Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- 37 Oxford vs. Sidney
- 38 Oxford vs. Leicester
- 39 Table, Gallery, Garden
- 40 Atheist
- 41 Sodomite
- 42 Prophet
- 43 A Passing Singular Odd Man
- 44 Oxford's Folly
- 45 Literary Patronage (1)
- 46 Oxford's Players (1)
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
43 - A Passing Singular Odd Man
from Part VI - Intrigue 1579–1580
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- 37 Oxford vs. Sidney
- 38 Oxford vs. Leicester
- 39 Table, Gallery, Garden
- 40 Atheist
- 41 Sodomite
- 42 Prophet
- 43 A Passing Singular Odd Man
- 44 Oxford's Folly
- 45 Literary Patronage (1)
- 46 Oxford's Players (1)
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
Summary
In the summer months of 1580 the same Gabriel Harvey who complimented Oxford in Latin prose back in August 1578 found himself in trouble for satirizing Oxford in English verse. Under the title of Speculum Tuscanismi, that is, ‘Mirror of Tuscanism’ or ‘Italian Mirrour’, Harvey's poem appeared without his permission in Three Proper, and Wittie, Familiar Letters (sigs. E2–2v), evidently edited by Edmund Spenser, with a preface to the reader dated 19 June 1580. Harvey's poem is introduced as a ‘bolde Satyriall Libell lately deuised at the instaunce of a certayne worshipfull Hartefordshyre Gentleman, of myne olde acquayntaunce’ – a give-away description of Harvey. The proper name Galateo assigned to the mock hero derives from Robert Peterson's 1576 translation of Giovanni della Casa's Galateo (STC 4738, sig. B1), a treatise ‘of fashions and maners’.
Though Harvey's experiments with ‘quantitative verse’ are obscured by tortured grammar and limited comprehensibility, the target of the satire was openly recognizable – and recognized – as Oxford:
Since Galateo came in, and Tuscanisme gan vsurpe,
Vanitie aboue all: Villanie next her, Statelynes Empresse.
No man, but Minion, Stowte, Lowte, Plaine, swayne quoth a Lording:
No wordes but valorous, no workes but woomanish onely.
For life Magnificoes, not a beck but glorious in shew,
In deede most friuolous, not a looke but Tuscanish alwayes.
His cringing side necke, Eyes glauncing, Fisnamie smirking,
With forefinger kisse, and braue embrace to the footewarde.
Largebelled Kodpeasd Dublet, vnkodpeased halfe hose,
Straite to the dock, like a shirte, and close to the britch, like a diueling. [diueling = little devil]
A little Apish Hatte, cowched fast to the pate, like an Oyster,
French Camarick Ruffes, deepe with a w[h]it[e]nesse, starched to the purpose.
Euery one A per se A, his termes, and braueries in Print,
Delicate in speach, queynte in araye: conceited in all poyntes:
In Courtly guyles, a passing singular odde man,
For Gallantes a braue Myrrour, a Primerose of Honour,
A Diamond for nonce, a fellowe perelesse in England.
Not the like Discourser for Tongue, and head to be found out:
Not the like resolute Man, for great and serious affayres,
Not the like Lynx, to spie out secretes, and priuities of States.
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- Information
- Monstrous AdversaryThe Life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, pp. 225 - 228Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2003