[Footnote 23:  Cf.  Morley’s ed. Barons’ Wars, &c., p. 8.]

[Footnote 24:  Charles FitzGeoffrey, Drake (1596), ’golden-mouthed Drayton musical.’  Guilpin, Skialetheia (1598), ’Drayton’s condemned of some for imitation, But others say, ’tis the best poet’s fashion ...  Drayton’s justly surnam’d golden-mouth’d.’  Meres, Palladis Tamia (1598),’ In Charles Fitz-Jefferies Drake Drayton is termed “golden-mouth’d” for the purity and pretiousnesse of his stile and phrase.’]

[Footnote 25:  Cf. E.  H. E., pp. 90, 99 (ed. 1737); Elegy i; and Ode written in the Peak.]

[Footnote 26:  Elegy viij, ad init.]

[Footnote 27:  Palladis Tamia (1598).]

[Footnote 28:  Cf. Returne from Parnassus, i. 2 (1600) ed.  Arb. p. 11.]

[Footnote 29:  Michael Drayton.  A Critical Study.  Oliver Elton, M.A.  London:  A. Constable & Co., 1905.]

SONNETS

[from the Edition of 1594]

To the deere Chyld of the Muses, and his euer kind Mecaenas, Ma. Anthony
          Cooke, Esquire

    Vovchsafe to grace these rude vnpolish’d rymes,
    Which long (dear friend) haue slept in sable night,
    And, come abroad now in these glorious tymes,
    Can hardly brook the purenes of the light. 
    But still you see their desteny is such,
    That in the world theyr fortune they must try,
    Perhaps they better shall abide the tuch,
    Wearing your name, theyr gracious liuery. 
    Yet these mine owne:  I wrong not other men,
    Nor trafique further then thys happy Clyme,
    Nor filch from Portes, nor from Petrarchs pen,
    A fault too common in this latter time. 
      Diuine Syr Phillip, I auouch thy writ,
      I am no Pickpurse of anothers wit. 
                          Yours deuoted,
                              M. DRAYTON.

Amour 1

Reade heere (sweet Mayd) the story of my wo,
The drery abstracts of my endles cares,
With my liues sorow enterlyned so;
Smok’d with my sighes, and blotted with my teares: 
The sad memorials of my miseries,
Pend in the griefe of myne afflicted ghost;
My liues complaint in doleful Elegies,
With so pure loue as tyme could neuer boast. 
Receaue the incense which I offer heere,
By my strong fayth ascending to thy fame,
My zeale, my hope, my vowes, my praise, my prayer,
My soules oblation to thy sacred name: 

    Which name my Muse to highest heauen shal raise

  By chast desire, true loue, and vertues praise.

Amour 2