feathered thing," of intricate metrical construction and too harshly worded, but rich and weighty. Another canon of Christ Church, Dr. William Strode, was something of a poet; his academic play, The Floating Island, supplies one short song. At this time divines were much addicted to the writing of plays. In Dr. Jasper Fisher's Fuimus Troes, acted at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1633, there are several songs, but they are not of the best quality. Samuel Harding, of Exeter College, who became chaplain to a nobleman and died during the Civil Wars, published in 1640 a play, Sicily and Naples, or The Fatal Union, from which I have drawn those grim verses, "Noblest bodies are but gilded clay." A certain John Jones (of whom nothing is known), in his play, Adrasta, 1635, has a good dirge, beginning "Die, die, ah die!" Our old poets were fond of dirges and of bridal songs. Joseph Rutter, in The Shepherd's Holiday, has some graceful verses in praise of "Hymen, god of marriage-bed" (p. 204); and Nathaniel Field at an earlier date (p. 173) had celebrated the advantages of the marriage-state. In Cartwright's Ordinary there is a good epithalamium, and another may be seen in Robert Chamberlain's Swaggering Damsels; but as these poets did not observe the reticence which modern taste demands, I have excluded their sportive effusions. Milton is represented by extracts from Arcades and Comus. Master of all the learning of all the ages, he had not neglected to read and digest the writings of the Elizabethan poets. He borrowed freely from any and every source, turning whatever he touched to pure gold. Sir William Davenant began to write when many of the Elizabethan poets were still at work, and he caught something of their inspiration. In his songs there are "sprightly runnings" of the generous fancy that brimmed in the lyrics of Fletcher; but he belongs rather to the Restoration than to the earlier age. He may have shaken hands with Dekker, but Dryden was his familiar friend. He stands as a sort of half-way house between the Elizabethans and the Restoration; and he offers very fair entertainment to passing travellers. I have mentioned many of the contributors to our anthology, but the list is not exhausted. Some fresh-coloured verses in praise of Robin Hood (p.92) are from a rare pageant of Anthony Munday, who also wrote Robin's Dirge (p. 91). Thomas Goffe has some good songs; and Richard Brome is not forgotten. Among the masque-writers represented are Samuel Daniel, Dr. Campion, and William Browne; and I have drawn from some anonymous masques. INDEX OF FIRST LINES. A BLITHE and bonny country lass (Lodge) A curse upon thee for a slave (John Fletcher) A turtle sat upon a leafless tree (Lodge) Accurst be Love, and those that trust his trains (Lodge) Adieu; farewell earth's bliss (Nashe) Ah, what is love? It is a pretty thing (Greene) All that glisters is not gold (Shakespeare). All the flowers of the spring (Webster). All ye that lovely lovers be (Peele) All ye woods, and trees, and bowers (John Fletcher) Among all sorts of people (Shirley) And will he not come again (Shakespeare) Are they shadows that we see? (Daniel) PAGE 274 140 271 278 29 245 41 149 23 117 180 53 79 Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers (Dekker) At Venus' entreaty for Cupid her son (Peele) Arm, arm, arm, arm! the scouts are all come in (John Fletcher) 127 Art thou god to shepherd turned (Shakespeare). 50 84 22 Autumn hath all the summer's fruitful treasure (Nashe) 28 Away, delights! go seek some other dwelling (John Fletcher). 120 Back and side go bare, go bare (Still) Beauty, alas! where wast thou born (Lodge and Greene) Black spirits and white, red spirits and gray (Middleton) By the moon we sport and play (Maid's Metamorphosis). Call for the robin-redbreast and the wren (Webster). |