Tottel sig. Hir

[sig. Hir]

W Hat vaileth troth? or by it, to take payn To striue by stedfastnesse, for to attain How to be iust: and flee from doublenesse? Since all alyke, where ruleth carftinesse, (5) Rewarded is both crafty false, and plain. Soonest he spedes, that most can lye and fayn. True meaning hart is had in hie disdain. Against deceit, and cloked doublenesse, What vaileth troth, or parfit stedfastnesse. (10) Deceaued is he, by false and crafty trayn, That meanes no gile, and faithful doth remain Within the trapt, without help or redresse. But for to loue (lo) such a sterne maistresse, Where cruelty dwelles, alas it were in vain.

The louer that fled loue, now
folowes it with his harme. +

S Omtime I fled the fire, that me so brent, By sea, by land, by water, and by wynde: And now, the coales I folow, that be quent, From Douer to Calas, with willing minde, (5) Lo, how desire is both forth sprong, and spent: And he may see, that whilom was so blinde: And all his labour, laughes he now to scorne, Meashed in the breers, that erst was onely torne.

The louer hopeth of bet-
ter chance. +

H E is not dead, that somtime had a fall. +The Sun returnes, that hid was vnder clowd. +And when Fortune hath spit out all her gall, I trust, good luck to me shall be alowd. (5) For, I haue seen a ship in hauen fall, After that storme hath broke both maste, & shroud, +The willow eke, that stoupeth with the winde, Doth rise againe, and greater wood doth binde. +