heritage should bee allotted, for GOD himselfe was their inheritaunce.

Some gan) meant of the Pope, and his Antichristian prelates, which vsurpe a tyrannical dominion in the Churche, and with Peters counterfet keyes, open a wide gate to al wickednesse and insolent gouernment. Nought here spoken, as of purpose to deny fatherly rule and godly gouernaunce (as some malitiously of late haue done to the great vnreste and hinderaunce of the Churche) but to displaye the pride and disorder of such, as in steede of feeding their sheepe, indeede feede of theyr sheepe.

Sourse) welspring and originall.

Borrowe) pledge or suertie.

The Geaunte) is the greate Atlas, whom the poetes feign to be a huge geaunt, that beareth Heauen on his shoulders: being in deede a merueilous highe mountaine in Mauritania, that now is Barbarie, which to mans seeming perceth the cloudes, and seemeth to touch the heauens. Other thinke, and they not amisse, that this fable was meant of one Atlas king of the same countrye, (of whome may bee, that that hil had his denomination) brother to Prometheus who (as the Grekes say) did first fynd out the hidden courses of the starres, by an excellent imagination. Wherefore the poetes feigned, that he susteyned the firmament on hys shoulders. Many other coniectures needelesse be told hereof. Warke) worke. Encheason) cause, occasion. Deare borow) that is our sauiour, the commen pledge of all mens debts to death. Wyten) blame. Nought seemeth) is vnseemely. Conteck) strife contention. Her) theyr, as vseth Chaucer. Han) for haue.

Sam) together.

O into A.

Sperre the yate) shut the dore.

For such) The gotes stombling is here noted as an euill signe. The like to be marked in all histories: and that not the leaste of the Lorde Hastingues in king Rycharde the third his dayes. For beside his daungerous dreame (whiche was a shrewde prophecie of his mishap, that folowed) it is sayd that in the morning ryding toward the tower of London, there to sitte vppon matters of counsell, his horse stombled twise or thrise by the way: which of some, that ryding with hym in his company, were priuie to his neere destenie, was secretly marked, and afterward noted for memorie of his great mishap, that ensewed. For being then as merye, as man might be, and least doubting any mortall daunger, he was within two howres after, of the Tyranne put to a shamefull deathe.

As belles) by such trifles are noted, the reliques
and ragges of popish superstition, which put no
smal religion in Belles: and Babies .s. Idoles:
and glasses.s. Paxes, and such lyke trumperies.
Great cold.) For they boast much of their outward
patience, and voluntarye sufferaunce as a worke
of merite and holy humblenesse.
Sweete S. Charitie. The Catholiques comen othe,
and onely speache, to haue charitye alwayes in
their mouth, and sometime in their outward
Actions, but neuer inwardly in fayth and godly
zeale.

Clincke.) a key hole. Whose diminutiue is clicket,
vsed of Chaucer for a Key.
Stoundes) fittes: aforesayde.
His lere) his lesson. Medled) mingled.
Bestlihead.) agreeing to the person of a beast.
Sibbe.) of kynne. Newell) a newe thing.

To forestall) to præuent.
Glee) chere, afforesayde.

Deare a price,) his lyfe, which he lost for those toyes.

Such ende) is an Epiphonema, or rather the morall of the whole tale, whose purpose is to warne the protestaunt beware, howe he geueth credit to the vnfaythfull Catholique: whereof we haue dayly proofes sufficient, but one moste famous of all, practised of Late yeares in Fraunce by Charles the nynth.

Fayne) gladde or desyrous.

Our sir John) a Popishe priest. A saying fit for the grosenesse of a shepheard, but spoken to taunte vnlearned Priestes. Dismount) descende or set.

Embleme.

Nye) draweth nere.

Both these Emblemes make one whole Hexametre. The first spoken of Palinodie, as in reproche of them, that be distrustfull, is a peece of Theognis verse, intending, that who doth most mistrust is most false. For such experience in falsehod breedeth mistrust in the mynd, thinking no lesse guile to lurke in others, then in hymselfe. But Piers thereto strongly replyeth with another peece of the same verse, saying as in his former fable, what fayth then is there in the faythlesse. For if fayth be the ground of religion, which fayth they dayly false, what hold then is there of theyr religion. And thys is all that they saye.

Thy louely layes here mayst thou freely boste.
But I vnhappy man, whom cruell fate,
And angry Gods pursue from coste to coste,
Can nowhere fynd, to shroude my lucklesse pate.

HOBBINOLL.

Then if by me thou list aduised be,
Forsake the soyle, that so doth the bewitch:
Leaue me those hilles, where harbrough nis to

see,

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Nor holybush, nor brere, nor winding witche: And to the dales resort, where shepheards And fruictfull flocks bene euery where to see. ritch, Here no night Rauens lodge more black then Nor eluish ghosts, nor gastly owles doe flee. pitche,

But frendly Faeries, met with many Graces, And lightfote Nymphes can chace the lingring With Heydeguyes, and trimly trodden traces, night, Whilst systers nyne, which dwell on Parnasse hight,

Doe make them musick, for their more delight: And Pan himselfe to kisse their christall faces, Will pype and daunce, when Phoebe shineth bright:

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Such pierlesse pleasures haue we in these places.

Syte) situation and place. Paradise) A Paradise in Greeke signifieth a Garden of pleasure, or place of delights. "So he compareth the soile, wherin Hobbinoll made his abode, to that earthly Paradise, in scripture called Eden; wherein Adain in his first creation was p'aced. Which of the most learned is thought to be in Mesopotamia, the most fertile and pleasaunte country in the world (as may appeare by Diodorus Syculus description of it, in the hystorie of Alexanders conquest thereof) lying betweene the two famous Ryuers (which are sayd in scripture to flowe out of Paradise) Tygris and Euphrates, whereof it is so denominate.

Forsake the soyle) This is no poetical fiction, but vnfeynedly spoken of the Poete selfe, who for speciall occasion of priuate affayres (as I haue bene partly of himselfe informed) and for his more preferment remouing out of the Northparts came into the South, as Hobbinoll indeede aduised him priuately.

Those hylles) that is the North countrye, where he dwelt.

N'is) is not.

The Dales) The Southpartes, where he nowe abydeth, which though they be full of hylles and woodes (for Kent is very hyllye and woodye; and therefore so called: for Kantsh in the Saxons tongue signifieth woodie) yet in respecte of the Northpastes they be called dales. For indede the North is counted the higher countrye. Night Rauens &c.) by such hatefull byrdes, hee meaneth all misfortunes (Whereof they be tokens) flying euery where.

Frendly faeries) the opinion of Faeries and elfes is very old, and yet sticketh very religiously in the myndes of some. But to roote that rancke opinion of Eltes oute of mens hearts, the truth is, that there be no such thinges, nor yet the shadowes of the things, but onely by a sort of bald Friers and knauish shauelings so feigned; which as in all other things, so in that, soughte to nousell the comen people in ignorounce, least being once acquainted with the truth of things, they woulde in tyme smell out the vntruth of theyr packed pelfe and Massepenie religion. But the sooth is, that when all Italy was distraicte into the Factions of the Guelfes and the Gibelins, being two famous houses in Florence, the name began through their great mischiefes and many outrages, to be so odious or rather dreadfull in the peoples eares, that if theyr children at any time were frowarde and wanton, they would say to them that the Guelfe or the Gibeline came. Which words nowe from them (as many thinge els) be come into our vsage, and for Guelfes and Gibelines, we say Elfes and Goblins. No other wise then the Frenchmen vsed to say of that valiaunt captain, the very scourge of Fraunce, the Lord Thalbot, afterward Erle of Shrewsbury; whose noblesse bred such a terrour in the hearts of the French, that oft times euen great armies were defaicted and put to flyght at the onely

hearing of hys name. In somuch that the French wemen, to attray theyr chyldren, would tell them that the Talbot commeth.

Many Graces) though there be indeede but three Graces or Charites (as afore is sayd) or at the vtmost but foure, yet in respect of inany gyftes of bounty, there may be sayde more. And so Musæus sayth, that in Heroes eyther eye there satte a hundred graces. And by that authoritye, thys same Poete in his Pageaunts sayth.

An hundred Graces on her eyeledde satte. &c. Haydeguies) A country daunce or rownd. The concept is, that the Graces and Nymphes doe daunce vnto the Muses, and Pan his musicke all night by Moonelight. To signifie the pleasauntnesse of the soyle.

Peeres) Equalles and felow shepheards.
Queneapples vnripe) imitating Virgils verse.

Ipse ego cana legam tenera lanugine mala. Neighbour groues) a straunge phrase in English, but word for word expressing the Latine vicina

nenora.

Spring) not of water, but of young trees springing. Calliope) afforesayde. Thys staffe is full of verie poetical inuention.

Tamburines) an olde kind of instrument, which of some is supposed to be the Clarion.

Pan with Phabus) the tale is well knowne, howe that Pan and Apollo striuing for excellencye in musicke, chose "Midas for their judge. Who being corrupted wyth partiall affection, gaue the victorye to Pan vndeserued: for which Phoebus sette a payre of Asses eares vpon hys head & c. Tityrus) That by Tityrus is meant Chaucer, hath bene already sufficiently sayde, and by thys more playne appeareth, that he say th, he tolde merye tales. Such as be hys Canterburie tales. Whom he calleth the God of Poetes for hys excellencie, so as Tullie calleth Lentulus, Deum vitæ suæ .s. the God of hys lyfe.

To make) to versifie.

O why) A pretye Epanorthosis or correction. Discurtesie) he meaneth the falsenesse of his louer Rosalinde, who forsaking hym, hadde chosen another.

Poynte of worthy wite) the pricke of deserued blame.

Menalcas) the name of a shephearde in Virgile; but here is meant a person vnknowne and secrete, agaynst whome he often bitterly inuayeth. vnderfonge) vndermine and deceiue by faise suggestion. Embleme.

You remember, that in the fyrst Æglogue, Colins Poesie was Anchora speme: for that as then. there was hope of fauour to be found in tyme. But nowe being cleane forlorne and reiected of her, as whose hope, that was, is cleane extin. guished and turned into despeyre, he renounceth all comfort and hope of goodnesse to come. Which is all the meaning of thys Embleme.

THE

ARGVMENT.

His Eglogue is made in the honour and commendation of good shepeheardes, and to the shame and disprayse of proude and ambitious Pastours. Such as Morrell is here imagined

to bee.

In humble dales is footing fast, the trode is not so tickle:

And though one fall through heedlesse hast,
And now the Sonne hath reared vp
yet is his misse not mickle.

Making his way betweene the Cuppe,
his fyriefooted teme,
and golden Diademe :
The rampant Lyon hunts he fast,
with Dogge of noysome breath,
Whose balefull barking bringes in hast
pyne, plagues, and dreery death.
Agaynst his cruell scortching heate
where hast thou couerture?

The wastefull hylls vnto his threate
is a playne ouerture.

But if thee lust, to holden chat

with seely shepherds swayne,

Come downe, and learne the little what, that Thomalin can sayne.

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