THOMAS ROWLEIE.

[Footnote 1: hid, concealed.]

[Footnote 2: law.]

[Footnote 3: painted.]

[Footnote 4: much.]

[Footnote 5: hurt, damage.]

[Footnote 6: sweetly.]

[Footnote 7: cause.]

[Footnote 8: oft.]

[Footnote 9: holy.]

[Footnote 10: rake, lewd person.]

[Footnote 11: humble.]

[Footnote 12: adder.]

[Footnote 13: hurt, damage.]

[Footnote 14: learning.]

[Footnote 15: knows.]

[Footnote 16: plucks or tortures.]

[Footnote 17: knowledge.]

[Footnote 18: a service used over the dead.]

[Footnote 19: peasant.]

[Footnote 20: unlearned.]

[Footnote 21: laugh.]

[Footnote 22: sounds.]

[Footnote 23: foolish.]

[Footnote 24: churls.]

[Footnote 25: knows.]

[Footnote 26: laughable.]

[Footnote 27: tale, jest.]

[Footnote 28: beyond.]

[Footnote 29: foolishly.]

[Footnote 30: if.]

[Footnote 31: many.]

[Footnote 32: holy.]

[Footnote 33: strange perversion of words. _Droorie_ in its antient signification stood for _modesty_.]

[Footnote 34: another.]

LETTER TO THE DYGNE MASTRE CANYNGE.

Straunge dome ytte ys, that, yn these daies of oures, Nete[35] b.u.t.te a bare recytalle can hav place; Nowe shapelie poesie hast loste yttes powers, And pynant hystorie ys onlie grace; Heie[36] pycke up wolsome weedes, ynstedde of flowers, 5 And famylies, ynstedde of wytte, theie trace; Nowe poesie canne meete wythe ne regrate[37], Whylste prose, & herehaughtrie[38], ryse yn estate.

Lette kynges, & rulers, whan heie gayne a throne, Shewe whatt theyre grandsieres, & great grandsieres bore, 10 Emarschalled armes, yatte, ne before theyre owne, Now raung'd wythe whatt yeir fadres han before; Lette trades, & toune folck, lett syke[39] thynges alone, Ne fyghte for sable yn a fielde of aure; Seldomm, or never, are armes vyrtues mede, 15 Shee nillynge[40] to take myckle[41] aie dothe hede.

A man ascaunse upponn a piece maye looke, And shake hys hedde to styrre hys rede[42] aboute; Quod he, gyf I askaunted oere thys booke, Schulde fynde thereyn that trouthe ys left wythoute; 20 Eke, gyf[43] ynto a vew percase[44] I tooke The long beade-rolle of al the wrytynge route, a.s.serius, Ingolphus, Torgotte, Bedde, Thorow hem[45] al nete lyche ytte I coulde rede.--

Pardon, yee Graiebarbes[46], gyff I saie, onwise 25 Yee are, to stycke so close & bysmarelie[47]

To hystorie; you doe ytte tooe moche pryze, Whyche amenused[48] thoughtes of poesie; Somme drybblette[49] share you shoulde to yatte[50] alyse[51], Nott makynge everyche thynge bee hystorie; 30 Instedde of mountynge onn a wynged horse, You onn a rouncy[52] dryve yn dolefull course.

Cannynge & I from common course dyssente; Wee ryde the stede, botte yev to hym the reene; Ne wylle betweene crased molterynge bookes be pente, 35 Botte soare on hyghe, & yn the sonne-bemes sheene; And where wee kenn somme ishad[53] floures besprente, We take ytte, & from oulde rouste doe ytte clene; Wee wylle ne cheynedd to one pasture bee, Botte sometymes soare 'bove trouthe of hystorie. 40

Saie, Canynge, whatt was vea.r.s.e yn daies of yore?

Fyne thoughtes, and couplettes fetyvelie[54] bewryen[55], Notte syke as doe annoie thys age so sore, A keppened poyntelle[56] restynge at eche lyne.

Vea.r.s.e maie be goode, botte poesie wantes more, 45 An onlist[57] lecturn[58], and a songe adygne[59]; Accordynge to the rule I have thys wroughte, Gyff ytt please Canynge, I care notte a groate.

The thynge yttself moste bee ytts owne defense; Som metre maie notte please a womannes ear. 50 Canynge lookes notte for poesie, botte sense; And dygne, & wordie thoughtes, ys all hys care.

Canynge, adieu! I do you greete from hence; Full soone I hope to taste of your good cheere; Goode Byshoppe Carpynter dyd byd mee saie, 55 Hee wysche you healthe & selinesse for aie.

T. ROWLEIE.

[Footnote 35: nought.]

[Footnote 36: they.]