Page images
PDF
EPUB

RICHARD EDWARDS

WAS a principal contributor to the Paradise of Dainty Devices, and one of our earliest dramatic authors. He wrote two comedies, one entitled Damon and Pythias, the other Palamon and Arcite, both of which were acted before Queen Elizabeth. Besides his regular dramas he appears to have contrived masques, and to have written verses for pageants; and is described as having been the first fiddle, the most fashionable sonneteer, and the most facetious mimic of the Court. In the beginning of Elizabeth's reign he was one of the gentlemen of her chapel, and master of the children there, having the character of an excellent musician. His pleasing little poem, the Amantium iræ, has been so often reprinted, that, for the sake of variety, I have selected another specimen of his simplicity.

HE REQUESTETH SOME FRIENDLY COMFORT, AFFIRMING HIS CONSTANCY.

THE mountains high, whose lofty tops do meet the

haughty sky;

The craggy rock, that to the sea free

passage doth

deny;

The aged oak, that doth resist the force of blustring

blast;

The pleasant herb, that every where a pleasant smell

doth cast;

The lion's force, whose courage stout declares a prince-like might;

The eagle, that for worthiness is born of kings in

[blocks in formation]

Then these, I say, and thousands more, by tract of

time decay,

And, like to time, do quite consume, and fade from form to clay;

But my true heart and service vow'd shall last time out of mind,

And still remain as thine by doom, as Cupid hath assigned;

My faith, lo here! I vow to thee, my troth thou know'st too well;

My goods, my friends, my life, is thine; what need I more to tell?

I am not mine, but thine; I vow thy hests I will

obey,

And serve thee as a servant ought, in pleasing if I

may;

And sith I have no flying wings, to serve thee as I

wish,

Ne fins to cut the silver streams, as doth the gliding

fish;

Wherefore leave now forgetfulness, and send again

to me,

And strain thy azure veins to write, that I may greeting see.

And thus farewell! more dear to me than chiefest friend I have,

Whose love in heart I mind to shrine, till Death his fee do crave.

WILLIAM HUNNIS

WAS a gentleman of Edward the Sixth's chapel, and afterwards master of the boys of Queen Elizabeth's chapel. He translated the Psalms, and was author of a "Hive of Honey, a Handful of Honeysuckle," and other godly works. He died in 1568.

THE LOVE THAT IS REQUITED WITH DISDAIN.

IN search of things that secret are my mated muse began,

What it might be molested most the head and mind

of man;

The bending brow of prince's face, to wrath that

doth attend,

Or want of parents, wife, or child, or loss of faithful

friend;

The roaring of the cannon shot, that makes the piece to shake,

Or terror, such as mighty Jove from heaven above can make:

All these, in fine, may not compare, experience so doth prove,

Unto the torments, sharp and strange, of such as be in love.

Love looks aloft, and laughs to scorn all such as griefs annoy,

The more extreme their passions be, the greater is

his joy;

Thus Love, as victor of the field, triùmphs above the rest,

And joys to see his subjects lie with living death in breast;

But dire Disdain lets drive a shaft, and galls this bragging fool,

He plucks his plumes, unbends his bow, and sets him new to school;

Whereby this boy that bragged late, as conqueror over all,

Now yields himself unto Disdain, his vassal and his thrall,

THOMAS SACKVILLE,

LORD BUCKHURST, AND EARL OF DORSET,

Was the son of Sir Richard Sackville, and was born at Withyam, in Sussex, in 1527. He was educated at both universities, and enjoyed an early reputation in Latin as well as in English poetry. While a student of the Inner Temple, he wrote his tragedy of Gorboduc, which was played by the young students, as a part of a Christmas entertainment, and afterwards before Queen Elizabeth at Whitehall, in 1561. In a subsequent edition of this piece it was entitled the tragedy of Ferrex and Porrex. He is said to have been assisted in the composition of it by Thomas Norton; but to what extent does not appear. T. Warton disputes the fact of his being at all indebted to Norton. The merit of the piece does not render the question of much importance. This tragedy and his contribution of the Induction and legend of the Duke of Buckingham to the " Mirror for Magistrates'," compose the poetical history of Sack

1 The "Mirror for Magistrates" was intended to celebrate the chief unfortunate personages in English history, in a series of poetical legends spoken by the characters themselves, with epilogues interspersed to connect the stories, in imitation of Boccaccio's Fall of Princes, which had been translated by Lydgate. The historian of English poetry ascribes the plan of this work to Sack

« PreviousContinue »