THE QUEEN OF ARRAGON.

The Queene of Arragon. A Tragi-Comedie. London Printed by Tho. Cotes, for William Cooke, and are to be sold at his shop at Furnivals Inne gate in Holburne 1640. Folio.

William Habington, the son of Thomas Habington,[264]of Hendlip, in the county of Worcester, Esq., was born at the seat of his father, on the 4th, or, as others say, the 5th, of November 1605.[265]He received his educationat St Omers and Paris, and at the former of these places was earnestly solicited to become one of the order of the Jesuits. On his return from Paris, being then at man's estate, he was instructed at home in matters of history by his father, and became an accomplished gentleman. He married Lucia, daughter of William Lord Powis, and is charged by Wood with running with the times, and being not unknown to Oliver Cromwell. He died the 30th of November 1654, and was buried in the vault at Hendlip, by the bodies of his father and grandfather.

Besides the play now republished, he was the author of—

1. Poems, under the title of "Castara," 4o, 1634; 12o, 1635, 1640.[266]They are divided into three parts, each under a different title, suitable to the subject: the first, written when he was suitor to his wife, is ushered in by a character of a mistress, written in prose: the second contains verses written to her after marriage; after which is a character of a friend, before severalfuneral elegies: and the third consists of Divine Poems, preceded by the portrait of a holy man.[267]

2. "Observations upon History." 8o, 1641.

3. "History of Edward IV., King of England," fo, 1640, written and published at the desire of King Charles I.[268]

Wood observes that the MSS. which our author and his father left[269]were then in the hands of the former's son, and might be made useful for the public, if in the possession of any other person.[270]

FOOTNOTES:[264]This Thomas Habington was born 26th October 1560, and married Mary, the sister of Lord Mounteagle, the lady who is supposed to have written that letter to her brother which occasioned the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. For harbouring Garnet and Alchorne, two Popish priests, he is said to have been condemned to die, but by the intercession of Lord Mounteagle he was reprieved and pardoned. He lived many years afterwards, not dying until the 8th of October 1647, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Wood says he surveyed the county of Worcester, and made a collection of most of its antiquities. He also translated "The Epistle of Gildas, the most ancient British author," 12o, 1638, and had a considerable hand in the "History of Edward IV.," published by his son.[265]In a poem on p. 104 of his "Castara," 1640, Habington claims alliance with several noble families—"Now I resolve, in triumph of my verse,To bring greatTalbotfrom that foreign herseWhich yet doth to her fright his dust enclose:Then to singHerbert, who so glorious roseWith the fourth Edward, that his faith doth shineYet in the faith of noblePembroke'sline.Sometimes my swelling spirits I prepareTo speak the mightyPercy, nearest heirIn merits, as in blood, to Charles the Great:ThenDerby'sworth and greatness to repeat;OrMorley'shonour, orMounteagle'sfame,Whose valour lives eterniz'd in his name:But while I think to sing thoseof my blood,And myCastaras," &c.—Collier.[266]Mr Park, in a MS. note to a copy of these poems, in 1640, observes, "The first and second parts of these poems were printed in 1634, 4o; again (with additions) in 1635, 12o; and the third part was added in 1640. He is said to have entitled his collection "Castara" in compliment to his mistress, Lucia, daughter of Lord Powis, who became his wife." This is evident from a poem on p. 102 of the edition of 1640, addressed to Lord Powis, where he speaks of his daughter as Castara.—Collier.[267]Phillips, speaking of Habington ("Theatrum Poetarum," 1675), says "that he may be ranked with those who deserve neither the highest nor the lowest seat in the theatre of fame." Mr Park is of opinion "that this character of him is rather below par; for he appears (as an amatory poet) to have possessed a superior degree of unaffected tenderness and delicacy of sentiment to either Carew or Waller, with an elegance of versification very seldom inferior to his more famed contemporaries." Perhaps Habington's "amiable piety," rendered him a peculiar favourite with Mr Park.—Collier.[268]Phillips, in his "Theatrum Poetarum," complains that this work is written in a style "better becoming a poetical than a historical subject."—Collier.[In "Jonsonus Virbius," verses to the memory of Ben Jonson, 1638, is a poem by W. Abington.][269]The collections he made of the antiquities, &c., of Worcestershire, formed the foundation of Dr Nash's history of that county.—Collier.[270]The following is from "Wit's Recreations," 1640—"To Mr. William Habington, on his 'Castara,' a Poem.Thy Muse is chaste, and thy Castara too;'Tis strange at Court: and thou hadst power to wooAnd to obtain what others were denied,The fair Castara for thy virtuous bride.Enjoy what you dare wish, and may there beFair issues branch from both to honour thee."—Gilchrist.

[264]This Thomas Habington was born 26th October 1560, and married Mary, the sister of Lord Mounteagle, the lady who is supposed to have written that letter to her brother which occasioned the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. For harbouring Garnet and Alchorne, two Popish priests, he is said to have been condemned to die, but by the intercession of Lord Mounteagle he was reprieved and pardoned. He lived many years afterwards, not dying until the 8th of October 1647, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Wood says he surveyed the county of Worcester, and made a collection of most of its antiquities. He also translated "The Epistle of Gildas, the most ancient British author," 12o, 1638, and had a considerable hand in the "History of Edward IV.," published by his son.

[265]In a poem on p. 104 of his "Castara," 1640, Habington claims alliance with several noble families—"Now I resolve, in triumph of my verse,To bring greatTalbotfrom that foreign herseWhich yet doth to her fright his dust enclose:Then to singHerbert, who so glorious roseWith the fourth Edward, that his faith doth shineYet in the faith of noblePembroke'sline.Sometimes my swelling spirits I prepareTo speak the mightyPercy, nearest heirIn merits, as in blood, to Charles the Great:ThenDerby'sworth and greatness to repeat;OrMorley'shonour, orMounteagle'sfame,Whose valour lives eterniz'd in his name:But while I think to sing thoseof my blood,And myCastaras," &c.—Collier.

[265]In a poem on p. 104 of his "Castara," 1640, Habington claims alliance with several noble families—

"Now I resolve, in triumph of my verse,To bring greatTalbotfrom that foreign herseWhich yet doth to her fright his dust enclose:Then to singHerbert, who so glorious roseWith the fourth Edward, that his faith doth shineYet in the faith of noblePembroke'sline.Sometimes my swelling spirits I prepareTo speak the mightyPercy, nearest heirIn merits, as in blood, to Charles the Great:ThenDerby'sworth and greatness to repeat;OrMorley'shonour, orMounteagle'sfame,Whose valour lives eterniz'd in his name:But while I think to sing thoseof my blood,And myCastaras," &c.

—Collier.

[266]Mr Park, in a MS. note to a copy of these poems, in 1640, observes, "The first and second parts of these poems were printed in 1634, 4o; again (with additions) in 1635, 12o; and the third part was added in 1640. He is said to have entitled his collection "Castara" in compliment to his mistress, Lucia, daughter of Lord Powis, who became his wife." This is evident from a poem on p. 102 of the edition of 1640, addressed to Lord Powis, where he speaks of his daughter as Castara.—Collier.

[267]Phillips, speaking of Habington ("Theatrum Poetarum," 1675), says "that he may be ranked with those who deserve neither the highest nor the lowest seat in the theatre of fame." Mr Park is of opinion "that this character of him is rather below par; for he appears (as an amatory poet) to have possessed a superior degree of unaffected tenderness and delicacy of sentiment to either Carew or Waller, with an elegance of versification very seldom inferior to his more famed contemporaries." Perhaps Habington's "amiable piety," rendered him a peculiar favourite with Mr Park.—Collier.

[268]Phillips, in his "Theatrum Poetarum," complains that this work is written in a style "better becoming a poetical than a historical subject."—Collier.[In "Jonsonus Virbius," verses to the memory of Ben Jonson, 1638, is a poem by W. Abington.]

[269]The collections he made of the antiquities, &c., of Worcestershire, formed the foundation of Dr Nash's history of that county.—Collier.

[270]The following is from "Wit's Recreations," 1640—"To Mr. William Habington, on his 'Castara,' a Poem.Thy Muse is chaste, and thy Castara too;'Tis strange at Court: and thou hadst power to wooAnd to obtain what others were denied,The fair Castara for thy virtuous bride.Enjoy what you dare wish, and may there beFair issues branch from both to honour thee."—Gilchrist.

[270]The following is from "Wit's Recreations," 1640—

"To Mr. William Habington, on his 'Castara,' a Poem.

Thy Muse is chaste, and thy Castara too;'Tis strange at Court: and thou hadst power to wooAnd to obtain what others were denied,The fair Castara for thy virtuous bride.Enjoy what you dare wish, and may there beFair issues branch from both to honour thee."

—Gilchrist.

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