Specimens with Memoirs of the Less-known British Poets, Volume 1

Let his shrill trumpet, with her silver blast, Of fair Eclecta, and her spousal bed, Be the sweet pipe, and smooth encomiast: But my green muse, hiding her younger head, Under o...

7 There is a Ianthorn which the Jews, When Judas led them forth, did use, It weighs my weight downright; But to believe it, you must think The Jews did put a candle in 't, And t...

Take thou of me smooth pillows, sweetest bed, A chamber deaf to noise and blind to light, A rosy garland and a weary head; And if these things, as being thine by right, Move not...

The carrion crow, that loathsome beast, Which cries against the rain, Both for her hue, and for the rest, The devil resembleth plain: And as with guns we kill the crow, For spoi...

Thus robed in russet, I roamed about All a summer season, for to seek Dowell And freyned[1] full oft, of folk that I met If any wight wist where Dowell was at inn, And what man...

There can be little doubt that Blind Harry, during his lifetime, became a favourite, nay, a power in the realm. Wherever he circulated, there circulated the fame of Wallace; the...

4 When of the dew, which the eye and ear do take, From flowers abroad, and bring into the brain, She doth within both wax and honey make: This work is hers, this is her proper p...

The plant, thus abled, to itself did force A place where no place was by Nature's course, As air from water, water fleets away From thicker bodies; by this root thronged so His...

What blustering noise now interrupts my sleep? What echoing shouts thus cleave my crystal deep, And seem to call me from my watery court? What melody, what sounds of joy and spo...

This great work was never finished. The part completed comprehended only the period from the Creation to the Downfall of the Macedonian Empire --one hundred and seventy years be...

John Harding flourished about the year 1403. He fought at the battle of Shrewsbury on the Percy side. He is the author of a poem entitled 'The Chronicle of England unto the Reig...

They kneelen all, and with one voice The king they thanken of this choice: And after that they up arise, And go aside and them advise, And at laste they accord (Whereof their ta...

'He was a man of middle age, In aspect manly, grave, and sage, As on king's errand come; But in the glances of his eye, A penetrating, keen, and sly Expression found its home--...

Of all the beasts which we for our venerial name, The hart among the rest, the hunter's noblest game: Of which most princely chase since none did e'er report, Or by description...

Hail, heartily in holiness; Hail, hope of help to high and low; Hail, strength and stel of stableness; Hail, window of heaven wowe; Hail, reason of righteousness, To each a cait...

In May, as that Aurora did upspring, With crystal een[1] chasing the cluddes sable, I heard a Merle[2] with merry notes sing A song of love, with voice right comfortable, Agains...

The great, though whimsical author of the 'Anatomy of Melancholy' was born at Lindley, in Leicestershire, 1576, and educated at Christ Church, Oxford. He became Rector of Seagra...

[1] 'Shade:' for shaded. [2] 'Nor:' than. [3] 'Syne:' then. [4] 'Maist and least:' largest and smallest. [5] 'Abread:' abroad. [6] 'Boulden:' emboldened. [7] 'Sheen:' shining. [...

Previous to this the chief of the poets, after the Conquest, were Normans. The country whence that people came had for some time been celebrated for poetry. France was, as to it...

We propose to introduce our 'Specimens' by a short Essay on the Origin and Progress of English Poetry on to the days of Chaucer and of Gower. Having called, in conjunction with...

Hengist that day did his might, That all were glad, king and knight, And as they were best in glading, And wele cop schotin[1] knight and king, Of chamber Rouewen so gent, Befor...

O Night, O jealous Night, repugnant to my pleasure, O Night so long desired, yet cross to my content, There's none but only thou can guide me to my treasure, Yet none but only t...

It is the evening of the 20th of February 1437. James and his nobles and ladies are seated at table till deep into the night, engaged in chess, music, and song. Athole, like ano...

2 Fond that I am to ask! whoe'er Did yet see thought? or silence hear? Safe from the search of human eye These arrows (as their ways are) fly: The flights of angels part Not air...

The last and greatest herald of heaven's King, Girt with rough skins, hies to the deserts wild, Among that savage brood the woods forth bring, Which he more harmless found than...