Pilgrimage to Parnassus and Return from Parnassus: multiple references to Shakespeare

[folio 214 verso]

                             ragged companions I reward the poore ergoes moste boun=
                             tifullie, and send them away, I am verie latelie registred
                             in the roules of fame, in an Epigram made by a Cam=
                             bridge man our weauer fellow I parraut him, els
                             could he never haue had such a quick sight into my
                             ventures, howsoeuer I merit his praise: if I meet with him
                             I will vouchsafe to giue him condigne thankes.
                Ingen.   Great reason the Muses shoulde flutter about youre
                             immortall heade since your bodye is nothinge but a faire
                             Inne of fairer guestes that dwell therin, but you haue
                             digrest from your Mris, for whose sake you & I began
                             this parley
                Gullio.  Marrie well remembred, Ile repeat vnto you an enthu=
                             siasticall oration, wherwith my new Mistress ears were
                             verie lately made happie. the carriage of my body by
                             the reporte of my mistriss was excellent . I stood stroking
                             vp my haire, which became me very admirably, saue alow
                             cong.y at the beginninge of each period made euery
                             sentence end sweetly with an othe . It is part of an
                             Oratoure to persvade, & I know not how better , than
                             to conclude with such earnest protestations. suppose also
                             that thou wert my Mris as somtime woodde statues repre=
                             sent the goddesses, thus I woulde looke amorously, thus
                             I would pace, thus I woulde salute Her.
                Ingen.   It will be my lucke to dye noe other death, than by
                             hearinge of his follies, I feare this speach thats a comminge
                             will breede a deadly disease in my ears .
                Gullio.  Pardon faire Lady, thoughe sicke thoughted Gullio maks
                             a maine vnto thee, & like a bould faced sutore gins to woo
                             thee.
                Ingen.   we shall haue nothinge but pure Shakspeare, and shreds of
                             poetrie that he hath gathered at the theators.
                Gullio.  Pardon mee moy mittressa, as I am a gentleman the moone
                             in comparison of thy bright hue a meere slutt, Anthonies
                             Cleopatra a blacke browde milkmaide, Hellen a dowdie
                 Ingen:  Marke Romeo, and Iuliet. o monstrous theft I thinke he
                             will runn throughe a whole booke of Samuell Daniells
                 Gullio  Thrise fairer than my selfe, thus I began
                             the gods faire riches sweete aboue compare
                             staine to all Nimphes, ore louely the a man
                             More white and red than doues and roses are
                             Nature that made thee with herselfe had strife
                             faith that the worlde hath ending with thy life.
                Ingen:   Sweete Mr Shakspeare.
                Gullio   As I am a scholler these arms of mine are long and
                             strong withall.
                             Thus elms by vines are compast ere they falle.
                Ingen:   faith gentleman youre reading is wonderfull in our English
                             poettes.
                Gullio.  Sweet Mistress I vouchsafe to take some of there wordes and
                             applie them to mine owne matters by a scholasticall
                             imitation, Report thou vpon thy credit is not my vayne
                             in courtinge gallant, & honorable?
                Ingen:   Admirable sanes compare, neuer was soe mellifluous a witt
                             ioynet to so pure a phrase, such comly gesture, suche
                             gentleman like behauiour.
                Gullio   But stay ites verie true, good wittes haue badd memories
                             I had almoste forgotten the cheife pointe I cald thee out
                             for new years day approcheth, and wheras other gallantes
                             bestowe Jewells vpon there mistrisses (as I haue done
                             whilome) I now count it base. to do as the common people
                             doe, I will bestow vpon them the precious stons of my
                             witt a diamonde of invention, that shall be aboue all
                             value, & esteeme, therfore sithens I am employed in some
                             weightie affayrs of the courte I will haue thee Ingenioso
                             to make them, and when thou hast done, I will peruse
                            pollish, and correcte them /
                                                                                                           my

[folio 215 recto]

                   Ing       My pen is youre bounden vassall to commande but what
                               vayne woulde it please you to haue them in
                   Gullio   Not in a varie veine (pretlie y faith) make mee them
                               in two or three diuers vaynes in Chaucers, Gowers
                               and Spencers, and Mr Shakspeares, Marry I thinke
                               I shall entertaine those verses which run like these
                                         Even as the sunn with purple coloured face
                                               had tane his laste leaue on the weeping morne .etc.
                               O sweet Mr Shakspeare, Ile haue his picture in my
                               study at the courte.
                   Ingen:  Take heede my maisters hele kill you with tediousness
                               ere I can ridd him of the stage.
                   Gullio   Come let vs in Ile eate a bit of phesante & drincke
                               a cupp of wine in my cellar, & straight to the courte
                               Ile goe a count els and twoo Lordes expect mee
                               to day at dinner they are my very honorable
Enter Leonard          frendes I muste not disapointe them.
and Consiliodorus
               Leonard    Mr Cousiliodorus are you with in? god be here.
                  Consil:   What Leonarde, fill vs a cupp of beare for Leonard
                               what good news Leonarde?
              Leonarde   Oh I haue had great affliction since I sawe you
                                laste.Tib is fallen sore sicke of the Glanders,
                                and dun poore iade, I thinke he hath eaten a feather
                                but I haue letters for youe, and as manie commen=
                                dacions as there are greene grass betwixt you
                                and them, I told them of their hauioure I
                                warrant youe. I tolde them howe costlie there
                                nutreringe was, and they might by this time
                                if they had bene good boyes haue learned all
                                there bookes I chid them ronndlie without bawking
                                foor blowing at Tabecca, I toulde them plainely
                                it was nothing but a docke leafe, stept in a cham=
                                ber pott . and by cocke Mr. Consiliodorus I did
                                such good vpon them , that I thinke by this time
                                they are gone into the cuntrie to teache I
                                warrant Mr Philomusus will proue a greate clarke
                                he is such a readye man of his tongue, yet I
                                thinke Mr. Studioso is as well booklearned as he is
                  Consili:  I pray thee Leonarde goe in, and eate a bit of meate
                                Ile followe thee straighte.
               Leonard   God thanke youe Mr wee that are stirringe be=
                                times haue good stomackes, but Ile firste leade
                                my horses to the hay racke, they poore Iades are as
                                shallowe as a cloakbagg.
             Consiliod:   Hencforthe let none be sent by carefull syres
                                nor sonns no kinred to Parnassus hill
                                Since waywarde fortune thus rewardes our coste
                                with discontent, theire paines with pouertie
                                Mechanicke artes may smile, there followers laughe
                                but liberall artes Bewaile there destinie
                                since noe Mocenas in this niggard age
                                Guerdons they sonns of Muses, and of skill
                                My ioyless minde foretells this sad event
                                That learning needs muste leaue this duller clime
                                to be possest by rude simplicitie.

[folio 216 verso]

                                leaue, but litell learninge behinde mee vpon the eathe
                                well those verses haue purchast my implacable anger lett
                                mee heare youre other vayns.
                    Ingen:  Sir the worde as Chaucer vseth it, hark noe vnhonest
                                meaninge in it, for it signifieth a ieste.
                    Gullio   Hush Chaucer is a foole, and you are another for defendinge
                                of him.
                  Ingen:    Then you shall heare Specers veyne.
                                A gentle pen rides prickinge on the plaine
                                this paper plaine to resalute my loue
                    Gullio   Stay man, why thou haste a very lecherous witt, what
                                wordes are these ? though thou comes somwhat neare
                                witt to sett it downe soe plainlye, youe schollers
                                are simple felowes, men that never came where Ladies
                                growe, I that haue spente my life amonge them
                                knowes best what becometh my pen, and their Ladi=
                                shipps ears, let mee heare Mr Shakspears veyne .
                   Ingen:   Faire Venus queene of beutie, and of loue
                                thy red doth stayne the blushinge of the morne
                                thy snowie neck shameth the milke white doue
                                thy presence doth this naked worlde adorne
                                Gazinge on thee all other nymphes I scorne
                                when ere thou dyest slowe shine that satterday
                                Beutie and grace muste sleepe with thee for aye.
                   Gullio    Noe more I am one that can iudge accordinge to the proverbe
                                bonem ex vnguibus, ey marry Sir these haue some
                                life in them, let this dunissied world esteeme of Spencer
                                and Chaucer, Ile worshipp sweet Mr Shakspeare, and to
                                honoure him will lay his Venus, and Adonis vnder my
                                pillowe as wee reade of one (I do not well remember his
                                name) but I am sure he was a kinge, slept with Homer
                                vnder his beds heade well Ile bestowe a  frenche
                                crowne in the fair writinge of them out and then
                                Ile instructe thee about the deliuery of them, meane
                                while, Ile haue thee make an elegant description of
                                my Mistress, liken the worste part of her to Cynthhia
                                make also a familiar Dialogue betwixt her, and my
                                selfe, Ile now in, and correct these verses.
                   Ingen:   Why who coulde endure this post put into a sattin sute
                                this haberdasher of lyes, this Bracchidochio, this Ladye
                                munger, this meere rapier, and dagger, this cringer,
                                this foretopp, but a man there ordaynd to miserie
                                well madame pecunia, onc more for thy sake will
                                I waite on this truncke, and with soothinge him vpp
                                in time will leaue him a greater foole than I
                                founde him.      exit
         Enter warden
                                Mass maisters the case is alterd with mee since I
                                was here laste, they call mee noe more plaine Will
                                nor William, nor goodman Percevall, but Mr war=
                                den at euerye worde, well if yee please mee well
                                you may happ make the bells speake somtime for
          Enter Philo:     this. but stay I seeke our Sexton, and yonder he
                                is. Now good Sexton, I am as tirde as anye of my
                                pluge iades with enquiringe you. you shoulde haue
                                pearde for Mr Maior his maistershipp, for wott
                                you what. the parish haue put vp a subligation
                                against you, & say you are the moste vnnegligent
                                Sexton that euer came these 40 years, and vpwardes
                                                                                                            for