[111] Ben Jonson, b. 1573; d. 1637.
[112] Prefacing the edition of Jonson’s works of 1816; also in the elegant re-issue of the same—under editorship of Colonel Cunningham in 1875. Gifford seems to have spent his force (of a biographic sort) in picking up from various contemporary authors whatever contained a sneer at Jonson, and exploding it, after blowing it up to its fullest possible dimensions;—reminding one of those noise-loving boys who blow up discarded and badly soiled paper-bags, only to burst them on their knees.
[113] Ward (Ency. Br.) is inclined to doubt his going at all to Cambridge: I prefer, however, to follow the current belief—as not yet sufficiently “upset.”
[114] The facts regarding this “felony” of Jonson’s have been subject of much and varied averment: recent investigation has brought to light the “Indictment” on which he was arraigned, and some notes of the “Clerk of the Peace.” See Athenæum, March 6, 1886.
[115] In his Discoveries (De Shakespeare) Jonson says, “The players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing (whatsoever he penned) he never blotted out a line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand. Which they thought a malevolent speech.… I loved the man, and do honour his memory, on this side idolatry as much as any.”
[116] John Stow, b. 1525; d. 1605. His Survey published in 1598: reprinted over and over. Edition of 1876 has illustrations.
[117] Richard Hakluyt, b. about 1558; d. 1616.
[118] Thomas Coryat, b. 1577; d. 1617. Full title of his book is—Coryat’s Crudities hastily gobbled up in Five moneths Travells in France, Savoy, Italy, Rhetia, commonly called the Orisons Country, Helvetia, alias Switzerland, and some parts of Germany and the Netherlands.
[119] First published in 1589.
[120] Dates of birth and death uncertain. His Anatomie of Abuses first published in 1583.