VNCOVTHE UNCOUTHE VNKISTE UNKISTE , Sayde the olde famous Poete Chaucer: vvhom whom for his excellencie and vvonderfull wonderfull skil in making, his scholler Lidgate, a vvorthy worthy scholler of so excellent a maister, cal-leth the Loadestarre of our Language: and vvhom whom our Colin clout in his Æglogue calleth Tityrus the God of shepheards, comparing hym to the worthines of the Roman Tityrus Virgile. VVhich Which prouerbe proverbe , myne owne good friend 7. Ma.: Master7. Mr: Master Ma. Mr Haruey Harvey , as in that good old Poete it ser-ued ser-ved vvell well Pandares purpose, for the bolstering of his baudy brocage, so very vvell well taketh place in this our nevv new Poete, vvho who for that he is vncouthe uncouthe (as said Chaucer) is vnkist unkist , and vnknown unknown to most mẽ men , is regarded but of fevv few . But I dout not, so soone as his name shall come into the knovvledg knowledg of men, and his vvorthines worthines be sounded in the tromp of fame, but that he shall be not onely kiste, but also beloued beloved of all, embraced of the most, and vvondred wondred at of the best. No lesse I thinke, deserueth deserveth his vvittinesse wittinesse in deuising devising , his pithi-nesse in vttering uttering , his complaints of loue love so louely lovely , his discourses of pleasure so pleasantly, his pastorall rudenesse, his morall vvisenesse wisenesse , his devve dewe obseruing observing of Decorum euerye everye vvhere where , in personages, in seasons, in matter, in speach, and generally in al seemely simply-citie of handeling his matter, and framing his vvords words : the vvhich which of many thinges which in him be straunge, I knovv know vvill will seeme the straungest, the vvords words them selues selves being so auncient, the knitting of them so short and intricate, and the vvhole whole Periode & and compasse compaste of speache so delightsome for the roundnesse, and so graue grave for the straungenesse. And firste of the vvordes wordes to speake, I graunt they be something hard, and of most men vnused unused , yet both English, and also vsed used of most excellent Authors and most famous Poetes. In vvhom whom vvhenas whenas this our Poet hath bene much traueiled traveiled and throughly redd, hovv how could it be, (as that vvorthy worthy Oratour sayde) but that vvalking walking in the sonne although for other cause he vvalked walked , yet needes he mought be sunburnt; and hauing having the sound of those aun-cient Poetes still ringing in his eares, he mought needes in singing hit out some of theyr tunes. But whether he vseth useth them by such casualtye and custome, or of set purpose and choyse, as thinking them fittest for such rusticall rudenesse of shepheards, eyther for that theyr rough sounde vvould would make his rymes more ragged and rustical, or els because such olde and obsolete wordes are most vsed used of country folke, sure I think, and think I think not amisse, that they bring great grace and, as one vvould would say, auctoritie to the verse. For albe amongst many other faultes it specially be obiected objected of Valla against Liuie Livie , and of o-ther against Saluste, that vvith with ouer over much studie they affect antiquitie, as coueting coveting there-by credence and honor of elder yeeres, yet I am of opinion, and eke the best learned are of the lyke, that those auncient solemne wordes are a great ornament both in the one & and in the other; the one labouring to set forth in hys worke an eternall image of antiquitie, and the other carefully discoursing matters of grauitie gravitie and importaunce. For if my memory fayle not, Tullie in that booke, vvherein wherein he endeuoureth endevoureth to set forth the paterne of a Epistle. iudgement judgement perfect Oratour, sayth that ofttimes an auncient worde maketh the style seeme graue grave , and as it were reuerend reverend : no otherwise 48. then: than then than vve we honour and reuerence reverence gray heares for a certein religious regard, which we haue have of old age. yet Yet nether euery every where must old words be stuffed in, nor the commen Dialecte and maner of speaking so corrupted therby, that as in old buildings it seme disorderly & and ruinous. But all as in most exquisite pictures they vse use to blaze and portraict not onely the daintie lineaments of beautye, but also rounde about it to shadow the rude thickets and craggy clifts, that by the basenesse of such parts, more excellency may accrew to the principall; for oftimes we fynde ourselues ourselves , I knowe not hovv how , singularly delighted with the shewe of such naturall rudenesse, and take great pleasure in that disorderly order. Euen Even so doe those rough and harsh termes enlumine and make more clearly to appeare the brightnesse of braue brave & and glorious vvords words . So ofentimes a dischorde in Musick maketh a comely concordaunce: so great delight tooke the worthy Poete Alceus to behold a blemish in the ioynt joynt of a wel shaped body. But if any vvill will rash-ly blame such his purpose in choyse of old and vnvvonted vnwonted unwonted vvords words , him may I more iustly justly blame and condemne, or of vvitlesse witlesse headinesse in iudging judging , or of heedelesse hardinesse in condemning. for For not marking the compasse of hys bent, he vvil wil iudge judge of the length of his cast. For for in my opinion it is one special prayse, of many vvhych whych are dew to this Poete, that he hath laboured to restore, as to theyr rightfull heritage such good and naturall English words, as haue have ben long time out of vse use ufe & and almost cleare disherited. VVhich Which is the onely cause, that our Mother tonge, which truely of it self is both ful enough for prose & and stately enough for verse, hath long time ben coũted counted most bare & and barrein of both. which Which default when as some endeuoured endevoured to salue salve & and recure, they patched vp up the holes with peces & and rags of other languages, borrowing here of the french, there of the Italian, euery every where of the Latine, not vveighing weighing hovv how il, those tongues accorde vvith with themselues themselves , but much vvorse worse vvith with ours: So now they haue have made our English tongue, a gallimaufray or hodgepodge of al other speches. Other some not no so wel seene ſeme ſeene in the English tonge as perhaps in other languages, if they thẽ then they happen to here an olde vvord word albeit very naturall and significant, crye out streight way, that we speak no English, but gibbrish, or rather such, as in old time Euãders Euanders Evãders Evanders mother spake. vvhose whose VVhose Whose first [fi]t[ſt] fir[ſt] shame is, that they are not ashamed, in their own mother tonge straungers to be counted and alienes. The second shame no lesse 84. then: than then than the first, that what so they vnderstand understand not, they streight vvay way deeme to be sencelesse, and not at al to be vn-derstode. un-derstode. Much like to the Mole in Æsopes fable, that being blynd her selfe, vvould would in no inno wise be perswaded, that any beast could see. The last more shameful 88. then: than then than both, that of their ovvne owne country and natural speach, vvhich which together vvith with their Nources milk they sucked, they haue have so base regard and bastard iudgement judgement , that they vvill will not onely them-selues them-selves not labor to garnish & and beautifie it, but also repine, that of other it shold be embellished. Like to the dogge in the maunger, that him selfe can eate no hay, and yet barketh at the hungry bullock, that so faine vvould would feede: vvhose whose currish kind though cannot be kept from barking, yet I conne them thanke that they refrain from byting.

Novv Now for the knitting of sentences, vvhych whych they call the ioynts joynts and members therof, and for al the compasse of the speach, it is round vvithout without roughnesse, and learned wyth-out hardnes, such indeede as may be perceiued perceived of the leaste, vnderstoode understoode of the moste, but iudged judged onely of the learned. For vvhat what in most English wryters vseth useth to be loose, and as it vvere were vngyrt ungyrt , in this Authour is vvell well grounded, finely framed, and strongly trussed vp up together. In regard wherof, I scorne and spue out the rakehellye route of our ragged rymers (for so thẽselues themselves vse use to hunt the letter) vvhich which vvithout without learning boste, vvithout without Epistle. ¶.iij. vaine iudgement judgement iangle jangle , vvithout without reason rage and fome, as if some instinct of Poeticall spirite had nevvly newly rauished ravished them aboue above the meanenesse of commen capacitie. And being in the middest of all theyr brauery bravery , sodenly eyther for vvant want of matter, or of ryme, or hauing having for gotten forgotten theyr former conceipt, they seeme to be so pained and traueiled traveiled in theyr remem-brance, as it vvere were a woman in childebirth or as that same Pythia, vvhen when the traunce came vpon upon her. Os rabidum fera corda domans &c. etc.

Nethelesse let them a Gods name feede on theyr ovvne owne folly, so they seeke not to dar-ken the beames of others glory. As for Colin, vnder under vvhose whose person the Authour selfe is shadovved shadowed , hovv how furre he is from such vaunted titles and glorious shovves showes , both him selfe sheweth, vvhere where he sayth.

And,

And also appeareth by the basenesse of the name, vvherein wherein , it semeth, he chose rather to vnfold unfold great matter of argumẽt argument couertly covertly , 120. then: than then than professing it, not suffice thereto accordingly. vvhich which VVhich Which moued moved him rather in Æglogues, 122. then: than then than other wise to vvrite write , doubting perhaps his habilitie, which he little needed, or mynding to furnish our tongue vvith with this kinde, wherein it faulteth, or follovving following the example of the best & and most auncient Poetes, which deuised devised this kind of wryting, being both so base for the matter, and homely for the man-ner, at the first to trye theyr habilities: habilities? and as young birdes, that be nevvly newly crept out of the nest, by little first to proue prove theyr tender vvyngs wyngs , before they make a greater flyght. So flevv flew Theocritus, as you may perceiue perceive he vvas was all ready full fledged. So flew Virgile, as not yet vvell well feeling his winges. vvinges vvings. wings. So flevv flew Mantuane, as being not full somd. So Petrarque. So Boccace; So Marot, Sanazarus, and also diuers divers other excellent both Italian and French Poetes, vvhose whose foting this Author euery every vvhere where follovveth followeth , yet so as few, but they be wel sented can trace him out. So finally flyeth this our nevv new Poete, as a bird, vvhose whose principals be scarce growen ſcarcegrovven ſcarce grovven ſcarce growen ſcarſe growne ſcarce growne out, but yet as that in time shall be hable to keepe wing with the best.

Novv Now as touching the generall dryft and purpose of his Æglogues, I mind not to say much, him selfe labouring to conceale it. Onely this appeareth, that his vnstayed unstayed yougth had long vvandred wandred in the common Labyrinth of Loue Love , in vvhich which time to mitigate and allay the heate of his passion, or els to vvarne warne (as he sayth) the young shepheards .s. his e-qualls and companions of his vnfortunate unfortunate folly, he compiled these xij. xii. Æglogues, vvhich which for that they be proportioned to the state of the xij. xii. monethes, he termeth the SHEP-HEARDS CALENDAR, applying an olde name to a nevv new vvorke worke . Hereunto haue have I added a certain Glosse or scholion for thexposition th’exposition of old vvordes wordes & and harder phra-ses: vvhich which maner of glosing and commenting, vvell well I vvote wote , vvil wil seeme straunge & and rare in our tongue: yet for somuch as I knew many excellent & and proper deuises devises both in wordes and matter vvould would passe in the speedy course of reading, either as vnknovven vnknowen unknowen , or as not marked, and that in this kind, as in other vve we might be equal to the learned of other nati-ons, I thought good to take the paines vpon upon me, the rather for that by meanes of some familiar acquaintaunce I vvas was made priuie privie to his counsell and secret meaning in them, as also in sundry other vvorks works of his. vvhich which VVhich Which albeit I knovv know he nothing so much hateth, as to promulgate, yet thus much haue have I aduentured adventured vpon upon his frendship, him selfe being for long time furre estraunged, hoping that this vvill will the rather occasion him, to put forth diuers divers other excellent vvorks works of his, vvhich which slepe in silence, as his Dreames, his Legendes, his Court of Cupide, and sondry others; vvhose whose commendations to set out, vvere were verye Epistle. vayne; the thinges though vvorthy worthy of many, yet being knowen to few. These my present paynes if to any they be pleasurable or profitable, be you iudge judge , mine ovvn own good Maister Haruey Harvey , to vvhom whom I haue have both in respect of your vvorthinesse worthinesse generally, and othervvyse otherwyse vpon upon some particular & and special considerations couſiderations conſiderations conſiderations, voued this my labour, and the mayden-head of this our commen frends Poetrie, himselfe hauing having already in the beginning dedi-cated it to the Noble and vvorthy worthy Gentleman, the right worshipfull 167. Ma.: Master167. Mr: Master Ma. Mr Phi. Sidney, a special fauourer favourer & and maintainer of all kind of learning. learning.) VVhose Whose cause I pray you Sir, yf Enuie Envie shall stur vp up any wrongful accusasion, defend vvith with your mighty Rhetorick & and other your rare gifts of learning, as you can, & and shield with your good vvil wil , as you ought, against the malice and outrage of so many enemies, as I knovv know vvilbe wilbe set on fire with the sparks of his kindled glory. And thus recõmending recommending the Author vnto unto you, as vnto unto his most spe-cial good frend, and my selfe vnto unto you both, as one making singuler account of tvvo two so very good and so choise frends, I bid you both most hartely farvvel farwel , and commit you & and your most commendable studies to the tuicion of the greatest.