Biography, Mr. Sidney Lee also names this poem as one of the author's
lost works. All that was known of it was the entry in the Stationers'
Register: [Footnote: _Arber's Transcript, vol. iii. p. 609_.]

"22 [degrees] Maij 1617
"Master Pauier. Entred for his Copie vnder the handes
of master TAUERNOR and both the wardens, A Poeme
intituled _The Bride_, written by SAMUELL ROWLANDE vj'd."

While all of Rowlands's works are classed by bibliographers as "rare,"
this one seemed to have disappeared entirely. No copy was to be
found in any of the large libraries or private collections, nor was there
any record of its sale.

Last spring a copy was discovered in the catalogue of a bookseller in a
small German town, and was secured for the Harvard College Library,
being purchased from the Child Memorial Fund. The copy is perfect,
except that the inner corner at the top of the second and third leaves
has been torn off, with the loss of parts of two words, which have
been supplied in manuscript. From this copy the present reprint is
made. As in the Hunterian Club edition of Rowlands's Works, to which
this may be considered a supplement, the reprint is exact. The general
makeup of the book as to style and size of type has been followed as
closely as possible; and the text has been reproduced page for page
and word for word. The misprints, which are unusually numerous, even
for a book of this period, have been left uncorrected. The title-page
and the two head-pieces have been reproduced by photography.

Of the poem itself, since it is now before the reader, little need be
said. It cannot be claimed that it presents great poetical merit.