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Read Ebook: The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies. Volume 1 of 2. by Davies John Sir Grosart Alexander Balloch Editor
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Ebook has 607 lines and 82214 words, and 13 pages
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INTRODUCTION 1
THE STONE AGE.
THE EPOCH OF EXTINCT SPECIES OF ANIMALS; OR, OF THE GREAT BEAR AND MAMMOTH.
The earliest Men--The Type of Man in the Epoch of Animals of extinct Species--Origin of Man--Refutation of the Theory which derives the Human Species from the Ape 25
Man in the Condition of Savage Life during the Quaternary Epoch--The Glacial Period, and its Ravages on the Primitive Inhabitants of the Globe--Man in Conflict with the Animals of the Quaternary Epoch--The Discovery of Fire--The Weapons of Primitive Man--Varieties of Flint Hatchets--Manufacture of the earliest Pottery--Ornamental objects at the Epoch of the Great Bear and the Mammoth 39
The Man of the Great Bear and Mammoth Epoch lived in Caverns-- Bone Caverns in the Quaternary Rock during the Great Bear and Mammoth Epoch--Mode of Formation of these Caverns--Their Division into several Classes--Implements of Flint, Bone, and Reindeer-horn, found in these Caverns--The Burial Place at Aurignac--Its probable Age--Customs which it reveals--Funeral Banquets during the Great Bear and Mammoth Epoch 56
Other Caves of the Epoch of the Great Bear and Mammoth--Type of the Human Race during the Epochs of the Great Bear and the Reindeer--The Skulls from the Caves of Engis and Neanderthal 72
EPOCH OF THE REINDEER; OR, OF MIGRATED ANIMALS.
Mankind during the Epoch of the Reindeer--Their Manners and Customs--Food--Garments--Weapons, Utensils, and Implements-- Pottery--Ornaments--Primitive Arts--The principal Caverns-- Type of the Human Race during the Epoch of the Reindeer 85
THE POLISHED-STONE EPOCH; OR, THE EPOCH OF TAMED ANIMALS.
The European Deluge--The Dwelling-Place of Man during the Polished-stone Epoch--The Caves and Rock-Shelters still used as Dwelling-Places--Principal Caves belonging to the Polished-stone Epoch which have been explored up to the present time--The Food of Man during this Period 125
THE AGE OF METALS.
THE BRONZE EPOCH.
The Discovery of Metals--Various Reasons suggested for explaining the origin of Bronze in the West--The Invention of Bronze--A Foundry during the Bronze Epoch--Permanent and Itinerant Foundries existing during the Bronze Epoch--Did the Knowledge of Metals take its Rise in Europe owing to the Progress of Civilisation, or was it a Foreign Importation? 205
Weapons, Instruments, and Utensils contained in the various Lacustrine Settlements in Europe, enabling us to become acquainted with the Manners and Customs of Man during the Bronze Epoch 240
Industrial Skill and Agriculture during the Bronze Epoch--The Invention of Glass--Invention of Weaving 258
The Art of War during the Bronze Epoch--Swords, Spears and Daggers--The Bronze Epoch in Scandinavia, in the British Isles, France, Switzerland and Italy--Did the Man of the Bronze Epoch entertain any religious or superstitious Belief? 271
Mode of Interment and Burial-places of the Bronze Epoch-- Characteristics of the Human Race during the same Period 284
THE IRON EPOCH.
Essential Characteristics of the Iron Epoch--Preparation of Iron in Pre-historic Times--Discovery of Silver and Lead--Earthenware made on the Potter's Wheel--Invention of Coined Money 297
Weapons--Tools, Instruments, Utensils, and Pottery--The Tombs of Hallstadt and the Plateau of La Somma--The Lake-Settlements of Switzerland--Human Sacrifices--Type of Man during the Iron Epoch--Commencement of the Historic Era 312
PRIMITIVE MAN IN AMERICA 333
CONCLUSION 343
LIST OF PLATES.
FIG. PAGE
A Family of the Stone Age .
"O ignorant poor man! what dost thou beare Lockt vp within the casket of thy brest? What iewels and what riches hast thou there! What heauenly treasure in so weake a chest!
Looke in thy soule, and thou shalt beauties find, Like those which drownd Narcissus in the flood: Honour and Pleasure both are in thy mind, And all that in the world is counted good.
Thinke of her worth, and think that God did meane, This worthy mind should worthy things imbrace; Blast not her beauties with thy thoughts vnclean, Nor her dishonour with thy passions base:
Kill not her quickning powers with surfettings, Mar not her sense with sensualitie; Cast not her serious wit on idle things: Make not her free-will, slaue to vanitie.
And when thou think'st of her eternitie, Thinke not that death against her nature is, Thinke it a birth; and when thou goest to die, Sing like a swan, as if thou went'st to blisse.
Take heed of over-weening, and compare Thy peacock's feet with thy gay peacock's traine; Study the best and highest things that are, But of thyselfe an humble thought retaine."
"Expelled" and "disbarred," he retired to Oxford and there "followed his studies, although he wore a cloak." . To lighten severer studies he now leisurely composed that "Nosce Teipsum" from which has just been quoted the remarkable close. His vein must have been a "flowing" one; for it was published within a year of his disgrace, viz. in 1599. It was dedicated to the "great Queen;" without the all-too-common contemporary hyperbole of laudation, yet showing the strange magnetism of her influence to win allegiance from the greatest, even in her old age:--
"Loadstone to hearts and loadstone to all eyes."
It would appear from the MS. dedication of a corrected MS. of "Nosce Teipsum" to "the right noble, valorous, and learned Prince Henry, Earle of Northumberland" that he must have joined in the intercession for restoration, e.g.
"Then to what spirit shall I these noates commend, But unto that which doth them best expresse;
Who will to them more kind protection lend, Than Hee which did protect me in distresse."
Contemporaneous with his full Restoration to his privileges at the Bar, the student-lawyer--through influence that has not come down to us--found his way into Parliament as M.P. for Corfe Castle. The House 'sat' for "barely two months"--October 27th to December 29th" . It was the last Parliament of Elizabeth. The records of it are meagre and unsatisfying, but sufficient is preserved to inform us that untried and inexperienced in Parliament as he was, the member for Corfe Castle at once came to the front. A long-continued warfare on the part of the Commons against monopolies found in him a vehement defender of the privileges of the House. The wary Queen, who always knew when to give way, withdrew certain "patents" that had been granted and led to grievous abuses; and Davies was appointed one of the "Grand Committee" to thank her Majesty. He had spoken stoutly for procedure by "bill" and not by "petition." Richard Martin supported the monopolies.
In 1602 a second edition "newly corrected and amended" of "Nosce Teipsum" appeared. Still prefixed to it--and to his honour continued in the third edition of 1608 when she was gone--was the verse-dedication to the Queen. But it was now "the beginning of the end" with her. Somewhat cloudily and thundrously was the great orb westering. She died on 24th March 1603. It argues that Davies had advanced in various ways that he accompanied Lord Hunsdon to Scotland when that nobleman went with the formal announcement of James' accession to the throne. A pleasant anecdote has survived that when "in the presence" Lord Hunsdon announced John Davies, the King--who if a fool was a learned one and capable of discerning genius--straightway asked "whether he were 'Nosce Teipsum'" and on finding he was its author, "embraced him and conceived a considerable liking for him." That his position was regarded as a potential one with the new King is incidentally confirmed by letters to him from no less than Bacon, who addressing him in Scotland sought his good influences in his behalf, using in one a sphinx-like expression of "concealed poets" that it is a marvel Delia Bacon did not lay hold of to buttress her egregious argument on the Baconian authorship of Shakespeare's Plays.
Y^ lett^ written at Cavan the |13 of Julij Last I receyude the 28 of August. I am gladde to heare of yo^ & wysh yo^ seruice & successe therein may be aunswerable to yo^ owne expectations & best hopes. You maye haue comfort that you serue so gracious a soueraigne, so religious & replete w^ all Royall virtues, and so redy & wyllinge to acknowledge & remunerate the services & dueties of his meanest servantes farre beyonde their desertes. I doubt not but yo^ diligence & care will be such as wyll be very acceptable to his Ma^. In the Discourse w^ you haue sent me, I fynde not only a very lovinge respcte w^ you have towardes me . But also a very wyse & judicious obseruacon of the state of this wasted kingdome & the condicon of the people. God staye his hande from further afflictinge them. They haue alreadye fealte the scourge of Warre & oppresion & now are vnder the grevous scourge of famine & pestilence. God gyue them his grace and make them imprest as true Christians ought. To become truly Religious towarde God, Loyall and faythfull to their Soueraigne, constantly obedient to his lawes & to the effecting thereof. I euer wysh & praye that they may haue religious virtuous & godly magistrates sette ouer them. To yo^ selfe I wish all happines, and wherein you shall haue occasion to vse mee, you shall alwayes finde me redy & wyllinge to stande you in the best stede I can. And so w^ my very swete comendacons I comitt you to the Almightye. And rest yo^ very assured Loving frende
T. ELLESMERE, Canc.
Atfeile 9 Septembris 1604.
To the right wo^ my very Loving frende, Sr. John Davis Knight, his Ma^ Solict. generall in his Realme of Ireland.
A few years later--1608--one Letter in full--like all our MSS., now for the first time printed,--from the Lord Deputy--the noble Chichester--must suffice as a specimen of many kindred.
Noble Mr. Attornie,
Since your departure hence I haue received two ioynt letters from you, and Sr. James Ley, and one from your selfe alone, for w^ I am not your debter vnlesse it be in the matter, w^ I confesse bringes more life w^ it comming freshe out of the stoorehouse of neewes and noveltie, for I have written as manie and more vnto you both.
Albeyt I expect you w^ the first passage yet can I not leaue you vnremembred, assuringe you thoe you have greater friendes, none respects you better then my selfe, nor can be more readie to make demonstration therof accordinge to the meanes I haue. I praye bringe w^ you the lordes directions for Sr. Neale Odonnell, and the rest of the prisoners. Sr. Neale and Ocatiance had contriued their escape and woulde haue as desperately attempted it, had I not preuented it within these sixe nightes by a discoverie made vnto me, albeyt I keep 20 men euerie neight for the guarde of the Castle ouer and aboue the warde of the same, whereof two or three lye in each of their chambers. Their horses were come to the towne, and all thinges else in readines. Sure these men doe goe beyond all nations in the worlde for desperate escapes, Shane Granie Ocarratan after he was acquited of three indictments, and as most men conceiued free from all danger of the lawe, did on fridaye the 27th of Januarie cast himselfe out of a wyndow in the topp of the Castle by the heelpe of a peece of rotten match, and his mantell w^ brake before he was halfe waye downe, and thoe he were presently discovered yet he escaped about supper tyme.
When I had written thus far worde was brought me that a passadge was come from Hollyheade w^ made me to pause for a tyme hopinge you or some other w^ letters, or other directions, was arriued, but beinge advertised that the Recorder of this Cyttie only w^ a fewe other passengers had in this fayre weather wrought out a passage by longe lyeinge att sea, although the wyndes were contrarie, and that they came from London before Christmas and had no written letters or message but in theise particulars, I fell to you againe.
And do now praye you to geue your best assystance and furtherance to such matters tuchinge my perticulare as John Strowd or Annesley shall acquaint you w^ all, for w^ you shall finde me verie thankfull vnto you.
I haue written to the lordes in the behalfe of the howse servitors here, that they maye be remembered vpon the deuysion and plantation of the scheated lands in Ulster. I am discreadited amonge them if they should be forgotten, and sure the plantation woulde be weake w^ out them, for they must be the pyllers to support it. Those that shall come from thence wyll not affect it in that kynde as these do, to make it a settlement for them and theirs; and in respect of their wourthier deserts and paynfull labors, and that I haue vpon my promise to speake effectually for them preuayled so farre as to staye them from resortinge thither, w^ they woulde doe in great multitudes if I woulde haue given way to their desire. I wysh that an honorable consideration maye be had of them before the diuision be concluded. I knowe that worke is of great moment and on it dependes much of the prosperitie, and good estate of the whole kingdome. I haue sayd enough to one that vnderstandes so well: And so beinge called vpon sooner then I expected I must end w^ the page, but wyll euer be found
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