Eglogs epytaphes, and sonettes. Newly written by Barnabe Googe: 1563. 15. Marche

¶The Preface of L. Blundeston.

Th•• Sen••es dull of my appailed mus•• Foreweryed with the trauayle of my brayne ••n stannyng of the argued Bookes di••••use, And darke for me the glimeryng syght ••o ••uyne, Deb••••••e ••t long what excersyce to vse, To fyle the edgeles partes of Wyt agayn•• To clense the ••••eade from sleapy humours slyme. To rouse the Hart from drowsye Dreames ī ••ime

The mind desyres to brek frō thoughtful denne And time requyres the painted felds to vewe. The Eye procures to please the Fancie then With f••e••dish sights of diuers colours newe. The smelling likes the sauour swete of them. The Eare agrees the pleasaunt laye anewe Of Byrds to here. Thus these do all contryue, With this disporte the Spirits to reuyue.

But Fancie then, by serche of selfe denyse, Renouncyng thus to spende the pleasaunt Maye So vainly out with sport of fruteles Pryce Found out at length, this practyse for thy playe,

To penne in Verse, the toy••s of her de••is••, To pas this tyme of Pentecoste awaye Whose ydle dayes she w••ld u••e thus to spende? And publish forth her doings in the ende.

Quod Reason no, (and brake her tale begon, Wilt thou presume, lyk•• Bayarde blynd to presse, Into the throng, of all the lookers on Whose vewyng eyes, will wey thy wisdom ••esse. To se the threde of all thy work••s yll spon Drawen out at length, vnto the comon g••sse, Then i•• thou shuldst kepe to thy selfe thy clewe Where none thy works besydes thy self may vew

With this rose vp, from out her Seate behynde, Dame Memorye, and Reason thus besought. Since Lady chiefe of vs thou art assygnde To rule and temper all my secrete thought And to restrane affections Fancie blynde, Let me entreate if I may perce the ought, For to present a Solace very fytte Our Sences dull with chaunged Muse to whet.

Lo here the Eye a Paper buntche doth se Of fyled worke of Googes flowing Heade, Lefte here behynde, when hence he past from me, In all the stormes that Winter blastes bespreade Through swellyng Seas & loftye moūtains hye Of Pyrenet the pathes vnknowen to treade.

Whose great good wyll I kepe, and in his plate His Verses craue to represent his face.

Vnfolde the trusse therfore and yf the Muse Be s••tted so with this graue Study past In so short space, or if we seke to chuse To prynt our actes in safetie at the last Cease of a whyle this Labor and peruse These Papers left of suche delyghting taste And put in prynt these workes of worthy Skyll So shall we showe the fruytes, of our good wyll.

This Fancie lykte, imagynyng aryght Of her owne Ioye in hearyng of his Verse And pleasaunt Style, most pythyly endyght whose Fame forth blowen, his deds could wel re∣herse But for to paynt my name in open sight with others Stuffe, this wold she fayne reuerse, And thinkes I should in others Plumes so show My selfe, to be a seconde Esops Crowe.

But after when the Eye had vewed trhe Lyne. That Googe had pend and left behynde with me, when Memorye could all the e••fect refygne, To Reasons Skyll. to weye them as they lye. with long reherse of tryed Fayth by tyme Then Fancie soone her Pryde, began to plye And all receyued muche pleasure to the Mynde More profytte farre then Fancye had assygnde.

And Fancie thus her selfe with blushyng face, Condemned by Dame Reasons dome deuyne To se thalluryng Style the cumly grace, The sappye Sence of this his passyng Ryme, So farre surmountynge her Inuention base, And hearyng of his frendlynes in syne whiche Memorye her Storehouse held full fast•• Allowed well theyr Iudgements at the laste.

Since euerye Sence did wonted strength reune, The Blud congeld, recoursed to his place The wyts benomd brought to theyr propre quue The Hart opprest with old delighting grace, Vnburdend nowe and puft with pleasure newe By takyng of this Booke the vewyng gase They all at ons Good wyll nowe calde dyon, To wrest her selfe to quyght these works ad on.

Thus pushte I forth strayghte to the Printet•• hande These Eglogs, Souets, Epytaphes of men Vnto the Readers Eyes for to be skande, with Prayses suche as is due vnto them who absent nowe theyr Mayster maye cōmende, And feade his Fame what soeuer f••yleth him, Gyue Googe therfore his owne deserued Fame, Giue Blundeston leaue to wysh wel to his nam••••

¶Finis.