IN

N/youth before I waxed old, The blynd boy Venus baby, For want of cunning made me bold, In bitter hyue to grope for honny.

A

But when he faw me ftung and cry,
He tooke his wings and away did fly.

S Diane hunted on a day,

She chaunft to come where Cupid lay,

his quiuer by his head:

One of his fhafts she stole away,

And one of hers did close conuay,

into the others ftead:

With that loue wounded my loues hart, but Diane beafts with Cupids dart.

SAW in fecret to my Dame,

How little Cupid humbly came : and fayd to her All hayle, my mother. But when he faw me laugh, for fhame : His face with bafhfull blood did flame, not knowing Venus from the other. Then neuer blush Cupid (quoth I), For many haue err'd in this beauty.

PON/ a day as loue lay fweetly slumbring,
all in his mothers lap:

A gentle Bee with his loud trumpet murm'ring,

about him flew by hap.

Whereof when he was wakened with the noyse, and faw the beast so small :

Whats this (quoth he) that giues so great a voyce, that wakens men withall.

In angry wize he flies about,

And threatens all with corage ftout.

ΙΟ

To whom his mother closely smiling fayd, twixt earnest and twixt game :

See thou thy felfe likewise art lyttle made, if thou regard the fame.

And yet thou fuffreft neyther gods in sky, nor men in earth to reft:

But when thou art difpofed cruelly, theyr fleepe thou dooft moleft. Then eyther change thy cruelty,

or giue lyke leaue vnto the fly.

20

Nath/leffe, the cruell boy not so content, would needs the fly pursue:

And in his hand with heedlesse hardiment, him caught for to fubdue.

But when on it he hafty hand did lay,

the Bee him ftung therefore : Now out alaffe (he cryde) and welaway,

I wounded am full fore:

The fly that I fo much did fcorne,

hath hurt me with his little horne.

30

Vnto his mother ftraight he weeping came,

and of his griefe complayned;

Who could not chose but laugh at his fond game,

though sad to see him pained.

Think now (quoth fhe) my sonne how great the smart

of those whom thou doft wound:

Full many thou haft pricked to the hart,

that pitty neuer found:

Therefore henceforth fome pitty take,

when thou doeft fpoyle of louers make.

40

She tooke him ftreight full pitiously lamenting,

and wrapt him in her fmock :

She wrapt him foftly, all the while repenting,

that he the fly did mock.

She dreft his wound and it embaulmed wel

with falue of foueraigne might:

And then the bath'd him in a dainty well

the well of deare delight.

Who would not oft be ftung as this,

to be fo bath'd in Venus blis.

50

The/wanton boy was shortly wel recured,

of that his malady:

But he foone after fresh againe enured,

his former cruelty.

And fince that time he wounded hath my felfe

with his sharpe dart of loue;

And now forgets the cruell carelesse elfe,

his mothers heast to proue.

So now I languish, till he please,

my pining anguish to appease.

FINIS.

бо

E learned fifters which haue oftentimes beene to me ayding, others to adorne: Whom ye thought worthy of your gracefull rymes,

That euen the greatest did not greatly scorne

To heare theyr names fung in your fimple layes,

But ioyed in theyr prayse.

And when ye lift your owne mishaps to mourne,
Which death, or loue, or fortunes wreck did rayse,
Your ftring could foone to fadder tenor turne,

And teach the woods and waters to lament

Your dolefull dreriment.

Now lay those forrowfull complaints aside,

And hauing all your heads with girland[s] crownd,
Helpe me mine owne loues prayfes to refound

Ne let the fame of any be enuide,

So Orpheus did for his owne bride,

So I vnto my felfe alone will fing,

The woods fhall to me answer and my Eccho ring.

ΙΟ