THE ensuing collection of irrelative poems, some probably from Shakespeare's hand, but some certainly belonging to other writers, was first published by William Jaggard, in small octavo, with the title, - "The Passionate Pilgrime. By W. Shakespeare. At London. Printed for W. Iaggard, and are to be sold by W. Leake, at the Greyhound in Paules Churchyard, 1599." In 1612 another edition was printed bearing the title of, "The Passionate Pilgrime. Or Certaine Amorous Sonnets, betweene Venus and Adonis, newly corrected and augmented. By W. Shakespere. The third Edition. Where-unto is newly added two Love-Epistles, the first from Paris to Hellen, and Hellen's answere backe againe to Paris. Printed by W. Iaggard, 1612."* The "Love Epistles" which Jaggard had the audacity to particularise in his title-page, and insert in this reprint as the works of Shakespeare, were two of Ovid's Epistles, that had been translated by Thomas Heywood, and printed with his name in his "Troja Brittannica," &c. 1609. It was not likely that Heywood would patiently submit to this flagrant injustice, and accordingly at the close of a work entitled, "The Apology for Actors," &c. which was published by him in 1612, he appended the following letter to his bookseller, Nicholas Okes : "To my approved good friend, Mr. Nicholas Okes. "The infinite faults escaped in my booke of Britaines Troy, by the negligence of the Printer, as the misquotations, mistaking of sillables, misplacing halfe lines, coining of strange and never heard of words. These being without number, when I would have taken a particular account of the Errata, the Printer answered me, hee would not publishe his owne disworkemanship, but rather let his owne fault lye upon the necke of the Author: and being fearfull that others of his quality, had beene of the same nature, and condition, and finding you on the contrary, so carefull and industrious, so serious and laborious, to doe the author all the rights of the presse; I could not choose but gratulate your honest endeavours with this short remembrance. Here likewise, I must necessarily insert a manifest injury done me in that worke, by taking the two Epistles of Paris to Helen, and Helen to Paris, and printing them in a lesse volume ander the name of another, which may put the world in opinion I might steal them from him; and hee, to do himselfe right, hath since published them in his owne name: but as I must acknowledge my lines not worthy his patronage under whom he hath publisht them, so the Author I know much offended with M. Jaggard that (altogether unknowne to him) presumed to make so bold with his name. These, and the like dishonesties, I know you to be cleare of; and I could wish but to bee the happy author of so worthie a worke as I could willingly commit to your care and workmanship THOMAS HEYWOOD * Although this edition purports to be the third, no intermediate impression between it and the first copy is now known. "Yours ever, This exposure, aided probably by the indignant remonstrance of Shakespeare, compelled Jaggard to cancel the original title-page of the 1612 edition, and substitute another, which bore no author's name. Such at least is presumed to have been the case, from the fact that Malone's copy of this edition, by the "fortunate negligence" of the old binder, contains two title-pages, one with and the other without an author's name. I. a If knowledge be the mark, to know thee shal suffice; Well learned is that tongue that well can thee commend; All ignorant that soul that sees thee withers wonder; Which is to me some praise, that I thy parts DID not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye," If by me broke, what fool is not so wise admire: Thine eye Jove's lightning seems, thy voice his dreadful thunder, Which, not to anger bent, is music and sweet fire. Celestial as thou art, O, do not love that wrong, To sing the heavens' praise with such an earthly tongue! IV. Scarce had the sun dried up the dewy morn, A longing tarriance for Adonis made A brook where Adon used to cool his spleen: He, spying her, bounc'd in, whereas he stood; "O Jove," quoth she, "why was not I a flood!" V. Fair is my love, but not so fair as fickle; A lily pale, with damask dye to grace her, Her lips to mine how often hath she join'd, "When my love swears that she is made of truth," &c. and No. CXLIV.: "Two loves I have," &c. b to delight his ear;) The old text has, "ears." c If love make me forsworn, -) See "Love's Labour's Lost," Act IV. Sc. 2. She burn'd with love, as straw with fire flameth, She bade love last, and yet she fell a-turning. VI. If music and sweet poetry agree, As they must needs, the sister and the brother, One god is god of both, as poets feign; Χ. Crabbed age and youth Youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, Youth is wild, and age is tame. Age, I do abhor thee, Youth, I do adore thee; O, my love, my love is young! Age, I do defy & thee : O, sweet shepherd, hie thee! For methinks thou stay'st too long. XI. Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good, A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower, a If music and sweet poetry agree,-] This poem, according to Mr. Collier, was published in the first edition of R. Barnfield's "Encomion of Lady Pecunia," 1598, but was omitted by the author in his edition of 1605. From which circumstance, Mr. Collier infers that it was written by Shakespeare. b A line has here been lost. e For why-] Because. d Venus, with young Adonis sitting by her-] This Sonnet, with some variations, occurs in a collection of Poems by B. Griffin, called Fidessa more Chaste then Kinde, 1596; and there the opening line is given as in our text. "The Passionate Pilgrim" reads, "Venus with Adonis sitting by her," &c. • And as he fell to her, so fell she to him.] In "The Passionate Pilgrim" this line is imperfect, "so" being omitted. The word is supplied from Griffin's Fidessa. f "Even thus," quoth she, "the warlike god embrac'd me,"-] In the latter part of this Sonnet the version in Fidessa differs considerably from the one before us. There, it runs as follows: ""Even thus,' quoth she, 'the wanton god embrac'd me;' 'Even thus,' quoth she, 'the warlike god unlac'd me,' And ran away, the beauteous queen neglecting; Showing both folly to abuse her proffer, Oh, that I had my mistress at that bay, To kiss and clip me till I ran away." g-defy thee:-) Renounce or contemn thee. So, in "Romeo and Juliet," Act V. Sc. 3, "I do defy thy conjurations," &c. And as goods lost are seld or never found, XII. "Good night, good rest." Ah, neither be my share! She bade good night, that kept my rest away; And daff'd me to a cabin hang'd with care, To descant on the doubts of my decay. "Farewell," quoth she, "and come again tomorrow;" Fare well I could not, for I supp'd with sorrow. Yet at my parting sweetly did she smile, XIII. Lord, how mine eyes throw gazes to the east! SONNETS TO SUNDRY NOTES OF MUSIC. XIV. It was a lording's daughter, Her fancy fell a-turning. Unto the silly damsel! But one must be refused; More mickle was the pain, That nothing could be used To turn them both to gain, For of the two the trusty knight Was wounded with disdain: Alas, she could not help it! Thus art, with arms contending, For now my song is ended. XV. On a day (alack the day !),d Wish'd himself the heaven's breath. "of valuable work, "A Critical Examination of the Text of Shake speare," &c. which has been published while these pages were in preparation for the press, suggests that we should read, master;" that is, a scholar by profession, a master of arts. d On a day (alack the day!),-] This, as we have before re marked, is one of the three Sonnets found in "Love's Labour's Lost." It was printed also, with Shakespeare's name attached, in a collection of poems entitled, "England's Helicon," 1600, where it is entitled, The Passionate Sheepheard's Song. b Thou for whom Jove would swear-] In this line, unless some epithet to "Jove" has been lost, "swear" is employed as a dissyllable. c My flocks feed not, &c.] These verses, under the title of The Unknown Sheepheard's Complaint, and subscribed Ignoto, are printed in "England's Helicon." They are found also, with music, in Weelkes's Madrigals, 1599. That Shakespeare had any hand either in them or in the poor effusion beginning, "It was a lording's daughter," &c. is inconceivable. All our pleasure known to us poor swains, All our merry meetings on the plains, All our evening sport from us is fled, All our love is lost, for Love is dead. Farewell, sweet lass,h Thy like ne'er was For a sweet content, the cause of all my moan: Poor Coridon Must live alone, Other help for him I see that there is none. XVII. Whenas thine eye hath chose the dame, Take counsel of some wiser head, And when thou com'st thy tale to tell, But plainly say thou lov'st her well, What though her frowning brows be bent, k As well as fancy partial might :) This is very probably corrupt, but the change proposed by Steevens, "partial tike," is unendurable; and we have no faith in the reading said to be derived from a MS. of this poem in the possession of Mr. Collier, "As well as partial fancy like," &c. Query, "As well as fancy martial might"? Compare, "Lucrece," "A martial man to be soft fancy's slave!" 1-filed talk,-] Polished diction. m And set thy person forth to sell.] A reading supplied by a manuscript copy of this poem, of the age of Shakespeare, which Malone used. "The Passionate Pilgrim" has, her person forth to sale." n-will clear-] So the MS. just referred to. "The Passionate Pilgrim" reads, "will calm," &c. |