Virtual Grub Street: Anthony Munday's Mirrour of Mutabilitie: Letter to the Earl of Oxford.

Dedication to the Earl of Oxford
Letter to the Earl of Oxford
Dedicatory Poems to the Earl of Oxford

These pages really are a mine of Shakespeare Authorship context beyond typography, religion, etc. Anthony Munday's account of himself a young adventurer traveling to France on a shoestring is well worth the reader's time, as well. Convenient of him and his companion to be robbed upon arrival rather than make the trip without the least bit of money intending to make their way on their wits. That being the case, many English Catholic hands came to their aid, their needs were met and a bit of pocket change surely provided into the bargain.

AFter that I had delivered (Right Honorable) unto your courteous and gentle perusing, my book intituled Galien of Fraunce, vvherein, having not so fully comprised such pithines[s] of stile, as one of a more riper Invention could cunningly have carved: I rest Right Honorable on your Clemency, to amend my errors committed so unskilfully But at that time beeing very desirous to attaine to some understanding in the languages, considering in time to come: I might reap therby some commoditie, since as yet my vvebbe of youthfull time vvas not fully vvoven, and my vvilde oates required to be furrovved in a forreyne ground, to satisfye the trifling toyes that dayly more and more frequented my busied braine: yeelded my self to God and good Fortune, taking on the habit of a Traveler. And having sustayned in the colde Countrey of Fraunce divers contagious calamities, and sundry sortes of mishaps. As first, beeing but nevvly arived, and not aquainted vvith the usage of the Countr[i]es, betvveene Bulloin and Abevile, my Companion and I vvere stripped into our shirts by Soldiars, vvho (if rescue had not come) vvould have endamaged our lives also. Me thought this vvas but an unfreendly vvelcome, considering before I thought that every man beyond the Seas vvas as frank as an Emperour, and that a man might live there a Gentlemans life, and doo nothing but vvalke at his pleasure, but finding it not so: I vvished my self at home again, vvith sorovve to my sugred sops. But calling to minde that he vvhich fainteth at the first assault: vvould hardly indure to fight out the Battell: tooke Courage afresh, hoping my hap vvould prove better in the end, since it had such a bitter beginning, and so passed forvvard to Paris.

Beeing there arived, to recompence my former mishaps: I found the vvorld vvell amended, for not only I obtayned nevv garments, but divers Gentlemen to be my freends also, some that had sustained as ill fortune as I, and therfore returned back againe into England, and other some that vvere very glad of my comming, in hope I had beene such a one as they looked for. But repelling such Sathanicall illusions such golden proffers of preferment, to advaunce me unto my larger contentment: I gave them the hearing of all their politique devises, vvhich (as they thought) had taken deep root at their first planting. And considering that I had enterprised this iourney for my pleasure, and in hope to attaine to some knovvledge in the French tung, if that I should seeme to[o] scripulous in their presence: it might turn to my farder harme. For there no freends I had to help me, no vvelth to maintaine me, no succour neere to save me, but if I denyed, my nevv freends vvould disdaine: persvvaeded my self in their presence to doo as they bad me, but vvhen they vvere absent: to doo then as pleasd me. By these meanes I obtayned their lavvfull favoure, in so much, that they thorovvly provided me for my iourney to Roome. VVhere for my more preferment likvvise, they delivered me divers letters, to sundry persons (vvhose names I remit) that there I should be placed in the office of a Preest. VVell my freend & I gave them a thousand thanks for their liberall expences, and freendly Letters, and so vve departed.

But vvhen vve had vvith an nights rest pondered of our iourney, and considered the emminent daungers before our eyes. First hovv ready Sathan stood to tempt us, and prick us forvvard stil to the eternall perdition of our soules. Secondly, that vve should forsake so soone the title & name of a Christian, and yeeld our necks to the yoke and slaverye of the Romaine Decretales, in that vve professing our selues before faithfull follovvers of our deere Maister Christe, should novv so vvilfully for sake him. Thirdly, unto all our freends, (espetially our Parents) vvhat an hart sorovve it vvould be, to heare hovv their liberall e[x]pences bestovved on vs in our youth, in trayning us up in verteous educations is novv so lightly regarded: asable to cause the Father to yeeld his breath, for the sorrovve conceived through the negligence of his Sonne, and all in generall lament our unnaturall usages. Fourthly, from the Servants of one eternall true God, to come to be Idolaters, VVoorshipers of stocks and stones, and so forsake the feare of God, our duty to our sovereign Prince, and our loove to our parents, and all affection to our freends. All these (beeing the principall points) thorovvly considered: vvithdrevv my mind from my former intent, as having knovvledge of my Lord the English Ambassadour then lying in Paris, to him vve vvent, & delivered our aforsaid Letters, desiring the prudent councell of his Honnor therin. His Honnor perceiving our imbicilitie, and opening the Letters: found therin vvhere of I have before certified your Honnor, vvhich vvhen he had vvoorthily ballanced in the brest of a second Solon sayd.

My deere and faithfull Countrymen (as I hope you are) not so glad of your vvelfare, as sory for your arivall, in that you hazard your selves on such a staylesse state, to become as freends to your enemyes, and foes to your Countrey, heere standing at the mercye of a ravening VVolfe, vvho not only vvould devoure you from your Countrie: but bothe body and soule from Heavenly felicitie, Better therfore to abide the povertie, of this your vvant and necessitie, then to sell your selves vvilfully into such perpetuall slavery, and not only to your great ignomy, but to your freends perpetuall infamy, to your Prince and famous Countrie, if you leave your Captaine thus covvardly. Take hart afresh corragiously, & dread no calamitie, take patient all adversitie, & God vvil assist ye.

This excellent Discourse pronounced by so prudent a personage, me thought did demonstrate the excellencye of true nobilitie. And then departing from his Honnor, I iournied into Italy, to Roome, Naples, Venice, Padua, and divers other excellent Citties. And novv returned, remembring my bounden duty to your Honnor, I present you vvith these my simple labours, desiring pardon for my bolde attempt.

Faccio fine, è riverentemente baccio le vostro valorose Mani.

Humilissimo, e Divotissimo, e sempre Osservandissimo Vasallo, e Servitore.

Antony Munday.

The Italian sentences at the end of the letter come from time as a student at St. Paul's school under the French and Italian teacher Claudius Hollyband.¹ The Latin quotes throughout his works come from the same. There is no indication that he attended university.

Surely, Italian was chosen in recognition that both he and Vere has traveled to the country. Vere in 1575. Munday made his way, after consulting the English ambassador, in Paris, to the English school in Rome. He wrote a fuller account of his travels under the title The English Romayne lyfe Discovering: the lives of the Englishmen at Roome, in 1582, which made no mention of Vere.

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1Byrne, M. St. Clare. “Anthony Munday and his Books”. The Library, June 1, 1920. 225-256.