Michael Drayton

Michael Drayton (1563 – December 23, 1631) was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.

Youth
He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham, Nottinghamshire. 19th- and 20th-century scholars, on the basis of scattered allusions in his poems and dedications, suggested that Drayton might have studied at the University of Oxford, and been intimate with the Polesworth branch of the Goodere family. More recent work has cast doubt on those speculations.

1591 - 1602
In 1591 he produced his first book, The Harmony of the Church, a volume of spiritual poems, dedicated to Lady Devereux. It is notable for a version of the Song of Solomon, executed with considerable richness of expression. However, with the exception of forty copies, seized by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the whole edition was destroyed by public order. Nevertheless, Drayton published a vast amount within the next few years.

In 1593 appeared Idea: The Shepherd's Garland, a collection of nine pastorals, in which he celebrated his own love-sorrows under the poetic name of Rowland. The basic idea was expanded in a cycle of sixty-four sonnets, published in 1594, under the title of Idea's Mirror, by which we learn that the lady lived by the river Ankor in Warwickshire. It appears that he failed to win his "Idea," and lived and died a bachelor. In 1593 appeared the first of Drayton's historical poems, The Legend of Piers Gaveston, and the next year saw the publication of Matilda, an epic poem in rhyme royal. It was about this time, too, that he brought out Endimion and Phoebe, a volume which he never republished, but which contains some interesting autobiographical matter, and acknowledgments of literary help from Thomas Lodge, if not from Edmund Spenser and Samuel Daniel also. In his Fig for Momus, Lodge reciprocated these friendly courtesies.

In 1596 Drayton published his long and important poem Mortimeriados, which deals with the Wars of the Roses and is a very serious production in ottava rima. He later enlarged and modified this poem, and republished it in 1603 under the title of The Barons' Wars. In 1596 also appeared another historical poem, The Legend of Robert, Duke of Normandy, with which Piers Gaveston was reprinted. In 1597 appeared England's Heroical Epistles, a series of historical studies, in imitation of those of Ovid. These last poems, written in the heroic couplet, contain some of the finest passages in Drayton's writings.

1603 - 1631
By 1597, the poet was resting on his laurels. It seems that he was much favoured at the court of Elizabeth, and he hoped that it would be the same with her successor. But when, in 1603, he addressed a poem of compliment to James I, on his accession, it was ridiculed, and his services rudely rejected. His bitterness found expression in a satire, The Owl (1604), but he had no talent in this kind of composition. Not much more entertaining was his scriptural narrative of Moses in a Map of his Miracles, a sort of epic in heroics printed the same year. In 1605 Drayton reprinted his most important works, his historical poems and the Idea, in a single volume which ran through eight editions during his lifetime. He also collected his smaller pieces, hitherto unedited, in a volume undated, but probably published in 1605, under the title of Poems Lyric and Pastoral; these consisted of odes, eclogues, and a fantastic satire called The Man in the Moon. Some of the odes are extremely spirited. In this volume he printed for the first time the famous Ballad of Agincourt.

He had adopted as early as 1598 the extraordinary resolution of celebrating all the points of topographical or antiquarian interest in the island of Great Britain, and on this laborious work he was engaged for many years. At last, in 1613, the first part of this vast work was published under the title of Poly-Olbion, eighteen books being produced, to which the learned Selden supplied notes. The success of this great work, which has since become so famous, was very small at first, and not until 1622 did Drayton succeed in finding a publisher willing to undertake the risk of bringing out twelve more books in a second part. This completed the survey of England, and the poet, who had hoped "to crown Scotland with flowers," and arrive at last at the Orcades, never crossed the Tweed. In 1627 he published another of his miscellaneous volumes, and this contains some of his most characteristic and exquisite writing. It consists of the following pieces: The Battle of Agincourt, an historical poem in ottava rima (not to be confused with his ballad on the same subject), and The Miseries of Queen Margaret, written in the same verse and manner; Nimphidia, the Court of Faery, a most joyous and graceful little epic of fairyland; The Quest of Cinthia and The Shepherd's Sirena, two lyrical pastorals; and finally The Moon Calf, a sort of satire. Of these Nimphidia is perhaps the best thing Drayton ever wrote, except his famous ballad on the battle of Agincourt; it is quite unique of its kind and full of rare fantastic fancy.

The last of Drayton's voluminous publications was The Muses' Elizium in 1630. He died in London, was buried in Westminster Abbey, and had a monument placed over him by the Countess of Dorset, with memorial lines attributed to Ben Jonson.

Theatre
Like other poets of his era, Drayton was active in writing for the theatre; but unlike Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, or Samuel Daniel, he invested little of his art in the genre. For a period of only five years, from 1597 to 1602, Drayton was a member of the stable of playwrights who supplied material for the theatrical syndicate of Philip Henslowe. Henslowe's Diary links Drayton's name with 23 plays from that period, and shows that Drayton almost always worked in collaboration with other Henslowe regulars, like Thomas Dekker, Anthony Munday, and Henry Chettle, among others. Of these 23 plays, only one has survived, that being Part 1 of Sir John Oldcastle, which Drayton composed in collaboration with Munday, Robert Wilson, and Richard Hathwaye. The text of Oldcastle shows no clear signs of Drayton's hand; traits of style consistent through the entire corpus of his poetry (the rich vocabulary of plant names, star names, and other unusual words; the frequent use of original contractional forms, sometimes with double apostrophes, like "th'adult'rers" or "pois'ned'st") are wholly absent from the text, suggesting that his contribution to the collaborative effort was not substantial. William Longsword, the one play that Henslowe's Diary suggests was a solo Drayton effort, was never completed.

(Drayton may have preferred the role of impresario to that of playwright; he was one of the lessees of the Whitefriars Theatre when it was started in 1608. Around 1606, Drayton was also part of a syndicate that chartered a company of child actors, The Children of the King's Revels. These may or may not have been the Children of Paul's under a new name, since the latter group appears to have gone out of existence at about this time. The venture was not a success, dissolving in litigation in 1609.)

Friendships
Drayton was a friend of some of the most famous men of the age. He corresponded familiarly with Drummond; Ben Jonson, William Browne, George Wither and others were among his friends. There is a tradition that he was a friend of Shakespeare, supported by a statement of John Ward, once vicar of Stratford-on-Avon, that "Shakespear, Drayton and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting, and it seems, drank too hard, for Shakespear died of a feavour there contracted." In one of his poems, an elegy or epistle to Mr Henry Reynolds, he has left some valuable criticisms on poets whom he had known. That he was a restless and discontented, as well as a worthy, man may be gathered from his own admissions. Drayton was also a contemporary of John Donne, though it is not known if Drayton and Donne ever knew each other.

Writing
The works of Drayton are bulky, and, in spite of the high place that he holds in critical esteem, it cannot be pretended that he is much read. For this, according to literary scholars, his ponderous style is much to blame. The Poly-Olbion, the most famous but far from the most successful of his writings, is difficult and barren in the extreme. It was, he tells us, a "Herculean toil" to him to compose it, and we are conscious of the effort. The metre in which it is composed, a couplet of alexandrines, like the French classical measure, is wholly unsuited to the English language, and becomes excessively wearisome to the reader, who forgets the learning and ingenuity of the poet in labouring through the harsh and overgrown lines. His historical poems, which he was constantly rewriting and improving, are believed by many to be much more interesting, and often rise to a true poetic eloquence.

Most literary scholars believe that his pastorals are brilliant, but overladen with colour and sweet to insipidity. He is, with the one magnificent exception of "Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part," which was first printed in 1619, an indifferent sonneteer. The poet with whom it is most natural to compare him is Daniel; he is more rough and vigorous, more varied and more daring than the latter, but Daniel surpasses him in grace, delicacy and judgment. In their elegies and epistles, however, the two writers frequently resemble each other. Drayton, however, approaches the very first poets of the Elizabethan era in his charming Nimphidia, a poem which inspired Robert Herrick with his sweet fairy fancies and stands alone of its kind in English literature; while some of his odes and lyrics are inspired by noble feeling and virile imagination.

Recognition
Five of his poems ("To His Coy Love", "The Parting", "Sirena", "Agincourt", and "To the Virginian Voyage") were included in the Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.

_Poetry

 * Idea. The Shepheards Garland, Fashioned in nine Eglogs. Rowlands Sacrifice to the Nine Muses. London: Printed by T. Orwin for T. Woodcocke, 1593
 * revised as Poemes Lyrick and pastorall. Odes, Eglogs, The Man in the Moone. London: Printed by R. Bradock for N. Ling & J. Flasket, 1606.
 * Ideas Mirrour. Amours in quatorzains. London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Linge, 1594.
 * To the Maiestie of King James. A gratulatorie Poem. London: Printed by J. Roberts for T. Man & H. Lownes, 1603.
 * Poems: by Michaell Draiton esquire. London: Printed by V. Simmes for N. Ling, 1605; revised edition, London: Printed by H. Ballard for J. Smethwicke, 1608.
 * Poems by Michael Drayton Esquyer. London: Printed by W. Stansby for J. Swethwicke, 1619.
 * The Muses Elizium, Lately discovered, By a New Way Over Parnassus. The passages therein, being the subiect of ten sundry Nymphalls, Leading three Divine Poemes: Noahs Floud. Moses, his Birth and Miracles. David and Golia. London: Printed by Thomas Harper for John Waterson, 1630).
 * Minor Poems of Michael Drayton (edited by Cyril Brett). Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907.
 * Poems of Michael Drayton (2 volumes, edited by John Buxton). (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1953.

Prose

 * The Harmonie of the Church. Containing, The Spirituall Songes and holy Hymnes, of godly men. London: Printed by T. Orwin for R. Jhones, 1591).
 * Peirs Gaveston. Earle of Cornwall. His life, death, and fortune. London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling & John Busby, [1594?]
 * Matilda. The faire and chaste Daughter of the Lord Robert Fitzwater. London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling & J. Busby, 1594.
 * Endimion and Phobe. Ideas Latmus. London: Printed by James Roberts for John Busbie, 1595.
 * Mortimeriados. The Lamentable civell warres of Edward the second and the Barrons. London: Printed by J. Roberts for Mathew Lownes, 1596;
 * revised as The Barrons Wars in the raigne of Edward the Second. With Englands Heroicall Epistles. London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling, 1603.
 * The Tragicall Legend of Robert, Duke of Normandy, With the Legend of Matilda the chast, daughter to the Lord Robert Fitzwater, poysoned by King Iohn. And the Legend of Piers Gaveston, the great Earle of Cornwall: and mighty favorite of king Edward the second. By Michaell Drayton. The latter two, by him newly corrected and augmented. London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling, 1596.
 * Englands Heroicall Epistles London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling, 1597
 * revised and enlarged edition (adds five new epistles and deletes dedications to William Parker, fourth Baron Monteagle, and Lord Henry Howard). London: Printed by P. Short for N. Ling, 1598
 * revised and enlarged, with Idea (adds "Geraldine's reply to Surrey," completing the twenty-four epistles). London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling, 1599
 * revised, with Idea (allusions to Robert Devereux, second Earl of Essex, are deleted, especially from the epistles of Richard II and Isabella; sonnets to James VI of Scotland and others appended). London: Printed by J. Roberts for N. Ling, 1600
 * revised and enlarged, with Idea (epistles of Edward the Black Prince and Alice, Countess of Salisbury, added). London: Printed by R. Roberts for N. Ling, 1602.
 * The first part of the true and honorable historie, of the life of Sir John Old-castle, the good Lord Cobham, by Drayton, Richard Hathway, Anthony Munday, and Robert Wilson. London: Printed by V. Simmes for Thomas Pauier, 1600.
 * The Owle, London: Printed by E. Allde for E. White & N. Ling, 1604.
 * A Pæan Trivmphall. Composed for the Societie of the Goldsmiths of London. London: Printed by F. Kingston for J. Flasket, 1604.
 * Moyses in a Map of his Miracles, London: Printed by H. Lownes, sold by T. Man the younger, 1604.
 * The Legend of Great Cromwel. London: Printed by Felix Kyngston, sold by I. Flasket, 1607
 * republished as The historie of the life and death of the lord Cromwell. London: Printed by F. Kyngston for W. Welby, 1609.
 * Poly-Olbion. London: Printed by H. Lownes for M. Lownes, J. Browne, J. Helme & J. Busbie, 1612.
 * The Second Part, or a continvance of Poly-Olbion. London: Printed by A. Mathewes for J. Marriott, J. Grismand & T. Dewe, 1622.
 * The Battaile of Agincourt. Fought by Henry the fift of that name, King of England, against the whole power of the French: under the Raigne of their Charles the sixt, Anno Dom. 1415. The Miseries of Queene Margarite, the infortunate Wife, of that most infortunate King Henry the sixt. Nimphidia, the Court of Fayrie. The Quest of Cinthia. The Shepheards Sirena. The Moone-Calfe. Elegies upon Sundry Occasions. London: Printed by A. Mathewes for W. Lee, 1627.
 * The Works of Michael Drayton, (5 volumes; volumes 1-4 edited by William Hebel, volume 5 edited by Hebel, Kathleen Tillotson, and Bernard H. Newdigate). Oxford: Printed at Shakespeare Head Press, and published by Basil Blackwell, 1931-1941
 * revised edition, 1961).

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy the Poetry Foundation. Michael Drayton 1563-1631, Poetry Foundation, Web, Sep. 5, 2012.</ref.

In 1748 a folio edition of Drayton's complete works was published under the editorial supervision of William Oldys, and again in 1753 there appeared an issue in four volumes quarto. But these were very unintelligently and inaccurately prepared.

A complete edition of Drayton's works with variant readings was projected by Richard Hooper in 1876, but was never carried to a conclusion; a volume of selections, edited by A. H. Bullen, appeared in 1883. See especially Oliver Elton, Michael Drayton (1906).

A complete six volume edition of Drayton's work was published by Oxford in 1931-41 (revised 1961), edited by J. William Hebel, K. Tillotson and B. H. Newdigate. That and a two volume edition of Drayton's poems published at Harvard in 1953, edited by John Buxton, are the only 20th century editions of his poems recorded by the Library of Congress.

Plays
*The Madman's Morris, by Drayton, Dekker, and Wilson. London, Rose theater, July 1598.
 * The Famous Wars of Henry I and the Prince of Wales (also known as The Welshman's Prize), by Drayton, Henry Chettle, and Thomas Dekker. London, Rose theater, March 1598.
 * Earl Goodwin and his Three Sons, parts 1 and 2, by Drayton, Chettle, Dekker, and Robert Wilson. London, Rose theater, spring 1598.
 * The Funeral of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, by Drayton, Chettle, Anthony Munday, and Wilson, London, Rose theater, June 1598.
 * Hannibal and Hermes, part 1 (also known as Worse Afeard than Hurt), by Drayton, Dekker, and Wilson. London, Rose theater, July 1598.
 * Pierce of Winchester, by Drayton, Dekker, and Wilson. London, Rose theater, July-August 1598.
 * Worse Afeard than Hurt (presumably part 2 of Hannibal and Hermes), by Drayton and Dekker. London, Rose theater, September 1598.
 * The Civil Wars of France, parts 1, 2, and 3, by Drayton and Dekker. London, Rose theater, autumn 1598.
 * Connan Prince of Cornwall, by Drayton and Dekker. London, Rose theater, October 1598.
 * Chance Medley, by Drayton, Chettle or Dekker, Munday, and Wilson. unknown theater, circa 1598.
 * Mother Redcap, by Drayton and Munday. London, Rose theater, circa 1598.
 * Pierce of Exton, by Drayton, Chettle, Dekker, and Wilson. unknown theater, circa 1598.
 * The first part of the true and honorable historie, of the life of Sir John Old-castle, the good Lord Cobham, by Drayton, Richard Hathway, Munday, and Wilson. London, unknown theater, Company of Earl of Nottingham, Lord High Admiral of England, 1599.
 * William Longsword, by Drayton and others. unknown theater, circa 1599.
 * Fair Constance of Rome, part 1, by Drayton, Dekker, Hathway, Munday, and Wilson. London, Rose theater, June 1600.
 * Fair Constance of Rome, part 2, by Drayton, Hathway, and others. unknown theater, 1600-1601.
 * Sir John Oldcastle, part 2, by Drayton, Hathway, Munday, and Wilson. unknown theater, 1600-1601.
 * Owen Tudor, by Drayton, Hathway, Munday, and Wilson. unknown theater, 1600-1601.
 * The Life and Rising of Cardinal Wolsey, by Drayton, Chettle, Munday, and Wentworth Smith. London, Fortune theater, August-November 1601.
 * Caesar's Fall, or the Two Shapes, by Drayton, Dekker, Thomas Middleton, Munday, and John Webster. London, Fortune theater, May 1602.

Except where noted, play information courtesy the Poetry Foundation.