 | The Complete Works of George Gascoigne |  |
20
R. S. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies.
The pleasant plot wherein these Posies grew,
May represent Parnassus springs indeede.
Where Pallas with hir wise and learned crew,
Did plant great store, and sow much cunning seede.
That Goddesse then, on whom the Muses wayte,
To garde hir grounde from greedie gathrers spoyle,
Hath here ordeynde, by fine and close conceyte,
A greene knight chiefe, and master of the soyle.
Such badge beares he that beautified this booke
With glorious shew, of sundrie gallant flowers.
But since he first this labor undertooke,
He gleand thereout, (to make the profite ours)
A heape of Hearbes, a sort of fruitfull seedes,
A needefull salve, compound of needlesse weedes.
May represent Parnassus springs indeede.
Where Pallas with hir wise and learned crew,
Did plant great store, and sow much cunning seede.
That Goddesse then, on whom the Muses wayte,
To garde hir grounde from greedie gathrers spoyle,
Hath here ordeynde, by fine and close conceyte,
A greene knight chiefe, and master of the soyle.
Such badge beares he that beautified this booke
With glorious shew, of sundrie gallant flowers.
But since he first this labor undertooke,
He gleand thereout, (to make the profite ours)
A heape of Hearbes, a sort of fruitfull seedes,
A needefull salve, compound of needlesse weedes.
Appendix.
All these (with more) my freend here freely gives:Nor naked wordes, nor streyne of straunge devise.
But Gowers minde, which now in Gascoigne lives,
Yeeldes heere in view, (by judgement of the wise)
His penne, his sworde, himselfe, and all his might,
To Pallas schoole, and Mars in Princes right.
| The Complete Works of George Gascoigne | |