Skip directly to:Main content Main navigation

University of Virginia Library

The Works of Edmund Spenser

A Variorum Edition: Edited by Edwin Greenlaw: Charles Grosvenor Osgood: Frederick Morgan Padelford: Ray Heffner

Spenser, Edmund (1552?-1599)

collapse section

1.

VOLUME ONE THE MINOR POEMS

collapse section

THE Shepheardes Calender

collapse section

1.

Ægloga prima. Januarye.

Colins Embleme.

collapse section

2.

Ægloga Secunda. Februarie.

Thenots Embleme.

Cuddies Embleme.

collapse section

3.

Ægloga Tertia. March.

Willyes Embleme.

Thomalins Embleme.

collapse section

4.

Ægloga Quarta. Aprill.

Thenots Embleme.

Hobbinols Embleme.

collapse section

5.

Ægloga Quinta. Maye.

Palinodes Embleme.

Piers his Embleme.

collapse section

6.

Ægloga sexta. Iune

Colins Embleme.

collapse section

7.

Ægloga septima. Iulye.

Thomalins Embleme.

Morrells Embleme.

collapse section

8.

Ægloga octaua. August.

Perigot his Embleme.

Willyes Embleme.

Cuddies Embleme.

collapse section

9.

Ægloga Nona. September.

Diggons Embleme.

collapse section

10.

Ægloga decima. October.

Cuddies Embleme.

collapse section

11.

Ægloga vndecima. Nouember.

Colins Embleme.

collapse section

12.

Ægloga Duodecima. December.

Colins Embleme.

[Loe I have made a Calender for euery yeare]

COLIN CLOVTS Come home againe.

collapse section

AN HYMNE IN HONOVR OF LOVE.

AN HYMNE IN HONOVR OF BEAVTIE.

AN HYMNE OF HEAVENLY LOVE.

AN HYMNE OF HEAVENLY BEAVTIE.

collapse section

2.

VOLUME TWO THE MINOR POEMS

collapse section

A THEATRE wherein be represented as wel the miseries & calamities that follow the voluptuous Worldlings, As also the greate ioyes and plesures which the faithfull do enioy.

collapse section

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

collapse section

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

collapse section

[Visions from Revelation]

1.

2.

3.

4.

collapse section

collapse section

The Ruines of Time.

THE Teares of the Muses.

Ruines of Rome: by Bellay.

Visions of the worlds vanitie.

The Visions of Bellay.

The Visions of Petrarch

collapse section

AMORETTI AND Epithalamion.

G: W. senior, to the Author

[Ah Colin, whether on the lowly plaine]

collapse section

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIIII.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

SONNET. XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIIII.

SONNET. XXIIII.

XXV.

XXVI.

XXVII.

XXVIII.

SONNET. XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

XXXII.

XXXIII.

SONNET. XXXIII.

XXXIIII.

SONNET. XXXIIII.

XXXV.

XXXVI.

XXXVII.

SONNET. XXXVII.

XXXVIII.

SONNET. XXXVIII.

XXXIX.

XL.

XLI.

XLII.

XLIII.

XLIIII.

SONNET. XLIIII.

XLV.

XLVI.

XLVII.

XLVIII.

SONNET. XLVIII.

XLIX.

L.

LI.

LII.

LIII.

LIIII.

LV.

LVI.

LVII.

LVIII.

SONNET. LVIII. By her that is most assured to her selfe.

LIX.

LX.

LXI.

LXII.

LXIII.

LXIIII.

SONNET. LXIIII.

LXV.

LXVI.

LXVII.

LXVIII.

SONNET. LXVIII.

LXIX.

LXX.

LXXI.

LXXII.

LXXIII.

SONNET. LXXIII.

LXXIIII.

SONNET. LXXIIII.

LXXV.

LXXVI.

LXXVII.

SONNET. LXXVII.

LXXVIII.

SONNET. LXXVIII.

LXXIX.

LXXX.

LXXXI.

LXXXII.

SONNET. LXXXII.

LXXXIII.

SONNET. LXXXIII.

LXXXIIII.

SONNET. LXXXIIII.

LXXXV.

LXXXVI.

SONNET. LXXXVI.

LXXXVII.

SONNET. LXXXVII.

LXXXVIII.

SONNET. LXXXVIII.

LXXXIX.

SONNET. LXXXIX.

collapse section

Commendatory Sonnets.

1.

1 To the right worshipfull, my singular good frend, M. Gabriell Haruey, Doctor of the Lawes.

2.

2 [Prefixed to Nennio, or A Treatise of Nobility, &c.]

3.

3 [Prefixed to The Historie of George Castriot, surnamed Scanderbeg.]

4.

4 [Prefixed to The Commonwealth and Gouernment of Venice.]

collapse section

collapse section

From Two other very commendable Letters, 1580.

Iambicum Trimetrum

collapse section

From Three proper and wittie, familiar Letters, 1580.

[See yee the blindefoulded pretie God, that feathered Archer]

collapse section

From E. K.'s note on S. C. June 25, Minor Poems 1. 64.

[An hundred Graces on her eyeledde satte.]

collapse section

From E. K.'s note on S. C. Oct. 90, Minor Poems 1. 102.

[The siluer swanne doth sing before her dying day]

collapse section

From Sir James Ware's The Historie of Ireland, 1633.

A translation made ex tempore by Mr Edm. Spenser upon this distich, written on a Booke belonging to the right honorable Richard Earle of Corke, &c.

Verses upon the said Earles Lute.

collapse section

3, 4, 5, 6.

[VOLUMES THREE–SIX]

collapse section

THE FAERIE QVEENE.

collapse section

1.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

2.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

3.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

4.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

5.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

6.

THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.

I.

II.

III.

IIII.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

collapse section

7.

[THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEENE.]

VI.

VII.

VIII.

The VIII. Canto, vnperfite.

collapse section

COMMENDATORY VERSES AND DEDICATORY SONNETS

A Vision vpon this conceipt of the Faery Queene.

Another of the same.

To the learned Shepheard.

[Fayre Thamis streame, that from Ludds stately towne]

[Graue Muses march in triumph and with prayses]

[When stout Achilles heard of Helens rape]

[To looke vpon a worke of rare deuise]

To the right honourable Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord high Chauncelor of England. &c.

To the right honourable the Lo. Burleigh Lo. high Threasurer of England.

To the right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford, Lord high Chamberlayne of England. &c.

To the right honourable the Earle of Northumberland.

To the right honourable the Earle of Cumberland.

To the most honourable and excellent Lo. the Earle of Essex. Great Maister of the Horse to her Highnesse, and knight of the Noble order of the Garter. &c.

To the right Honourable the Earle of Ormond and Ossory.

To the right honourable the Lo. Ch. Howard, Lo. high Admiral of England, knight of the noble order of the Garter, and one of her Maiesties priuie Counsel. &c.

To the right honourable the Lord of Hunsdon, high Chamberlaine to her Maiesty.

To the most renowmed and valiant Lord, the Lord Grey of Wilton, knight of the Noble order of the Garter, &c.

To the right honourable the Lord of Buckhurst, one of her Maiesties priuie Counsell.

To the right honourable Sir Fr. Walsingham knight, principall Secretary to her Maiesty, and of her honourable priuy Counsell.

To the right noble Lord and most valiaunt Captaine, Sir Iohn Norris knight, Lord president of Mounster.

To the right noble and valorous knight, Sir Walter Raleigh, Lo. Wardein of the Stanneryes, and lieftenaunt of Cornewaile.

To the right honourable and most vertuous Lady, the Countesse of Penbroke.

To the most vertuous, and beautifull Lady, the Lady Carew.

To all the gratious and beautifull Ladies in the Court.

collapse section

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

SONNET. XX.

[In vaine I seeke and sew to her for grace]

In vaine I seeke and sew to her for grace,
and doe myne humbled hart before her poure:
the whiles her foot she in my necke doth place,
and tread my life downe in the lowly floure.
And yet the Lyon that is Lord of power,
and reigneth ouer euery beast in field:
in his most pride disdeigneth to deuoure
the silly lambe that to his might doth yield.
But she more cruell and more saluage wylde,
then either Lyon or the Lyonesse:
shames not to be with guiltlesse bloud defylde,
but taketh glory in her cruelnesse.
Fayrer then fayrest let none euer say,
that ye were blooded in a yeelded pray.