Since my late setting foorth of the Faerie Queene, finding that it hath
found a favourable passage amongst you, I have sithence endevoured by
all good meanes, (for the better encrease and accomplishment of your
delights,) to get into my handes such smale poemes of the same Authors
as I heard were disperst abroad in sundrie hands, and not easie to bee
come by by himselfe; some of them having bene diverslie imbeziled and
purloyned from him, since his departure over sea. Of the which I have
by good meanes gathered togeather these fewe parcels present, which I
have caused to bee imprinted altogeather, for that they al seeme to
containe like matter of argument in them, being all complaints and
meditations of the worlds vanitie, verie grave and profitable. To which
effect I understand that he besides wrote sundrie others, namelie:
_Ecclesiastes_ and _Canticum Canticorum_ translated, _A Senights
Slumber, The Hell of Lovers, his Purgatorie_, being all dedicated to
ladies, so as it may seeme he ment them all to one volume: besides some
other pamphlets looselie scattered abroad; as _The Dying Pellican, The
Howers of the Lord, The Sacrifice of a Sinner, The Seven Psalmes_, &c.,
which, when I can either by himselfe or otherwise attaine too, I meane
likewise for your favour sake to set foorth. In the meane time, praying
you gentlie to accept of these, and graciouslie to entertaine the new
Poet*, I take leave.
[* Spenser had printed nothing with his name before the Faerie
Queene.—Ponsonby’s account of the way in which this volume was
collected is rather loose. The Ruins of Time and The Tears of the Muses
were certainly written shortly before they were published, and there
can be equally little doubt that Mother Hubberd’s Tale was retouched
about the same time. C.]