Imprinted at London by
John Windet.
1594.
The poem in which the reference occurs is in the form of a dialogue between H. W. and W. S. The first initials probably stand for Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, to whom Shakespeare dedicated his two poems of “Venus and Adonis” and “Lucrece”; the W. S. plainly indicates William Shakespeare. The 44th canto opens with a preface, in which H. W. is infected with a passion for Avisa: not being able to endure the secret of his fervent desire, he confides his wish to W. S., who had likewise “tried the curtesie of the like passion.” Thus this miserable comforter comforting his friend with an impossibility, either that he would now secretly laugh at his friend’s folly that had given occasion not long before unto others to laugh at his own, or because he would see whether another could play his part better than himself, and, in viewing afar off the course of this loving comedy, he determined to see whether it would sort to a happier end for this new actor than it did for the old player. But at length this Comedy had like to have grown a Tragedy by the weak and feeble estate that H. W. was brought unto.
In some verses attached to this poem is one
In praise of Willobie his Avisa
Hexametron to the Author.
GREENES,
GROATS-VVORTH
of witte, bought with a
million of Repentance.
Describing the follie of youth, the falshood of makeshifte flatterers, the miserie of the negligent, and mischiefes of deceiuing Courtezans.