The Posies of George Gascoigne

The Posies of George Gascoigne is a collection of works by the English poet George Gascoigne, first published in 1575. This collection is notable for including "Certayne notes of Instruction," which is considered the first treatise on prosody in English. Gascoigne was a significant literary innovator of the English Renaissance, known for his versatility and vivid expression, often drawing from his own experiences.1

The term "posies" in the title refers to a collection of sentiments or mottoes, as well as bouquets of flowers. Gascoigne's work also includes "The Steele Glas," one of the earliest English formal satires written in blank verse, and prose works that pioneered narrative and war journalism. His plays, such as Jocasta and Supposes, were also influential, with Supposes providing a subplot for Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.21