Then follows "A Table for to finde the Sonnettes, Madrigalles, &c."

In the Sonnet to the Earl of Northumberland, the Author represents his Muse "blushing at her first entrance."

In the Sonnet to the Earl of Essex, he calls his work "his First borne Babe," and makes similar allusions in the Sonnets to the other noble personages above specified.

It will be seen, by referring to Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica, that Barnes, at least according to Ritson's account, had published nothing so early as this work. Ritson knew nothing of this performance, neither is it mentioned by Antony Wood, nor indeed do I know where another copy is to be found.

I select a Sonnet, by way of specimen, from p. 45. It is inscribed "Sonnet LXVI." and is addressed to Content.

Ah sweet Content where is thy mylde abode?
Is it with shepheards and light harted swaynes,
Which sing upon the dounes, and pype abroade,
Tending their flockes, and calleth on to playnes?

Ah sweet Content, where doest thou safely rest?
In heaven with angels, which the prayses sing
Of him that made and rules at his behest
The mindes and parts of every living thing.

2

AL

Ah sweet Content, where doth thine harbour hold?
Is it in churches with religious men,

Which please the Goddes with prayers manifold,
And in their studies meditate it then.
Whether thou dost in heaven or earth appeare,
Be where thou will, thou will not harbour here.

Many of these Sonnets, as remarked before, are inscribed to the most distinguished personages of the time; for example, "To Henry, Earle of Southampton; The most vertuous, learned and bewtifull Ladie Marie, Countesse of Pembrooke; To the right vertuous and most bewtifull Lady, the Lady Straunge; The Lady Brigett Manners."

TUSSER.

A Hundreth good Pointes of Husbandries. Imprinted at London, in Flete Strete, within Temple Barre, at the Signe of the Hand and Starre, by Richard Titler, the Third Day of February. An. 1557.

I MENTIONED in my first volume the extreme rarity of this edition, of which the Museum copy is the only one I have ever seen. On farther examination, it appears to contain some

singularities,

singularities, which the more curious collectors of Old English Poetry and Literature may desire

to know.

The first edition has these lines in the Title Page, which do not appear in the subsequent

ones:

A hundreth good pointes of good husbandry,
Maintaineth good household with huswifry,
Housekeping and husbandry, if it be good,
Must love one another as cousines in blood;
The wife too must husband as well as the man,
Or farewel thy husbandry, do what thou can.

The original letter from the author, "To the right honourable, and my speciall good Lord and Maister, the Lord Paget," differs so exceedingly in the subsequent editions, that the curious reader will not be displeased at seeing it,, as it was first printed.

The truth doth teache that tyme must serve
However man doth blase his mynde,

Of thynges most lyke to thryve or sterve,
Much apt to judge is often blynde,
And therefore tyme it doth behoofe
Shall make of trouth a perfect proofe.

Take you, my Lord and Mayster than
Unless mischaunce mischaunceth me,
Such homely gift of your own man,
Synce more in Court I may not be;
And let your praise wonne heretofore,
Remayne abrode for evermore.

My

My serving you thus understande,

And God his helpe, and yours withall,

Dyd cause good lucke to take myne hande,
Erecting one most like to fall.

My serving you, I know it was,
Enforced this to come to passe.

But synce I was at Cambridge tought,
Of Court ten yeres I made a say;
No musike then was left unsought,
Á
care I had to serve that way;
My joy gan slake, then made I chaunge
Expulsed myrth for musike straunge.

My musike synce hath been the plough,
Entangled with some care among ;
The gayn not great, the payn enough,
Hath made me syng another song.
And if I may my song avowe,
No man I crave to judge but you.

Your servant,

Thomas Tusser.

VOL. II.

Variations from the above, in subsequent

editions.

SECOND EDITION.

STANZA 1.

Time trieth the truth in every thing,
Herewith let men content their mind;
Of workes which best may profit bring,
Most rash to judge, most often blind;

G

As

As therefore troth in time shall crave,
So let this booke just favour have.

L. 3. Ed. 1.
Ed. 2.

L. 1. Ed. 1.
Ed. 2.

L. 4. Ed. 1.

Ed. 2.

L. 5. Ed. 1.

Ed. 2. L. 6. Ed. 1. Ed. 2.

STANZA 2.

Such homely gift of your own man
Such homelie gift of me your man.

STANZA 4.

So synce I was at Cambridge tought.
Since being once at Cambridge taught.
A care I had to serve that way.
Such care I had to serve that way.
My joy gan slake then made I chaunge.
When joy gan slake then made I chaunge.
Expulsed myrth, &c.
Expelled myrth, &c.

STANZA 5.

L. 5, 6. Ed. 1. And if I may my song avowe,

No man I crave to judge but you.
Ed. 2. Which song if well I may avowe,
I crave it judged be by you.

It will hardly be necessary to point out to the reader that the first eighteen lines are an Acrostic, and form the words THOMAS TUSSAR MADE ME.

GEORGE