The Rowley Poems by Thomas Chatterton (inspirational books to read .txt) 📖

to his sister, dated 30 May, he informs her, that he is to

be employed "_in writing a voluminous history of_ London, _to appear

in numbers the beginning of next winter_." In the mean time, he had

written something in praise of the Lord Mayor (Beckford), which had

procured him the honour of being presented to his lordship. In the

letter just mentioned he gives the following account of his reception,

with some curious observations upon political writing: "The Lord

Mayor received me as politely as a citizen could. But the devil of

the matter is, there is no money to be got of this side of the

question.--But he is a poor author who cannot write on both

sides.--Essays on the patriotic side will fetch no more than what

the copy is sold for. As the patriots themselves are searching for a

place, they have no gratuity to spare.--On the other hand, unpopular

essays will not even be accepted; and you must pay to have them

printed: but then you seldom lose by it, as courtiers are so sensible

of their deficiency in merit, that they generously reward all who know

how to dawb them with the appearance of it."

 

Notwithstanding his employment on the History of London, he continued

to write incessantly in various periodical publications. On the 11th

of July he tells his sister that he had pieces last month in the

_Gospel Magazine_; the _Town and Country, viz._ Maria Friendless;

False Step; Hunter of Oddities; To Miss Bush, &c. _Court and City;

London; Political Register &c._ But all these exertions of his

genius brought in so little profit, that he was soon reduced to real

indigence; from which he was relieved by death (in what manner is not

certainly known), on the 24th of August, or thereabout, when he wanted

near three months to complete his eighteenth year. The floor of his

chamber was covered with written papers, which he had torn into small

pieces; but there was no appearance (as the Editor has been credibly

informed) of any writings on parchment or vellum.]

 

[Footnote 2: One of these fragments, by Mr. Barrett's permission, has

been copied in the manner of a _Fac simile_, by that ingenious artist

Mr. Strutt, and an engraving of it is inserted at p. 288. Two other

small fragments of Poetry are printed in p. 277, 8, 9. See the

_Introductory Account_. The fragments in prose, which are considerably

larger, Mr. Barrett intends to publish in his History of Bristol,

which, the Editor has the satisfaction to inform the Publick, is

very far advanced. In the same work will be inserted _A Discorse on

Bristowe_, and the other historical pieces in prose, which Chatterton

at different times delivered out, as copied from Rowley's MSS.; with

such remarks by Mr. Barrett, as he of all men living is best qualified

to make, from his accurate researches into the Antiquities of

Bristol.]

Part : 2 CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME.

 

  ECLOGUE THE FIRST.                    p. 1

  ECLOGUE THE SECOND.                      6

  ECLOGUE THE THIRD.                      12

ELINOURE AND JUGA.

 

This Poem is reprinted from the _Town and Country Magazine_ for May

1769, p. 273. It is there entitled, "_Elinoure and Juga. Written three

hundred years ago by T. Rowley, a secular priest_." And it has the

following subscription; "D.B. Bristol, May, 1769." Chatterton soon

after told Mr. Catcott, that he (Chatterton) inserted it in the

Magazine.

 

The present Editor has taken the liberty to supply [between books][1]

the names of the speakers, at ver. 22 and 29, which had probably been

omitted by some accident in the first publication; as the nature of

the composition seems to require, that the dialogue should proceed by

alternate stanzas.

 

 

  VERSES TO LYDGATE.                   p. 23

  SONGE TO ÆLLA.                       Ibid.

  LYDGATE'S ANSWER.                       26

 

These three small Poems are printed from a copy in Mr. Catcott's

hand-writing. Since they were printed off, the Editor has had an

opportunity of comparing them with a copy made by Mr. Barrett from the

piece of vellum, which Chatterton formerly gave to him as the original

The variations of importance (exclusive of many in the spelling)

are set down below [2].

 

[Footnote 1: Misspelled as hooks in the original.--PG editor]

 

[Footnote 2: _Verses to Lydgate_.

 

  In the title for _Ladgate_, r. _Lydgate_.

  ver. 2. r. _Thatt I and thee_.

for _bee_, r. _goe_. for _fyghte_, r. _wryte_.]

 

 

  THE TOURNAMENT.                      p. 28

 

This Poem is printed from a copy made by Mr. Catcott, from one in

Chatterton's hand-writing.

 

_Songe to Ælla_.

 

The title in the vellum MS. was simply "_Songe toe Ælle_," with a

small mark of reference to a note below, containing the following

words--"_Lorde of the castelle of Brystowe ynne daies of yore_."

It may be proper also to take notice, that the whole song was there

written like prose, without any breaks, or divisions into verses.

 

  ver.  6. for _brastynge_, r. _burslynge_.

for _valyante_, r. _burlie_. for _dysmall_, r. _honore_.

 

  _Lydgate's answer_.

 

No title in the vellum MS.

 

  ver. 3. for _varses_, r. _pene_.

  antep. for _Lendes_, r. _Sendes_.

  ult. for _lyne_, r. _thynge_.

 

Mr. Barrett had also a copy of these Poems by Chatterton, which

differed from that, which Chatterton afterwards produced as the

original, in the following particulars, among others.

 

In the title of the _Verses to Lydgate_.

 

          Orig. _Lydgate_ Chat. _Ladgate_.

  ver. 3. Orig, _goe_.    Chat. _doe_.

Orig. _wryte_. Chat. _fyghte_.

 

  _Songe to Ælla_. ver. 5. Orig. _Dacyane_.      Chat. _Dacya's_.

          Orig. _whose lockes_  Chat. _whose hayres_.

Orig. _burlie_. Chat. _bronded_. Orig. _kennst_. Chat. _hearst_. Orig. _honore_. Chat. _dysmall_. Orig. _Yprauncynge_ Chat. _Ifrayning_, Orig. _gloue_. Chat. _glare_.

 

Sir Simon de Bourton, the hero of this poem, is supposed to have been

the first founder of a church dedicated to _oure Ladie_, in the place

where the church of St. Mary Ratcliffe now stands. Mr. Barrett has a

small leaf of vellum (given to him by Chatterton as one of Rowley's

original MSS.), entitled, "_Vita de Simon de Bourton_," in which

Sir Simon is said, as in the poem, to have begun his foundation in

consequence of a vow made at a tournament.

THE DETHE OF SYR CHARLES BAWDIN. p. 44

 

This Poem is reprinted from the copy printed at London in 1772, with

a few corrections from a copy made by Mr. Catcott, from one in

Chatterton's hand-writing.

 

The person here celebrated, under the name of _Syr Charles Bawdin_,

was probably _Sir Baldewyn Fulford_, Knt. a zealous Lancastrian, who

was executed at Bristol in the latter end of 1461, the first year of

Edward the Fourth. He was attainted, with many others, in the general

act of Attainder, 1 Edw. IV. but he seems to have been executed under

a special commission for the trial of treasons, &c. within the town of

Bristol. The fragment of the old chronicle, published by Hearne at the

end of _Sprotti Chronica_, p. 289, says only; "Item _the same yere_ (1

Edw. IV.) _was takin Sir Baldewine Fulford and behedid att Bristow_."

But the matter is more fully stated in the act which passed in 7 Edw.

for the restitution in blood and estate of Thomas Fulford, Knt.

eldest son of Baldewyn Fulford, late of Fulford, in the county of

Devonshire, Knt. _Rot. Pat._ 8 Edw. IV. p. 1, m. 13. The preamble of

this act, after stating the attainder by the act 1 Edw. IV. goes on

thus: "And also the said Baldewyn, the said first yere of your noble

reign, at Bristowe in the shere of Bristowe, before Henry Erle of

Essex William Hastyngs of Hastyngs Knt. Richard Chock William Canyng

Maire of the said towne of Bristowe and Thomas Yong, by force of your

letters patentes to theym and other directe to here and determine all

treesons &c. doon withyn the said towne of Bristowe before the vth day

of September the first yere of your said reign, was atteynt of dyvers

tresons by him doon ayenst your Highnes &c." If the commission sate

soon after the vth of September, as is most probable, King Edward

might very possibly be at Bristol at the time of Sir Baldewyn's

execution; for, in the interval between his coronation and the

parliament which met in November, he made a progress (as the

Continuator of Stowe informs us, p. 416.) by the South coast into

the West, and was (among other places) at Bristol. Indeed there is a

circumstance which might lead us to believe, that he was actually a

spectator of the execution from the minster-window, as described in

the poem. In an old accompt of the Procurators of St. Ewin's church,

which was then the minster, from xx March in the 1 Edward IV. to 1

April in the year next ensuing, is the following article, according to

a copy made by Mr. Catcott from the original book.

 

  Item _for washynge the church payven ageyns } iiij d. ob.

  Kynge Edward 4th is comynge._               }

 

 

  ÆLLA, a tragycal enterlude.          p. 65

 

This Poem, with the _Epistle, Letter_, and _Entroductionne_, is

printed from a folio MS. furnished by Mr. Catcott, in the beginning

of which he has written, "Chatterton's transcript. 1769." The whole

transcript is of Chatterton's hand-writing.

 

 

  GODDWYN, a Tragedie.                p. 173

 

This Fragment is printed from the MS. mentioned above, p. xv. in

Chatterton's hand-writing.

 

 

  ENGLYSH METAMORPHOSIS.              p. 196

 

This Poem is printed from a single sheet in Chatterton's hand-writing,

communicated by Mr. Barrett, who received it from Chatterton.

 

 

  BALADE OF CHARITIE.                 p. 203

 

This Poem is also printed from a single sheet in Chatterton's

hand-writing. It was sent to the Printer of the _Town and Country

Magazine_, with the following letter prefixed:

 

"To the Printer of the Town and Country Magazine.

 

SIR,

 

If the Glossary annexed to the following piece will make the language

intelligible; the Sentiment, Description, and Versification, are

highly deserving the attention of the literati.

 

July 4, 1770. D.B."

 

 

  BATTLE OF HASTINGS, No. 1.          p. 210

  BATTLE OF HASTINGS, No. 2.             237

 

In printing the first of these poems two copies have been made use of,

both taken from copies of Chatterton's hand-writing, the one by

Mr. Catcott, and the other by Mr. Barrett. The principal difference

between them is at the end, where the latter has fourteen lines from

ver. 550, which are wanting in the former. The second poem is printed

from a single copy, made by Mr. Barrett from one in Chatterton's

hand-writing.

 

It should be observed, that the Poem marked No. 1, was given to Mr.

Barrett by Chatterton with the following title; "_Battle of Hastings,

wrote by Turgot the Monk, a Saxon, in the tenth century, and

translated by Thomas Rowlie, parish preeste of St. Johns