The Poets, Isabella Whitney, Anne Dowriche, Elizabeth Melville [Colville], Aemilia Lanyer, Rachel Speght, Diane Primrose and Anne, Mary and Penelope Grey

Printed Writings 1500–1640: Series I, Part Two, Volume 10

Betty S. Travitsky, Susanne Woods

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781351884051
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

Isabella Whitney is the earliest Englishwoman known to have written original secular poetry in English for publication. The Copy of a Letter contains four poems written in the personae of persons jilted in love. The only known copy of this volume is held at the Bodleian Library and is reproduced here. Whitney's second collection A Sweet Nosgay contains poetry in traditional stanzas and in prose format. Reproduced here is the unique copy held at the British Library. The French Historie by Anne Dowriche takes as its subject three events from the religious wars in France: the affair of the Rue St Jacques (1557); the Martyrdom of Annas Burgeus (1559) and the St Bartholomew's Massacre (1572). Her work takes as its source Thomas Tymme's The Three Partes of Commentaries, Containing the whole and perfect discourse of the Civill warres in Fraunce (1574). We reproduce here the fine copy of The French Historie held at the Huntington Library and also append two short poems thought to be hers. Ane Godlie Dreame, Compylit in Scottish Meter is Elizabeth Melville's first person account of a pilgrim who is guided through the afterworld. While many of the variations in the different editions are merely accidental, there are some substantial changes. As an aid to bibliographic study of the poem therefore, copies of the following four editions are reproduced here: 1603 National Library of Scotland; 1604 National Library of Scotland; 1606 Huntington Library; 1620 British Library. Aemilia Lanyer was the first woman writing in English to produce a substantial volume of poetry designed to be printed and to attract patrongage. The Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum was published in 1611 and contains a series of poems to individual patrons, two short prose dedications, a title poem on Christ's passion and the first country house poem printed in English. The volume is arguably the first genuinely feminist publication in England: all its dedicatees are women and the poem on the passion argu

Salve Devs Rex Ivdæorv (STC 15227.5) is reproduced here, by permission, from the Huntington Library copy, call number RB 62139. The text block of the original is 85 × 142 mm.

SALVE DEVS
REX IVDÆORVM.

Containing,

1 The Passion of Christ.

2 Eues Apologie in defence of Women;

3 The Teares of the Daughters of Jerusalem.

4 The Salutation and Sorrow of the Virgine Marie.

With diuers other things not unfit to be read.

Written by Mistris Æmilid Lanyer, Wife to Captaine Alfonso Lanyer Sentant to the Kings Majestie.

AT LONDON

Printed by Valentine Simmes for Richard Bonian, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Churchyard, at the Signe of the Floure de Luce and Crowne. 1611.

To the Queenes most
Excellent Majestie.

REn owned Emprejsse, and great Britaines Queene,

Most grations Mother of succeeding Kings;

Vouchsafe to view that which is seldome seene,

A Vomans writing of diuinest things:

Reade it faire Queene, though it defetliue be,

Your Excellence can grace both It and Mee.

For yon have risled Nature of her store,

And all the Goddesses have dispossest

Of these rich gifts which they enioy’d before,

But now great Quecne, jn yon they all doe rest.

If now they striued for the golden Ball,

Paris would gine it you before them all.

From Inno you have State and Dignities,

From warlike Pallas, Wisdome, Fortitude;

And from faire Venus all her Excellencies,

With their best parts your Highnesse is indu’d:

How much are we to honor those that springs

From such rare beauty, in the blood of Kings?

The Muses doe attend upon your Throne,

With all the Artists at your becke and call;

The Syluaue Gods, and Satyres euery one,

Before your faire triumphant Chariot fall:

And shining Cynthia with her nymphs attend

To honour you, whose Honour hath no end.

From your bright spherare of greatnes where you sit,

Reflecting light to all those glorious stars

That wait upon your Troavie; To virtue yet

Vouchsafe that splendor which my meannesse bars:

Be like faire Pho be, who doth loue to grace

The darkest nigh: with her most beautcous face.

Apollo’s beames doc comfort every creature,

And shires upon the mearnest things that be;

Since in Estate and Viritue none is greater,

I humbly wist that yours way light on me:

That so these rude unpollisht lines of mine

Graced by you many seeme the more dinine.

Locke in this Mirreur of a worthy Mind,

Where some of your save Virtnes will appeare;

Though all it is impossible to find,

Unlesse my Glasse necleryshall, or more cleare:

Which is dymistecle, yet full of spotlesse truth,

And for on clooke from your faire eyes it saith.

Here may your sered Maiestie behold

That mightie Monarch both of heau and earth,

He that all Nations of the world controld,

Yet tooke our flesh in base and mearest berth:

Whose daies were spent in peuerty and sorrow,

Andy et all Kings their wealth of him do borrow,

For he is Crowne and Crowner of all Kings.

The hopefull haven of the meaner sort,

Its he that allour joyfull tidings brings

Of happie raigne within his royall Court:

It the that inextremity can give

Comfort to them that have to time to line:

And since my wealth within his Region stands,

And that his Crosse my chiefest comfort is,

Tea in his kingdome onely rests my lands,

Of honour there I hove I shall not misse:

Though I on earth doe liue unfortunate,

Yet there I may at t aine a bet ter state.

In the meane time, accept most gratious Qucene

This holyworke, Virtne presents to you,

In poore app irell shaming to be seene,

Or once t’appeare in your indicrall view:

But that faire Virtue, though in meane aittire,

All Princes of the world doc most desire.

And sith all royall virtues are in you.

The Naturall, the Morall, and Diuine.

I hope how plaine foeuer, beeing true,

You will accept euen of the west line

Faire virtue yeelds; by whose rare gifts you are

So highly grac’d, t’exceed the fairest faire.

Behold great Queene, faire Eues Apologie,

Which I have writ in honour of your sexe,

And doe referre unto your Maiestic,

To iudge if it agre...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Original Copyright Page
• Preface by the General Editors
• Introductory Notes
• Isabella Whitney
• Anne Dowriche
• Elizabeth Melville [Colville]
• Aemilia Lanyer
• Rachel Speght
• Diana Primrose
• Appendix:
• Anne, Mary and Penelope Grey