The poesies of George Gascoigne Esquire

T.B. In prayse of Gas∣cogines Posies.

WE prayse the plough, that makes the fruitelesse soyle To bring forth corne, (through helpe of heauenly might) And eke esteeme the simple wretches toyle, VVhose painefull handes doe labour day and night. VVe prayse the ground, whereon the herbes do grow, VVhich heale or helpe, our greeues and mortall paine, Yea weedes haue worth, wherein we vertue know, For natures Art, nothing hath made in vaine. VVe prayse those floures which please the secrete sense, And do content, the tast or smell of man, The Gardners paynes and worke we recompence, That skilfull is, or aught in cunning can. But much more prayse to Gascoignes penne is due, VVhose learned hande doth here to thee present, A Posie full of Hearbes, and Flowers newe, To please all braynes, to wit or learning bent. Howe much the minde doth passe the sense or smell, So much these Floures all other do excell.

E.C. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies.

IN gladsome Spring, when sweete and pleasant shoures Haue well renued, what winters wrath hath torne, And that we see, the wholesome smelling Floures, Begin to laugh rough winters wracke to scorne: If then by chaunce, or choyce of owners will, VVe roame and walke in place of rare delightes, And therein finde, what Arte or natures skill Can well set forth, to feede our hungrie sightes: Yea more, if then the owner of the soyle, Doth licence yeelde to vse all as our owne,

And gladly thinkes, the fruites of all his toyle, To our behoofe to be well set and sowne. It cannot be, but this so great desart In basest breast doth b••eede this due regarde, VVith worlde of thankes, to prayse this friendly part, And wish that woorth mought pay a iust rewarde. Good Reader then, beholde what gallant spring This booke brings forth, of fruites of finest sortes, Be bolde to take, thy list of euerie thing, For so is ment. And for thy glad disportes The paine was tane: therefore lo this I craue, In his behalfe, that wrote this pleasant worke, VVith care and cost, (and then most freely gaue His labours great, wherein great treasures lurke: To thine auayle) let his desartes now binde thee, In woorde and deede, he may still thankfull finde thee.

M.C. commending the correction of Gascoignes Posies.

THe Beares blinde whelpes, which lacke both nayles and heare, And lie like lumpes, in filthie farrowed wise, Do (for a time) most ougly beastes appeare, Till dammes deare tongue, do cleare their clozed eyes. The gadde of steele, is likewise blunt and blacke, Till file and fire, do frame it sharpe and bright: Yea precious stones, their glorious grace do lacke, Till curious hand, do make them please the sight. And so these floures, although the grounde were gay, VVhereon they grew, and they of gallant hew, Yet till the badde were cullde and cast away, The best became the worse by such a crew. (For my part) then: I lyked not their smell, But as they be, I like them pretly well.

R.S. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies.

THe pleasant plot wherein these Posies g••••w, May represent Parnassus springs indeede. VVhere Pallas with hir wise and learned crew, Did plant great store, and sow much cunning seede. That Goddesse then, on whom the Muses wayte, To garde hir grounde from greedie gathrers spoyle, Hath here ordeynde, by fine and close conceyte, A greene knight chiefe, and master of the soyle. Such badge beares he that beautified this booke VVith glorious shew, of sundrie gallant flowers. But since he first this labor vndertooke, He gleand thereout, (to make the profite ours) A heape of Hearbes, a sort of fruitfull seedes, A needefull salue, compound of needlesse weedes.

Appendix.

All these (with more) my freend here freely giues: Nor naked wordes, nor streyne of straunge deuise. But Gowers minde, which now in Gascoigne liues, Yeeldes heere in view, (by iudgement of the wise) His penne, his sworde, himselfe, and all his might, To Pallas schoole, and Mars in Princes right.

T. Ch. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies.

THough goodnesse of the gold, needes no mans praise ye know, (And euery coyne is iudgde and found, by weight, by stamp, or show) Yet doth the prayse of men, giue gold a double grace, And makes both pearls and Iewels rich, desirde in euery place. The horse full finely formde, whose pace and traine is true, Is more esteemde for good report, than likte for shape and view. Yea sure, ech man himselfe, for all his wit and skill, (If world bestow no lawde on him) may sleepe in silence still.

Fame shewes the value first, of euerie precious thing, And winnes with lyking all the brute, that doth the credit bring. And fame makes way before, to workes that are vnknowne And peoples loue is caried ther, where fame hir trump hath blown. A cunning workman fine, in Cloyster close may sit, And carue or paint a thousand things, and vse both art and wit, Yet wanting worldes renowne, may scape vnsought or seene: It is but fame that outruns all, and gets the goall I weene. The learned Doctors lawd, that heales where other harmes, By cōmon prayse of peoples voyce, brings pacients in by swarmes. A goodly stately house, hath seldome any fame, Till world behold the buildings through, and people see the same. The Flowers and Posies sweete, in better price are held, VVhen those haue praysde their vertues rare, that haue their odor smeld. So by these foresayd proofes, I haue a pardon free, To speake, to write, and make discourse, of any worke I see, That worthie is of prayse: for prayse is all we get. Present the worlde with labors great, the world is in your det, It neuer yeeldes rewarde, nor scarce iust prayse will giue: Then studie out to stand on fame, and striue by fame to liue. Our olde forefathers wise, saw long before these dayes, How sone faint world would fail deserts, and cold would wax our prayse. And knowing that disdeyne, for toyle did rather rise, Than right renowne (whose goldē buds, growes vp to starry skies) Betooke their labors long, and euery act they did, Vnto the Gods, from whose deepe sight, no secret can be hid. And these good gracious Gods, sent downe from heauens hie, (For noble minds) an endlesse fame, that throw the world doth flie. VVhich fame is due to those, that seeke by new deuice, To honor learning euery way, and Vertue bring in price. From Knowledge gardeyn gay, where science sowes hir seedes, A pretie Posie gathered is, of Flowers, Hearbes, and VVeedes. The Flowers by smel are found, the hearbs their goodnes showes, The VVeedes amid both hearbs & flowers, in decēt order growes. The soft and tender nose, that can no weedes abide, May make his choise of holesome hearbes, whose vertues well are tride.

The fine and flowing wittes, that feede on straunge delites, May tast (for seasning daintie mouthes) the bitter weede that bites. The well disposed minde, and honest meaning man, Shall finde (in floures) proude Peacoks plumes, and feathers of the Swan. The curst and crabbed Carle, that Posies flings away, By this (perhaps) may find some cause, with prettie floures to play. The kinde and louing worme, that woulde his ladie please, My light on some such medcin here, shal do them both much ease. The Lad that lykes the schoole, and will good warning take: May snatch some rules oute of this booke, that may him doctor make. The hastie trauayling head, that flies to foreyne place, May wey by this what home is woorth, and stay his rouing race. The manly courage stoute, that seeketh fame full farre, Shall find by this how sweete is peace, and see how soure is warre. This Posie is so pickt, and choysely sorted throw, There is no Flower, Herbe, nor VVeede, but serues some purpose now. Then since it freely comes, to you for little cost, Take well in worth these paynes of him, that thinkes no labor lost: To do his countrie good, as many others haue, VVho for their toyles a good report, of worlde did onely craue. Grudge not to yeeld some fame, for fruites that you receyue, Make some exchaunge for franke good will, some signe or token leaue, To shew your thankfull harts. For if you loue to take, And haue a conscience growne so great, you can no gift forsake, And cannot giue againe, that men deserue to reape, Adieu we leaue you in the hedge, and ore the stile we leape. And yet some stile or verse, we after shape in ryme, That may by arte shewe you a Glasse, to see your selues in tyme. Thus wish I men their right: and you that iudge amisse, To mend your minds, or frame your Muse, to make the like of this.

G.VV. In prayse of Gascoigne, and his Posies.

REader rewarde nought else, but onely good report, For all these pleasant Posies here, bound vp in sundrie sort.

The flowers fayre and fresh, were set with painefull toyle, Of late in Gascoignes Garden plot, a passing pleasant soyle. Now weedes of little worth, are culde from out the rest, VVhich he with double paine, did work, to gleane the bad frō best, The state is very straunge, and fortune rare in vse, VVhose heauie happe he neither helpes, nor blazeth their abuse. In thundring verse he wrayes, where highest mindes be thrall, VVhere mischeefe seekes to rayse it selfe, by force of others fall He pluckes the visour of, from maskes of peeuish pride, And wrayes what sowre (in sweet pretēce) the coustly corts cā hide. In euerie gallant flower, he setteth forth to show, Of Venus thralles, the hap, the harme, the want, the weale, the woe. He finely findes their faultes, whose welth doth foster wrong, VVho toucheth sinne (without offence) must plainly sing his song. His loftie vaine in verse, his stately stile in prose, Foretelles that Pallas ment by him, for to defende hir foes. VVherwith to Mars his might, his lustie limmes are knit, (A sight most rare) that Hectors mind, should match with Pallas wit. By proofe of late appeared (how so reportes here ran) That he in field was formost still, in spoyle the hynmost man. No backward blastes could bruse the valour of his thought, Although slie hap, forestoode his hope, in that he credite sought. In fortunes spight he straue, by vertues to aspire, Resolude when due deserts might mount, then he should haue his hire Thus late with Mars in field, a lustie Souldiour shewde, And now with peace in Pallas schoole, he freendly hath bestowde, On thee this heape of flowers, the fruites of all his toyle, VVhereof if some but simple seeme, consider well the soyle. They grew not all at home, some came from forreyne fieldes, The which (percase) set here againe, no pleasant sauour yeeldes. Yet who mislyketh most, the worst will hardly mend, And he were best not write at all, which no man will offend.

P.B. to such as haue heretofore found fault with Gascoignes Posies.

GAynst good deserts, both pride and enuie swell, As neede repines, to see his neighbour ritche: And slaunder chafes, where vertues prosper well, As sicke men thinke, all others health to mitch: Such filthie faultes, mens harts ofttymes inflame, That spight presumes, to stayne the worthies name.

Are brutall things, transferred so to men? Or men become more sauage than the beast? VVe see the dogge, that kenelles in his den, (For onely foode) obeyes his Lordes behest: Yea more than that, remembers so reliefe, As (in his kinde) he mournes at masters griefe.

If thou perceyue, whereto my tale intendes, Then (slaunder) cease to wrong a frendly wight, VVho for his countreys good, his trauayle spendes, Sometime where blowes are giuen in bloudie fight: And other tymes he frames with skilfull pen, Such verse, as may content eche moulde of men.

As nowe beholde, he here presentes to thee, The blossoms fayre, of three well sorted seedes. The first he feynes, fresh Flowers for to bee: The second Herbes, the last he termeth VVeedes. All these, the soyle of his well fallowed brayne, (VVith Pallas droppes bedewde) yeeldes for thy gaine.

The Hearbes to graue conceyt, and skilfull age, The fragrant Flowers to sent of yonger smell: The worthlesse VVeedes, to rule the wantonrage Of recklesse heades, he giues: then vse them well: And gather (friend) but neyther spight nor spoyle, These Posies made, by his long painfull toyle.

A.VV. In commendation of Gascoigne and his Posies.

I Praysed once a booke (whereby I purchast blame) And venturde for to write a verse, before I knewe the same. So that I was deceyude, for when it came to light, The booke deserued no such worde, as I therein did wright. Thus lept I ere I lookt, and wandred ere I wist, VVhich giues (me haggard) warning since, to trust no falkners fist. And yet the booke was good, (by hap and not my skill) But not a Booke of such contentes, as might my wordes fulfill. VVell now I neede not feare, these Posies here to prayse, Bicause I knew them euery flower, and where they grew alwayes. And sure for my conceyt, euen when they bloomed first, Me thought they smelt not much amisse, no not the very worst. Perhappes some daintie nose, no Batchlers button lykes, And some at Pimpernell and Pinkes, a slender quarell pykes. Some thinke that Gillyflowers, do yeeld a gelous smell, And some (which like none herbe but Sage) say Finkell tastes not well. Yet Finkell is of force, and Gillyflowers are good, And Pinks please some, and Pimpernell doth serue to steynch the blood: And Batchlers buttons be, the brauest to beholde, But sure that flower were best not grow, which can abide no colde. For slaunder blowes so shrill, with easterne enuious windes, And frosts of frumps so nip the rootes, of vertuous meaning minds That few good flowers can thriue, vnlesse they be protected, Or garded from suspitious blastes, or with some proppes erected. So seemeth by the wight, which gardened this grounde, And set such flowers on euery bed, that Posies here abounde. Yet some tongues cannot well, affoorde him worthie prayse, And by our Lorde they do him wrong, for I haue sene his wayes, And marked all his moodes, and haue had proofe likewise, That he can do as well in field, as pen can here deuise. Not many Monthes yet past, I saw his doughtie deedes, And since (to heare what slaunder sayes) my heauie hart it b••••edes. Yet Reader graunt but this, to trie before thou trust, So shalt thou find his flowers and him, both gallant, good and iust.

I.B. In commendation of Gascoignes Posies.

THe sauerie sappes in Gascoignes Flowers that are, VVhich strayned were by loftie learnings lore: Could not content the surly for their share, Ne cause them once, to yeeld him thankes therefore; Such was his hap, when first in hande he tooke, By labor long, to bring to light this Booke.

Yet hath he not (for all this) seemde to cease, Those Flowers fresh againe in ground to set, And yeeld them earth to bring forth their increase, VVith other slippes from forraine soyle yfet. VVhich he hath gaynde by hazarde of his life, In bloudie broyles, where pouldred shot was rife.

This endlesse toyle, contented well his minde, Hope helde the helme, his Fame on shore to set: His deepe desire, was friendship for to finde, At readers handes, he nought else sought to get: VVherefore (doubtlesse) they did him double wrong, VVhich F. and I. mysconstrued haue so long.

Yet least I should passe from the golden ground, Of Gascoignes plat, wherein those Posies grew, I list to tell what Flowers there I found, And paint by penne, the honour to him dew: Since that his toyle doth well deserue the same, And sacred skill hath so aduaunst his name.

First did I finde the Flower of Fetters frute, VVhereof my selfe haue tasted to my paine: Then might I see the Greene knight touch the Lute, VVhose cordes were coucht on frettes of deepe disdaine: And likewise there, I might perceyue full well, That fragrant Flower which Fansie bad farewell.

In fine I found the flowre that Bellum hight, Sweete vnto those, of sillie simple sense, Yet sharpe and sowre, to those that do delight In martiall martes, for gaine of peuish pense. Such buddes full braue, good Gascoignes Garden gaue To all estates, which list the same to haue.

VVherefore (good friend) flie enuies yrkesome yre, And tred the trace, which Reasons rule hath wrought, Yeeld not disdeyne to Gascoigne for his hyre, VVhose brused braine for thee these flowers hath sought. Least if thou do, the blame on thee do light, Such friendly paynes to recompence with spight.

I.D. In prayse of Gascoigne and his Posies.

IF Virgill how to till the Earth, to euery man doth tell, And Galen he in Phisicks arte doth many men excell, If Poets olde deseruen prayse, by paynting out aright, The frutes of vice, as Ouid doth, and many mo that wright, By learned skill of many things: If such exalt their name, And for their hyre, deserued prayse by trumpe of Ladie Fame: VVhy should the Authour of this booke then leese his due desart, Sith he so freendly here to vs, hath shewed his skilfull arte? The healthsome herbs and flowers sweet, frō weedes he hath diuided, The fruits of Giues in prison strōg he hath right wel decided. Of warres also, and warriours to, euen like a Martiall knight, He hath discourst, and shewed the lottes, that therevpon do light: Virgill is dead, and Galen gone, with Poets many more: Yet workes of theirs be still aliue, and with vs kept in store. This Authour liues, and Gascoigne hights, yet once to die most sure, Alas the while that worthie wightes may not alwayes endure, But workes of his among the best, for euer more shall rest, VVhen he in heauen shall take a place prepared for the blest.

The Printer in commendation of Gascoigne and his workes.

CHawcer by writing purchast fame, And Gower got a worthie name: Sweete Surrey, suckt Pernassus springs, And VViat wrote of wondrous things: Olde Rothfort clambe the stately Throne, VVhich Muses holde, in Hellicone. Then thither let good Gascoigne go, For sure his verse, deserueth so.

M.A. Perugino, a i lettori.

COnciosia la cosa che a'l bono vino, non ci bisogna la ghirlanda nientedi meno, l'opere virtuose meritano sempremai ogni laude, honore, & mer∣cede. Tanto per essersi (nella natura loro, & di se stesse) piaceuole, grate, & piene, d'ogni contento, come per dare stimoli ad altrui d'imitar' i loro ve∣stigij. In tanto Io stimo l'opera presente vn'essempio chiaro & raro della gloria Inghlese. Quando vi si truouano non solamēte Sonetti, Rime, Can∣zoni, & altre cose infinitamēte piaceuole, ma con cio non vi mancano dis∣corse tragiche, moderne, & pbylosophichae, della Guerra, delli stati, & della vera Sapienza. Tutte procedute d'vn tal Iuchiostro, che Io (sendo forastiero) lo truouo vn' Immitatore di Petrarcha, Amico d'Ariosto, & Parangon di Bocaccio, Aretino, & ogni altro Poéta quanto sia piu famo∣so & eccellente dell'etá nostra.

I. de B. aux lecteurs.

CEux qui voiront, les Rymes de Gascoigne, (Estants François) se plaindront nuicts & iours Que la Beauté & l'odeur de ces floeurs, A cest heur (de France) par Gascoign, tant s'esloigne.

H.M. In Poemata Gascoigni Carmen.

SI iam vena viris eadem, quae vatibus olim, Ingenio{que} pari possunt disponere partas Materias, pedibus si incedunt Carmina certis, Clauduntur{que} suis numeris: Si turba sororum, Supplicibus potis est priscos inflare furores, Sed si quod magis est, nostri sua themata texant, Consona scripturis sacris, nec dissona rectis Moribus: amaenos, sed quae cognoscere flores Virtutis, quae docent dulces colligere fructus. Si fictas fabulas, falsi{que} Cupidinis artes Cum Venere excludunt, (vt docta indigna poesi) Cur non censemus celebrandos iure Coronis Aequales virtute viros, aequalibus esse? O ingrata tuis non reddere tanta peritis Praemia, quanta suis dignarunt prima Poetis Saecula, num laudes tantas licet addere linguis Romanae primum, (quae nil tamen attulit vltra Vtile) germanas, vtfas sit spernere gemmas? Sed vitium hec patriae est & peculiariter Anglis Conuenit, externis quaecun{que} feruntur ab oris, Anteferre suis. Age si sic sapitis, Ecce, Anglia quos profert flores Gasconia pressit.

B.C. In Poemata Gasconi Carmen.

MEns generosa solet generosos edere flores, Incassu••n{que} suos, non sinit ire dies: Haec tua Gasconi laus est, mercede remota Hac, friget virtus, haec tibi sufficiat. Haec tibi (seu Belgas repetas, Martem{que} ferocem, Seu patriam & Musas) inuiolata Comes.

K.D. In eundem, Carmen.

Vlderat huius: ef. l. Titulum nomen{que} Poaeta, Laeta{que} vix potuit, dicere lingua bene est: Mox vbi quae voluit, libro non vidit in illo, Magna{que} quae fuerat, pars ibi parua fuit, Quàm male ait socio, Martem secreuit amore? Qui bene amat pugnat, qui bene pugnat amat.

Eiusdem de eodem.

QVi quondam graue Martis opus, sub gente nefanda, Militiam{que} tuli, non vno nomine duram Arma quibus laetabar, Ego Tritonia Pallas, Pallas ego trado arma tibi, & nunc per iuga Cynthi Per sacrum te Hellicona tuus, per Thessala Tempe Insequor, aeternum{que} sequar, dum sydera mundum, Dum deus aeternos, certo moderamine Coelos Dirigat, aethereas{que} animas & sydera Coeli. O quae felices caelesti nectare mentes Perfundis, Diuûm{que} doces nos dicere Cantus, Quale•• Aonias inter celiberrima turbas Calliopaea canit, vel gestis Clio loquendis Nata. (Nouenarum pars ingens Clio sororum.) Da Regina tuis ad••••is, antris{que} recepto Cantari vates inter, d••ci{que} Britannos.

P.VV. In Gascoignum, Carmen.

SVnt quorum mentes, tenebrae, Caligo{que} turpis Infuscant, vates qui tetigisse timent. Tu pete florentem, facunde Poëta Corollam, Excultis pateat, versilus iste locus.

G.H. pro eodem.

QVisquis es hac nostri qui gaudes parte laboris, Iudicio nobis, cantus adesto precor. Perlege scripta prius, quàm pergas scripta probare, Et bene perlectis, inde videbis opus. Nam nihil in titulum, iuuat inspexisse libelli, Si vis materiae sit tibi nota minus. Non etenim primò veniunt fundamina rerum, Sed sunt in varijs, inspicienda locis. Perge igitur quo sit pergendum, fine reperto, In tenebris tum quae dilituêre proba.

E. H. in poëmata Ga∣scoigni, Carmen.

SI quam Romani laudem moeraêre Poëtae Si{que} fuit Graijs debitus vllus honos, Graecia si quondam vatem suspexit Homerum, Si domitrix magni Roma Maronis opus, Cur non Gasconij facunda poëmata laudat Anglia? & ad coeli sydera summa ferat? Carmina nam cum re, sic consentire videntur, Egregium & praestans, vt videatur opus. Dixerit has aliquis Musas nimis esse iocosas, Et iuuenum facile possenocere animis. Non ita, ni forsan, velit ijsdem lector abuti, Non obsunt, pura si modò mentelegas.