The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 31

Ad Venerem, quod elegis finem imponat.

Tender Loves' mother[449] a new poet get, This last end to my Elegies is set.[450]

Which I, Peligny's foster-child, have framed, Nor am I by such wanton toys defamed.

Heir of an ancient house, if help that can, Not only by war's rage[451] made gentleman.

In Virgil Mantua joys: in Catull Verone; Of me Peligny's nation boasts alone; Whom liberty to honest arms compelled, When careful Rome in doubt their prowess held.[452] 10 And some guest viewing watery Sulmo's walls, Where little ground to be enclosed befalls, "How such a poet could you bring forth?" says: "How small soe'er, I'll you for greatest praise."

Both loves, to whom my heart long time did yield,[453]

Your golden ensigns pluck[454] out of my field.

Horned Bacchus graver fury doth distil, A greater ground with great horse is to till.

Weak Elegies, delightful Muse, farewell; A work that, after my death, here shall dwell. 20

FOOTNOTES:

[448] Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[449] "Tenerorum mater amorum."

[450] "Marlowe's copy of Ovid had 'Traditur haec elegis ultima charta meis.'"--Dyce. (The true reading is "Raditur hic ... meta meis.")

[451] "Non modo militiae turbine factus eques."

[452] "c.u.m timuit socias anxia turba ma.n.u.s."

[453] "Marlowe's copy of Ovid had 'Culte puer, puerique parens _mihi tempore longo_.' (instead of what we now read 'Amathusia culti.')"--Dyce.

[454] Old eds. "pluckt."

EPIGRAMS BY J[OHN] D[AVIES].

EPIGRAMS BY J[OHN] D[AVIES].[455]

AD MUSAM. I.

Fly, merry Muse, unto that merry town, Where thou mayst plays, revels, and triumphs see; The house of fame, and theatre of renown, Where all good wits and spirits love to be.

Fall in between their hands that praise and love thee,[456]

And be to them a laughter and a jest: But as for them which scorning shall reprove[457] thee, Disdain their wits, and think thine own the best.

But if thou find any so gross and dull, That thinks I do to private taxing[458] lean, 10 Bid him go hang, for he is but a gull, And knows not what an epigram doth[459] mean, Which taxeth,[460] under a particular name, A general vice which merits public blame.

FOOTNOTES:

[455] Dyce has carefully recorded the readings of a MS. copy (_Harl.

MS._ 1836) of the present epigrams. As in most cases the variations are unimportant, I have not thought it necessary to reproduce Dyce's elaborate collation. Where the MS. readings are distinctly preferable I have adopted them; but in such cases I have been careful to record the readings of the printed copies.

[456] So Dyce.--Old eds. "loue and praise thee;" MS. "Seeme to love thee."

[457] So Isham copy and MS. Ed. A "approve."

[458] Censuring. Dyce compares the Induction to the _Knight of the Burning Pestle_:--

"Fly far from hence All _private taxes_."

[459] So MS.--Old eds. "does."

[460] MS. "Which carrieth under a peculiar name."

OF A GULL. II.

Oft in my laughing rhymes I name a gull; But this new term will many questions breed; Therefore at first I will express at full, Who is a true and perfect gull indeed.

A gull is he who fears a velvet gown, And, when a wench is brave, dares not speak to her; A gull is he which traverseth the town, And is for marriage known a common wooer; A gull is he which, while he proudly wears A silver-hilted rapier by his side, 10 Endures the lie[461] and knocks about the ears, Whilst in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide; A gull is he which wears good handsome clothes, And stands in presence stroking up his hair, And fills up his unperfect speech with oaths, But speaks not one wise word throughout the year: But, to define a gull in terms precise,-- A gull is he which seems and is not wise.[462]

FOOTNOTES:

[461] So MS.--Old eds. "lies."

[462] "To this epigram there is an evident allusion in the following one

'TO CANDIDUS.

Friend Candidus, thou often doost demaund What humours men by gulling understand.

Our English Martiall hath full pleasantly In his close nips describde a gull to thee: I'le follow him, and set downe my conceit What a gull is--oh, word of much receit!

He is a gull whose indiscretion Cracks his purse-strings to be in fashion; He is a gull who is long in taking roote In barraine soyle where can be but small fruite; He is a gull who runnes himselfe in debt For twelue dayes' wonder, hoping so to get; He is a gull whose conscience is a block, Not to take interest, but wastes his stock; He is a gull who cannot haue a wh.o.r.e, But brags how much he spends upon her score; He is a gull that for commoditie Payes tenne times ten, and sells the same for three; He is a gull who, pa.s.sing finicall, Peiseth each word to be rhetoricall; And, to conclude, who selfe-conceitedly Thinks al men guls, ther's none more gull then he.'

Guilpin's _Skialetheia, &c._ 1598, _Epig._ 20."

--_Dyce._

IN REFUM. III.

Rufus the courtier, at the theatre, Leaving the best and most conspicuous place, Doth either to the stage[463] himself transfer, Or through a grate[464] doth show his double face, For that the clamorous fry of Inns of Court Fill up the private rooms of greater price, And such a place where all may have resort He in his singularity doth despise.

Yet doth not his particular humour shun The common stews and brothels of the town, 10 Though all the world in troops do thither run, Clean and unclean, the gentle and the clown: Then why should Rufus in his pride abhor A common seat, that loves a common wh.o.r.e?

FOOTNOTES: