The New Oxford Book of Sixteenth Century VerseIn the sixty years since we published the original Oxford Book of Sixteenth-Century Verse, a revolution in literary taste has taken place. We now know that Elizabethan literature contained much more than dainty pastorals and lovely sonnets, and that in fact many poetic traditions flourished within the sixteenth century. Now, Emrys Jones has brought together a definitive collection of verse which truly captures the diversity of this period. By no means have the classics of Elizabethan literature been replaced--there are ample selections from Spenser's Faerie Queen, from Shakespeare's sonnets and plays (including Ariel's song from The Tempest: "Full fathom five thy father lies..."), and from John Donne (who actually produced many poems in the sixteenth century, although he has previously been thought of only as a poet of the next century). But alongside these well-known works, Jones has placed a vast array of other significant poems--from the early part of the century (when poets such as John Skelton still harkened back to Chaucer and feudal times) to the great Elizabethan period (when it seems everybody, including the Queen, was writing admirable verse). Managing both to be inclusive and to maintain the high literary standards of the earlier collection, The New Oxford Book of Sixteenth-Century Verse (with its engaging and informative introduction, and its copious footnotes which gloss unfamiliar words) conveys in unparalleled style all the richness of what is arguably the greatest century of English literature. |
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Page 384
... ears , A merchandise whereof there is no sale . Leave them , or lay them up with thy despairs . She hath resolved , and judged thee long ago . Thy lines are now a murmuring to her ears , Like to a falling stream , which , passing slow ...
... ears , A merchandise whereof there is no sale . Leave them , or lay them up with thy despairs . She hath resolved , and judged thee long ago . Thy lines are now a murmuring to her ears , Like to a falling stream , which , passing slow ...
Page 681
... Ears ' Delight ] WHILE this was singing , Ovid young in love With her perfections , never proving yet How merciful a mistress she would prove , Boldly embraced the power he could not let , And like a fiery exhalation Followed the sun he ...
... Ears ' Delight ] WHILE this was singing , Ovid young in love With her perfections , never proving yet How merciful a mistress she would prove , Boldly embraced the power he could not let , And like a fiery exhalation Followed the sun he ...
Page 683
... ear , Whose pores do open wide to their regreet , And my implanted air that air embraceth Which they impress . I feel their nimble feet . Tread my ears ' labyrinth ; their sport amazeth They keep such measure ; play themselves and dance ...
... ear , Whose pores do open wide to their regreet , And my implanted air that air embraceth Which they impress . I feel their nimble feet . Tread my ears ' labyrinth ; their sport amazeth They keep such measure ; play themselves and dance ...
Contents
JOHN SKELTON c 14601529 | 1 |
To Mistress Margaret Hussey | 2 |
My darling dear my daisy flower | 3 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Aeolus Alcyone Astrophil beauty behold birds breast busked Ceyx Clytemnestra Creusa Cupid curchie Cyclops dead dear death delight desire dost doth dread earth echo ring eyes face Faerie Queene fain fair fancy farewell fear fire flowers Fortune friar gentle goeth gold goodly grace Greensleeves grief hand haste hath hear heart heaven hight Hippodames honour king kiss lady leave light limbeck live look Lord loue love's Lycon merry mind Muses Musophilus never night nought nymphs pain Parrot plain plain-song pleasure poems poor praise pray queen quod quoth rest scorn seek shalt shame sighs sight sing sith sleep song sore sorrow soul sprite sweet tears tell thee thine thing thought unto wanton ween wight wind wise woods words wretched youth