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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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[1]
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[5]
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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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3.
[_]

The attribution of this poem is questionable.

[How can he rule well in a common wealth]

How can he rule well in a common wealth,
Which knoweth not himselfe in rule to frame?
How should he rule himselfe in ghostly health
Which neuer learn'd one lesson for the same?
If such catch harme their parents are to blame:
ffor needes must they be blinde, and blindly led,
Where no good lesson can be taught or read.
Some thinke their youth discreete and wisely taught,
That brag, and boast, and weare their fether braue,
Can royst and rout, both lowre and looke aloft,
Can sweare and stare, and call their fellowes knaue,
Can pill and poll, and catch before they craue,
Can carde and dice, both cog and foyste at fare,
Play on vnthriftie, till their purse be bare.
Some teach their youth to pipe, to sing and daunce,
To hauke, to hunt, to choose and kill their game.
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To winde their horne, and with their horse to praunce,
To play at tennis, set the lute in frame,
Run at the ring, and vse such other game:
Which feats although they be not all vnfit,
Yet cannot they the marke of vertue hit.
ffor Noble yought there is nothing so meete
As learning is, to knowe the good from ill:
To know the tongues, and perfectly endyte,
And of the lawes to haue a perfect skill,
Thinges to reforme as right and iustice will:
ffor honnour is ordeyned for no cause
But to see right maintayned by the lawes.
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