Tottel sig. Cciv

[sig. Cciv]

Her loue, ye lye, ye lost it not. Ye neuer lost that ye neuer got. (55) She reft ye not your libertie, She vaunteth not she had your thrall. If ought haue done it, let it lye, On rage that reft you wit and all. What though a varlets tale you tell: (60) By cock and pye you do it well. +

The louer dredding to moue his sute
for dout of deniall, accuseth
all women of disdaine
and fickle-
nesse. +

T O walke on doutfull ground, where daunger is vnsene, Doth double men that carelesse be in depe dispaire I wene. +For as the blinde doth feare, what footing he shall finde: So doth the wise before he speake, mistrust the straungers minde. (5) For he that blontly runnes, may light among the breers, And so be put vnto his plunge where danger least apperes: The bird that selly foole, doth warne vs to beware, Who lighteth not on euery bush, he dreadeth so the snare. The Mouse that shons the trap, doth shew what harme doth lye: (10) Within the swete betraying bait, that oft disceiues the eye. The fish auoydes the hooke, though hunger bids him bite, And houereth still about the worme, whereon is his delite. If birdes and beastes can see, where their vndoing lies: How should a mischief scape our heades, that haue both wit & eyes? (15) What madnesse may be more, then plow the barreyn fielde: Or any frutefull wordes to sow, to eares that are vnwild. They heare and than mislike, they like and then they lothe, They hate, thei loue, thei scorn, thei praise, yea sure thei cā do both We see what falles they haue, that clime on trees vnknowne: (20) As they that trust to rotten bowes, must nedes be ouerthrowne. A smart in silence kept, doth ease the hart much more, Than for to playn where is no salue, for to recure the sore. Wherfore my grief I hide, within a holow hart: Untill the smoke thereof be spred, by flaming of the smart. +