Letter from
Sir Kenelm
Digby
to
Brian Duppa
, 1637, in a scribal volume of miscellaneous letters and
treatises by
Sir Kenelm
Digby,
1603-1665. Digby was
Jonson
’s friend and became his
literary executor.
Duppa, 1588-1662, was Dean of Christ Church College,
chaplain to
Charles
I, and tutor of Princes
Charles
and
James.
He collected
Jonsonus Virbius, a collection of poems in honour of
Jonson
(1638).
Martin Butler
[fol. 21]
To Doctor Duppa
the Deane of Christchurch
and the Princes Tutor
Sir I vnderstand
(with much gladnesse) you haue bin carefull to gather what hath
bin written vpon Master Johnson since his death. It is an office well
beseeming that excellent piety that all men know you by; yet, were but halfe
performed if you should lett it rest here. As your owne tendernesse towards that
worthy man hath made you seek to both [[sic]] your selfe in his frendes
teares; so your humanity towardes the publike (which good men reioyce
to see you in ye way so much to aduance) ought not to be satisfyed vntill
you haue giuen it a propriety in these collections. Besides, I belieeue (if care of
earthly thinges touch soules happily departed) that these compositions deliuered to
the world by your hand, will
[fol. 21v]
be more gratefull
obsequies to his great ghost, then any other that could haue bin
performed att his tombe. For no Courtes decree can better establish a
lawfull claymer in the secure possession of his right; then this will him of his
laurel; which when he liued he wore so high aboue all mens reach, as
none could touch; much lesse, shake from off his reuerend head. I am writting by
this private inuitement of you vnto so iust a worke, to witnesse in a particular
manner to your selfe (who loued him dearely) the great value and
estime I haue of this braue man; the honour of his age; and he that sett a periode
to the perfection of our language: and will as soone as I can do the like to the
world, by making it share with me in
[fol. 22]
those
excellent pieces (alas that many of themare but pieces!
which he hath left behind him and that I keepe religiously by me
to yat end. I promise myselfe that your goodnesse and frendlinesse to
me will pardon me for that a while diuerting your thoughtes, that are continually
busied about what is of greatest consequence, knowing me to be. Your most
affectionate and humble Seruant.
Bibliography
JAB, 201-2
See the discussion of Jonson ’s final papers in ‘ Jonson ’s Copyrights’.
See the Literary Record.