Cavalier, Coterie, Court

Poetry of the Civil War Period

Interregnum

Key Terms

The execution of a monarch

Caroline

Period between 1649-1660 - no reigning monarch

Restoration Return of Charles II to throne (1660-1688)

Coterie C16-17th literary circle (often the court) where manuscripts were circulated and texts were sung or performed

Regicide

During the reign or court of Charles I (1625-1649)

Thomas Carew (1594-

1640) Robert Herrick (1591-1674) John Suckling (1609-42) William Davenant (1606-

1668) Richard Lovelace (1618-

57)

Cavalier Poets

1625-49: Charles I, King of England 1629-40: Personal rule of Charles I, without Parliaments 1639-40: Scottish war; Suckling assists Charles I; Carew dies of syphilis and his

Poems published posthumously 1641: Revolt in Ireland 1642-5: Civil war 1642: Lovelace imprisoned by Parliament; Suckling dies 1645: Formation of New Model Army; Parliamentary victory at Battle of Naseby 1646: Suckling’s poetry published under title of Fragmenta Aurea 1647: John Wilmot, future Earl of Rochester is born 1648: Second civil war; Herrick publishes Hesperides; Lovelace imprisoned again,

prepares Lucasta in prison 1649: Trial and execution of Charles I; Republic established; Lovelace publishes

Lucasta 1653-58: Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell 1658: Death of Cromwell and succession by son Richard 1659: Richard abdicates; Long Parliament and republic restored 1660: Long Parliament dissolved; House of Lords restored; episcopacy restored;

Charles II accepted as King of England

Civil War Timeline

But for the wits of either Charles’s days,The mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease;Sprat, Carew, Sedley, and a hundred more,

(Alexander Pope, Imitations of Horace. Book II, Ep. I, l. 108. [1733-36])

The Mob of Gentlemen

Cavalier Style

Anthony van Dyck, "Charles I, King of England, from Three Angles," c. 1638

Cornwall Record OfficeReference Number: RS/1/560/2Cost of cavalier dress, for Captain Harris4 Feb 1641

1598 R. Barret Theorike & Prac. Mod. Warres

“Cauaglere, an Italian word signifieth a Gentleman seruing on horsebacke.”

1656 T. Blount Glossographia. “Cavalier, Cavalero, a knight or gentleman, serving on horseback, a man of arms.”

Etymology of the term Cavalier

1642. Petition Lords & Commons. 17 June. “That your Majesty would please to dismiss your extraordinary Guards, and the Cavaliers and others of that Quality, who seem to have little Interest or Affection to the publick Good, their Language and Behaviour speaking nothing but Division and War.”

1642. King Charles I Answer to the Petition. “For the language and behaviour of the Cavaliers (a word by what mistake soever it seemes much in disfavour) there hath not been the least complaint here.

1651. William Lilly in Monarchy or no Monarchy (Lilly was anti-royalist and describes what he witnessed during Christmas of 1641–2) “The Courtiers againe, wearing long Haire and locks, and alwayes Sworded, at last were called by these men [the Puritans] Cavaliers; and so after this broken language had been used a while, all that adhered unto the Parlament were termed Round-heads; all that tooke part or appeared for his Majestie, Cavaliers, few of the vulgar knowing the sence of the word Cavalier.”

“To Parliamentary apologists, the armed

supporters of the king were whoremongering and raping roisterers, their mouths full of the foulest blasphemies, their bellies swilled with alcohol, their bodes wracked with venereal disease, their attire manifesting the wildest excesses of continental fashion”

Thomas N. Corns, "Thomas Carew, Sir John Suckling, and Richard Lovelace." The Cambridge Companion to English Poetry, Donne to Marvell. (Cambridge University Press: 1993), 202.

Two Images of the Cavalier

GIVE me that man, that dares bestride The active Sea-horse, & with pride Through that huge field of waters ride: Who with his looks too, can appease The ruffling winds and raging seas, In midst of all their outrages. This, this a virtuous man can doe, Saile against Rocks, and split them too; I! and a world of Pikes passe through.

Herrick “His Cavalier” Hesperides 1648

Two Images of the Cavalier

Recklessness and daring are wedded to honour and

virtue Coterie ideals of loyal friendship are crucial to the

survival of the political cause and poetic endeavour Love and eroticism are deployed as a vehicle for

politics Images of war conjoined with images of desire Love and loyalty for the mistress is an allegory for

love for the King Honour and virtue in sexual love proves honour and

virtue in political life

Cavalier Poetics

Lucasta (1649) and Lucasta: Posthume Poems

(1659) Imprisoned in 1642 and again in 1648 Financially ruined by the royalist cause Seems he not fight in civil war Ostensibly died in poverty in 1657 Combined warrior and lover topos in his

poetry

Richard Lovelace (1618-57)

TELL me not (Sweet) I am unkinde, That from the Nunnerie Of thy chaste breast, and quiet minde, To Warre and Armes I flie.

True ; a new Mistresse now I chase, The first Foe in the Field ; And with a stronger Faith imbrace A Sword, a Horse, a Shield.

Yet this Inconstancy is such, As you too shall adore ; I could not love thee (Deare) so much, Lov'd I not Honour more.

Lovelace, “To Lucasta Going to the Warres” from Lucasta

Love as Politics

Depose your finger of that Ring, And Crowne mine with't awhile Now I restor't.—Pray, do's it bring Back with it more of soile ? Or shines it not as innocent, As honest, as before 'twas lent ?

So then inrich me with that Treasure, Will but increase your store, And please me (faire one) with that pleasure Must please you still the more : Not to save others is a curse The blackest, when y'are ne're the worse.

Lovelace, “Sonnet” from Lucasta

The Fallen Cavalier