1622: Praise of Oxford in Henry
Peacham's The Compleat Gentleman.
[Oxford is mentioned in the concluding paragraph on page 95 in chapter
10, "Of Poetrie," but there is no mention of Shakespeare.]
In the time of our late Queene Elizabeth, which was truly a
golden Age (for such a world of refined wits, and excellent spirits
it produced, whose like are hardly to be hoped for, in any succeeding
Age) agoue others, who honoured Poesie with their pennes and practise
(to omit her Maiestie, who had a singular gift herein) were Edward
Earle of Oxford, the Lord Buckhurst, Henry Lord Paget;
our Phoenix, the noble Sir Philip Sidney, M. Edward
Dyer, M. Edmund Spencer, M. Samuel Daniel, with sundry
others; whom (together with those admirable wits, yet liuing, and so
well knowne) not out of Enuie, but to auoide tediousnesse I ouerpasse.
Thus much of Poetrie.
1624: Praise
of Oxford in Gervase
Markham's Honour in his Perfection.
"And what is the most memorablest and glorious sun which ever
gave light or shine to Nobility? Our Veres, from the first hour of Caesar
to this present day of King James (which is above a thousand seven hundred
years ago) never let their feet slip from the path of nobility, never
knew a true eclipse of glory, never found declination from virtue, never
forsook their country being wounded, or their lawful King distressed,
never were attainted, never blemished, but in the purity of their garments...lived,
governed, and died, leaving the memory thereof on their monuments, and
in the people's hearts; and the imitation to all the Princes of the
World, that either would be accounted good men or would have good men
to speak good things of their actions."
[from The Mysterious William Shakespeare]
"...this nobleman breakes off his Gyves; and both in Italie, France,
and other Nations, did more honour to this Kingdome then all that have
travelled since he tooke his journey to heaven. It were infinite to
speake of his infinite expence, the infinite numbers of his attendants,
or the infinite house he kept to feede all people...that he was upright
and honest in all his dealings the few debts left behind him to clog
his survivors were safe pledges...the almes he gave (which at this day
would not only feede the poore, but the great man's family also) and
the bounty which Religion and Learning daily tooke from him, are Trumpets
so loude, that all eares know them; so that I conclude, and say of him,
as the ever memorable Queene Elizabeth said of Sir Charles Blount...that
he was Honestus, Pietas, and Magnanimus."
[from This Star of England]
1675: Praise of Oxford in Anthony
Wood's Athenae Oxonienses and Fasti Oxonienses.
"...an excellent poet and Comedian as several matters of his composition,
which were made public, did shew, which I presume are now lost or worn
out."
[Thanks to Peter
Dickson.]
1758: Praise of Oxford in Horace
Walpole's A Catalogue of the Royal and Noble Authors of England.
Tiptoft and Rivers set the example of bringing light from other countries,
and patronized the art of printing, Caxton. The Earls of Oxford and
Dorset struck out new lights for Drama, without making the multitude
laugh or weep at ridiculous representations of Scripture. To the former
we owe Printing, to the two latter Taste—what do we not owe perhaps
to the last of the four our historic plays are allowed to have been
found on the heroic narratives in the Mirrours for Magistrates; to that
plan, and to the boldness of Lord Buckhurst's new scenes perhaps we
owe Shakespeare. Such debt to these four Lords, the probability of the
last obligation, as sufficient to justify a Catalogue of Noble Authors.
[Page 144]
[Thanks to Peter
Dickson.]
1802: Praise of Oxford in Joseph
Ritson's Bibliographica Poetica: A Catalogue of English Poets.
Vere Edward, earl of Oxford, the 14th [sic] of his surname and family,
is the author of several poems printed in "The Paradise of Daintie
Devices," 1576, etc. and in "Englands Helicon." One piece,
by this nobleman, may be found in "The Phoenix nest," 1592,
another is subjoin'd to "Astrophel & Stella," 1591, and
another to "Brittons Bowre of Delights," 1597 (selected by
mister Ellis). Some lines of his are, also, prefix'd to "Cardanuses
Comforte,"1573. All or most of his compositions are distinguished
by the signature E.O. He dye'd in 1604; and was bury'd at Hackney (not
as Wood says, at Earls-Colne in Essex). Webbe and Puttenham applaud
his attainments in poesy: Meres ranks him with the "best for comedy."
Several specimens of Oxford's poetry occur in Englands Parnasus, 1600,
in the posthumous edition of Lord Oxford's works, Vol. 1. two poems,
by the Earl of Oxford, are given from an ancient MS. miscellany: but
the possessor is not pointed out. One of these is reprinted by mister
Ellis.
[pages 381-382]
[Thanks to Peter
Dickson.]
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