GEORGE GASCOIGNE Was born in 15401, of an ancient family in Essex, was bred at Cambridge, and entered at Gray's Inn; but being disinherited by his father for extravagance, he repaired to Holland, and obtained a commission under the Prince of Orange. A quarrel with his Colonel retarded his promotion in that service; and a circumstance occurred which had nearly cost him his life. A lady at the Hague (the town being then in the enemy's possession) sent him a letter, which was intercepted in the camp, and a report against his loyalty was made by those who had seized it. Gascoigne immediately laid the affair before the Prince, who saw through the design of his accusers, and gave him a passport for visiting his female friend. At the siege of Middleburgh he displayed so much bravery, that the Prince rewarded him with 300 gilders above his pay; but he was soon after made prisoner by the Spaniards, and having spent four months in captivity, returned to England, and resided generally at Walthamstow. In 1575 he accompanied Queen Elizabeth in one of her stately progresses, and wrote for her amusement a mask, entitled the Princely Pleasures of Kenil 1 Mr. Ellis conjectures that he was born much earlier. VOL. J. L worth Castle. He is generally said to have died at Stamford, in 1578; but the registers of that place have been searched in vain for his name, by the writer of an article in the Censura Literaria1, who has corrected some mistakes in former accounts of him. It is not probable, however, that he lived long after 1576, as, from a manuscript in the British Museum, it appears that, in that year, he complains of his infirmities, and nothing afterwards came from his pen. Gascoigne was one of the earliest contributors to our drama. He wrote the Supposes, a comedy, translated from Ariosto, and Jocasta, a tragedy from Euripides, with some other pieces. THE ARRAIGNMENT OF A LOVER. AT Beauty's bar as I did stand, George, quoth the Judge, hold up thy hand, My lord, quod I, this lady here, Wherefore her doom doth please me best. Let her be judge and juror both, Quoth Beauty, No, it fitteth not Then Craft the crier call'd a quest, Jealous the gaoler bound me fast, To hear the verdict of the bill; George, quoth the judge, now thou art cast, And there be hang'd all but the head; Down fell I then upon my knee, And though this Judge doth make such haste To save the man that meant you good; And I Quoth Beauty, Well; because I guess Yea madam, quoth I, that I shall ; Thus am I Beauty's bounden thrall, FROM GASCOIGNE'S GRIEF OF JOY, An unpublished Poem in Manuscript, in the British Museum. 18 A. 61.-King's Library. THERE is a grief in every kind of joy, * That is my theme, and that I mean to prove; And who were he which would not drink annoy, To taste thereby the lightest dram of love? * * * * Of lusty youth then lustily to treat, It is the very May-moon of delight; * * The heav'ns on high perpetually do move; THE VANITY OF THE BEAUTIFUL. They course the glass, and let it take no rest; |