of "The Complaint of Poetrie for
the death of Liberalitie," 4to. 1598, and others published at the same
time, reprints of which are in the British Museum; also "The Encomium
of Lady Pecunia, or the Praise of Money," a curious manuscript in the
Ashmolean Museum, and likewise printed in the author's life-time. It
should be mentioned that in the original copies of the following tract
are a few hexameter verses on the Rape of Helen, which have been omitted
as of an inferior kind to the other part of the work, and for still more
obvious reasons. The "Affectionate Shepherd" itself will be found
remarkably free from the coarseness which disfigures so much of the
Elizabethan literature,--an additional inducement, if any were
necessary, for rescuing it from the liability to destruction which is of
course incident to any book of such excessive rarity. Our thanks are due
to the Rev. H. Christmas, Librarian of Sion College, for the courtesy
and liberality with which he permitted our transcript to be made from a
volume of tracts possessing the greatest charm for the bibliographer;
for besides the present one, it contains the first edition of
Shakespeare's Lucrece, and several other pieces of nearly equal value,
in the finest possible condition.

THE

AFFECTIONATE SHEPHEARD.

CONTAINING THE COMPLAINT OF DAPHNIS FOR
THE LOUE OF GANYMEDE.

_Amor plus mellis, quam fellis, est._

London:

Printed by John Danter, for T. G. and E. N., and
are to bee sold in Saint Dunstones
Church-yeard in Fleetstreet.

1594.

TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND MOST BEAUTIFULL LADY,
THE LADIE PENELOPE RITCH.

Fayre lovely ladie, whose angelique eyes
Are vestall candles of sweet beauties treasure,
Whose speech is able to inchaunt the wise,
Converting joy to paine, and paine to pleasure;
Accept this simple toy of my soules dutie,
Which I present unto thy matchles beautie.

And albeit the gift be all too meane,
Too meane an offring for thine ivorie shrine;
Yet must thy beautie my just blame susteane,
Since it is mortall, but thyselfe divine.
Then, noble ladie, take in gentle worth
This new-borne babe, which here my muse brings forth.

Your Honours most affectionate and
perpetually devoted Shepheard:

DAPHNIS.