Nouember November . [headnote]

November woodblock illustration. Ægloga vndecima undecima . ARGVMENT ARGUMENT .

IN In this xi. Æglogue he bewayleth the death of some mayden of greate bloud, whom he calleth Dido. The personage is secrete, and to me alto-gether vnknowne unknowne , albe of him selfe I often required the same. This Æglo-gue is made in imitation of Marot his song, which he made vpon upon the death of Loys the frenche Queene. But farre passing his reache, and in myne opi-nion all other the Eglogues of this booke.

Thenot. Colin. COlin Colin my deare, when shall it please thee sing, As thou were wont were | wont wert w[oo]nt, wert wont, songs of some iouisaunce jouisaunce ? Thy Muse 3. to: too to too long slombreth in sorrowing, Lulled a sleepe through loues loves misgouernaunce misgovernaunce , Nouember November . The Now somewhat sing, whose endles souenaunce sovenaunce , Emong the shepeheards swaines may aye remaine, Whether thee list thy loued loved lasse aduaunce advaunce , Or honor Pan with hymnes of higher vaine. Colin. Thenot, now nis the time of merimake. Nor Pan to herye, nor with loue love to playe: Sike myrth in May is meetest for to make, Or summer shade vnder under the cocked haye . . But nowe sadde Winter welked hath the day, And Phœbus weary of his yerely taske: taſ-ke: taſke: taske, Ystabled Y[ſt]abled Y[ſt]abli[ſh]ed Y[ſt]abli[ſh]t hath his steedes in lowlye laye, And taken vp up his ynne in Fishes haske. haſ-ke . . haſ-ke, haske, Thilke sollein season sadder plight doth aske: And loatheth sike delightes, as thou doest prayse: The mornefull Muse in myrth now list ne maske, maſ-ke, maſ-ke. maſ ke. maske, As shee was wont in youngth and sommer dayes. But if thou algate lust light virelayes, And looser songs of loue love to vnderfong underfong Who but thy selfe deserues deserves sike Poetes prayse? Relieue Relieve thy Oaten pypes, that sleepen long. Thenot. The Nightingale is souereigne sovereigne of song, Before him sits the Titmose silent bee: And I vnfitte unfitte to thrust in skilfull ſ-kilfull ſkilfull skilfull thronge, Should Colin make iudge judge of my fooleree. Nay, better learne of hem, that learned bee, And han be watered at the Muses well: The kindlye dewe drops from the higher tree, And wets the little plants that lowly dwell. But if sadde winters wrathe and season chill, Accorde not with thy Muses meriment: To sadder times thou mayst attune thy quill, And sing of sorrowe and deathes dreeriment. For deade is Dido, dead alas and drent, Dido the greate shepehearde his daughter sheene: Nouember November . fol.45 M . . Why The fayrest May she was that euer ever went, Her like shee has not left behinde I weene. And if thou wilt bewayle my wofull tene, tene: teene: t[ée]ne, teene, I shall thee giue give yond Cosset for thy payne: And if thy rymes as rownd and rufull bene, As those that did thy Rosalind complayne, Much greater gyfts for guerdon thou shalt gayne, 46. Then: Than Then Than Kidde or Cosset, which I thee bynempt: Then vp up I say, thou iolly jolly shepeheard swayne, Let not my small demaund be so contempt . . Colin. Thenot to that I choose, thou doest me tempt, But ah 50. to: too to too well I wote my humble vaine, And howe my rymes bene rugged and vnkempt unkempt : Yet as I conne, my conning I will strayne . . VP Vp UP Up then Melpomene thou mournefulst Muse of nyne, Such cause of mourning neuer never hadst afore: Up grieslie ghostes and vp up my rufull ryme, Matter of myrth now shalt thou haue have no more. For dead shee is, that myrth thee made of yore. Dido my deare alas is dead, Dead and lyeth wrapt in lead: O heauie heavie herse, Let streaming teares be poured out in store: O carefull verse . . Shepheards, that by your flocks on Kentish downes abyde, Waile ye this wofull waste of natures warke: Waile we the wight, whose presence was our pryde: Waile we the wight, whose absence is our carke. The sonne of all the world is dimme and darke: The earth now lacks her wonted light, And all we dwell in deadly night, O heauie heavie herse. Breake we our pypes, that shrild as lowde as Larke, O carefull verse. Nouember November . The Why doe we longer liue live , (ah why liue live we so long) Whose better dayes death hath shut vp up in woe? The fayrest floure our gyrlond all emong, Is faded quite and into dust ygoe. Sing now ye shepheards daughters, sing no moe The songs that Colin made in her prayse, But into weeping turne your wanton layes, O heauie heavie herse, Now is time to dye . . Nay time was long ygoe, O carefull verse. Whence is it, that the flouret of the field doth fade, And lyeth buryed long in Winters bale: Yet soone as spring his mantle doth displaye, It floureth fresh, as it should neuer never fayle? But thing on earth that is of most availe, As vertues braunch and beauties budde, budde. bud, bud, Reliuen Reliven not for any good . . O heauie heavie herse, The braunch once dead, the budde eke needes must quaile, O carefull verse. She while she was , , (that was, a woful word to sayne) For beauties prayse and plesaunce had no pere: So well she couth the shepherds entertayne, With cakes and cracknells and such country chere. Ne would she scorne the simple shepheards swaine, For she would cal hem often heme And giue give hem curds and clouted Creame. O heauie heavie herse, Als Colin cloute she would not once disdayne. O carefull verse. But nowe sike happy cheere is turnd to heauie heavie chaunce, Such pleasaunce now displast by dolors dint: All Musick sleepes, where death doth leade the daunce, And shepherds wonted solace is extinct. The blew in black, the greene in gray is tinct, Nouember November . The fol.46 M.2. The gaudie girlonds deck her graue grave , The faded flowres her corse embraue embrave . O heauie heavie herse, Morne nowe my Muse, now morne with teares besprint. O carefull verse. O thou greate shepheard Lobbin, how great is thy griefe, Where bene the nosegayes that she dight for thee: The colourd chaplets wrought with a chiefe, The knotted rushrings, and gilte Rosemaree? For shee deemed nothing too deere for thee. Ah they bene all yclad in clay, One bitter blast blewe all away. O heauie heavie herse, Thereof nought remaynes but the memoree . . O carefull verse. Ay me that dreerie death should strike so mortall stroke, That can vndoe undoe Dame natures kindly course: The faded lockes fall from the loftie oke, The flouds do gaspe, for dryed is theyr sourse, And flouds of teares flowe in theyr stead perforse. The mantled medowes mourne morune mourne , Theyr sondry colours tourne. torune . . tourne. O heauie heavie herse, The heauens heavens doe melt in teares without remorse. O carefull carſefull carefull verse. The feeble flocks in field refuse their former foode, And hang theyr heads, as they would learne to weepe: The beastes in forest wayle as they were woode, Except the Wolues Wolves , that chase the wandring sheepe: Now she is gon that safely did hem keepe, The Turtle on the bared braunch, Laments the wound, that death did launch. O heauie heavie herse, And Philomele her song with teares doth steepe . . O carefull verse. Nouember November . I The water Nymphs, that wont with her to sing and daunce, And for her girlond Oliue Olive braunches beare, Now balefull boughes of Cypres doen aduaunce advaunce : : The Muses, that were wont greene bayes to weare, Now bringen bitter Eldre braunches seare: ſeare, ſeare: ſere: The fatall sisters eke repent, Her vitall threde so soone was spent. O heauie heavie herse, Morne now my Muse, now morne with heauie heavie cheare. O carefull verse . . O trustlesse state of earthly things, and slipper hope Of mortal men, that swincke and sweate for nought, And shooting wide , , doe misse the marked scope: Now haue have I learnd (a lesson derely bought) That nys on earth assuraunce to be sought: For what might be in earthlie mould, That did her buried body hould. O heauie heavie herse, Yet saw I on the beare when it was brought O carefull verse . . But maugre death, and dreaded sisters deadly spight, And gates of hel, and fyrie furies forse: She hath the bonds broke of eternall night, Her soule vnbodied unbodied of the burdenous corpse. Why then weepes Lobbin so without remorse? O Lobb, thy losse no longer lament, Dido nis dead, but into heauen heaven hent. O happye herse, Cease now Cease uow Ceaſe now Ceaſe mow Ceaſe nowe Ceaſe now my Muse, now cease thy sorrowes sourse, O ioyfull joyfull verse. Why wayle we then? why weary we the Gods with playnts, As if some euill evill were to her betight? She raignes a goddesse now emong the saintes, That whilome was the saynt of shepheards light: And is enstalled nowe in heauens heavens hight. Nouember November . fol.47 I see thee blessed soule, I see, Walke in Elisian fieldes so free. O happy herse, Might I once come to thee (O that I might) O ioyfull joyfull verse. Unwise and wretched men to weete whats good or ill, We deeme of Death as doome of ill desert: But knewe we fooles, what it vs us bringes vntil until , Dye would we dayly, once it to expert . . No daunger there the shepheard can astert : : Fayre fieldes and pleasaunt layes there bene, The fieldes ay fresh, the grasse ay greene : : O happy herse, Make hast ye shepheards, thether to reuert revert , O ioyfull joyfull verse. Dido is gone afore (whose turne shall be the next?) There liues lives shee with the blessed Gods in blisse, There drincks she Nectar with Ambrosia mixt, And ioyes joyes enioyes enjoyes , that mortall men doe misse. The honor now of highest gods she is, That whilome was poore shepheards pryde, While here on earth she did abyde . . O happy herse, Ceasse now my song, my woe now wasted is. O ioyfull joyfull verse. Thenot. Ay francke shepheard, how bene thy verses meint With doolful pleasaunce, so as I ne wotte, Whether reioyce rejoyce or weepe for great constrainte? Thyne be the cossette, well hast thow it gotte. Up Colin vp up , ynough thou morned hast, Now gynnes to mizzle, hye we homeward fast.

Colins Embleme. La mort ny mord.

Nouember November . ned

GLOSSE. Iouisaunce Jouisaunce ) myrth. Souenaunce Sovenaunce ) remembraunce. Herie) honour. VVelked Welked ) shortned or empayred. As the Moone being in the vvaine waine is sayde of Lidgate to vvelk welk . In lovvly lowly lay) according to the season of the monethNouember monethNovember moneth Nouember moneth November , when the sonne dravv-eth draw-eth low in the South toward his Tropick or returne. In fishes haske) the sonne, reigneth that is, in the signe Pisces all Nouember November . a haske A haske is a vvicker wicker ped pad , wherein they vse use to cary fish. Virelaies) a light kind of song. Bee vvatred watred ) For it is a saying of Poetes, that they haue have dronk of the Muses vvell well Castalias Ca[ſt]lias Ca[ſt]alias , vvhereof whereof vvas was before sufficiently sayd. Dreriment) dreery and heauy heavy cheere. The great shepheard) is some man of high degree, and not as some vainely suppose God Pan. The person both of the shephearde and of Dido is vnknovven vnknowen unknowen and closely buried in the Authors conceipt. But out of doubt I am, that it is not Rosalind, as some imagin: for he speaketh soone after of her also. Shene) fayre and shining. May) for mayde. Tene) sorrow. Guerdon) reward. Bynempt) bequethed. Cosset) a lambe brought vp up without the dam. Vnkempt Unkempt ) Incõpti Incompti Not comed, that is rude & and vnhansome unhansome . Melpomene) The sadde and waylefull Muse vsed used of Poets in honor of Tragedies: as saith Virgile Melpomene Tragico proclamat mæsta boatu. Vp Up griesly gosts) The maner of Tragicall Poetes, to call for helpe of Furies and damned ghostes: so is Hecuba of Euripides, and Tantalus brought in of Seneca. And the rest of the rest. Herse) is the solemne obsequie in funeralles. VVast Wast of) decay of so beautifull a peece. Carke) care. Ah vvhy why ) an elegant Epanorthosis. as As also soone after: after. nay time was long ago. Flouret) a diminutiue diminutive dimumtine for a little floure. This is a notable and sententious ſententions ſententious comparison A minore ad maius. Reliuen Reliven not) liue live not againe .s. not in theyr earthly bodies: for in heauen heaven they enioy enjoy their due reward. The braunch) He meaneth Dido, vvho who being, as it vvere were the mayne braunch now vvi-thered wi-thered the buddes that is beautie (as he sayd afore) can nomore flourish. VVith With cakes) fit for shepheards bankets. Heame) for home, home. after the northerne pronouncing. Tinct) Tui[ct]) Tui[ct], Tin[ct], deyed or stayned. The gaudie) the meaning is, that the things, which vvere were the ornaments of her lyfe, are made the honor of her funerall, as is vsed used in burialls. Lobbin) the name of a shepherd, vvhich which seemeth to haue have bene the louer lover & and deere frende of Dido. Rushrings) agreeable for such base gyftes. gyftes giftes. gifts. gifts, Faded lockes) dryed leaues leaves . As if Nature her selfe felfe ſelfe bewayled the death of the Mayde. Sourse) spring. Mantled medowes) for the sondry flowres are like a Mantle or couerlet coverlet vvrought wrought vvith with many colours. Philomele) the Nightingale, vvhome whome the Poetes faine once to haue have bene a Ladye of great beauty, till being rauished ravished by hir sisters husbande, she desired to be tur-ned Nouember November . fol.48 into a byrd of her name. vvhose whose VVhose Whose complaintes be very vvell well set forth of 60. Ma.: Master60. Mr: Master Ma. Mr George Gaskin a wittie gentleman, and the very chefe of our late rymers, vvho who and if some partes of learning learniug wanted not (albee it is vvell well knovven knowen he altogy-ther vvanted wanted not learning) no doubt would haue have attayned to the excellencye of those famous Poets. For gifts of vvit wit and naturall promptnesse appeare in hym aboundantly aboundantly . Cypresse) vsed used of the old Paynims in the furnishing of their funerall Pompe, Pompe. pompe, and proper-ly the signe of the of the ſigne of all sorow and heauinesse heavinesse . The fatall sisters) Clotho Lachesis and Atropos, daughters Atropodas,ughters Atropodas, ughters Atropos, daughters of Herebus and the Nighte, whom the Poetes fayne to spinne the life of man, as it were a long threde, which they dravve drawe out in length, till his fatal hovvre howre & and timely death be come; but if by other casualtie his dayes be abridged, then one of them, that is Atropos, is sayde to haue have cut the threde in twain. Hereof commeth a common verse. Clotho colum baiulat, lachesis trahit, Atropos Atrhpos Atrhpos Atropos occat. O trustlesse) a gallant exclamation moralized vvith with great vvisedom wisedom and passionate wyth great affection. Beare) a frame, wheron they vse use to lay the dead corse. Furies) of Poetes be feyned to be three, Persephone Alecto and Megera, vvhich which are sayd to be the Authours of all euill evill and mischiefe. Eternall night) might) might, night, Is death or darknesse of hell. Betight) happened. happened, I see) A liuely lively Icon, or representation as if he saw her in heauen heaven present. Elysian fieldes) be deuised devised of Poetes to be a place of pleasure like Paradise, where the happye soules doe rest in peace and eternal happynesse. Dye would) The very expresse epre[ſſ]e expre[ſſ]e saying of Plato in Phædone. Astert] Astert) befall vnvvares unvvares vnwares unwares . Nectar and Ambrosia) be feigned to be the drink and foode of the gods: Ambrosia they liken to Manna in scripture and Nectar to be vvhite white like Creme, vvhereof whereof is a proper tale of Hebe, that spilt a cup of it, and stayned the heauens heavens , as yet appeareth. But I haue have already discoursed that at large in my Commentarye vpon upon the dreames of the same Authour. Meynt) Mingled. Embleme. VVhich Which is as much to say, as death biteth not. For although by course of nature we be borne to dye, and being ripened with age, as vvith with a timely haruest harvest , vve we must be gathered in time, or els of our selues selves vve we fall like rotted ripe fruite fro the tree: yet death is not to be counted for euil evil , nor (as the Poete sayd a little before) as doome of ill desert. deſert) deſert.) deſert. For though the trespasse of the first man brought death into the world, as the guerdon of sinne, yet being ouercome overcome by the death of one, that dyed for al, it is novv now made (as Chaucer sayth) the grene path way to lyfe. So that it agreeth vvell well vvith with that vvas was sayd, that Death byteth not (that is) hur-teth not at all.