Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 60.djvu/42

 Italian and M. Watsons Latine “Amyntas” to make them both one English.’ Nash, in his preface to Greene's ‘Menaphon’ (1589), however, highly commended ‘the excellent translation of Master Thomas Watson's sugared “Amyntas”’ by ‘sweet Master France.’ In 1590 some Latin odes by Watson were prefixed to Vallans's ‘Tale of Two Swannes,’ with an English translation by Fraunce.

Watson was deeply interested in music, and was on terms of intimacy with the chief musicians of the day. In 1590 there appeared a book of music called ‘The first sett of Italian Madrigalls Englished, not to the sense of the original dittie, but after the affection of the Noate. By Thomas Watson, Gentleman. There are also heere inserted two excellent Madrigalls of Master William Byrd, composed after the Italian vaine, at the request of the sayd Thomas Watson,’ London, 1590 (Brit. Mus.; Huth Libr.; Britwell). The volume is divided into six parts, each with a separate title-page, headed respectively, ‘Superius,’ ‘Medius,’ ‘Tenor,’ ‘Contra-Tenor,’ ‘Bassus,’ and ‘Sextus.’ Before each part is placed a dedication in Latin elegiacs by Watson to the Earl of Essex, as well as a Latin eulogy in the same metre on the celebrated Italian composer Luca Marenzio, whose music was very largely represented in the book. The words of Watson's madrigals are somewhat halting; they have not been reprinted. Another proof of Watson's musical interests appears in a poem by him headed ‘A Gratification unto Mr. John Case for his learned Booke lately made in the prayes of Musick.’ According to Mr. W. C. Hazlitt these verses were first printed in broadside form in 1586 (in which year Dr. John Case's ‘Praise of Musicke’ was published) as ‘A Song in Commendation of the author of the Praise of Musicke. Set by W. Byrd.’ The earliest form in which they now seem accessible is in a manuscript volume transcribed by John Lilliat, formerly in Hearne's possession, now among Dr. Rawlinson's collection in the Bodleian manuscripts (Rawlinson, Poet. 148; reprinted in British Bibliographer, ii. 543, ed. 1812, and in ).

It was in 1590 that Watson's patron, Sir Francis Walsingham, died. He lamented his death in a Latin elegy in hexameters. This was dedicated to Sir Francis's cousin, Thomas Walsingham, under the title, ‘Melibœus Thomæ Watsoni sive, Ecloga in Obitum Honoratissimi Viri, Domini Francisci Walsinghami’ (London, 1590, 4to, Brit. Mus.) Mindful of the march that Fraunce had stolen on him in regard to his ‘Amyntas,’ Watson published an English translation of his new elegy under the title of ‘An Eglogue upon the Death of the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham, late principall Secretarie to her Maiestie, and of her moste Honourable Privie Councell. Written first in latine by Thomas Watson, Gentleman, and now by himselfe translated in English. Musis mendicantibus insultat Amousia’ (London, 1590, 4to). ‘I interpret myself,’ Watson informed his readers, ‘lest Melibœus, in speaking English by another man's labour, should leese my name in his chaunge as my Amyntas did.’ The English version was dedicated to Walsingham's daughter Frances, widow of Sir Philip Sidney.

Watson seems in his last years to have been employed by William Cornwallis (son of Sir Thomas Cornwallis [q. v.], comptroller of Queen Mary's household, and uncle of Sir William Cornwallis (d. 1631?) [q. v.], author of the ‘Essayes’). Watson appears to have given tuition in literature to William Cornwallis's son, and to have been on affectionate terms with his pupil (cf. Gent. Mag. 1846, i. 491). He married the sister of another of William Cornwallis's retainers, Thomas Swift. At the close of Watson's life his brother-in-law and colleague Swift endeavoured to win the affections of their master's daughter. Watson encouraged the intrigue and induced his pupil to further it. After Watson's death the facts came to the knowledge of the lady's father, who, filled with indignation, laid them before Lord Burghley (15 March 1593). William Cornwallis charged Watson with having forged some of the encouraging letters that his son and daughter were represented to have written to Swift. Watson, Cornwallis declared, ‘could devise twenty fictions and knaveryes in a play wch was his daily practyse and his living’ (Mr. Hubert Hall in Athenæum, 23 Aug. 1880). No dramatic work by Watson survives, apart from his versions of Sophocles' ‘Antigone’ and of Tasso's pastoral drama, although Meres reckons him with Peele, Marlowe, and Shakespeare as among ‘the best for tragedie.’

The poet seems to be identical with the ‘Thomas Watson, gent, who was buried in the church of St. Bartholomew the less’ on 26 Sept. 1592 (, Bibliographical Catalogue, ii. 490).

Two volumes of Watson's verse appeared posthumously. On 10 Nov. 1592 William Ponsonby obtained a license for an original pastoral poem in Latin by Watson, entitled ‘Amintæ Gaudia. Authore Thoma Watsono, Londinensi, iuris Studioso. Londini, Impensis Gulihelmi Ponsonbei, 1592.’ It