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TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

THE LADIE STRANGE.

MOST brave and noble Ladie; the things, that make ye fo much honored of the world as ye bee, are fuch, as (without my fimple lines teftimonie) are throughlie knowen to all men; namely, your excellent beautie, your vertuous behavior, and your noble match with that most honourable Lord, the very Paterne of right Nobilitie: But the causes, for which ye have thus deferved of me to be honoured, (if honour it be at all,) are, both your particular bounties, and alfo fome private bands of affinitie, which it hath pleafed your Ladifhip to acknowledge. Of which whenas I found my felfe in no part woorthie, I devifed this laft flender meanes, both to intimate my humble affection to your Ladifhip, and alfo to make the fame univerfallie knowen to the world; that by honouring you they might know me, and by knowing me they might honor you. Vouchfafe, noble Lady, to accept this fimple remembrance, though not worthy of your felf, yet fuch, as perhaps by good acceptance thereof ye may hereafter cull out a more meet and memorable evidence of your owne excellent deferts. So recommending the fame to your Ladifhips good liking, I humbly take leave. Your La humbly ever.

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THE

TEARES OF THE MUSES*.

REHEARSE to me, ye facred Sifters nine,
The golden brood of great Apolloes wit,
Those piteous plaints and forow full fad tine,
Which late ye powred forth as ye did fit
Befide the filver fprings of Helicone,
Making your musick of hart-breaking mone!

5

For fince the time that Phoebus foolish fonne
Ythundered, through Ioves avengefull wrath,
For traversing the charret of the Sunne
Beyond the compaffe of his pointed path,
Of you
his mournfull Sifters was lamented,
Such mournfull tunes were never fince invented.

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* The Teares of the Mufes.] This title had been before adopted by Spenfer's friend, Gabriel Harvey, as appears by the Gloffe of E. K. on September in the Shepheards Calender ; which fee. The old commentator, I fuppofe, means "Gabrielis Harveii Valdinatis SMITHUS; vel MUSARUM LACHRYME; pro obitu honoratiffimi viri, atque hominis multis nominibus clariffimi, Thome Smithi, Equitis Aurati, &c. 4to. Lond. 1578." TODD.

Ver. 1. Rehearse to me, ye fucred Sifters nine: &c.] This poem puts me in mind of these lines in Shakspeare's Midsummer Night's Dream:

"The thrice three Mufes mourning for the death

"Of learning, late deceas'd in beggary.

"This is fome fatire, &c." JORTIN.

Nor fince that faire Calliope did lofe
Her loved Twinnes, the dearlings of her ioy,
Her Palici, whom her unkindly foes,
The Fatall Sifters, did for fpight destroy,
Whom all the Mufes did bewaile long space;
Was ever heard fuch wayling in this place.

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For all their groves, which with the heavenly noyfes

Of their sweete inftruments were wont to found, 20 And th' hollow hills, from which their filver

voyces

Were wont redoubled echoes to rebound,
Did now rebound with nought but rufull cries,
And yelling fhrieks throwne up into the fkies.

The trembling ftreames which wont in chanels cleare

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To romble gently downe with murmur soft,
And were by them right tunefull taught to beare
A bases part amongst their conforts oft;
Now, forft to overflowe with brackish teares,
With troublous noyfe did dull their daintie

eares.

30

Ver. 21.

66

filver voyces] See the

note on 'filver found," Shep. Cal. June. ver. 61. TODD. Ver. 28. A bases part] So, in F. Q. ii. xii. 33. "With that the rolling fea, refounding foft, "In his big base them fitly answered,'

Topp.

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