[sig. Biv]
6. M. Edwardes May. +
W Hen May is in his prime, then may eche hart reioyce, When May bedeckes ech branch with greene, eche bird streines forth his voyce: The liuely sap creepes vp, into the bloming thorne, The flowres which cold in prison kept, now laughes the frost to scorne: (5) All Natures Impes triumphes, whiles ioyfull May doth last, When May is gone of all the yeare, the pleasaunt time is past.
May makes the chearefull hue, May breedes and bringes new bloud, May marcheth throughout euery lim, May makes the mery mood: May pricketh tender hartes, their warbling notes to tune, (10) Full straunge it is, yet some we see, do make their May in Iune: Thus thinges are straungely wrought, whiles ioyfull May doth last, Take May in time, when May is gone, the pleasaunt time is past. +
All ye that liue on earth, and haue your May at will, Reioyce in May, as I doe now, and vse your May with skill: (15) Use May while that you may, for May hath but his time, When all the fruite is gone, it is to late the Tree to clime: Your liking and your lust, is fresh whiles May doth last, When May is gone, of all the yeare, the pleasaunt time is past.
FINIS. M. Edwardes.
7. Fayre wordes make fooles fayne. +
I N youthfull yeares, when first my young desires began, To pricke me forth, to serue in court, a slender tall young man: My fathers blessing then, I asked vpon my knee, Who blessing me with trembling hand, these wordes gan say to me: (5) My sonne, God guide thy way, and shield thee from mischaunce, And make thy iust desartes in Court, thy poore estate to aduaunce: Yet when thou art become, one of the Courtly trayne, Thinke on this Prouerbe old (quoth he) that faire wordes make fooles faine.
This counsell grauely giuen, most straunge appeares to me, (10) Till tract of time with open eyes, had made me plainly see: What subtill sleightes are wrought, by painted tales deuise, When hollow hartes with frendly shewes, the simple do entise, To thinke all gold that shines, + to feede their fond desire,