The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-22
POEM BY KING JAMES.
Rare Volume Containing Autograph
Verse by English King.


BOSTON, July PA volume once owned
by James 1 of England has been recently
added TO the treasures of the Boston Public
Library. The book, purchased for the IL
brary by Mr.. Augustus Hemenway, of this
city, printed in London in the early
seventeenth century, and what makes it
more interesting than many another old
edition is the fact that it was the first
translation into English of Montaignes
Essays and the undoubted source of
some of Shakspeares Inspirations. An
other copy now in the British Museum has
in fact autograph that has been at
tributed to the great dramatist, and yet an
other copy bears the signature of rare Ben
Jonson. But the copy at the Boston Lii
brary has to be contented with the sigma
ture and an autograph poem by the English
King who ordered the revision of the Eng
lish edition of the Bible, and was called
by his contemporaries the wisest fool in
Europe"
The full title of this important addition to
the shelves OF the library is as follows:
The Essays of Moral, Politike and Mill
taire Discourses of Lo: Michael de Mon
taigne knight of the noble Order of St
Michael and one of the gentlemen in Or
binary of the French king, Henry the third
his Chamber" But this is by no means all
that the author managed TO say on his
title page, which. in the Old-fashioned man
ner, runs over into two pages. The second
page goes on 10 say that the translation is
made by him that hath inviolably vowed
his ldDOrS TO the ETERNITY OF their HOnOrS,
whose names he hath. SeVerally inscribed
on these his consecrated Altares." Then
follow the "Altares beautiful examples
o. Elizabethan design-and on each of
them is inscribed the names of two of the
fortunate ladies-six of them in ALTO
whom the author dedicates his labors IF
thus doone, he says further. in his intro
duction to the courteous reader lit may
please you, as l wish ii may, and | hope ii
shall, l with you shall be pleased; though
not, yet still am
John Florio."
This same resolute John Florio, although
whether his resolution is based upon a
determination 10 continue his admiration
even If the ladies should themselves be
displeased with his translation of the
says We are not told. was friend of many
OF the men who made the EliZabethan era
famous in literature, among them with
Shakespeare himself In Shakspeare's
Tempest Gonzales description of a per-
feet state in which there should be no
OF service and all men and women should
De Idle but pure and innocent is supposed
20 nave been suggested by a study OF
Montaigne as rendered into English by
tlorlo s hrst translation.
But what is most interesting in the Bos-
ton volume Is the poem written, or at all
events, copied by James the first. This is
the poem as il appears in all the oddly
of the old spelling
Here lyeth I nakit to the anatomie
OF my frail HART. humane devite
trust the Almychtie, lyk the Almychtie's
word
Oh put on me thy robe as guhylom lord
Thou putest once more me in thy blest
belefe
And In my souill thy secretst law engrave."
When King James was writing poetry.
II may be added, belief was pronounced
II II were spelled behave. devity has been
translated devinity; guhylom is only
another way Of spelling whilom, and TO lyk
is only another way of saying 10 love.
The book itself is a small folio which has
been beautifully rebound for some former
owner in red levant morocco by Bedford.
the celebrated London binder Of a genera
ton ago. On the title pages are yet other
signatures which suggest without reveal
ing some OF its adventures on It's varied
career from Elizabethan Lcadon TO modern
Boston.