# The Shepheardes Calender/Nouember

Nouember.
Ægloga vndecima.
ARGVMENT.
Jn this xi. Æglogue he bewayleth the death of some mayden of greate bloud, whom he calleth Dido. The personage is secrete, and to me altogether vnknowne, albe of him selfe I often required the same. This Æglogue is made in imitation of Marot his song, which he made vpon the death of Loys the frenche Queene. But farre passing his reache, and in myne opinion all other the Eglogues of this booke.
Colins Embleme.
La mort ny mord.
GLOSSE.
Iouisaunce) myrth.
Souenaunce) remembraunce.
Herie) honour.
Welked) shortned or empayred. As the Moone being in the waine is sayde of Lidgate to welk.
In lowly lay) according to the season of the moneth Nouember, when the sonne draweth low in the South toward his Tropick or returne.
In fishes haske) the sonne, reigneth that is, in the signe Pisces all Nouember. a haske is a wicker pad, wherein they vse to cary fish.
Virelaies) a light kind of song.
Bee watred) For it is a saying of Poetes, that they haue dronk of the Muses well Castlias, whereof was before sufficiently sayd.
Dreriment) dreery and heauy cheere.
The great shepheard) is some man of high degree, and not as some vainely suppose God Pan. The person both of the shephearde and of Dido is vnknowen and closely buried in the Authors conceipt. But out of doubt I am, that it is not Rosalind, as some imagin: for he speaketh soone after of her also.
Shene) fayre and shining.
May) for mayde.
Tene) sorrow.
Guerdon) reward.
Bynempt) bequethed.
Cosset) a lambe brought vp without the dam.
Vnkempt) Incōpti Not comed, that is rude & vnhansome.
Melpomene) The sadde and waylefull Muse vsed of Poets in honor of Tragedies: as saith Virgile Melpomene Tragico proclamat mæsta boatu.
Vp griesly gosts) The maner of Tragicall Poetes, to call for helpe of Furies and damned ghostes: so is Hecuba of Euripides, and Tantalus brought in of Seneca. And the rest of the rest.
Herse) is the solemne obsequie in funeralles.
Wast of) decay of so beautifull a peece.
Carke) care.
Ah why) an elegant Epanorthosis. as also soone after. nay time was long ago.
Flouret) a diminutiue for a little floure. This is a notable and sententious comparison A minore ad maius.
Reliuen not) liue not againe. s. not in theyr earthly bodies: for in heauen they enioy their due reward.
The braunch) He meaneth Dido, who being, as it were the mayne braunch now withered the buddes that is beautie (as he sayd afore) can no more flourish.
With cakes) fit for shepheards bankets.
Heame) for home. after the northerne pronouncing.
Tuict) deyed or stayned.
The gaudie) the meaning is, that the things, which were the ornaments of her lyfe, are made the honor of her funerall, as is vsed in burialls.
Lobbin) the name of a shepherd, which seemeth to haue bene the louer & deere frende of Dido.
Rushrings) agreeable for such base gyftes
Faded lockes) dryed leaues. As if Nature her felfe bewayled the death of the Mayde.
Sourse) spring.
Mantled medowes) for the sondry flowres are like a Mantle or couerlet wrought with many colours.
Philomele) the Nightingale. whome the Poetes faine once to haue bene a Ladye of great beauty, till being rauished by hir sisters husbande, she desired to be tur​ned into a byrd of her name. whose complaintes be very well set forth of Ma. George Gaskin a wittie gentleman, and the very chefe of our late rymers, who and if some partes of learning wanted not (albee it is well knowen he altogyther wanted not learning) no doubt would haue attayned to the excellencye of those famous Poets. For gifts of wit and naturall promptnesse appeare in hym aboundantly.
Cypresse) vsed of the old Paynims in the furnishing of their funerall Pompe. and properly the of all sorow and heauinesse.
The fatall sisters) Clotho Lachesis and Atropodas, ughters of Herebus and the Nighte, whom the Poetes fayne to spinne the life of man, as it were a long threde, which they drawe out in length, till his fatal howre & timely death be come; but if by other casualtie his dayes be abridged, then one of them, that is Atropos, is sayde to haue cut the threde in twain. Hereof commeth a common verse.
Clotho colum baiulat, lachesis trahit, Atrhpos occat.
O trustlesse) a gallant exclamation moralized with great wisedom and passionate wyth great affection.
Beare) a frame, wheron they vse to lay the dead corse.
Furies) of Poetes be feyned to be three, Persephone Alecto and Megera, which are sayd to be the Authours of all euill and mischiefe.
Eternall might) Is death or darknesse of hell.
Betight) happened,
I see) A liuely Icon, or representation as if he saw her in heauen present.
Elysian fieldes) be deuised of Poetes to be a place of pleasure like Paradise, where the happye soules doe rest in peace and eternal happynesse.
Dye would) The very epresse saying of Plato in Phædone.
Astert] befall vnwares.
Nectar and Ambrosia) be feigned to be the drink and foode of the gods: Ambrosia they liken to Manna in scripture and Nectar to be white like Creme, whereof is a proper tale of Hebe, that spilt a cup of it, and stayned the heauens, as yet appeareth. But I haue already discoursed that at large in my Commentarye vpon the dreames of the same Authour.
Meynt) Mingled.
Embleme.
Which is as much to say, as death biteth not. For although by course of nature we be borne to dye, and being ripened with age, as with a timely haruest, we must be gathered in time, or els of our selues we fall like rotted ripe fruite fro the tree: yet death is not to be counted for euil, nor (as the Poete sayd a little before) as doome of ill desert) For though the trespasse of the first man brought death in to the world, as the guerdon of sinne, yet being ouercome by the death of one, that dyed for al, it is now made (as Chaucer sayth) the grene path way to lyfe. So that it agreeth well with that was sayd, that Death byteth not (that is) hurteth not at all.