Tottel sig. Ziir

[sig. Ziir]

The louer sheweth that he was striken
by loue on good friday. +

I was the day on which the sunne depriued of his light, +To rew Christs death amid his course gaue place vnto the night When I amid mine ease did fall to such distemperate fits, That for the face that hath my hart I was bereft my wits. (5) I had the bayte, the hooke and all, and wist not loues pretence, But farde as one that fearde none yll, nor forst for no defence. Thus dwelling in most quiet state, I fell into this plight, And that day gan my secret sighes, when all folke wept in sight. For loue that vewed me voide of care, approcht to take his pray, (10) And stept by stelth from eye to hart, so open lay the way. And straight at eyes brake out in teares, so salt that did declare, By token of their bitter taste that they were forgde of care. Now vaunt thee loue which fleest a maid defenst with vertues rare, And wounded hast a wight vnwise, vnweaponed and vnware.

The louer describeth his whole state vnto his
loue, and promising her his faith-
full good will: assureth him-
self of hers again. +

T He Sunne when he hath spred his raies, And shewde his face ten thousand waies. Ten thousand thinges do then begin, To shew the life that they are in. (5) The heauen shewes liuely art and hue, Of sundry shapes and colours new, And laughes vpon the earth anone. +The earth as cold as any stone, Wet in the teares of her own kinde: (10) Gins then to take a ioyfull minde. For well she feeles that out and out, The sunne doth warme her round about. And dries her children tenderly, And shewes them forth full orderly. (15) The mountaines hye and how they stand, The valies and the great maine land. The trees, the herbes, the towers strong, The castels and the riuers long.