Orphane, a youngling or pupill, that needeth a Tutour and governour. That word, a patheticall parenthesis, to encrease a carefull hyperbaton. The braunch, of the fathers body, is the child. For even so, Alluded to the saying of Andromache to Ascanius in Virgile. 'Sic oculos, sic ille manus, sic ora ferebat.' A thrilling throb, a percing sighe. Maister of collusion, s. coloured guile, because the Foxe, of al beasts, is most wily and crafty. Sperre the yate, shut the dore. For such, the gotes stombling is here noted as an evill signe. The like to be marked in all histories: and that not the leaste of the Lorde Hastingues in King Rycharde the third his dayes. For, beside his daungerous dreame (whiche was a shrewde prophecie of his mishap that folowed) it is sayd, that in the morning, ryding toward the tower of London, there to sitte uppon matters of counsell, his horse stombled twise or thrise by the way: which, of some, that ryding with him in his company were privie to his neere destenie, was secretly marked, and afterward noted for memorie of his great mishap that ensewed. For being then as merye as man might be, and least doubting any mortall daunger, he was, within two howres after, of the Tyranne put to a shamefull deathe. As belles, by such trifles are noted, the reliques and ragges of popish superstition, which put no smal religion in Belles, and Babies, s. Idoles, and glasses, s. Paxes, and such lyke trumperies. Great cold, for they boast much of their outward patience, and voluntarye sufferaunce, as a worke of merite and holy humblenesse. Sweete S. Charitie, The Catholiques common othe, and onely speache, to have charitye alwayes in their mouth, and sometime in their outward Actions, but never inwardly in fayth and godly zeale. Clincke,a keyhole. Whose diminutive is clicket, used of Chaucer for a Key. Stounds, fittes: aforesayde. Bestlihead, agreeing to the person of a beast. Newell, a newe thing. To forestall, to prævent. Glee, chere: afforesayde. Deare a price, his lyfe which he lost for those toyes. Such ende, is an Epiphonema, or rather the moral of the whole tale, whose purpose is to warne the protestaunt beware, how he giveth credit to the unfaythfull Catholique; wherof we have dayly proofes sufficient, but one moste famous of all practised of late yeares in Fraunce, by Charles the nynth. Fayne, gladde or desyrous. Our sir John, a Popishe priest. A saying fit for the grosenesse of a shepheard, but spoken to taunte unlearned Priestes. Dismount, descende or set. THIS Eglogue is wholly vowed to the complayning of Colins ill successe in his love. For being (as is aforesaid) enamoured of a country lasse, Rosalind, and having (as seemeth) founde place in her heart, he lamenteth to his deare frend Hobbinoll, that he is nowe forsaken unfaithfully, and in his steede Menalcas, another shepheard, received disloyally. And this is the whole Argument of this Eglogue. Hob. Lo! Collin, here the place whose plesaunt The Bramble bush, where Byrds of every kynde syte [mynde: To the waters fall their tunes attemper right. From other shades hath weand my wandring| Col. O happy Hobbinoll! I blesse thy state, Tell me, what wants me here to worke de- That Paradise hast founde whych Adam lyte? The simple ayre, the gentle warbling wynde, So calme, so coole, as no where else I fynde: The grassye ground with daintye Daysies dight, lost: Here wander may thy flocke, early or late, Withouten dreade of Wolves to bene ytost: Thy lovely layes here mayst thou freely boste. 17 But I. unhappy man! whom cruell fate Hob. Then, if by me thou list advised be. see. Nor holy-bush, nor brere, nor winding witche: And fruietfull flocks, bene every where to see: Nor elvish ghosts, nor gastly owles doe flee. I sawe Calliope wyth Muses moe, Renne after hastely thy silver sound: Col. Of Muses, Hobbinol. I conne no skill, For they bene daughters of the hyghest Jove, and holden scorne of homely shepheards quill: For sith i heard that Pan with Phœbus strove, I never lyst presume to Parnasse hyll, Nought weigh I who my song doth prayse or Doe make them musick for their more delight: Col. And I, whylst youth and course of carelesse yeeres, Did let me walke withouten lincks of love, Tho couth I sing of love, and tune my pype best. I wote my rymes bene rough, and rudely drest; The flames which love within his heart had And all hys passing skil with him is fledde, And losse of her, whose love as lyfe I wayd, Which thou wert wont on wastfull hylls to woe, [shedde. I more delight then larke in Sommer dayes: And teache the trees their trickling teares to layes. wight, Didst underfong my lasse to wexe so light, Shouldest well be knowne for such thy villanee. But since I am not as I wish I were, Ye gentle Shepheards, which your flocks do feede, Whether on hylls, or dales, or other where, Beare witnesse all of thys so wicked deede: And tell the lasse, whose flowre is woxe a weede, And faultlesse fayth is turned to faithlesse fere, Syte, situation and place. That she the truest shepheards hart made bleede, That lyves on earth, and loved her most cere. Hob. O, carefull Colin! I lament thy case; Thy teares would make the hardest flint to flowe! Ah, faithlesse Rosalind and voide of grace, That art the roote of all this ruthfull woe! But now is time, I gesse, homeward to goe: Then ryse, ve blessed Flocks, and home apace, Least night with stealing steppes doe your forsloe, [trace. And wett your tender Lambes that by you. COLINS EMBLEME. Gu speme spenta.. GLOSSE. Paradise, A Paradise in Greeke, signifieth a Garden of pleasure, or place of delights. So he compareth the soile, wherin Hobbinoll made his abode, to that earthly Paradise, in scripture called Eden, wherein Adam in his first creation was placed: which of the most learned is thought to be in Mesopotamia, the most fertile pleasaunte country in the world (as may appeare by Diodorus Syclus description of it, in the historie of Alexanders conquest thereof,) lying betweene the two famous Ryvers, (which are sayd in scripture to flowe, out of Paradise) Tygris and Euphrates, whereof it is so denominate. Forsake the soyle. This is no Poetical fiction, but unfeynedly spoken of the Poete selfe, who for special occasion of private affayres, (as I have bene partly of himselfe informed) and for his more preferment, removing out of the Northparts, came into the South, as Hobbinoll indeede advised him privately. Those hylles, that is in the North countrye, where he dwelt. Nis, is not. The Dales. The Southpartes, where he nowe abydeth, which thoughe they be full of hylles and woodes (for Kent is very hyllye and woodye; and therefore so called, for Kantsh in the Saxons tongue signifieth woodie,) yet in respecte of the Northpartes they be called dales. For indede the North is counted the higher countrye. Night Ravens, &c. By such hatefull byrdes, hee meaneth all misfortunes (whereof they be tokens) flying every where. Frendly faeries. The opinion of Faeries and elfes is very old, and yet sticketh very religiously in the myndes of some. But to roote that rancke opinion of Elfes oute of mens hearts, the truth is, that there be no such thinges, nor yet the shadowes of the things, but onely by a sort of bald Friers and knavish shavelings so feigned; which as in all other things, so in that, songhte to nousell the common people in ignoraunce, least, being once acquainted with the truth of things, they woulde in tyme smell out the untruth of theyr packed: pe'fe, and Massepenie religion. But the sooth is, that when all Italy was distraicte into the Factions of the Guelfes and the Gibelins, being two famous houses in Florence, the name began through their great mischiefes and many outrages, to be so odious, or rather dreadfull, in the peoples eares, that, if theyr children at any time were frowarde and wanton, they would say to them that the Guelfe or the Gibeline came. Which words nowe from then (as many things els) be come into our usage, and, for Guelfes and Gibelines, we say Elfes and Goblins. No otherwise then the Frenchmen used to say of that valiaunt captain, the very scourge of Fraunce, the Lorde Thalbot, afterward Erle of Shrewsbury, whose noblesse bred such a terrour in the hearts of the French, that oft times even great armies were defaicted and put to flyght at the onely hearing of hys name. In somuch that the French wemen, to affray theyr chyldren, would tell them that the Talbot commeth. Many Graces, though there be indeede but three Graces or Charites (as afore is sayd) or at the utmost but foure, yet, in respect of many gyftes of bounty there may be sayde more. And so Musæus sayth, that in Heroes eyther eye there sat a hundred Graces. And, by that authoritye, thys same Poete, in his Pageaunts, saith An hundred Graces on her eyelidde sate,' &c. Heydeguies, A country daunce or rownd. The conceipt is, that the Graces and Nymphes doe daunce unto the Muses and Pan his musicke all night by Moonelight. To signifie the pleasauntnesse of the soyle. Peeres. Equalles, and felow shepheards. Quene-apples unripe, imitating Virgils verse. 'Ipse ego cana legam tenera lanugine mala.' Neighbour groves, a straunge phrase in English, but word for word expressing the Latine vicina nemora. Spring, not of water, but of young trees springing. Calliope, afforesayde. Thys staffe is full of verie poetical invention. HH 17 But I, unhappy man! whom cruell fate Hob. Then, if by me thou list advised be, see, I sawe Calliope wyth Muses moe, Renne after hastely thy silver sound; But, when they came where thou thy skill didst showe, [found Nor holy-bush, nor brere, nor winding witche: They drewe abacke, as halfe with shame conAnd to the dales resort, where shepheards Shepheard to see them in theyr art outgoe. ritch, And fruictfull flocks, bene every where to see: Nor elvish ghosts, nor gastly owles doe flee. Col. Of Muses, Hobbinol, I conne no skill, For they bene daughters of the hyghest Jove, And holden scorne of homely shepheards quill: For sith I heard that Pan with Phoebus strove, I never lyst presume to Parnasse hyll, Nought weigh I who my song doth prayse or Doe make them musick for their more delight: Tho couth I sing of love, and tune my pype best. I wote my rymes bene rough, and rudely drest; slake And all hys passing skil with him is fledde, And losse of her, whose love as lyfe I wayd, wight, As shee deserves that wrought so deadly spight. Didst underfong my lasse to wexe so light, Shouldest well be knowne for such thy villanee. But since I am not as I wish I were, Ye gentle Shepheards, which your flocks do feede, Whether on hylls, or dales, or other where, Beare witnesse all of thys so wicked deede: And tell the lasse, whose flowre is woxe a weede, And faultlesse fayth is turned to faithlesse fere, Syte, situation and place. That she the truest shepheards hart made bleede, That lyves on earth, and loved her most cere. Hob. O, carefull Colin! I lament thy case; Thy teares would make the hardest flint to flowe! Ah, faithlesse Rosalind and voide of grace, That art the roote of all this ruthfull woe! But now is time, I gesse, homeward to goe: Then ryse, ye blessed Flocks, and home apace, Least night with stealing steppes doe you forsloe, [trace. And wett your tender Lambes that by you. COLINS EMBLEME. Gu speme spenta.. GLOSSE. Paradise, A Paradise in Greeke, signifieth a Garden of pleasure, or place of delights. So he compareth the soile, wherin Hobbinoll made his abode, to that earthly Paradise, in scripture called Eden, wherein Adam in his first creation was placed: which of the most learned is thought to be in Mesopotamia, the most fertile pleasaunte country in the world (as may appeare by Diodorus Sycelus description of it, in the historie of Alexanders conquest thereof,) lying betweene the two famous Ryvers, (which are sayd in scripture to flowe out of Paradise) Tygris and Euphrates, whereof it is so denominate. Forsake the soyle. This is no Poetical fiction, but unfeynedly spoken of the Poete selfe, who for special occasion of private affayres, (as I have bene partly of himselfe informed) and for his more preferment, removing out of the Northparts, came into the South, as Hobbinoll indeede advised him privately. Those hylles, that is in the North countrye, where he dwelt. Nis, is not. The Dales. The Southpartes, where he nowe abydeth, which thoughe they be full of hylles and woodes (for Kent is very hyllye and woodye; and therefore so called, for Kantsh in the Saxons tongue signifieth woodie,) yet in respecte of the Northpartes they be called dales. For indede the North is counted the higher countrye. Night Ravens, &c. By such hatefull byrdes, hee meaneth all misfortunes (whereof they be tokens) flying every where. Frendly faeries. The opinion of Faeries and elfes is very old, and yet sticketh very religiously in the myndes of some. But to roote that rancke opinion of Elfes oute of mens hearts, the truth is, that there be no such thinges, nor yet the shadowes of the things, but onely by a sort of bald Friers and knavish shavelings so feigned; which as in all other things, so in that, songhte to nousell the common people in ignoraunce, least, being once acquainted with the truth of things, they woulde in tyme smell out the untruth of theyr packed pe'fe, and Massepenie religion. But the sooth is, that when all Italy was distraicte into the Factions of the Guelfes and the Gibelins, being two famous houses in Florence, the name began through their great mischiefes and many outrages, to be so odious, or rather dreadfull, in the peoples eares, that, if theyr children at any time were frowarde and wanton, they would say to them that the Guelfe or the Gibeline came. Which words nowe from then (as many things els) be come into our usage, and, for Guelfes and Gibelines, we say Elfes and Goblins. No otherwise then the Frenchmen used to say of that valiaunt captain, the very scourge of Fraunce, the Lorde Thalbot, afterward Erle of Shrewsbury, whose noblesse bred such a terrour in the hearts of the French, that oft times even great armies were defaicted and put to flyght at the onely hearing of hys name. In somuch that the French wemen, to affray theyr chyldren, would tell them that the Talbot commeth. Many Graces, though there be indeede but three Graces or Charites (as afore is sayd) or at the utmost but foure, yet, in respect of many gyftes of bounty there may be sayde more. And so Musæus sayth, that in Heroes eyther eye there sat a hundred Graces. And, by that authoritye, thys same Poete, in his Pageaunts, saith An hundred Graces on her eyelidde sate,' &c. Heydeguies, A country daunce or rownd. The conceipt is, that the Graces and Nymphes doe daunce unto the Muses and Pan his musicke all night by Moonelight. To signifie the pleasauntnesse of the soyle. Peeres. Equalles, and felow shepheards. Quene-apples unripe, imitating Virgils verse. 'Ipse ego cana legam tenera lanugine mala.' Neighbour groves, a straunge phrase in English, but word for word expressing the Latine vicina nemora. Spring, not of water, but of young trees springing. Calliope, afforesayde. Thys staffe is full of verie poetical invention. HH |