Note 1. Now what is Love, I pray thee, tell? Mr. Bullen says: “This poem originally appeared in The Phœnix’ Nest, 1593; it is also printed (in form of a dialogue) in England’s Helicon, 1600, and Davison’s Poetical Rhapsody, 1602. It is ascribed to Raleigh in a MS. list of Davison’s.” (Lyrics from the Elizabethan Song-Books.) As with Prof. Schelling, The Phœnix’ Nest has been inaccessible to me; I quote his note from A Book of Elizabethan Lyrics: “I can find this poem in neither Mr. Bullen’s ed. of England’s Helicon, nor in Nicholas’ ed. of the Rhapsody, moreover neither the older nor the newer ed. of Hannah’s Raleigh mentions it so far as I can discover. The poem does occur in Robert Jones’ Second Book, 1601 (see Bullen, ibid., p. 89), and also in Heywood’s Rape of Lucrece, 1609. I notice that Mr. Gosse appears recently to have accepted it as Heywood’s. (The Jacobean Poets, p. 121.) This seems highly improbable. In the absence of proofs I have no opinion to offer. The somewhat antiquated language, especially the sauncing bell, seems to suggest an early date, however.” [back]
Note 2. Sauncing bell: saints’-bell (quod ad sancta vocat); the little bell that called to prayers. Another form is “sacring bell,” the bell that is sounded at the elevation of the Host. (Bullen.) [back]
