Robert Tofte
Encyclopedia
Robert Tofte was an English
translator and poet
. He is best known for his translations of Ariosto's Satires and his sonnet sequence
s: Alba, The Months Minde of a Melancholy Lover (1598), and Laura, The Toyes of a Traveller: Or, The Feast of Fancie (1597). He is also known for translating the first three cantos of Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato
.
Tofte invariably described himself, a ‘gentleman’ who travelled in France and Italy, and was in Naples in 1593. He was known familiarly among his friends as ‘Robin Redbreast,’ and his works contain frequent allusions to the name. His versification has been described as: although facile, is very unequal, but his translations are not deficient in spirit or in fidelity. He died in the house of a Mrs. Goodall in Holborn, near Barnard’s Inn, London, in January 1620, and was buried on 24 Jan. in the church of St. Andrew, Holborn.
This little volume is dedicated Lady Lucy Percy, and consists of a collection of short poems ‘most parte conceiued in Italie, and some of them brought foorth in England,’ but it contains also more than thirty sonnets which are stated in ‘A Frends iust excuse’ appended to the work by ‘R.B.’ to be by another hand. Two copies only are known: one is in the British Museum
; the other, formerly in the Isham Collection, found its way to the Britwell Court Library before being sold in February 1922 to A.S.W. Rosenbach.
It is dedicated to Mistress Anne Herne, but the ‘Laura’ and ‘Alba’ of Tofte’s muse appears to have been a lady of the name Caryll.
The only perfect copy extant is in the library of Mr. Alfred H. Huth: a second copy, wanting ‘Certaine Diuine Poems,’ and the translation of a letter from the Duke d’Epernon
to Henry III of France
, which follow the poem, is at Britwell Court. ‘Some Account of Tofte’s Alba, 1598’ was printed by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps in 1864, and the text itself was reprinted, with an introduction and notes, by Alexander Balloch Grosart
in 1880.
The earliest of Tofte’s translations from the Italian was ‘Two Tales Translated out of Ariosto. The one in dispraise of Men, the other in disgrace of Women,’ printed at London by Valentine Sims in 1597. The only copy known is at Britwell.
Copies are in the British Museum and the Bodleian Library
.
In this work ‘The Declamation … against Marriage or wedding of a Wife’ is by Ercole Tasso, the ‘Defence’ by Torquato Tasso
. Copies are in the British Museum and in the Huth and Britwell collections.
The ascription of the work to Gervase Markham
appears to have been a fraud on the part of the publisher, Roger Jackson, of Tofte in an address to the reader contained in the ‘Blazon of Jealousie’ says, ‘I had thought for they better contentment to haue inserted (at the end of this Booke) the disastrous fall or three nobel Romane Gentlemen, ouerthrowne thorow Iealousie in the Loues; but the same was, with Ariosto’s Satyes (translated by mee out of Italian into English Verse, and Notes vpon the same) Printed without my consent or knowledge, in another mans name.’ The claim was not disputed, and, moreover, the booke was reissued by the same publisher in 1611, without any name as translator, as ‘Aristos Seuen Planets Gouerning Italie.’ Copies of both issues are in the British Museum, the Bodleian Library, and at Britwell. ‘Honours Academie. Or the Famous Pastorall of the faire Shepheardesse, Julietta,’ translated from the French of Nicolas de Montreux
, and printed in 1610, and Benedetto Varchi
’s ‘Blazon of Jealousie,’ translated from the Italian, with ‘special’ notes, and printed in 1615, complete the list of Tofte’s works. Copies of the two last named are in the British Museum and at Britwell.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translator and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He is best known for his translations of Ariosto's Satires and his sonnet sequence
Sonnet sequence
A sonnet sequence is a group of sonnets thematically unified to create a long work, although generally, unlike the stanza, each sonnet so connected can also be read as a meaningful separate unit....
s: Alba, The Months Minde of a Melancholy Lover (1598), and Laura, The Toyes of a Traveller: Or, The Feast of Fancie (1597). He is also known for translating the first three cantos of Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato
Orlando Innamorato
Orlando Innamorato is an epic poem written by the Italian Renaissance author Matteo Maria Boiardo. The poem is a romance concerning the heroic knight Orlando .-Composition and publication:...
.
Tofte invariably described himself, a ‘gentleman’ who travelled in France and Italy, and was in Naples in 1593. He was known familiarly among his friends as ‘Robin Redbreast,’ and his works contain frequent allusions to the name. His versification has been described as: although facile, is very unequal, but his translations are not deficient in spirit or in fidelity. He died in the house of a Mrs. Goodall in Holborn, near Barnard’s Inn, London, in January 1620, and was buried on 24 Jan. in the church of St. Andrew, Holborn.
Robert Tofte's publications
As described c.1900- Laura. The Toyes of a Traueller. Or, The Fest of Fancie … By R. T. Gentleman printed at London by Valentine SimsValentine SimmesValentine Simmes was an Elizabethan era and Jacobean era printer; he did business in London, "on Adling Hill near Bainard's Castle at the sign of the White Swan." Simmes has a reputation as one of the better printers of his generation, and was responsible for several quartos of Shakespeare's plays...
in 1597, 8vo.
This little volume is dedicated Lady Lucy Percy, and consists of a collection of short poems ‘most parte conceiued in Italie, and some of them brought foorth in England,’ but it contains also more than thirty sonnets which are stated in ‘A Frends iust excuse’ appended to the work by ‘R.B.’ to be by another hand. Two copies only are known: one is in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
; the other, formerly in the Isham Collection, found its way to the Britwell Court Library before being sold in February 1922 to A.S.W. Rosenbach.
- Alba. The Months Minde of a Melancholy Louer, diuided into three parts. By R. T. Gentleman printed at London by Felix Kingston for Matthew Lownes in 1598, 8vo.
It is dedicated to Mistress Anne Herne, but the ‘Laura’ and ‘Alba’ of Tofte’s muse appears to have been a lady of the name Caryll.
The only perfect copy extant is in the library of Mr. Alfred H. Huth: a second copy, wanting ‘Certaine Diuine Poems,’ and the translation of a letter from the Duke d’Epernon
Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette
Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette , created Duke of Épernon, was a powerful member of the French nobility at the turn of the 17th century. He was deeply involved in plots and politics throughout his life....
to Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
, which follow the poem, is at Britwell Court. ‘Some Account of Tofte’s Alba, 1598’ was printed by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps in 1864, and the text itself was reprinted, with an introduction and notes, by Alexander Balloch Grosart
Alexander Balloch Grosart
Alexander Balloch Grosart was a Scottish clergyman and literary editor. He is chiefly remembered for reprinting much rare Elizabethan literature, a work which he undertook because of his interest in Puritan theology.-Life:...
in 1880.
- The Fruits of Jealousie: or, A Loue (but not louing) Letter appended to his translation of Varchi’s ‘Blazon of Jealousie,’ 1615.
The earliest of Tofte’s translations from the Italian was ‘Two Tales Translated out of Ariosto. The one in dispraise of Men, the other in disgrace of Women,’ printed at London by Valentine Sims in 1597. The only copy known is at Britwell.
- ‘Orland Inamorato. The three first Bookes of that famous noble Gentleman and learned Poet Mathew Maria Boiardo … Done into English Heroicall Verse by R. T. Gentleman printed at London by Valentine Sims in 1598.
Copies are in the British Museum and the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
.
- Of Mariage and Wiuing. An excellent, pleasant, and Philosophicall Controuersie, betweene the famous Tassi now liuing, the one Hercules the Philosopher, the other Torquato the Poet. Done into English by R.T. Gentleman (1599)
In this work ‘The Declamation … against Marriage or wedding of a Wife’ is by Ercole Tasso, the ‘Defence’ by Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
. Copies are in the British Museum and in the Huth and Britwell collections.
- Aristo’s Satyres, in seuen famous Discourses … In English by Garuis Markham (1608)
The ascription of the work to Gervase Markham
Gervase Markham
Gervase Markham was an English poet and writer, best known for his work The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman first published in London in 1615.-Life:Markham was the third son of Sir Robert Markham of Cotham, Nottinghamshire, and was...
appears to have been a fraud on the part of the publisher, Roger Jackson, of Tofte in an address to the reader contained in the ‘Blazon of Jealousie’ says, ‘I had thought for they better contentment to haue inserted (at the end of this Booke) the disastrous fall or three nobel Romane Gentlemen, ouerthrowne thorow Iealousie in the Loues; but the same was, with Ariosto’s Satyes (translated by mee out of Italian into English Verse, and Notes vpon the same) Printed without my consent or knowledge, in another mans name.’ The claim was not disputed, and, moreover, the booke was reissued by the same publisher in 1611, without any name as translator, as ‘Aristos Seuen Planets Gouerning Italie.’ Copies of both issues are in the British Museum, the Bodleian Library, and at Britwell. ‘Honours Academie. Or the Famous Pastorall of the faire Shepheardesse, Julietta,’ translated from the French of Nicolas de Montreux
Nicolas de Montreux
Nicolas de Montreux was a French nobleman, novelist, poet, translator and dramatist.Born in province of Maine, he was the son of a maître des requêtes and may have become a priest around 1585. In 1591 he came under the protection of the Duke of Mercœur and participated in the civil wars on the...
, and printed in 1610, and Benedetto Varchi
Benedetto Varchi
Benedetto Varchi was an Italian humanist, a historian and poet.-Biography:Born in Florence to a family that had originated at Montevarchi, he frequented the neoplatonic academy that Bernardo Rucellai organized in his garden, the Orti Oricellari; there, in spite of the fact that Rucellai was...
’s ‘Blazon of Jealousie,’ translated from the Italian, with ‘special’ notes, and printed in 1615, complete the list of Tofte’s works. Copies of the two last named are in the British Museum and at Britwell.