favorites of James with their again engaged at Whitehall, where he pro- gorgeous dress and almost feminine beautyduced his Masque of Hymen, in honor of the that huge, unwieldy man, scarred, coarse-feaill-starred marriage of the boy-Earl of Essex, tured, shaggy-eyebrowed, with loud voice and the already profligate girl, the Lady and louder laugh, and almost Spartan scorn Frances Howard. The poet was no prophet, of rich clothing. But there were qualities but his masque excited great admiration, in that rude, rough-looking man, that made while his learned allusions and learned notes him welcome to them all. He could disnot improbably introduced him to the no- course right learnedly upon witchcraft, with tice of the King. The preface to the first chapter and verse from Lucan, and Apuleius, edition of this masque curiously illustrates down to "Cornelius Agrippa, Bodin, RemiJonson's pride in recondite learning. "How-gius and Delrio," for the delectation of the soever," he says, some may squeamishly" high and mighty King James;" he could cry out, that all endeavor of learning, and ridicule puritanism in its every form, for the sharpness in these transitory devices, espe- solace of the mitre-wearing and mitre-expectcially where it steps beyond their little (or, ant church dignitaries; he could soothe with let me not wrong them), no brain at all, is gracefullest compliments and sweetest verse superfluous; I am contented these fastidious the fair Court ladies; he could join in riotstomachs should leave my full tables, and ous carousals, and quaff off goblet after enjoy at home their clean, empty trenchers, goblet of canary with the deepest drinkers fittest for such airy tastes, where, perhaps, of a Court disgracefully renowned for drunka few Italian herbs picked up and made into enness and riot; and yet he could charm by a sallad, may find sweeter acceptance than his witching converse and learned discourse, all the most nourishing and sound meats of Donne, Selden, Bacon, and gather around the world." The sarcasm of "a few him the rising scholarship of a learned age, Italian herbs," is evidently levelled at the all anxious to be called his sons, and in former writers of the court masques, Dray- their whimsical phrase, "to be sealed of the ton and Daniel, both excellent Italian schol- tribe of Benjamin." No wonder that, once 66 |