AUTHORS OX SEA AXD RIVER FISH IX G. 47 



Company, in \vhich the work was entered in 161 2 as being 

 by " John Dcnnys, Esquier." The author was very probably 

 the son of Hugh Dennys, who came of an old Gloucester- 

 shire family, and was grandson of Sir Walter Dennys. 

 John Dennys died in 1609, and was buried at Puckle- 

 church ; and as Roger Jackson, for whom the poem was 

 first printed in 161 3, states in his dedicatory letter, that it 

 was "sent to him to be printed after the death of the 

 author," who " intended to have printed it in his life," 

 there is every presumption that the author is now identi- 

 fied. There were four editions of the poem printed between 

 1 61 3 and 1652. Only three perfect copies of the first 

 edition are said to be in existence, one in the Bodleian, the 

 second in the collection of Mr. Denison, and the third in 

 that of Mr. Huth, from which last Mr. Arber produced his 

 reprint, in the first volume of the English Garner in 1877. 

 Of the second edition Mr. Denison has the only copy 

 known. It is supposed to have been printed in 1620, but the 

 date, unfortunately, is cut off. The only copy of the third 

 edition (1630) is also in Mr. Denison's collection. There 

 are some variations in the different editions. On the title 

 page of the first edition is an allegorical woodcut represent- 

 ing two men, one treading on a serpent, and with a sphere 

 at the end of his line, while over his rod, on a label, is the 

 inscription : — 



" Hold, hooke and line, 

 Then all is mine." 



The other with a fish on his hook, labelled thus :— 



" Well fayre the pleasure 

 That brings such treasure." 



The reprint of The Secrets, in possession of the writer, is by 

 Mr. Thomas West wood, and was published by W. Satchell 



