DEARE 1 dames, your sences to revive, | |
| Accept these flowers in order heare: | |
| Then, for the time you are alive, | |
| Renowne your golden dayes shall beare. | |
| Marke therefore what they have to name, | 5 |
| And learne to imitate the same. | |
| |
| The first resembleth Constancie, | |
| A worthie budde of passing fame; | |
| Which every gentle certeinlie | |
| Delightes to chuse of, for the name. | 10 |
| The cause is, that, the truth to tell, | |
| It sents and savours passing well. * * * * * | |
| This pleasaunt braunche in Sarae’s brest | |
| Was dayly used for a showe; | |
| So that her fayth among the rest | 15 |
| Thereby did bountifullie growe: | |
| And she extolled was therefore, | |
| As noble matrone evermore. * * * * * | |
| The second budde is Modestie, | |
| Which Triata did much delight, | 20 |
| And furnished the companie | |
| Of many a Roman matrone bright; | |
| So that no blemish there did growe, | |
| As long as they the same could showe. | |
| |
| The third is vertuous Exercise; | 25 |
| The fourth is called Humilitie; | |
| The fifth, to set before your eyes | |
| The feare of God most reverently; | |
| The sixth, obedience to the crowne, | |
| And princes’ lawes, with great renowne. | 30 |
| |
| The seventh is Pacience, for to beare | |
| The crosse of Christe continually; | |
| The eyght is liberall talke to heare, | |
| And use the same indifferently; | |
| The ninth is called Chastitie; | 35 |
| The tenth to put up injurie. | |
| |
| The eleventh is, to sustayne the poore; | |
| The twelfth to aide the comfortlesse, | |
| And to endeavour more and more | |
| To trayne your steppes to godlynes: | 40 |
| The thirtenth, that is cheefest skill, | |
| Which we doo call—do good for ill. | |
| |
| The fourtenth is, to love the trouth, | |
| And flatterie wholy for to shunne; | |
| The feftenth, barre the chaire of slouth, | 45 |
| Whereby full many are undoune: | |
| For idleness doth shame but wynne, | |
| And is the entraunce unto sinne. | |
| |
| The sixtenth flower is willing zeale | |
| Unto the sacred veritie, | 50 |
| Which is a lanterne to your feete, | |
| To leade you to sinceritie: | |
| The sevententh blossom fresh of hue, | |
| In wordes and deedes for to be true. | |
| |
| The eyghtenth is, for to restore | 55 |
| That by oppression hath ben gotte; | |
| The niententh, for to cure that sore | |
| Which careless conscience makes to rotte: | |
| The twenteth is sweet Charitie, | |
| The fruites whereof begin to dye. | 60 |
| |
| There are, besides these, godly love; | |
| Whose leaves though they be not so greene, | |
| Yet who to plucke thereof wyl prove, | |
| Shall with Lucrecia soone be seene | |
| To shine in wordes and deedes as bright | 65 |
| As when the moone doth yeelde her lyght. | |
| |
| Loe, gentles! this small bunch of Flowres | |
| It is that may encrease your fame; | |
| For they be watered with the showres | |
| That Sacred Scriptures have to name: | 70 |
| You may discerne them by the seedes, | |
| Full much vnlike to worldly weedes. | |
