ART. VI. THOMAS RYMER.

"Thomas Rymer," says Oldys, "was born in Yorkshire, went to school at North-Allerton under Mr. Thomas Smelt, when Dr. George Hickes was his schoolfellow. He studied the laws in Gray's Inn. In 1692 he succeeded Shadwell as Historiographer Royal. See a character of his " Foedera" in Dr. Kennet's 2d letter to the Bishop of Carlisle, and in the said Bishop's Historical Library, and in Davis's Icon Libellorum.

Rymer translated Plutarch's Life of Nicias, which was published with the rest in 1683-4. There are also in print "Rymer's Curious Amusements," 8vo. 1714, and his "View of Parliaments," 8vo. 1714; " Rymer's Three Letters to Bishop Nicholson occasioned by some passages in his Scottish Hist. Library," 8vo. 1702.

Rymer died Dec. 14, 1713, and was buried four days after in the church of St. Clement Danes, Middlesex.

See a reflection on him in Fenton's Life of Milton. See the Satire on Translators in the State Poems, reprinted in R. Cross's Collection of Poems, 8vo. 1747. See the "Impartial Critic; or, some observations on Mr. Rymer's late book, entitled "a Short View of Tragedy, by Mr. Dennis," 4to. 1697.

ART. VII. LADY ELIZABETH CAREW.

The industrious compiler of the Biographia Dramatica is ignorant of the family and history of this lady, who wrote a Tragedy, entitled "Mariam, the fair Queen of Jewry, 4to. 1613," which was never

acted;

acted; yet" considering those times and the lady's sex, may be allowed to be well penned. It is written in alternate verse, and with a chorus, which chorus is composed of Settines, or stanzas of six lines, the four first of which are interwoven, or rhyme alternately, the two last rhyming to each other, and forming a couplet in base."

Oldys supposes her name should be spelt Carey, and that she was the wife of Sir Henry Carey, to whom Davies dedicated his "Muses Sacrifice" 1612. (see p. 40). If so, she was probably Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir Laurence Tanfield, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and wife of Sir Henry Carey, who in 1622 was created Viscount Falkland.

*

But it is more probable she was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Spenser of Althorpe, wife of Sir George Carey, 2d Lord Hunsdon, † to whom Thomas Nash dedicated his "Christ's Tears over Jerusalem. Whereunto is annexed a comparative admonition to London. A Jove Musa. By Thomas Nashe." Printed for Andrew Wise in St. Paul's churchyard, at the Angell, 1594. Dedicated "To the most honored and vertuous beautified Ladie, the Ladie Elizabeth Carey: wife to the thrice magnanimous and noble discended Knight, Sir George Carey, Knight Marshall." 4to. ‡

To this last lady, Spenser dedicates his Muiopotmos, in these words:

* See Memoirs of Peers of James I. 8vo. 1802. Vol. I. p. 398.

+ Unless it should be objected that she would have been called Lady Hensdon ; but perhaps the play was written, though not published, before her husband succeeded to the title, which was in 1596.

Herbert III. 1373

M

"To

"To the Right Worthy and vertuous Ladie, the Ladie Carey.

"Most brave and bountiful Lady, for so excellent favours as I have received at your sweet hands, to offer these few leaves as in recompence, should be as to offer flowers to the gods for their divine benefits. Therefore I have determined to give myself wholly to you, as quite abandoned from myself, and absolutely vowed to your services: which in all right is ever held for full recompence of debt or damage, to have the person yielded. My person, I wot well, how little worth it is. But the faithful mind and humble zeal which I bear unto your ladyship, may perhaps be more of price, as may please you to account and use the fair service thereof; which taketh glory to advance your excellent parts and noble vertues, and to spend itself in honouring you: not so much for your great bounty to myself, which yet may not be unminded, nor for name and kindred sake by you vouchsafed, being also regardable, as for that honourable name, which ye have by your brave deserts purchased to ́yourself, and spread in the mouths of all men: with which I have also presumed to grace my verses, and render your name to commend to the world this small poem. The which beseeching your Ladyship to take in worth, and all things therein, according to your wonted graciousness, to make a mild construction, I humbly pray for your happiness.

Your La. ever humbly;

ED. SP."

It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader that this lady was sister to Alice Countess of Derby, for whom Milton's "Arcades" was written.

ART

ART. VIII. The most pleasante Historie of Albino and Bellama, a Poeme: to which is annexed the Vindication of Poesie, by N. W. Lond. Printed, and are to be sould by Nicho. Fussell, 1639—&c,

SIR,

The last time I had the pleasure of meeting you in London, you requested I would furnish you with some information respecting a little volume in my possession. The volume to which I allude is entitled "The most pleasante Historie of Albino and Bellama, a Poeme : to which is annexed the Vindication of Poesie, by N. W. London, printed and are to be sould by Nicho. Fussell, 1639." It has a title-page neatly engraved, by Cor. Van. Dahen, from subjects in the poem. Of the author I learn, from a copy of commendatory verses (in Latin) by Jacob Bernard of Trinity College, that Whiting was Master of Arts, and that he was of King's College, Cambridge. There are several commendatory poems prefixed, as was the custom of the age. The scene is placed in Spain; and of the story, which is written in the sextain measure of a stanza and a couplet, the following is a brief analysis. "Bellama, the daughter of Don Rivilezzo, refusing to marry Don Fuco, a rich old nobleman, is carried by her father to the monastery of Darwey, the inhabitants of which are minutely described; then follows an account of her instauration,

Adorn'd with vesture, white as bleached snow;

A cyprus mantle, over which was cast,

(So lightly hung 'twould not abide a blow)

A milk-white ribbon lock'd unto her waste,
Grac'd with a crucifix: her slender wrists
With praying beads were wreath'd on sable twists."
Among

M 2

Among the votaries attendant upon the convent is Albino, a young monk of modest carriage and singular beauty, whose mental talents are complimented in two lines:

Discreet as Tyro's are, he'd store of wit

In that he knew to use and husband it;

in which the mind naturally reverts to Butler's account of Hudibras :

Who, though he had great store of wit,

Was very spare of shewing it.

Upon the first sight of Bellama he is enamoured of her beauty, and finds an opportunity of disclosing his passion to her; after several meetings the jealous matron discovers them in an arbor in the garden, in consequence of which Bellama is secluded, and the frown of the duenna, when next he meets her, convinces Albino that his attachment is discovered. Unable to gain the ear of his mistress, he employs one of his brother monks to deliver letters to Bellama; but Bardino, forfeiting his trust, discloses the letters to the "Abbatesse," and tells Albino that his lady treated him with scorn. Rivilezzo, after two years confinement, fetches Bellama from the convent vi et armis. Albino, in order to obtain the sight of his mistress, assumes the habit of a young woman, and presents himself at the grate of the abbey as the daughter of Don Fulco, and is admitted into the order, where he soon learns the escape of his flame. In order to get without the pale of his confinement the he-lady persuades the "Abbatesse" that in his way he has lost a ring, but the abbess only offers to send a maid to recover it. He then endeavours to bribe the porter by a purse of coins, consisting of pieces of glass gilt over; but before the time of elopement

arrives,