Chapter I: Nosce Teipsum

NOTE.

'Nosce Teipsum' was originally published in 1599 (4to). The following is its title-page and collation:

Nosce teipsum

_This Oracle expounded in two
Elegies_

1. Of Humane knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie
thereof.

[Wood-engraving of an anchor within a
border and the motto Anchora Spei.]

London,
Printed by _Richard Field_ for _Iohn Standish_,
1599. [4to.]

Title-page--Dedication pp. 2--Of humane Knowledge pp. 1-8--Of the soule of man and the immortalitie thereof pp. 9-101. A second edition appeared in 1602, whereof the following are title-page and collation:--

Nosce teipsum,

_This Oracle expounded in two
Elegies_.

1. Of Humane knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie
thereof.

_Newly corrected and amended._

London,
Printed by _Richard Field_ for _Iohn Standish_.
1602. [4to.]
Title-page--Dedication pp. 2, signed 'Dauys':
poem pp. 101.

A third edition was issued in 1608. I give its title-page also:

Nosce teipsum

_This Oracle expounded in two
Elegies_.

1. Of Humane Knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man and the immortalitie
thereof.

_Written by_ Sir Iohn Davis, _his Maiesties
Atturney generall in Ireland_.

London,
Printed by Henry Ballard for
_Iohn Standish_. 1608. [4to.]

Collation same with the others, _supra_.

The next edition known to me, bears the date of 1618, along with Orchestra and Hymnes to Astræa: and the last during the life-time of the Author, was in the sm. 8vo of 1622, which volume contained the same Poems with that of 1618.

* * * * *

Our text is a faithful reproduction, including the significant and suggestive italics, of the last edition published by Sir John Davies, viz., that of 1622, with the few various readings from the first and subsequent editions. The following is the title-page and collation of 1622 edn.

_Nosce Teipsum_

This Oracle expounded in two
_Elegies_.

1. Of Humane Knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie
thereof.

Hymnes of _Astræa_ in
Acrosticke Verse.

ORCHESTRA,

OR,

_A Poeme of Dauncing_.

In a Dialogue betweene _Penelope_
and one of her Wooers.

_Not finished._

* * * * *

London,

Printed by _Augustine Mathewes_ for _Richard
Hawkins_, and are to be sold at his Shop in
Chancery Lane, neere Serieants
Inne. 1622. [8vo.]

Title-page--Dedic^{n} pp 2--Of Humane Knowledge pp 1-8--Of the Soule of Man and the Immortalitie thereof pp 9-81. Hymnes pp 20 [unpaged]--Orchestra pp 47 [unpaged].

In my first edition of Sir John Davies' Poems in the Fuller Worthies' Library, I printed, perhaps with too hasty decision, at the bottom of each page, certain slight MS. notes written by the famous Bp. Hacket, in his copy of Nosce Teipsum (1599). When it was too late to stop progress, the mere curiosity of the jottings was perceived. I do not deem it expedient to reproduce them here; but a specimen may be acceptable, and here and there in the places, a few. I limit myself to the Dedication:

Heading, 'soveraigne': Emmanuel [but Elizabeth was meant].

L. 1, 'maiestie': Elizabetha: and near it [meaningless] Richar[d] Yeorck.

L. 1, 'North': Scotland [but erased], and so against 'sunne' (l. 2) James, but erased.

L. 3, 'heauenly worth': Shewes for thy glory.

L. 5, 'alone': Supported by none but God.

L. 6, 'great States': Great affaires.

L. 8, 'the Almightie's hand': Per me reges regnant et dixi dii estis.

L. 10, 'Nature's dowre': Arte's excellence the gift of nature.

L. 13, 'Great Spirit': Deus.

L. 16, 'Cynthia': Luna.

L. 30, 'angell': Angellus Pommi.

L. 32, 'angell': [Greek: [Ag]gellos Phôtos].

L. 33, 'Heauen': Superior: to the higher heauen.

L. 34, 'heauen': Inferior.

These suffice to show how carefully, if not always accurately, the good Bishop read the poem, but also how unimportant his notes are. On the title-page opposite the words "This Oracle," &c., is written "written in the temple of Apollo, letters commendatory." On _verso_ of the title-page, is this memorandum by a former owner: "This Edition is extremely scarce. Vide Smith's Catgue. Iron Bridge, 1822. Pr. O. 16. O. This Book came out of Mr. Hacket's Library, a Descendant of Bp. Hacket, whose Book it was, and the MS. notes are by him." The book is now in the library of my excellent fellow-collector, G. W. Napier, Esq., of Merchiston House, Alderley Edge, Manchester, to whom I owe its re-use, as well as of other early editions of Davies. G.

I. $Royal Dedication$

TO MY MOST GRACIOVS DREAD SOVERAIGNE.

_To that cleere maiestie which in the North
Doth, like another Sunne in glory rise;
Which standeth fixt, yet spreads[55] her heauenly worth;
Loadstone to hearts, and loadstarre to all eyes._

_Like Heau'n in all; like th' Earth in this alone,
That though[56] great States by her support doe stand,
Yet she herselfe supported is of none,
But by the finger of the Almightie's hand:_

_To the diuinest and the richest minde,
Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dowre,
That euer was from Heau'n to Earth confin'd,
To shew the vtmost of a creature's power:_

_To that great Spirit,[57] which doth great kingdomes mooue,
The sacred spring whence $right$ and $honor$ streames,
Distilling $Vertue$, shedding $Peace$ and $Loue$,
In euery place, as $Cynthia$ sheds her beames:_

_I offer up some sparkles of that fire,
Whereby wee $reason, liue, and moue, and be$;
These sparkes by nature euermore aspire,
Which makes them to so $high$ an $highnesse$ flee._

_Faire $Soule$, since to the fairest body knit,[58]
You giue such liuely life, such quickning power,
Such sweet celestiall influences to it,[59]
As keepes it still in youth's immortall flower:_

_(As where the sunne is present all the yeere,
And neuer doth retire his golden ray,
Needs must the Spring bee euerlasting there,
And euery season like the month of May.)_

_O! many, many yeeres may you remaine,
A happy angell to this happy Land;
Long, long may you on Earth our empresse raigne,
Ere you in Heauen a glorious angell stand._

_Stay long (sweet spirit) ere thou to Heauen depart,
Which mak'st each place a heauen wherein thou art._

Her Maiestie's least and vnworthiest Subiect[60]

IOHN DAVIES.[61]

[Footnote 55: Spreds in 1st edn. G.]

[Footnote 56: Thomas Davies, as before, misprints 'thro.' G.]

[Footnote 57: Bp. Hacket writes 'Deus' against 'Spirit': but perhaps the Queen only was (flatteringly) intended, as her poetic name of Cynthia would seem to indicate. This word 'Spirit' is misprinted by Thomas Davies and by Southey and usually, 'spring'. G.]

[Footnote 58: Misprinted by Davies and Southey, as before, 'join'd'. G.]

[Footnote 59: Davies and Southey misread

'And influence of such celestial kind'

which I find supported by none of the author's own texts. G.]

[Footnote 60: Davies and Southey, as before, misread 'Her Maiesty's Devoted Subject and Servant' from Tate (1697). See our Memorial-Introduction. G.]

[Footnote 61: In 1599 edition 'Dauies,' and in 1608 edition 'Davis' and also in its title-page: in 1622 edition, as above. G.

[asterism]: TATE, and after him THOMAS DAVIES, dates this Dedication 'July 11th, 1592.' It is possible that the 'Poem' was then in manuscript: but it was not printed or published until 1599, and there is no date to the Dedication either in that edition or in those of 1602, 1608 or 1622. G.]