Paradise sig. Hiiir

[sig. Hiiir]

The Lauender sometimes aloft, allures the lookers eyes, The Paunsie shall not haue the prayse, where I may giue the prise. (15) And thus no flower my fansie feedes, or liketh so my lust, As that I may subiect my selfe, to toyes of tickle trust. For flowers though they be faire and fresh, of sent excelling sweete, Yet grow they on the ground below, we tread them with our feete: And shall I then goe stoupe to such? or els goe seeke to chose, (20) Shall flowers enforce me once to faune, for feare of friendes or foes. Yet rather yeeld I to the right, as reason hath assignd, Mine author + sayd there was no salue, in flowers for me to finde: And yet perhaps some Tree there is, to shrowd me from the shower, That with her armes may salue the soule, that yeeldeth to her power. (25) Where I may finde some pleasaunt shade, to salue me from the sunne, Eche thing we see that reason hath, vnto the Trees do runne: Both men and beastes such foules as flies, the treasures are the Trees, And for my part when braunches fall, I wish no other fees. +But when that stormes beset me round, such succour God me send, (30) That I may finde a friendly Tree, that will me well defend: No Tree there is which yeeldes no good, to some that doth it seeke, And as they are of diuers kindes, their vses are vnlike. The Ewe Tree serue the Bowyers tourne, the Ashe the Coupers arte. The puissant Oke doth make the poste, the Pine some other parte: (35) The Elme doth helpe to hide the birdes, in wearie Winters night, The Briers I gesse are nothing worthe, they serue but for despight. The willow + wisht I farre from hence, good will deserue no wrong, The Sallow well may serue their states, that sing so sad a song: The Boxe and Beeche eche for himselfe, aboue the rest doth boste, (40) The Eglantine for pleasure oft, is pricked vpon the poste. The Hauthorne is so sad in price, the Baies doe beare the bell, And that these Baies did bring no blisse, I like it not so well: As erst I doe that seemely Tree, by which those bayes I found, And wherewithall vnwittingly, I tooke so great a wound, (45) As if the tree by which I leane, doth lend me no reliefe, There is no helpe but downe I fall, so great is growne my griefe: And therefore at the last I craue, this fauour for to finde, when euery tree that here is tolde, begins to grow vnkinde. The B. for beautie whome I boste, and shall aboue the rest, (50) That B. may take me to her trust, for B. doth please me best: +