YATES, JAMES. The Hould of Humilitie: Adjoyned to the Castle of Courtesie. Servingman. Captious Conceipts, good Reader, doe dismis, -London Imprinted by John Wolfe, dwelling in Distaffe Lane neere the Signe of the Castle. 4to. B. L. The precise terms of the entry of this very rare work in the Stationers' Register have, as far as we know, nowhere been given, and they are important as showing that, when the work was brought to the Hall, it consisted, or was intended to consist, of three parts. They were these, "vii. Die Junij. [1582]. John Wolfe. Item recived of him, &c. to printe a book intituled the Castell of curtesy, the holde of humility, and the Chariot of Chastity viijā", The cost of the license was eightpence (instead of 4d., the price of a ballad, or 6d., the price of a single work), on account of the three-fold character of the book. But, though licensed together, the parts do not appear to have come out together. "The Castle of Courtesie must have appeared first, and it was followed by "the Hould of Humilitie"; so that the meaning of the title-page at the head of our Article is that the "Hould of Humilitie" was a sort of supplement to "the Castle of Courtesie." The volume before us includes a production not mentioned in the title-page, though noticed in the entry, and which has a separate title-page of its own, in the following words: "The Chariot of Chastitie, drawne to publication by Dutiful Desire, Goodwill and Commendation. Also a Dialogue between Diana and Venus. With Ditties devised at sundrie idle times for Recreation sake: Set downe in such wise as insueth by James Yatis. - London, Imprinted by John Wolfe. 1582." Here the name of the author is spelt Yatis and not Yates, as elsewhere, a trifling circumstance, which we only mention for the sake of identification. This portion is separately dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Reynowls, and hence we learn that "The Castle ́ of Courtesie," had been inscribed to her husband. The numbers of the folios and the signatures begin with "The Hould of Humilitie," and there can be no doubt that "The Castle of Courtesie," had been previously published with its own signatures and pagination. Herbert mistook the date, and gave it as 1581 (Herbert's Ames, II. 1186), but the entry of the book at Stationers' Hall was not made until June, 1582. Sufficient specimens will be found in Cens. Lit. II. 11, in Bibl. Anglo. Poet. 1815, p. 423, in Extr. from Stat. Reg. II. 165, and in other places; but as we never saw more than the copy in our hands, and as it appears to differ in some important respects, we will describe it with some particularity. 1 Although there is no date on the title-page, “1582” precedes the first poem in "the Hould of Humilitie,” which itself occupies seven leaves; then follow miscellaneous pieces, some of them dated 1578. Hence we learn that Yates, or Yatis, lived in the country and had friends at Cambridge and Ipswich. On fol. 22, are "Verses upon this Theame Silence breaketh many Friendeshippes: written unto his friende G. P. (forsan George Peele)." 1 There are also lines in pious commemoration of the Earthquake on Wednesday 6 of April, 1580, betwene 5 and 6 of the clocke at night." After fol. 30 begins "The Chariot of Chastitie," with a new title-page, as we have already inserted it. On fol. 60 is "Yates his song, written presently after his coming from London." On fol. 63 we have "an Epitaph upon the death of the wife of Mr. Pooly, of Badley"; and in a marginal note we are informed that she was sister to Lady Wentworth. The "Dialogue betwene Diana and Venus, declaring what can be alleaged of eyther side for confutation" may be seen reprinted in Extr. from the Stat. Reg. II. 166, and need not here be repeated. Another piece is quoted in Cens. Lit. II. 13, and a third called “A Sonnet of a slaunderous Tongue," in Bibl. Anglo-Poet. p. 424. In the middle of the volume Yates pronounces his own "Verdict of his Booke," in which the reader, however patient, is not likely to concur. The best specimen of this "Servingman's" versifica 1 It seems unlikely that Peele would be meant by Yates, when he speaks of his "friend G. P." tion is unquestionably the controversy between the Goddesses of Chastity and Beauty. They end, however, as they began, without producing conviction on either side, for Venus exclaims in her last stanza, "To prove perswations now with me Farewell! Adew! Be honest still: To Riotte I will clime." And so the ladies separate. All Yates's performances have a didactic and moral turn, but as poetry they have little to recommend them. YOUNG, BARTHOLOMEW. Amorous Fiammetta. Wherein is set downe a catalogue of all and singuler passions of Love and jealosie, incident to an enamored yong Gentlewoman &c. First wrytten in Italian by Master John Boccace &c. and now done into English by B. Giovano del M. Temp. &c. At London Printed by J. C. for Thomas Newman, &c. B. L. 4to. 131 leaves. The copy of this book at Bridgewater House wants the date at the bottom of the title-page, which has been torn off, but at the end it is inserted, namely 1587. The translator was Bartholemew Young of the Middle Temple, as the name is given at length in the dedication to Sir William Hatton, which is not subcribed by Young, but by Thomas Newman. In what way Newman became possessed of the MS. is not stated. The seven books are concluded by a table of Contents. Bartholemew Young had translated from the Spanish the "Diana" of Montemayor, and its continuations by Perez and Gil Polo in 1583, that date being given at the end of the printed copy which appeared in 1598. He had spent two years in Spain, and had no doubt travelled in other parts of Europe, as, besides Italian, he must have been well acquainted with French. In the dedication of the "Diana" to Lady Rich, he refers to the time when "in a public show at the Middle Temple," it fell to his lot "unworthily to perform the part of a French Orator, by a deducted speech in the same tongue." Young also translated the fourth book of Guazzo's “Civil Conversation," 4to. 1586. The three first books of the same work had been rendered by G. Pettie, and separately printed in 1581. They had been licensed to R. Watkins in 1579; and three years earlier the same stationer had put forth the same translator's "Petite Palace of Pettie his Pleasure," which was popular enough to be reprinted in 1598, and has been repeatedly noticed by bibliographers. It contains no poetry, and the twelve histories, chiefly classical subjects, are not related with any attractive vivacity. ZEPHERIA. Ogni di viene la sera. Mysus et Hæmonia juvenis qui cuspide vulnus At London, Printed by the Widdowe Orwin for N. L. and John Busbie. 1594. 4to. 22 leaves. We apprehend that this could never have been a very common book, and the author probably printed it to gratify his own taste and ambition, rather than the demands of any numerous body of readers. At present only two or, at most, three copies are known of it; but the late Mr. Utterson caused twelve inpressions of a reprint to be struck off from a most careless transcript, in which sometimes the old spelling is used and sometimes the new, while particular words, on which the meaning (such as it is) much depends, are grievously misrepresented. Thus in the very first "Canzon," out of forty of which the volume consists, we have attempt for "attemper," and Lass for "Lais." We need go no further in an ungracious task. There is no dedication or address to the reader, but at the back of the title-page is a short list of errata, followed by a sort of appeal to the poets of the author's day, under the heading Alli veri figlioli delle Muse, but he obviously limits himself to sonnet-writers, of whom, to no inconsiderable extent, he was a rather poor imitator. "Delian sonnetrie "1 in the poem in question (which we extract) refers to Samuel Daniel's sonnets entitled "Delia," published, and republished in 1592: "Ye modern Laureats famousd for your writ, Who for your pregnance may in Delos dwell, Their browes enobling with applause and laurel, Ye fett your penns from wing of singing swanne Ye from the father of delicious phrases Report throughout our westerne isle doth ring Oh then your high straines drowne his melodie! He to your silverie songs lent sweetest touch, Oh pardon! for my artlesse pen to[o] much Of endlesse praise which have your pens achiv'd, Yet be it leyfull that like maymes I bide, Like brunts and scarres in your loves warfare, And here, though in my home-spun verse, of them declare.” 1 This epithet may have no personal reference, and only a general application to the poetry of the time and to the isle of Delos, as the birthplace of Apollo and Diana. Still, "our Western Isle" can only mean England, in and before 1594, famous for its sonnets and short pieces of graceful miscellaneous poetry. |