Note X — AUBREY'S 'BRIEF LIVES'

An echo of a symposium in which this Richard Martin and other 'jolly companions' took part lingers in a copy of Macaronic verses by John Hoskyns (see i. 416). I give them here from the copy on fol. 185v of an old common-place book in Lincoln College Library. Falconer Madan, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose, has another old copy, with an English version, which by his kindness I am able to add. The title of it in the Lincoln MS. is—

'Convivium philosophicum: tentum in clauso Termini S^ti. Michaëlis in crastino[181] festi S^ti. Egidii in campis, authore Rodolpho Calsabro, Aeneacensi.'

But in Mr. Madan's MS. it is headed,

'Mr. Hoskins, his Convivium Philosophicum,'

and this attribution of authorship is repeated at the end of the piece.

The Convivium itself must have taken place between 1608 (Tom Coryat's European tour) and 1612 (Henry, Prince of Wales, died November 6).

Quilibet si sit contentus Whosoever is contented

Ut statutus stet conventus That a number be convented

Sicut nos promisimus; Enough but not too many;

Signum Mitrae erit locus, The Miter is the place decreed,

Erit cibus, erit jocus, For witty jests and cleanly feed,

Optimatatissimus. The betterest of any.

Veniet, sed lente currens, There will come, though scarcely current,

Christoferus vocatus Torrens[182] Christopherus surnamèd Torrent[182],

Et Johannes Factus[183], And John yclepèd Made[183],

Gruicampus[184] et Arthurus, And Arthur Meadow-pigmies'-foe[184],

Ante coenam non pransurus, To sup, his dinner will foregoe,

Veniet primo exactus. Will come as soon as bade.

Robertus Equorum amicus[185], Sir Robert Horse-lover[185] the while

Ne vile aestimet[186] Henricus Ne let Sir Henry count it vile[186]

Dignabitur adesse, Will come with gentle speed;

Cuniculusque quercianus[187], And Rabbit-tree-where-acorn-grows[187],

Caligula[188] occurret Janus And John surnamèd Little-hose[188]

Si modo sit necesse. Will come if there be need.

Richardus Guasta-stannum[189] And Richard Pewter-waster[189] best

Et Henricus Bonum-annum[190] And Henry Twelve-month-good[190] at least

Et Johannes Occidens[191] And John Hesperian[191] true

Et si quis desideretur If any be desiderated

Protinus amercietur He shal bee amerciated

Pro defaulto fourty-pence. Forty-pence in issue.

Hugo Inferior-Germanus[192], Hugh the Inferior-Germayne[192],

Nec indoctus nec profanus Not yet unlearned nor prophane

Ignatius architectus[193]. Inego Ionicke-piller[193].

Sed jocus, nisi invitatus But yet the number is not ri<gh>ted;

Veniet illuc Coriatus[194], If Coriate[194] bee not invited,

Erit imperfectus. The jeast will want a tiller.

Nam facete super illum, For wittily on him, they say,

Sicut malleus in anvillum, As hammers on an anvil play,

Unusquisque ludet. Each man his jeast may breake.

Coriatus cum potavit, When Coriate is fudled well,

Lingua regnum peragrabit His tongue begins to talke pel-mel,

Nec illum quicquam pudet. He shameth nought to speake.

Puer fuit expers artis A boy he was devoid of skill

Et cum fabis et cum fartis With white-pots and oaten-cakes at will

Somersetizatus. Somersetizated.

Vir cum Scotis et cum Anglis And is a man with Scots and Angles

Et cum scarfis et cum spanglis With silken scarfes and with spangles

Est accommodatus. Fitly accommodated.

Si Londinum, Are you in love with London citty?

Si Latinum, Or else with Venice? he will fitt ye;

Amas, te amabit. You have his heart to prize it.

Sive Graecum, Or love you Greeke—of tongues <the> chiefe,

Ille tecum Or love you Latin? hee'le in briefe

Sir Edward Ratcliffabit, Sir Edward Ratcliffize itt.

Hic orator aratores, This orator of Odcombe towne

Studens meliorare mores, Meaning to civilize the clowne,

Ubi congregavit, To parlé 'gan to call

Rusticos et Corydones, The rusticks and the Coridons,

Fatuos et moriones, The naturalls and morions,

Dis-coxcombiavit. And dis-coxcombde them all.

Ultra littus, ultra mare, To pass the sea, to pass the shore,

Per Europam Fleetstreetare, And Fleet-street is all Europe o're,

Res periculosa. A thing periculous.

Idem calceus hunc revexit, And yet one paire of shoes, they say,

Eadem camisia texit, And shirt did serve him all the way,

Res pediculosa. A thing pediculous.

Quisquis hunc ecavilat, Whoso him exouthenizth,

Garretando squabberizat, Garretating swaberizeth,

Et pro hac injuria And for this injurie

Disrespectus ambulabit, He shall walk as disrespected,

Cum bonis sociis non coenabit Of good fellows still neglected,

In urbe vel in curia. In city and in curie.

Hic in stolidum elatus, To a fool thus elevated,

Ut mountebankus hic effatus, Mountebanke-like thus hee prated,

Haranguizans bene. Harringuizing rowndly.

Quisquis hic vult esse prudens, Whosoe will be counted prudent,

Adsit, nihil aliud studens, Let him be no other student

Quam potare plene. But to drinke profoundly.

Quicquid agis, quicquid dicis, Whatsoever you speak or doe

Jocundando cum amicis, With your friends, in jocund row,

Eris fortunatus. It cannot be misdeemed.

Hunc secundum rectum stampum, For he that lives not ramp and scramp,

Qui non vivit rampum scrampum According to the swaggering stampe,

Nemo est beatus. Can never be esteemed.

Rex religionem curat, The king religion doth out-bear,

Populus legianciam jurat, The people doe allegiance sweare,

Cives foenerantur; Citizens usurize it.

Miles et mercator clamant, The soldiers and the merchants feare,

Puer<i> et puellae amant, The boyes and girles do love their paire,

Foeminae moechantur. And women cuculize it.

Princeps nescit otiari, Prince Henry cannot idly liven,

Cupiens materiam dari Desiring matter to be given

Propriae virtuti. To prove his valour good.

Carolus, imago patris, And Charles, the image of his father,

Imitatur acta fratris, Doth imitate his eldest brother,

Praelucens juventuti. And leades the noble blood.

Cancellarius[195] juvat multos, The Chancellour[195] relieveth many,

Prudentes juvat, juvat stultos, As well the wyse as fooles, or any

Humillime supplicantes. In humble-wise complayninge.

Thesaurarius[196] juvat summos; The Treasurer[196] doth help the rich,

Sed quoniam non habet nummos, And cannot satisfy the stitch

Invident mendicantes. Of mendicants disdayninge.

Northamptonius[197], nunquam satis Northampton[197], seeking many wayes

Literis et literatis Learning and learned men to rayse,

Juvandis, delectatur. Is still negotiated.

Et Suffolcius[198], severe And Suffolke[198], seeking, in good sorte,

Regis familiam coercere The king his household to supporte,

Quaerens, defatigatur. Is still defatigated.

Proceres aedificant, The noblemen do edifye,

Episcopi sanctificant, The bishops they do sanctifie,

Clerus concionatur; The cleargie preach and pray:

Generosi terras vendunt, And gentlemen their lands doe sell,

Et, dum rustici contendunt, And, while the clownes strive for the shell,

Juridicus lucratur. The fish is lawyers' prey.

Unusquisque sic facessit, Thus every man is busy still,

Cor nullius conquiescit, Each one practising his skill,

Nemo habet satis. None hath enough of gayne.

Solus Coriatus sapit, But Coriate liveth by his witts,

Nihil perdit quicquid capit, He looseth nothinge that he getts,

Nec stultescit gratis. Nor playes the fool in vayne.

—per Johannem Hoskins[199], London. —per Johannem Reinolds[200], Socium Coll. Novi, Oxon.