The Spencer Anthology: 1548-1591 A. D.

Doth company displease?
Yes, surely, many one.

Where doth DESIRE delight to live?
He loves to live alone.

Doth either time, or age,
Bring him unto decay?

No! No! DESIRE both lives, and dies
A thousand times a day!

Then, fond DESIRE! farewell!
Thou art not mate for me!
I should be loth, methinks, to dwell
With such a one as thee!

IF Women could be fair and never fond,
Or that their beauty might continue still;
I would not marvel though they made Men bond,
By service long, to purchase their good will:

But when I see how frail these creatures are;
I laugh, that men forget themselves so far!

To mark what choice they make, and how they change!
How leaving best, the worst they choose out still!
And how, like haggards wild, about they range,
Scorning after Reason to follow Will;

Who would not shake such buzzards from the fist;
And let them fly, fair fools! which way they list!

Yet, for our sport, we fawn and flatter both,
To pass the time, when nothing else can please;
And train them on to yield, by subtle oath,
The sweet content that gives such humour ease.
And then we say, when we their follies try,
'To play with fools; O, what a fool was I!'

WERE I a King, I might command content!
Were I obscure, unknown should be my cares!
And were I dead; no thoughts should me torment,
Nor words, nor wrongs, nor love, nor hate, nor fears!
A doubtful choice for me, of three things, one to
A Kingdom! or a Cottage! or a Grave! [crave!

SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.

AN ANSWER.

WERT thou a King, yet not command content;
Since empire none, thy mind could yet suffice!
Wert thou obscure! still cares would thee torment!
But wert thou dead; all care and sorrow dies!
An easy choice, of three things, one to crave!
No Kingdom, nor a Cottage; but a Grave!

FROM Cytheron, the warlike Boy has fled,
And smiling sits upon a Virgin's lap;
Thereby to train poor misers to the trap,
Whom BEAUTY draws with fancy to be fed :
And when desire with eager looks is led,
Then, from her eyes

The arrow flies,

Feathered with flame, armed with a golden head!

There, careless thoughts are freèd of that flame,
Wherewith her thralls are scorchèd to the heart!
If Love would so, would God! th' enchanting dart
Might once return and burn from whence it came!
Not to deface, of BEAUTY's work the frame;
But, by rebound,

It might be found

What secret smart I suffer by the same!

If Love be just; lo! just is my desire!
And if unjust, why is he called a God?
O, God! O, just! reserve thy rod
To chasten those that from thy laws retire!
But choose aright, good Love! I thee desire
The golden head;

Not that of lead!

Her heart is frost; and must dissolve by fire!

THE END OF THE SPENSER ANTHOLOGY.

FIRST LINES AND NOTES.

Many of these Poems became immediately popular; and appeared in other contemporary editions than those here quoted, often with great variations in the texts.

All the Works herein quoted, were published in London; unless otherwise stated.
Where a text is found associated with music, (M.) is put after its date.

PAGE

172

A blithe and bonny Country Lass 271
T. LODGE, M.D. Rosalynde, 1590.
A bony 'No!' with smyling looks.
Capt. A. MONTGOMERIE. Poems, ed.
by J. CRANSTOUN, LL.D. (Scottish
Text Society), 1887.

A day, a night, an hour, of sweet 289
T. CAMPION, M.D. In Sir P. SIDNEY'S
Astrophel and Stella, 1591.

Ah! what is Love? It is a pretty 254 R. GREENE. Mourning Garment, 1590.

Alas! my heart! mine eye hath

230

Sir E. DYER. In J. B. (J. BODENHAMJ's England's Helicon, 1600. Alas! my Love! ye do me wrong. 178 ANON. In C. ROBINSON'S Handful of Pleasant Delights, 1584.

And think ye, Nymphs! to scorn at 281 ANON. In W. BYRD's Songs, 1589. (M.)

A Nosegay lacking flowers fresh.. 173 ANON. In C. ROBINSON'S Handful of Pleasant Delights, 1584. The fourth stanza is quoted by OPHELIA in Hamlet, 1604.

As I was pansing in a morning JAMES I. Essays of a Prentice, &c., Edin., 1584.

As long liveth the merry man'
N. UDALL. Roister Doister [? printed
in 1566]. From the unique copy at
Eton College.

As pilot well expert in perilous..
E.SPENSER. The Faery Queen, Book
II, Canto vii, 1590. The present text
is chiefly from the 2nd Ed. of 1596.
As years do grow, so cares increase
W. CECIL, Lord BURLEGH.
Lansdowne, 104, in the British
Museum.

MS.

194

115

At Beauty's Bar as I did stand....

130

Capt. G. GASCOIGNE. Posies, 1575.

At liberty I sit, and see

123

Come, gentle Death! Who calls?. 164
T. WATSON. 'Exaтoμжabía or Passion-
ate Century of Love [1582].
Come hither, Shepherd Swain!....
E. DE VERE, Earl of OXFORD. MS.
Rawl. Poet. 85, in the Bodleian Library.
Come over the born, Bessy! Come 66
W. BIRCH. From the original Broad-
side in the possession of the Society of
Antiquaries of London.

Come, Sleep! O, Sleep, the certain 205
Sir P. SIDNEY. Astrophel and Stella,

1591; and Arcadia, &c., 3rd Ed., 1598. Cupid and my Campaspe played.. 198 J. LYLY. Campaspe (1584), in Six Court Comedies, 1632.

I cannot eat but little meat; my...
J. STILL, Bishop of BATH and WELLS.
Gammer Gurton's Needle [1575].
If ever I marry, I'll marry a Maid!
ANON. As printed in W. CHAPPELL's
Popular Music of the Olden Time.
If thiou in surety safe wilt sit.
Rev. J. HEYWOOD, D.D., S.J. In R.
EDWARDS' Paradise of Dainty De-
vices, 1576.

PAGE

135

136

If Women could be fair and never 298
E. DE VERE, Earl of OXFORD. In
W. BYRD'S Psalms, Sonnets, &c., 1588.
(M.)

I grieve; and dare not show my..
Queen ELIZABETH. MS. Ashm. 781,
in the Bodleian Library.

I heard when Fame, with thund'ring ANON. In Songs and Sonnets, &c. [R. TOTTELL's Miscellany], 1557

I joy not in no earthly bliss!.. ANON. In W. BYRD'S Psalms, Sonnets, &c., 1588. (M.)

I mun be married a Sunday!

N. UDALL. Roister Doister [? printed in 1566].

In a grove, most rich of shade

Sir P. SIDNEY. Astrophel and Stella, 1591. The last nine stanzas first occur in Arcadia, &c., 3rd Ed., 1598.

157

227

212

In all this world, I think none loves 167 T. WATSON. 'EKатоμTabía or Passionate Century of Love [1582].

In Cyprus sat fair Venus, by a.... 241
R. GREENE. Perimedes, 1588.

I never drank of Aganippe Well..
Sir P. SIDNEY. Astrophel and Stella,
1591; and Arcadia, &c., 3rd Ed., 1598.
In going to my naked bed, as one..
R. EDWARDS. Paradise of Dainty
Devices, 1576.

205

102

In long time past, when, in Diana's 164 T. WATSON. Екатоμжаlíа or Passionate Century of Love [1582].

In prime of youthly years, as then 161 T. WATSON. Tears of Fancy, 1593.

In Sparta, long ago, where

E. D. [Sir E. DYER]. In his translation of Six Idillia of THEOCRITUS, Oxf., 1588.

232

186

In time of yore, when Shepherds.. N. BRETON. Works, ed. by Rev. A. B. GROSART (Chertsey Worthies Library), 1879.

292

I pray thee, Nymph! by all the.... 276
T. LODGE, M.D. Rosalynde, 1590.
I sing divine Astrea's praise!
M. HERBERT, Countess of PEMBROKE.
In F. DAVISON's Poetical Rhapsody,
1602.

Is Love a Boy? What means he.
ANON. In W. BYRD's Songs, 158
(M.)

I smile to see how you devise..
ANON. In C. ROBINSON'S Handfi
Pleasant Delights, 1584.

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