Mr. _Spenser_ in his first Eglogue of his _Shepherds Kalendar_, calleth him _Tityrus_, the God of Shepherds, comparing him to the worthiness of the _Roman Tityrus, Virgil_. In his _Fairy Queen_, in his Discourse of Friendship, as thinking himself most worthy to be _Chaucer_'s friend, for his like natural disposition that _Chaucer_ had; he writes, That none that lived with him, nor none that came after him, durst presume to revive _Chaucer_'s lost labours in that imperfect Tale of the Squire, but only himself: which he had not done, had he not felt (as he saith) the infusion of _Chaucer_'s own sweet Spirit surviving within him. And a little before, he calls him the most Renowned and Heroical Poet, and his Writings the Works of Heavenly Wit; concluding his commendation in this manner:
_Dan Chaucer_ well of _English_ undefiled, On Fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed; I follow here the footing of thy feet, That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet.
Mr. _Cambden_, reaching one hand to Mr. _Ascham_, and the other to Mr. _Spenser_, and so drawing them together, uttereth of him these words, _De_ Homero _nostro_ Anglico _illud vere asseram, quod de_ Homero _eruditus ille_ Italus _dixit_.
----_Hic ille est, cujus de gurgite sacro, Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores._
The deservingly honoured Sir _Philip Sidney_, in his _Defence of Poesie_, thus writeth of him, Chaucer _undoubtedly did excellently in his_ Troylus _and_ Crescid, _of whom truly I know not whether to marvel more, either that he in that misty time could see so clearly or we in this clear age walk so stumblingly after him._ And Doctor _Heylin_, in his elaborate Description of the World, ranketh him in the first place of our chiefest Poets. Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers have carried this reverend conceit of him, and openly declared the same by writing, let us conclude with _Horace_ in the eighth Ode of his fourth Book;
The Works of this famous Poet, were partly published in Print by _William Caxton_, Mercer, that first brought the incomparable Art of Printing into _England_, which was in the Reign of King _Henry_ the Sixth. Afterward encreased by _William Thinne_, Esq; in the time of King _Henry_ the Eighth. Afterwards, in the year 1561. in the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_, Corrected and Encreased by _John Stow_; And a fourth time, with many Amendments, and an Explanation of the old and obscure Words, by Mr. _Thomas Speight_, in _Anna_ 1597. Yet is he said to have written many considerable Poems, which are not in his publish'd Works, besides the _Squires Tale_, which is said to be compleat in _Arundel-house_ Library.