COMMENDATORY VERSES

Me thought I saw the graue, whereLauralay,Within that Temple, where the vestall flameWas wont to burne, and passing by that way,To see that buried dust of liuing fame,Whose tombe faire loue, and fairer vertue kept,All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene:At whose approch the soule ofPetrarkewept,And from thenceforth those graces were not seene.For they this Queene attended, in whose steedObliuion laid him downe onLaurasherse:Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed,And grones of buried ghostes the heauens did perse.WhereHomersspright did tremble all for griefe,And curst th’accesse of that celestiall theife.

Me thought I saw the graue, whereLauralay,

Within that Temple, where the vestall flame

Was wont to burne, and passing by that way,

To see that buried dust of liuing fame,

Whose tombe faire loue, and fairer vertue kept,

All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene:

At whose approch the soule ofPetrarkewept,

And from thenceforth those graces were not seene.

For they this Queene attended, in whose steed

Obliuion laid him downe onLaurasherse:

Hereat the hardest stones were seene to bleed,

And grones of buried ghostes the heauens did perse.

WhereHomersspright did tremble all for griefe,

And curst th’accesse of that celestiall theife.

The prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings,As doth the Cuckoes song delight whenPhilumenasings.If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein:Vertue her selfe can best discerne, to whom they written bin.If thou hast beautie praysd, let her sole lookes diuineIudge if ought therein be amis, and mend it by her eine.If Chastitie want ought, or Temperance her dew,Behold her Princely mind aright, and write thy Queene anew.Meane while she shall perceiue, how farre her vertues soreAboue the reach of all that liue, or such as wrote of yore:And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will:Whose vertue can not be exprest, but by an Angels quill.Of me no lines are lou’d, nor letters are of price,Of all which speake our English tongue, but those of thy deuice.W. R.

The prayse of meaner wits this worke like profit brings,

As doth the Cuckoes song delight whenPhilumenasings.

If thou hast formed right true vertues face herein:

Vertue her selfe can best discerne, to whom they written bin.

If thou hast beautie praysd, let her sole lookes diuine

Iudge if ought therein be amis, and mend it by her eine.

If Chastitie want ought, or Temperance her dew,

Behold her Princely mind aright, and write thy Queene anew.

Meane while she shall perceiue, how farre her vertues sore

Aboue the reach of all that liue, or such as wrote of yore:

And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will:

Whose vertue can not be exprest, but by an Angels quill.

Of me no lines are lou’d, nor letters are of price,

Of all which speake our English tongue, but those of thy deuice.

W. R.

Collyn I see by thy new taken taske,some sacred fury bath enricht thy braynes,That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske,and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes.That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings,So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings.Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne,and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight,Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne,those prety pypes that did thy mates delight.Those trustie mates, that loued thee so well,Whom thou gau’st mirth: as they gaue thee the bell.Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes,didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers:So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes,delight the dainty eares of higher powers.And so mought they in their deepe skanning skillAlow and grace our Collyns flowing quill.And fare befall thatFaerie Queeneof thine,in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits.Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuyne,such high conceites into thy humble wits,As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede,From rusticke tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes.So mought thyRedcrosse knightwith happy handvictorious be in that faire Ilands right:Which thou doest vaile in Type of Faery landElyzas blessed field, thatAlbionhight.That shieldes her friends, and warres her mightie foes,Yet still with people, peace, and plentie flowes.But (iolly Shepheard) though with pleasing style,thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine;Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile,ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine.Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright,From whence thy Muse, and all the world takes light.Hobynoll.

Collyn I see by thy new taken taske,

some sacred fury bath enricht thy braynes,

That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske,

and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes.

That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings,

So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings.

Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne,and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight,Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne,those prety pypes that did thy mates delight.Those trustie mates, that loued thee so well,Whom thou gau’st mirth: as they gaue thee the bell.

Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne,

and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight,

Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne,

those prety pypes that did thy mates delight.

Those trustie mates, that loued thee so well,

Whom thou gau’st mirth: as they gaue thee the bell.

Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes,didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers:So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes,delight the dainty eares of higher powers.And so mought they in their deepe skanning skillAlow and grace our Collyns flowing quill.

Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes,

didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers:

So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes,

delight the dainty eares of higher powers.

And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill

Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill.

And fare befall thatFaerie Queeneof thine,in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits.Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuyne,such high conceites into thy humble wits,As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede,From rusticke tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes.

And fare befall thatFaerie Queeneof thine,

in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits.

Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuyne,

such high conceites into thy humble wits,

As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede,

From rusticke tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes.

So mought thyRedcrosse knightwith happy handvictorious be in that faire Ilands right:Which thou doest vaile in Type of Faery landElyzas blessed field, thatAlbionhight.That shieldes her friends, and warres her mightie foes,Yet still with people, peace, and plentie flowes.

So mought thyRedcrosse knightwith happy hand

victorious be in that faire Ilands right:

Which thou doest vaile in Type of Faery land

Elyzas blessed field, thatAlbionhight.

That shieldes her friends, and warres her mightie foes,

Yet still with people, peace, and plentie flowes.

But (iolly Shepheard) though with pleasing style,thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine;Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile,ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine.Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright,From whence thy Muse, and all the world takes light.

But (iolly Shepheard) though with pleasing style,

thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine;

Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile,

ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine.

Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright,

From whence thy Muse, and all the world takes light.

Hobynoll.

FayreThamis[639]streams, that fromLuddsstately towns,Runst paying tribute to the Ocean seas,Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowneBe silent, whyle this BryttaneOrpheusplayes:Nere thy sweet bankes, there liues that sacred crowne,Whose hand strowes Palme and neuer-dying bayes,Let all at once, with thy soft murmuring sownePresent her with this worthy Poets prayes.For he hath taught hye drifts in shepeherdes weedes,And deepe conceites now singes inFaeriesdeedes.R. S.

FayreThamis[639]streams, that fromLuddsstately towns,

Runst paying tribute to the Ocean seas,

Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of renowne

Be silent, whyle this BryttaneOrpheusplayes:

Nere thy sweet bankes, there liues that sacred crowne,

Whose hand strowes Palme and neuer-dying bayes,

Let all at once, with thy soft murmuring sowne

Present her with this worthy Poets prayes.

For he hath taught hye drifts in shepeherdes weedes,

And deepe conceites now singes inFaeriesdeedes.

R. S.

Graue Muses march in triumph and with prayses.Our Goddesse here hath giuen you leaue to land:And biddes this rare dispenser of your gracesBow downe his brow vnto her sacred hand.Desertes findes dew in that most princely doome.In whose sweete brest are all the Muses bredde:So did that greatAugustuserst in RoomeWith leaues of fame adorne his Poets hedde.Faire be the guerdon of yourFaery Queene,Euen of the fairest that the world hath seene.H. B.

Graue Muses march in triumph and with prayses.

Our Goddesse here hath giuen you leaue to land:

And biddes this rare dispenser of your graces

Bow downe his brow vnto her sacred hand.

Desertes findes dew in that most princely doome.

In whose sweete brest are all the Muses bredde:

So did that greatAugustuserst in Roome

With leaues of fame adorne his Poets hedde.

Faire be the guerdon of yourFaery Queene,

Euen of the fairest that the world hath seene.

H. B.

When stoutAchillesheard ofHelensrapeAnd what reuenge the States of Greece deuisd:Thinking by sleight the fatall warres to scape,In womans weedes him selfe he then disguisde:But this deuiseVlyssessoone did spy,And brought him forth, the chaunce of warre to try.WhenSpencersaw the fame was spredd so large,Through Faery land of their renowned Queene:Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge.As in such haughty matter to be seene,To seeme a shepeheard then he made his choice,ButSydneyheard him sing, and knew his voice.And asVlyssesbrought faireThetissonneFrom his retyred life to menage armes:SoSpencerwas bySidneysspeaches wonne,To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes:For well he knew, his Muse would soone be tyredIn her high praise, that all the world admired.Yet asAchillesin those warlike frayes,Did win the palme from all theGrecianPeeres:SoSpencernow to his immortall prayse,Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his feres.What though his taske exceed a humaine witt,He is excus’d, sithSidneythought it fitt.W. L.

When stoutAchillesheard ofHelensrape

And what reuenge the States of Greece deuisd:

Thinking by sleight the fatall warres to scape,

In womans weedes him selfe he then disguisde:

But this deuiseVlyssessoone did spy,

And brought him forth, the chaunce of warre to try.

WhenSpencersaw the fame was spredd so large,Through Faery land of their renowned Queene:Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge.As in such haughty matter to be seene,To seeme a shepeheard then he made his choice,ButSydneyheard him sing, and knew his voice.

WhenSpencersaw the fame was spredd so large,

Through Faery land of their renowned Queene:

Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge.

As in such haughty matter to be seene,

To seeme a shepeheard then he made his choice,

ButSydneyheard him sing, and knew his voice.

And asVlyssesbrought faireThetissonneFrom his retyred life to menage armes:SoSpencerwas bySidneysspeaches wonne,To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes:For well he knew, his Muse would soone be tyredIn her high praise, that all the world admired.

And asVlyssesbrought faireThetissonne

From his retyred life to menage armes:

SoSpencerwas bySidneysspeaches wonne,

To blaze her fame not fearing future harmes:

For well he knew, his Muse would soone be tyred

In her high praise, that all the world admired.

Yet asAchillesin those warlike frayes,Did win the palme from all theGrecianPeeres:SoSpencernow to his immortall prayse,Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his feres.What though his taske exceed a humaine witt,He is excus’d, sithSidneythought it fitt.

Yet asAchillesin those warlike frayes,

Did win the palme from all theGrecianPeeres:

SoSpencernow to his immortall prayse,

Hath wonne the Laurell quite from all his feres.

What though his taske exceed a humaine witt,

He is excus’d, sithSidneythought it fitt.

W. L.

To looke upon a worke of rare deuiseThe which a workman setteth out to view,And not to yield it the deserued prise,That vnto such a workmanship is dew[640],Doth either proue the iudgement to be naughtOr els doth shew a mind with enuy fraught.To labour to commend a peece of worke,Which no man goes about to discommend,Would raise a iealous doubt that there did lurke,Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend.For when men know the goodnes of the wyne,T’is needlesse for the hoast to haue a sygne.Thus then to shew my iudgement to be suchAs can discerne of colours blacke, and white,As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch,That neuer giues to any man his right,I here pronounce this[641]workmanship is such,As that no pen can set it forth too much.And thus I hang a garland at the dore,Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware:But such hath beene the custome heretofore,And customes very hardly broken are.And when your tast shall tell you this is trew,Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew.Ignoto.

To looke upon a worke of rare deuise

The which a workman setteth out to view,

And not to yield it the deserued prise,

That vnto such a workmanship is dew[640],

Doth either proue the iudgement to be naught

Or els doth shew a mind with enuy fraught.

To labour to commend a peece of worke,Which no man goes about to discommend,Would raise a iealous doubt that there did lurke,Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend.For when men know the goodnes of the wyne,T’is needlesse for the hoast to haue a sygne.

To labour to commend a peece of worke,

Which no man goes about to discommend,

Would raise a iealous doubt that there did lurke,

Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend.

For when men know the goodnes of the wyne,

T’is needlesse for the hoast to haue a sygne.

Thus then to shew my iudgement to be suchAs can discerne of colours blacke, and white,As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch,That neuer giues to any man his right,I here pronounce this[641]workmanship is such,As that no pen can set it forth too much.

Thus then to shew my iudgement to be such

As can discerne of colours blacke, and white,

As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch,

That neuer giues to any man his right,

I here pronounce this[641]workmanship is such,

As that no pen can set it forth too much.

And thus I hang a garland at the dore,Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware:But such hath beene the custome heretofore,And customes very hardly broken are.And when your tast shall tell you this is trew,Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew.

And thus I hang a garland at the dore,

Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware:

But such hath beene the custome heretofore,

And customes very hardly broken are.

And when your tast shall tell you this is trew,

Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew.

Ignoto.

FOOTNOTES:[639]FayreThamis.&c.]This poem and those that follow are omitted in 1596 Bodl.[640]l. 17dew.1590[641]l. 30this1590

[639]FayreThamis.&c.]This poem and those that follow are omitted in 1596 Bodl.

[640]l. 17dew.1590

[641]l. 30this1590

Back to Index Next