The Poems of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

by Henry Howard

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Genres: Poetry, Classics, 16th Century

268 pages

First published January 1, 1880

About the author

earl of Surrey, knight of the Garter, an English aristocrat, and one of the founders of Renaissance poetry in England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_H...

Reviews

[Shane Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after seeing one of its poems excerpted by a modern author, and I enjoyed reading it but it was a challenge. A lot of these poems are difficult to read due to the way that the words were spelled. Here are a few excerpts for example:

It semde vnhap had him long hatched

In middes of his dispayres.

As one forlorne was he;

Vpon his heade alwaies he ware

A wreath of wilow tree.

His beastes he vept vpon the hyll,

..

Our coostes to them contrarie be thei aie,

I craue of God; that our streames to ther fluddes;

Arrnes vnto arrnes; & of springe of ech race!

...

This saing, sche hir hid in the clos nycht.

Than terrible flguris apperis to my sycht

Of greit goddis, semand with Troy aggrevit

And tho beheld I all the citie mischevit,

Fair Ilion all fall in gledis doun,

And, fra the soill, grete Troy, Neptunus toun.

Ourtumbllt to the ground.

Personally I'm familiar enough with Early Modern English spelling that reading the book this way wasn't impossible, but I'd recommend most people find a book with modernized spelling. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd done so myself.

[Jen Well-Steered · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely an 'only read it if you're really interested in the history of poetry' kind of book, especially since it doesn't seem to be available with modern spelling. I found I had to read the first 20 pages or so out loud just to understand it. After that it becomes comprehensible.

The version I had was also 60% his translations of the Aenied and the bible, so go ahead and skip those unless again you're really interested in observing the history of rhyme and poetic meter in action.

What I found most interesting about it is how little English has changed in the past 500 years or so, aside from the spelling. Once you get the hang of it, the words are nearly all recognisable to a 21st century audience.

[Amaranta · Rating 3 out of 5]

So cruel prison how could betide, alas,
As proud Windsor, where I in lust and joy
With a king's son my childish years did pass
In greater feast than Priam's sons of Troy?

[Onur · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the place of Howard's "So cruel prison how could betide"