Volume 1

Athenae Oxonienses : An exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the University of Oxford. To which are added the fasti, or annals of the said University / By Anthony A. Wood.

  • Anthony Wood
Date:
1813-20
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Athenae Oxonienses : An exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the University of Oxford. To which are added the fasti, or annals of the said University / By Anthony A. Wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    Vnvvorthy records of your sacred skill. Then must our poets on new muses call To graunt them guilts to imitate your quill: I, like the flie that burneth in the flame. Should shew my blindnes to attempt the same. Henrie Lok.] JASPER HEYWOOD, a quaint poet in his younger days, son of Jo. Heywood the famous epigrammatist of his time,' was born in London, sent to the university at about 12 years of age, an. 1547, educated in grammar, as well as in logic, there, took a degree in arts in 1553 ; and forthwith was elected probationer-fellow of Mer- ton coll. where remaining about 5 years, (in all ■which time he bare away the bell in disputations at home and in the public schools,) did, upon a third admonition from the warden and society of that house for several misdemeanors, (for he and his brother Ellis Heywood were for a time very wild, * to the great grief of their father,) resign his fellowship, to prevent expulsion, on the 4 Apr. 1558.' In June following betook the de- gree of master, and in Nov. ensuing he was elected fellow of All-Souls coll. where abiding for a little while, left the universit}^, and soon after England, and entred himself into the society of ' [Of whom see col. 348.] * [The following lines are taken from the Paradise of dainty Deuices, edit. 1812, p. 115. Alluding his state to the prodigal child. The wandering youth, whose race so rashly runne, Hath left behind, to his eternal shame, The thriftless title of the prodigal sonne, To quench remembrance of his other name, May now divide the burthen of his blame With me, whom wretchlesse thoughts enticed still To tread the tract of his unruly will. He tooke his child's part at his father's hands, Of God's free grace his gifts I did receive; He travailed farre in many forraine lands, My restless minde would never ranging leave; False queanes did him of all his coine bereave, ^ Fond fancies stuff'd my braine with such abuse, That no good hap could seeke to any use. They drave him out when all his pence was spent, My lusts left me when strength with age was worne; He was full faine a farmer's hogs to tend. My life, misled, did rcape deserved scorne: Through hunger huge wherewith his trips were tome, He wisht for swads, even so wisht I, most vaine. In fruitlesse pleasure fondly to remaine. Now to come home with him, and pardon pray, My God, I say, against the heavens and thee I am not worthy that my lips should say Behold thy handy worke, and pity me i Of mercy, yet my soule from faults set free. To serve thee here, till thou appoint the time Through Christ, unto thy blessed joyes to clime. J. Haywood.] ^ [Yet in this very year he was recommended by cardinal Pole as a yvMte scholar, an able disputant and a steady Catholic to the founder of Trinity college, to be put in nomination for a fellowship of that college, then just founded. This scheme however did not take place. War- ton, Hist, of Eng. Foetry, iii. 389.] Jesus. But before he left us he wrote and trans- lated these things following, Various Poems and Devises. Some of which are printed in a book entit. The Paradise of dainty Devises. Collected and printed by Hen. D'isle of London printer, an. 1573, in qu.'* He also translated into English verse (1) Thyestes, the second tragedy of Seneca. Lond. 1560, oct. [Bodl. Z.464. Th.] Published again with other tragedies of that author, by Thorn. Newton. Lond. 1581, qu.' as I shall tell you when I come to him, in an. I6O7. (2) Hercules furens, another trag. of Seneca, [printed 1561.^] And (3) Troas a third, [printed by Tottell,again by Powell, * and in 1559 in a small oct. with a dedic. to queen Elizabeth.^] published also by the said Newton, 1581, qu. In 1561, our poet left England, and was made a priest after the R. Cath. fashion, and in 1562, being then at Rome, he was entred into the society of Jesus 21 May, in the then pro- fessed house of the Jesuits there. After he had spent two years in the study of divinity among them, he was sent to Diling in Switzerland, where he continued about 17 years in explaining and discussing controverted questions among those he called heretics, in which time he was promoted to the degree of D. of divinity, and of the four vows. At length P. Gregory 13 calling him away in 1581, he sent him, with others the same year, into the mission of England,' and the rather, be- cause the brethren there told his holiness, ' That the harvest was great, and the labourers few.' Being setled then in the metropolis of his own country, and esteemed the chief or provincial of the Jesuits in England, it was noted* by all that knew him. That he kept many men, horses, and coaches, that also his port and carriage was more baron-like than priest-like, &c. At length going to France about public matters relating to the order, was, when ready to land in Normandy, drove back by a contrary wind on the English shore; where being taken and examined, was, with 19 more R. priests put into a ship, and set [This must be a mistake, for the first edit, known was in 1576, the second 1577, third 1578, (among Wood's books in the Ashmole museum. No. 482) fourth 1580, fifth 1585, sixth 1596, seventh 1600, eighth and last with an intro- duction and other additions by Brydges and Haslewood, 1812.] ' [See a description of this edition in Warton's Hist, of Eng. Poetry, iii. 382; and Censura Literaria, ix. 386—399.] 6 [MS. Baker.] [Warton, Hist, of Eng. Poetry, iii. 388.] ^ [MS. Baker.] * [MS. LOVEDAY.] ' [Father Heywood did vaunt and brag in England as if legate of the see apostolick, called a provincial councel, ab- rogated the vigils and fasts of our lady, prohibited the acts of our martyrs written by Dr. Allen. So say the secular priests; father Parsons denied it, but it was again affirmed and proved by Dr. Humphry Ely in his notes on Parsons Apologie, 8vo. 1602, pref p. 31. Kennet,] ^ See m Tho. Bell's Anatomy of Popish Tyranny, Lond, 1603, lib. 1, p. 9, and in lib. 2, p. 25. I