The Shorter Poems
Page 15
And to seeke redresse mought little boote:
For liker bene they to pluck away more,
Then ought of the gotten good to restore.
130
For they bene like foule wagmoires ouergrast,
That if thy galage once sticketh fast,
The more to wind it out thou doest swinck,
Thou mought ay deeper and deeper sinck.
Yet better leaue of with a little losse,
135
Then by much wrestling to leese the grosse.
HOBBINOLL.
Nowe Diggon, I see thou speakest to plaine:
Better it were, a little to feyne,
And cleanly couer, that cannot be cured.
Such il, as is forced, mought nedes be endured.
140
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,
145
And to theyr foldes yead at their owne leasure.
But they had be better come at their cal:
For many han into mischiefe fall,
And bene of rauenous Wolues yrent,
All for they nould be buxome and bent.
HOBBINOLL.
150
Fye on thee Diggon, and all thy foule leasing,
Well is knowne that sith the Saxon king,
Neuer was Woolfe seene many nor some,
Nor in all Kent, nor in Christendome:
But the fewer Woolues (the soth to sayne,)
155
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:
160
But priuely prolling two and froe,
Enaunter they mought be inly knowe.
HOBBINOL.
Or priue or pert yf any bene,
We han great Bandogs will teare their skinne.
DIGGON.
Indeede thy ball is a bold bigge curre,
165
And could make a iolly hole in theyr furre.
But not good Dogges hem needeth to chace,
But heedy shepheards to discerne their face.
For all their craft is in their countenaunce,
They bene so graue and full of mayntenaunce.
170
But shall I tell thee what my selfe knowe,
Chaunced to Roffynn not long ygoe?
HOBBINOL.
Say it out Diggon, what euer it hight,
For not but well mought him betight,
He is so meeke, wise, and merciable,
175
And with his word his worke is conuenable.
Colin clout I wene be his selfe boye,
(Ah for Colin he whilome my ioye)
Shepheards sich, God mought vs many send,
That doen so carefully theyr flocks tend.
DIGGON.
180
Thilk same shepheard mought I well marke:
He has a Dogge to byte or to barke,
Neuer had shepheard so kene a kurre,
That waketh, and if but a leafe sturre.
Whilome there wonned a wicked Wolfe,
185
That with many a Lambe had glutted his gulfe.
And euer at night wont to repayre
Vnto the flocke, when the Welkin shone faire,
Ycladde in clothing of seely sheepe,
When the good old man vsed to sleepe.
190
Tho at midnight he would barke and ball,
(For he had eft learned a curres 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)
195
To raunge the fields with wide open throte.
Tho when as Lowder was farre awaye,
This Woluish sheepe would catchen his pray,
A Lambe, or a Kidde, or a weanell wast:
With that to the wood would he speede him fast.
200
Long time he vsed this slippery pranck,
Ere Roffy could for his laboure him thanck.
At end the shepheard his practise spyed,
(For Roffy is wise, and as Argus eyed)
And when at euen he came to the flocke,
205
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.
Marry Diggon, what should him affraye,
To take his owne where euer it laye?
210
For had his wesand bene a little widder,
He would haue deuoured both hidder and shidder.
DIGGON.
Mischiefe light on him, and Gods great curse,
Too good for him had bene a great deale worse:
For it was a perilous beast aboue all,
215
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,
220
Yet halfe in doubt, he opened the dore,
And ranne out, as he was wont of yore.
No sooner was out, but swifter then thought,
Fast by the hyde the Wolfe lowder caught:
And had not Roffy renne to the steuen,
225
Lowder had be slaine thilke same euen.
HOBBINOLL.
God shield man, he should so ill haue thriue,
All for he did his deuoyr beliue.
If sike bene Wolues, as thou hast told,
How mought we Diggon, hem be-hold.
DIGGON.
230
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 liggen in watch and ward,
235
From soddein force theyr flocks for to gard.
HOBBINOLL.
Ah Diggon, thilke same rule were too straight,
All the cold season to wach and waite.
We bene of fleshe, men as other bee.
Why should we be bound to such miseree?
240
What euer 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,
245
My piteous plight and losse to amend?
Ah good Hobbinol, mought I thee praye,
Of ayde or counsell in my decaye.
HOBBINOLL.
Now by my soule Diggon, I lament
The haplesse mischief, that has thee hent,
250
Nethelesse thou seest my lowly saile,
That froward fortune doth euer auaile.
But were Hobbinoll, as God mought please,
Diggon should soone find fauour and ease.
But if to my cotage thou wilt resort,
255
So as I can, I wil thee comfort:
There mayst thou ligge in a vetchy bed,
Till fayrer Fortune shewe forth her head.
DIGGON.
Ah Hobbinol, God mought it thee requite.
Diggon on fewe such freends
did euer lite.
260
Diggons Embleme.
Inopem me copia fecit.
GLOSSE.
The Dialecte and phrase of speache in this Dialogue, seemeth some-what to differ from the comen. The cause whereof is supposed to be, by occasion of the party herein meant, who being very freend to the Author hereof, had bene long in forraine countryes, and there seene many disorders, which he here recounteth to Hobbinoll.
[1] Bidde her) Bidde good morrow. For to bidde, is to praye, whereof commeth beades for prayers, and so they say, To bidde his beades. s. to saye his prayers.
[5] Wightly) quicklye, or sodenlye. [10] Chaffred) solde. [10] Dead at mischiefe) an vnusuall speache, but much vsurped of Lidgate and sometime of Chaucer.
[11] Leefe) deare. [17] Ethe) easie. [20] Thrise thre moones) nine monethes. [21] Measured) for traueled.
[25] Wae) woe Northernly. [30] Eeked) encreased. [41] Caruen) cutte. [42] Kenne) know.
[45] Cragge) neck. [45] State) stoutely. [47] Stanck) wearie or fainte.
[49] And nowe) He applieth it to the tyme of the yeare, which is in thend of haruest, which they call the fall of the leafe: at which tyme the Westerne wynde beareth most swaye.
[54] A mocke) Imitating Horace, Debes ludibrium ventis. [57] Lorne) lefte. Soote) swete.
[60] Vncouthe) vnknowen. [63] Hereby there) here and there. [76] As the brighte) Translated out of Mantuane. [83] Emprise) for enterprise. Per Syncopen. [86] Contek) strife.
[92] Trode) path. [96] Marrie that) that is, their soules, which by popish Exorcismes and practises they damme to hell.
[97] Blacke) hell. [100] Gange) goe. [103] Mister) maner. [103] Mirke) obscure. [108] Warre) worse.
[119] Crumenall) purse. [124] Brace) compasse. [116] Encheson) occasion. [130] Ouergrast) ouergrowen with grasse. [131] Galage) shoe. [135] The grosse) the whole.
[149] Buxome and bent) meeke and obedient.
[151] Saxon king) K. Edgare, that reigned here in Brytanye in the yeare of our Lorde. which king caused all the Wolues, whereof then was store in thys countrye, by a proper policie to be destroyed. So as neuer since that time, there haue ben Wolues here founde, vnlesse they were brought from other countryes. And therefore Hobbinoll rebuketh him of vntruth, for saying there be Wolues in England.
[153] Nor in Christendome) This saying seemeth to be strange and vnreasonable: but indede it was wont to be an olde prouerbe and comen phrase. The original whereof was, for that most part of England in the reigne of king Ethelbert was christened, Kent onely except, which remayned long after in mysbeliefe and vnchristened, So that Kent was counted no part of Christendome.
[159] Great hunt) Executing of lawes and iustice.
[161] Enaunter) least that.
[161] Inly) inwardly. afforesayde. [162] Priue or pert) openly sayth Chaucer.
[171] Roffy) The name of a shepehearde in Marot his Æglogue of Robin and the Kinge. whome he here commendeth for greate care and wise gouernance of his flock.
[176] Colin cloute) Nowe I thinke no man doubteth but by Colin is euer meante the Authour selfe. Whose especiall good freend Hobbinoll sayth he is, or more rightly Mayster Gabriel Haruey: of whose speciall commendation, aswell in Poetrye as Rhetorike and other choyce learning, we haue lately had a sufficient tryall in diuerse his workes, but specially in his Musarum Lachrymæ, and his late Gratulationum Valdinensium which boke in the progresse at Audley in Essex, he dedicated in writing to her Maiestie. afterward presenting the same in print vnto her Highnesse at the worshipfull Maister Capells in Hertfordshire. Beside other his sundrye most rare and very notable writings, partely vnder vnknown Tytles, and partly vnder counterfayt names, as hys Tyrannomastix, his Ode Natalitia, his Rameidos, and esspecially that parte of Philomusus, his diuine Anticosmopolita, and diuers other of lyke importance. As also by the names of other shepheardes, he couereth the persons of diuers other his familiar freendes and best acquayntaunce.
[180–225] This tale of Roffy seemeth to coloure some particular Action of his. But what, I certeinlye know not. [184] Wonned) haunted.[187] Welkin) skie. afforesaid.
[198] A Weanell waste) a weaned youngling.
[211] Hidder and shidder) He and she. Male and Female.[224] Steuen) Noyse.[227] Beliue) quickly.[240] What euer) Ouids verse translated.
Quod caret alterna requie, durabile non est.
[243] Forehaile) drawe or distresse. [256] Vetchie) of Pease strawe.
Embleme.
This is the saying of Narcissus in Ouid. For when the foolishe boye by beholding hys face in the brooke, fell in loue with his owne likenesse: and not hable to content him selfe with much looking thereon, he cryed out, that plentye made him poore. meaning that much gazing had bereft him of sence. But our Diggon vseth it to other purpose, as who that by tryall of many wayes had founde the worst, and through greate plentye was fallen into great penurie. This poesie I knowe, to haue bene much vsed of the author, and to suche like effecte, as fyrste Narcissus spake it.
October.
Ægloga decima.
ARGVMENT.
In Cuddie is set out the perfecte paterne of a Poete, which finding no maintenaunce of his state and studies, complayneth of the contempte ofPoetrie, and the causes thereof: Specially hauing bene in all ages, and euen amongst the most barbarous alwayes of singular accounpt and honor, and being indede so worthy and commendable an arte: or rather no arte, but a diuine gift and heauenly instinct not to bee gotten by laboure and learning, but adorned with both: and poured into the witte by a certaine νθουσασμóς. and celestiall inspiration, as the Author hereof els where at large discourseth, in his booke called the English Poete, which booke being lately come to my hands, I mynde also by Gods grace vpon further aduisement to publish.
PIERCE. CUDDIE.
Cvddie, for shame hold vp thy heauye head,
And let vs cast with what delight to chace,
And weary thys long lingring Phœbus race.
Whilome thou wont the shepheards laddes to leade,
5
In rymes, in ridles, and in bydding base:
Now they in thee, and thou in sleepe art dead.
CUDDYE.
Piers, I haue pyped erst so long with payne,
That all mine Oten reedes bene rent and wore:
And my poore Muse hath spent her spared store,
10
Yet little good hath got, and much lesse gayne.
Such pleasaunce makes the Grashopper so poore,
And ligge so layd, when Winter doth her straine:
The dapper ditties, that I wont deuise,
To feede youthes fancie, and the flocking fry,
15
Delighten much: what I the bett for thy?
They han the pleasure, I a sclender prise.
I beate the bush, the byrds to them doe flye:
What good.thereof to Cuddie can arise?
PIERS.
Cuddie, the prayse is better, then the price,
20
The glory eke much greater then the gayne:
O what an honor is it, to restraine
The lust of lawlesse youth with good aduice:
Or pricke them forth with pleasaunce of thy vaine,
Whereto thou list their trayned willes entice.
25
Soone as thou gynst to sette thy notes in frame,
O how the rurall routes to thee doe cleaue:
Seemeth thou dost their soule of sence bereaue,
All as the shepheard, that did fetch his dame
From Plutoes balefull bowre withouten leaue:
30
His musicks might the hellish hound did tame.
CUDDIE.
So praysen babes the Peacoks spotted traine,
And wondren at bright Argus blazing eye:
But who rewards him ere the more for thy?
Or feedes him once the fuller by a graine?
35
Sike prayse is smoke, that sheddeth in the skye,
Sike words bene
wynd, and wasten soone in vayne.
PIERS.
Abandon then the base and viler clowne,