O, when shall English Men
With such Acts fill a Pen,
Or England breed againe,
Such a King HARRY? 120
ODES, 1606
ODE 4 TO MY WORTHY FREND, MASTER JOHN SAUAGE OF THE INNER TEMPLE
Vppon this sinfull earth
If man can happy be,
And higher then his birth,
(Frend) take him thus from me.
Whome promise not deceiues
That he the breach should rue,
Nor constant reason leaues
Opinion to pursue.
To rayse his mean estate
That sooths no wanton’s sinne, 10
Doth that preferment hate
That virtue doth not winne.
Nor brauery doth admire,
Nor doth more loue professe
To that he doth desire,
Then that he doth possesse.
Loose humor nor to please,
That neither spares nor spends,
But by discretion weyes
What is to needfull ends. 20
To him deseruing not
Not yeelding, nor doth hould
What is not his, doing what
He ought not what he could.
Whome the base tyrants will
Soe much could neuer awe
As him for good or ill
From honesty to drawe.
Whose constancy doth rise
‘Boue vndeserued spight 30
Whose valewr’s to despise
That most doth him delight.
That earely leaue doth take
Of th’ world though to his payne
For virtues onely sake
And not till need constrayne.
Noe man can be so free
Though in imperiall seate
Nor Eminent as he
That deemeth nothing greate. 40
ODE 8
Singe wee the Rose
Then which no flower there growes
Is sweeter:
And aptly her compare
With what in that is rare
A parallel none meeter.
Or made poses,
Of this that incloses
Suche blisses,
That naturally flusheth 10
As she blusheth
When she is robd of kisses.
Or if strew’d
When with the morning dew’d
Or stilling,
Or howe to sense expos’d
All which in her inclos’d,
Ech place with sweetnes filling.
That most renown’d
By Nature richly crownd 20
With yellow,
Of that delitious layre
And as pure, her hayre
Vnto the same the fellowe,
Fearing of harme
Nature that flower doth arme
From danger,
The touch giues her offence
But with reuerence
Vnto her selfe a stranger. 30
That redde, or white,
Or mixt, the sence delyte
Behoulding,
In her complexion
All which perfection
Such harmony infouldinge.
That deuyded
Ere it was descided
Which most pure,
Began the greeuous war 40
Of York and Lancaster,
That did many yeeres indure.
Conflicts as greate
As were in all that heate
I sustaine:
By her, as many harts
As men on either parts
That with her eies hath slaine.
The Primrose flower
The first of Flora’s bower 50
Is placed,
Soo is shee first as best
Though excellent the rest,
All gracing, by none graced.
LAST VERSES
These verses weare made
by Michaell Drayton Esquier
Poett Lawreatt
the night before hee dyed
SOE well I love thee, as without thee I
Love nothing; yf I might chuse, I’de rather dye
Then bee on day debarde thy companye.
Since beasts, and plantes doe growe, and live and move,
Beastes are those men, that such a life approve: 5
Hee onlye lives, that deadly is in love.
The come that in the grownd is sowen first dies
And of on seed doe manye eares arise:
Love this worldes come, by dying multiplies.
The seeds of love first by thy eyes weare throwne 10
Into a grownd untild, a harte unknowne
To beare such fruitt, tyll by thy handes t’was sowen.
Looke as your looking glass by chance may fall
Devyde and breake in manye peyces smale
And yett shewes forth, the selfe same face in all; 15
Proportions, features, graces just the same,
And in the smalest peyce as well the name
Of fayrest one deserves, as in the richest frame.
Soe all my thoughts are peyces but of you
Whiche put together makes a glass soe true 20
As I therin noe others face but yours can veiwe.
FINIS
The Poems
St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall — this geographical wonder is the first place mentioned in Drayton’s magnum opus ‘Poly-Olbion’
LIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
TO THE GODLY AND VERTUOUS LADY, THE LADY JANE DEUOREUX, OF MERIUALE.
TO THE CURTEOUS READER.
THE SPIRITUALLL SONGES AND HOLY HYMNES CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK.
OTHER SONGES AND PRAIERS OUT OF THE BOOKES OF APOCRIPHA.
THE MOST NOTABLE SONG OF MOSES, CONTAINING GODS BENEFITES TO HIS PEOPLE, WHICH HE TAUGHT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAELL A LITLE BEFORE HIS DEATH, AND COMMANDED THEM TO LEARNE IT, AND TEACH IT VNTO THEIR CHILDREN, AS A WITNESSE BETWEENE GOD AND THEM.
A SONG OF MOSES AND THE ISRAELITES FOR THEIR DELIUERANCE OUT OF EGYPT.
THE MOST EXCELLENT SONG, WHICH WAS SALOMONS
CHAP. I
THE SECOND CHAPTER.
THE THIRD CHAPTER.
THE FOURTH CHAPTER.
THE FIFT CHAPTER.
THE SIXT CHAPTER.
THE SEUENTH CHAPTER.
THE EIGHT CHAPTER.
THE SONG OF ANNAH FOR THE BRINGING FOORTH OF SAMUEL HER SONNE.
THE SONG OF IONAH IN THE WHALES BELLIE.
THE PRAIER OF IEREMIAH, BEWAILING THE CAPTIUITIE OF THE PEOPLE.
THE SONG OF DEBORAH AND BARACKE.
ANOTHER SONG OF THE FAITHFULL FOR THE MERCIES OF GOD.
A SONG OF THE FAITHFULL.
A SONG OF THANKES TO GOD
ANOTHER SONG OF THE FAITHFULL, WHEREIN IS DECLARED IN WHAT CONSISTETH THE SALUATION OF THE CHURCH.
THE PRAIER OF IUDITH FOR THE DELIUERANCE OF THE PEOPLE.
THE SONG OF IUDITH, HAUING SLAINE HOLOPHERNES.
A PRAIER OF THE AUTHOUR.
THE PRAIER OF SALOMON.
A SONG OF IHESUS THE SONNE OF SIRACH.
THE PRAIER OF HESTER FOR THE DELIUERANCE OF HER AND HER PEOPLE.
THE PRAIER OF MARDOCHEUS.
A PRAIER IN THE PERSON OF THE FAITHFULL.
A PRAIER OF TOBIAS, EXHORTING ALL MEN TO PRAISE THE LORD
THE FIRST EGLOG.
THE SECOND EGLOG.
THE THIRD EGLOG.
THE FOVRTH EGLOG.
THE FIFTH EGLOG.
THE SIXT EGLOG.
THE SEVENTH EGLOG.
THE EIGHTH EGLOG.
THE NINTH EGLOG.
PEIRS GAVESTON.
TO THE DEERE CHYLD OF THE MUSES, AND HIS EUER KIND MECAENAS, MA. ANTHONY COOKE, ESQUIRE.
AMOUR 1.
AMOUR 2.
AMOUR 3.
AMOUR 4.
AMOUR 5.
AMOUR 6.
AMOUR 7.
&
nbsp; AMOUR 8.
AMOUR 9.
AMOUR 10.
AMOUR 11.
AMOUR 12.
AMOUR 13.
AMOUR 14.
AMOUR 15.
AMOUR 16.
AMOUR 17.
AMOUR 18.
AMOUR 19.
AMOUR 20.
AMOUR 21.
AMOUR 22.
AMOUR 23
AMOUR 24.
AMOUR 25.
AMOUR 26.
AMOUR 27
AMOUR 28.
AMOUR 29.
AMOUR 30.
AMOUR 31.
AMOUR 32.
AMOUR 33.
AMOUR 34.
AMOUR 35.
AMOUR 36.
AMOUR 37.
AMOUR 38.
AMOUR 39.
AMOUR 40.
AMOUR 41.
AMOUR 42
AMOUR 43.
AMOUR 44.
AMOUR 45
AMOUR 46.
AMOUR 47.
AMOUR 48.
AMOUR 49.
AMOUR 50.
AMOUR 51.
THE EIGHTH EGLOG.
THE NINTH EGLOG.
THE VISION OF MATILDA.
TO M. DRAYTON.
MATILDA.
ENDIMION & PHOEBE
TO THE EXCELLENT AND MOST ACCOMPLISH’D LADIE, LUCIE COUNTESSE OF BEDFORD.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LADY, LUCIE COUNTESSE OF BEDFORD.
MORTIMERIADOS.
TO THE VERTUOUS LADY, THE LADY ANNE HARRINGTON: WISE TO THE HONORABLE GENTLEMAN, SIR IOHN HARRINGTON, KNIGHT.
THE ARGUMENT OF ROBERT DUKE OF NORMANDIE.
THE TRAGICALL LEGEND OF ROBERT DUKE OF NORMANDIE.
TO THE READER.
TO M. MICHAELL DRAYTON.
TO M. MICHAELL DRAYTON.
TO M. MICHAELL DRAYTON.
TO THE EXCELLENT LADY LUCIE, COUNTESSE OF BEDFORD.
THE EPISTLE OF ROSAMOND TO KING HENRIE THE SECOND.
HENRY TO ROSAMOND.
KING IOHN TO MATILDA.
MATILDA TO KING IOHN.
TO THE VERTUOUS LADY, THE LADY ANNE HARRINGTON: WIFE TO THE HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN, SIR IOHN HARRINGTON KNIGHT.
QUEENE ISABELL TO MORTIMER.
MORTIMER TO QUEENE ISABELL.
TO MY WORTHY AND HONOURED FRIEND, MAISTER WALTER ASTON.
EDWARD THE BLACKE PRINCE TO ALICE COUNTESSE OF SALISBURIE.
ALICE COUNTESSE OF SALISBURIE, TO THE BLACKE PRINCE.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND MY VERY GOOD LORD, EDWARD EARLE OF BEDFORD.
QUEENE ISABELL TO RICHARD THE SECOND.
RICHARD THE SECOND TO QUEENE ISABELL.
QUEENE KATHERINE TO OWEN TUDOR.
OWEN TUDOR TO QUEENE KATHERINE.
TO MY WORTHY AND DEERELY ESTEEMED FRIEND, MAISTER IAMES HUISH.
ELINOR COBHAM TO DUKE HUMFREY.
DUKE HUMFREY TO ELINOR COBHAM.
TO MY HONOURED MISTRES, MISTRES ELIZABETH TANFELDE, THE SOLE DAUGHTER AND HEYRE OF THAT FAMOUS AND LEARNED LAWYER, LAWRENCE TANFELDE ESQUIRE.
WILLIAM DE LA POLE, DUKE OF SUFFOLKE, TO QUEENE MARGARET.
QUEENE MARGARET TO WILLIAM DE LA POLE, DUKE OF SUFFOLKE.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL SIR THOMAS MUNSON, KNIGHT.
EDWARD THE FOURTH TO SHORES WIFE.
THE EPISTLE OF SHORES WIFE TO KING EDWARD THE FOURTH.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL SIR HENRY GOODERE OF POWLESWORTH KNIGHT.
MARY THE FRENCH QUEENE, TO CHARLES BRANDON, DUKE OF SUFFOLKE.
CHARLES BRANDON DUKE OF SUFFOLK, TO MARY THE FRENCH QUEENE.
TO MY MOST DEERE FRIEND MAISTER HENRY LUCAS, SONNE TO EDWARD LUCAS ESQUIRE.
HENRY HOWARD EARLE OF SURREY TO GERALDINE.
GERALDINE TO HENRY HOWARD EARLE OF SURREY.
TO THE VERTUOUS LADIE, THE LADY FRAUNCIS GOODERE, WIFE TO SIR HENRY GOODERE, KNIGHT.
THE LADIE IANE GRAY TO THE LORD GILFORD DUDLEY.
THE LORD GILFORD DUDLEY, TO THE LADY IANE GRAY.
TO SIR WALTER ASTON, KNIGHT OF THE HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH, AND MY MOST WORTHY PATRON.
TO THE READER.
TO M. MICHAELL DRAYTON.
TO M. MICHAELL DRAYTON.
THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
THE FOURTH BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE BARRONS WARRES.
TO THE MAIESTIE OF KING IAMES.
THE OWLE
A PAEAN TRIUMPHALL.
THE MAN IN THE MOON
THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT
POLY-OLBION: VPON THE FRONTISPICE.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE, HENRIE, PRINCE OF WALES.
TO THE GENERALL READER.
TO MY FRIENDS, THE CAMBRO-BRITANS.
POLY-OLBION: THE FIRST SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SECOND SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE THIRD SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE FOURTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE FIFT SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SIXT SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SEVENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE EIGHTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE NINTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE TENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE ELEVENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE TWELFTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE THIRTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE FOURTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE FIFTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SIXTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SEVENTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE EIGHTEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE NINETEENTH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE ONE AND TWENTIETH SONG.
POLY-OLBION: THE TWO AND TWENTIETH SONG.
POLY-OLBION: THE THREE AND TWENTIETH SONG.
POLY-OLBION: THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH SONG.
POLY-OLBION: THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SIXE AND TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE EIGHT AND TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE NINE AND TWENTIETH SONG
POLY-OLBION: THE THIRTIETH SONG
TO THE READER OF THESE SONNETS
IDEA, I
IDEA, II
IDEA, III
IDEA, IV
IDEA, V
IDEA, VI
IDEA, VII
IDEA, VIII
IDEA, IX
IDEA, X
IDEA, XI
IDEA, XII
IDEA, XIII
IDEA, XIV
IDEA, XV
IDEA, XVI
IDEA, XVII
IDEA, XVIII
IDEA, XIX
IDEA, XX
IDEA, XXI
IDEA, XXII
IDEA, XXIII
IDEA, XXIV
IDEA, XXV
IDEA, XXVI
IDEA, XXVII
IDEA, XXVIII
IDEA, XXIX
IDEA, XXX
IDEA, XXXI
IDEA, XXXII
IDEA, XXXIII
IDEA, XXXIV
IDEA, XXXV
IDEA, XXXVI
IDEA, XXXVII
IDEA, XXXVIII
IDEA, XXXIX
IDEA, XL
IDEA, XLI
IDEA, XLII
IDEA, XLIII
IDEA, XLIV
IDEA, XLV
IDEA, XLVI
IDEA, XLVII
IDEA, XLVIII
IDEA, XLIX
IDEA, L
IDEA, LI
IDEA, LII
IDEA, LIII
IDEA, LIV
IDEA, LV
IDEA, LVI
IDEA, LVII
IDEA, LVIII
IDEA, LIX
IDEA, LX
IDEA, LXI
IDEA, LXII
IDEA, LXII
I
IDEA, LXIV.
IDEA, LXV.
IDEA, LXVI.
IDEA, LXVII.
IDEA, LXVIII.
IDEA, LXIX.
IDEA, LXX.
IDEA, LXXI.
IDEA, LXXII.
IDEA, LXXIII.
IDEA, A CANSONET.
INTRODUCTION.
TO MY WORTHY FRIEND MR. MICHAELL DRAYTON VPON THESE HIS POEMS.
THE VISION OF BEN. IONSON, ON THE MVSES OF HIS FRIEND M. DRAYTON.
THE BATTAILE OF AGINCOVRT.
TO MY FRINDS THE CAMBER-BRITANS AND THEYR HARP.
NIMPHIDIA
THE QVEST OF CYNTHIA
THE SHEPHEARDS SIRENA
OF HIS LADIES NOT COMMING TO LONDON.
TO MASTER GEORGE SANDIS TREASURER FOR THE ENGLISH COLONY IN VIRGINA.
TO. MY NOBLE FRIEND MASTER WILLIAM BROWNE, OF THE EUILL TIME.
VPON THE THREE SONNES OF THE LORD SHEFFIELD, DROWNED IN HUMBER.
TO THE NOBLE LADY, THE LADY I. S. OF WORLDLY CROSSES.
AN ELEGIE VPON THE DEATH OF THE LADY PENELOPE CLIFTON.
VPON THE NOBLE LADY ASTONS DEPARTURE FOR SPAINE.
TO MY MOST DEARELY-LOUED FRIEND HENRY REYNOLDS ESQUIRE OF POETS AND POESIE.
VPON THE DEATH OF HIS INCOMPARABLE FRIEND, SIR HENRY RAYNSFORD, OF CLIFFORD.
VPON THE DEATH OF THE LADY OLIUE STANHOPE.
TO MAISTER WILLIAM IEFFRYES, CHAPLEINE TO THE LORD AMBASSADOUR IN SPAINE.
VPON THE DEATH OF MISTRIS ELIANOR FALLOWFIELD.
THE MOONE-CALFE.
MOSES’ BIRTH AND MIRACLES: THE FIRST BOOKE.
MOSES’ BIRTH AND MIRACLES: THE SECOND BOOKE.
MOSES’ BIRTH AND MIRACLES: THE THIRD BOOKE.
THE DESCRIPTION OF ELIZIUM
THE FIRST NIMPHALL
THE SECOND NIMPHALL
THE THIRD NIMPHALL
THE FOURTH NIMPHALL
THE FIFT NIMPHALL
THE SIXT NIMPHALL
THE SEUENTH NIMPHALL
THE EIGHT NIMPHALL
THE NINTH NIMPHALL
THE TENTH NIMPHALL
DAVID AND GOLIAH.
SONNETS, 1594
TO THE DEERE CHYLD OF THE MUSES, AND HIS EUER KIND MECÆNAS, MA. ANTHONY COOKE, ESQUIRE
AMOUR 1
AMOUR 2
AMOUR 3
AMOUR 4
AMOUR 5
AMOUR 6
AMOUR 7
AMOUR 8
AMOUR 9
AMOUR 10
AMOUR 11
AMOUR 12
AMOUR 13
AMOUR 14
AMOUR 15
AMOUR 16
AMOUR 17
AMOUR 18
AMOUR 19
AMOUR 20
AMOUR 21
AMOUR 22
AMOUR 23
AMOUR 24
AMOUR 25
AMOUR 26
AMOUR 27
AMOUR 28
AMOUR 29
AMOUR 30
AMOUR 31
AMOUR 32
AMOUR 33
AMOUR 34
AMOUR 35
AMOUR 36
AMOUR 37
AMOUR 38
Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works Page 179
