Sonnets: Includes the Amour & Idea Sonnet Cycles
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Michael Drayton was born in 1563 at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. The facts of his early life remain unknown. Drayton first published, in 1590, a volume of spiritual poems; The Harmony of the Church. Ironically the Archbishop of Canterbury seized almost the entire edition and had it destroyed. In 1593 he published Idea: The Shepherd's Garland, 9 pastorals celebrating his own love-sorrows under the poetic name of Rowland. This was later expanded to a 64 sonnet cycle. With the publication of The Legend of Piers Gaveston, Matilda and Mortimeriados, later enlarged and re-published, in 1603, under the title of The Barons' Wars. His career began to gather interest and attention. In 1596, The Legend of Robert, Duke of Normandy, another historical poem was published, followed in 1597 by England's Heroical Epistles, a series of historical studies, in imitation of those of Ovid. Written in the heroic couplet, they contain some of his finest writing. Like other poets of his era, Drayton wrote for the theatre; but unlike Shakespeare, Jonson, or Samuel Daniel, he invested little of his art in the genre. Between 1597 and 1602, Drayton was a member of the stable of playwrights who worked for Philip Henslowe. Henslowe's Diary links Drayton's name with 23 plays from that period, and, for all but one unfinished work, in collaboration with others such as Thomas Dekker, Anthony Munday, and Henry Chettle. Only one play has survived; Part 1 of Sir John Oldcastle, which Drayton wrote with Munday, Robert Wilson, and Richard Hathwaye but little of Drayton can be seen in its pages. By this time, as a poet, Drayton was well received and admired at the Court of Elizabeth 1st. If he hoped to continue that admiration with the accession of James 1st he thought wrong. In 1603, he addressed a poem of compliment to James I, but it was ridiculed, and his services rudely rejected. In 1605 Drayton reprinted his most important works; the historical poems and the Idea. Also published was a fantastic satire called The Man in the Moon and, for the for the first time the famous Ballad of Agincourt. Since 1598 he had worked on Poly-Olbion, a work to celebrate all the points of topographical or antiquarian interest in Great Britain. Eighteen books in total, the first were published in 1614 and the last in 1622. In 1627 he published another of his miscellaneous volumes. In it Drayton printed The Battle of Agincourt (an historical poem but not to be confused with his ballad on the same subject), The Miseries of Queen Margaret, and the acclaimed Nimphidia, the Court of Faery, as well as several other important pieces. Drayton last published in 1630 with The Muses' Elizium. Michael Drayton died in London on December 23rd, 1631. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, in Poets' Corner. A monument was placed there with memorial lines attributed to Ben Jonson.
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Sonnets - Michael Drayton
Sonnets by Michael Drayton
Michael Drayton was born in 1563 at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. The facts of his early life remain unknown.
Drayton first published, in 1590, a volume of spiritual poems; The Harmony of the Church. Ironically the Archbishop of Canterbury seized almost the entire edition and had it destroyed.
In 1593 he published Idea: The Shepherd's Garland, 9 pastorals celebrating his own love-sorrows under the poetic name of Rowland. This was later expanded to a 64 sonnet cycle.
With the publication of The Legend of Piers Gaveston, Matilda and Mortimeriados, later enlarged and re-published, in 1603, under the title of The Barons' Wars. His career began to gather interest and attention.
In 1596, The Legend of Robert, Duke of Normandy, another historical poem was published, followed in 1597 by England's Heroical Epistles, a series of historical studies, in imitation of those of Ovid. Written in the heroic couplet, they contain some of his finest writing.
Like other poets of his era, Drayton wrote for the theatre; but unlike Shakespeare, Jonson, or Samuel Daniel, he invested little of his art in the genre. Between 1597 and 1602, Drayton was a member of the stable of playwrights who worked for Philip Henslowe. Henslowe's Diary links Drayton's name with 23 plays from that period, and, for all but one unfinished work, in collaboration with others such as Thomas Dekker, Anthony Munday, and Henry Chettle. Only one play has survived; Part 1 of Sir John Oldcastle, which Drayton wrote with Munday, Robert Wilson, and Richard Hathwaye but little of Drayton can be seen in its pages.
By this time, as a poet, Drayton was well received and admired at the Court of Elizabeth 1st. If he hoped to continue that admiration with the accession of James 1st he thought wrong. In 1603, he addressed a poem of compliment to James I, but it was ridiculed, and his services rudely rejected.
In 1605 Drayton reprinted his most important works; the historical poems and the Idea. Also published was a fantastic satire called The Man in the Moon and, for the for the first time the famous Ballad of Agincourt.
Since 1598 he had worked on Poly-Olbion, a work to celebrate all the points of topographical or antiquarian interest in Great Britain. Eighteen books in total, the first were published in 1614 and the last in 1622.
In 1627 he published another of his miscellaneous volumes. In it Drayton printed The Battle of Agincourt (an historical poem but not to be confused with his ballad on the same subject), The Miseries of Queen Margaret, and the acclaimed Nimphidia, the Court of Faery, as well as several other important pieces.
Drayton last published in 1630 with The Muses' Elizium.
Michael Drayton died in London on December 23rd, 1631. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, in Poets' Corner. A monument was placed there with memorial lines attributed to Ben Jonson.
Index of Contents
SONNETS FROM THE 1594 EDITION
TO THE DEERE CHYLD OF THE MUSES, AND HIS EVER KIND MECÆNAS, MASTER ANTHONY COOKE, ESQ
AMOUR I
AMOUR II
AMOUR III
AMOUR IV
AMOUR V
AMOUR VI
AMOUR VII
AMOUR VIII
AMOUR IX
AMOUR X
AMOUR XI
AMOUR XII
AMOUR XIII
AMOUR XIV
AMOUR XV
AMOUR XVI
AMOUR XVII
AMOUR XVIII
AMOUR XIX
AMOUR XX
AMOUR XXI
AMOUR XXII
AMOUR XXIII
AMOUR XXIV
AMOUR XXV
AMOUR XXVI
AMOUR XXVII
AMOUR XXVIII
AMOUR XXIX
AMOUR XXX
AMOUR XXXI
AMOUR XXXII
AMOUR XXXIII
AMOUR XXXIV
AMOUR XXXV
AMOUR XXXVI
AMOUR XXXVII
AMOUR XXXVIII
AMOUR XL
AMOUR XLI
AMOUR XLII
AMOUR XLIII
AMOUR XLIV
AMOUR XLV
AMOUR XLVI
AMOUR XLVII
AMOUR XLVIII
AMOUR XLIX
AMOUR L
AMOUR LI
SONNETS FROM THE 1599 EDITION
SONNET I
SONNET III
SONNET IX
SONNET XI - To the Moone
SONNET XXI
SONNET XXIII - To the Spheares
SONNET XXVII
SONNET XXXIV - To Admiration
SONNET XLIII
SONNET XLIV
SONNET XLV
SONNET LV
SONNET LVI - A Consonet
SONNET LVII - To Lucie, Countesse of Bedford
SONNET LVIII - To the Lady Anne Harington
SONNETS FROM THE 1602 EDITION
SONNET XII - To Lunacie
SONNET XVII
SONNET XXV - To Folly
SONNET XXVII
SONNET XXXI
SONNET XLI
SONNET LXIII - To the High and Mighty Prince, James, King of Scots
SONNET LXVI - To the Lady L.S.
SONNETS FROM THE 1605 EDITION
SONNET XLIII
SONNET XLVI
SONNET XLVII
SONNET L
SONNET LI
SONNET LVII
SONNET LVIII - Sir Walter Aston, Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath & My Most Worthy Patron
IDEA – AN ELIZABETHAN SONNET CYCLE
TO THE READER OF THESE SONNETS
IDEA I
IDEA II
IDEA III
IDEA IV
IDEA V
IDEA VI
IDEA VII
IDEA VIII
IDEA IX
IDEA X
IDEA XI
IDEA XII - TO THE SOUL
IDEA XIII - TO THE SHADOW
IDEA XIV
IDEA XV - HIS REMEDY FOR LOVE
IDEA XVI - AN ALLUSION TO THE PHOENIX
IDEA XVII - TO TIME
IDEA XVIII - TO THE CELESTIAL NUMBERS
IDEA XIX - TO HUMOUR
IDEX XX
IDEA XXI
IDEA XXII – TO FOLLY
IDEA XXIII
IDEA XXIV
IDEA XXV
IDEA XXVI - TO DESPAIR
IDEA XXVII
IDEA XXVIII
IDEA XXIX - TO THE SENSES
IDEA XXX - TO THE VESTALS
IDEA XXXI - TO THE CRITICS
IDEA XXXII - TO THE RIVER ANKOR
IDEA XXXIII - TO IMAGINATION
IDEA XXXIV - TO ADMIRATION
IDEA XXXV - TO MIRACLE
IDEA XXXVI - CUPID CONJURED
IDEA XXXVII
IDEA XXXVIII
IDEA XXXIX
IDEA XL
IDEA XLI - LOVE'S LUNACY
IDEA XLII
IDEA XLIII
IDEA XLIV
IDEA XLV
IDEA XLVI
IDEA XLVII
IDEA XLVIII
IDEA XLIX
IDEA L
IDEA LI
IDEA LII
IDEA LIII - ANOTHER TO THE RIVER ANKOR
IDEA LIV
IDEA LV
IDEA LVI - AN ALLUSION TO THE EAGLETS
IDEA LVII
IDEA LVIII
IDEA LIX - TO PROVERBS
IDEA LX
IDEA LXI
IDEA LXII
IDEA LXIII
Michael Drayton – A Short Biography by Cyril Brett
A Chronology of Michael Drayton’s Life and Works
Michael Drayton – A Concise Bibliography. The Major Works
SONNETS FROM THE 1594 EDITION
TO THE DEERE CHYLD OF THE MUSES, AND HIS EVER KIND MECÆNAS, MASTER ANTHONY COOKE, ESQ
Vovchsafe to grace these rude vnpolish'd rymes,
Which long (dear friend) haue slept in sable night,
And, come abroad now in these glorious tymes,
Can hardly brook the purenes of the light.
But still you see their desteny is such,
That in the world theyr fortune they must try,
Perhaps they better shall abide the tuch,
Wearing your name, theyr gracious liuery.
Yet these mine owne: I wrong not other men,
Nor trafique further then thys happy Clyme,
Nor filch from Portes, nor from Petrarchs pen,
A fault too common in this latter time.
Divine Syr Phillip, I auouch thy writ,
I am no Pickpurse of anothers wit.
Yours devoted,
M. DRAYTON.
AMOUR I
Reade heere (sweet Mayd) the story of my wo,
The drery abstracts of my endles cares,
With my lives sorow enterlyned so;
Smok'd with my sighes, and blotted with my teares:
The sad memorials of my miseries,
Pend in the griefe of myne afflicted ghost;
My lives complaint in doleful Elegies,
With so pure love as tyme could never boast.
Receaue the incense which I offer heere,
By my strong fayth ascending to thy fame,
My zeale, my hope, my vowes, my praise, my prayer,
My soules oblation to thy sacred name:
Which name my Muse to highest heaven shal raise
By chast desire, true love, and vertues praise.
AMOUR II
My fayre, if thou wilt register my love,
More then worlds volumes shall thereof arise;
Preserve my teares, and thou thy selfe shall prove
A second flood downe rayning from mine eyes.
Note but