V E R S E's

TO THE

AUTHOR OF THE FAERY QUEENE.

A Vifon opon ibis Concept of the Faery Queene. And thereby will excuse and fauour thy good will,

Whose vertue cannot be exprest, but by an angel's Me thought I saw the graue where Laura lay,

quill. Within that temple, where the veftal flame Of me no lines are lou’d, nor letters are of price, Was wont to burne, and passing by that way

Of all which speak our English tongue, but those To see that buried dust of liuing fame,

of thy deuice.
Whose tumbe faire Louc, and fairer Vertue kept,
All suddenly I saw the Faery Queene ;
At whose approch the soul of Petrarke wept,

To the Learned Sbepheard.
And from thenceforth those Graces were not seene;
For they this Queene attended, in whose steed Collin, I fee by thy new taken taske
Oblivion laid him down on Laura's herse : Sume sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes,
Hereat the hardest stones were seen to bleed, That leades thy Muse in haughty verse to maske,
And grones of buried ghoftes the heuens did And loath the layes that long to lowly swaynes;
perse;

That lifts thy notes from thepheards unto kinges, Where Homer's spright did tremble all for griefe, | So like the liuely lark that mounting linges. And curft the accesse of that celestial thiefe.

Thy louely Rosalinde seemes now forlorne,

And all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight,
Anotber of the fame.

Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in

scorne, Tar prayle of meaner wits this Worke like profit Those prety pypes that did thy mates delight; brings,

[lings. Those crusty mates, that loued thee so well, As doth the cuckoe's song delight when Philumena Whom thou gau'st mirth, as they gaue thee the If thou haft formed right true Vertue's face herein,

bell. Vertde herselfe can beft difcerne, to whom they written bin.

Yet as thou earst with thy sweet roundelayes, If thou haft bcautic prayfd, let her sole looks di Didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers, uine

So moughts thou now in these refyned layes, Iudge ought therein be amis, and mend it by Delight the daintie eares of higher powers ; hereine.

And so mought they, in their deep scanning skill, If chastitie want ought, or temperance her dew, Alow and grace our Collyn's flowing quill. Behold her princely mind aright, and write thy Queen anew.

[fore And faire befall that Faery Queen of thine, Mean while she shall perceiue how far her vertues In whose faire eyes Loue linckt with Vertue fittes, Abouc the reach of all that liue, or such as wrote Enfusing by those bewties syers deuine of yore;

Such high conceits into thy humble wittes,

HOBY NOLL.

As raised hath poore pastors oaten reedes, When Spenser saw the fame was spredd fo large From rustic tunes, to chaunt heroique decdes. Through Faery Land of their renowned Queene,

Loth that his Muse should take so great a charge, So mought thy Red-crosse knight with happy band As in such haughty matter to be seene, Victorious be in that faire island's right,

To seeme a shepcheard then he made his choice; Which thou dost vail in type of Faery Land, But Sidney heard him fing, and knew his voice. Eliza's blessed field, that Albion hight; [focs, That shields her friendes, and warres her mightie And as Ulyffes brought faire Thetis sonne Yet ftill with people, peace and plenty flowes. From his rctyred life to menage armies;

So Spenser was by Sidney's speaches wonne,
But (iolly Shepehcard) though with pleasing style To blaze her fame, not fearing future harmes;
Thou feast the humour of the courtly trayne, For well he knew his Muse would soone be tyred
Let not conceipt thy settled fence beguile, lo her high praise, that all the world admired.
Ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine :
Subject thy dome to her empyring spright, Yet as Achilles in those warlike frayes
From whence thy Muse and all the world takes Did win the palme from all the Grecian peeres;
light.

So Spenser now, to his immortal prayse,
Hath wonnc the laurell quite from all his feres,

What though his taske exceed a humaine witt, Fayre Thamis streame, that from Ludd's stately He is excused, Gith Sidney thought it fit. Runst paying tribute to the ocean seas, (towne,

W.L. Let all thy Nymphes and Syrens of reuowne Be filent, whyle this Bryttane Orpheus playes : To look upon a worke of rare deuile, Nerc thy sweet bankes there lives chat sacred | The which a workman seteeth out to view, Crowne,

And not to yield it the deserued prise, Whose hand strowes palme and neuer-dying bayes; That unto such a workmanship is dew, Let all at once with thy soft murmuring sowne Doth either prove the iudgment to be naught, Present her with this worthy poet's prayes;

Or elle doth Thew a mind with enuy fraught. For he hath taught hye drifts in shepherdes weedes, And deep conceites now finges in Faeries deedes. To labour to commend a peece of worke,

R. S. Which no man goes about to discommend,

Would raise a iealous doubt, that there did lurke GRAVE Muses march in triumph and with prayfes, Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend ; Our Goddessc here hath giuen you leaue to land, For when men know the goodness of the wyne, And biddes this rare dispenser of your graces

Tis needlesse for the hoast to have a synge.
Bow downe his brow unto her sacred hand.
Deserte findes dew in that most princely doome, Thus then to fhew my iudgment to be such
In whose sweete breast are all the Muses bredde; As can discerne of colours blacke and white,
So did that great Augustus eft in Roome As alls to free my minde from enuie's tuch,
With leaues of fame adorne his poet's hedde. That neuer giues to any man his right,
Faire be the guerdon of your Faery Queene, I here pronounce this workmanship is such,
Euen of the fairest that the world hath seene. As that bo pen can set it forth too much.

H. B.

And thus I hang a garland at the dore, When fout Achilles heard of Helen's rape, Not for to fhew the goodness of the ware, And what reuenge the states of Greece deuisd, But such hath beene the custome heretofore ; Thinking by fleight the fatall warres to fcape, And customes very hardly broken are : In woman's weedes himselfe he then disguisde; And when your taft shall tell you this is trew, But this devise Ulysles foon did spy, (try. Then look you giue your boast his utmost dew, And brought him forth the chaunce of warre to

IONOTO.

To the Rigbt Honourable Sir Cbrifopber Hatton, Unfitly I these ydle rimes present,
Lord High Chancellor of England, &c. The labor of lost time, and wit unstayd :

Yet if their deeper sence be inly wayd, Tuose prudent heads that with their counsels And the dim vele, with which from commune vew wise

Their fairer parts are hid, aside be layd, Whylom the pillours of thearth did sustain, Perhaps not vaine they may appeare to you. And taught ambitious Rome to cyrannise,

Such as they be, vouchsafe them to reccaue, And in the neck of all the world to rayne,

And wipe their faults out of your censure graue. Df from those graue affaires were wont abstaine,

E.S. With the sweet lady Muses for to play : So Ennius, the elder Africane, So Maro oft did Ca far's cares allay :

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Oxenford, Lord So you great Lord, that with your counsell fway

High Cbamberlayne of England, &c.
The burdeine of this kingdom mightily,
With like delightes sometimes way eke delay Receive, most noble Lord, in gentle gree
The rugged brow of carefull Policy ;

The vnripe fruit of an voready wit,
And to thefe ydle rymes lend little space,

Which by thy countenaunce doth crave to bee Which for their titles lake may find more grace. Defended from foule enuie's poisnous bit ;

E. S.

Which so to doe may thee right well befit,
Sith th' antique glory of thine auncestry

Vnder a shady vele is therein writ,
To the Right Honourable the Lord Burleigh, Lord And eke thine owne long living memory,
Higb Tbreafurer of England.

Succeeding them in true nobility ;

And also for the loue which thon doeft beare To you, right noble Lord, who carefull brest To th' Heliconian ymps, and they to thee; To menage of molt grave affaires is bent, They vnto thee, and thou to them most deare ; And on whose mightie shoulders most doth rest Deare as thou art vnto thyselfe ; fo loue The burdein of this kivgdomcs gouernment That loues and honours thee, as doch behove. As the wide compasse of the firmament

E, S. Do Atlas' mighty shoulders is vpstayd;

To tbe Right Honcurable the Earle of Nortbumber- To the Right Honourable the Earl of Ormond and land.

Ofory.

The sacred Muses haue made alwaies clame RECEwe, moft noble Lord, a simple taste
To be the nourses of nobility,

Of the wilde fruite which faluage loyl hath bred And registres of enerlasting fame,

Which being through long wars left almost walte, To all that arms profefse and cheualry;

With brutish barbarisme is overspredd,
Then by like right the noble progeny,

And in so faire a land as may be redd,
Which them succeed in fame and worth, are tyde Not one Parnassus, nor one Helicooc
T'' embrace the seruice of fweete Poetry,

Left for sweete Muses to be harboured,
By whose endeauours they are glorifide ; But where thy selfe hast thy brave' manfione ;
And eke from all, of whom it is enuide,

There indeede dwel faire Graces many one, To patronize the author of their praise, (dide, And gentle Nymphes, delights of learned wits, · Which gives them life, that els would soone haue And in thy person without paragone And crownes their ashes with immortal baies. All goodly bountie and true honour fits. To thee therefore, right noble I ord, I send Such therefore, as that wasted soyl doth yield, This present of my pains, it to defend,

Receiue, dear Lord, in worth the fruit of barren

field. E. S.

E.S,

ye,

To the Right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland.

To the Right Honourable the Lord Cb. Howard, Lord

Higb-Admiral of England, Knight of the Noble Redoubted Lord, in whose corageous mind

Order of the Garter, and one of ber Maieftee's Prie The flowre of cheualry, now bloosming faire,

wie Counsel, &c. Doth promise fruite worthy the noble kind, Which of their praises haue left you the bairc; AND braue Lord, whose goodly personage, To you this humble present I prepare,

And noble deeds, cach other garnishing, For loue of vertue and of martiall praise, Make you ensample to the present age To which though nobly ye inclined are,

Of th' old heroes, whose famous offspring As godlie well ye shew'd in late affaies,

The antique poets wont so much to fing,
Yet brave ensample of long passed daies,

In this same pageaunt have a worthy place,
In which trew honor yec may fashiond see, Sith those huge castles of Castilian king,
To like desire of honour may ye raise,

That vainly threatned kindomes to displace,
And fill your mind with magnanimitce.

Like flying doves, ye did before you chace;
Receiue it, Lord, therefore as it was ment, And that proud people, woxen insolent
For honour of your name and high descent. Through many vidories, did first deface,

E. S. | Thy praise's euerlasting monument

Is in this verse engrauen semblably.

That it may liue to all posterity To the Mof Honourable and Excellent Lord, the

E. S. Earl of Efex, Great Maister of tbe Horse to ber Higbnejle, and Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter, &c.

To the Right Honourable the Lord of Hunsdon, High

Cbamberlaine to ber Maiefly. Magnificke Lord, whose vertues excellent

Renowned Lord, that for your worthinesse
Doe merit a most famous poet's witt

And noble deeds haue your delerued place
To be thy living praises instrument,
Yet doe not [deignic to let thy name be writt

High in the favour of that Emperese,
In this base Poem, for thee far vnfitt;

The world's sole glory and her sexes grace ;

Here eke of right haue you a worthie place,
Nought is thy worth disparaged thereby :
But when my, Muse, whose fethers, nothing flitt,

Buch for your neerneis to that Faerie Queene,
Doe yet but flagg, and lowly learne to fly,

And for your owne high merit in like cace; With bolder wing shall dare alofte to ity

Of which apparaunt proofe was to be seene, To the last praises of the Facry Queene,

When that tumultuous rage and fearluli deenc i hen fall it make more famous memory

Of northerne rebels ye did pacify, Of thine heroicke parts, such as they beene :

And their difloiall powre defaced clene, Till then vonchlafe thy noble countenance

The record of enduring memory. To these first labours needed furthcrance.

Liue, Lord, for euer in this lasting verse,

1 hat all posteritie thy honour pay reheise. E. S.

E. S.

to the most renocomed and valiant Lord, the Lord To the Right Noble Lord, and meff valiant Captain, Grey of Wilter, Knigbt of the Neble Order of tbe Sir Fobn Norris Knight, Lord President of Moun,

fer.

Garks, &c.

Wo eu

Mest poble Lord, the pillor of my life,

10 euer gave more honourable prize 3 And patron of my Muse's pupillage,

To the fweet Muse then did the martiall crew, ? Through whose large bountie poured on merise, That their braue deeds she might immortallize In the first season of my feeble age,

In her shrill tromp, and sound their praises dew ! I now doe liue, bound your's by vassalage : Who then ought more to fauour her, then you, Sith nothing ever may redeeme, nor reaue Most noble Lord, the honor of this age, Out of your endlesse debt so sure a gage,

And precedert of all that armes ensue? Vouchfase in worth this small guife to receaue,

Whofe warlike prowesse and manly courage, Which in your noble hands for pledge I leaue Tempred with reason and aduizement sage, Of all the refl that I am tyde t'account;

Hath fild fad Belgicke with' vidorious spoile, Rode rymes, the which a rustic Muse did weaue

In Fraunce and Ireland left a famous gage, la lavadge foyle, far from Parnasso mount, And lately shake the Lusitanian foile ? Ard roughly wrought in an vnlearned loome : Sith then cach where thou haft dispredd thy fame, The which vouchsafe, dear Lord, your favourable Loue him that hath eternized your name. doome.

E. S. E, S.

To the Right Heneurable the Lord of Buckburs, one of

ber Maieffie'i Priuie Counsell.

To the right noble and valorous Knight, Sir Walter

Raleigh, Lord Wardein of the Stanneryes, and Lieftenaunt of Cornewaik,

Ir vain I think, right honourable Lord,
By this rude ryme to memorize thy name,
Whole learned Mufe hath writ her own record
Is golden verse, worthy immortal fame :
. Thou much more fit (were leasure to the same)

Thy gracious souerain praises to compile,
And her imperiall maieftie to frame,
It loftie numbers and heroicke ftile.
Bu bth thou mayît not so, giue leaue a while
To bafer wit his power therein to spend,
Whole grosse defaults thy daintie pen may file,
Aed vpaduised ouerlights amend :
Det euermore vouchsafe it to maintaine
Agaiak vile Zoilus backbitings vainc.

E. S.

To thee, that art the fummer's nightingale,
Thy soueraine goddesses most deare delight,
Why doe I send this rusticke madrigale,
That may thy tunefull eare unseason quite ?
Thou onely fit this argument to write, [bowre,
In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her
And daintie Love learnd sweetly to endite.
My rimes I know unfauory and sowre,
To taste the streames, that like a golden showre
Flow from thy fruitfull head, of thy loue's praise,
Fitter perhaps to thonder martiall stowre,
When so thee list thy lofty Muse to raise :
Yet till that thou thy poeme wilt make knowne,
Let thy faire Cinthia's praises be thus rudely
Thowne.

E. S.

To the Rigt: Henourable Sir Fr. Walfingham Knight, frizzipell Secretary to ber Maiefly, and of ber Ho. narebie Priny Counsell.

To tbe Right Honourable and moff vertuous Lady, tha

Count:fe of Pembroke.

Trat Mantuane poet's incompared spirit,
Shoke girland now is set in highest place,
Had not Mecenas, for his worthy merit,
k forf aduaunt to great Auguftus grace,
Vagte isng perhaps haue lien in silence bace,
Neben lo much admir'd of later age.
This laly Muse, that learns like steps to trace,
Fass for like aide unto your patronage,
Ezt are the great Mecenas of this age,
da sel so al that ciuel artes professe
As chefe that are inspir'd with martial rage,
Ad sales protection of her feeblenesse;
Wrach if ye yield, perhaps ye may her rayse
La bigger tunes to Cound your living praise.

E.S.

REMEMBRAUNCE of that most heroicke spirit,
The heauens pride, the glory of our daies,
Which now triumpheth through immortall merit
Of his brauc vertues, crownd with lasting baies,
Of heuenlie bliss and euerlasting praies;
Who first my Mufe did lift out of the flore,
To sing his sweet delights in lowlie laies,
Bids me, most noble Lady, to adore
His goodly image, living euermore
In the diuine resemblaunce of your face,
Which with your vertues ye embellish more,
And natiue beauty deck with heuenlie grace :
For his, and for your own especial sake, (take
Vouchsafe from him this token in good worth to

E. Sed