Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 9.djvu/207

 ii s. ix. MAR. M, W14. j NOTES AND QUERIES.

201

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH Ik, ink.

CONTENTS. No. 220.

NOTES : Sir Roger L'Estrange's Poem 'The Loyal Prisoner.' 201 Birmingham Statues and Memorials, 202 John Wilkes and the ' Essay on Woman,' 203 Hearth Tax, Painswick Originals of Thackeray's Characters, 205 Robert Baron, Author of 'Mirza' The Monkey Nation" Occupy " Johnsoniana, 206.

QUERIES : Bullivant The Stock Exchange as "The House" "The Seven Seas "Younger Van Helmont " Artieou," 207 Early - Victorian Book of Essays- English Shrines -Author Wanted-" Meg's diversions" "Cousins and half-cousins" Early Map of Ireland- Graham (Gartur Family) Orrok of Orrok, 208 W. Humphrey Marshall Wilson's Buildings John Dietrich Muller ' Montalbert,' Novel of 1795 Walker of Derry ' Archseologia 'Peter Thresher Biographical Informa- tion Wanted Palmer's Royal Mails, 209 " Vossioner " Bewickiana Invention of the Interview" Camonds " of Westphalian Barren Roseweed, 210.

BEPLIES : Parishes in Two or More Counties, 210 Colonels of the 24th Regiment: "Howard's Greens" Peter the Wild Boy Admiral Sir Charles Hamilton- Musical Congresses, 211 Fire-Walking The Red Bull Theatre Tarring Shilleto, 212 " Costrel " " The honours three " The Name James Coffin - shaped Chapels "To pill" "Sydney Carton" at Old Shrews- bury School, 213 " Boss "" C'est progres en spirale," 214 A Bishop as Boxer Rabbit Rime Major-General Patrick Duff Henry James Chippendale, 215 William Parsons : Life or Horse Guards Octopus : Venus's Ear Milton Queries Seaver Family Fox of Stradbroke, 216 Shakespeare Second Folio" A fact is a lie and a half" "Startups End" Saffron Walden Clementina Sobieski Douglass, 217.

NOTES ON BOOKS : French Civilization in the Nine- teenth Century ' ' A Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Terms.'

Booksellers' Catalogues.

Notices to Correspondents.

lUtes*

SIR ROGER L'ESTRANGE'S POEM 'THE LOYAL PRISONER.'

THIS poem appears to have been written in 1648, at the same time, and probably in the same prison, as Lovelace's ' To Althea,' to which it bears a striking resemblance. Both Lovelace and L'Estrange were in prison for their share in the Kent rising of that year in favour of the King.

Sir Roger's poem circulated first in manu- script, and was not printed until the year 1668, when it appeared in David Lloyd's of Charles I. (pp. 96-7) as
 * Memoirs ' of those that suffered in the cause

that suffered deeply in those times, and enjoys only the consolation of having suffered in these," and without a title. It was next printed in
 * ' the generous expressions of a worthy personage

of the newest songs and poems Both at Court and Theaters. By a person of Quality. With additions." Vol. I. 1671. Vol. II. 1672.
 * ' Westminster Drollery ; or, A Choice Collection

In this the poem appears in Vol. L, pp. 96-8. To the book is prefixed Sir Roger L'Estrange's own "imprimatur," and the song is entitled ' The Loyal Prisoner.' This, therefore, may be taken to be its proper title. Only ten verses are given here, in contrast with thirteen in Lloyd, and, as in the case of all the other songs, the name of the writer is omitted.

In 1705 the poem was reprinted as " A poem upon imprisonment, written by Sir Roger L'Estrange, when in Newgate, in the days of Oliver Cromwell's usurpation."

This was appended to another poem en- titled ' A Hymn to Confinement,' ' not written by Sir Roger.

Lastly, the poem was reprinted in Bishop Percy's ' Reliques of Ancient Poetry ' in 1765, Percy stating that he had utilized a manuscript version as well as the two first- printed copies.

This fine poem deserves to be better known, and I am glad to be able to add that I have found another version, printed in The Norwich Gazette in 1746, whose printer- editor, Henry Cross-Grove, was a strong Jacobite. L'Estrange was a Norfolk man, and, therefore, this is probably the most correct of all the versions. The Norwich Gazette, No. 2064, for 19-26 April, 1746, states :

" To oblige several of my customers who desire it, I shall in my next News - Paper insert the incomparable verses written by Sir Roger L'Estrange (during his imprisonment in the time of the Grand Rebellion, which begin thus, * Beat on proud billows, Boreas blow.' "

The Norwich Gazette, No. 2065, for 26 April- 3 May, 1746, contains the poem :

THE LOYAL PRISONER. Written by Sir Roger L'Estrange.

Beat on, proud billows, Boreas blow,

Swell curled waves as high as Jove's roof ;

Your incivility shall show

That Innocence is tempest proof ;

Tho' surly Neptune frowns, my thoughts are calm,

Then strike afflictions, for your wounds are balm.

IT.

jayl,

That which the world miscalls

A private closet is to me ; Whilst a good conscience is my bail,

And Innocence my liberty, Locks, bars, and solitude, together met, Make me no prisoner, but an anchoret.

in. I, whilst I wish'd to be retir'd

Into this private room was turn'd, As if their wisdoms had conspir'd

A Salamander to have burn'd ; Or, like those Sophies who would drown a fish I am condemned to suffer what I wish.