Edward Benlowes

The son of Andrew Benlowes of Brent Hall, Essex, Edward Benlowes matriculated at St. John's College Cambridge in 1620. After travel on the Continent he inherited the family estates, married, and became a liberal patron of poets. Having spent his patrimony he spent his later years living at Oxford.

TEXT RECORDS:

1633On the excellent moral Poem, entituled the Isle of Man.

PUBLICATIONS:

Sphinx theologica: sive musica temple. 1636.
Papa perstriclus, (Echo) ictus. 1645.
A poetic descent upon a private musick-making. 1649.
Theophila, or loves sacrifice: a divine poem by E.B. 1652.
The summary of wisedome. 1657.
A glance at the glories of sacred friendship. 1657.
Oxonii encomium. 1672.
Magna coelestis. 1673.
Oxonia elogia. 1673.

PROFILE AND
ASSOCIATES:

English
Catholic
Anglican
Dissenter

St. John's College Cambridge

poet

John Davies of Kidwelly
Sir William Davenant
Rev. Giles Fletcher
Rev. Phineas Fletcher
Francis Quarles

REFERENCE:

DNB; NCBEL.

Anthony Wood, Athenae Oxonienses (1690-91; 1721); James Granger, Biographical History (1769; 1824) [portrait]; George Saintsbury, "Benlowes' Theophila" Bibliographer 2 (1903); J. H. L. Robbie, "Benlowes, a Seventeenth-century Plagiarist" MLR 23 (1928); C. Niemeyer, "New Light on Benlowes" RES 12 (1936); Harold Jenkins, Edward Benlowes (1952); M.-S. Rostvig, "Benlowes, Marvell, and the divine Casimir," Huntington Library Quarterly 18 (1954); E. E. Duncan-Jones, "Benlowes' Borrowings from George Herbert" RES NS 6 (1955); E. E. Duncan-Jones, "Benlowes and Alexander Brome," Notes and Queries (November 1956); E. E. Duncan-Jones, "Benlowes, Marvell, and the divine Casimir: a Note" Huntington Library Quarterly 20 (1957).

COMMENTARY RECORDS
for Edward Benlowes:

1.	1635  Francis Quarles, "To my much honoured, and no lesse beloved Friend Edw. Benlowes Esquire" Quarles, Emblems (1635) sig. A2-A2v.
2.	1652  Thomas Pestill, "For the Author, truly heroick, by Bloud, Virtue, Learning" Benlowes, Theophila (1652) sigs B6-Cv.
3.	1652  William Dennie, "A Glance at Theophila" Benlowes, Theophila (1652) sig. (c)-(c)v.
4.	1652  William Davenant, "To the Author upon his Divine Poem" Benlowes, Theophila (1652) sig. (c2)-(d)v.
5.	1670 ca.  Samuel Butler, in A Small Poet, 1670 ca.; Genuine Remains (1759) 2:115-20.
6.	1826  Richard Ryan, in Poetry and Poets: being a Collection of the choicest Anecdotes relative to the Poets of every Age and Nation (1826) 1:225-29.

BIOGRAPHY RECORDS
for Edward Benlowes:

1.	1690  Anthony Wood, Athenae Oxonienses (1690-91; 1721) 2:F 204-05.
2.	1769  James Granger, in Biographical History of England (1769; 1824) 4:38-39 & n.
3.	1905  George Saintsbury, "Introduction to Edward Benlowes" in Minor Poets of the Caroline Period (1905-21) 1:307-14.

AUTHOR AS CRITIC:
(commentary records)

1.	1633  Rev. Phineas Fletcher:   Edward Benlowes, "On the excellent moral Poem, entituled the Isle of Man" in Purple Island (1633) Sig. ¶4v.
2.	1635  Francis Quarles:   Edward Benlowes, "Tot Flores Quarles, quot Paradisus, habet" Quarles, Emblems (1635) sig. A4.