Waltoniana Part 6

LETTER TO MARRIOTT

1673.

[The original is preserved in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and was printed for the first time in Sir Harris Nicolas' Life of Walton (Pickering, 1837), lxxix, lx.x.x.]

M'R. MARRIOTT,

I have received Bentevolio, and in it M'r. Her's. life; I thank you for both. I have since I saw you received from M'r. Milington so much of M'r.

Hales his life as M'r. Faringdon had writ; and have made many inquiries concerning him of many that knew him, namely of M'rs. Powny, of Windsor, (at whose house he died), and as I have heard, so have set them down, that my memory might not lose them. M'r. Mountague did at my being in Windsor promise me to summon his memory, and set down what he knew of him. This I desired him to do at his best leisure, and write it down, and he that knew him and all his affairs best of any man is like to do it very well, because I think he will do it affectionately, so that if M'r. Fulman make his queries concerning that part of his life spent in Oxford, he will have many, and good, I mean true informations from M'r. Faringdon, till he came thither, and by me and my means since he came to Eton.

This I write that you may inform M'r. Fulman of it, and I pray let him know I will not yet give over my queries; and let him know that I hope to meet him and the Parliament in health and in London in October, and then and there deliver up my collections to him. In the mean time I wish him and you health; and pray let him know it either by your writing to him, or sending him this of mine.

G.o.d keep us all in his favour, his and your friend to serve you, IZAAK WALTON.

Winchester, 24th August, 1673.

PREFACE TO THEALMA AND CLEARCHUS.

1678.

[Thealma and Clearchus, a Pastoral History, in smooth and easie Verse.

Written long since, By John Chalkhill, Esq.; an Acquaintant and Friend of Edmund Spencer. London: Printed for Benj. Tooke, at the s.h.i.+p in S. Paul's Church-yard, 1683.]

_The Preface._

The Reader will find in this Book, what the t.i.tle declares, A Pastoral History, in smooth and easie Verse; and will in it find many Hopes and Fears finely painted, and feelingly express'd. And he will find the first so often disappointed, when fullest of desire and expectation; and the later, so often, so strangely, and so unexpectedly reliev'd, by an unforeseen Providence, as may beget in him wonder and amazement.

And the Reader will here also meet with Pa.s.sions heightned by easie and fit descriptions of Joy and Sorrow; and find also such various events and rewards of innocent Truth and undissembled Honesty, as is like to leave in him (if he be a good natur'd Reader) more sympathizing and virtuous Impressions, than ten times so much time spent in impertinent, critical, and needless Disputes about Religion: and I heartily wish it may do so.

And, I have also this truth to say of the Author, that he was in his time a man generally known, and as well belov'd; for he was humble, and obliging in his behaviour, a Gentleman, a Scholar, very innocent and prudent: and indeed his whole life was useful, quiet, and virtuous. G.o.d send the Story may meet with, or make all Readers like him.

I.W.[1]

May 7, 1678.

FOOTNOTES

[1] The Poem of Thealma and Clearchus was left in an unfinished state: it terminates abruptly with the half line

"Thealma lives"--

Upon which Walton adds

_And here the Author dy'd, and I hope the Reader will be sorry._

LETTER TO JOHN AUBREY.

1680.

[The original is amongst Aubrey's MSS. in the Ashmolian Museum: annexed to it is the following note by Aubrey: "This account I received from Mr.

Isaac Walton (who wrote Dr. Donne's Life), &c. Decemb. 2, 1680, he being then eighty-seven years of age. This is his own hand-writing, I.A." _See Walton's Lives, With Notes and the Life of the Author by Thomas Zouch, third edition. York, 1817._ Vol. II. pp. 353-356.]

_ffor y'r friends q'ue this._

I only knew Ben Jonson: But my Lord of Winton knew him very well; and says, he was in the 6th, that is, the uppermost fforme in Westminster scole, at which time his father dyed, and his mother married a brickelayer, who made him (much against his will) help him in his trade; but in a short time, his scolemaister, M'r. Camden, got him a better imployment, which was to atend or acompany a son of Sir Walter Rauley's in his travills.

Within a short time after their return, they parted (I think not in cole bloud) and with a love sutable to what they had in their travilles (not to be commended). And then Ben began to set up for himself in the trade by which he got his subsistance and fame, of which I need not give any account. He got in time to have a 100 a yeare from the king, also a pension from the cittie, and the like from many of the n.o.bilitie and some of the gentry, w'ch was well pay'd, for love or fere of his railing in verse, or prose, or boeth. My lord told me, he told him he was (in his long retyrement and sickness, when he saw him, which was often) much afflickted, that hee had profained the scripture in his playes, and lamented it with horror: yet that, at that time of his long retyrement, his pension (so much as came in) was giuen to a woman that gouern'd him (with whome he liu'd and dyed near the Abie in Westminster); and that nether he nor she tooke too much care for next weike: and wood be sure not to want wine: of w'ch he usually tooke too much before he went to bed, if not oftener and soner. My lord tells me, he knowes not, but thinks he was born in Westminster. The question may be put to Mr. Wood very easily upon what grounds he is positive as to his being born their; he is a friendly man, and will resolve it. So much for braue Ben. You will not think the rest so tedyous as I doe this.

ffor y'r 2 and 3 q'ue of Mr. Hill, and Bilingsley, I do neither know nor can learn any thing worth teling you.

for y'r two remaining q'ue of Mr. Warner, and Mr. Harriott this:

Mr. Warner did long and constantly lodg nere the water-stares, or market, in Woolstable. Woolstable is a place not far from Charing-Crosse, and nerer to Northumberland-house. My lord of Winchester tells me, he knew him, and that he sayde, he first found out the cerculation of the blood, and discover'd it to Dr. Haruie (who said that 'twas he (himselfe) that found it) for which he is so memorally famose. Warner had a pension of 40l.

a yeare from that Earle of Northumberland that lay so long a prisner in the Towre, and som allowance from Sir Tho. Aylesbury, and with whom he usually spent his sumer in Windsor Park, and was welcom, for he was harmles and quet. His winter was spent at the Woolstable, where he dyed in the time of the parlement of 1640, of which or whome, he was no louer.

Mr. Herriott, my lord tells me, he knew also: That he was a more gentile man than Warner. That he had 120 a yeare pension from the said Earle (who was a louer of their studyes), and his lodgings in Syon-house, where he thinks, or believes, he dyed.

This is all I know or can learne for your friend; which I wish may be worth the time and trouble of reading it.

I.W.