into a birde of her name, whose complaints be very wel set forth of M. George Gascoin a wittie gentleman, and the very cheefe of our late rimers, who and if some parts of learning wanted not (albe it is well knowne he altogether wanted not learning) no doubt would have attained to the excellencie of those famous Poets. For gifts of witte and naturall promptnes appeare in him aboundantly. Cypresse, used of the olde paynims in the furnishing of their funerall pompe, and properly the signe of all sorrow and heavinesse. The fatall sisters, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, daughters of Herebus and the Night, whome the Poets faine to spin the life of man, as it were a long thred, which they draw out in length, till his fatall houre and timely death be come; but if by other casualtie his daies be abridged, then one of them, that is, Atropos, is said to have cut the threed in twaine. Hereof commeth a common verse. "Clotho colum baiulat, Lachesis trahit, Atropos occat." O trustlesse, &c. a gallant exclamation moralized with great wisedome, and passionate with great affection. Beere, a frame, whereon they use to lay the dead corps. Eternal night, is death or darkenesse of hell. I see, A lively Icon or representation, as if he saw her in heaven present. Elysian fieldes, be devised of Poets to be a place of pleasure like Paradise, where the happie soules do rest in peace and eternall happinesse. Die would, the very expresse saying of Plato in Phædone. Nectar and Ambrosia, bee fained to be the drinke and foode of the gods: Ambrosia they liken to Manna in Scripture, and Nectar to be white like creame, whereof is a proper tale of Hebe, that spilt a cup of it, and stayned the heavens, as yet appeareth. But I have already discoursed that at large in my Commentary upon the Dreames of the same Authour. Meynt, mingled. EMBLEME. Which is as much to say, as death byteth not. For although by course of nature we be borne to dye, and being ripened with age, as with timely harvest, we must bee gathered in time, or else of our selves we fall like rotted ripe fruite from the tree: yet death is not to be coveted for evill, nor (as the Poet said a litle before) as doome of ill desert. For though the trespasse of the first man brought death into the world, as the guerdon of sinne, yet being overcome by the death of one that died for all, it is now made (as Chaucer saith) the greene pathway of life. So that it agreeth well with that was saide, that Death byteth not (that is) hurteth not at all. DECEMBER. AEGLOGA DUODECIMA. ARGUMENT. This Aeglogue (even as the first began) is ended with a complaint of Colin to god Pan; wherein, as wearie of his former waies, hee proportioneth his life to the foure seasons of the yeare; comparing his youth to the spring time, when hee was fresh and free from loves follie. His manhood to the sommer, which, he saith, was consumed with great heate and excessive drouth, caused through a Comet or blazing Starre, by which hee meaneth love; which passion is commonly compared to such flames and immoderate heate. His ripest yeares he resembleth to an unseasonable harvest, wherein the fruits fall ere they be ripe. His latter age to winters chill and frostie season, now drawing neere to his last ende. "O soveraigne Pan! thou god of shepheardes all, "I thee beseeche (so be thou deigne to hear As it with pleasaunce mought thy fancie feede,) 15 105 "My boughs with bloosmes that crowned were at "And I, that whilome wont to frame my pype The loser lasse I cast to please no more; 110 115 120 Ver. 98. rathe;] Early. TODD. Lions house he imagineth simply that Cupid, which is love, had his abode in the hot signe Leo, which is in midst of Sommer; a pretie allegory; wherof the meaning is, that love in him wrought an extraordinarie heat of lust. His ray, which is Cupids beame of flames of love. A comet, a blasing starre, meant of beautie, which was the cause of his hot love. Venus, the goddesse of beautie or pleasure. Also a signe in heaven, as it is here taken. So he meaneth that beautie, which hath alway aspect to Venus, was the cause of his unquietnesse in love. Where I was: a fine description of the change of his life and liking, for all things now seemed to him to have altered their kindly course. Lording: Spoken after the manner of Paddocks and Frogs sitting, which is indeed lordly, not mooving or looking once aside, unlesse they be stirred. Then as: The second part, that is, his manhood. Cotes, Shepcotes, for such be exercises of shepheards. Sale or sallow, a kinde of wood like willow, fitte to wreathe and binde in heapes to catch fish withall. Phœbe failes, The Eclipse of the Moone, which is alwayes in Cauda, or Capite Draconis, signes in heaven. Venus, s. Venus starre, otherwise called Hesperus, and Vesper, and Lucifer, both because he seemeth to be one of the brightest stars, and also first riseth, and setteth last. All which skill in starres being convenient for shepheards to know, Theocritus and the rest use. Raging seas: The cause of the swelling and ebbing of the sea commeth of the course of the Moone, sometime increasing, sometime waining and decreasing. Sooth of birds, a kind of soothsaying used in the elder times, which they gathered by the flying of birds: First (as is said) invented by the Tuscans, and from them derived to the Romanes who, as it is said in Livy, were so superstitiously rooted in the same, that they agreed that every noble man should put his sonne to the Tuscanes, by them to be brought up in that knowledge. Of herbs: That wondrous things be wrought by herbs, as wel appeareth by the common working of them in our bodyes, as also by the wonderfull enchauntments and sorceries that have beene wrought by them, insomuch that it is said, that Circe, a famous sorceresse, turned men into sundry kinds of beasts and monsters, and only by herbes : as the Poet saith, "Dea sæva potentibus herbis &c." The meaning whereof is, that all things perish and come to their last end, but works of learned wits and monuments abide for ever. And therefore Horace of his Odes, a worke though full indeed of great wit and learning yet of no so great weight and importance, boldly saith, "Exegi monimentum ære perennius, "Quod non imber edax, non aquilo impotens &c." Therefore let not be envied, that this Poet in his Epilogue saith, he made a Calender that shall endure as long as time, &c. following the example of Horace and Ovid in the like. "Grande opus exegi, quod nec Iovis ira, nec ignis, "Nec ferrum poterit nec edax abolere vetustas, &c." EPILOGUE. LOE! I have made a Calender for every yeare, That steele in strength, and time in durance, shall outweare; And, if I marked well the starres revolution, It shall continue till the worldes dissolution, To teach the ruder shepheard how to feede his sheepe, [keepe. And from the falsers fraude his folded flocke to Goe, little Calender ! thou hast a free passeporte; Goe but a lowly gate amongst the meaner sorte: Dare not to match thy pype with Tityrus his stile, Nor with the Pilgrim that the plough-man playd a while; [adore; But follow them farre off, and their high steps The better please, the worse despise; I aske no MUIOPOTMOS: OR, THE FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE. 1590. ΤΟ THE RIGHT WORTHY AND VERTUOUS LADIE; THE LA: CAREY. Most brave and bountifull La: for so excellent favours as I have received at your sweet handes, to offer these fewe leaves as in recompence, should be as to offer flowers to the gods for their divine benefites. Therefore I have determined to give my selfe wholy to you, as quite abandoned from my selfe, and absolutely vowed to your services: which in all right is ever held for full recompence of debt or damage, to have the person yeelded. My person I wot wel how little worth it is. But the faithfull minde and humble zeale which I bear unto your La: may perhaps be more of price, as may please you to account and use the poore service therof; which taketh glory to advance your excellent partes and noble vertues, and to spend it selfe in honouring you; not so much for your great bounty to my self, which yet may not be unminded; nor for name or kindreds sake by you vouchsafed; being also regardable; as for that honorable name, which yee have by your brave deserts purchast to your selfe, and spred in the mouths of all men: with which I have also presumed to grace my verses; and, under your Name, to commend to the world this small Poëme. The which beseeching your La: to take in worth, and of all things therin according to your wonted graciousnes to make a milde construction, I humbly pray for your happines. I SING of deadly dolorous debate, 5 Stir'd up through wrathfull Nemesis despight, The roote whereof and tragicall effect, Of all the race of silver-winged Flies 15 20 Your La ever humbly; E. S. Ver. 34. Of lustfull yongth] Yongth is youth. TODD. 50 And high in heaven Hyperion's fierie childe His breast-plate first, that was of substance pure, 55 60 Lastly his shinie wings as silver bright, Ne (may it be withouten perill spoken) Full many a Ladie faire, in Court full oft Ver. 78. 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 oricalche] 'Ogíxañzov, orichalchum, the most sonorous of metals for tube and tibiæ. BENTLEY. Ver. 99. wroken,] Revenged. TODD. Who beeing nimbler ioynted then the rest, Whereof the goddesse gathering iealous feare, Eftsoones that Damzell, by her heavenly might, In the wide aire to make her wandring flight; 1:20 125 130 135 141 Of her pretended crime, though crime none were: Thus the fresh Clarion, being readie dight, The woods, the rivers, and the medowes greene, 145 150 |