Some Longer Elizabethan Poems

Step into an intimate salon of the late‑sixteenth and early‑seventeenth centuries, where the voices of Sir John Davies, Richard Barnfield, Michael Drayton and their peers echo with surprising clarity. The collection opens with Davies’s exuberant “Orchestra,” a vivid celebration of dance that weaves classical myth, cosmic order and playful courtly banter into a single, dazzling tapestry. From the moral introspection of “Nosce Teipsum” to the tender pastoral whispers of translated Theocritus, each poem offers a distinct window onto the imagination of the Elizabethan age.

A freshly written introduction frames the works, explaining their historical context and guiding listeners through the newly organized arrangement. Modernised spelling preserves the original rhythm while easing comprehension, and occasional new material fills the gaps left by the early editions. Whether you’re a seasoned lover of Renaissance verse or a curious newcomer, this listening experience promises richly textured language, lively allegory and a taste of the era’s poetic brilliance.