# The Shepheardes Calender/October

October.
Ægloga decima.
ARGVMENT.
In Cuddie is set out the perfecte paterne of a Poete, whishe finding no maintenaunce of his state and studies, complayneth of the contempte of Poetrie, and the causes thereof: Specially hauing bene in all ages, and euen amōgst the most barbarous alwayes of singular accounpt & honor, & being indede so worthy and commendable an arte: or rather no arte, but a diuine gift and heauenly instinct not to bee gotten by laboure and learning, but adorned with both: and poured into the witte by a certaine Ένθουσιασμὸς and celestiall inspiration, as the Author hereof els where at large discourseth, in his booke called the English Poete, which booke being lately come to my hands, I mynde also by Gods grace vpon further aduisement to publish.
Cuddies Embleme.
Agitante calescimus illo &c.
GLOSSE.
This Æglogue is made in imitation of Theocritus his xvi. Idilion, wherein hee reproued the Tyranne Hiero of Syracuse for his nigardise towarde Poetes, in whome is the power to make men immortal for theyr good dedes, or shameful for their naughty lyfe. And the lyke also is in Mantuane, The style hereof as also that in Theocritus, is more loftye then the rest, and applyed to the heighte of Poeticall witte.
Cuddie] I doubte whether by Cuddie be specified the authour selfe, or some other. For ​in the eyght Æglogue the same person was brought in, singing a Cantion of Colins making, as he sayth. So that some doubt, that the persons be different.
Whilome) sometime.
Oaten reedes) Auena.
Ligge so layde) lye so saynt and vnlustye.
Dapper) pretye.
Frye) is a bold Metaphore, forced from the spawning fishes. for the multitude of young fish be called the frye.
To restraine:) This place seemeth to conspyre with Plato, who in his first booke de Legibus sayth, that the first inuention of Poetry was of very vertuous intent. For at what time an infinite number of youth vsually came to theyr great solemne feastes called Panegyrica, which they vsed euery fiue yeere to hold, some learned man being more hable thē the rest, for speciall gyftes of wytte and Musicke, would take vpon him to sing fine verses to the people, in prayse eythet of vertue or of victory or of immortality or such like. At whose wonderful gyft al men being astonied and as it were rauished, with delight, thinking (as it was indeed) that he was inspired from aboue, called him vatem: which kinde of men afterwarde framing their verses to lighter musick (as of musick be many kinds, some sadder, some lighter, some martiall, some heroical: and so diuersely eke affect the mynds of mē) found out lighter matter of Poesie also, some playing wyth loue, some scorning at mens fashions, some powred out in pleasures, and so were called Poetes or makers.
Sence bereaue) what the secrete working of Musick is in the myndes of men, aswell appeareth hereby, that some of the auncient Philosophers, and those the moste wise, as Plato and Pythagoras held for opinion, that the mynd was made of a certaine harmonie and musicall nombers, for the great compassion & likenes of assection in thone and in the other as also by that memorable history of Alexander: to whom when as Timotheus the great Musitian playd the Phrygian mclodie, it is said, that he was distraught with such vnwonted fury, that streight way rysing from the table in great rage, he caused himselfe to be armed, as ready to goe to warre (for that musick is very war like:) And immediatly whenas the Musitian chaunged his stroke into the Lydian and Ionique harmony, he was so furr from warring, that he sat as styl, as if he had bene in mattes of counsell. Such might is in musick. wherefore Plato and Aristotle forbid the Aradian Melodie from children and youth. for that being altogither on the fyft and vij, tone, it is of great force to molifie and quench the kindly courage, which vseth to burne in yong brests. So that it is not incredible which the Poete here sayth, that Musick can bereaue the soule of sence.
The shepheard that) Orpheus: of whom is sayd, that by his excellent skil in Musick and Poetry, he recouered his wife Eurydice from hell.
Argus eyes) of Argus is before said, that Iuno to him committed hir husband Iupiter his Paragon Iô, bicause he had an hundred eyes: but afterwarde Mercury wyth hys Musick lulling Argus aslepe, slew him and brought Iô away, whose eyes it is sayd that Inno for his eternall memory placed in her byrd the Peacocks tayle. for those coloured spots indeede resemble eyes.
Woundlesse armour) vnwounded in warre, doe rust through long peace.
Display) A poeticall metaphore: whereof the meaning is, that if the Poet list showe his ​skill in matter of more dignitie, then is the homely Æglogue, good occasion is him offered of higher veyne and more Heroicall argument, in the person of our most gratious soueraign, whō (as before) he calleth Elisa. Or if matter of knighthoode and cheualrie please him better, that there be many Noble & valiaunt men, that are both worthy of his payne in theyr deserued prayses, and also fauourers of hys skil and faculty.
The worthy) he meaneth (as I guesse) the most honorable and renowmed the Erle of Leycester, whō by his cognisance (although the same be also proper to other) rather then by his name he bewrayeth, being not likely, that the names of noble princes be known to country clowne.
Slack) that is when thou chaungest thy verse from stately discourse, to matter of more pleasaunce and delight.
The Millers) a kind of daunce.
Ring) company of dauncers.
The Romish Tityrus) wel knowē to be Virgile, who by Mecænas means was brought into the fauour of the Emperor Augustus, and by him moued to write in loftier kinde, then he erst had doen.
Whereon) in these three verses are the three seuerall workes of Virgile intended. For in teaching his flocks to feede, is meant his Æglogues. In labouring of lands, is hys Bucoliques. In singing of wars and deadly dreade, is his diuine Æneis figured.
In derring doe) In manhoode and cheualrie.
But after) he sheweth the cause of contempt of Poetry to be idlenesse and basenesse of mynd.
Pent) shut vp in slouth, as in a coope or cage.
Tom piper) An Ironicall Sacrasmus, spoken in derision of these rude wits, whych make more account of a ryming rybaud, then of skill grounded vpon learning and iudgment.
Ne brest) the meaner sort of men.
Her peeced pineons) vnperfect skil. Spoken wyth humble modestie.
As soote as Swanne) The comparison seemeth to be strange: for the swanne hath euer wonne small commendation for her swete singing: but it is sayd of the learned that the swan a little before hir death, singeth most pleasantly, as prophecying by a secrete instinct her neere destinie As wel sayth the Poete elswhere in one of his sonetts.
Immortall myrrhour) Beauty, which is an excellent obiect of Poeticall spirites, as appeareth by the worthy Petrachs saying.
A caytiue corage) a base and abiect minde.
For lofty loue) I think this playing with the letter to be rather a sault then a figure, aswel in our English tongue, as it hath bene alwayes in the Latine, called Cacozelon.
A vacant) imitateth Mantuanes saying. va cuum curis diuina cerebrum Poscit.
Lauish cups) Resembleth that comen verse Fæcundi calices quem non fecere disertum.
O if my) He seemeth here to be rauished with a Poetical furie. For (if one rightly mark) the numbers rise so ful, & the verse groweth so big, that it seemeth he hath forgot the meanenesse of shepheards state and stile.
Wild yuie) for it is dedicated to Bacchus & therefore it is sayd that the Mænades (that is Bacchus franticke priestes) vsed in theyr sacrifice to carry Thyrsos, which were pointed staues or Iauelins, wrapped about with yuie.
In buskin) it was the manerof Poetes & plaiers in tragedies to were buskins, as also in Comedies to vse stockes & light shoes. So that the buskin in Poetry is vsed for tragical matter, as it said in Virgilc. Sola sophocleo tua carmina digna cothurno. And the like in Horace, Magnum loqui, nitique cothurno.
Queint) strange Bellona; the goddesse of battaile, that is Pallas, which may therefore wel be called queint for that (as Lucian saith) when Iupiter hir father was in traueile of her, he caused his sonne Vulcane with his axe to hew his head. Out of which leaped forth lustely a valiant damsell armed at all poyntes, whom seeing Vulcane so faire & comely, lightly leaping to her, proferred her some cortesie, which the Lady disdeigning, shaked her speare at him, and threatned his saucinesse. Therefore such straungenesse is well applyed to her.
Æquipage.) order.
Tydes) seasons.
Charme) temper and order. for Charmes were wont to be made by verses as Ouid sayth.Aut si carminibus.
Embleme.
Hereby is meant, as also in the whole course of this Æglogue, that Poetry is a diuine instinct and vnnatural rage passing the reache of comen reason. Whom Piers answereth Epiphonematicos as admiring the excellencye of the skyll whereof in Cuddie hee hadde alreadye hadde a taste.