The Poet Laureates Of England

By John Dryden

There are some offices of State which seem to carry a burden of culture that quite often humbles or crushes the holder. Being appointed a modern Poet Laureate has often been a difficult one. But the office itself goes back many centuries – informally to the time of Chaucer in 1389 and followed thereafter by a number of ‘volunteer laureates’. It was formally assigned to Ben Jonson in 1617 and, as a Royal office by letters patent in 1670 to John Drydon. It is a rich, rewarding history that bursts with the words, flavours and visions of many great poets. As we go through these collection we not only alight upon the great works of Alfred Austin and Alfred Lord Tennyson but those with which we might be a little more unfamiliar. William Davenant, Samuel Daniel, John Skelton, Robert Bridges. It is an unbroken line of works that bind poetry and poets to a Nations soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Copyright Group
• Release date: Jan 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781783947966

Book preview

The Poet Laureates Of England – Volume 1

There are some offices of State which seem to carry a burden of culture that quite often humbles or crushes the holder. Being appointed a modern Poet Laureate has often been a difficult one. But the office itself goes back many centuries – informally to the time of Chaucer in 1389 and followed thereafter by a number of ‘volunteer laureates’. It was formally assigned to Ben Jonson in 1617 and, as a Royal office by letters patent in 1670 to John Drydon. It is a rich, rewarding history that bursts with the words, flavours and visions of many great poets. As we go through these collections we not only alight upon the great works of Alfred Austin and Alfred Lord Tennyson but those with which we might be a little more unfamiliar: William Davenant, Samuel Daniel, John Skelton, Robert Bridges. It is an unbroken line of works that bind poetry and poets to a Nations soul.

Many of these poems are also available as an audiobook. Many of the individual Poets are also available, with a wider selection of works, as both ebooks and audiobooks.

We publish a large range of other works under our imprints: Portable Poetry, Word Of Mouth, Miniature Masterpieces, Stage Door.

Index Of Poems

JOHN SKELTON

My Darling Dear, My Daisy Flower by John Skelton

Mannerly Margery Milk And Ale by John Skelton

A Prayer To The Father Of Heaven by John Skelton

EDMUND SPENSER

Easter by Edmund Spenser

Amoretti (Extract) By Edmund Spenser

Prosopopoia: or Mother Hubbard's Tale by Edmund Spenser

The Shepheardes Calender: October by Edmund Spenser

A Hymn Of Heavenly Beauty by Edmund Spenser

SAMUEL DANIEL

I Must Not Grieve My Love by Samuel Daniel

Beauty, Time, And Love by Samuel Daniel

Musophilus Containing A General Defence Of All Learning (extract) by Samuel Daniel

BEN JONSON

The Forest Song to Celia by Ben Jonson

To Heaven by Ben Jonson

Carol by Ben Jonson

The Masque of Christmas by Ben Jonson

On My First Son by Ben Jonson

WILLIAM DAVENANT

Morning Song by William Davenant

Ladies In Arms by William Davenant

To A Mistress Dying by William Davenant

Praise and Prayer by William Davenant

To The Queen by William Davenant

A Song by William Davenant

JOHN DRYDEN

A Song For St Cecilia's Day by John Dryden

Incantation To Oedipus by John Dryden

Hymn For St John’s Eve, 29th June by John Dryden

Ah How Sweet It Is To Love by John Dryden

Happy The Man by John Dryden

Farewell Ungrateful Traitor by John Dryden

THOMAS SHADWELL

Dear Pretty Youth by Thomas Shadwell

Prepare, Prepare by Thomas Shadwell

Nymphs And Shepherds by Thomas Shadwell

NAHUM TATE

Whilst Shepherds Watch'd by Nahum Tate

The Introduction by Nahum Tate

The Tea-Table by Nahum Tate

NICHOLAS ROWE

The Brave by Nicholas Rowe

Jane Shore, A Tragedy (excerpt) by Nicholas Rowe

Colins Complaint by Nicholas Rowe

LAURENCE EUSDEN

The Origin Of The Knights Of The Bath, (extract) by Laurence Eusden

A Poem Inscribed To The Queen by Laurence Eusden

COLLEY CIBBER

The Blind Boy by Colly Cibber

WILLIAM WHITEHEAD

The Je Ne Sais Quoi by William Whitehead

The Youth And The Philosopher by William Whitehead

THOMAS WARTON

To the River Lodon by Thomas Warton

Ode to Sleep by Thomas Warton

Solitude at an Inn by Thomas Warton

The Pleasures of Melancholy by Thomas Warton

HENRY JAMES PYE

Ode To Beauty by Henry James Pye

Ode To Liberty by Henry James Pye

Song: The Flowers Of The Spring That Enamel The Vale by Henry James Pye

The Myrtle And The Bramble, A Fable by Henry James Pye

The Fading Gleam Of The Parting Day by Henry James Pye

ROBERT SOUTHEY

Poems on the Slave Trade - Sonnet I by Robert Southey 

Poems On The Slave Trade - Sonnet II by Robert Southey 

Poems On The Slave Trade - Sonnet III by Robert Southey 

Poems On The Slave Trade - Sonnet IV by Robert Southey 

To Mary Wollstonecraft by Robert Southey 

To a Goose by Robert Southey 

JOHN SKELTON

John Skelton was born in 1490 and appointed by Henry 8th as Poet Laureate in 1513 or 1514.  A playright and a poet   He died on the 21st of June 1529.

My Darling Dear, My Daisy Flower by John Skelton

With lullay, lullay, like a child,

Thou sleepèst too long, thou art beguiled!

'My darling dear, my daisy flower,

Let me,' quoth he, 'lie in your lap.'

'Lie still,' quoth she, 'my paramour,

Lie still hardily, and take a nap.'

His head was heavy, such was his hap,

All drowsy, dreaming, drowned in sleep,

That of his love he took no keep,

With hey, lullay, etc.

With ba, ba, ba, and bas, bas, bas!

She cherished him both cheek and chin

That he wist never where he was;

He had forgotten all deadly sin!

He wanted wit her love to win:

He trusted her payment and lost all his pay;

She left him sleeping and stale away,

With hey, lullay, etc.

The rivers rough, the waters wan;

She sparèd not to wet her feet.

She waded over, she found a man

That halsèd her heartily and kissed her sweet;

Thus after her cold she caught a heat.

'My lief,' she said, 'rowteth in his bed;

Iwys he hath an heavy head,'

With hey, lullay, etc.

What dreamest thou, drunkard, drowsy pate?

Thy lust and liking is from thee gone;

Thou blinkard blowboll, thou wakèst too late;

Behold thou liest, luggard, alone!

Well may thou sigh, well may thou groan,

To deal with her so cowardly.

Ywis, pole-hatchet, she blearèd thine eye! 

Mannerly Margery Milk And Ale by John Skelton

Ay, beshrew