Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 9.djvu/29

 ii s. ix. JAN. 10, 1914. j NOTES AND QUERIES.

The song (i. 35) "I have a Sunne-burnt Pilgrim seen " owes its first two verses to Carew's ' Good Counsell to a young Maid ' ; the song (i. 38) " Mens loves like tinder " borrows freely from Carew's ' Perswasions to Love.' These two cases are pointed out in a copy of ' The Cyprian Academy ' in the British Museum, which formerly belonged to Mr. W. Forsyth. Here also Quarles is credited with Baron's line

And lay all pickled up in briny teares (i. 48) ; the lines

Farewell Flaminins, <fcc. (ii. 2) are referred to Waller's ' Escape of the Prince at St. Andero ' ; and " the ditty " on iii. 94, " Best of men, and best of Kings," is shown to be based on Waller's lines ' To the King on his Navy.'

The book appeared in April, 1647, as is shown by the date in the Thomason Collec- tion. It had an engraved title-page, and a portrait of the author, " ^Etat. sure 17," by W. Marshall. In two copies of the book in the British Museum the portrait is missing. The copies with, date " 1648 " are in other respects identical with those of 1647.

A year after his first venture Baron brought out another little work of fancy,

"An Apologie for Paris Occasioned by a

Private Discourse, wherein the Trojans Judgment was carped at by some, And defended By R: B. Gent. Ann. ^Etatis suse 18. London, For Th. Dring, 1649."

According to the Dedicatory Letter " To my Noble Lady, the Lady, E: R.," again dated from Gray's Inn, the discussion which gave rise to the book had taken place at "Sir Johns'': Lady E. R.'s brother had pleaded for Juno, and Sir T, B., Bart., for Pallas, when Baron was commanded by her Ladyship to become the Advocate of Venus.

The commendatory verses are by " D: S. Gent." and " Robert Freeman, Gent." (who anagrammatizes " Robert Baron " into "Born to be rare"). Mr. A. Esdaile has noticed on p. 85 a Shakespearian borrowing : " prisoner to Venus in a Red rose chaine."

Baron, by the age of 19, had at least won his spurs as a writer, and had gained a number of friends in the literary and fashion- able worlds of London. His success seems, however, to have given little pleasure to his father, who died on 1 August of this year while holding the office of Mayor of Norwich. His will, made two days before, shows that he left a widow Frances, two daughters Ester and Mary (married to John Marin* and

of Norwich.
 * John Mann was this year one of the Sheriffs

Thomas Morse respectively), a grandson- Samuel Smith, and a sister Grey, besides Robert, his only son. He left 207. to the- poor of Norwich, to be distributed by the aldermen, each in his own ward, on the day of the testator's funeral ; to his wife the house in which he was then living, with 201. ;. and

"to my sonne Robert Baron whose growth iiv grace and. in the knowledge of the Lord hath ben- my continuall care and prayer All that my Messuage or Tenem* lyeing in Braken and Mulbar-

ton with all the h'owses and grounds upon.

condicon"

that his son should "quit clayme " to any other lands, &c. He devised to his sons- in-law the house in which he was living (subject to his wife's life -interest), as well as his estate in Pulham ; and his estate in 1 Shottisham, which was his wife's jointure,, to his grandson, Samuel Smith.

" And for that my howse wherein Josepth Browne- the Taylo r now lieth I give the same unto my sonne Robert Baron and his heires forever."

Then follows a charitable bequest which led to the foundation of the Norwich Girls' Hospital :

" I give unto the Citty of Norw ch the summe of Two hundred and fiftie pounds \V' h my desire and will is should be imployed for the traininge ypp of women children from the age of seaven vntill the age of ffifteene yeares in spininge knittinge and^ dressinge of wooll under the tuicon of some aged' discreete religious woman thereto appointed at some publique place by the Majestrates appointm*,. hopeinge some other well affected will soe add to the same that it may become a meanes of greate benititt to the Cittie and comfort to the poore, the same I will to be paid within one yeare after my decease, in case some place be appointed thereto and Overseer thereof by the Citty as aforesaid I constitute and appoint my two sonn 8 in lawe John Mann and Thomas Morse my Executors, and [after paying debts] the surplus to be equally divided: betwixt them. Robert Baron,

in pres. G. Lock

Elizabeth Blofeild,

Prob. 4 Dec., 1650. John Matchin.

John Mann and Thos. Morse executors.

Baron's wish that some other well-affected person would add to his benefaction was fulfilled. Mr. Henry Whitingham of London contributed a further 200/., and with the total sum of 450. the " Great Garden " was purchased (west "of the churchyard of St. Mary Uiibrent), and here the Girls' Hospital was soon established.*

The Hospital remained there till its removal to Lakenham some years ago. Over the door was an inscription :

"Robert Baron esq. Mayor of this City Anno> Domini 1649 was the first Benefactor towards the

' Records of the City of Norwich ' (ed. Hudson and Tingey).