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The complete works of John Lyly

now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond
Lyly, John (1554?-1606)

collapse sectionI. 
VOL. I
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SPEECHES AND VERSES AT THE TILT-YARD
  
A Sonet. At the Tilt-Yard; Nov. 17, 1590.
  
Ode. Of Cynthia.
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ON THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO THEOBALDS, May, 1591.
  
Written about the box.
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The Speeches and HONORABLE Entertainment giuen to the Queenes MAIESTIE in Progresse, at Cowdrey in Sussex, by the right Honorable the Lord Montacute. 1591.
  
A Dittie.
  
The Dittie.
  
This Song of the Fisherman.
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THE HONORABLE Entertainement gieuen to the Queenes Maiestie in Progresse, at Eluetham in Hampshire, by the right Honorable the Earle of Hertford. 1591
  
The Poets speech to his boy offering him a Cushion.
  
The Poets speech to her Maiestie.
  
The Dittie of the six Virgins Song.
  
The Oration of Nereus to her Maiesty.
  
The Sea nymphes Dittie.
  
The Oration of Syluanus.
  
The Oration of faire Neæra.
  
The Plowmans Song.
  
The speech of the Fairy Queene to her Maiestie.
  
[The Fairies Song.]
  
The Poets speech at her Maiesties departure.
  
[Come againe: A Dittie.]
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Speeches TO Queen Elizabeth AT Quarrendon:
  
The Olde Knightes Tale.
  
The Songe after Dinner at the two Ladies entrance.
  
The last Songe.
  
To the most renowned Queene, Owner of the best Crowne, & crowned with the best desertes, the lyuing Loue of dying Loricus.
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SPEECHES DELIVERED TO HER MAIESTIE THIS LAST PROGRESSE, AT THE Right Honorable the Lady Rvssels, at Bissam, the Right Honorable the Lorde Chandos, at Sudley, at the Right Honorable the Lord Norris, at Ricorte.
  
[Swel Ceres now, for other Gods are shrinking]
  
[Sing you, plaie you, but sing and play my truth]
  
[The Song.]
  
[Nimpha mane, per me concordant carmina neruis.]
  
The verses, written in the tables which were giuen to her Maiesty
  
The Song.
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ENTERTAINMENT AT HAREFIELD.
  
The humble Petition of a guiltlesse Lady, delivered in writing vpon Munday Morninge, when the [robe] of rainbowes was presented to the Q. by the La. Walsingham.
  
The Complaint of the Satyres against the Nymphes.
  
A Lottery presented before the late Queenes Maiestie at the Lord Chancellors house. 1602.
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THE KING OF DENMARK'S WELCOME.
  
The Song at Theobalds.
  
[Sweet Ioe vouchsafe once to impart]
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Epicedium. A FVNERAL Oration, vpon the death of the late deceased Princesse of famous memorye, Elizabeth by the grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland.
  
A true Subiects sorowe, for the losse of his late Soueraigne.
collapse sectionIII. 
VOL. III
  
A Whip for an Ape:
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MAR-MARTINE
  
[prologue]
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[6]
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[17]
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CERTAINE ENGLISHE Verses, presented vnto the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, by a Courtier: In ioy of the most happie disclosing, of the most dangerous conspiracies pretended by the late executed Traitours, against her royall person, and the whole Estate.
  
THE TRIVMPHS OF TROPHES,
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POEMS
collapse sectionI. 
I. Early Autobiographical: 1575–1580?
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13. A Dittie, wherein is contained divers good and necessary documents, which beeing embraced and followed earnestly, may cause a man to shunne manie evilles and mischaunces, that may otherwise fall upon him, ere he can beware.
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14. A Dittie, wherein the brevitie of man's life is described, how soone his pompe vanisheth away, and he brought to his latest home.
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15. A Glasse for all Men to behold themselves in; especially such proude and prodigall-minded Men, and such delicate and daintie Women, ‘who building on the pride of their beautie and amiable complexion, thinke scorne to become aged; and that their sweete faces should be wrinckled, or their youthfulnes brought into subjection by age.
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II. Early Love-Poems: BEFORE 1580?
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17. Of lingeringe Loue.
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18. A Warning for Wooers,
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19. A Proper Sonet,
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III. Four Songs
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IV. Later Love-Poems.
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28. A Gentlewoman yt married a yonge Gent who after forsooke [hir,] wherevppon she tooke hir Needle in wch she was excelēt & worked vpō hir Sampler thus
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33. A Counterloue.
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34. The Description of Iealousie.
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38. A Nimphs disdaine of Loue.
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39. The Nimphs reply to the Sheepheard.
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40. Another of the same nature, made since.
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41. Naturall comparisons with perfect loue
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41. An Answere to the first Staffe, that Loue is vnlike in Beggers and in Kings.
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V. Later Autobiographical: 1595–1600?
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57. Concerninge his suit & attendaūce at ye Courte.
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59. [THE BEE.]
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VI Epigrams.
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70. Luna.
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71. In fæminæ deformitates.
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72. In Priamum.
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73. Lucretiæ querela ad Colatinum.

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426

The Dittie.

[There is a bird that builds her neast with spice]

There is a bird that builds her neast with spice,
and built, the Sun to ashes doth her burne,
Out of whose sinders doth another rise.
& she by scorching beames to dust doth turne:
Thus life a death, and death a life doth proue,
The rarest thing on earth except my loue.
My loue that makes his neast with high desires,
and is by beauties blaze to ashes brought,
Out of the which do breake out greater fires,
they quenched by disdain consume to nought,
And out of nought my cleerest loue doth rise,
True loue is often slaine but neuer dies.
True loue which springs, though Fortune on it tread
as camomel by pressing down doth grow
Or as the Palme that higher reares his head,
whē men great burthens on the branches throw
427

Loue fansies birth, Fidelitie the wombe,
the Nurse Delight, Ingratitude the tombe.
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