A Posie of rare Flowers, Gathered by a Young-man for his Mistrisse.
To a delectable new tune.
THe Summers Sunne ore-heating,
Within a harbour sitting,
Vnder a Marble shade,
For my true Loue the fairest,
And flowres the rarest,
A P
[...]sie thus I made.
The first and last for trusting,
Is called Euerlasting,
I pulled from the Bay,
The blue and crimson Columbine,
The Dasie and the Woodbine,
And eke the blooming May.
The swéetest flowers for posies,
Pinkes, Gilliflowers and Roses,
I gathered in their prime:
The flowers of Musk-millions,
Come blow me downe sweet-William,
With Rosemary and Time.
The Larksh
[...]le, and the Lilly,
The Flag and Daffadilly,
The Wall-flower swéet of smell▪
The Maidenblush and Cowslip,
The Peagle and the Tulip.
That doth in sweet excell
The Violet and Grediline,
The odoriferous Eglantine,
With Thrift and Honesty,
The Muskerose swéet and dainty,
With others flowers plenty,
Oxlops and Piony.
The Gilliflowers variety,
Of euery colour seuerally,
The Lady smacks and Pancy:
The Batchelors button, faire and fine,
The Prime rose and the Sope-in-wine
With them the Maidens fancy.
The time-observing Marigold,
Most faire and louely to behold,
I pluckt amongst the rest,
The white and red Carnation,
The senses recreation
With other flowers the best.
The flowers fit for smelling,
Whose sweet is farre excelling,
All the perfumes of Art,
I pulled vp each seuerall,
And made a Posie therewithall.
To beare to my sweet heart.
The second part,
To the same tune.
SWéet Basill and swéet Margerum
The Cowslip of
Ierusalem,
The Crowfoot and Sea-flower,
The Start-vp and kisse me,
A flower that shall not misse me,
In my true Louers bower.
The Lady of Essex faire,
A flower passing swéet and rare,
I in the middest did place.
Because my Loue is fairest,
And of all maids the rarest,
In body, and in face.
These flowers being culled,
And their branches pulled,
Did yéeld a fragrant sent:
Obseruing their fit places,
I bound them in bridelaces,
And to my Loue I went.
In hope she would receiue them,
To th'end that I might giue them,
As pledges of my loue,
To her whose radiant beauty
Did binde me to this duty,
Hoping shee'l ne'r remoue.
Her permanent affection
To me, who by election
Am hers while life doth last:
These flowers did resemble
My thoughts which ne'r dissemble.
But hold both smell and taste.
When I had made this Nose-gay,
With ioyfull heart I tooke my way,
To finde out my true Loue:
Who for my absence mourned,
Vntill that I returned,
As doth the Turtle Doue.
At last I found her sporting.
With other Maids consorting,
Close by a Riuer side:
My posie not refused,
When she the same perused,
Vpon her arme she tide.
(Quoth she) although these flowers
Will wither in few houres,
Yet take my word, Swéet-heart.
My loue to thée shall ne'r decay,
Till death doth my life away,
From thee Ile ne'r depart.
The like to her I vowed,
And whilst the time allowed,
About such things we talked:
At length because it waxed late,
We for that time did leaue our prate,
And from each other walked.
When with a mild behauiour
She thankes me for my fauour,
And wore it for my sake:
With enterchanging kisses,
The rest remaines in wishes
Vnwilling leaue we take.
FINIS.
Printed at London for [...].