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 282
... late footing signed ; I seek her bower with her late presence decked ; Yet nor in field nor bower I her can find , Yet field and bower are full of her aspect . But when mine eyes I thereunto direct , They idly back return to me again ...
... late footing signed ; I seek her bower with her late presence decked ; Yet nor in field nor bower I her can find , Yet field and bower are full of her aspect . But when mine eyes I thereunto direct , They idly back return to me again ...
Page 541
... late harboured in one inn , With proverbs thus each other entertain , ' In love there is no lack ' thus I begin ; ' Fair words make fools ' , replieth he again . ' Who spares to speak doth spare to speed ' , quoth I ; ' As well ' , say ...
... late harboured in one inn , With proverbs thus each other entertain , ' In love there is no lack ' thus I begin ; ' Fair words make fools ' , replieth he again . ' Who spares to speak doth spare to speed ' , quoth I ; ' As well ' , say ...
Page 699
... late used to sound Of sweetest birds , now of hoarse crows the nest ; Gardens , which once in thousand colours dressed Showed nature's pride , now in dead sticks abound , In whom proud summer's treasure late was found Now but the rags ...
... late used to sound Of sweetest birds , now of hoarse crows the nest ; Gardens , which once in thousand colours dressed Showed nature's pride , now in dead sticks abound , In whom proud summer's treasure late was found Now but the rags ...
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