Derring doe, aforesayd.

Lions house: he imagineth simply that Cupid, which is love, had his abode in the whote signe Leo, which is in the middest of somer; a prettie allegory; whereof the meaning is, that love in him wrought an extraordinaric heate of lust.

His ray, which is Cupides beame or flames of Love.

A comete, a blasing starre, meant of beautie, which was the cause of his whote love.

Venus, the goddesse of beauty or pleasure. Also a signe in heaven, as it is here taken. So he meaneth that beautie, which hath alwayes aspect to Venus, was the cause of his unquietnes in love.

Where I was: a fine description of the chaunge of his lyfe and liking, for all things nowe seemed to him to have altered their kindly course.

Lording: Spoken after the manner of Paddocks and Frogges sitting, which is indeed lordly, not removing nor looking once aside, unlesse they be starred.

Then as: The second part, that is, his manhoode. Cotes, Sheepecotes, for such be the exercises of shepheards.

Sale, or sallow, a kinde of woodde like Wyllow, fit to wreath and bynde in leapes to catch fish withall.

Phoebe fayles, 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 starres, and also first ryseth, and setteth last. All which skill in starres being convenient for shepheardes to knowe, 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 encreasing, sometime wayning and decreasing.

Sooth of byrdes, A kind of soothsaying used in elder tymes, which they gathered by the flying of

:

byrds First (as is sayd) invented by the Thnscanes, and from them derived to the Romanes who, as it is sayd in Livie, were so supersticiously rooted in the same, that they agreed that every Noble man should put his sonue to the Thuscanes, by them to be brought up in that knowledge.

Of herbes: That wonderous thinges be wrought by herbes, as well appeareth by the common working of them in our bodies, as also by the wonderful enchauntments and sorceries that have bene wrought by them, insomuch that it is sayde that Circe, a famous sorceresse, turned men into sondry kinds of beastes and Monsters, and onely by herbes: as the Poete sayth,

'Dea sæva potentibus herbis, &c.'

Kidst, knewest.
Eare, of corne.

Scathe, losse, hinderaunce.

The fragrant floures, sundry studies and landable partes of learning, wherein our Poet is seene, be they witnesse which are privie to this study. Ever among, Ever and anone.

Thus is my. The thyrde part wherein is set forth his ripe yseres as an untimely harvest that bringeth little fruite.

So now my yeere: The last part, wherein is described his age, by comparison of wyntrye stormes. Carefull cold, for care is sayd to coole the blood. Glee, mirth.

Hoary frost, a metaphore of hoary heares scattered lyke to a gray frost.

Breeme, sharpe and bitter.

Adiew delights, is a conclusion of all: where in sixe verses he comprehendeth briefly all that was touched in this booke. In the first verse his delights of youth generally: In the second, the love of Rosalind: In the thyrd, the keeping of sheepe, which is the argument of all the Æglogues: In the fourth, his complaints: And in the last two, his professed frendship and good will to his good friend Hobbinoll.

1. The Ruines of Time.

2. The Teares of the Muses.

3. Virgils Gnat.

4. Prosopopoia, or Mother Hubberds Tale.

5. The Ruines of Rome: by Bellay.

6. Muiopotmos, or The Tale of the Butterflie.

7. Visions of the Worlds Vanitie.

8. Bellayes Visions.

9. Petrarches Visions.

SINCE my late setting foorth of the Faerie Queene, finding that it hath found a favourable passage amongst you, I have sithence endevoured by all good meanes (for the better encrease and accomplishment of your delights,) to get into my handes such smale Poemes of the same Authors, as I heard were disperst abroad in sundrie hands, and not easie to bee come by, by himselfe; some of them having bene diverslie imbeziled and purloyned from him since his departure over Sea. Of the which I have, by good meanes, gathered togeather these fewe parcels present, which I have caused to bee imprinted altogeather, for that they al seeme to containe like matter of argument in them; being all complaints and meditations of the worlds vanitie,

verie grave and profitable. To which effect I understand that he besides wrote sundrie others, namelie Ecclesiastes and Canticum canticorum translated, A senights slumber, The hell of lovers, his Purgatorie, being all dedicated to Ladies; so as it may seeme he ment them all to one volume. Besides some other Pamphlets looselie scattered abroad: as The dying Pellican, The howers of the Lord, The sacrifice of a sinner, The seven Psalmes, &c. which when I can, either by himselfe or otherwise, attaine too, I meane likewise for your favour sake to set foorth. In the meane time, praying you gentlie to accept of these, and graciouslie to entertaine the new Poet, take leave.

MARIE,

MOST Honourable and bountifull Ladie, there bee long sithens deepe sowed in my brest the seede of most entire love and humble affection unto that most brave Knight, your noble brother deceased; which, taking roote, began in his life time some what to bud forth, and to shew themselves to him, as then in the weakenes of their first spring; And would in their riper strength (had it pleased high God till then to drawe out his daies) spired forth fruit of more perfection. But since God hath disdeigned the world of that most noble Spirit, which was the hope of all learned men, and the Patron of my young Muses, togeather with him both their hope of anie further fruit was cut off, and also the tender delight of those their first blossoms nipped and quite dead. Yet, sithens my late cumming into England, some frends of mine, (which might much prevaile with me, and indeede commaund me) knowing with howe straight bandes of duetie i was tied to him, as also bound unto that noble house, (of which

the chiefe hope then rested in him) have sought to revive them by upbraiding me, for that I have not shewed anie thankefull remembrance towards him or any of them, but suffer their names to sleep in silence and forgetfulnesse. Whome chieflie to satisfie, or els to avoide that fowle blot of unthankefulnesse, I have conceived this small Poeme, intituled by a generall name of The Worlds Ruines; yet speciallie intended to the renowming of that noble race, from which both you and he sprong, and to the eternizing of some of the chiefe of them late deceased. The which I dedicate unto your La, as whome it most speciallie concerneth; and to whome I acknowledge my selfe bounden by manie singular favours and great graces. I pray for your Honourable happinesse; and humblie kisse your handes.

Your Ladiships ever
humblie at commaund.

E. S.

IT chaunced me on day beside the shore
Of silver streaming Thamesis to bee,
Nigh where the goodly Verlame stood of yore,
Of which there now remaines no memorie,
Nor anie little moniment to see,

By which the travailer, that fares that way,
'This once was she,' may warned be to say.
There, on the other side, I did behold
A Woman sitting, sorrowfullie wailing,
Rending her yeolow locks, like wyrie gold
About her shoulders careleslie downe trailing,

And streames of teares from her faire eyes forth railing:

In her right hand a broken rod she held,[ weld.
Which towards heaven shee seemd on high to

Whether she were one of that Rivers Nymphes,
Which did the losse of some dere love lament,
I doubt; or one of those three fatall Impes
Which draw the dayes of men forth in extent;
Or th' auncient Genius of that Citie brent:
But, seeing her so piteouslie perplexed,
I (to her calling) askt what her so vexed.

Ah! what delight (quoth she) in earthlie thing,

Or comfort can I, wretched creature, have?
Whose happines the heavens envying,
From highest staire to lowest step me drave,
And have in mine owne bowels made my grave,
That of all Nations now I am forlorne,
The worlds sad spectacle, and fortunes scorne.'
Much was I mooved at her piteous plaint,
And felt my heart nigh riven in my brest
With tender ruth to see her sore constraint;
That, shedding teares a while, I still did rest,
And after did her name of her request.
Name have I none (quoth she) nor anie being,
Bereft of both by Fates unjust decreeing.

'I was that Citie, which the garland wore
Of Britaines pride, delivered unto me
By Romane Victors, which it wonne of yore;
Though nought at all but ruines now I bee,
And lye in mine owne ashes, as ye see,
Verlaine I was: what bootes it that I was,
Sith now I am but weedes and wastfull gras?

And where is that same great seven-headded beast,

That made all nations vassals of her pride,
To fall before her feete at her beheast,
And in the necke of all the world did ride?
Where doth she all that wondrous welth nowe
hide?

With her owne weight down pressed now shee lies,

And by her heaps her hugenesse testifies.

O Rome! thy ruine I lament and rue, And in thy fall my fatall overthrowe, [vewe That whilom was, whilst heavens with equall Deignd to behold me and their gifts bestowe, The picture of thy pride in pompous shew: And of the whole world as thou wast the Empresse,

So I of this small Northerne world was Prin

cesse.

'To tell the beawtie of my buildings fayre,
Adornd with purest golde and precious stone;
To tell my riches, and endowments rare,
That by my foes are now all spent and gone;
To tell my forces, matchable to none,
Were but lost labour, that few would beleeve,
And with rehearsing would me more agreeve.

High towers, faire temples, goodly theaters,
Strong wails, rich porches, princelie pallaces,
Large streetes, brave houses, sacred sepulchers,
Sure gates, sweete gardens, stately galleries,
Wrought with faire pillours and fine imageries ;
All those (O pitie!) now are turnd to dust,
And overgrowen with blacke oblivions rust.
'Theretoo for warlike power, and peoples store,
In Britannie was none to match with mee,
That manie often did abie full sore;
With my great forces might compared bee:
Ne Troynovant, though elder sister shee,
Who in a siege seaven yeres about me dwelt.
That stout Pendragon to his perill felt,
But long ere this, Bunduca, Britonnesse,
Bunduca, that victorious conqueresse, [ brought,

come

were

Of hardie Saxons, and became their thrall, Yet was I with much bloodshed bought full deere,

And prizde with slaughter of their Generall;