[four yards from the pillar].--MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 55.
His motto before his (bought) bookes was, _Tanquam Explorator_. I
remember 'tis in Seneca's Epistles.
He was a favourite of the Lord Chancellor Egerton, as appeares by
severall verses to him. In one he begges his lordship to doe a friend
of his a favour.
'Twas an ingeniose remarque of my lady Hoskins, that B. J. never writes
of love, or if he does, does it not naturally.
He killed Mr. ... Marlow, the poet, on Bunhill, comeing from the
Green-Curtain play-house.--From Sir Edward Shirburn.
[45]Ben Johnson:--Ben Jonson had 50 _li._ per annum for ... yeares
together to keepe off Sir W. Wiseman of Essex from being sheriff. At
last king James prickt him, and Ben came to his majestie and told him
he 'had prickt him to the heart' and then explaynd himselfe (_innuendo_
Sir W. W. being prickt sheriff) and got him struck off.
Vide his _Execration against Vulcan_. Vide _None-such-Charles_. When
B. J. was dyeing king Charles sent him but X _li._ Quaere T. Shadwell
pro notes of B. J. from the duke of Newcastle; and also quaere Thomas
Henshawe (as also de saxis in Hibernia). Quaere my lord Clifford of the
gentleman that cutt the grasse under Ben Jonson's feet, of whom he
sayd 'Ungratefull man! I showed him Juvenal.'
[46]B. Jonson; one eye[47] lower then t'other and bigger. He tooke a
catalogue from Mr. Lacy of the Yorkshire words[48]--his hint to _Tale
of a Tub_ for the clownery.
[49]Ben Johnson had one eie lower than t'other, and bigger, like Clun,
the player: perhaps he begott Clun. He tooke a catalogue from Mr. Lacy
(the player) of the Yorkshire dialect[50]. 'Twas his hint for clownery
to his comoedy called _The Tale of a Tub_. This I had from Mr. Lacy.
[51]King James made him write against the Puritans, who began to be
troublesome in his time.
A Grace by Ben Johnson, extempore, before King James.
Our King and Queen, the Lord-God blesse,
The Paltzgrave, and the Lady Besse,
And God blesse every living thing
That lives, and breath's, and loves the King.
God bless the Councell of Estate,
And Buckingham, the fortunate.
God blesse them all, and keepe them safe,
And God blesse me, and God blesse Raph.
The king was mighty enquisitive to know who this Raph was. Ben told him
'twas the drawer at the Swanne tavernne, by Charing-crosse, who drew
him good Canarie. For this drollery his majestie gave him an hundred
poundes.
[52]_This account[F] I received from Mr. Isaac Walton (who wrote Dr.
John Donne's &c. Life), Decemb. 2, 1680, he being then eighty-seaven
years of age. This is his owne hand writing._
[53]Ffor yoʳ ffriend's que. this:
I only knew Ben Johnson: but my lord of Winton knew him very well,
and says he was in the 6º, that is the vpermost fforme in Westminster
scole. At which time his father dyed, and his mother marryed a
brickelayer, who made him (much against his will) to help him in his
trade. But in a short time, his scole maister, Mr. Camden, got him a
better imployment, which was to atend or accompany a son of Sir Walter
Rauleyes in his travills. Within a short time after their returne, they
parted (I think not in cole bloud) and with a loue sutable to what they
had in their travills (not to be comended); and then, Ben began to set
up for himselfe in the trade by which he got his subsistance and fame.
Of which I nede not giue any account. He got in time to haue a 100
_li._ a yeare from the king, also a pention from the Cittie, and the
like from many of the nobilitie, and some of the gentry, wʰ was well
payd for loue or fere of his raling in verse or prose, or boeth. My
lord of Winton told me, he told him he was (in his long retyrement, and
sicknes, when he saw him, which was often) much aflickted that hee had
profain'd the scripture, in his playes; and lamented it with horror;
yet, that at that time of his long retyrement, his pentions (so much
as came yn) was giuen to a woman that gouern'd him, with whome he liud
and dyed nere the Abie in West mimster; and that nether he nor she
tooke much care for next weike, and wood be sure not to want wine; of
which he vsually tooke too much before he went to bed, if not oftner
and soner. My lord tells me, he knowes not, but thinks he was borne in
Westminster. The question may be put to Mr. Wood very easily vpon what
grownds he is positiue as to his being borne their? he is a friendly
man and will resolue it. So much for brave Ben. You will not think the
rest so tedyus, as I doe this.
Ffor yoʳ 2 and 3º que. of Mr. Hill and Bilingsley, I doe nether know,
nor can learn any thing worth teling you.
[54]For yʳ two remaining que. of Mr. Warner and Mr.
Harriott, this:--Mr. Warner did long and constantly lodg nere the
water-stares or market in Woolstable (Woolstable is a place or lane not
far from Charing Crosse, and nerer to Northumberland howse). My lord
of Winchester tells me he knew him, and that he saide he first fownd
out the cerculation of the blood, and discover'd it <to> Doʳ Haruie
(who said that 'twas he (himselfe) that found it), for which he is so
memorably famose. Warner had a pention of 40 _li._ a yeare from that
earle of Northumberland that lay so long a prisner in the Towre, and
som alowance from Sir Tho. Alesbery with whome he vsually spent his
sumer in Windesor park, and was welcom, for he was harmless and quet.
His winter was spent at the Wolstable, where he dyed in the time of the
Parliament of 1640, of wᶜʰ, or whome, he was no louer.
Mr. Harriott; my lord tells me, he knew him also: that he was a more
gentile man, then Warner. That he had 120 _li._ a yeare pention from
the said earle (who was a louer of ther studyes) and his lodging in
Syon howse, where he thinks, or beliues, he dyed.
This is all I know or can learne for yoʳ friend; which I wish may be
worth the time and treble of reading it.