The Rowley Poems eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 278 pages of information about The Rowley Poems.

The Rowley Poems eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 278 pages of information about The Rowley Poems.

[Footnote 29:  foolishly.]

[Footnote 30:  if.]

[Footnote 31:  many.]

[Footnote 32:  holy.]

[Footnote 33:  strange perversion of words. Droorie in its antient signification stood for modesty.]

[Footnote 34:  another.]

LETTER TO THE DYGNE MASTRE CANYNGE.

    Straunge dome ytte ys, that, yn these daies of oures,
    Nete[35] butte a bare recytalle can hav place;
    Nowe shapelie poesie hast loste yttes powers,
    And pynant hystorie ys onlie grace;
    Heie[36] pycke up wolsome weedes, ynstedde of flowers, 5
    And famylies, ynstedde of wytte, theie trace;
    Nowe poesie canne meete wythe ne regrate[37],
    Whylste prose, & herehaughtrie[38], ryse yn estate.

    Lette kynges, & rulers, whan heie gayne a throne,
    Shewe whatt theyre grandsieres, & great grandsieres bore, 10
    Emarschalled armes, yatte, ne before theyre owne,
    Now raung’d wythe whatt yeir fadres han before;
    Lette trades, & toune folck, lett syke[39] thynges alone,
    Ne fyghte for sable yn a fielde of aure;
    Seldomm, or never, are armes vyrtues mede, 15
    Shee nillynge[40] to take myckle[41] aie dothe hede.

    A man ascaunse upponn a piece maye looke,
    And shake hys hedde to styrre hys rede[42] aboute;
    Quod he, gyf I askaunted oere thys booke,
    Schulde fynde thereyn that trouthe ys left wythoute; 20
    Eke, gyf[43] ynto a vew percase[44] I tooke
    The long beade-rolle of al the wrytynge route,
    Asserius, Ingolphus, Torgotte, Bedde,
    Thorow hem[45] al nete lyche ytte I coulde rede.—­

    Pardon, yee Graiebarbes[46], gyff I saie, onwise 25
    Yee are, to stycke so close & bysmarelie[47]
    To hystorie; you doe ytte tooe moche pryze,
    Whyche amenused[48] thoughtes of poesie;
    Somme drybblette[49] share you shoulde to yatte[50] alyse[51],
    Nott makynge everyche thynge bee hystorie; 30
    Instedde of mountynge onn a wynged horse,
    You onn a rouncy[52] dryve yn dolefull course.

    Cannynge & I from common course dyssente;
    Wee ryde the stede, botte yev to hym the reene;
    Ne wylle betweene crased molterynge bookes be pente, 35
    Botte soare on hyghe, & yn the sonne-bemes sheene;
    And where wee kenn somme ishad[53] floures besprente,
    We take ytte, & from oulde rouste doe ytte clene;
    Wee wylle ne cheynedd to one pasture bee,
    Botte sometymes soare ’bove trouthe of hystorie. 40

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The Rowley Poems from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.