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The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton

For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes
Breton, Nicholas (1545?-1626?)

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A Floorish vpon Fancie.
  
[dedication]
  
THE PREFACE.
  
THE SCHOOLE OF FANCIE.
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THE FORTE OF FANCIE.
  
THE ARGUMENT.
  
In Dispight of Fancie.
  
A Foole,
  
The Lamentacion of Fancie.
  
A FAREWELL To Fancie.
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The Toyes of an Idle head:
  
THE PREFACE.
  
A pretty Dittie in despight of Fantasie.
  
A dolorous Discourse,
  
[Now Christmas draweth near, & most mē make good cheare]
  
[The Christmas now is past, and I haue kept my fast]
  
[What griping greefes, what pinching pangues of payne?]
  
A pretty gyrd, giuen by a Gentlewoman to her servaunt whereupon these Verses were made as followeth.
  
[My freend, I saye, if thou be wise]
  
[To play at Dice is but good sporte]
  
[That I would not perswaded be]
  
[Amid my ioyes, such greefe I fynde]
  
[What, shall I write some prety toy?]
  
[When Flatterie falles to play the fleeryng knaue]
  
[Oh! what a spight it is vnto a noble harte]
  
[This little Toye to thee]
  
[I sigh to see thee sigh]
  
[If thou canst reade, then marke what heere I write]
  
[When first I saw thee clad]
  
A comparison betweene a slippery stone and a trustlesse friend.
  
A Dolorous discourse.
  
A Letter sent by a Gentlewoman, in verse, to her Husband, being ouer sea.
  
[My hand here houering stands]
  
A dolorous verse, written by him, that in deede was in no small dumpes, when he wrote them.
  
[Though yesterday I brake my word]
  
[Some pleasaunt heads, delight in prety toyes]
  
A prety Epigram, vpon Welth and Will.
  
[By countenaunce of face, a man may fynde]
  
[Ah, be not angrie so]
  
A prety toye written upon Time.
  
A PRETY DISCOVRSE OF A HVNTED Harte, written by a Gentleman unto his Mistresse.
  
A straunge Dreame.
  
A prety Toye written vpon this Theame:
  
Another Toye written in the praise of a Gilliflower, at the request of Gentlewomen: and one, aboue the rest, who loued that Flower.
  
A pretty toye wrytten in the praise of a straunge Springe in Suffolke.
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[A prety Tale of late I heard]
  
A little Preface before the Tale.
  
The Tale followeth in this manner.
  
TWO OR THREE PRETY TOYES giuen to a Gentilman, to set about his Counting-house.
  
[Pitie, oh Lord thy Servaunts heavy heart]
  
[Plant Lorde, in me the tree of godly lyfe]
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A pretty toye, written vpon a Ladyes propounding of a Riddle to her friende.
  
[section]
  
THE RIDDLE.
  
THE ANSWER.
  
[First, to thy seemely selfe]
  
A Riddle propounded by a Gentleman to a Gentilwoman whom he loued, but was a suter, but secretly.
  
Her aunswer, as prety.
  
[Perhaps you thinke, that all for spight]
  
A prety Toye in rime.
  
[Needs must I write, & know not what]
  
Verses made upon this Theame:
  
A solempne and repentant Prayer, for former life mispent.
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THE PILGRIMAGE TO PARADISE,
  
[dedication]
  
[Some scoffe at all that write, write not at all]
  
THE PILGRIMAGE TO PARADISE.
  
THE COVNTESSE OF PENBROOKES loue.
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[section]
  
The Countesse of Penbrook's Passion.
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The Arbor of Amorous Deuices.
  
[dedication]
  
A Lovers Farwel
  
A Louers Complaint.
  
The counsell of a friend to one in loue.
  
A Ladies complaint for the losse of her Loue.
  
The lamentable complaint of a Louer.
  
A Poeme both pithie and pleasant.
  
A Poeme.
  
Fantasma.
  
The complaint of one being in love.
  
A Louers resolution.
  
A Louers complaint.
  
A sweet lullabie.
  
A Poeme.
  
A Poeme.
  
Another.
  
Another.
  
Another.
  
Another.
  
A prettie Poeme.
  
A Louer in despaire.
  
A Dreame of the arraignement of Desire.
  
Brittons Diuinitie.
  
A Louers complaint.
  
A Poeme.
  
Of his Mistresse loue.
  
Of a discontented minde.
  
Of his Mistresse Beautie.
  
A Sonnet.
  
A pastorell of Phillis and Coridon.
  
The complaint of a forsaken Louer.
  
A pretie fancie.
  
An epitaph on the death of a noble Gentleman.
  
The sum of the former in foure lines.
  
In the praise of his Mistresse.
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PASQVILS Mad-cappe,
  
An Inuectiue against the Wicked of the Worlde.
  
His Message.
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PASQVILS FOOLES-CAP
  
[dedication]
  
[dedication]
  
Morphorius to the Reader, in the behalfe of his friende Pasquill.
  
PASQVILS Fooles-Cap.
  
Pasquils passion for the worlds waiwardnesse.
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PASQVILS Passe, and passeth not
  
[dedication]
  
PASQVILS Passe.
  
PASQVILS Precession.
  
PASQVILS Prognostication.
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MELANCHOLIKE HUMOURS,
  
[dedication]
  
In Authorem.
  
See and Say Nothing.
  
What is Hell?
  
Mal Content.
  
A Dolefull Passion.
  
A Testament vpon the Passion.
  
A Fantasticke Solemne Humour.
  
A Briefe of Sorrowe.
  
A Solemne Fancy.
  
A Solemne Sonnet.
  
An Extreame Passion.
  
A Solemne Farewell to the World.
  
A Solemne Conceipt.
  
A Straunge A, B, C.
  
Fie on Pride.
  
A Farewell to Loue.
  
A Jeasting Curse.
  
A Solemne Toie.
  
A Displeasure against Loue.
  
A Farewell to Conceipt.
  
An Unhappy, Solemne, Jeasting Curse.
  
A Quarrell with Loue.
  
A Wish in vaine.
  
A Conceipt vpon an Eagle, and a Phœnix.
  
A Conceited Fancy.
  
A Smile Misconstrued.
  
An Odde Humour.
  
A Waggery.
  
An Odde Conceipt.
  
A Dolefull Fancy.
  
An Epitaph vpon Poet Spencer.
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A Solemne PASSION OF THE SOVLES Love
  
A Solemne Passion of the Sovles Loue.
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A Diuine Poeme, diuided into two Partes:
  
[dedication]
  
The Rauisht Soule.
  
The Blessed Weeper.
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AN EXCELLENT POEME, Vpon the Longing of a Blessed Heart:
  
[dedication]
  
[Two hopeful twinnes ioynt issues of one braine]
  
AD LIBRUM.
  
Breton's Longing.
  
What is Loue?
  
Solus in toto laudandus Deus.
  
Hymn.
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The Soules Harmony.
  
[dedication]
  
The Soules Harmony.
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THE MOTHERS blessing.
  
[dedication]
  
The Mothers blessing.
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THE PASSIONATE SHEPHEARD,
  
[dedication]
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Pastorall Verses written by the Shepheard Bonerto, to his beloued Shepheardesse Aglaia.
 I. 
Pastor Primus.
 2. 
Past. 2.
 3. 
Past. 3.
 4. 
A Solemne long enduring Passion.
 5. 
Past. 5.
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Sundry sweet Sonnets and Passionated Poems.
 1. 
A farewell to the world and the pleasures thereof.
 2. 
The description and praise of his fairest Loue.
 3. 
Sonet. 3.
 4. 
Sonet. 4.
 5. 
Sonet. 5.
 6. 
Sonet. 6.
 7. 
Sonet. 7.
 8. 
Declaration, Admiration.
 9. 
Sonet. 9.
 9. 
Sonet. 10.
 11. 
Sonet. 11.
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THE Soules immortall crowne consisting of seauen glorious graces.
  
[dedication]
  
[dedication]
  
The Argument.
 1. 
A Poem vpon the praise of vertue.
 2. 
Vpon the praise of Wisedome.
 3. 
THE PRAISE OF Loue.
 4. 
THE PRAISE OF Constancie.
 5. 
THE PRAISE OF Patience.
 6. 
THE PRAISE OF Humilitie.
 7. 
Of the infinite praise to the infinite glory of the infinite goodnes of the infinite God.
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A TRVE DESCRIPTION of vnthankfulnesse.
  
[dedication]
  
[M More worth then vertue can no creature know]
  
INGRATIS SERUIRE NEFAS.
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THE HONOVR OF VALOVR.
  
[dedication]
  
The Honor of Valovr.
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An Invective Against Treason
  
[dedication]
  
An Invective against Treason
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[section]
  
I WOVLD AND would not.
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Daffodils and Primroses.
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I.—From ‘The Phœnix Nest:’
  
The Preamble to N. B. His Garden Plot.
  
A Strange Description of a Rare Garden Plot. Written by N. B. Gent.
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An Excellent Dreame of Ladies and their Riddles: By N. B. Gent.
  
The First Riddle.
  
The Answere.
  
The Second Riddle.
  
The Answere.
  
The Third Riddle.
  
The Answere.
  
The Fourth Riddle.
  
The Answere.
  
[section]
  
The Chesse Play. Very aptly deuised By N. B. Gent.
  
A Most Excellent Passion. Set Downe By N. B. Gent.
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II.—From ‘England's Helicon:’
  
Phillida and Coridon.
  
A Pastorall of Phillis and Coridon.
  
A sweete Pastorall.
  
Astrophell his Song of Phillida and Coridon.
  
Coridons supplication to Phillis.
  
A Sheepheards dreame.
  
A Report Song in a dreame, betweene a Sheepheard and his Nimph.
  
Another of the Same.
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Daffodils and Primroses.
 1. 
1. [Elizabeth Regina.]
 2. 
2. [In Sadness.]
 3. 
3. [Love Rejected.]
 4. 
4. [My Lady-Love.]
 5. 
5. [Breton's Resolution.]
 6. 
6. [Faith Disdained.]
 7. 
7. [The Rose the Queene.]
 8. 
8. [Let Love kill me.]
 9. 
9. [Mine only Princesse.]
 10. 
10. Choridon's Dreame.
 11. 
11. Sr Ph. Sydney's Epitaph.
 12. 
12. [Love Dead.]
 13. 
13. [Faithful unto death.]
 14. 
14. [Transitoriness.]
 15. 
15. [The Nightingale and Phillis.]
 16. 
16. [Heart-Pain.]
 17. 
17. [Olden Love-making.]
 18. 
18. Quatuor elementa.
 19. 
19. A Sonett vpon this worde in truth spoken by a Lady to her Servaunte.
 20. 
20. Againe vpon the same subiect.
 21. 
21. [Despondency.]
 22. 
22. [Melancholia.]
 23. 
23. [Aspiration.]
 24. 
24. [Dead Hopes.]
 25. 
25. [Sweete Penelope.]
 26. 
26. [Beauty.]
 27. 
27. [Love-Rapture.]
 28. 
28. [Love almost Slaine.]
 29. 
29. [Phillis in Sorrow.]
 30. 
30. [Fascination.]
 31. 
31. [Of Sir Philip Sidney.]
 32. 
32. [‘Perfection’ dead: Sidney.]
 33. 
33. [Choridon unhappy.]
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From the Tanner MSS., Bodleian, Oxford.
 1. 
1. Mr. Britton 1st Junii 1616.
 3. 
3. I and U.
 4. 
4. My Witche.
 5. 
5. A passionate Son̄ett made by the Kinge of Scots uppon difficulties ariseing to crosse his proceedinge in love & marriage with his moste worthie to be esteemed Queene.
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1. From ‘The Scvller, Rowing from Tiber to Thames with his Boat laden,’ &c., 1612, by John Taylor the Water Poet.
  
In laudem Authoris.
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AMORIS LACHRIMÆ
  
AMORIS LACHRIMÆ:
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GLEANINGS.
 I. 
I. A FAREWELL TO TOWN.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III. A Sweet contention between Love, his Mistress, and Beauty.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI. A Prayer.
 VII. 
VII.

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THE PREFACE.

[_]

This preface, omitted from the edition used here (1582), has been interpolated from the 1577 edition.

My friend, who so thou bee, that faine wouldst buy this booke,
To passe away the time thereon, in ydle times to looke:
If so thou fyndste that like thee not, yet pardon graunt to mee,
And wish me from thy harte no worse, then I wish vnto thee.
Against my will it shall be much, if many I offende
With these rude rymes which I haue made vnto none other ende,
But as I sayde before, for want of other glee,
For pleasaunt heads to looke vpon, when they at leysure bee.
But some there are, I must confesse, gainst whom in great despight
Some running rymes, which here you see, I chaunced to indight.
But such I count my deadly foes: and such one if thou bee
That buiest my boke, then take the same in deepe despight of thee.
But if you be my friend, and take all in good parte
That there you fynde: and thinke it is for want of better arte,
Then here with right good will I offer it to thee,
And doe but thanke me for my paynes, it is ynough for mee.
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Of troth I promise yee, tis not for want of will,
That rudely thus in rymes I run, but want of better skill.
For if that I had Ouid's pen, ech worde in printe to place,
Or Homer's exercyse I had, to giue my verse a grace,
Or Tullie's Eloquence to talke, as I in minde thought best,
Or Aristotle's pregnant wit, that passeth all the rest,
Some prety peece of worke perhaps then moughtst thou fynde
Among so many mery toyes, that mought content thy minde.
But tush, my beetle brayne can no such fruictes bring forth;
My verses are but rugged rimes, and therefore little worth.
My head vnhooded yet, I ready am to flye
At every little paltrye bird, that goeth whisking by.
I neuer haue respect to any kinde of Game,
Like to the hooded Hauke that, kepte a long while tame,
When that he Game doth spring, she knowes it by the whurre,
And then, to make a wing thereat, she ginnes of[f] fyst to sturre.
But till the Game be sprong, on fyst she pearcheth still,
But I (God wot) to choose my game haue no such kinde of skill.
I stryke at what I may, and geue God thankes for all,
And stande contented with the same, till better doth befall.
And glad I am sometime to pray vpon a Byrde,
I haue no wit to waye the best, but euery worthelesse worde
I ready am in ryme to put, although my reason be
But small (God wot), and that too small, as you may plainly see.
But since you see my simple head vnhooded (as it is),
Accept the symple fruict therof, and be content with this.
Vntill I haue the skill to flye at better Game,
Which when I kill, you shall be sure to taste some of the same.
But if ye now disdayne these Byrdes, whereon I pray,
With better game hereafter I perhaps will flye away.
And lyke a very Churle, then will I parte with none,
But feede vpon the best thereof vnto myself alone,
Where few or none shall see, what foode I feede vpon,
No, nor yet where I hyde the same, till all be spente and gone.
Wherefore, my friende, I say, if so thou doest desyre
More of my workes, and wouldst not haue the rest throwne in the fyre,
Skorne not these ragged rymes, but rather soone amend,
What so thou fyndst that likes thee not, and so I make an ende.
Wishing thee well to fare, if so thou be my friend,
But if my foe, then ill and worse, and so agayne I end.
Finis.
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