Hail, mother; hail, maiden; hail, heaven queen; Hail, gatus of paradise; Hail, star of the sea that ever is seen; Hail, rich, royal, and righteous; Hail, burde yblessed may you bene; Hail, pearl of all perrie the pris; Hail, shadow in each a shower shene; Hail, fairer than that fleur-de-lis, Hail, chere chosen that never n'as chis; Hail, chief chamber of charity; Hail, in woe that ever was wis: _You pray for us thy Sone so free!_ AVE, &c. &c.

[1] 'Botenere:' helper.

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nT.

It will be observed that, in the specimens given of the earlier poets, the spelling has been modernised on the principle which has been so generally approved in its application to the text of Chaucer and of Spenser.

On a further examination of the material for 'Specimens and Memoirs of the less-known British Poets,' it has been deemed advisable to devote three volumes to this _resume_, and merely to give extracts from Cowley, instead of following out the arrangement proposed when the issue for this year was announced. In this s.p.a.ce it has been found possible to present the reader with specimens of almost all those authors whose writings were at any period esteemed. The series will thus be rendered more perfect, and will include the complete works of the authors whose entire writings are by a general verdict regarded as worthy of preservation; together with representations of the style, and brief notices of the poets who have, during the progress of our literature, occupied a certain rank, but whose popularity and importance have in a great measure pa.s.sed.

It is confidently hoped that the arrangements now made will give a completeness to the First Division of the Library Edition of the British Poets--from Chaucer to Cowper--which will be acceptable and satisfactory to the general reader.

Edinburgh, July 1860.

CONTENTS.

FIRST PERIOD.

JOHN GOWER The Chariot of the Sun The Tale of the Coffers or Caskets, &c.

Of the Gratification which the Lover's Pa.s.sion receives from the Sense of Hearing

JOHN BARBOUR Apostrophe to Freedom Death of Sir Henry de Bohun

ANDREW WYNTOUN

BLIND HARRY Battle of Black-Earnside The Death of Wallace

JAMES I. OF SCOTLAND Description of the King's Mistress

JOHN THE CHAPLAIN--THOMAS OCCLEVE

JOHN LYDGATE Canace, condemned to Death by her Father Aeolus, sends to her guilty Brother Macareus the last Testimony of her unhappy Pa.s.sion The London Lyckpenny

HARDING, KAY, &c.

ROBERT HENRYSON Dinner given by the Town Mouse to the Country Mouse The Garment of Good Ladies

WILLIAM DUNBAR The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins through h.e.l.l The Merle and Nightingale

GAVIN DOUGLAS Morning in May

HAWES, BARCLAY, &c.

SKELTON To Miss Margaret Hussey

SIR DAVID LYNDSAY Meldrum's Duel with the English Champion Talbart Supplication in Contemption of Side Tails

THOMAS TUSSER Directions for Cultivating a Hop-garden Housewifely Physic Moral Reflections on the Wind

VAUX, EDWARDS, &c.

GEORGE GASCOIGNE Good-morrow Good-night

THOMAS SACKVILLE, LORD BUCKHURST AND EARL OF DORSET Allegorical Characters from 'The Mirror of Magistrates'

Henry Duke of Buckingham in the Infernal Regions

JOHN HARRINGTON Sonnet on Isabella Markham Verses on a most stony-hearted Maiden

SIR PHILIP SIDNEY To Sleep Sonnets

ROBERT SOUTHWELL Look Home The Image of Death Love's Servile Lot Times go by Turns

THOMAS WATSON The Nymphs to their May-Queen Sonnet

THOMAS TURBERVILLE In praise of the renowned Lady Aime, Countess of Warwick

UNKNOWN Harpalus' Complaint of Phillida's Love bestowed on Corin, who loved her not, and denied him that loved her A Praise of his Lady That all things sometime find Ease of their Pain, save only the Lover From 'The Phoenix' Nest'

From the same The Soul's Errand

SECOND PERIOD.

FROM SPENSER TO DRYDEN.

FRANCIS BEAUMONT To Ben Jonson On the Tombs in Westminster An Epitaph

SIR WALTER RALEIGH The Country's Recreations The Silent Lover A Vision upon 'The Fairy Queen'

Love admits no Rival

JOSHUA SYLVESTER To Religion On Man's Resemblance to G.o.d The Chariot of the Sun

RICHARD BARNFIELD Address to the Nightingale

ALEXANDER HUME Thanks for a Summer's Day

OTHER SCOTTISH POETS

SAMUEL DANIEL Richard II., the morning before his Murder in Pomfret Castle Early Love Selections from Sonnets

SIR JOHN DAVIES Introduction to the Poem on the Soul of Man The Self-subsistence of the Soul Spirituality of the Soul