[sig. Biiir]
The large grene courtes, where we were wont to houe, With eyes cast vp into the maydens tower. And easie sighes, such as folke drawe in loue: +The stately seates, the ladies bright of hewe +(10) The daunces short, long tales of great delight: with wordes and lokes, that tigers could but rewe, Where eche of vs did pleade the others right: The palme play, where, dispoiled for the game, with dazed eies oft we by gleames of loue, (15) Haue mist the ball, and got sight of our dame, To baite her eies, which kept the leads aboue: The grauell ground, with sleues tied on the helme: On foming horse, with swordes and frendly hartes: With cheare, as though one should another whelme: (20) Where we haue fought, and chased oft with dartes, with siluer droppes the meade yet spred for ruth, In actiue games of nimblenes, and strength, Where we did straine, trained with swarmes of youth. Our tender limmes, that yet shot vp in length: (25) The secret groues, which oft we made resound Of pleasaunt plaint, and of our ladies praise, Recording oft what grace eche one had found, what hope of spede, what dread of long delaies: The wilde forest, the clothed holtes with grene: (30) With rains auailed, and swift ybreathed horse, With crie of houndes and mery blastes betwene, Where we did chase the fearfull hart of force, The wide vales eke that harborde vs ech night, Wherwith (alas) reuiueth in my brest (35) The swete accord, such slepes as yet delight: The pleasant dreames, the quiet bed of rest: The secrete thoughtes imparted with such trust: The wanton talke, the diuers change of play: The frenship sworne, eche promise kept so iust: (40) wherwith we past the winter nightes away. And, with this thought, the bloud forsakes the face, The teares beraine my chekes of deadly hewe: The which as soone as sobbing sighes (alas) Upsupped haue, thus I my plaint renew: (45) O place of blisse, renuer of my woes, Geue me accompt, where is my noble fere: +Whom in thy walles thou doest eche night enclose,