preuayle Sit Medicus with stronger Earbes thy maliadye must quayle For these be but to keepe thée sound which if thou vse them well Paynes of my lyfe in healthy state thy mind shall euer dwell Or if that thy complexion with them doo not agree Refer them to some friend of thine tyll thou their vertue sée And this I pray the whether thou infected wast afore Or whether with thy nature strong they can agree no more That thou my Nosegay not misuse but leaue it to the rest A number may such pleasure finde to beare it in their brest And if thy selfe wolde gather more then I have herein bound My counsell is that thou repayre to Master Plat his ground And gather there what I dyd not perhaps thy selfe may light On those which for thee fitter are then them which I resighte Which if thou doo then render thanks to him which sowed the soyle Yf not thou nedes must him commend when as thou viewest his toyles In any wise be chary that thou lettest in no Swine No Dog to scrape nor beast that doth to rauin styll inclyne For though he make no spare of them to such as haue good skyll To slip to shere or get in time and not his braunches kyll Yet barres he out such gréedy guts as come with spite to toote And without skill both Earb Flower pluck rashly by the roote So wishing thée to finde such Flowers as may thée comfort bring And eke that he which framd the Plot with vertues styll may spring I thée commend to mighty IOVE and thus I thée assure My Nosegay wyll increase no payne though sicknes none it cure Wherfore if thou it hap to weare and feele thy selfe much worse Promote mée for no Sorceresse nor doo mée ban or curse For this I say the Flowers are good which I on thee bestow As those which weare them to the stalkes Shall by the sequell know One word and then adieu to thée yf thou to Plat his Plot Repayre take héede it is a Maze to warne thée I forgot * FINIS quod IS VV. T.B. in commendation of the Authour MArching among the woods of fine delighte VVhere as the Laurell branch doth bring increase Seelde of Ladies fresh a solem sight I viewd whose walkes betokened all their ease And bow in friendly wise it did them please VVhiles some did twist the Silke of liuely hewe Some others slipt the Brannch for preyses dew * Nor musing did not rest nor scorne my sight nor prest in haste to breake their silence I But as at first they held their whole delight and casting mirth said Friend that passest bye did neuer wrethes of loue that binde perdy As thus who framde her Plot in G 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So orderly as best she might deuise Not yet quoth I but you might forte the same whose face doth staine the colour red as Rose No VIRGILL this nor OVID eke may blam For Beautie pressing as the Cunduit floes was cause that PARIS greatess loue arose who lou'd before though neuer touched soe As OVID showes with many writers moe * But Ladies sure my loue consistes in this my whole delight and pleasure all I take To decke the wight that worthie praises is and sure my great goodwyll must neuer slake From VVHITNEY loe herein some partie take For in her worke is plainly to be seène Why Ladies place in Garlands Laurell greene * She flattering Fate too much nor skies doth trust suche labor lîeth finisht with the lyfe She neuer did accompt Dame Fortune iust that tosseth vs with toyes and plunges rife But her defieth as Auctor of her stryfe She doth not write the brute or force in Armes Nor pleasure takes to sing of others harmes * But mustred hath and wrapped in a packe a heape of Flowers of Philosophie No braunche of perfect wisdome here doth lacke But that the brused mynde refresht may bee And that it is no fable you shall see For here at large the sequell will declare To Cuntrey Dearde her loue and friendly care * The smelling Flowers of an Arbor sweete An Orcharde pickt presented is to thee And for her seconde worke she thought it meete sithe Maides with loftie stile may not agree In hoape hereby somthynge to pleasure thee And when her busie care from head shall lurke She practize will and promise longer worke * Now happie Dames if good deserueth well her praise for Flowers philosophicall And let your Branches twyned that excell her head adorne wherein she floorish shall And BERRIE so restes alwaies at your call The purple blew the red the white I haue To wrappe amyd your Garlands fresh braue FINIS THO. BIR. A sweet Nosgay Or pleasant Posye contayning a hundred and ten Phylosophicall Flowers c. ¶ The I. Flower SUch freendes as haue ben absent more ioyful be at meeting Then those which euer presēt are long and dayly haue their greetyng ¶ The II ¶ When peryls they are present then doth absence keepe thee free Whereas if that thou present werte might dangers light on thee The III. ¶ The presence of the mynd must be preferd if we do well Aboue the bodyes presence for it farre doth it excell ¶ The IIII. Yet absēce sbtimes bringeth harme when freends but fickle are For new acquaintāce purchase place and old doo lose their share ¶ The V. ¶ What profie things that we posses doo by their presence bring We can not know til by their lacke We feele what harmes do spring The VI. ¶ For to abound in euery thing and not their vse to know It is a pinching penury wherefore thy goods bestow The VII ¶ A saying olde once out of sight and also out of minde These contraries that absent frends much toy at meeting finde ¶ The VIII ¶ Well yet for the Antiquitie it grew amongst the rest And true it proues by those whose winds Obliuion hath possess ¶ The IX Care not how mant things thou hast but haue a great regarde That they be good for quantytie both merite no rewarde * The X. ¶ Yet so thou must increase thy stock as cleare thine owne it be And neither fleece thy friend nor seke thy neighbours beggerye ¶ The XI ¶ We easely may abuse the great and chiefest thing of all But hard it is to vse right such as are trifles small * The 12. ¶ Our rares we must not euer oye to each mans accusation Nor without tryail trust too much to any ones perswation * The 13. ¶ I fault right greater seemeth far on the accusers part Then it on the Defendants doth much more should be his smart ¶ The 14. ¶ Thy friends admonysh secretly of crimes to which they swarue But prayse them openly if so be their deeds do prayse desarue ¶ The 15. In euery check vse some faire speach for words do sooner pearce That playnly passe then those which thou wrughnesse might reverse ¶ The 16. ¶ Admonisht be with willingnesse and paciently abyde A reprehension for such
dayes in happye health to rest With such successe in all assayes as those which God hath blest Your Husband with your prety Boyes God keepe them frée from all annoyes ¶ And graunt if that my luck it hée to linger héere so long Til they be men that I may sée for learning them so strong That they may march amongst the best Of them which learning haue possest ¶ By that tyme wyl my aged yeares perhaps a staffe require And quakyngly as styll in feares my lims draw to the fire Yetioy I shall them so to sée Yf any toy in age there hee ¶ Good sister so I you commend to him that made vs all I know you huswyfery intend though I to writting fall Wherfore no lenger shal you stay From businesse that profit may * Had I a Husband or a house and all that longes therto My selfe could frame about to rouse as other women doo But til some houshold cares mée tye My bookes and Pen I wyll apply * Your louing Sister IS VV. To her Cosen F. VV. GOOd Cosin myne I hope in helth and safety you abyde And sore I long to here if yet you are to wedlock tyde Yf so you be God graunt that well both you and she it spend If not when s'ere it haps I wish that God much ioy you send And when you to the Cuntry come or thither chaunce to send Let me you see or haue some scroll that shall of you be pend And this accompt as nature binds and meryts yours deserue I Cosin am and faithfull Friend not minding once to swerue So wishing you as happy health as euer man possest I end and you commyt to him that euermore is blest Your poore Kinsewoman IS VV. ¶ A careful complaynt by the vnfortunate Auctor GOOd DIDO stint thy teares and sorrowes all resigne To mée that borne was to augment misfortunes lucklesse line Or vsing styll the same good DIDO doo thy best In helpyng to bewayle the hap that furthereth mine vnrest For though thy Troyan mate that Lorde AENEAS hight Requityng yll thy stetfast loue from Carthage tooke his flight And fowly brake his oth and promise made before Whose falshode finisht thy delight before thy haires were hore Yet greater cause of griefe compells mée to complayne For Fortune fell conuerted hath My health to heapes of payne And that she sweares my death to playne it is alas Whose end let malyce styll attempt to bring the same to passe O DIDO thou hadst liu'de a happye Woman styll If fickle fancie had not thrald thy wits to retchlesse wyll For as the man by whom thy deadly dolors bred Without regard of plighted troth from CARTHAGE Citie fled So might thy cares in tyme be banisht out of thought His absence might well salue the sore that earst his presence wrought For fyre no lenger burnes then Faggots feede the flame The want of things that bréede annoy may soone redresse the same But I vnhappy mosse and gript with endles griefes Dispayre alas amid my hope and hope without reliefe And as the sweltyng heate consumes the War away So doo the heapes of deadly harmes styll threaten my decay O Death delay not long thy dewtye to declare Ye Sisters thrée dispatch my dayes and finysh all my care q IS VV. In answer to comfort her by shewyng his haps to be harder FRiend IS be now content let my sorowes quel the extreame rage care thou restest in For wayling sprights ne furies fearce in hell nor gristey soules that styll in woe haue bin Haue euer felt lyke stormes that I sustayne frowust so I am and duld in deepe dispaire That sure mée thinks my extreme raging payne might gaine thee belth set thee free from fere For DIDO thou and many thousands more which liuing feele the panges of extreme care Though tortered much and torne in peeces smal whom euer griping death doth neuer spare Nor he that falsey Carthage Citie fled so fraught with wiles n or ye such sorowes tast By thousand partes as I who rightly sed do pine as VVAX before the fire wastes I freece to YCE I be ate with perching SON and torne with teene thus languishing in paine Doo feele my sorowes euer fresher run to flowing cares that endles sorowes gaine For what for whom and why this euyll woorks frind IS VV time nor silence may it show But shee ere many dayes my care that lurks shall blowne be and thou the same shall know Till then with silly DIDO be content and rip no more thy wronges in such excesse Thy FORTVNE rather wills thee so lament with speedy wit til hope may haue redressè * FINIS q T. B. ¶ A Replye to the same THe bitter force of Fortunes frowardnesse is painted out by Bible changed hew Report bewrayes that tirants doublenesse which I by triall proue alas so true constraynde I am on thy mishaps to rue As oft as I consider thine estate Which differs far from that thou wast of late Where be thy wonted liuely lookes become or what mischāce hath dimd the beauty so There is no God that deales such doutful dom No Iubiter hath brought the down so low thy haples fate hath stroght thy ouerthro For as Saturnus reaues the Berryes soy So Fortune striues to further thine annoy ¶ O Fortune falce O thrice vnttedy ioyes Why doth not man mistrust thy sutle shoes Whose profers proue in time to be but toies as this the fruit that from your blossom groes then may you rightly be cōyard with those whose painted speech professeth frindship stil but time be wrayes the meaning to be yli For time that shewes what erst I could not sée Hath brought about that I suspected least Complayning still on our simplicitlye Who hedlong runs as doth the carles beast til hūters snares haue laid his lims to rest For whē we lest mistrust drede deceit Then ar we snard with vnsuspected baif ¶ As lately vnto thée it did be fall whose hap enforeeth me to rue thy chance For thou that florisht earst at beautyes stal Hath felt the force of froward Fortunes lance Compeld to furnish out misfortunes dance Sée heere the suertie that belongeth aye To mortal ioys wheron the world doth stay But liue in hope that better hap may light For after stormes Sir Phebus force is seene So when Saturnus hath declarde his might And VVinter stints to turne the world to teene then plesāt Ver shal cloth the groud in greene And lusty MAY shall labour to restore the things the VVinters spit had spoyld before Thē shal the Berrey cleaue ber wonted hew And eke my B. that long hath rasted payne When Fortun doth her former grace renew shal boysed be to happye state agayne Delightyng oft among his friends kin To tell what danger earst his lyfe was in Which happye light of mortal creturs who shal more reioyce then I thy friend to sée And while came fortune yéelded not therto but doth proléed to proue her
which to get some payne I tooke and trauayled many houres I must request you spoyle them not nor doo in péeres teareth them But if thy selfe doo lothe the sent gene others leaue to weare them I shall no whit be discontent for nothyng is so pure But one or other will mislyke therof we may be sure Yf he for whom I gathered them take pleasure in the same And that for my presumption my Friends doo not mée blame And that the sauour take effecte in such as I doo know And bring no harme to any els in place where it shal goe And that when I am distant farre it worns befor my sake That some may say God spéede her well that dyd this Nosegay make And eke that he who ought the Plot wherein they same dyd grow Fume not to sée them borhe aboute and wysh he did mée know And say in rage were she a man that with my flowers doth brag She well should pay the price I wolde not leaue her worth a rag If as I say no harmes doo hap but that this well may spéede My mind is fully satisfyed I craue uone other meede So wishing thée no worse then those of whom I think none yll I make an end and thée commend the liueiug Lorde vntyll ¶ FINIS IS VV. Certain familier Epistles and friendly Letters by the Auctor with Replies ¶ To her Brother G. VV. GOod Brother whē a vacāt time doth cause you hence to ryde And that the fertyl feelds do make you from the Cittie vyde Then cānot I once from you heare nor know I how to send Or where to harken of your health and al this would be hend And most of me for why I least of Fortunes fauour fynd Do yeldyng yeare we me allowes nor goodes hath me assind But styll to friends I must appeale and next our Parentes deare You are and must be chiefest slaffe that I shal stay on heare Wherfore mine owne good brother graunt me when that you ar here To se you oft and also hence I may haue knowledge wheare A messenger to harke vnto that I to you may wryte And eke of him your answers haue which would my hart delight Receaue of me and eke accept a simple token heare A smell of such a Nosegay as I do for present beare Unto a vertuous Ladye which tyll death I honour wyll The losse I had of seruice hers I languish for it styll ¶ Your louyng though lucklesse Sister IS VV. ¶ To her Brother B. VV. GOod Brother Brooke I often looke to heare of your returne But none can tell if you be well nor where you doo soiurne Which makes me feare that I shall heare your health appaired is And oft I dread that you are dead or somthyng goeth amys Yet when I thinke you can not shrinke but must with Maister hée I haue good hope when you haue scope you wyll repairé to mée And so the feare and deepe dispaire that I of you then had I dryue away and wysh that day wherin we may be glad Glad for to sée but els for mée wyll be no ioy at all For on my side no lucke wyll byde nor happye chaunce befall As you shall know for I wyll show you more when we doo speake Then wyll I wryt or yet resyte within this Paper weake And so I end and you commend to him that guides the skyes Who graunt you health send you welth no lesse then shall suffice * Your louing Sister Is. VV. ¶ An order prescribed by IS VV. to two of her yonger Sisters seruinge in London GOOd Sisters mine when I shal further from you dwell Beruse theselines obserue the rules which in the same I tell So shal you wealth posses and quietnesse of mynde And al your friends to se the same a treble ioy shall fynde 1. ¶ In mornings when you ryse forget not to commende Your selves to God beseching him from dangers to defende Your soules and boddies both your Parents and your friends Your teachers and your gouerners so pray you that your ends May be in such a sort as God may pleased hee To liue to dye to dye to liue with him eternally 2. ¶ Then tustly do such deedes as are to you assynde Ill wanton toyes good sisters now exile out of your minde I hope you geue no cause wherby I should suspect But this I know too many liue that would you soone infect Yf God do not preuent or with his grace expell I cannot speake or wryte to much because I loue you well 3. ¶ Your busfnes soone dispatch and listen to no lyes Nor credit euery fayned tale that many wyll deuise For words they are but winde yet words may hurt you so As you shall neuer brook the same yf that you haue a foe God shyld you from all such as would by word or Byll Procure your shame or neuer cease tyll they haue wrought you yll 4. ¶ See that your seere is seale tread trifles vnder ground Yf to rehersall oft you come it wyl your quiet wound Of laughter be not much nor ouer solemne see me For then be sure th'eyle coumpt you light or proud wil you exteeme Be modest in a meane be gentyll vnto all Though cause thet geue of contrari yet be to wrath no thrall Refer you all to hym that sits aboue toe skyes Uengeance is his he wil reveng you need it not deuise 5. ¶ And sith that vertue guides where both of you do dwell Geue thanks to God painful hee to please your rulers well For fleetyng is a foe expertence hath me taught The rolling stone doth get no mosse your selues haue hard full oft Your businesse being done and this my scroule pervsd The day wyll end and that that night by you be not abusde I some thing nedes must write take paynes to read the same Hencefoorth my lyfe as wel as Pen shall your examples frame 6. ¶ Your Masters gon to Bed your Mistresse at rest Their Daughters all whast about to get themselues vndrest See that their Plate be safe and that no Spoone do lacke See Dores windowes bolted fall for feare of any wrack Then help yf neede ther hee to doo some housholde thing Yf not to bed referring you vnto the heauenly King Forgettyng not to pray as I before you taught And geueing thanks for al that he hath euer for you wrought Good Sisters when you pray let me remembred be So wyll I you and thus I cease tyll I your selues do see q IS VV. ¶ To her Sister Misteris A. B. BEcause I to my Brethern wrote and to my Sisters two Good Sister Anne you this might wote yf so I should not doo To you or ere I parted hence You vainely had bestowed expence ¶ Yet is it not for that I write for nature dyd you bynde To doo mée good and to requight hath nature mée inclynde Wherfore good Sister take in grée These simple lynes that come from mée Wherin I wish you Nestors