IV. Within this wood, out of a rocke did rise The homely shepheard, nor the ruder clowne; The spring, the place, and all cleane out of sight; V. I saw a Phoenix in the wood alone, With purple wings and crest of golden hewe; VI. At last, so faire a ladie did I spie, Which make this life wretched and miserable, VII. When I behold this tickle 1 trustles state When ye these rythmes doo read, and vew the rest, tures. 1 Tickle, uncertain. DAPHNAIDA: AN ELEGIE UPON THE DEATH OF THE NOBLE AND VERTUOUS DOUGLAS HOWARD, DAUGHTER AND HEIRE OF HENRY LORD HOWARD, VISCOUNT BYNDON, AND WIFE OF ARTHUR GORGES, ESQUIER. DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LADIE HELENA, MARQUESSE OF NORTHAMPTON. By ED. SP. (1591.) TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTUOUS LADY, HELENA, MARQUESSE OF NORTH HAMPTON.* I HAVE the rather presumed humbly to offer unto your Honour the dedication of this little poeme, 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 occasion why I wrote the same was as well the great good fame which I heard of her deceassed, as the particular goodwill which I bear unto her husband, Master Arthur Gorges, a lover of learning and vertue, whose house, as your Ladiship by marriage hath honoured, so doe I find the name of them, by many notable records, to be of great antiquitie in this realme, and such as have ever borne themselves with honourable reputation to the world, and unspotted loyaltie to their prince and countrey: besides, so lineally are they descended from the Howards, as that the Lady Anne *This lady, when widow of William Parr, the only person who was ever Marquis of Northampton, had married Sir Thomas Gorges, uncle of Lady Douglas Howard, the subject of this elegy. Mr. (afterwards Sir) Arthur Gorges was himself a poet, and the author of the English translation of Bacon's tract De Sapientia Veterum, published in 1619. See Craik's Spenser and his Poetry, Vol. III. p. 187. C. |