The shepheardes calender conteyning tvvelue æglogues proportionable to the twelue monethes. Entitled to the noble and vertuous gentleman most worthy of all titles both of learning and cheualrie M. Philip Sidney.

Aprill.

[illustration]

Aegloga Quarta.

ARGVMENT.

THis Aeglogue is purposely intended to the honor and prayse of our most gracious souereigne, Queene Elizabeth. The speakers herein be Hobbi∣noll and Thenott, two shepheardes: the which Hobbinoll being before men∣tioned, greatly to haue loued Colin, is here set forth more largely, complay∣ning him of that boyes great misaduenture in Loue, whereby his mynd was alienate and with drawen not onely from him, who moste loued him, but also from all former delightes and studies, as well in pleasaunt pyping, as conning ryming and singing, and other his laudable exercises. Whereby he taketh occasion, for proofe of his more excellencie and skill in poetrie, to recorde a songe, which the sayd Colin sometime made in honor of her Maiestie, whom abruptely be termeth Elysa.

• Thenot.
• Hobbinoll.

TEll me good Hobbinoll, what garres thee greete? What? hath some Wolfe thy tender Lambes ytorne? Or is thy Bagpype broke, that soundes so sweete? Or art thou of thy loued lasse forlorne?

Or bene thine eyes attempred to the yeare, Quenching the gasping furrowes thirst with rayne?

Like April shoure, so stremes the trickling teares Adowne thy cheeke, to quenche thy thriftye payne.

Hobbinoll.

Nor thys, nor that, so muche doeth make me mourne, But for the ladde, whome long I lovd so deare, Nowe loues a lasse, that all his loue doth scorne: He plongd in payne, his tressed lacks dooth teare.

Shepheards delights he dooth them all forsweare, Hys pleasaunt Pipe, whych made vs meriment, He wylfully hath broke, and doth forbeare His wonted songs, wherein he all outwent.

Thenot.

What is he for a Ladde, you so lament? Ys loue such pinching payne to them, that proue? And hath he skill to make so excellent, Yet hath so little skill to brydle loue?

Hobbinoll.

Colin thou kenst, the Southerne shepheardes boye: Him Loue hath wounded with a deadly darte. Whilome on him was all my care and ioye, Forcing with gyfts to winne his wanton heart.

But now from me hys madding mynd is starte, And woes the Widdowes daughter of the glenne: So nowe fayre Rosalind hath bredde hys smart, So now his frend is chaunged for a frenne.

Thenot.

But if hys ditties bene so trimly dight, I pray thee Hobbinoll, recorde some one: The whiles our flockes doe graze about in sight, And we close shrowded in thys shade alone.

Hobbinol.

Contented I: then will I singe his laye Of fayre Elisa, Queene of shepheardes all: Which once he made, as by a spring he laye, And tuned it vnto the Waters fall.

YE dayntye Nymphs, that in this blessed Brooke doe bathe your brest, For sake your watry bowres, and hether looke, at my request: And eke you Virgins, that on Parnasse dwell, Whence floweth Helicon the learned well, Helpe me to blaze Her worthy praise, Which in her sexe doth all excell.

Of fayre Elisa be your siluer song, that blessed wight: The flowre of Virgins, may shee florish long, In princely plight. For shee is Syrinx daughter without spotte, Which Pan the shepheards God of her begot: So sprong her grace Of heauenly race, No mortall blemishe may her blotte.

See, where she sits vpon the grassie greene, (O seemely sight) Yclad in Scarlot like a mayden Queene, And Ermines white. Vpon her head a Cremosin coronet, With Damaske roses and Daffadillies set: Bayleaues betweene, And Primroses greene Embellish the sweete Violet.

Tell me, haue ye seene her angelick face, Like Phoebe fayre? Her heauenly haueour, her princely grace can you well compare? The Redde rose medled with the White yfere, In either cheeke depeincten liuely chere. Her modest eye, Her Maiestie, Where haue you seene the like, but there?

I sawe Phoebus thrust out his golden hedde, vpon her to gaze: But when he sawe, how broade her beames did spredde, it did him amaze. He blusht to see another Sunne belowe, Ne durst againe his fyrye face out showe: Let him, if he dare, His brightnesse compare With hers, to haue the ouerthrowe.

Shewe thy selfe Cyntbia with thy siluer rayes, and be not abasht: When shee the beames of her beauty displayes, O how art thou dasht? But I will not match her with Latonaes seede, Such follie great sorow to Niobe did breede. Now she is a stone, And makes dayly mone, Warning all other to take heede.

Pan may be proud, that euer he begot such a Bellibone, And Syrinx reioyse, that euer was her lot to beare such an one. Soone as my younglings cryen for the dam, To her will I offer a milkwhite Lamb: Shee is my goddesse plaine, And I her shepherds swayne, Albee for swonck and for swatt I am.

I see Calliope speede her to the place, where my Goddesse shines: And after her the other Muses trace, with their Violines. Bene they not Bay braunches, which they doe beare, All for Elisa in her hand to weare? So sweetely they play, And sing all the way, That it a heauen is to heare.

Lo how finely the graces can it foote to the Instrument: They dauncen deffly, and singen soote, in their meriment. Wants not not a fourth grace, to make the daunce euen? Let that rowme to my Lady be yeuen: She shalbe a grace, To fyll the fourth place, And reigne with the rest in heauen.

And whither rennes this beuie of Ladies bright, raunged in a rowe? They bene all Ladyes of the lake behight, that vnto her goe. Chloris, that is the chiefest Nymph of al, Of Oliue braunches beares a Coronall: Oliues bene for peace, When wars doe surcease: Such for a Princesse bene principall.

Ye shepheards daughters, that dwell on the greene, hye you there apace: Let none come there, but that Virgins bene, to adorne her grace. And when you come, whereas shee is in place, See, that your rudenesse doe not you disgrace: Binde your fillets faste, And gird in your waste, For more f••nesse, with a tawdrie lace.

Bring hether the Pincke and purple Cullambine, With Gelliflowres: Bring Coronations, and Sops in wine, worne of Paramoures. Strowe me the ground with Daffadowndillies, And Cowslips, and Ringcups, and loued Lilies: The pretie Pawnce, And the Cheuisaunce. Shall match with the fayre flowre Delice,

Now ryse vp Elisa, decked as thou art, in royall aray: And now ye daintie Damsells may depart echeone her way, I feare, I haue troubled your troupes to longe: Let dame Eliza thanke you for her song. And if you come hether, When Damsines I gether, I will part them all you among.

Thenot

And was thilk same song of Colins owne making? Ah foolish boy, that is with loue yblent: Great pittie is, he be in such taking, For naught caren, that bene so lewdly bent.

Hobbinol.

Sicker I hold him, for a greater fon, That loues the thing, he cannot purchase. But let vs homeward: for night draweth on, And twincling starres the daylight hence chase.

Thenots Embleme.

O quam te memorem virgo?

Hobbinols Embleme.

O dea certe.

GLOSSE.

Gars thee greete] causeth thee vveepe and complain. Forlorne] left & forsaken. Attempred to the yeare] agreeable to the season of the yeare, that is Aprill, vvhich mo∣neth is most bent to shoures and seasonable rayne: to quench, that is, to delaye the drought, caused through drynesse of March vvyndes.

The Ladde] Colin Clout] The Lasse] Rosalinda. Tressed locks) wrethed & curled

Is he for a ladde] A straunge manner of speaking. s vvhat maner of Ladde is he?

To make] to rime and versifye. For in this vvord making, our olde Englishe Poetes were vvont to comprehend all the skil of Poetrye, according to the Greeké vvoorde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to make, whence commeth the name of Poetes.

Colin thou kenst] knowest. Seemeth hereby that Colin perteyneth to some Southern noble man, and perhaps in Surrye or Kent, the rather bicause he so often na∣meth the Kentish dovvnes, and before, As lythe as lasse of Kent.

The VVidovves] He calleth Rosalind the VVidowes daughter of the glenne, that is, of a country Hamlet or borough, which I thinke is rather sayde to coloure and con∣cele the person, then simply spoken. For it is vvell knowen, euen in spighte of Colin and Hobbinoll, that shee is a Gentle vvoman of no meane house, nor en dewed vvith anye vulgare and common gifts both of nature and manners: but suche indeede, as neede nether Colin be ashamed to haue her made knowne by his verses, nor Hobbinol be greued, that so she should be commended to im∣mortalitie for her rare and singular Vertues: Specially deseruing it no lesse, then eyther Myrto the most excellēt Poete Theocritus his dearling, or Lauretta the diuine Petrarches Goddesse, or Himera the vvorthye Poete Stesichorus hys Idole: Vpon vvhom he is sayd so much to haue doted, that in regard of her ex∣cellencie, he scorned & wrote against the beauty of Helena. For which his prae∣sumptuous and vnheedie hardinesse, he is sayde by vengeaunce of the Gods, thereat being offended, to haue lost both his eyes.

Frenne] a straunger. The word I thinke vvas first poetically put, and aftervvarde vsed in commen custome of speach for forenne.

Dight] adorned. Laye] a songe. as Roundelayes and Virelayes

In all this songe is not to be respected, vvhat the worthinesse of her Maiestie de∣serueth, nor vvhat to the highnes of a Prince is agreeable, but vvhat is moste comely for the meanesse of a shepheards vvitte, or to conceiue, or to vtter.

And therefore he calleth her Elysa, as through rudenesse tripping in her name: & a shepheards daughter, it being very vnfit, that a shepheards boy brought vp in the shepefold, should know, or euer seme to haue heard of a Queenes roialty.

Ye daintie] is, as it vvere an Exordium ad preparandos animos.

Virgins] the nine Muses, daughters of Apollo & Memorie, vvhose abode the Poets faine to be on Parnassus, a hill in Grece, for that in that countrye specially florished the honor of all excellent studies.

Helicon] is both the name of a fountaine at the foote of Parnassus, and also of a moun∣teine in Baeotia, out of which floweth the famous Spring Castalius, dedicate al∣so to the Muses: of vvhich spring it is sayd, that vvhen Pegasus the winged horse of Perseus (whereby is meant fame and flying renowme) strooke the grovvnde with his hoofe, sodenly thereout sprange a vvel of moste cleare and pleasaunte water, vvhich fro thēce forth was consecrate to the Muses & Ladies of learning.

Your siluer song] seemeth to imitate the lyke in Hesiodus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Syrinx] is the name of a Nymphe of Arcadie, whom when Pan being in loue pursued, she flying frō him, of the Gods was turned into a reede. So that Pan catching at the Reedes in stede of the Damosell, and puffing hard (for he vvas almost out of wind) with hys breath made the Reedes to pype: vvhich he seeing, tooke of them, and in remembraunce of his lost loue, made him a pype thereof. But here by Pan and Syrinx is not to bee thoughte, that the shephearde simplye meante those Poetical Gods: but rather supposing (as seemeth) her graces progenie to be diuine and immortall (so as the Paynims were wont to iudge of all Kinges

and Princes, according to Homeres saying.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .)

could deuise no parents in his iudgement so vvorthy for her, as Pan the shepe∣heards God, and his best beloued Syrinx. So that by Pan is here meant the most famous and victorious King, her highnesse Father, late of worthy memorye K. Henry the eyght. And by that name, oftymes (as hereafter appeareth) be noted kings and mighty Potentates: And in some place Christ himselfe, who is the ve rye Pan and god of Shepheardes.

Cremosin coronet] he deuiseth her crowne to be of the finest and most delicate flowers, instede of perles and precious stones, wherevvith Princes Diademes vse to bee adorned and embost.

Embellish] beautifye and set out.

Phebe] the Moone, whom the Poets faine to be sister vnto Phaebus, that is the Sunne.

Medled] mingled.

Ysere] together. By the mingling of the Redde rose and the VVhite, is meant the vni∣ting of the two principall houses of Lancaster and of Yorke: by vvhose longe discord and deadly debate, this realm many yeares was sore traueiled, & almost cleane decayed. Til the famous Henry the seuenth, of the linc of Lancaster, ta∣king to vvife the most vertuous Princesse Elisabeth, daughter to the fourth Ed∣vvard of the house of Yorke, begat the most royal Henry the eyght aforesayde, in vvhom vvas the firste vnion of the VVhyte Rose and the Redde.

Calliope] one of the nine Muses: to vvhome they assigne the honor of all Poetical In∣uention, & the firste glorye of the Heroicall verse. other say, that shee is the Goddesse of Rhetorick: but by Virgile it is manifeste, that they mystake the thyng. For there in hys Epigrams, that arte semeth to be attributed to Poly∣mnia, saying: Signat cuncta manu, loquiturque Polymnia gestu.

which seemeth specially to be meant of Action and elocution, both special par tes of Rhetorick: besyde that her name, vvhich (as some construe it) importeth great remembraunce, conteineth another part. but I holde rather vvith them, vvhich call her Polymnia or Polyhymnia of her good singing.

Bay branches] be the signe of honor & victory, & therfore of myghty Conquerors worn in theyr triumphes, & eke of famous Poets, as saith Petrarch in hys Sonets.

Arbor vittoriosa triomphale, Honor d' Imperadori & di Poëti, &c.

The Graces] be three sisters, the daughters of Iupiter, (whose names are Aglaia, Thalia, Euphrosyne, & Homer onely addeth a fourth. s Pasithea) otherwise called Chari tes, that is thanks vvhō the Poetes feyned to be the Goddesses of al bountie & comelines, vvhich therefore (as sayth Theodontius) they make three, to wete, that men first ought to be gracious & bountiful to other freely, then to receiue benefits at other mens hands curteously, and thirdly to requite them thankful∣ly: vvhich are three sundry Actions in liberalitye. And Boccace saith, that they be painted naked, (as they were indeede on the tombe of C. Iulius Caesar) the one hauing her backe toward vs, and her face fromwarde, as proceeding from

vs: the other tvvo toward vs, noting double thanke to be due to vs for the bene∣fit, we haue done.

Deaffly] Finelye and nimbly. Soote] Sweete. Meriment] Mirth.

Beuie] A beauie of Ladyes, is spoken figuratiuely for a company or troupe. the terme is taken of Larkes. For they say a Beuie of Larkes, euen as a Couey of Partridge, or an eye of Pheasaunts.

Ladyes of the lake] be Nymphes. For it vvas an olde opinion amongste the Auncient Heathen, that of euery spring and fountaine vvas a goddesse the Soueraigne. VVhiche opinion stucke in the myndes of men not manye yeares sithence, by meanes of certain fine fablers and lowd lyers, such as were the Authors of King Arthure the great and such like, who tell many an vnlavvfull leasing of the La∣dyes of the Lake, that is, the Nymphes. For the word Nymphe in Greeke sig∣nifieth VVell water, or othervvise a Spouse or Bcyde.

Bedight] called or named.

Cloris] the name of a Nymph, and signifieth greenesse, of vvhome is sayd, that Zephyrus the VVesterne wind being in loue with her, and coueting her to wyfe, gaue her for a dowrie, the chiefedome and soueraigntye of al flowres and greene herbes, growing on earth.

Oliues bene] The Oliue vvas vvont to be the ensigne of Peace and quietnesse, eyther for that it cannot be planted and pruned, and so carefully looked to, as it ought, but in time of peace: or els for that the Oliue tree, they say, vvill not grovve neare the Firre tree, vvhich is dedicate to Mars the God of battaile, and vsed most for speares and other instruments of warre. VVhereupon is finely feigned, that vvhen Neptune and Minerua stroue for the naming of the citie of Athens, Neptune striking the ground with his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, caused a horse to come forth, that importeth vvarre, but at Mineruaes stroke sprong out an Oliue, to note that it should be a nurse of learning, and such peaceable studies.

Binde your] Spoken rudely, and according to shepheardes simplicitye.

Bring] all these be names of flovvers. Sops in vvine a flovvre in colour much like to a Coronation, but differing in smel and quantitye. Flowre delice, that which they vse to misterme, Flovvre de luce, being in Latine called Flos delitiarum.

A Bellibone] or a Bonibell homely spoken for a fayre mayde or Bonilasse.

Forsvvonck and forswat••]. ouerlaboured and sunneburnt.

I savv Phaebus] the sunne. A sensible Narration, & present view of the thing mentioned, which they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Cynthia] the Moone so called of Cynthus a hyll, vvhere she was honoured.

Latonaes seede] VVas Apollo and Dinna. VVhom vvhenas Niobe the vvife of Am∣phion scorned, in respect of the noble fruict of her wombe; namely her seuen sonnes, and so many daughters, Latona being therewith displeased, commaun∣ded her sonne Phoebus to slea al the sonnes, and Diana all the daughters: where at the vnfortunate Niobe being sore dismayed, and lamenting out of measure, vvas feigned of the Poetes, to be turned into a stone vpon the sepulchre of her children. for which cause the shepheard sayth, he vvill not compare her to them, for feare of like my mysfortune. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Now rise] is the conclusion. For hauing so decked her vvith prayses and comparisons, he

returneth all the thanck of hys laboure to the excellencie of her Maiestie.

VVhen Damsins] A base revvard of a clovvnish giuer.

Yblent] Y, is a poeticall addition. blent blinded.

Embleme. This Poesye is taken out of Virgile, and there of him vsed in the person of Aeneas to his mother Venus, appearing to him in likenesse. of one of Dianaes damosells: be∣ing there most diuinely set forth. To vvhich similitude of diuinitie Hobbinoll comparing the excelency of Elisa, and being through the worthynes of Colins song, as it were, ouercome with the hugenesse of his imagination, brusteth out in great admiration, (O quam te memorē virgo?) being otherwife vnhable, then by soddein silence, to expresse the vvorthinesse of his conceipt. VVhom Thenot answereth vvith another part of the like verse, as confirming by his graunt and approuaunce, that Elisa is novvhit inferiour to the Maiestie of her, of vvhome that Poete boldly pronounced, O dea certe.