Sonnets on English Dramatic Poets (1590-1650): The Many

I.     Greene, garlanded with Februarys few flowers,     Ere March came in with Marlowes rapturous rage:     Peele, from whose hand the sweet white locks of age     Took the mild chaplet woven of honoured hours:     Nash, laughing hard: Lodge, flushed from lyric bowers:     And Lilly, a goldfinch in a twisted cage     Fed by some gay great ladys pettish page     Till short sweet songs gush clear like short spring showers     Kid, whose grim sport still gambolled over graves:     And Chettle, in whose fresh funereal verse     Weeps Marian yet on Robins wildwood hearse:     Cooke, whose light boat of song one soft breath saves,     Sighed from a maidens amorous mouth averse:     Live likewise ye: Time takes not you for slaves. II.     Haughton, whose mirth gave woman all her will:     Field, bright and loud with laughing flower and bird     And keen alternate notes of laud and gird:     Barnes, darkening once with Borgias deeds the quill     Which tuned the passion of Parthenophil:     Blithe burly Porter, broad and bold of word:     Wilkins, a voice with strenuous pity stirred:     Turk Mason: Brewer, whose tongue drops honey still     Rough Rowley, handling song with Esaus hand:     Light Nabbes: lean Sharpham, rank and raw by turns,     But fragrant with a forethought once of Burns:     Soft Davenport, sad-robed, but blithe and bland:     Brome, gipsy-led across the woodland ferns:     Praise be with all, and place among our band.