It is quite clear, to my mind, that Gascoigne had little or nothing to do with the writing of this piece, though I think he wrote the first half of the dedication to the Queen. I find nothing in his earlier works to show that he had any acquaintance with foreign languages, and the writer (as I believe) of the latter half of the dedication, evidently recollecting this, says, towards the end:

Some newes may yt seme unto yo' matie that a poore gent of England: wth owt travell or instructions (lattyne except) should any way be able to deale wth so manye straunge languages, more newes should yt be to my frendes if they heard that any vertue had advanced me to youre service, etc.

Higher up the same writer says:

For my latyne is rustye, myne Itallyan mustye, and my french forgrowne. . . . But yet suche Itallyan as I have lerned in London, and such lattyn as I forgatt att Cantabridge, suche frenche as I borowed in Holland, and suche English as I stale in westmerland, even such and no better (my worthy Sovereigne) have I here poured forth before you, etc.

(now in the British Museum), which contains a version of the same tale, entitled The Queenes Maiesties entertainment at Woodstock, printed in 1585. It is a little "comedy" in verse, full of compliment to the Queen, and showing familiarity with the ladies of the Court. In my opinion it bears evidence on the face of it of very juvenile production, and it contains the tell-tale phrase: "In sign whereof accept most sacred Queene

This simple token wrought within this woode."

The piece is thin and tedious, but the style is easy, and there is a sense of rhythm not to be found in Gascoigne's poems. The following lines may be quoted as a specimen :

and so on.

"But yet my Lord consider all the toile,

Which I have past to compasse this my love?
Shal old conceit at length receive the foyle
Whose force I feele not minding to remove?
When Love forsaken shal revive agayne
Alas my Lord how sore will be my payne

To be constrained not once to cast a looke,
Where I before did pitch my whole delight?
To leave him thus for whom I all forsooke,
How can true love abide such poysoned spight?"

The subject of the allegory is evidently the affection between the Queen and Leicester. Cf. paper by Mr. Cunliffe in Publications of Modern Language Association of America, vol. xxvi., 1911, and an edition of the piece, with introduction, by Mr. A. W. Pollard, 1910.

The reference to Westmoreland in this passage has been a puzzle to biographers, as Gascoigne was the son of a Bedfordshire squire. The young writer, however, who (in my belief) was using Gascoigne's name has let his pen run away with him in a humorous description of Gascoigne's deficiencies, and "westmerland," from its remoteness in those days from London, is used to signify "outlandish " or "barbarous." No man (certainly not Gascoigne) would write so about himself. My view is that between young Francis Bacon and Gascoigne there was an understanding, the youth helping the older man, who was poor and broken-down, by his genius, and probably with money, Gascoigne in return lending the use of his name. Suspected at home (as we see from the dedication to The Steele Glas) and in poverty, it was natural that Gascoigne should try to obtain employment in the Queen's service, which would as a matter of course take him (being a soldier) abroad. The dedication of this piece to the Queen was devised with that object. It is interesting to find (whether through this effort or in some other way) that Gascoigne was successful, for in the dedication to the Queen of The Grief of Joye (both dedication and poem being unquestionably by Gascoigne), dated 1st January 1577, he writes:

Upon thes considerations (peereles Queene) I have presumed to employ my penn in this small worke which I call the griefe of joye. And with greater presumption have I adventured to present the same unto youre royall and most perfect judgement. Not that I thinke my Poemes any waie worthie to bee ones redd or beheld of youre heavenly eyes, but that I might make youre Majestie witnesse, how the Interims and vacant howres of those daies which I spent this sommer in your service have byn bestowed.

Surely Madame, the leaves of this pamphlett have passed with mee in all my perilles neither could any daies travaile so tyre mee but that the night had some conference withe my restles (and yet worthles) Muze.

Finally he refers to "the unspeakable comfort whiche I have conceived in your Maties undeserved favor," and

vows "willingly to purchase the continewance of your comfort, by any deathe, or perill, whiche occasion maie present for accomplishment of any least service acceptable to so worthie a Queene."

Compare with this the dedication of The Fruites of Warre written under similar circumstances. Gascoigne was the simplest and most candid of men, and always refers to his circumstances and doings. We gather from this passage that he was in the Queen's service, on perilous duty, during the summer of 1576, and that he used his leisure in composing The Grief of Joye. The poem ends with the words "Left unperfect for feare of Horsmen," presumably having been interrupted at that moment by some military action. The piece was not printed, which may have been due to Gascoigne's inability to pay for it. It occupies 45 pages of Mr. Cunliffe's edition. The style

of the piece is heavy, and it is wholly lacking in the measure of inspiration which is present in some of the earlier pieces. This in itself is an argument against the possibility at that time of such literary activity on Gascoigne's part as is indicated by the various productions under his name in the year 1576.

There is one piece, however, which more than any of the others betrays the existence of a second author writing under Gascoigne's name, as it appeared on 22nd August 1576, with the facetious and extraordinary title, "A delicate Diet for daintiemouthde Droonkardes." But this was the summer of 1576, which Gascoigne says he spent in the Queen's service, evidently abroad. This is confirmed by the account of the sack of Antwerp by the Spaniards, which occurred on 4th November 1576, entitled "The Spoyle of Antwerpe. Faithfully reported by a true Englishman who was present at the same." Mr. Cunliffe gives reasons for attributing this account, dated 25th November 1576, with confidence to Gascoigne.1

On

1 6 Gascoigne's identity with the author of the anonymous tract [given in the text] is set beyond doubt by the signatures of two letters in the Record Office dated Sept. 15 and Oct. 7 respectively, 1576.”—Prefatory Note.

internal evidence alone I should have little hesitation in accepting it as his work. The writer, however, of the article in the Dictionary of National Biography repudiates it, in view of the publication in London of the Delicate Diet. He writes: "The Delicate Diet is dedicated (August 1576) 'from my lodging in London.' There seems therefore no foundation for the categorical assertion of Richard Simpson that Gascoigne was present at the Sack of Antwerp by the Spaniards in November 1576." The piece, however, which in my opinion has to be repudiated as the work of Gascoigne is not the Spoyle of Antwerpe, but the Delicate Diet. Noticeable, however, as these points of difficulty are, they would not carry conviction with me apart from the question of style, which is, and must be, the final criterion. In this respect the doubts raised by the facts just noted 'are fully confirmed. There is absolutely no resemblance to the style or thought of Gascoigne in this piece, and it is quite impossible, in my judgment, that such a man could have written it. The title of this work (which I shall now examine) very curious:

is

A delicate Diet for daintiemouthde Droonkardes. Wherein the fowle abuse of common Carowsing, and Quaffing with hartie draughtes, is honestlie admonished. By George Gascoyne Esquier. Tam Marti quam Mercurio.

The pamphlet is dedicated to "the right Worshipfull his synguler good friend, Lewes Dyve of Broomeham, in the Countie of Bedforde, Esquyer," and the writer, conscious of the awkwardness of "presenting this small pamphlet called A delycate Diet for Droonkards unto your name and patronage," gets over the difficulty by saying, “I knowe you, and the world hath always esteemed you, for a paterne of Sobryetie, and one that doth zelously detest the beastlie vyce of droonkennesse." In the course of

the dedication the writer (who, from the works by himself which he names, professes to be George Gascoigne) speaks of "my Brother John Dyve," and later of "my brother John," and refers to "your good Lord and myne the

Lorde Greye of Wilton." Here apparently is a very remarkable confusion. Lewis Dyve was a cousin of Lord Grey, and is so referred to in his account of the services of his father, William Lord Grey.1 In an appendix to that volume there is a description of Lord Grey's funeral (1562), in which two younger brothers of Lewis Dyve, John and George, are mentioned as assisting in the ceremony. They also appear in the pedigree. Here then is some one, who professes to be George Gascoigne, referring to "John Dyve" as his brother. The inference seems to be that the dedication was intended, in its original form, to appear in the name of a younger brother (probably in poor circumstances), perhaps George Dyve, and that this idea was abandoned without the necessary corrections being made for the press. An alternative inference is that Gascoigne had a brother (of whom nothing is known) with the Christian names "John, Dyve." But it seems rather improbable that, in an address to the squire, Lewis Dyve, he would have so referred to him.

The writer of the dedication, while assuming the character of Gascoigne (then a man of about fifty, and fresh from the trials of war and captivity), cannot refrain from letting his imagination play pranks with him in a way which, I think, clearly indicates the impersonation :

But Syr, when my wanton (and worse smelling) Poesies presumed fyrst to peark abroade they came forth sooner then I wyshed, and muche before they deserved to be lyked. So that (as you maye sithens perceyve) I was more combred with correction of them, then comforted in the constructions, whereunto they were subject. And too make amendes for the lost time which I misbestowed in wryting so wantonlie: I have of

1 Lewis Dyve of Broomham was first cousin once removed to William Lord Grey, and is described as his "Deputy" at the siege of Guisnes (1558), of which Grey was Governor. His son Arthur, then a young man of twentytwo, was present, and he says "my coozyn Dyve and myself were put owtte," i.e. as hostages to the enemy.-"A Commentarie of the servycies and chargies that my Lord my father was employed in whyllest he lyved," by his son Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton, K.G.; Camden Soc. No. 40. For the Dyve pedigree see (as noted by the editor) Baker's Northamptonshire, i. 83, and Gentleman's Magazine for 1829, vol. xcix. pt. ii.