5.2. The Poems. Index and Sources

We are dealing with the works of a poet who (four hundred years ago), with a series of adept tricks, somehow managed to make himself invisible.

Oxford’s poetry was set to music by some famous English musicians, namely Byrd (Nos. 79, 83 and 90) and Dowland (No. 99). There is a possibility that the two composers also used other works from Oxford in their music, however such allocations are based more on “feeling” rather than hard evidence. (Song lyrics that seem to indicate Oxford’s authorship include: “My thoughts are wing’d with hopes” and “Fine knacks for ladies.”)

“If fluds of tears could cleanse my follies past” from the post script from Sir P. S. His Astrophel and Stella (1591) divulges, not in the tone, but in content from Oxford, because he upbraids the fates often, but is never remorseful. - “Sweet Cyntherea sitting by a brook”, “If music and sweet poetry agree”, “Crabbed age and youth cannot live together”, “My flocks feed not” and “As it fell upon a day” from The Passionate Pilgrim (1599) could be, in spite of the appropriation by Barnfield and Deloney, Oxford’s (or Shake-speare’s) poems. However in the hand written poetical collections, no direct proof has been documented.

In order to make it easier to read the poems, italics are used to signify quotes of the spoken word. The orthography of the Oxfordian poems have been modernized with the exception of words that end in -th. Some old English poems will be presented in their original form.

INDEX

	5.2.1. POEMS 1-63 (1572-1575)
1	The labouring man that tills the fertile soil	Earl of Oxford	Cardanus
2	To scourge the crime of wicked Laius	Fortunatus Infoelix	Flowres
3	Fair Bersabe the bright once bathing in a well	F. I.	Flowres
4	Of thee dear Dame, three lessons would I learn	F. I.	Flowres
5	Love, hope, and death do stir in me such strife	F. I.	Flowres
6	In prime of lusty years, when Cupid caught me in	F. I.	Flowres
7	A cloud of care hath covered all my coast	F. I.	Flowres
8	Dame Cinthia herself that shines so bright	F. I.	Flowres
9	That self same day, and of that day that hour	F. I.	Flowres
10	Beauty shut up thy shop and truss up all thy trash	F. I.	Flowres
11	The stately dames of Rome their pearls did wear	F. I.	Flowres
12	As some men say there is a kind of seed	F. I.	Flowres
13	What state to man so sweet and pleasant were	F. I.	Flowres
14	I could not though I would: good Lady say not so	F. I.	Flowres
15	With her in arms that had my heart in hold	F. I.	Flowres
16	And if I did what then?	F. I.	Flowres
17	When worthy Bradamant had looked long in vain	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
18	The hateful man that heapeth in his mind	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
19	This vain avail which thou by Mars hast won	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
20	The feeble thread which Lachesis hath spun	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
21	A hundreth suns (in course but not in kind)	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
22	Not stately Troye though Priam yet did live	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
23	Lady receive, receive in gracious wise	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
24	I cannot wish thy grief, although thou work my woe	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
25	If men may credit give, to true reported fames	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
26	Were my heart set on high as thine is bent	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
27	How long she looks that looks at me of late	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
28	I looked of late and saw thee look askance	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
29	The thriftless thread which pamper’d beauty spins	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
30	When danger keeps the door of lady beauty’s bower	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
31	Thou with thy looks on whom I look full oft	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
32	I cast mine eye and saw ten eyes at once	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
33	What thing is that which swims in bliss	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
34	I groped in thy pocket, pretty peat	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
35	A lemon (but no leman) Sir you found	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
36	When steadfast friendship (bound by holy oath)	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
37	Of all the birds that I do know	Si fortunatus infoelix	Flowres
38	The Partridge in the pretty Merlin’s foot	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
39	You must not wonder though you think it strange	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
40	This tenth of March when Aries receiv’d	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
41	Now have I found the way to weep and wail my fill	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
42	Thy birth, thy beauty, nor thy brave attire	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
43	Much like the seely bird which close in cage is pent	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
44	Despised things may live, although they pine in pain	Spraeta tamen vivunt	Flowres
45	Amid my bale I bath in bliss	Ferenda Natura	Flowres
46	The straightest tree that grows upon one only root	Ferenda Natura	Flowres
47	That self same tongue which first did thee entreat	Ferenda Natura	Flowres
48	Desire of fame would force my feeble skill	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
49	When first I thee beheld in colours black and white	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
50	If ever man yet found the bath of perfect bliss	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
51	The deadly drops of dark disdain	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
52	Both deep and dreadful were the seas	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
53	Give me my lute in bed now as I lie	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
54	Of all the letters in the crist-cross-row	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
55	Content thyself with patience perforce	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
56	Receive you worthy Dame this rude and ragged verse	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
57	This Apuleius was in Afric born	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
58	A Lady once did ask of me	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
59	The cruel hate which boils within thy burning breast	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
60	If what you want, you (wanton) had at will	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
61	I that my race of youthful years had run	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
62	When I record within my musing mind	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
63	L'Escü d'amour, the shield of perfect love	Meritum petere grave	Flowres
	5.2.2. POEMS 64-79 (Paradyse, 1576)
64	Why doth each state apply itself to worldly praise?	My lucke is losse	Paradise
65	Beware of had I wist, whose fine brings care and smart	My lucke is losse	Paradise
66	Fram'd in the front of forlorn hope	E. O.	Paradise
67	If fortune may enforce the careful heart to cry	[My lucke is losse] RO, LOO. / Balle	Paradise
68	I sigh? why so? for sorrow of her smart	My lucke is losse	Paradise
69	Even as the raven, the crow, and greedy kite	My lucke is losse	Paradise
70	The faith that fails, must needs be thought untrue	My lucke is losse	Paradise
71	The lively lark did stretch her wing	E. O.	Paradise
72	A crown of bays shall that man wear	E. O.	Paradise
73	If care or skill could conquer vain desire	E. O.	Paradise
74	The trickling tears that fall along my cheeks	E. O.	Paradise
75	I am not as I seem to be	E. O.	Paradise
76	Ev'n as the wax doth melt, or dew consume away	E. O.	Paradise
77	My meaning is to work what wonders love	E. O.	Paradise
78	When griping griefs the heart would wound	Balle	Paradise / Coningsby
79	Who seeks the way to win renown	Anon.	Paradise
	5.2.3. POEMS 80-101 (Miscellaneous 1576-1591)
80	My mind to me a kingdom is	Ball / L. Ver	Coningsby / Finet / Byrd
81	Were I a king, I might command content	Vere	Cornwallis
82	Fain would I sing, but fury makes me fret	Earle of Oxenforde	Tanner
83	Short is my rest, whose toil is overlong	Ball	Coningsby / Finet
84	If women could be fair and yet not fond	Earll of Oxenforde	Coningsby / Finet / Byrd
85	Whereas the heart at tennis plays	Therle of Ox.	Coningsby / Finet
86	Winged with desire, I seek to mount on high	Lo. ox.	Coningsby / Finet
87	Though I seem strange, sweet friend, be thou not so	Balle / Vavaser	Coningsby / Finet
88	Who taught thee first to sigh, alas, my heart ?	Ball / Earlle of Oxenforde	Coningsby / Finet / Cornw.
89	Sitting alone upon my thought in melancholy mood	earle of oxford / Vavaser	Coningsby / Finet / Cornw.
90	When I was fair and young then favour graced me	L. of oxforde	Coningsby / Finet / Cornw.
91	When wert thou born, Desire?	Earle of Oxenforde	Coningsby / Finet
92	What thing is love? a vain conceit of mind?	Anon.	Coningsby / Finet
93	My waning joys, my still increasing griefs	Anon.	Coningsby / Finet
94	The dreary day when I must take my leave	Anon.	Finet
95	How can the feeble fort but yield at last	Anon.	Coningsby / Finet
96	I said and swore that I would never love	Anon.	Coningsby / Finet / Cornw.
97	When that thine eye hath chose the dame	W. Shakespeare	Coningsby / Cornwallis / PP
99	To look upon a work of rare devise	Ignoto	Faerie Queene
99	Sweet friend, whose name agrees with thy increase	Phaeton	Florio
100	Faction that ever dwells	E. O.	Astrophel / Dowland
101	What cunning can express	E. O.	Phoenix Nest
	5.2.4. POEMS 102-112 (Different Ascriptions, 1575-1591)
102	We praise the plough, that makes the fruitless soil	T. B.	Posies
103	In gladsome spring when sweet and pleasant showers	E. C.	Posies
104	In rowsing verses of Mavors’ bloody reign	N. R.	Steele Glass
105	What thing is Will, without good Wit?	C. A.	Breton
106	What shall I say of gold more than 'tis gold	W. S.	Breton
107	In Peascod time when hound to horn	L. ox.	Coningsby / Finet / Churchy.
108	What is desire which doth approve	Ewph.	Coningsby / Finet
109	What thing is love? It is a power divine	[E. O.]	Greene
110	A day, a night, an hour of sweet content	CONTENT / [E. O.]	Astrophel
111	When Cupid is content to keep the skies	Anon.	Watson
112	My thoughts are wing’d with hopes, my hopes with love	W. S.	Dowland

SOURCES

Astrophel

Syr P. S. His Astrophel and Stella. Wherein the excellence of sweet Poesy is concluded. To the end of which are added, sundry other rare Sonnets of divers Noble men and Gentlemen. 1591

Byrd

William Byrd’s Psalmes, Sonets, & Songs. 1588

Cardanus

Cardanus Comforte, translated into Englishe. And Published by commandement of the righte honourable the Earle of Oxenforde... A.D. 1573

Castiglione

Balthasaris Castilionis comitis de curiali sive aulico libri quatuor ex Italico sermone in Latinum conversi. / Bartholomaeo Clerke Anglo Cantabrigiensi interprete. Londini : apud Iohannem Dayum typographum, an. Domini. 1571 [=1572]

Cecil Papers

Hatfield House, Cecil Papers

Churchyard

A pleasaunte laborinth called Churchyardes Chance. London 1580

Coningsby

British Library, MS. Harleian 7392 (2), Coningsbye [Humphrey Coningsby].

Cornwallis

Folger Library, MS. V.a.89, Anne Cornwaleyes Her Booke.

See: Arthur F. Marotti, “The Cultural and Textual Importance of Folger MS V.a.89”, English Manuscript Studies 1100-1700 11 (2002): 70-92.

Dowland

John Dowland, The second Booke of Songs or Ayres, London 1600

Faerie Queene

Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Commendatory Poems, ed. by Albert Charlie Hamilton. London 1981

Finet

John Finet’s Micellany [Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poet. 85], ed. by L.A.D. Cummings, Washington 1960

Florio

John Florio, Second Fruits, to be gathered of Twelve Trees. London 1591

Flowres

A Hundreth Sundrie Flowres, Bounde up in one small Poesie. Gathered partely (by translation) in the fyne outlandish Gardins of Euripides, Ovid, Petrarke, Ariosto, and others: and partly by invention, out of our owne fruitefull Orchardes in Englande … At London [1573]

Gascoigne, George, A Hundreth Sundrie Flowres, ed. by G. W. Pigman III, New York 2000

Greene

Robert Greene, Menaphon, 1589.

The Life and Complete Works of Robert Greene, ed. by Alexander B. Grosart. Huth Library 1881–86.

Lansdowne

British Library, Lansdowne Manucripts

Paradise

The Paradise of Dainty Devices (1576-1606), ed. by Hyder E. Rollins. Cambridge, 1927

Phoenix Nest

The Phoenix Nest, 1593, ed. by Hyder E. Rollins. Cambridge/Mass. 1931

PP = Passionate Pilgrime

The Passionate Pilgrime, 1599. Ed. by Sidney Lee. Oxford 1905

Posies

The Complete Works of George Gascoigne, ed. by John W. Cunliffe, vol. I. The Posies. Cambridge 1907

PRO

The National Archives (Public Record Office)

Steele Glass

The Complete Works of George Gascoigne, ed. by John W. Cunliffe, vol. II. Cambridge 1910

Tanner

Watson

Bodleian Library, MS Tanner 306. In: Grosart, Dr. Alexander B. Miscellanies of the Fuller Worthies' Library, Vol. IV (1872)

Thomas Watson, Hekatompathia, 1582