From this rigorous treatment his father petitioned Elizabeth, praying that "as he was a gentleman, he should be treated as a gentleman ;" which application being attended to, a better lodging was assigned him, and leave to be supplied with necessaries and books. Of the last he only required the Bible and works of St. Bernard.

After remaining in prison near three years, and racked ten several times, it is stated "a resolution was taken on a sudden in the council to have him executed." He was accordingly removed from the Tower to Newgate, and tried at the bar of the King's Bench, Westminster, the 20th of February, 1595; when, being condemned, he suffered "on account of his priesthood," the following day at Tyburn. From the unskilfulness of the hangman, in not applying the noose properly, he is supposed to have hung some time before he was strangled.

This account of the author is principally derived from the Memoirs of Missionary Priests and other Catholics that have suffered death in England, by Bishop Challoner. Unfortunately, it is drawn up with such a strong religious bias, that it appears to have been dictated by other views than those of giving a plain unvarnished biographical relation. It is succeeded by a further statement of his trial, from a Latin manuscript kept in the archives of the English College at St. Omer's. Southwell forced that proceeding on, by sending an epistle to the Lord Treasurer Cecil, entreating he "might either be brought upon his trial to answer for himself, or, at least, that his friends might have leave to come and see him." The Treasurer answered, "that if he was in so much

haste to be hanged, he should quickly have his desire."

At the time of the trial Southwell was interrogated by the judge as to his age, when he replied "that he was about the same age as our Saviour, viz. thirtythree," which places his birth in 1562; but Mr. PARK, (who published a succinct memoir of the author in the Gentleman's Magazine for November 1798,) appears to have met with sufficient authority for fixing his birth in 1560, and also of his being prefect of the English college in 1585, a year after his arrival (as above stated) in England. If such an indecorous answer as the above was given by Southwell, though it betrayed an inordinate priestly vanity, it must be deemed conclusive of his age.

Mr. PARK added to his account an accurate list of the various editions of the author's works, which has been inserted in the notes on the present article.

Southwell, as a writer, was first rescued from unmerited oblivion by Mr. Waldron,* who reprinted several specimens of his poems, some of which have since appeared in the selections of the late Mr. Headley, and of Mr. Ellis. t

See appendix to the Sad Shepherd, 1783. To the same Editor the public is indebted for a volume called the "Literary Museum," published in 1792; a laudable attempt to reprint scarce and valua ble tracts: tho' from want of sufficient encouragement the design ended with a few numbers, which were afterwards sold collectively. The want of the modern aid of wove paper, and the embellishments of the graver, gave little hope of a sale sufficient to answer the immcdiate demand of the printer.

†The length of this article has precluded some specimens that were selected for insertion.

The volume, from which this article is taken, has five several title-pages; and forms the most extensive collection of Southwell's pieces.

It is dedicated "To the Right Honorable, Richard Earl of Dorset, &c." by the printer, " as the author thereof had long since dedicated some peeces of the whole to sundrie particular branches of that noble stocke and familie (whereof your Lordship is, and long may you be a strong and flourishing arme!) so now my selfe having first collected these dismembred parcels into one body, and published them in an entire edition;"-concluding "at your Lordship's service, W. Baret." Then follows the usual introduction to Saint Peter's Complaint of" The Author to his Loving Cousin ;" wherein he says "I have here layd a few coarse threeds together, to invite some skilfuller wits to go forward in the same, or to begin some finer peece, wherein it may be seene how well verse and vertue sute together;" and ends, "I send you these few ditties: adde you the tunes, and let the meane, I pray you, be still a part in all your musicke."

"The Author to the Reader.

"Deare eye, that doest peruse my Muse's style,
With easie censure deeme of my delight;
Give sobrest count'nance leave sometime to smile,
And gravest wits to take a breathing flight;
Of mirth to make a trade may be a crime,
But tyred spirits for mirth must have a time.

The loftie eagle soars not still above,

High flights will force her from the wing to stoope,

And studious thoughts at times men must remove,
Lest by excesse before their time they droope;
In coarser studies 'tis a sweet repose,

With poet's pleasing vaine to temper prose.

Profane conceits and faining fits I flie,

Such lawlesse stuffe doth lawlesse speches fit,

With David verse to vertue I apply,

Whose measure best with measured words doth fit:

It is the sweetest note that man can sing,

When grace in Vertue's key tunes Nature's string."

.

Then follows "Rursus ad eundem," in four sixline stanzas. This appears to have been the author's favourite measure, and is used in the following enumerated pieces, except otherwise noticed. "Saint Peter's Complaint," 132 stanzas, mentioned by Mr. Waldron, from some error of his printer, as containing 136 stanzas. "Marie Magdalen's blush," six stanzas. "Marie Magdalen's Complaint at Christ's Death," seven stanzas. "Times go by turnes," four stanzas. "Looke Home," four stanzas. "Fortune's Falshood," ten quatrains. "Scorne not the least," four stanzas. "The Nativitie of Christ," four stanzas. "Christ's Childhood," three stanzas. "A Child my Choice," four four-line stanzas, of which the following is the first.

"Let folly praise that fancie loves;

I praise and love that child,

Whose heart no thought, whose tongue no word,
Whose hand no deed defil'd.

I praise him most, I love him best,

All praise and love is his :

While him I love, in him I live,
And cannot live amisse."

"Content and rich," seventeen quatrains. "Love servile lot," nineteen quatrains. "Life is but Losse," seven stanzas. "I dye alive," four four-line stanzas. "What ioy to live," five stanzas. "Life's Death Love's Life," eight quatrains. "At home in Heaven," seven stanzas. "Lewd Love is losse,"

seven stanzas.

"Love's Garden Griefe," in five

six-line stanzas beginning,

"Vaine loves avaunt, infamous is your pleasure,

Your joy deceit ;

Your jewels, jests, and worthlesse trash your treasure,

Fool's common bait.

Your palace is a prison that allureth

To sweet mishap, and rest that paine procureth.”

"From Fortune's reach," four stanzas. Fancy turned to a sinner's complaint," thirty-eight quatrains. "David's Peccavi," five stanzas, "Sinne's heavie load," seven stanzas. "Joseph's amazement," fourteen stanzas. "New Prince new pompe," twenty-eight lines. "The Burning Babe," thirty-two lines. "New Heaven, new Warre," eight stanzas.

2. Mæoniæ; or certain excellent poems and spiritual Hymnes, composed by R. S. London, Printed for W. Barrett.*

"Mæoniæ; or certaine excellent Poems and Spirituall Hymnes, omitted in the last impression of Peter's Complaint; being needefull thereunto to be annexed, as being both divine and wittie. All composed by R. S. London, printed by V. Simmes for John Busbie 1595," 4to. pp. 32. "Poems on the Mystery of Christ's Life."