Anthony Munday’s poem to Edward de Vere.

Anthony Munday’s Zelauto was first published in 1580.  It was dedicated at several points to “the Right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford”.

ZELAVTO. THE FOVNtaine of Fame. Erected in an Orcharde of Amorous Aduentures. Containing A Delicate Disputation, gallantly discoursed betweene two noble Gentlemen of Italye. Giuen for a freendly entertainment to Euphues, at his late ariuall into England. By A. M. Seruaunt to the Right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford.

The book consists of three separate tales much in the format of the Italian writers of novellas Boccaccio and Bandello who were immensely popular at the time in England.  The style was somewhat more varied than most but informed mostly from the Euphuism of John Lyly whose recently published Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and Euphues and His England (1580) were far more popular than even the Italian novella-ists.

Munday was one of a number of writers employed by the Edward de Vere, the 17^th Earl of Oxford, as private secretaries.  Lyly himself was foremost and wrote at least the second of his novels while primary secretary.  As the extended title above informs us, Munday, a minor functionary at Court later in his life, was in the Earl’s employ at the time that Zelauto appeared.

Zelauto was only one of several literary works published at about this time that transferred Lyly’s character Euphues into its title or introductory material.  Most of their authors are closely connected with the Earl in the historical record.  Another, Robert Greene, is more circumstantially connected.  Each writer’s Euphues (with the exception of Lyly’s original) is presented to be an actual person much respected for his literary interest and acumen.  The evidence strongly suggests that the name of Lyly’s famous character had been transferred to Vere by way of appreciation for his companionship and support.

The first story in Zelauto describes the Italian man’s visit to England.  After presenting some colorful descriptions of London the story becomes a paean to the country’s “Mayden Queene” who is described in the most flattering terms.  To follow this, “Zelauto taketh out of his Scrip a Book, wherin he readeth a gallant deuise presented in a Tournament, which he sawe in England.”  The “devise” pits an "armed Lady," representative of the Queen, against a brave knight referred to as a “Champion”.  Speeches are exchanged as is necessary to a devise.  After the speeches the two engage in a joust.  “[A]fter halfe a score Staues be broken: the Champion was throwen beside his Horse After several passes”.  The lady (the Queen) wins.


I am aware of no record of this devise being shown before the Queen.  Records regarding the Queen’s entertainments are spotty, however.  The text is consistent with the style of just such entertainments at the time.

Zelauto’s interlocutor, Astraepho, next asks another question:

But dyd you euer come in acquaintaunce with any of those noble Gentlemen?

Zelauto:  Yea Syr, and am much bound to one of them in especiall, who sure in magnanimitie of minde, and valure of courage, representeth in that famous Land, a second Caesar, to the view of all that know him. And a lyttle before I departed out of that woorthy Countrey, I wrote a few verses in the commendation, of that vertuous Mayden Quéene: and also I wrote a few other in prayse of that noble Lord, to whome I am bound for his singuler bounty.

Both are in Venus and Adonis stanza (which would not be called by that name until the 19^th century).  After presenting his poem to the Queen, Astraepho requests to hear the poem to the noble gentleman.  

But now Syr, I pray you let me heare the verses which you wrote in commendation of that noble Gentleman, whome you praysed so much lykewise.

Zelauto: That you shall, and I would I were able by pen to prayse, or by paynes to requite his singuler great curtesie.

Heere Zelauto rehearseth the verses that he wrote in the prayse of a certayne Noble Lorde in the English Court.

IF euer Caesar had such gallant Fame,

or Hanniball, whose martiall lyfe we read:

Then in your Honour, I esteeme the same,

as perfect proofe in vertue and in deede.

My pen vnable is your prayse to paynt:

VVith Vertues rare, that dooth your minde acquaynt.

VVhat I haue found, I neede not to expresse,

what you haue done, I farre vnwoorthy was:

But Nature yet dooth cause me thinke no lesse,

but that with looue you dyd respect my case.

And such great looue dyd in your heart abound:

That straunge it is the freendship I haue found.

VVherfore for aye I Honour your estate,

and wishe to you, to lyue Argantus lyfe:

And all your deedes may prooue so fortunate,

that neuer you doo taste one iot of stryfe.

But so to lyue, as one free from annoy:

In health and wealth, vnto your lasting ioy.

Given the fact that Munday would seem to have had no other connections with any other nobleman at Court at the time, and that it was the Earl of Oxford to whom he owed his sustenance, to whom he had dedicated the book, and who had even adopted his literary secretaries as familiar friends, there can be little doubt to whom the poem was written.

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