lucasta-第6节
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〃The Humble Petition of the Gentry； Ministers； and Commonalty； for the county of Kent； agreed upon at the General Assizes for that county。〃 See JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS； iv。 675…6…7。 The 〃framers and contrivers〃 of this petition were Sir Edward Dering； Bart。； of Surrenden…Dering； Sir Roger Twysden； the well…known scholar； Sir George Strode； and Mr。 Richard Spencer。 On the 21st May； 1641； Dering had unsuccessfully attempted to bring in a bill for the ABOLITION of church government by bishops； archbishops； &c。； whereas one of the articles of the petition of 1642 （usually known as DERING'S PETITION） was a prayer for the restoration of the Liturgy and the maintenance of the episcopal bench in its integrity。 A numerously signed petition had also been addressed to both Houses by the county in 1641； in which the strongest reasons were given for the adoption of Dering's proposed act。 From 1641 to 1648； indeed； the Houses were overwhelmed by Kentish petitions of various kinds。 This portion of Wood's narrative is confirmed by Marvell's lines prefixed to LUCASTA； 1649：
〃And one the Book prohibits； because Kent Their first Petition by the Authour sent。〃
〃Sir William Boteler； of Kent； returning about the beginning of APRIL 1642； from his attendance （being then Gentleman Pentioner） on the king at YORKE； then celebrating St。 GEORGE'S feast； was by the earnest solicitation of the Gentry of Kent ingaged to joyn with them in presenting the most honest and famous Petition of theirs to the House of Commons； delivered by Captain RICHARD LOVELACE； for which service the Captain was committed Prisoner to the GATE HOUSE； and SIR WILLIAM BOTELER to the Fleet； from whence； after some weeks close imprisonment； no impeachment in all that time brought in against him ＇Boteler＇； many Petitions being delivered and read in the House for his inlargement； he was at last upon bail of 20；000 ＇15；000＇ remitted to his house in LONDON； to attend DE DIE IN DIEM the pleasure of the House。〃 MERCURIUS RUSTICUS； 1646 （edit。 1685； pp。 7； 8）。 The fact was that； although on the 7th of April； 1642； the Kentish petition in favour of the Liturgy； &c。 had been ordered by the House of Commons to be burned by the common hangman （PARLIAMENTS AND COUNCILS OF ENGLAND； 1839； p。 384）； Boteler and Lovelace had the temerity； on the 30th of the same month； to come up to London； and present it again to the House。 It was this which occasioned their committal。 In the VERNEY PAPERS （Camd。 Soc。 1845； p。 175） there is the following memorandum：
〃Captaine Lovelace committed to the Gatehouse ！ Concerning Sir William Butler committed to the Fleete ！ Deering's ！ petition。〃
〃Gatehouse； a prison in Westminster； near the west end of the Abbey； which leads into Dean's Yard； Tothill Street； and the Almonry〃Cunningham's HANDBOOK OF LONDON； PAST AND PRESENT。 But for a more particular account； see Stow's SURVEY； ed。 1720； ii。 lib。 6。
〃The Gatehouse for a Prison was ordain'd； When in this land the third king EDWARD reign'd： Good lodging roomes； and diet it affords； But I had rather lye at home on boords。〃 Taylor's PRAISE AND VIRTUE OF A JAYLE AND JAYLERS； （Works； 1630； ii。 130）。
By an inadvertence； I have spoken of THOMAS； instead of WILLIAM； Lovelace having perished at Caermarthen； in a note at p。 125。
It appears from the following copy of verses； printed in Tatham's OSTELLA； 1650； 4to。； that Lovelace made a stay in the Netherlands about this time； if indeed he did not serve there with his regiment。
UPON MY NOBLE FRIEND RICHARD LOVELACE； ESQ。； HIS BEING IN HOLLAND。 AN INVITATION。
Come； Adonis； come again； What distaste could drive thee hence； Where so much delight did reign； Sateing ev'n the soul of sense？ And though thou unkind hast prov'd； Never youth was more belov'd。 Then； lov'd Adonis； come away； For Venus brooks not thy delay。
Wert thou sated with the spoil Of so many virgin hearts； And therefore didst change thy soil； To seek fresh in other parts？ Dangers wait on foreign game； We have deer more sound and tame。 Then； lov'd Adonis； come away； For Venus brooks not thy delay。
Phillis； fed with thy delights； In thy absence pines away； And love； too； hath lost his rites； Not one lass keeps holiday。 They have changed their mirth for cares； And do onely sigh thy airs。 Then； lov'd Adonis； come away； For Venus brooks not thy delay。
Elpine； in whose sager looks Thou wert wont to take delight； Hath forsook his drink and books； 'Cause he can't enjoy thy sight： He hath laid his learning by； 'Cause his wit wants company。 Then； lov'd Adonis； come away； For friendship brooks not thy delay。
All the swains that once did use To converse with Love and thee； In the language of thy Muse； Have forgot Love's deity： They deny to write a line； And do only talk of thine。 Then； lov'd Adonis； come away； For friendship brooks not thy delay。
By thy sweet Althea's voice； We conjure thee to return； Or we'll rob thee of that choice； In whose flames each heart would burn： That inspir'd by her and sack； Such company we will not lack： That poets in the age to come； Shall write of our Elisium。
Peter； or rather PETRE House； in Aldersgate Street； belonged at one time to the antient family by whose name it was known。 The third Lord Petre； dying in 1638； left it； with other possessions in and about the city of London； to his son William。 （Collins's PEERAGE； by Brydges； vii。 10； 11。） When Lovelace was committed to Peter House； and probably long before （MERCURIUS RUSTICUS； ed。 1685； pp。 76…79）； this mansion was used as a house of detention for political prisoners； but in Ward's DIARY （ed。 Severn； p。 167）； there is the following entry （like almost all Ward's entries； unluckily without date）：〃My Lord Peters is an Essex man； hee hath a house in Aldersgate Street； wherein lives the Marquis of Dorchester：〃 implying that at that period （perhaps about 1660）； the premises still belonged to the Petre family； though temporarily let to Lord Dorchester。 Another celebrated house in the same street was London House； which continued for some time to be the town residence of the Bishops of London。 When it had ceased to be an episcopal abode； it was adapted to the purposes of an ordinary dwelling； and； among the occupants； at a somewhat later period； was Tom Rawlinson； the great book…collector。 See Stow； ed。 1720； ii。 lib。 iii。 p。 121。
How different was the conduct； under similar circumstances； of the lady whom Charles Gerbier commemorates in his ELOGIUM HEROINUM； 1651； p。 127。 〃Democion； the Athenian virgin；〃 he tells us； 〃hearing that Leosthenes； to whom she was contracted； was slain in the wars； she killed herself； but before her death she thus reasoned with herself： 'Although my body is untoucht； yet should I fall into the imbraces of another； I should but deceive the second； since I am still married to the former in my heart。'〃
Wood's story about LUCASTA having been a Lucy Sacheverell； 〃a lady of great beauty and fortune；〃 may reasonably be doubted。 Lucasta； whoever she was； seems to have belonged to Kent； the SACHEVERELLS were not a Kentish family。 Besides； the corruption of Lucy Sacheverell into Lucasta is not very obvious； and rather violent； and the probability is that the author of the ATHENAE was misled by his informant on this occasion。 The plate etched by Lely and engraved by Faithorne； which is found in the second part of LUCASTA； 1659； can scarcely be regarded as a portrait； it was； in all likelihood； a mere fancy sketch； and we are not perhaps far from the truth in our surmise that the artist was nearly； if not quite； as much in the dark as to who Lucasta was； as we are ourselves at the present day。
This is a mistake on the part of Wood； which （with many others） ought to be corrected in a new edition of the ATHENAE。 Lawes did not set to music AMARANTHA； A PASTORAL； nor any portion of it； but he harmonized two stanzas of a little poem to be found at p。 29 of the present volume； and called 〃To Amarantha； that she would dishevel her Hair。〃
Hasted states that soon after the death of Charles I。 the manor of Lovelace…Bethersden passed by purchase to Richard Hulse； Esq。
On the title…page of this portion of LUCASTA； as well as on that which had appeared in 1649； the author is expressly styled RICHARD LOVELACE； ESQ。： yet in Berry's KENT GENEALOGIES； p。 474； he is； curiously enough； called SIR Richard Lovelace； KNT。 It is scarcely necessary to observe that the error is on Berry's side。
The most pleasing likeness of Lovelace； the only one； indeed； which conveys any just idea to us of the 〃handsomest man of his time；〃 is the picture at Dulwich； which has been twice copied； in both instances with very indifferent success。 One of these copies was made for Harding's
