A Riddle, George Gascoigne

edited by Brian Harlow, 1997

"A Riddle" appears in George Gascoigne's publication titled The Posies . This was published late in his life when he returned from the European continent after fighting the Spanish alongside the Dutch in 1575. This was actually an edited version of his previous and more controversial publication titled A Hundred Sundrie Flowres. This was published at a time during his life when Gascoigne wanted to repair his reputation in preparation of his re-emergence into Queen Elizabeth's courtly culture.
The only other account of Gascoigne writing riddles occurs in a unique exchange between lovers in A Hundreth Sundrie Flowres (pg. 47 in the original publication). A Riddle, however, stands alone in a section titled Hearbes with no apparant link to any of the surrounding poems.

Biographical information used for the introduction has been taken from Ronald C. Johnson, George Gascoigne. New York, 1972. 
        A lady once did ask of me
        This pretty thing in privity:
        "Good sir," quod she, "feign would I crave
        One thing which you yourself not have,
        Nor never had yet in times past,                     5
        Nor never shall while life does last.
        And if you seek to find it out,
        You lose your labor out of doubt.
        Yet if you love me as you say,
        Then give it to me, for sure you may."           10

                        Meritum petere, grave.

2 in privity] privately
3 quod] said; feign] gladly
10 sure] certainly
11 Meritum petere, grave]"to seek a serious reward"(Latin).

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