The Complete Poems of Richard Barnfield/From England's Helicon
V. FROM ENGLAND'S HELICON.
1600.
Note.—From "England's Helicon:" 1600 (Sign H. 1 and 2). Like "As it fell vpon a day," as it appears in E. H. "The Vnknowne Sheepheards Complaint" is signed Ignoto; but seeing that "As it fell vpon a day" is known from other sources to be Barnefield's, its heading, "Another of the same Sheepheards," enables us to redeem "The Vnknowne Sheepheards Complaint" for Barnefield. This is done for the first time, but it is clear that the somewhat ill-informed editor of "England's Helicon" (John Bodenham?), though for the moment unaware (or uncertain) of the authorship of either, did know that both belonged to the same Author. See our Introduction on "As it fell vpon a day." Sonnet XV. of the Sonnets with "Cynthia," &c. (p. 91), also appears as "The Shepheards Sonnet" in "England's Helicon," (p. 2), with only slight changes, e.g. in line 1 'My' for 'Ah,' 'Ganimede' for 'Ganymede,' 'swaines' for 'swains.' His name 'Rich. Barnefield' is added to it.—G.