Wonned) haunted. Welkin) skie. Afforesaid.
A Weanell waste) a weaned youngling.
Hidder and shidder) He and she. Male and Female.
Steuen) Noyse.
Beliue) quickly.
What euer) Ouids verse translated.

Quod caret alterna requie, durabile non est.
Forehaile) drawe or distresse.
Vetchie) of Pease strawe.

Embleme.

This is the saying of Narcissus in Ouid. For when

the foolishe boye by beholding hys face in the brooke, fell in loue with his owne likenesse : and not hable to content him selfe with much looking thereon, he cryed out, that plentye made him poore, meaning that much gazing had bereft him of sence. But our Diggon vseth it to other purpose, as who that by tryall of many wayes had founde the worst, and through greate plentye was fallen into great penurie. This poesie I knowe, to haue bene much vsed of the author, and to suche like effecte, as fyrste Narcissus spake it.

N Cuddie is set out the perfecte paterne of

אן

a Poele, whiche finding no maintenaunce of his state and studies, complayneth of the contemple of Poetrie, and the causes thereof: Specially hauing bene in all ages, and euen amongst the most barbarous alwayes of singular accounpt and honor, and being indede so worthy and commendable an arte: or rather no arte, but a diuine gift and heauenly instinct not to bee gotten by laboure and learning, but adorned with both and poured into the witte by a certaine vlovoiaopos. and celestiall inspiration, as the Author hereof els where at large discourseth, in his booke called the English Poete, which booke being lately come to my hands, I mynde also by Gods grace vpon further aduisement to publish.

PIERCE.

CVDDIE.

CVddie, for shame hold vp thy heauye head,

And let vs cast with what delight to

chace,

And weary thys long lingring Phoebus race. Whilome thou wont the shepheards laddes to leade,

In rymes, in ridles, and in bydding base:
Now they in thee, and thou in sleepe art dead.

Whereto thou list their trayned willes entice. Soone as thou gynst to sette thy notes in frame, O how the rurall routes to thee doe cleaue:

Seemeth thou dost their soule of sence bereaue, All as the shepheard, that did fetch his dame From Plutoes balefull bowre withouten leaue :

His musicks might the hellish hound did tame. CVDDIE.

So praysen babes the Peacoks spotted traine,
And wondren at bright Argus blazing eye:
But who rewards him ere the more for thy?
Or feedes him once the fuller by a graine?
Sike prayse is smoke, that sheddeth in the skye,
Sike words bene wynd, and wasten soone in vayne.
PIERS.

Abandon then the base and viler clowne,
Lyft vp thy selfe out of the lowly dust:
And sing of bloody Mars, of wars, of giusts, 39
Turne thee to those, that weld the awful crowne.
To doubted Knights, whose woundlesse armour
rusts,

And helmes vnbruzed wexen dayly browne.
There may thy Muse display her fluttryng wing,
And stretch herselfe at large from East to West:
Whither thou list in fayre Elisa rest,
Or if thee please in bigger notes to sing,
Aduaunce the worthy whome shee loueth best,
That first the white beare to the stake did bring.
And when the stubborne stroke of stronger
stounds,

Has somewhat slackt the tenor of thy string:
Of loue and lustihead tho mayst thou sing, 51
And carrol lowde, and leade the Myllers rownde,
All were Elisa one of thilke same ring.
So mought our Cuddies name to Heauen sownde.

CVDDYE.

Indeede the Romish Tityrus, I heare,
Through his Mecenas left his Oaten reede,
Whereon he earst had taught his flocks to feede,
And laboured lands to yield the timely eare,

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And eft did sing of warres and deadly drede,
So as the Heauens did quake his verse to here.
But ah Mecœnas is yclad in claye,
And all the worthies liggen wrapt in leade,
And great Augustus long ygoe is dead:
That matter made for Poets on to play :
For euer, who in derring doe were dreade,
The loftie verse of hem was loued aye.
But after vertue gan for age to stoupe,
And mighty manhode brought a bedde of ease:
The vaunting Poets found nought worth a pease,
To put in preace emong the learned troupe. 70
Tho gan the streames of flowing wittes to cease,
And sonnebright honour pend in shamefull

This Eglogue is made in imitation of Theocritus his xvi. Idilion, wherein hee reproued the Tyranne Hiero of Syracuse for his nigardise towarde Poetes, in whome is the power to make men immortal for theyr good dedes, or shameful for their naughty lyfe. And the lyke also is in Mantuane, The style hereof as also that in Theocritus, is more loftye then the rest, and applyed to the heighte of Poeticall witte. Cuddie) I doubte whether by Cuddie be specified the authour selfe, or some other. For in the eyght Eglogue the same person was brought in, singing a Cantion of Colins making, as he sayth. So that some doubt, that the persons be different. Whilome) sometime. Oaten reedes) Auena. Ligge so layde) lye so faynt and vnlustye. Dapper) pretye.

Frye) is a bold Metaphore, forced from the spawning fishes. For the multitude of young fish be called the frye.

r

To restraine.) This place seemeth to conspyre with Plato, who in his first booke de Legibus sayth, that the first inuention of Poetry was of very vertuous intent. For at what time an infinite number of youth vsually came to theyr great solemne feastes called Panegyrica, which they vsed euery fiue yeere to hold, some learned man being more hable then the rest, for speciall gyftes of wytte and Musicke, would take vpon him to sing fine verses to the people, in prayse eyther of vertue or of victory or of immortality or such like. At whose wonderful gyft al men being astonied and as it were rauished, with delight, thinking (as it was indeed) that he was inspired from aboue, called him vatem: which kinde of men afterwarde framing their verses to lighter musick (as of musick be many kinds, some sadder, some lighter, some martiall, some heroical and so diuersely eke affect the mynds of men) found out lighter matter of Poesie also, some playing wyth loue, some scorning at mens fashions, some powred out in pleasures, and so were called Poetes or makers.

Sence bereaue) what the secrete working of Musick is in the myndes of men, aswell appeareth, hereby, that some of the auncient Philosophers, and those the moste wise, as Plato and Pythagoras held for opinion, that the mynd was made of a certaine harmonie and musicall nombers, for the great compassion and likenes of affection in thone and in the other as also by that memorable

121

history of Alexander: to whom when as Timotheus the great Musitian playd the Phrygian melodie, it is said, that he was distraught with such vnwonted fury, that streight way rysing from the table in great rage, he caused himselfe to be armed, as ready to goe to warre (for that musick is very war like :) And immediatly whenas the Musitian chaunged his stroke into the Lydian and Ionique harmony, he was so furr from warring, that he sat as styl, as if he had bene in matters of counsell. Such might is in musick. Wherefore Plato and Aristotle forbid the Arabian Melodie from children and youth. For that being altogither on the fyft and vii, tone, it is of great force to molifie and quench the kindly courage, which vseth to burne in yong brests. So that it is not incredible which the Poete here sayth, that Musick can bereaue the soule of

sence.

The shepheard that) Orpheus: of whom is sayd, that by his excellent skil in Musick and Poetry, he recouered his wife Eurydice from hell. Argus eyes) of Argus is before said, that Iuno to him committed hir husband Iupiter his Paragon Iô, bicause he had an hundred eyes: but afterwarde Mercury wyth hys Musick lulling Argus aslepe, slew him and brought Iô away, whose eyes it is sayd that Iuno for his eternall memory placed in her byrd the Peacocks tayle. For those coloured spots indeede resemble eyes. Woundlesse armour) vnwounded in warre, doe rust through long peace.

Display) A poeticall metaphore: whereof the meaning is, that if the Poet list showe his skill in matter of more dignitie, then is the homely Æglogue, good occasion is him offered of higher veyne and more Heroicall argument, in the person of our most gratious soueraign, whom (as before) he calleth Elisa. Or if mater of knighthoode and cheualrie please him better, that there be many Noble and valiaunt men, that are both worthy of his payne in theyr deserued prayses, and also fauourers of hys skil and faculty.

The worthy) he meaneth (as I guesse) the most honorable and renowmed the Erle of Leycester, whom by his cognisance (although the same be also proper to other) rather then by his name he bewrayeth, being not likely, that the names of noble princes be known to country clowne. Slack) that is when thou chaungest thy verse from

The Millers) a kind of daunce.
Ring) company of dauncers.

The Romish Tityrus) wel knowen to be Virgie, who by Mecenas means was brought into the fauour of the Emperor Augustus, and by him moued to write in loftier kinde, then he erst had doen. Whereon) in these three verses are the three seuerall workes of Virgile intended. For in teaching his flocks to feede, is meant his Eglogues. In labouring of lands, is hys Bucoliques. In singing of wars and deadly dreade, is his diuine Aneis figured.

In derring doe) In manhoode and cheualrie. For euer) He sheweth the cause, why Poetes were wont be had in such honor of noble men; that is, that by them their worthines and valor shold through theyr famous Posies be commended to al posterities. Wherfore it is sayd, that Achilles had neuer bene so famous, as he is, but for Homeres immortal verses. Which is the only aduantage, which he had of Hector. And also that Alexander the great comming to his tombe in Sigeus, with naturall teares blessed him, that euer was his hap to be honoured with so excellent a Poets work: as so renowmed and ennobled onely by hys meanes. Which being declared in a most eloquent Oration of Tullies, is of Petrarch no lesse worthely sette forth in a sonet Giunto Alexandro a la famosa tomba Del fero Achille sospírando disse

O fortunato che si chiara tromba. Trouasti &c. And that such account hath bene alwayes made of Poetes, aswell sheweth this that the worthy Scipio in all his warres against Carthage and Numantia had euermore in his company, and that in a most familiar sort the good olde Poet Ennius: as also that Alexander destroying Thebes, when he was enformed that the famous Lyrick Poet Pindarus was borne in that citie, not onely commaunded streightly, that no man should vpon payne of death do any violence to that house by fire or otherwise: but also specially spared most, and some highly rewarded, that were of hys kinne. So fauoured he the only name of a Poete. Whych prayse otherwise was in the same man no lesse famous, that when he came to ransacking of king Darius coffers, whom he lately had ouerthrowen, he founde in a little coffer of siluer the two bookes of Homers works, as layd vp there for speciall iewells and richesse, which he taking thence, put one of them dayly in his bosome, and thother euery_night layde vnder his pillowe. Such honor haue Poetes alwayes found in the sight of princes and noble men. Which this author here very well sheweth, as els where more notably.

But after) he sheweth the cause of contempt of Poetry to be idlenesse and basenesse of mynd. Pent) shut vp in slouth, as in a coope or cage. Tom piper) An Ironicall Sarcasmus, spoken in derision of these rude wits, whych make more account of a ryming rybaud, then of skill grounded vpon learning and iudgment.

Ne brest) the meaner sort of men.

Her peeced pineons) vnperfect skil. Spoken wyth humble modestie.

:

be strange for the swanne hath euer wonne small commendation for her swete singing: but it is sayd of the learned that the swan a little before hir death, singeth most pleasantly, as prophecying by a secrete instinct her neere destinie As wel sayth the Poete elswhere in one of his sonetts.

The siluer swanne doth sing before her dying day As shee that feeles the deepe delight that is in death &c.

Immortall myrrhour) Beauty, which is an excellent obiect of Poeticall spirites, as appeareth by the worthy Petrachs saying.

Fiorir faceua il mio debile ingegno

A la sua ombra, et crescer ne gli affanni. A caytiue corage) a base and abiect minde. For lofty loue) I think this playing with the letter to be rather a fault then a figure, aswel in our English tongue, as it hath beñe alwayes in the Latine, called Cacozelon.

A vacant) imitateth Mantuanes saying. vacuum curis diuína cerebrum Poscit. Lauish cups) Resembleth that comen verse Fæcundi calices quem non fecere disertum.

O if my) He seemeth here to be rauished with a Poetical furie. For (if one rightly mark) the numbers rise so ful, and the verse groweth so big, that it seemeth he hath forgot the meanenesse of shepheards state and stile.

Wild yuie) for it is dedicated to Bacchus and therefore it is sayd that the Mænades (that is Bacchus franticke priestes) vsed in theyr sacrifice to carry Thyrsos, which were pointed staues or Iauelins, wrapped about with yuie.

In buskin) it was the maner of Poetes and plaiers in tragedies to were buskins, as also in Comedies to vse stockes and light shoes. So that the buskin in Poetry is vsed for tragical matter, as is said in Virgile. Sola sophocleo tua carmina digna cothurno. And the like in Horace, Mag. Queint) strange Bellona; the goddesse of battaile, num loqui, nitique cothurno. that is Pallas, which may therefore wel be called queint for that (as Lucian saith) when Iupiter hir father was in traueile of her, he caused his sonne Vulcane with his axe to hew his head. Out of which leaped forth lustely a valiant damsell armed at all poyntes, whom seeing Vulcane so faire and comely, lightly leaping to her, proferred her some cortesie, which the Lady disdeigning, shaked her speare at him, and threatned his saucinesse. Therefore such straungenesse is well applyed to her. Equipage.) order.

Tydes) seasons. Charme) temper and order. For Charmes were wont to be made by verses as Ouid sayth. Aut si carminibus.

Embleme.

Hereby is meant, as also in the whole course of this glogue, that Poetry is a diuine instinct and vnnatural rage passing the reache of comen reason. Whom Piers answereth Epiphonematicos as admiring the excellencye of the skyll whereof in Cuddie hee hadde alreadye hadde a taste.

C

Olin my deare, when shall it please thee sing,

As thou were wont songs of some iouisaunce?
Thy Muse to long slombreth in sorrowing,
Lulled a sleepe through loues misgouernaunce.
Now somewhat sing, whose endles souenaunce,
Emong the shepeheards swaines may aye re-
maine,

Whether thee list thy loued lasse aduaunce,
Or honor Pan with hymnes of higher vaine.
COLIN.

Thenol, now nis the time of merimake.
Nor Pan to herye, nor with loue to playe:
Sike myrth in May is meetest for to make,
Or summer shade vnder the cocked haye.

10

But nowe sadde Winter welked hath the day,
Ystabled hath his steedes in lowlye laye,
And Phoebus weary of his yerely taske,
And taken vp his ynne in Fishes haske.
Thilke sollein season sadder plight doth aske:
And loatheth sike delightes, as thou doest

prayse:

Themornefull Muse in myrth now list ne maske, As shee was wont in youngth and sommer dayes.

20

But if thou algate lust light virelayes,
And looser songs of loue to vnderfong
Who but thy selfe deserues sike Poetes prayse?
Relieue thy Oaten pypes, that sleepen long.
THENOT.

30

The Nightingale is souereigne of song,
And I vnfitte to thrust in skilfull thronge,
Before him sits the Titmose silent bee:
Should Colin make iudge of my fooleree.
Nay, better learne of hem, that learned bee,
And han be watered at the Muses well:
The kindlye dewe drops from the higher tree,
And wets the little plants that lowly dwell.
But if sadde winters wrathe and season chill,
Accorde not with thy Muses meriment:
To sadder times thou mayst attune thy quill,
And sing of sorrowe and deathes dreeriment.