TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTUOUS LADY, HELENA, MARQUESSE OF NORTH HAMPTON.

I HAVE the rather prefumed humbly to offer unto your Honour the dedication of this little Poëme, for that the noble and vertuous gentlewoman of whom it is written, was by match neere alied, and in affection greatly devoted, unto your Ladiship. The occafion why I wrote the fame, was aswell the great good fame which I heard of her deceaffed, as the particular goodwill* which I bear unto her hufband Master Arthur Gorges, a lover of learning and vertue, whofe house, as your Ladiship by marriage hath honoured, fo doe I find the name of them, by many notable records, to be of great antiquitie in this realme, and fuch as have ever borne themselves with honourable reputation to the world, and unfpotted loyaltie to their prince and countrey: befides, fo lineally are they defcended from the Howards, as that the Lady Anne Howard, eldest daughter to John Duke of Norfolke, was wife to Sir Edmund, mother to Sir Edward, and grandmother to Sir William and Sir Thomas Gorges, Knightes and therefore I doe affure my felfe that no due honour done to the White Lyon, but will be moft gratefull to your Ladifhip, whofe husband

* which I bear unto her husband Master Arthur Gorges, a lover of learning and vertue:] See the Life of Spenter, in which Sir Arthur's literary attainments are noticed. TODD.

and children do fo neerely participate with the bloud of that noble family. So in all dutie I recommend this Pamphlet, and the good acceptance thereof, to your honourable favour and protection. London, this first of Ianuarie, 1591. Your Honours humbly

ever.

ED. SP.

DAPHNAIDA.

WHAT-EVER man he be whofe heavie

mynd,

With griefe of mournefull great mishap oppreft,
Fit matter for his cares increase would fynd,
Let reade the rufull plaint herein expreft,
Of one, I weene, the wofulft man alive,
Even fad Alcyon, whofe empierced breft
Sharpe forrowe did in thousand peeces rive.

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But whofo elfe in pleasure findeth sense,
Or in this wretched life doeth take delight,
Let him be banisht farre away from hence; 10
Ne let the Sacred Sifters here be hight,
Though they of forrowe heavilie can fing;
For even their heavie fong would breede delight;
But here no tunes, fave fobs and grones, fhall
ring.

In ftead of them, and their sweet harmonie, 15 Let those three Fatall Sifters, whofe fad hands

Ver. 4. Let reade] For "Let him read." ĴORTIN.
Ver. 6.

Alcyon] So he names Sir Arthur

Gorges in Colin Clouts come home again. TODD.

Ver. 16. Let thofe three Fatall Sifters, &c.] He imitates the invocations of Chaucer, Tr. and Cr. L. i. 6.

Doe weave the direfull threeds of Deftinie, And in their wrath break off the vitall bands, Approach hereto; and let the dreadfull Queene Of Darknes deepe come from the Stygian ftrands,

And grifly ghosts, to heare this dolefull teene. 20

In gloomy evening, when the wearie fun, After his dayes long labour drew to rest, And fweatie fteedes, now having overrun The compaft fkie, gan water in the west, I walkt abroad to breath the freshing ayre In open fields, whofe flowring pride, opprest With early frofts, had loft their beautie faire.

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There came unto my mind a troublous thought,
Which dayly doth my weaker wit poffeffe,
Ne lets it reft untill it forth have brought
Her long borne infant, fruit of heavineffe,
Which the conceived hath through meditation
Of this worlds vainneffe and life's wretched-
neffe,

That yet my

foule it deepely doth empaffion. 35

"Thou Thefiphone, thou helpe me t' endite "This woful verse, that wepin as I write :"To The I clepe, thou goddeffe of tourment, &c.” See alfo L. iv. 22. And The Remedie of Love, Prol. 131. "Afpire my ginnyng, O thou wode Furie,

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Alecto, with thy Sifters, &c." T. WARTON.

So as I muzed on the miferie

In which men live, and I of many moft,
Moft miferable man; I did espie

Where towards me a fory wight did coft,
Clad all in black, that mourning did bewray, 40
And Iacob ftaffe in hand devoutly croft,
Like to fome pilgrim come from farre away.

His careleffe locks, uncombed and unfhorne,
Hong long adowne, and beard all overgrowne,
That well he feemd to be fome wight forlorne: 45
Downe to the earth his heavie eyes were
throwne,

As loathing light; and ever as he went
He fighed foft, and inly deepe did grone,
As if his heart in peeces would have rent.

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Approaching nigh, his face I vewed nere,
And by the femblant of his countenaunce
Me feemd I had his perfon feene elsewhere,
Moft like Alcyon feeming at a glaunce;
Alcyon he, the iollie fhepheard fwaine,
That wont full merrilie to pipe and daunce, 55
And fill with pleasance every wood and plaine.

Yet halfe in doubt, because of his disguize,
I foftlie fayd, Alcyon! There-withall
He lookt afide as in difdainefull wife,
Yet ftayed not, till I againe did call:

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