Literary Record 9
[From
Poems By J. D. With Elegies on the Authors
Death, 1635. ]
Roe's poem is dated January 6th, when the court saw a Scottish sword dance, but Roe
seems to
be referring to The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses, written by Samuel Daniel,
which was danced on January 8th. Roe calls the masque he and Jonson were ejected from
'the
Queens Masque' and says it had multiple gods, which would fit Daniel's masque better
than the
January 6th entertainment.
Roe begins by saying that politics is the next best entertainment to Jonson's plays,
combining praise of Jonson and a negligent dismissal of court affairs. He urges Jonson
not to
descend to satirising worthless lords in his writing. He and Jonson should abandon
the court
and trust each other, strong in their shared knowledge that courtiers are merely flatterers
and
have nothing like the virtue of the King and Queen. They scorn Jonson's learning;
let them, Roe
goes on, and let them carry on in riotous excess as well, their creditors will catch
up with
them even if God spares them. 'Popham' is Sir John Popham, at this time Chief Justice
of the
King's Bench, and 'Cooke' is Sir Edward Coke, the Attorney General. See the discussion
in Butler (2008), 34-9.
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To Ben. Iohnson, 6 Ian. 1603.
The State and mens affaires are the best playes
Next yours, 'Tis nor more nor lesse than due praise.
Write, but touch not the much descending race
Of Lords houses, so settled in worths place,
As but themselves none thinke them usurpers.
It is no fault in thee to suffer theirs.
If the Queene Masque, or King a hunting goe,
Though all the Court follow, Let them. We know
Like them in goodnesse that Court ne'r will be,
For that were vertue, and not flatterie.
Forget we were thrust out. It is but thus
God threatens Kings, Kings Lords, as Lords doe us.
Iudge of strangers, Trust and believe your friend,
And so me; And when I true friendship end,
With guilty coscience let me be worse stung,
Then with Pophams name sentence theeves, or Cookes tongue
Traitors are. Friends are our selves. This I thee tell
As to my friend, and to my selfe is Counsell:
Let for a while the times unthrifty rout
Contemne learning, and all your studies flout.
Let them scorne Hell, they will a Sergeant feare,
More than we them, that, ere long God may forbear,
But Creditors will not. Let them increase
In riot and excesse as their meanes cease,
Let them scorne him that made them, and still shun
His Grace, but love the whore who hath undone
Them and their soules. But; that they that allow
But one God, should have religions enough
For the Queens Masque, & their husbands, for more
Then all the Gentiles knew, or Atlas bore.
Well, let all passe, and trust him who nor cracks
The bruised Reed, nor quencheth smoaking flaxe.
(207-8)