Robert Stapylton
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Stapylton or Stapleton (died 1669) was an English courtier, dramatic poet and translator.
, Yorkshire
, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepoint of Holme Pierrepoint. He was educated in the Benedictine
convent of St. Gregory at Douai
, where he became a professed monk of the order on 30 March 1625. He left the Benedictines, turned Protestant, and was appointed one of the gentlemen in ordinary of the privy chamber to Prince Charles
. He followed the king when Charles left London at the outbreak of the First English Civil War
, and was knighted at Nottingham
on 13 September 1642. After the battle of Edgehill
he accompanied the king to Oxford, where he was created D.C.L. in November 1642. He remained at Oxford until its surrender to Thomas Fairfax
in May 1645. Under the Commonwealth he lived a studious life, and at the Restoration
he was made one of the gentlemen ushers to the privy chamber.
Stapleton died on 10 or 11 July 1669, and was buried on the 15th near the vestry door of Westminster Abbey
. His will, dated 11 June 1669, was proved on 29 July by Elizabeth Simpson of Westminster, widow, to whom he left the bulk of his estate (although he had a wife living, whom he barely mentioned) in consideration, as he alleged, of the great care she had taken of him during his long illness. His wife was a Mrs. Hammond, widow (born Mainwaring).
Stapleton published the following translations:
He wrote verses: before Samuel Harding's ‘Sicily and Naples,’ a play, 1640; before Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth
's ‘Romulus and Tarquine,’ 1648; before William Cartwright's ‘Comedies,’ 1651; before Edmund Gayton's ‘Case of Longevity,’ 1659; and some left in manuscript.
Langbaine states that Stapleton executed the translations of Melchior de Marmet's ‘Entertainments of the Cours; or Academical Conversations,’ 1658, and of Cyrano de Bergerac
's ‘Σεληναρχία, or the Government of the World in the Moon,’ 1659, both published under the name of Thomas Saint Serf. Thompson Cooper
, however, writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
, considers that the real translator was Thomas Sydserf or Saint Serfe, son of the Scottish bishop Thomas Sydserf
.
Life
He was the third son of Richard Stapleton of Carlton by SnaithCarlton, Selby
Carlton is a village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately south east of the town of Selby on the A1041.According to the 2001 UK census, Carlton parish had a population of 1,829....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepoint of Holme Pierrepoint. He was educated in the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
convent of St. Gregory at Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
, where he became a professed monk of the order on 30 March 1625. He left the Benedictines, turned Protestant, and was appointed one of the gentlemen in ordinary of the privy chamber to Prince Charles
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. He followed the king when Charles left London at the outbreak of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
, and was knighted at Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
on 13 September 1642. After the battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
he accompanied the king to Oxford, where he was created D.C.L. in November 1642. He remained at Oxford until its surrender to Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
in May 1645. Under the Commonwealth he lived a studious life, and at the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
he was made one of the gentlemen ushers to the privy chamber.
Stapleton died on 10 or 11 July 1669, and was buried on the 15th near the vestry door of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. His will, dated 11 June 1669, was proved on 29 July by Elizabeth Simpson of Westminster, widow, to whom he left the bulk of his estate (although he had a wife living, whom he barely mentioned) in consideration, as he alleged, of the great care she had taken of him during his long illness. His wife was a Mrs. Hammond, widow (born Mainwaring).
Works
For the stage he wrote:- ‘The Royal Choice,’ a play entered in the register of the Stationers' Company, 29 November 1653. No copy of this appears to have been preserved.
- ‘The Slighted Maid,’ London, 1663, a comedy, in five acts and in verse, which Samuel PepysSamuel PepysSamuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
saw acted at the Duke's House, Lincoln's Inn Fields, on coronation day, 20 May 1663. The cast included the Bettertons, Cave UnderhillCave UnderhillCave Underhill was an English actor in comedy roles.For over 40 years, as a member of the Duke's Company, Underhill played the first Gravedigger in Hamlet. He was also successful in playing Gregory in Romeo and Juliet, the clown in Twelfth Night, and Trinculo in The Tempest...
, and other well-known actors. John GenestJohn Genest-Life:He was the son of John Genest of Dunker's Hill, Devon. He was educated at Westminster School, entered 9 May 1780 as a pensioner at Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. 1784 and M.A. 1787. He took holy orders, and was for many years curate of a Lincolnshire village...
styles it ‘a pretty good comedy’ in his History of the Stage. - ‘The Step-Mother,’ London, 1664, a tragi-comedy, in five acts and in verse, acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields by the Duke of York's servants on 28 May 1663. The cast was much the same as for the preceding play, but Genest says ‘the serious scenes of it are bad’.
- ‘The Tragedie of Hero and Leander,’ London, 1669, in five acts and in verse. ‘This is an indifferent tragedy—it is founded on the poem of Musæus—the original story being very simple, Stapylton was obliged to make large additions to it in order to form 5 acts—he has not been happy in these additions’ (Genest). It was never acted.
Stapleton published the following translations:
- ‘Pliny's Panegyricke: a Speech in the Senate, wherein publick Thanks are presented to the Emperor Trajan,’ Oxford, 1644, from the Latin of Pliny the youngerPliny the YoungerGaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
, illustrated with annotations. - ‘The first Six Satyrs of Juvenal … with annotations clearing the obscure places out of History, Laws, and Ceremonies of the Romans,’ Oxford, 1644. Dr. Bartholomew Holyday used to claim that Stapleton made use of his translation of Juvenal, having borrowed it in manuscript.
- ‘The Loves of Hero and Leander: a Greek poem [by Musæus] translated into English verse, with annotations upon the original,’ Oxford, 1645; London, 1647.
- ‘Juvenal's Sixteen Satyrs [translated in verse]. Or, a Survey of the Manners and Actions of Mankind. With arguments, marginall notes, and annotations,’ London, 1647; 1660; 1673.
- Translation of Faminius Strada's ‘De Bello Belgico,’ or ‘The History of the Low-Countrey Warres,’ London, 1650 and 1667.
He wrote verses: before Samuel Harding's ‘Sicily and Naples,’ a play, 1640; before Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth
Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth
Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth was an English nobleman and translator born in Bolton, Lancashire, England to Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth and Elizabeth Trevannion. On 6 November 1652 Henry married Martha Cranfield daughter of Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex and Elizabeth Shepard...
's ‘Romulus and Tarquine,’ 1648; before William Cartwright's ‘Comedies,’ 1651; before Edmund Gayton's ‘Case of Longevity,’ 1659; and some left in manuscript.
Langbaine states that Stapleton executed the translations of Melchior de Marmet's ‘Entertainments of the Cours; or Academical Conversations,’ 1658, and of Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
's ‘Σεληναρχία, or the Government of the World in the Moon,’ 1659, both published under the name of Thomas Saint Serf. Thompson Cooper
Thompson Cooper
Thompson Cooper was an English journalist, man of letters, and compiler of reference works. He became a specialist in biographical information, and is noted as the most prolific contributor to the Victorian era Dictionary of National Biography, for which he wrote 1423 entries.-Life:Thompson Cooper...
, however, writing in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, considers that the real translator was Thomas Sydserf or Saint Serfe, son of the Scottish bishop Thomas Sydserf
Thomas Sydserf
Thomas Sydserf [Sydserff] was a 17th century Scottish prelate. The eldest son of an Edinburgh merchant, Sydserf graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1602 before travelling to continental Europe to study at the University of Heidelberg. After returning to Scotland, he entered the...
.