fol.35 Diggon September. September. [headnote]

September woodblock illustration. Ægloga Nona. ARGVMENT ARGUMENT .

HErein Herein Diggon Dauie Davie is deuised devised to be a shepheard, [ſh]epheard. [ſh]ephearde, Shepheard, Sheapheard, [ſh]epheard [ſh]epheard, that in hope of more gayne, droue drove his sheepe into a farre countrye. The abuses whereof, and loose liuing living of Popish prelates, by occasion of Hobbinols demaũd demaund , he discour-seth at large.

Hobbinol. Diggon Dauie Davie . DIggon Diggon Dauie Davie , I bidde her god day: Or Diggon her is, or I missaye. Diggon. Her was her, while it was daye light, But now her is a most wretched wight . . For day, that was, is wightly past, And now at earst the dirke night doth hast. Hobbinoll. Diggon areede, who has thee so dight? Neuer Never I wist thee in so poore a plight. Where is the fayre flocke, thou was wont to leade? Or bene they chaffred? or at mischiefe dead? September. And Diggon. Ah for loue love of that, is to thee moste leefe, Hobbinol, I pray thee gall not my old griefe: Sike question ripeth vp up cause of newe woe, For one opened mote vnfolde unfolde many moe. Hobbinoll. Nay, but sorrow close shrouded in hart I know, to kepe, is a burdenous smart. Eche thing imparted is more eath to beare: When the rayne is faln, the cloudes wexen cleare. And nowe sithence I sawe thy head last, Thrise three Moones bene fully spent and past: Since when thou hast measured much grownd, And wandred I wene about the world rounde, So as thou can many thinges relate: But tell me first of thy flocks astate. Diggon. My sheepe bene wasted, (wae is me therefore) The iolly jolly shepheard that was of yore, Is nowe nor iollye jollye , nor shepehearde more. In forrein costes, men sayd, was plentye: And so there is, but all of miserye. I dempt there much to haue have eeked my store, But such eeking hath made my hart sore. hartſore. hart ſore. heart ſore. hart ſore. In tho countryes, whereas I haue have bene, No being for those, that truely mene, But for such, as of guile maken gayne, No such countrye, as there to remaine . . They setten to sale their shops of shame, And maken a Mart of theyr good name. The shepheards there robben one another, And layen baytes to beguile her brother. Or they will buy his sheepe out of the cote, Or they will caruen carven the shepheards throte. The shepheards swayne you cannot wel ken, But it be by his pryde, from other men: They looken bigge as Bulls, that bene bate, September. fol.36 I.4. I And bearen the cragge so stiffe and so state, As cocke on his dunghill, crowing cranck. Hobbinoll. Diggon, I am so stiffe, and so stanck, That vneth uneth may I stand any more: And nowe the Westerne wind bloweth sore, That nowe is in his chiefe souereigntee sovereigntee , Beating the withered leafe from the tree. Sitte we downe here vnder under the hill: Tho may we talke, and tellen our fill, [fl]ll, [fi]ll, [fi]ll, And make a mocke at the blustring blast . . Now say on Diggon, what euer ever thou hast. Diggon. Hobbin, ah Hobbin, ah hobbin, ah Hobbin, ah HOBBIN, I curse the stounde, That euer ever I cast to haue have lorne this grounde. Wel-away the while I was so fonde, To leaue leave the good, that I had in hande, In hope of better, that was vncouth uncouth : So lost the Dogge the flesh in his mouth. My seely sheepe (ah seely sheepe) That here by there I whilome vsd usd to keepe, All were they lustye, as thou didst see, Bene all sterued sterved with pyne and penuree. Hardly my selfe escaped thilke payne, Driuen Driven for neede to come home agayne. Hobbinoll. Hobbinoll, Hnbbinoll. HOBBINOLL. Ah fon, now by thy losse art taught, That seeldome chaunge the better brought. Content who liues lives with tryed state, Neede feare no chaunge of frowning fate: But who will seeke for vnknowne unknowne gayne, Oft liues lives by losse, and leaues leaves with payne. Diggon. I wote ne Hobbin how I was bewitcht With vayne desyre, and hope to be enricht. But sicker so it is, as the bright starre Seemeth ay greater, when it is farre: September. That I thought the soyle would haue have made me rich: But nowe I wote, it is nothing sich. For eyther the shepeheards bene ydle and still, And ledde of theyr sheepe, what way they wyll: Or they bene false, and full of couetise covetise , And casten to compasse many wrong emprise . . But the more bene fraight with fraud and spight, Ne in good nor goodnes taken delight: But kindle coales of conteck and yre, Wherewith they sette all the world on fire: Which when they thinken agayne to quench With holy water, they doen hem all drench. They saye they con to heauen heaven the high way, But by my soule I dare vndersaye undersaye , They neuer never sette foote in that same troade, But balk the right way, and strayen abroad. They boast they han the deuill devill at commaund: But aske hem therefore, what they han paund. Marrie that great Pan bought with deare borrow, To quite it from the blacke bowre of sorrowe. But they han sold thilk same long agoe: For thy woulden drawe with hem many moe. But let hem gange alone a Gods name: As they han brewed, so let hem beare blame. Hobbinoll. Diggon, I praye thee speake not so dirke. Such myster saying me seemeth to mirke. Diggon. Then playnely to speake of shepheards most what, Badde is the best (this English engli[ſh] Engli[ſh] Engli[ſh] is flatt . . ) flatt). Their ill hauiour haviour garres men missay, Both of their doctrine, and of their faye. They sayne the world is much war 108. then: than then than it wont, All for her shepheards bene beastly and blont. Other sayne, but how truely I note, All for they holden shame of theyr cote . . Some sticke not to say, (whote cole on her tongue) September. fol.37 K. And That sike mischiefe graseth hem emong, All for they casten too much of worlds care, To deck her Dame, and enrich her heyre: For such encheason, if If if you goe nye, Fewe chymneis reeking you shall espye: The fatte Oxe, that wont ligge in the stal, Is nowe fast stalled in her crumenall. Thus chatten the people in theyr steads, Ylike as a Monster of many heads. But they that shooten neerest the pricke, Sayne, other the fat from their beards doen lick . . For bigge Bulles of Basan brace hem about, That with theyr hornes butten the more stoute: But the leane soules treaden vnder under foote . . And to seeke redresse mought little boote: For liker bene they to pluck away more, 129. Then: Than Then Than ought of the gotten good to restore. For they bene like foule wagmoires ouergrast overgrast , That if thy galage once sticketh fast, The more to wind it out thou thon thou doest swinck, Thou mought ay deeper and deeper sinck. Yet better leaue leave 134. of: off of off with a little losse, 135. Then: Than Then Than by much wrestling to leese the grosse . . Hobbinoll. Nowe Diggon, I see thou speakest 136. to: too to too plaine: Better it were, a little to feyne, And cleanly couer cover , that cannot be cured. Such il, as is forced, mought nedes be endured But of sike pastoures howe done the flocks creepe? Diggon. Sike as the shepheards, sike bene her sheepe, For they nill listen to the shepheards voyce, But if he call hem at theyr good choyce, They wander at wil, and stray at pleasure, And to theyr foldes yead yeeld yéelde yéeld yead at their owne leasure . . But they had be better come at their cal: For many han into mischiefe fall, September. Diggon And bene of rauenous ravenous Wolues Wolves yrent, All for they nould be buxome and bent. Hobbinoll. Fye on thee Diggon, and all thy foule leasing, Well is knowne that sith the Saxon king, Neuer Never was Woolfe seene many nor some, Nor in all Kent, nor in Christendome Chriſiendome Chri[ſt]endome Chri[ſt]endome : But the fewer Woolues Woolves (the soth to sayne,) sayne), The more bene the Foxes that here remaine. Diggon. Yes, but they gang in more secrete wise, And with sheepes clothing doen hem disguise, They walke not widely as they were wont For feare of raungers, and the great hunt: But priuely prively prolling two and froe, Enaunter they mought be inly knowe. Hobbinol. Or priue prive or pert yf any bene, We han great Bandogs will teare their skinne. Diggon. Indeede thy Ball ball Ball is a bold bigge curre, And could make a iolly jolly hole in theyr thoyr their their furre. But not good Dogges hem needeth to chace, But heedy shepheards to discerne difcerne diſcerne diſcerne their face. For all their craft is in their countenaunce, They The They bene so graue grave and full of mayntenaunce. But shall I tell thee what my selfe knowe, Chaunced to Roffynn not long ygoe? Hobbinol. Say it out Diggon, what euer ever it hight, For not but well mought him betight. He is so meeke, wise, and merciable, And with his word his worke is conuenable convenable . . Colin clout I wene be his selfe boye, (Ah for Colin he whilome my ioye joye ) Shepheards sich, God mought vs us many send, That doen so carefully theyr flocks tend. September. fol.37 K.2. For Diggon. Thilk same shepheard mought I well marke: He has a Dogge to byte or to barke, Neuer Never had shepheard so kene a kurre, That waketh, and if but a leafe sturre . . Whilome there wonned a wicked Wolfe, That with many a Lambe had glutted his gulfe. And euer ever at night wont to repayre Unto the flocke, when the Welkin shone faire, Ycladde in clothing of seely sheepe, When the good old man vsed used to sleepe. Tho at midnight he would barke and ball, (For he had eft learned a curres call.) call). As if a Woolfe were emong the sheepe . . With that the shepheard would breake his sleepe, And send out Lowder (for so his dog hote) To raunge the fields with wide open throte. Tho when as Lowder was farre awaye, awaye . . away, away, This Woluish Wolvish sheepe would catchen his pray, A Lambe, or a Kidde, or a weanell wast : : With that to the wood would he speede him fast. Long time he vsed used this slippery pranck, Ere Roffy could for his laboure him thanck. thanck thancke. thanke. At end the shepheard his practise spyed, (For Roffy is wise, and as Argus eyed) And when at euen even he came to the flocke, Fast in theyr folds he did them locke, And tooke out the Woolfe in his counterfect cote, And let out the sheepes bloud at his throte. Hobbinoll. Diggon. HOBBINOLL. Marry Diggon, what should him affraye, To take his owne where euer ever it laye? For had his wesand bene a little widder, He would haue have deuoured devoured both hidder & and shidder. Diggon. Mischiefe light on him, and Gods great curse, Too good for him had bene a great deale worse: September. Hobbinoll For it was a perilous beast aboue above all, And eke had he cond the shepherds call. And oft in the night came to the shepecote, And called Lowder, with a hollow throte, As if it the old man selfe had bene. The dog his maisters voice did it weene, Yet halfe in doubt, he opened the dore, And ranne out, as he was wont of yore. No sooner was out, but swifter 222. then: than then than thought, Fast by the hyde the Wolfe Lowder lowder Lowder caught: And had not Roffy renne to the steuen steven , Lowder had be slaine thilke same euen even . Hobbinoll. God shield man, he should so ill haue have thriue thrive , All for he did his deuoyr devoyr beliue belive . If sike bene Wolues Wolves , as thou hast told, How mought we Diggon, hem behold be-hold behold . Diggon. How, but with heede and watchfulnesse, Forstallen hem of their wilinesse? For thy with shepheard sittes not playe, Or sleepe, as some doen, all the long day: But euer ever liggen in watch and ward, From soddein force theyr flocks for to gard. Hobbinoll. Ah Diggon, thilke same rule were too straight, All the cold season to wach watch watch and waite. We bene of fleshe, men as other bee, bee. b[ee]. b[ée], bee, Why should we be bound to such miseree? What euer ever thing lacketh chaungeable rest, Mought needes decay, when it is at best. Diggon. Ah but Hobbinol, all this long tale, Nought easeth the care, that doth me forhaile . . What shall I doe? what way shall I wend, My piteous plight and losse to amend? Ah good Hobbinol, mought I thee praye, Of ayde or counsell in my decaye. September. fol.39 Blacke Hobbinoll. Now by my soule Diggon, I lament The haplesse mischief, that has thee hent, Nethelesse thou seest my lowly saile, That froward fortune doth euer ever auaile availe . But were Hobbinoll, as God mought please, Diggon should soone find fauour favour and ease. But if to my cotage thou wilt resort, So as I can, can: can, I wil thee comfort: There mayst thou ligge in a vetchy bed, Till fayrer Fortune shewe forth his her his his head. Diggon. Ah Hobbinol, God mought it thee requite. Diggon on fewe such freends did euer ever lite.

Diggons Embleme. Inopem me copia fecit.

GLOSSE. The Dialecte and phrase of speache in this Dialogue, seemeth somewhat to differ from the comen. The cause whereof is supposed to be, by occasion of the party herein meant, vvho who being very freend to the Author hereof, had bene long in forraine countryes, and there seene many disorders, vvhich which he here recounteth to Hobbinoll. Bidde her) Bidde good morrow. For to bidde, is to praye, vvhereof whereof commeth beades for prayers, and so they say, To bidde his beades. s. to saye his prayers. VVightly Wightly ) quicklye, or sodenlye. Chaffred) solde. Dead at mischiefe) an vnusuall unusuall speache, but much vsurped usurped of Lidgate, and sometime of Chaucer. Leefe) deare. Ethe) easie. Thrise Theſe Theſe Thrice Theſe. thre moones) nine monethes. Measured) for traueled traveled . VVae Wae ) vvoe woe Northernly. Eeked) encreased. Caruen Carven ) cutte. Kenne) knovv know . Cragge) neck. State) stoutely. [ſt]outely [ſt]outely. [ſt]outly. [ſt]outly Stanck) vvearie wearie or fainte. And novve nowe ) He applieth it to the tyme of the yeare, vvhich which is in thend of haruest harvest , which they call the fall of the leafe: at vvhich which tyme the VVesterne Westerne vvynde wynde beareth most svvaye swaye . A mocke) Imitating Horace, Debes ludibrium ventis. Lorne) lefte. lefte left. Soote) svvete swete . Vncouthe Uncouthe ) vnknowen unknowen . Hereby there) here and there. As the brighte) Translated out of Mantuane. Emprise) for enterprise. Per Syncopen. Contek) strife. Trode) path. Marrie that) that is, their soules, vvhich which by popish Exorcismes & and practises pra[ct]-tiſes pra[ct]iſes pra-[ct]iſes they damme to hell. September. vvorst worst , Blacke) hell. Gange) goe. Mister) maner. Mirke) obscure. VVarre Warre ) vvorse worse . Crumenall) purse. Brace Brace) compasse. Encheson) occasion. Ouergrast Overgrast ) ouergrovvẽ overgrovvẽ ouergrovven ouergrowen overgrowen vvith with grasse. Galage) shoe. The grosse) the whole. Buxome and bent) meeke and obedient. Saxon king) 50. K.: King K. King Edgare, that reigned here in Brytanye in the yeare of our Lorde <...>, Lorde. Lord. vvhich which king caused all the VVolues VVolves Wolues Wolves , vvhereof whereof then vvas was store in thys countrye, by a proper policie to be destroyed. So as neuer never since that time, there haue have ben bcn bene bone been VVolues VVolves Wolues Wolves here founde, ſouude, found, found vnlesse unlesse they were brought from other countryes. And therefore Hobbinoll rebuketh him of vntruth untruth , for saying there be VVolues VVolves Wolues Wolves in England. Nor in Christendome) This saying faying ſaying seemeth to be strange and vnreasonable unreasonable : but indede it vvas was vvont wont to be an olde prouerbe proverbe and comen phrase. The original vvhere-of where-of vvas was , for that most part of England in the reigne of king Ethelbert vvas was christened, Kent onely except, vvhich which remayned long after in mysbeliefe and vnchristened unchristened , So so that Kent vvas was counted no part of Christendome. Chti[ſt]endome. Chri[ſt]endome. Chri-[ſt]endome. Great hunt) Executing of lavves lawes and iustice justice . Enaunter) least that. Inly) invvardly, inwardly, invvardly. inwardly: invvardly: afforesayde. Priue Prive Preuely Freuely Priuy or pert) openly sayth Chaucer. Roffy) The name of a shepehearde in Marot his Æglogue of Robin and the Kinge, Kinge. King. king. vvhome whome he here commendeth for greate care and vvise wise gouernance governance of his flock. [fl]ock [fl]ocke. [fl]ock. Colin cloute) Novve Nowe I thinke no man doubteth but by Colin is euer ever meante the Au-thour selfe, ſelfe. ſelfe, vvhose whose especiall good freend Hobbinoll sayth he is, or more rightly Mayster Gabriel Haruey Harvey : of vvhose whose speciall commendation, asvvell aswell in Poetrye as Rhetorike and other choyce learning, vve we haue have lately had a sufficient try-all in diuerse diverse his vvorkes workes , but specially in his Musarum Lachrymæ, and his late Gratulationũ Gratulationum Valdinen sium Valdinensium vvhich which boke in the progresse at Audley in Essex, he dedicated in vvriting writing to her Maiestie, Majestie, Maie[ſt]ie. Maie[ſt]ie, Maie[ſt]y, Maie[ſt]ie; aftervvard afterward presenting the same in print vnto unto her Highnesse at the vvorshipfull worshipfull Maister Capells in Hertfordshire. Beside other his sundrye most rare and very notable vvritings writings , partely vnder under vnknown unknown vuknown vnknovven vnknowne Tytles, and partly vnder under counterfayt names, as hys Tyrannomastix, his Ode Natalitia, his Rameidos, and esspecially that parte of Philomusus, his diuine divine Anticosmopolita, and diuers divers other of lyke importance. As also by the names of other shepheardes, he couereth covereth the persons of diuers divers other his familiar freendes and best acquayntaunce. This tale of Roffy seemeth to coloure some particular Action of his. But vvhat what , I certeinlye knovv know not. VVonned Wonned ) haunted. VVelkin Welkin ) skie, ſkie. ſkie, ſkie: skye, afforesaid. A VVeanell Weanell vvaste waste ) a vveaned weaned youngling. Hidder and shidder) He & and she. Male and Female. Steuen Steven ) Noyse. Beliue Belive ) quickly. VVhat What euer ever ) Ouids Ovids verse translated. Quod caret alterna requie, durabile non est. Forehaile) dravve drawe or distresse. Vetchie) of Pease stravve strawe . Embleme. This is the saying of Narcissus in Ouid Ovid . For vvhen when the foolishe boye by beholding hys face in the brooke, fell in loue love vvith with his ovvne owne likenesse: and not hable to con-tent him selfe vvith with much looking lookng thereon, he cryed out, that plentye made him poore. meaning Meaning that much gazing had bereft him of sence. But our Diggon v-seth u-seth it to other purpose, as vvho who that by tryall of many vvayes wayes had founde the September. fol.39 K.4. And vvorst worst , and through greate plentye vvas was fallen into great penurie. This poesie I knovve knowe , to haue have bene much vsed used of the author, and to suche like effecte, as fyrste Narcissus spake it.