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The Shepheardes Calender

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The Shepheardes Calender
by Edmund Spenser

First published in 1579, this transcription is of the first edition. The copy transcribed is thought to be a very early one, as it features an uncorrected numbering of folio 49 as 94. [Based on A Critical Bibliography of the Works of Edmund Spenser printed before 1700 (1933), by Francis Rarick Johnson, pp. 2-3]

504551The Shepheardes CalenderEdmund Spenser

The
Shepheardes Calender

Conteyning twelue Æglogues proportionable
to the twelue monethes.

Entitled
To the Noble and Vertvous
Gentleman most worthy of all titles
both of learning and cheualrie M.
Philip Sidney.
(·.·)

At London.
Printed by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in
Creede Lane neere vnto Ludgate at the
Signe of the gylden Tunne, and
are there to be solde.

1579.

TO HIS BOOKE.

Goe little booke: thy selfe present
As child whose parent is vnkent:
To him that is the president
Of noblesse and of cheualree,
And if that Enuie barke at thee,
As sure it will, for succoure flee
Vnder the shadow of his wing,
And asked, who thee forth did bring,
A shepheards swaine saye did thee sing,
All as his straying flocke he fedde:
And when his honor has thee redde,
Craue pardon for my hardyhedde.
But if that any aske thy name,
Say thou wert base begot with blame:
For thy thereof thou takest shame.
And when thou art past ieopardee,
Come tell me, what was sayd of mee:
And J will send more after thee.

Jmmeritô.

Imprinted at London by Hugh
Singleton, dwelling in Creede lane
at the signe of the gylden
Tunn neere vnto
Lndgate.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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