BEING A MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTION -OF ORIGINAL PAPERS, IN PROSE AND VERSE; WRITTEN DURING THE REIGNS OF HENRY VIII. EDWARD VI. QUEEN MARY, BY SIR JOHN HARINGTON, Knt. And by others who lived in those Times. SELECTED FROM AUTHENTIC REMAINS BY THE LATE HENRY HARINGTON, M. A. AND NEWLY ARRANGED, WITH ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES, BY THOMAS PARK, F. S. A. VOL. I. We ought to judge of the editions of books as we judge of men ;---none are LONDON: Printed by J. Wright, Denmark-Court, Strand, FOR VERNOR AND HOOD, POULTRY, AND CUTHELL AND MARTIN, MIDDLE ROW, HOLBORN. Certain gems that pretend not to more than moderate intrinsic worth, are yet found to acquire additional estimation from diversity of setting: the contents of some books may be presumed to do the same, by an improved transposal of their several parts. Such adventitious value is here attempted to be given to these antiquated trifles, by a different display of the pieces formerly published by Mr. Henry Harington, from a collection of MSS. which descended from his literary ancestor to the present ingenious and well-known Dr. Harington of Bath. In prosecuting this attempt, I must express my personal obligations to Edmond Malone, Esq. for the readiness with which his corrected copy of these NUGA was imparted, and for various hints that served to facilitate the process of chronological arrangement. Nor ought the habitual kindnesses of those distinguished antiquaries James Bindley and Francis Douce, Esqrs. to deter me, on the present occasion, from acknowledging the friendly services afforded by their very valuable libraries. To the learned and liberal editor of Milton's poetical works I am indebted for some estimable observations; and my particular thanks are due to Professor Dalzel, to Dr. Leyden and Dr. Anderson of Edinburgh, for their united assistance in procuring an unpublished poem by Sir John Harington, from the library of King James's college. To Mr. Professor Porson of Cambridge, to Edmund Lodge, Esq. of the Heralds college, and to John Cooper Walker, Esq. of St. Valeri, near Dublin, my respectful acknowledgments must also be made for very flattering attentions. In reconducting this miscellany to the press, I have taken the liberty of rejecting several prose pieces, which had appeared in preceding editions, and of inserting others, that seemed to possess stronger claims for admission into a mélange suranné. Much of the former poetry is likewise omitted, from having proved on examination to be printed in Tottell's early assemblage of songs and sonnets; "a garland," says our elegant Warton, “in which it was the fashion for every flowery courtier to leave some of his blossoms." As this garland is again preparing for public exhibition by the accomplished hand of Bishop Percy, such omissions became more forcibly authorised. The "State of the Church," which is curious for its biographical and historical notices, has been amplified and revised, from collation with an original MS. copy in the British Museum, apparently presented by its author to Prince Henry Frederick, anno 1607. The sketch of Sir John Harington's life has also received additions; and notes of personal or political illustration are interspersed throughout, for which the present editor is alone responsible, should they be deemed nugacious or supererogatory. The only candid excuse he can offer is that he has endeavoured, in some slight degree, to render this such a publication as it would have given him pleasure to have found it. T. PARK. |