Thomas May

Thomas May (* 1595 in England; † November 13, 1650 in London ) was an English novelist, poet and historian who was known not only for his work but especially by the story written by him of the so-called Long Parliament.

Life

The son of Sir Thomas May of Mayfield in Sussex since 1609 studied at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge and received there in 1612 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA). 1615, he was admitted as an attorney by the Bar of Gray 's Inn. After his father had to sell due to financial difficulties the family estate, he began his writing career.

He made his debut in 1620 with the shiny constructed comedy, The Heir, probably at the same time wrote stage work The Old Couple first appeared in print in 1658. His other dramatic works are classic tragedies of historical persons such as Antigone, Cleopatra and Agrippina. In some cases it is assumed that the 1624 published anonymously Tragödige about Nero, which was later reprinted in Arthur Henry Bullens Old English Plays and the Mermaid Series, is attributable to him. However, his most famous work in the field of imaginative literature is his translation was published in 1627 and the transfer of Marcus Annaeus Lucanus Pharsalia in heroic couplets. The success made ​​him a continuation of Lucanus work to develop, by the death of Gaius Julius Caesar.

Soon after that Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland, his patron. This commissioned him to compose a history of the kings Henry II and Edward III. in verse, which was completed in 1635 by May.

When the then Lord Chamberlain of the Household William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke May insulted at a party, presented King Charles I. May under his personal protection as its poets, whereupon towards the Earl of Pembroke apologize to him, and compensation had to pay fifty pounds. This sign of royal favor aroused the expectation that he would be awarded after the death of Ben Jonson, the title of Poet Laureate and City chronologer. However, after William Davenant took these offices, May left disappointed the royal court and was in 1646 one of the secretaries of the Long Parliament. In this capacity he published in 1647 with The History of the Long Parliament his most famous work.

In this official written defense, he put together facts, without taking sides with one political direction or to represent his own opinion. However, even if May renounced invective, he managed his own view by " omission, embellishment or insinuation " explain later as the French historian François Guizot. Such contemporary allegations were overlooked by May, who explained in his preface that it was the personal intimacy that he presented more information about the members of parliament than their opponents.

1650 followed with the Breviary of the History of the Parliament of England one authored in English and Latin another plant with a time more obvious partisanship regarding the defense of the independent MPs. This temporal representation ended shortly before the execution of King Charles I on 30 January 1649 said " subservience " against Oliver Cromwell seemed not entirely voluntary.

In February 1650, he was taken under heavy guard to London after he was accused of spreading false reports against Cromwell and the Parliament reduced from him, the so-called Rump Parliament.

After his death on November 13, 1650, he was first buried in Westminster Abbey, before his body was exhumed after the Stuart Restoration and reburied in a pit on the grounds of the nearby St. Margaret 's Church. His page change from loyalists of the king, to Cromwell's partisans brought him many bitter enemies.

External links and sources

• Thomas May ( poet ) in the Notable Names Database (English)
• Entry on the Sidney Sussex College Alumni page

• Historian
• Author
• Literature ( English )
• Literature (17th century)
• Poetry
• Non-fiction
• English
• Born in 1595
• Died in 1650
• Man