PRE FACE. The present work, the first of its kind in Great Britain, was originally published in 1843. It was designed and commenced by the late Dr ROBERT CHAMBERS-always zealous and indefatigable, as he was successful, in the promotion of literature and public improvement. The work was undertaken for the purpose of supplying what was considered a deficiency in the literature addressed at that time to the great body of the people-namely, a chronological series of extracts from our national authors -a concentration of the best productions of English intellect, from Anglo-Saxon to recent times, set, as it were, in a popular biographical history of our literature. Great efforts had previously been made for the diffusion of useful knowledge, and for popularising scientific information ; but there was no work, at once cheap and comprehensive, which sought to bring the treasures of imaginative and historical literature within the reach of the busy mercantile and industrial classes of society. This CYCLOPÆDIA, which aimed at supplying the want, was received with great favour, both in this country and in America. Gratifying proofs of its usefulness have been received from various quarters and from numerous readers, who have acknowledged that their earliest love of literature, and their veneration for our great authors from CHAUCER to WORDSWORTH, were first called forth by the successive monthly parts of this work. After the lapse of fifteen years, during which literature and literary information had greatly increased, a Second Edition of the CYCLOPÆDIA was issued, bringing it down to the year 1858. This edition also was highly successful. A further interval of eighteen years having taken place, a Third Edition is now offered to the public, carefully revised, continuing the extracts and biographical notices to the present time. One distinguishing feature of this period has been the advance in American literature. The New World has nobly vindicated its claim to be associated with the Old in the arts which dignify and adorn social life; and there only wants an international law of copyright to completely assimilate and do equal justice to British and American authors. It would have been impossible to have rendered the present work as complete as it now appears, without the sanction of living authors and publishers, proprietors of copyrights; and the great liberality and courtesy with which permission to make extracts has been granted, demands the grateful acknowledgments of the Editor and Publishers. It remains to be added that, for the revision of the second and third editions of the work, we have been indebted to ROBERT CARRUTHERS, LL.D., of Inverness, whose excellent literary knowledge and taste are conspicuously observable in the present improved edition. W. & R. C. EDINBURGH, March 1876. CONTENTS OF FIRST VOLUME. PAGR ALEXANDER BARCLAY (died in 1552). JOHN SKELTON (circa 1460—1529). EARL OF SURREY (circa 1517–1546).. The Means to attain a Happy Life. Extract from Translation of Virgil. Pleasure is mixed with every Pain.. Of the Mean and Sure Estate....... LORD Vaux (circa 1510—1557) and other Court Poets Amantium Iræ Amoris Redintegratio Est. Praise of his Lady, by G. BOLEYN........ THOMAS TUSSER (circa 1515--1580).. ENGLISH LANGUAGE-THE GAEL AND CYMRY. Extracts from BEOWULF and JUDITH. Extracts from Cædmon's Creation ALFRED THE GREAT (with Extracts).. 3 ALFRIC, CANUTE, THE SAXON CHRONICLE. ODE ON THE BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH. ANGLO-NORMAN OR Semi-Saxon Writers. WACE, LAYAMON, &c. (with Extracts).. SONG, “Summer is Coming in'-Squire of Low Degree...... 6 THOMAS OF ERCILDOUN-HAVELOK, THE DANE England and the Normans about 1300... The Muster for the First Crusade. Interview of Vortigern with Rowen LAWRENCE Minot, Richard Rolle, William LANGLAND 10 How Edward the King came to Brabant Extracts from Piers the Plowman 14 The Knight, the Squire, the Prioress The Monk, Friar, Franklin, Wise of Bath, Poor Parson ... 17 Extracts from the Tales of the Knight, the Man of Law, the Franklin, and Wife of Bath.. On Gathering and Using Riches. Oldest Fragment of Scottish Poetry Jons Barbour (circa 1316—1395).. ANDREW WYNTOUN (died after 1420).. Macbeth and the Weird Sisters. JOHN FORDUN (died about 1385). SIR JOHN DE MANDEVILLE (circa 1300-1372).... JAMES I. OF SCOTLAND (1394-1437).. James I., a Prisoner in Windsor, first sees Lady Jane Beau- fort, who afterwards was his Queen. Extract from Christ's Kirk of the Green .. BLIND HARRY (died after 1492)... Adventure of Wallace while fishing in Irvine Water. HOLLAND-ROBERT HENRYSON (died about 1490). 42 42 Extract from The Town and Country Mouse... WILLIAM DUNBAR (circa 1400-1520). The Merle and Nightingale....... The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins.. Tidings fra' the Session. .... GAVIN (or GAWAIN) Douglas (circa 1474-1522).. Description of Morning in May.. Sir David LYNDSAY (circa 1490--1555).. SECOND PERIOD. 1400—1558 : HENRY IV. TO QUEEN ELIZABETH. THOMAS OCCLEVE (circa 1370—1454) JOHN LYDXATE (1373–1460) Description of a Silvan Retreat.. The London Lyckpenny... 30 30 30 31 82 87 Sır PHILIP SIDNEY (1554-1586)... Four Sonnets.... SIR JOHN FORTESCUE (1395–1485). EDMUND SPENSER (circa 1553–1599). Una and the Red-cross Knight.. What Harm would come to England if the Commons were Poor? 54 Adventure of Una with the Lion..... Bishop Pecock (circa 1390—1460).. 55 Sir THOMAS MALORY (Acts of King Arthur, 1469). WILLIAM CAXTON (circa 1412——1491). 56 Fable of the Oak and the Brier.. 56 Extract from the Epithalamium.. 56 Robert SOUTHWELL (1560-1595).. ENGLISH CHRONICLERS-ROBERT FABIAN (circa 1450–1512), The Image of Death.. and EDWARD Hall (circa 1499-1547).... Scene in the Council-room of the Protector Gloucester ....... 58 William WARNER (1558—1609). Specimen of More's Juvenile Poetry, note Epigram of a New-married Student, note.. Epistle to the Countess of Cumberland... Sheep-masters Decayers of Husbandry. 60 Richard II. the Morning before his Murder.. The Utopian Idea of Pleasure.... MICHAEL DRAYTON (circa 1563—1631). BISHOP JOHN FISHER (1459-1535).. 62 Description of a Stag-hunt... Habits of a Pious Lady of Rank. 62 Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood... SIR THOMAS Elyor (circa 1495–1546). 62 The Queen of the Fairies visiting Pigwiggen. BISHOP LATIMER (circa 1485—1555). EDWARD Fairfax (died after 1631)... Armida and her Enchanted Girdle. Germany made a Mingle-mangle of their Religion. Bishop Latimer gives place to Robin Hood's men SIR JOHN HARRINGTON (circa 1561-1612).. Goodwin Sands and Tenderden Steeple.... Epigrams: Of Treason, Of Fortune, &c. The Devil the most Diligent Preacher. WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE (1564-1616). JOHN LELAND (circa 1506—1552), and GEORGE CAVENDISH King Henry's Visits to Wolsey's House Venus's Prophecy after the Death of Adonis LORD BERNERS (circa 1474—1532). 66 Sir John Davies (1570—1626).. Edward IV. and the Countess of Salisbury Reasons for the Soul's Immortality.. EDWARD VERE, EARL OF OXFORD (circa 1540–1604). WILLIAM TYNDALE (circa 1477–1536). The Magnificat and Lord's Prayer.. SIR EDWARD DYER (circa 1540—1607), Part of St Matthew's Gospel... 68 THOMAS STORER (died in 1604). Passage from Book of Genesis.. 69 Address to Bishop Valentine. Valediction-Forbidding Mourning. Sir THOMAS WILSON (circa 1520-1581). Simplicity of Style Recommended.. Interview with Lady Jane Grey.... Study should be relieved by Amusement. JOHN MARSTON (died about 1634), THOMAS CHURCHYARD Occupations should be chosen suitable to the Natural (1520-1604), GEORGE TUBERVILLE (circa 1530 – 1594). THOMAS WATSON (circa 1557-1592), and Henry Cox- JOHN BELLENDEN (circa 1495—1550). 72 From Farewell to Town......... THOMAS LODGE (circa 1555—1625), and RICHARD BARNFIELD (died after 1598)... Love-Two Short Poems... ..103 THOMAS SACKVILLE, LORD BUCKHURST (1527—1608)........ 73 CHRISTOPHER Marlowe (1564-1593), and SIR WALTER Characters from the Mirror for Magistrates... 73 RALEIGH (1552-1618)... ......103 Duke of Buckingham in the Infernal Regions... 75 The Passionate Shepherd to his Love.. ..103 JOHN HARRINGTON (1534-1582)... 75 The Nymph's Reply.... .103 Sonnet on Isabella Markham.. 75 Raleigh's Verses before his Execution... ..106 ARTHUR BROOKE (died about 1563). 75 Passions are likened best to Floods and Streams. ....106 Friar Lawrence..... 75 Two Sonnets by Raleigh.. ......106 Love of Romeus and Juliet... 75 The Pilgrimage.. . 107 The Nurse to Romeus... 76 On Sir Philip Sidney.. ..107 George GASCOIGNE (circa 1535–1577).. 76 The Lie... .. 107 The Country Gentlemen and Squires.. 76 Joshua SYLVESTER (1563-1618).. ....108 Satire on the Court Ladies.. 76 Satan's Temptation of Eve... ...... 108 The Arraignment of a Lover.. .... 77 Morning-The Sun-Plurality of Worlds.. ......102 .....108 ...109 THOMAS Kyd (temp. Elizabeth)... The Sweet Neglect.–From The Silent Woman. Thomas Nash (circa 1564—1600). Hymn to Diana.–From Cynthia's Revels. To Night.–From The Vision of Delight.. Robert GREENE (circa 1560-1592) Sephestia's Song to her Child, 11ο The Shepherd and his Wife... On the Portrait of Shakspeare.. III THOMAS LODGE (circa 1555–1625)... SIR JOHN BEAUMONT (1582—1628).... CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE (1564–1593).. Richard III.'s Address to his Troops at Bosworth. FRANCIS BEAUMONT (1586—1616)... Passages from the Jew of Malta.... ..112 Scene from Edward II.... On the Tombs in Westminster... ..112 Description of Tamburlaine. ..II2 The Nobles remonstrate with Edward II. Sir HENRY WOTTON (1568—1639).. ANTHONY MUNDAY (1554-1633), and HENRY CHETTLE (died The Character of a Happy Life. To his Mistress the Queen of Bohemia. Scene from Arden of Feversham ........... PHINEAS FLETCHER (1584–1650), and Giles FLETCHER (circa Picture of a Gambler.... William SHAKSPEARE (1564-1616). Decay of Human Greatness......... Garden Scene in Romeo and Juliet.. .115 Moonlight with fine Music..... The Sorceress of Vain Delight. 116 Hamlet's Soliloquy on Death. Mark Antony over Cæsar's Body. .117 Bolingbroke's Entry into London. ALEXANDER SCOTT (To the Queen, 1562). SIR RICHARD MAITLAND (1496–1586). ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY (died about 1607). A Simpleton and a Braggadocio... Extract from The Cherry and the Slae.. Bobadil's Plan for Saving the Expense of an Army. ALEXANDER HUME (circa 2560—1609).. Advice to a Reckless Youth................. Extracts from the Day Estival.. Court MASKS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. ........158 Extracts—Venus and the Graces, &c... THE EARL OF ANCRUM (1578--1654), and the EARL OF FRANCIS BEAUMONT (1586–1616), and John FLETCHER (1576 ..120 .161 Grief of Aspatia...... ..163 The River of Forth Feasting.. Palamon and Arcite... ..164 Pastoral Love ..... Epitaph on Prince Henry. ..165 ..123 Five Sonnets.. Perigot and Amoret.. ..165 ..123 Sir Robert AYTON (1570-1638). Melancholy --From Nice Valour. .166 123 On Woman's Inconstancy. Song.–From The False One .166 123 The Forsaken Mistress.... The Power of Love.-From Valentinian.. .166 123 166 George BUCHANAN (1506--1582), and DR ARTHUR JOHNSTON To Sleep-Song to Pan-Song from Rollo. (1587–1641)..... GEORGE CHAPMAN (1557–1634).. ..167 124 Extracts from Bussy d'Ambois... ..167 THOMAS DEKKER (died about 1641).. ..167 DRAMATISTS. Short Extracts.. 168 JOHN HEYWOOD (died in 1565), and BISHOP BALE (1495 Picture of Court-life.... 168 -1563)... .125 JOHN WEBSTER (early half of 17th century). ..169 NICHOLAS UDALL (1504–1556), and JOHN STILL (1543—1607).125 Funeral Dirge for Marcello.... ..169 Extract from Roister Doister.. 126 Scene from the Duchess of Malfi. Jolly Good Ale and Old... 126 Death of the Duchess, and Dirge.. THOMAS NORTON (1532—1584). .126 THOMAS MIDDLETON (died in 1627). . 170 Extracts from Gorboduc. 126 Happiness of Married Life... .171 RICHARD EDWARDS (circa 1523–1566), GEORGE WHETSTONE Witches going about the Caldron. ..171 (temp. Elizabeth), &c... ..127 Flight of the Witches, and Song. ....171 JOHN LYLY (circa 1553—1601). .128 JOHN MARSTON (died in 1634).. Cupid and Campaspe..... 128 The Scholar and his Dog... ......172 Two Songs ..... 129 Prologue from Antonio and Mellida.. George Peele (circa 1558-1598). . 129 Short Extracts : Day Breaking-One who died Slandered- Apostrophe to England.... ..129 Wherein Fools are Happy... 173 Prologue to King David and Fair Bethsabe. .129 ROBERT TAYLOR-WILLIAM ROWLEY-CYRIL TOURNEUR (all Parable of Nathan and David.... 130 temp. James I.)......... ..........173 Song, Cupid's Curse'.... .131 Scene from the Witch of Edmontox ..........................873 . . I21 ..122 ..169 .....172 .172 |
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