Richard Lovelace

(Photo Below)

Richard Lovelace (1617-1658) was the son of William and Anne Barne Lovelace (see related Early English Ancestry). Below is listed a modified chronology of his life as published in Richard Lovelace, by Manfred Weidhorn, Twayne Publishers, Inc. 1970; followed by two of his most famous poems.

Note: The full text of the book "Lucasta" by Richard Lovelace has been transcribed via Project Gutenburg. There are two online versions; one is a printable text file that you can view or download by clicking here. The other is a readable online version which takes a LONG time to load; I recommend you view the text version if possible because this other version may crash your browser but here's the link if you're on high speed access or are terribly brave. :-)
Click here for link to entire text of "Lucasta."

1617 On Dec. 6, Richard Lovelace was born in Woolwich, Kent, England
1631 On May 5 Lovelace is made "Gentleman Wayter Extraordinary" to the king.
1634 On June 27 Matriculates as Gentleman Commoner at Gloucester Hall, Oxford.
1635 Writes a comedy, The Scholars.
1636 On August 31, receives M.A. degree.
1637 On October 4, enters Cambridge University.
1638 Lovelace returns to the court of Charles I.
1639 He is senior ensign in General Goring's regiment in the First Scottish Expedition. His first prined poems appear at this time.
1640 Commissioned captain in the Second Scottish Expedition; writes a tragedy, The Soldier. Returning home to Kent, he enters at twenty-one into the possession of his family property.
1641 Lovelace tears up a pro-Parliament, anti-Episcopacy petition at a meeting in Maidstone, Kent.
1642 On April 30, he presents the anti-Parlimentary Petition of Kent and is imprisoned at Gatehouse. After appealing, he is released on bail, June 21. Civil War begins August 22.
1643 Sells some of his property to Richard Hulse.
1644 Death of brother William at Carmarthen, Wales, under the command of another brother, Colonel Francis Lovelace.
1646 In October, he is wounded at Dunkirk while fighting under the Great Conde against the Spainards.
1647 On October 26, he is admitted to the Freedom of the Painters' Company.
1648 On February 4, Lucasta is licensed at the Stationer's Register. On June 9, Lovelace is again imprisoned at Peterhouse.
1649 On April 9, Lovelace is released; sells the remaining family property and protraits to Richard Hulse. On May 14, Lucasta is published.
1658 Lovelace dies.
1659 Lucasta, Posthume Poems is published.

To Lucasta, Going To The Wars

Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind
That from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind,
To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase,
The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.

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

To Althea, From Prison

When Love with unconfined wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair,
And fetter'd to her eye,
The gods, that wanton in the air,
Know no such liberty.

When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying thames,
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free,
Fishes, that ripple in the deep,
Know no such liberty.

When, like committed linnets, I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my king;
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be;
Enlarged winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.

Richard Lovelace

For additional information on Richard Lovelace please visit: http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/lovelace/




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Last modified: February 12, 2007