Pastoral Poems   By: Nicholas Breton (1545?-1626?)

Nicholas Breton Pastoral Poems

George Wither Selected Poetry

William Browne (of Tavistock) Pastoral Poetry

[Small Ornamental Illustration]

J. R. Tutin Hull 1906

Large Paper Edition, limited to 250 copies

Turnbull & Spears, Printers, Edinburgh.

Nicholas Breton (1558 1626)

Thou that wouldst find the habit of true passion, And see a mind attired in perfect strains ... Look here on Breton's work. BEN JONSON.

George Wither (1588 1667)

The praises of poetry have been often sung in ancient and in modern times; strange powers have been ascribed to it of influence over animate and inanimate auditors; its force over fascinated crowds has been acknowledged; but before Wither, no one ever celebrated its power at home, the wealth and the strength which this divine gift confers upon its possessor. Fame, and that too after death, was all which hitherto the poets had promised themselves from this art. It seems to have been left to Wither to discover that poetry was a present possession, as well as a rich reversion, and that the Muse has a promise of both lives, of this, and of that which was to come. CHARLES LAMB.

William Browne (1591 ? 1645)

I feel an envious touch, And tell thee Swain: that at thy fame I grutch, Wishing the Art that makes this Poem shine, And this thy Work (wert not thou wrongèd) mine.

GEORGE WITHER: To the Author [ of Britannia's Pastorals ].

Contents

PAGE

PREFATORY NOTE 5

NICHOLAS BRETON

A Sweet Pastoral 7 Aglaia: a Pastoral 8 Phyllida and Corydon 10 Astrophel's Song of Phyllida and Corydon 11 A Pastoral of Phyllis and Corydon 13 Corydon's Supplication to Phyllis 14 A Report Song in a Dream, between a shepherd and his nymph 15 Another of the Same 16 A Shepherd's Dream 16 A Quarrel with Love 17 A Sweet Contention between Love, his Mistress, and Beauty 18 Love: "Foolish love is only folly" 20 "Those eyes that hold the hand of every heart" 20 Sonnet: "The worldly prince doth in his sceptre hold" 21 A Sweet Lullaby 22

GEORGE WITHER

Prelude. From The Shepherd's Hunting 24 A Poet's Home. From Faire Virtue 27 Her Beauty. From Faire Virtue 29 Rhomboidal Dirge. From Faire Virtue 30 Song: "Lordly gallants!" From Faire Virtue 32 Song: "Shall I, wasting in despair." From Faire Virtue 36 "Amarillis I did woo." From Faire Virtue 37 Sonnet: On a Stolen Kiss 37 A Christmas Carol 38 A Rocking Hymn 40 The Marigold 43 Sonnet: On the Death of Prince Henry 43 From a Satire written to King James I. 44

WILLIAM BROWNE

From "Britannia's Pastorals": To England 45 The Seasons 45 May Day Customs 46 Birds in May 46 Music on the Thames 47 A Concert of Birds 47 Flowers 48 Morning 48 Night 49 A Pleasant Grove 50 An Angler 51 A Rill 52 "Glide soft, ye silver floods" 52 "Venus by Adonis' side" 53 A Song: "Gentle Nymphs" 54