My head besprent with hoarie frost I finde,
And by myne eye the crowe his clawe doth wright:
Delight is layd abedd; and pleasure, past;
No sunne now shines; clouds han all overcast.

me,

"Gather together ye my little flocke,
My little flocke, that was to me so liefe1;
Let ah! let me in your foldes ye lock,
Ere the breme 5 winter breede you greater griefe.
Winter is come, that blows the balefull breath,
And after winter commeth timely death.

140

"Now leave, ye Shepheards Boyes, your merry glee;
My Muse is hoarse and wearie of this stound3:
Here will I hang my pype upon this tree,
Was never pype of reede did better sound:
Winter is come that blowes the bitter blast,
And after winter dreerie death does hast.

Adieu, Delightes, that lulled me asleepe;
Adieu, my Deare, whose love I bought so deare;
Adieu, my little Lambes and loved Sheepe;
Adieu, ye
Woodes, that oft my witnesse were:
Adieu, good Hobbinoll, that was so true,
Tell Rosalind, her Colin bids her adieu."

*

COLINS EMBLEME.

1 Besprent, besprinkled.

Liefe, dear.

Vivitur ingenio: cætera mortis erunt.

135

145

150

155

2 Han, have. 3 Stound, effort.
5 Breme, sharp.

* This emblem means that all things perish except the creations of

genius.

EPILOGUE.

LOE! I have made a Calender for every yeare,

That steele in strength, and time in durance, shall outweare; And, if I marked well the starres revolution,

It shall continue till the worldes dissolution,

To teach the ruder shepheard how to feede his sheepe,
And from the falsers fraude his folded flocke to keepe.
Goe, little Calender! thou hast a free passeporte;
Goe but a lowly gate amongst the meaner sorte:
Dare not to match thy pype with Tityrus his stile,
Nor with the Pilgrim that the plough-man playd a while;
But follow them farre off, and their high steps adore;
The better please, the worse despise; I aske no more.

MERCE NON MERCEDE.*

5

9

Ver. 9.

Tityrus.] Chaucer.

Ver. 10. Nor with the Pilgrim, &c.] "Mr. Warton supposes this passage to refer to the Visions of Pierce Ploughman, but Mr. Tyrwhitt is of a different opinion." - TODD.

* In this emblem, which will not bear a literal translation, the author disclaims any mercenary motives or expectation of pecuniary profit from his publication.

MUIOPOTMOS:

OR THE

FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE.

BY ED. SP.

DEDICATED TO THE MOST FAIRE AND VERTUOUS LADIE,

THE LADIE CAREY.

1590.

TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND VERTUOUS LADIE,

THE LA: CAREY.

Most brave and bountifull La: for so excellent favours as I have received at your sweet handes, to offer these fewe leaves as in recompence, should be as to offer flowers to the gods for their divine benefites. Therefore I have determined to give my selfe wholy to you, as quite abandoned from my selfe, and absolutely vowed to your services: which in all right is ever held for full recompence of debt or damage, to have the person yeelded. My person I wot' wel how little worth it is. But the faithfull minde and humble zeale which I bear unto your La: may perhaps be more of price, as may please you to account and use the poore service thereof; which taketh glory to advance your excellent partes and noble vertues, and to spend it selfe in honouring you; not so much for your great bounty to my self, which yet may not be unminded; nor for name or kindreds sake by you vouchsafed; being also regardable; as for that honorable name, which yee have by your brave deserts purchast to your selfe, and spred in the mouths of all men with which I have also presumed to grace my verses; and, under your Name, to commend to the world this small Poëme. The which beseeching your La: to take in worth, and of all things therin according to your wonted graciousnes to make a milde construction, I humbly pray for your happines.

Your La ever humbly;

**

E. S.

1 Wot, know.

"This lady was Elizabeth, one of the six daughters of Sir John Spenser, of Althorpe, in Northamptonshire, and was married to Sir George Carey, who became Lord Hunsdon on the death of his father, in 1596."-TODD.

MUIOPOTMOS:*

OR THE

FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE.

I SING of deadly dolorous debate,

Stir'd up through wrathfull Nemesis despight,
Betwixt two mightie ones of great estate,
Drawne into armes, and proofe of mortall fight,
Through prowd ambition and hart-swelling hate,
Whilst neither could the others greater might
And sdeignfull scorne endure; that from small iarre
Their wraths at length broke into open warre.

The roote whereof and tragicall effect,
Vouchsafe, O thou the mournfulst Muse of nyne,
That wont'st the tragick stage for to direct,
In funerall complaints and wailefull tyne,1
Reveale to me, and all the meanes detect,
Through which sad Clarion did at last decline.
To lowest wretchednes: And is there then
Such rancour in the harts of mightie men?

1 Tyne, loss, affliction.

5

10

15

* This is one of the most pleasing and graceful of Spenser's minor poems, and has more than any other of that rich power of description so conspicuous in the "Faerie Queene."