The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5

The Poetical Works of Edmund
Spenser, Volume 5

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Spenser,
Volume 5, by Edmund Spenser, Edited by Francis J. Child This eBook
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Title: The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5
Author: Edmund Spenser
Release Date: January 5, 2004 [EBook #10602]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE
POETICAL WORKS
OF
EDMUND SPENSER.
VOLUME V.

M.DCCC.LX.
CONTENTS
OF THE FIFTH VOLUME.
* * * * *
MISCELLANIES.
Complaints
The Ruines of Time The Teares of the Muses Virgils Gnat Prosopopoia:
or Mother Hubberds Tale Ruines of Rome: by Bellay Muiopotmos: or
the Fate of the Butterflie Visions of the Worlds Vanitie The Visions of
Bellay The Visions of Petrarch
Daphnaida
Amoretti
Epithalamion
Prothalamion
Fowre Hymnes
Epigrams
Sonnets
APPENDIX.
I. Variations from the Original Editions
II. Two Letters from Spenser to Harvey
III. Index of Proper Names
* * * * *
MISCELLANIES.

COMPLAINTS.
CONTAINING SUNDRIE SMALL POEMES OF THE WORLDS
VANITIE:
WHEREOF THE NEXT PAGE MAKETH MENTION.
BY ED. SP.
* * * * *
LONDON:
IMPRINTED FOR WILLIAM PONSONBIE, DWELLING IN
PAULES CHURCHYARD AT THE SIGNE OF THE BISHOPS
HEAD.
1591.
* * * * *
A NOTE OF THE SUNDRIE POEMES CONTAINED IN THIS

VOLUME.
1. The Ruines of Time.
2. The Teares of the Muses.
3. Virgils Gnat.
4. Prosopopoia, or Mother Hubberds Tale.
5. The Ruines of Rome: by Bellay.
6. Muiopotmos, or The Tale of the Butterflie.
7. Visions of the Worlds Vanitie.
8. Bellayes Visions.
9. Petrarches Visions.
* * * * *
THE PRINTER TO THE GENTLE READER.
Since my late setting foorth of the Faerie Queene, finding that it hath
found a favourable passage amongst you, I have sithence endevoured
by all good meanes, (for the better encrease and accomplishment of
your delights,) to get into my handes such smale poemes of the same
Authors as I heard were disperst abroad in sundrie hands, and not easie
to bee come by by himselfe; some of them having bene diverslie
imbeziled and purloyned from him, since his departure over sea. Of the
which I have by good meanes gathered togeather these fewe parcels
present, which I have caused to bee imprinted altogeather, for that they
al seeme to containe like matter of argument in them, being all
complaints and meditations of the worlds vanitie, verie grave and
profitable. To which effect I understand that he besides wrote sundrie
others, namelie: Ecclesiastes and Canticum Canticorum translated, _A
Senights Slumber, The Hell of Lovers, his Purgatorie_, being all
dedicated to ladies, so as it may seeme he ment them all to one volume:
besides some other pamphlets looselie scattered abroad; as _The Dying
Pellican, The Howers of the Lord, The Sacrifice of a Sinner, The Seven
Psalmes_, &c., which, when I can either by himselfe or otherwise
attaine too, I meane likewise for your favour sake to set foorth. In the
meane time, praying you gentlie to accept of these, and graciouslie to
entertaine the new Poet*, I take leave.
[* Spenser had printed nothing with his name before the Faerie
Queene.--Ponsonby's account of the way in which this volume was
collected is rather loose. The Ruins of Time and The Tears of the
Muses were certainly written shortly before they were published, and

there can be equally little doubt that Mother Hubberd's Tale was
retouched about the same time. C.]

THE RUINES OF TIME.
DEDICATED
TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND BEAUTIFULL LADIE,
THE LA: MARIE,
COUNTESSE OF PEMEBROOKE.
Most honourable and bountifull Ladie, there bee long sithens deepe
sowed in my brest the seede of most entire love and humble affection
unto that most brave knight, your noble brother deceased; which, taking
roote, began in his life time somewhat to bud forth, and to shew
themselves to him, as then in the weakenes of their first spring; and
would in their riper strength (had it pleased High God till then to drawe
out his daies) spired forth fruit of more perfection. But since God hath
disdeigned the world of that most noble spirit which was the hope of all
learned men, and the patron of my young Muses, togeather with him
both their hope of anie further fruit was cut off, and also the tender
delight of those their first blossoms nipped and quite dead. Yet, sithens
my late cumming into England, some frends of mine, which might
much