The book includes the works of the outstanding English poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) - the cycle of sonnets “Amoretti”, the wedding song “Epithalamium” and “Four Hymns”: “Hymn in Honor of Love”, “Hymn in Honor of Beauty”, “ Hymn in honor of Heavenly Love" and "Hymn in honor of Heavenly Beauty". Spencer's poetry is distinguished by vivid imagery, musicality of words, the ability to depict a variety of feelings and experiences, and the Christian orientation of his creativity. The publication is accompanied by a biography of the poet, an article about creativity and detailed comments.

CONTENTS: From the compiler Collection “AMORETTI & EPITHALAMION” (1595) 9 (translation by Alexander Lukyanov) I HAPPY ye leaves when as those lily hands 12 234 Lucky you, pages, if in hands 13 234II UNQUIET thought, whom at the first I bred 14 235Oh restless thought in me 15 235HI THE sovereign beauty which I do admire 14 235Witness the world, praise has come 15 235IV NEW year forth looking out of Ianus gate 16 236Janus opened the gate. New Year 17 236V RUDELY thou wrongest my dear heart's desire 16 237Roughly defacing my heart's delight 17 237VI BE naught dismayed that her unmoved mind 18 237From the cold of my beloved I am in confusion 19 237VII FAIR eyes, the mirror of my mazed heart 18 237Oh, the mirror of my heart troubles 19 237VIII MORE then most fair, full of the living fire 20 237He eyes, no, wonderful rays 21 237IX LONG-WHILE I sought to what I might compare _ 20 238Oh, how powerful these eyes are 21 238X UNRIGHTEOUS Lord of love what law is this 22 239It is not fair, God of love, that your law is 23 239XI Daily when I do seek and sew for peace 22 239When I seek peace every day 23 239XII ONE day I sought with her heart-thrilling eyes 24 239XIII IN that proud port, which she so kindly graceth 24 240In her posture, slender and arrogant 25 240XIV RETURN again my forces late dismayed 26 240My troops, come back again 27 240XV YE tradeful merchants that with weary toil 26 241Tired merchants, what a passion 27 241XVI ONE day as I unwarily did gaze 28 241One day I thoughtlessly saw 29 241XVII THE glorious portrait of that Angel's face 28 242The face of an Angel! You were created, majestic 29 242XVIII THE rolling wheel that runsneth often round 30 242Carriages constantly running 31 242XIX THE merry Cuckoo, messenger of Spring 30 243Cuckoo trumpet, messenger of spring 31 243XX IN vain I seek and sue to her for grace 32 243I wait in vain for kindness from sweetheart 33 243XXI WAS it the work of nature or of Art? 32 244Skill of Nature or Art 33 244XXII This holy season, fit to fast and pray 34 245On the day of blessed prayers and fasting 35 245XXIII PENELOPE for her Ulisses' sake 34 245Like Penelope for Odysseus 35 245XXIV WHEN I behold that beauty's wonder 36 246When I I see her beauty bliss 37 246XXV HOW long shall this like dying life endure 36 246Oh how much should I weaken and die 37 246XXVI SWEET is the Rose, but grows upon a brier 38 246The rose is dear to us, but the bushes are thorny 39 246XXVII Fair proud now tell me why should fair be proud _ 38 247 Why, beauty, are you arrogant? 39 247XXVIII THE laurel leaf, which you this day do wear 40 247The laurel leaf that you attached to the dress 41 247XXIX SEE! how the stubborn damsel doth deprave 40 248Look! How proud you are with contempt girl 41 248XXX MY love is like to ice, and I to fire 42 248 Beloved is like ice, and I burn 43 248XXXI AN why hath nature to so hard a heart 42 248Ax, why is the girl so arrogant 43 248XXXII THE painful smith with force of fervent heat 44 249Blacksmith in the fire of a blazing forge 45 249XXXIII GREAT wrong I do, I can not deny 44 249I thereby caused great harm to my 45 249XXXIV Like as a ship, that through the Ocean wide 46 250Through the Ocean wide and mighty 47 250XXXV MY hungry eyes through greedy covetise 46 250My eyes, hungry with passion 47 250XXXVI TELL me when shall these weary woes have end 48 251Will I see the end of my sorrows 49 251XXXVII WHAT guile is this, that those her golden tresses _ 48 251With such cunning golden curls 49 251XXXVIII , when through tempests cruel wrack 50 252When the crowd is cruel Arion 51 252XXXIX SWEET smile, the daughter of the Queen of love _ 50 252Smile-sweetness, daughter of the Queen of Love 51 252XL MARK when she smiles with amiable cheer 52 253How tenderly her smile blooms! 53 253XLI IS it her nature or is it her will 52 253What causes, will or disposition 53 253XLII THE love which me so cruelly tormenteth 54 253Beloved, who is so callous to me 55 253XLIII SHALL I then silent be or shall I speak? 54 253Be silent or tell me if I have to? 55 253XLIV WHEN those renowned noble peers of Greece 56 254When the heroes of the glorious Hellas 57 254XLV LEAVE lady in your glass of crystal clean 56 254Why in your purest mirror 57 254XLVI WHEN my abode's prefixed time is spent 58 254When a brief hour has passed 59 254XLVII TRUST not the reason of those smiling looks 58 255He believe the eyes with a treacherous smile 59 255XLVIII INNOCENT paper whom too cruel hand 60 255Innocent leaf, you cruel anger 61 255XLIX FAIR cruel, why are ye so fierce and cruel 60 256Beautiful cruelty! With the power of the eyes 61 256L LONG languishing in double malady 62 256I am exhausted by illness double 63 256LI DO I do not see that fairest images 62 257For statues that are the most beautiful in the world 63 257LII SO oft as homeward I from her depart 64 257I often go home from her 65 257LIII THE Panther knowing that his spotted hide 64 258Panther with his spotted hide 65 258LIV OF this world's Theater in which we stay 66 258In the Theater of the world my dear 67 258LV SO oft as I her beauty do behold 66 259When I contemplate beauty 67 259LVI FAIR ye be sure, but cruel and unkind 68 259Beautiful you, but evil and merciless 69 259LVII SWEET warrior when shall I have peace with you? 68 260My dear warrior, will peace come to us? 69 260LVIII WEAK is th' assurance that weak flesh reposeth 70 260LIX THRICE happy she, that is so well assured 70 260Threely happy is the maiden whose stronghold 71 260LX THEY, that in course of heavenly spheres are skilled 72 261Te who knew the rotation of the celestial spheres 73 261LXI THE glorious image of the Maker's beauty 72 262Wonderful image of the beauty of the Creator 73 262LXII THE weary year his race now having run 74 262The weary year has ended its journey now 75 262LXIII AFTER long storms and tempest's sad assay 74 263I after the storm long and sad 75 263LXIV COMING to kiss her lips, (such grace I found) 76 263Her kissing lips (what a miracle) 77 263LXV THE doubt which ye misdeem, fair love, is vain 76 264 Beloved, your doubt is in vain 77 264 LXVI TO all those happy blessings which ye have 78 264 To those blessings that Heaven shed 79 264 LXVII Like as a huntsman after weary chase 78 265 Like after a tiring chase 79 265 LX VIII MOST glorious Lord of life that on this day 80 265On this day, the Chief of all-good life 81 265LXIX THE famous warriors of the antique world 80 266The ancient warrior acted wisely 81 266LXX FRESH spring the herald of love's mighty king 82 266Oh, you, Spring, herald king of love! 83 266LXXI I joy to see how in your drawn work 82 267How glad I am to see your embroidery 83 267LXXII OFT when my spirit doth spread her bolder wings 84 267When my spirit, boldly spreading its wings 85 267LXXIII BEING my self captived here in care 84 268Mine my heart is captivated 85 268LXXIV MOST happy letters framed by skilful trade 86 268Happy letters, only for the first time it happened _ 87 268LXXV ONE day I wrote her name upon the strand 86 268In the shallows I drew the name of my dear 87 268LXXVI FAIR bosom fraught with virtue's richest treasure _ 88 268O chest, where a wondrous treasure is hidden of merit 89 268LXXVII WAS it a dream, or did I see it plain 88 269I saw either in a dream, or in reality 89 269LXXVIII LACKING my love I go from place to place 90 269Striving for my beloved, I wander sadly 91 269LXXIX Men call you fair, and you do credit it 90 270 You are beautiful - men repeat passionately 91 270 LXXX AFTER so long a race as I have run 92 271 Oh, give it to me after a long wandering 93 271 LXXXI FAYRE is my love, when her fair golden hairs 92 271 She beautiful - frisky breeze 93 271LXXXII JOY of my life! full oft for loving you 94 272 You are my delight! How I love you 95 272LXXXIII MY hungry eyes, through greedy covetise 94 272My eyes, hungry with passion 95 272LXXXIV LET not one spark of filthy lustful fire 96 -Not a spark of lustful fire 97 -LXXXV THE world that cannot deem of worthy things 96 272Who thinks about the base always 97 272LXXXVI VENOMOUS tongue tipped with vile adder's sting 98 272The malicious tongue strikes like a sting 99 272LXXXVII SINCE I did leave the presence of my love 98 273Since I was separated from my beloved 99 273LXXXVIII SINCE I have lacked the comfort of that light 100 103 275EPITHALAMION 108 277EPITHALAMION 109 277Collection “FOWRE HYMNES” / “FOUR HYMNES” (1596) 140 (translation by V. Corman, edited by A.V. Lukyanov) [Dedication] 142 290[I] AN HYMN IN HONOR OF LOVE 144 290Hymn in honor Love 145 290[II] AN HYMN IN HONOR OF BEAUTY 168 300Hymn in honor of Beauty 169 300[III] AN HYMN OF HEAVENLY LOVE 190 309Hymn in honor of Heavenly Love 191 309[IV] AN HYMN OF HEAVENLY BEAUTY 212 316Hymn in honor of Heavenly Beauty s 213 290 “Hymn in honor of Love” 290 “Hymn in honor of Beauty” 300 “Hymn in honor of Heavenly Love” 309 “Hymn in honor of Heavenly Beauty” 316 Appendices 327 Lukyanov A.V. Edmund Spencer. Life, career, poetry 328Chronicle of the life of Edmund Spencer 363Lukyanov A.V. Love and Beauty in "Amoretti", "Epitala-mia" and "Four Hymns" by Edmund Spenser 366List of illustrations 430