Edited by Hester Lees-Jeffries; introduction by Ian Donaldson.

Athenae Oxonienses: An Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops Who Have Had Their Education in the Most Ancient and Famous University of Oxford From the Fifteenth Year of King Henry the Seventh Dom. 1500 to the End of the Year 1690, an ambitious and pioneering biographical compendium published anonymously in two volumes in 1691-2, was the work of the Oxford historian and antiquarian Anthony Wood (or, as he had come to style himself by that date, Anthony à Wood), born 1632, died 1695. Wood had already published in 1674 a history of the University of Oxford, first in Latin, under the title Historia et antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis, and later in English, as The History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford. In the huge task of assembling material for Athenae Oxonienses he was assisted by fellow-historian and antiquarian John Aubrey, who worked industriously, though not always with due acknowledgement from the curmudgeonly Wood, as his roving research assistant: gathering information from university archives, from ecclesiastical and local records, from graveyard visitations, and – Aubrey’s major resource, which would fuel in time his own crowning achievement, Brief Lives – a tireless capacity for gossip and enquiry. Athenae Oxonienses was at once Wood’s triumph and his downfall, for it prompted a suit in the Vice-Chancellor’s court at Oxford brought in 1693 by Henry Hyde, second Earl of Clarendon, who maintained that Wood had libelled his father, Edward Hyde, first Earl of Clarendon, by suggesting he had received money for offices at the Restoration. Wood was found guilty of this charge, and expelled from the University; and the second volume of Athenae Oxonienses, containing the offending entries, was publicly burnt outside the Sheldonian Theatre (Wood, Life and Times, 1961, 342-6).

Certain details in Wood’s account of Jonson’s life coincide with remarks later found in Aubrey’s Brief Lives. Thus the reference in Athenae Oxonienses to Jonson’s connection with ‘a Nursery or obscure Play-house called The Green Curtain, about Shoreditch or Clerkenwell’ mirrors Aubrey’s remark in Brief Lives that Jonson’s theatrical career began ‘at the Green Curtaine, a kind of Nursery or obscure Play-House, somewhere in the Suburbes (I thinke towards Shoreditch or Clarkenwell)’. Both references to ‘the Green Curtaine’ probably represent a confused memory of the not-so-obscure Curtain theatre, Shoreditch, where Every Man In His Humour was performed by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in 1598. In similar fashion, the details in Athenae Oxonienses concerning the location of Jonson’s tomb in Westminster Abbey and the story of its inscription tally closely with the account later given by Aubrey in Brief Lives.

Wood may have taken other details from Thomas Fuller’s account of Jonson’s life in his Worthies (1662): the confident statement that Jonson was born ‘within the City of Westminster’, for example, and the more qualified hearsay report that he was ‘as ‘tis said, statuably elected into St John’s coll.’ in Cambridge. On the likely accuracy of these two matters, see LR95a, Fuller, headnote.

The notion that Jonson was ‘the Father of our Poetry’ (as stated at the outset of Wood’s account) was already current in Jonson’s lifetime, being implicit in the common trope of ‘the sons of Ben’. By the Restoration this figure had become further entrenched and elaborated: for Dryden’s Crites in An Essay of Dramatic Poesy ‘Father Ben’ was ‘the greatest man of the last age’. On the metaphor, see Donaldson, ‘Fathers and Sons’, in 1997a, ch. 10.

The antiquary William Camden was second Master (not ‘Master’) at the time of Jonson’s arrival at Westminster School. There is no other evidence to support the idea that Camden secured employment for Jonson as governor to the young Wat Ralegh on his Continental travels, which occurred in 1612-13, well after the time that Jonson may have spent in study at Cambridge.

Jonson’s friendship with the jurist John Selden (1584-1654) and with John Hoskyns (1566-1638) and Richard Martin (1570-1618) – both members of the Middle Temple and of the Mermaid Club – was built on shared political beliefs as well as a love of classical literature. Selden is admiringly addressed by Jonson in The Underwood, 14; in conversation with William Drummond, Jonson called him ‘the law-book of the judges of England, the bravest man in all languages’ (Informations, 483-4). Jonson dedicated the folio edition of Poetaster to Martin, who had successfully defended the play against charges of libel in 1601.

For Jonson’s period of residence at Christ Church, Oxford, in Michaelmas term 1619, and his receipt of an honorary degree from the University, see Donaldson, 2011, ch. 17. It is likely that Jonson had by this time already received an honorary degree from the University of Cambridge, which he mentions in conversation with Drummond, Informations, 191.

Wood attributes to Jonson certain works now recognized as having been written by other authors. The Tragedy of King Thierry King of France and His Brother Theodoret is by Beaumont and Fletcher. The Widow is almost certainly the work of Thomas Middleton (as Karen Britland argues in Dubia, in the present edition). The attribution to Jonson of other works listed by Wood has recently (on the other hand) been somewhat strengthened: see the Dubia entries for His Motives and Sermones fideles (the Latin translation of Bacon’s Essays).

On the pensions payable to Jonson in his last years, see Donaldson (2011), 404-5; on the fabulously wealthy Thomas Sutton, founder of Charterhouse – suspected by Aubrey of having furnished the ‘hint’ for Volpone – see ibid., 339-40. The ‘worthy Prelate several years since deceased’ mentioned by Wood is George Morley D.D. (1597-1684), who had been educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. Morley was elected Dean of Christ Church in 1660, and served as Bishop of Worcester, 1660-62, and as Bishop of Winchester, 1662-84. He knew Jonson well, and visited him frequently during his final years. In conversation with Izaac Walton (as reported by Aubrey, Brief Lives) Morley repeated the story Wood here tells of Jonson’s distress at ‘his profaning the Scripture in his Plays’. ‘Ben. Johnson Junior’ was a pseudonym adopted by the (presumably, quite unrelated) author of the collection of poems published in 1672: see Noyes (1935), 8.
Ian Donaldson

BENJAMIN JOHNSON, a Poet as soon as he was born, afterwards the Father of our Poetry, and most admirably well vers’d in classical authors, and therefore belov’d of Camden, Selden, Hoskins, Martin, &c. made his first entry on the stage of this vain World within the City of Westminster, (being the son of a grave minister,) educated in the College School there, while Camden was Master, which is the reason that Ben did afterwards (e   ) acknowledge, that all he had in Arts and all that he knew he own’d to him. Thence his silly Mother, who had married to her second Husband a Bricklayer, took him home, and made him, as ’tis said, work at her Husbands trade. At length being pitied by some generous Gentlemen, Camden got him a better imployment, which was to attend or accompany a Son of Sir Walt. Raliegh [sic] in his adventures, whereby gaining experience, made his company acceptable among many. After their return they parted, I think not in cold blood, and thereupon Ben went to Cambridge, and was, as ’tis said, statutably elected into St. Johns coll. But what continuance he made there, I find not. Sure ’tis, that his Genie being mostly Poetical, he did afterwards receed to a Nursery or obscure Play-house called The Green Curtain, about Shoreditch or Clerkenwell, but his first action and writing there, were both ill. At length improving his fancy much by keeping Scholastical company, he betook himself again to write plays, which he did so admirably well, that he was esteemed paramount in the dramatick part of Poetry, and to teach the stage an exact conformity to the Laws of Comedians. Whereupon Sir John Suckling bringing (f   ) him into the Session of Poets, Ben broke silence, spoke to the Poets, and
Bid them remember how he had purg’d the Stage,
Of Errours that had lasted many an age.
His own proper industry and addition to books, especially to ancient Poets and Classical authors, made him a person of curious learning and judgment, and of singular excellence in the art of Poetry. Which, with his accurate judgment and performance, which known only to those few, who are truly able to judge of his works, have gain’d from the most eminent Scholars of his time (particularly from the learned Selden) an increasing admiration. Dr. Richard Corbet of Christ Church and other Poets of this University, did in reverence to his parts invite him to Oxon, where continuing for some time in Christ Church in writing and composing Plays, he was, as a Member thereof, actually created Master of Arts in 1619; and therefore upon that account I put him among the Oxford writers, for at Cambridge his stay was but short, and whether he took a degree in that University, I cannot yet learn of any. His works are these.
Every Man in his humour, a Comedy.—Acted 1598.
Every Man out of his humour, Com.—Act 1599.
Cynthia’s Revels, Com.—Act. 1600.
Poetaster, or his arraignment, Com.—1601.
Sejanus his Fall, a Tragedy—Act. 1602.
Volpone, or the Fox, Com.—1609.
Alchemist, Com.—1610.
Cataline his Conspiracy, Trag.—1611.
Epigrams—in number 134.
Epigrams called the Forrest—in number 15.
Part of the Kings entertainment in passing to his Coronation—in prose and verse.
A panegyre on the happy entrance of King James to his first high Session of Parliament, 19. March 1603.—A Poem.
A particular entertainment of the Queen and Prince at Apethorp [sic], at the house of the Lord Spencer, 25. June 1603.—A Poem.
Private entertainment of the King and Queen on May day in the morning at Sir William Cornwallis his house at Highgate 1604.—In verse and prose.
Entertainment of the two Kings of Great Britain and Denmark at Theobalds 24. July 1606.—In Latin and English verse.
Entertainment of King James and Queen Anne at Theobalds, when the house was delivered up with the possession, to the Queen by the Earl of Salisbury, 22. May 1607.—Written in verse.
Twelve Masks at Court.
Barthelmew Fair, Com.—Acted 1614.
Devil is an Asse, Com.—1616.
Staple of News, Com.—1625.
Magnetick Lady, or humours reconciled, Com.
Tale of a Tub, Com.
Sad Shepherd, or a tale of Robin Hood, Trag.
Masks.
Underwoods.—Consisting of divers Poems, entertainments, and of some Odes of Horace translated.
Mortimer his fall, Trag.—imperfect.
Horace his Art of Poetry made English.—This last was afterwards printed by it self. Lond. 1640. Oct. and with it, (1) Execration against Vulcan. (2) Masque of the Gypsies. (3) Epigrams to several noble personages--about 23. in number. All composed by B. Johnson.
English Grammar for the benefit of all strangers.
Discoveries made upon men and matter.
All which are contained in two volumes in folio printed 1616. and 1640.
Tragedy of Thierry King of France, and his Brother Theodored.
The New-Inn, or the light heart, Com. Lond. 1631. octavo.
His Motives.—Printed 1622. Oct. He also had a hand in a Comedy called, The Widdow. Lond. 1652. quarto John Fletcher and Thomas Middleton were his Assistants. Also in Eastward hoe, Com. Assisted by George Chapman &c. and did with Dr. Hacket (afterwards Bishop of Lichfield) translate into Latin the Lord Bacons Essays or Counsels Civil and Moral. At length B. Johnson after he had arrived to the sixty third year of his age, marched off from the stage of this vain World on the 16. of August in sixteen hundred thirty and seven, and was buried three days afterin S. Peters Church within the City of Westminster, commonly called the Abbey Church, not among the Poets, but at the west end near to the belfry, under the Escocheon of Robert de Ros, or Roos, with this engraven on a common pavement stone laying over his grave, at eighteen pence charge, given by Jack Young of Great Milton in Oxfordshire, (afterwards a Knight by the favour of King Charles 2.) O rare Ben. Johnson. There was a considerable sum of money gathered from among the Wits and Vertuousi of his time for the erection of a monument and a Statua for him, but before they could be done, the Rebellion broke forth and hindred the design; whereupon the money was refunded. I have been informed by a worthy Prelate (*)   several years since deceased, that this Poet Ben had a pension of an 100 l. per annum from the King, a pension also from the City of London, and the like from several of the Nobility, and from some of the Gentry, particularly from Sutton, Founder of the Hospital that now bears his name, which were commonly well paid either out of pure love to him, or out of fear of his railing in verse or prose, or both. When he was in his last sickness, the said Prelate, who was then Master of Arts did, among other of his acquaintance, often visit him, and as often heard him repent of his prophaning the Scripture in his Plays, and that with horrour, &c. Many years after his death did appear to the World another Poet of both his names, who writes himself in his Poems, published 1672. Ben. Johnson Junior, but what relation there was between him and the former I know not.

Bibliography
Donaldson (2011)
Noyes (1935)
Wood, A. à (1961)
Wood, A. à (1691-2)