BEN JONSON 95 but proved "caviare to the general." It was after- wards remodelled, and acquired considerable popu- larity. Jonson says, in the Dedication to Esme, Lord Aubigny : " It is a poem that, if I well remember, in your lordship's sight, suffered no less violence from our people here, than the subject of it did from the rage of the people of Rome ; but with a different fate, as, I hope, merit ; for this hath outlived their malice, and begot itself a greater favour than he lost, the love of good men." Jonson's continual references to Latin authorities throughout the piece prove how comprehensive and exact was his learning in that department, as in others. He told Drummond : "Northampton was his mortall enimie for beating, on a St. George's day, one of his attenders : He was called before the Councell for his 'Sejanus,' and accused both of poperie and treason by him." This, as Col. Cunningham notes, was Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, the very man against whom Lady Bacon warns her sons Anthony and Francis, as a "dangerous intelligencing man, and no doubt a subtile papist inwardly; a very instrument of the Spanish papists." About the time he was working on this tragedy he had other work in hand, as appears by a note in Henslowe's memorandum-book : " Lent unto Bengemy Johnsone at the appoyntment of E. AUeyn and Wm. Birde, the 22 June, 1602, in earnest of a boocke called * Richard Crookback,' and for new adycions for Jeronymo, the sum of x lb." It would have been interesting to compare or contrast Jonson's " Richard Crookback " with Shakespeare's " Richard III. ;" but the former has perished, like most of the pieces brought out and bought out by the same
