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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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Fantasma.

In fortune as I lay, my fortune was to finde
Such fancies as my carefull thought, had brought into my minde,
And when each one was gone to rest, full soft in bed to lie,
I would haue slept, but then the watch did follow still mine eye:
And sodainly I saw a sea of sorrowes prest,
Whose wicked waues of sharpe repulse brought me vnquiet rest.
I saw this world, and how it went, each state in his degree,
And that from wealth graunted is both life and libertie:
I saw how enuie it did raigne, and bare the greatest price,
Yet greater poyson is not found within the Cockatrice:
I also saw how that disdaine, oft times to forge my woe,
Gaue me the cup of bitter sweete, to pledge my mortall foe:
I also saw how that deceit, to rest no place could finde,
But still constraind an endles paine, to follow natures kinde.
I also saw most strange, how Nature did forsake
the blood that in her womb was wrought, as doth the loathed snake,
I saw how fancie would remaine, no longer then her lust,
And as the winde how she doth change, and is not for to trust:
I saw how stedfastnes did flie, with winges of often change,
A bird, but truely seldome seene, her nature is so strange:
I saw how pleasant Time did passe, as Flowers in the Mead,
To day that riseth red as Rose, tomorrow lyeth dead.
I saw my time how it did run, as sand out of the Glasse,
Euen as each hower appoynted is, from tide to tide to passe:
I saw the yeares that I had spent, and losse of all my gaine,
And how the sport of youthfull playes, my folly did retaine:
I saw how that the little Ant in Summer still doth runne
To seeke her foode, whereby to liue in winter for to come:
I saw eke vertue, how she sate the threed of life to spinne,
Which sheweth the end of euery thing before it doeth begin.
And when al these I saw, with many moe perdie,
In me my thoughts each one had wrought a perfect propertie:
And then I sayd vnto my selfe, a Lesson this shalbe,
For other that shal after come, for to beware by me.
Thus all the night I did deuise which way I might constraine,
To forme a plot that wit might worke the branches in my braine.
Finis.
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