Whose bosom stuck with purple violets, "Discontent. 1 Th. Dekkar. "Disquiet thoughts the minutes of her watch, For showers of gold, there Discontent in black R. Greene. The Editor has concluded the whole with the following lines, printed on the back of a blank page, after the "Finis." Fame's windy trump blew up this haughty mind "Twas ne'er held error yet in errant knights, To make their minds, as they grow men, grow ample. Not what he did, but what he doth relate. ART. XXX. Bel-vedére, or the Garden of the Quem referent Musæ vivet, dum robora tellus, Dum cœlum stellas, dum vehit amnis aquas.a Imprinted at London, by F. K. for Hugh Astley, dwelling at Saint Magnus Corner. 1600. Small, 8vo. pp. 236, besides the Table of Contents, &c. A second edition of this book, with the omission of "Belvedere," in the title-page, was Printed at London by E. A. for John Tap, and sold at his shop at Saint Magnus Corner. 1610., THE laudable compiler of this poetical commonplace book, was John Bodenham, who prefixed his a Beneath this motto was an emblematical device of the sun, (Apollo) shining upon a laurel, planted between the biforked summits of Parnassus; which was thus ridiculed, as well as the Editor, in an old play called The Return from Parnassus. "I wonder this owl dares look on the sun, and I marvel this goose flies not the laurel his device might have been better-a fool going into the market-place to be seen with this motto, Scribimus indocti: or a poor beggar gleaning of ears in the end of harvest, with this word, Sua cuique gloria. Who blurs fair paper with foul bastard rhymes, arms, and of whom little seems to be known but that he was the editor also of Politeuphia, or Wit's Commonwealth in 1598, of Wit's Theatre of the Little World in 1599, and of England's Helicon in 1600; before which publication a Sonnet was addressed to him by A. B. and has been reprinted in this volume. See ante. From that sonnet and from a prose address which follows, it appears that A. B. was a fellow-labourer with Bodenham, to whom he inscribed a poetical compliment before the Belvidere.* This is followed by a Sonnet to the Muses' Garden, signed W. Rankins, Gent.: a few lines in praise of the book, by R. Hathway, the kinsman possibly of Ann Hathaway, who married our great dramatic bard, (as Mr. Malone suggests in his Shakspearian Inquiry ;) and two Sonnets directed to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge the latter signed Sua cuique gloria. The following encomium on the work is so gracefully constructed, that it may well authorize transcription. 66 Of this Garden of the Muses. Thou, which delight'st to view this goodly plot, Who makes a ballad for an alehouse door Then (Bodenham) thy Muse shall live so long, As drafty ballads to thy praise are sung." b See Gwillim's Display of Heraldry, p. 321, edit. 1638. viz. Az. a fesse betw. 3 chess-rooks, Or. * Another Sonnet by A. M. may be ascribed to Anthony Munday. Set by Apollo in their several places, A. B. But the most curious portion of this volume appears to be the editor's proemium, which becomes an object of attractive regard from having been omitted in the second impression. "To the Reader. "It shall be needlesse (gentle reader) to make any apologie for the defence of this labour; because collected from so many singular men's workes, and the worth of them all having been so especially approved, and past with no mean applause the censure of all in generall, doth both disburden me of that paines, and sets the better approbation on this excellent booke. It shall be sufficient for me then to tell thee, that here thon art brought into the Muses' Garden; a place that may beseeme the presence of the greatest prince in the world. Imagine then, thy height of happinesse, in being admitted to so celestiall a paradise. Let thy behaviour then, while thou art here, answere thy great fortune, and make use of thy time as so rich a treasure requireth. "The walkes, alleys, and passages in this Garden, are almost infinite; every where a turning; on all sides such windings in and out; yet all extending both to pleasure and profit, as very rare or seldome shalt thou see the like. Marke then, what varietie of flowres grow all along as thou goest, and trample on none rudely, for all are right precious. If thy conscience be wounded, here are store of hearbes to heale it: if thy doubts be fearefull, here are flowres of comfort: are thy hopes frustrated, here's immediate helpes for them. In briefe, what infirmitie canst thou have, but here it may be cured? What delight or pleasure wouldst thou have, but here it is affoorded? "Concerning the nature and qualitie of these excellent flowres, thou seest that they are most learned, grave, and wittie sentences; each line being a severall sentence, and none exceeding two lines at the uttermost. All which, being subjected under apt and proper heads, as arguments, what is then dilated and spoken of; even so, each head hath first his definition in a couplet sentence; then the single and double sentences, by variation of letter do follow; and lastly, similies and examples in the same nature likewise, to conclude every head or argument handled. So let this serve to shew thee the whole intent of this worke. "Now that every one may be fully satisfied concerning this Garden, that no one man doth assume to him-selfe the praise thereof, or can arrogate to his owne deserving those things, which have been derived from so many rare and ingenious spirits; I have set down both how, whence, and where, these flowres had their first springing, till thus they were drawne together into the Muses Garden; that every ground máy challenge his owne, each plant his particular, aud no one be injuried in the justice of his merit. |