Robert Saltwood

Robert Saltwood Poems

The Best Poem Of Robert Saltwood

A Comparyson Bytwene

Fametyng my sorowes wt syghes depe
How lowryng fortune me had scorned
Pensyue in my harte dreryly dyd wepe
Whos scoffe perfyt anone I lerned
Rare is the welth ye not morned
Iocunde/plesaunt and of corage
O sorowful howre in his outrage
As whyle markyng in cyrcle rotyng
Famous men callyng to my remembrance
That rued pytyful in to dotyng
To meane men also showyng his baryaunce
Lyke the ayre than founde I hym of constance
Now smylyth fayre and sodenly doth rage
Mam rockyng in the flode of sharpe passage
This dyd I secretly with me reason
Of hym anon hauyng aduertysment
To clyme not to hye for fere of euersyon
Aboue my state to make no interment
Of comparyson ospryngyth torment
Which of me patiently pondered
In me the matter lay/that he scorned
O low byrth/why woldyst thou auaunce
Whan in thy purse lay al thy corage
In proudly port to make repastaunce
My welth banyshed in redy passage
Thus turned my state in to dotage
Fortune than why shuld I now accuse
Seyng he ragyth of my mys vse
Proude nor portly be thou neuer
Comparyng/bosting nor of wylfulnese
To gyue reuerence the endeuer
Recounter thy blode to be of mekenese
Of thy homage reason no secretnese
For whan lowe blode clymith oner hye
He tumblyth oft hedlyng in bylonye
Let the cartar than handel his plough
The smyth his hammar dylygent entrete
Thy mynd insatyat content with ynough
Peres lyke of blod together wel met
Of nature prudently pondar thy fet
Seldom buddyte from the cartars grosse brest
Polycy/cheualry and maners honest
This repetyng/in my mynd oft reuolued
Of presumptyon I dyd me repent
And that comparyson me not behoued
To late bewaylyng tyme mysspent
Sorowe to doble a foly she entent
Therfore purposyng for my comfort
To a place of plesure me to resort
I drewe to the wood freysh enpareled
With flowrs smylyng plesauntly
With bewtyful colours enpurpuled
With swete odor ryght sauory
A medycen apt for syke memory
And ny to a baythorne I approched
Entendyng to take rest there me choched
A busshe of plesure perlese in the wood
Fragraunt/vernaunt/bewtyful in coloure
The blossoms iucunde/in vertu lyke good
Facyng the Lyly in whytly candoure
Al swete flowrs dysclosyd theyr odor
The goddes there to solace than I sugged
Such comly flowrs on euery boufe budded
A fayre founten was there at hande
A freyshe spring/clere as any Crystal
That sofely tryllyd on the sande
The which moysted the flowrs vernaunt all
The Lybanot and Lyly of conwall
With a pure sauoure that there remayned
As Pallas/or Venus there had bathed
The ayre murmured of theyr presence
As after assemble remaynith monument
Of great powrs in fet of magnyfycence
Which reuyued my mynde wt sorowe ny spent
Reioysed streight/vnbnrdened of torment
And as fre myndes pursuyth oft slepe
So soft and gentyl on me dyd it crepe
But not long after as I ny slombered
Of tewnable cordes I harde melody
Oft recountering that my rest combered
A noyse far passyng in armony
In cordes and raches of consony
Thet none I iuge but wold it desyre
Except the ayshe vnapt to the lyre
O my spyryttes soft refreyshed
My body trymbelyd in reioysyng
That ny my sorowe away it wayshed
And fully awake from my slombering
To it gave than dyligent heryng
My eye rollyd swyft here and there
To be fed as wel as was the ere
Than gentyl touches I recorded
In welth whyle fortune dyd fauor
But to farmownt I remembered
A fayned melody lost in labor
Proue who lyst nothyng lyke sauor
For there is lernyng of reuenyence
But I lerned here the notes of prudence
Mannys state was there descrybed
Among the fowles of the ayre
Man promptly there myght haue lerned
Elegaunt to garnyshe nature fayre
My sorowe where at dyd appayre
For comparysons I dyd combynde
Mekly assuagyng in theyr kynde
Of foules there certayne dyd assymble
To proue theyr voyces in counteryng
Arrogaunt began/but endyd humble
To syng most plesaunt was theyr stryuing
In swete armony and also reasonyng
Betwyx the nyghtyngale and the thrusshe
The larke and the cocko in that busshe
Among them began a natural stryfe
Of melody who coude best endyte
Theyr tewnes ware redy and outraunce ryfe
To tedyous ware it to resyte
Comparysons made in theyr delyte
With reasons strong there lackyd none
That they renderyd one after one

The descryptyo of ye nyghtyngale.
The nyghtyngale made heuynly noyse
Redobelyng her tewnes melodyously
Man beryed in sorowe it wold reioyse
Swete/plesaunt in content/in corde redy
The ere fedyth no sownde more freyshly
That yf al melody ware truly loste
To be found in her/perelese she myght boste
Ful meryly in tyme it recorded
Swete/swete/iug/iug ryght meruelus
And in a nother key streyght reported
In manyfold notes lyke wonderus
To be taught in Paradyse/I iuged thus
Or had some lectorne of Melpomene
Which of armony hath the dygnyte
But of the ere thus fed not suffysed
My eye I cast on that mery orgon
Of whos syght anon was amased
So lytel a byrde to muse that lesson
So audyble/so tewnable in good facyon
From the lytel body than I remembred
That famous vertu oft hath burgened
Hystoryes calling to my rembraunce
In the lytel body that vertu hydyth
The grosse body a yocke to be of combraunce
Of educatyon/such robustnesse rysith
Demynishmet of stature in vertu smilyth
Pregnaunt in wyt/lusty in corage
In goodnese prompt/in counsel ryght sage
The sume of vertu there enharboryng
To al thynges apte that be of fame
The greattest conquest left in wrytting
To a lytel body that honor came
Before Alexandar who berith the name
Cesar in stature properd/fete and small
Whos polycy tryumph had ouer all
Which Corylane morned in lost of victory
The grosse body turning in occasyou
Also Sertorius hym saued by polycy
The tayle of the horse lesyng by reason
Sonar than strenght by good conclusyon
The batel of wyt this prouyd spetyal
Where strenght & lymmes seruyd not natural
Moch feble deceyt raignyth in strenghth
Hartes popyd in corage without aduysement
For lake of wysdome fowndering at length
And so most comyn we haue it in experyment
In a lytel body lernyng hath enclosement
Freshe subtyl and redy of outteraunce
Facunde/elegaunt and of remembraunce
The seneuey sede who lystyth to beholde
In vertu all other that doth excell
Exhausten of nature gyftes manyfolde
Powned the fragraunter I you tell
Busshyth in vernaunce thoughe not mychel
So thys lytel byrde her notes endyted
Of no great fowle so wel there recorded

Of the Larkys melody
But not far of the Larke dyd appere
Composyng her pennes arrogauntly
Which to that busshe approched sone nere
Fayre penned redy proferyng to fly
Which as in worthy cheke for cheualry
Ny to that busshe streyght toke her flyght
Mowntyng meruelus agaynst the lyght
And euer as she dyd than assende
Lyke knyght in campe for vyctory
Her notes she swetely dyd amende
Exaltynge her voyce merely
The trebyl tewne song than freshly
The Nyghtyngale no bettar in report
Such swete armony she made of comfort
I behelde that byrde of strange nature
The clowdes welny her inclosed
In the element redounded her voyce pure
The heuyn to penetrat I supposed
The heuynly melody she dysclosed
At heuyn gates I iuge she dyd get
The reches at plesure that she dyd fet
Of orbes rotyng she lerned armony
Enforsed by powre of the fyrst mouyng
Enstructed of nature lawde god almyghty
The Egle thowghe strangly be in mowntyng
Yet of it sure hath not lyke outteryng
Recordyng at plesure/deuydyng wonderus
Nothyng so swete Syrene the dangerus
Anone after she dyd descende
By lytel and lytel lyke a byrde of pryce
With note that euer dyd amende
Redy in wynges swyft/mowntyng at a tryce
Of the vernaunt lawre worthy in my aduyce
Which in the grotton anone lyghted
Faryng as she there wold haue rested
But quykly lyke a byrde of bewte
To the fayre haythorne toke her flyght
As after worthynesse showed of dewte
Wolde make clame there to some dewe ryght
And among the blossomes dyd lyght
Lyke an heyre to take possessyon
Clamyd of ryght for her swet lesson


Of the thrusshe
Which the thrusshe dylygent marked
That her ere fast layd to that melody
Lyke a byrde greuyd anone carped
Expressyng sone her fast memory
As nothyng had scaped of that armony
She whysteled and also chypped
And from bowghe to bowghe there trypped
Sone after that byrde so semble and fayre
Her chere changyd of greuyd cowntenaunce
To the byest branche leppyng of the bryar
And her gyft of nature prowdly dyd abaunce
Showyng of muses her redy owtterance
Nothyng was truly to her than strange
In cordes at plesure she dyd range
The nyghtyngale she dyd cownterfet
Lyke a byrde that wolde the hole reply
For no dysdayne she dyd than let
Ful of corage syngyng ryght freshly
The larkys note she dyd descry
The starle/the keyt she pertly dyd mocke
Robynredbrest the wren and the Pecocke
Such borowed descaunt she song freshly
And of her owne she spared no bost
Now swete/now sharpe and scornfully
Avaunsyng as the other had lost
Or none such to be in that same cost
And so on the bryar syttyng a hy
Proyned her fayre fethers by and by

The melody of the Cocko.
Which father cocko sone espyed
Ful sagely restyng not far off
That to confownde hymself emplyed
He noddyd with the hed as a man wold coff
Apperyng lyke one hauyng no vse therof
And at the last it out dyd brast
A sad song and a formal blast
Great grauyte therin pretendyng
Tewnes syngyng of solempnyte
Playne was it witout ruffelyng
Crachettis nor quauerettis cured she
That esyly iuged it myght be
By some subtyl reason wold make clame
And not by note to encrese her name
Lyke as we rede vertu hath oft spyred
From body not elegaunt of composyng
In membres deforme or in tonge lypped
Esope was not al venust in shapyng
Demosthenes of nature was stuttyng
Yet reason pregnaunt in the one rayngned
Dylygence in thother eloquence procured
So plesaut cowntenaunce oft hath be occasyo
In vyce or troble that some ware trapped
Moch bewty shone in the face of Absolon
His bewtyful heere in vyce hym lapped
Putyfers spouse fayre Joseph clappped
In pryson for his fayre cowntenaunce
Becanse with her he made uot dalyaunce
So rudy chekes haue often dysseued
Crokyd lymmes be of louely mekenese
Esyly gotten oft tymes hath greued
Elabored thyng is of more suernese
That lake bewty be of prompt redynese
To garnyshe nature with pregnaunt reson
In the cowcko prouyd by conclusyon
So from the cothows oft hath floryshed
Prynces redoubded of valeaunt pusaunce
By vertu and vyctory that it purchased
Actes declaryng of worthy remembraunce
Gydyng theyr people by noble gouernaunce
Which conquered to landes great royalte
Where vyce spoyled them of auctoryte
So from the thorne buddyth the rose
In bowghe and branch not lyke apperyng
Ye in sauour his nature doth lose
Rubycunde fayre of plesaunt smylyng
Whyte/sprynkeled of semble colouryng
Lyke in the blake botel lyquor hydyth
Swete/freysh/fragraunt that ma confortyth
So thys sory byrde in notes ryght playne
Not in pennes arrogaunt composed
Of the lawre made profer to be fayne
But that she note no bettar expressed
To reason she wold styke I than iuged
In an oke not far of restyng
As wold fle with her hed noddyng
Streyght from her perch she toke her flyght
Entendyng there to make comparyson
And in that bussh boldly dyd lyght
Where they chypped and chaunted a ceson
But not long after they began to reason
The chantors offyce who shuld haue
So they compared them selfe to saue

The reason of the nyghtyngale.
The nyghtyngale sayd she was worthy
In whom the key of musyke dyd rest
All hole her self fayned melody
Nothyng delyueryng from her brest
But descaunt it was of the purest
Another bost than made of comparement
A swete qualite to her only lent
Whan Lucyfers bemes be beryed bryght
Than at rest syt you all lurkyng
Many sad hartes than make I lyght
The corde of trewe musyke reportyng
So Pheba I please with my chantyng
And yet on the day I seldom delay
Utteryng my notes with sport and play
The kocke refreysheth many a man
In the nyght from dull and duskyd sloberyng
Prowdly crowyng now and than
But that ne pausyng suckeryth lamentyng
Of more lawde is worthy after reasonyng
Wherfore most apte am I for this offyce
A byrde perelese of pryke and pryce
The subtyl fet of good inuentyng
In cordes and tewnes that plesaunt be
With coraged brest of clene delyueryng
Seyng the grounde with reportes of bewte
Bettar than his boke is of auctoryte
Such cordes be in me/such tewne is kepte
As the lady of musyke in me had slepte
Another argument of ryght tytell
Most men of me take theyr repast
To fede theyr ere delectable well
Wherby to me such loue haue cast
Sayeng my tewnes that all haue past
What nedyth me than to make reclame
Of that in possessyon that is my name

The larkys reason
Me semyth (quod the larke) ye do dote
Imprudently your self to avaunce
That wyll compare must haue no blotte
I fynde in you a thyng of combraunce
That sone assuage shall your dalyaunce
Lyke as the Pecoke in penues dysdaynyth
But fowle legges his corage assuagyth
So doth many one promote his parson
With crafty colours of aduauncement
All that furtheryng is good reason
The bowe indyfferent is not bent
To touch the but lokyng for punyshment
Of whom the prouerbe shal not dye
A man fawtlese/but/but doth denye
Many commodytes ye do propone
Of notes/dytes and armony
By your selfe as ye ware perles alone
But to me it semyth a pange sory
That lokyth on vertu and not foly
Them in a bundel wysdom doth combynde
Which sone assuagyth the arrogaunt mynde
your notes I besech where do become
Whan Baron Ianus bloyth his blast
You lurke in a corner than very dome
Your voyce slomberyth/your pennes do wast
That after your syght than no man hath hast
Is not thys a byrde lyke to make comparyso?
In a pange of fortune whystelyng his lesson?
yet nere by nature may I approche
Thys offyce vpon me to take
No sharpe/hore frost makyth me to choch
Nor fethers for it do asslake
But in the grotton myrth do make
And somtyme for my plesure merely
My armony sone wyl exalte an hye
With an other gyfte that surmowntyth all
Not erth only in me doth delyt
But also the aungels ethereal
Where I lerne so puerly to endyte
And ful wel do I theyr grace requyte
In theyr swete dewe there bath I oft
With plesaunt armony mowntyng a loft
I rendar kyndly that they me lent
Benefyttes geuyn in me do not spyl
My nowne person doth it present
With prompt seruys and voyce subtyl
Which is famous after my skyl
In an other freysh to behold playne
That with study dyscussyd his brayne
This leftyd swetly in the ayre
Of armony only here not the lesson
But I contemplat the woddes fayre
The flowrs/the odors haue assentyon
Wherof I haue great delectatyon
I behold wel the place of amenyte
Paradyse in erth/most worthy of dygnyte

The reason of the thrushe.
Whom the thrush coude no lengar forbere
Supposyng to speke al to late
As no laude had be lefte for here there
And for the offyce began to chat
Euyn in the bussh there as she sat
With formal reason of eloquence
As of Pallas had some influence
If in report there restyth praysyng
In the nyghtys melody comendatyon
In varyable notes moch reioysyng
In contynual syngyng swete consolatyon
Of armony to rendar the mery lesson
At heuyn gattes where freyshly it is
In solace bathyng of meruelus blys
In them cockyng vertu elegauntly
Allegyng for the lawre with dysdayne
Chockyng with a bone of dyshonesty
But one thyng marke you very playne
Of parteys the hole doth remayne
And the hole is no other thyng
But parteys compact in ioynyng
What thyng partly ye haue descrybed
In me of it the hole sume restyth
Who can endyte? of me not fayned
No fowle in the ayre that euer fleyth
Of me herd but my brest reportyth
Seldom the byrde vtteryth melody
That I reporte not in bettar armony
The mo the meryar it is sayd
Sen in dyuerse the bettar is sped
And of more worthynese vndenayd
Study in sevence sone is enhaunsed
If with quycke memory it be flowred
In incredyble memory seyence is lockyd
So in a dull hed sone is it chockyd
Cesar is lauded for fast memory
Of no man resyted/that euer red swyftar
Pennyng his mynde in quycknes as redy
Of foure quaterns he was compylar
Of epystels at ons no man bettar
Pycus de Myrandula not longe agon
Thrughe fast memory felowe had non
Now marke ye dylygent my entent
The flowre of study of me expressyd
To dylygent pregnaunce comyn is lent
yf in no trechery the mynde be duskyd
In slewth and dyscord be not there luskyd
Apt to honor is that elegaunt parson
Which as in me lyke/in none hath perfectyon
This auaunsyd she in that natural hous
Coyshe with her cowntenaunce vnderpopyng
Fayre mayled and a properd smale dows
With scornful syght rollyng on them lokyng
That bone i theyr throte thought to be chokig
But sone after bespake her make
Her arrogaunt bost to aslake

The cocko.
Soth sayth the cocko it is that ye say
Sen in many but expert in very fewe
your brest vtteryth sport and play
With Meduseus as ye dyd renewe
Or in the font of the hors lappyd the dwe
Moch your comparyson greater your bostyng
As all the muses had in you reclosyng
To the hole perlese ye make reclame
A hole sume with a grosse gappe
A false tytel and forged fame
A vayne bost that the wynde doth flappe
A fayre byldyng wyl stand parhappe
Insculped/enbosted and paynted venustly
For lake of fundatyon fallyth quycly
So your reasons apperyng strong
Lykely/but false I can proue
What is descaunt with out playnsong
With reportes of pleasure as ye loue
In the meane or swetely to syng aboue
yf the playnsong swarue from the boke
A none your descaunt wyl stande a croke
To me it longyth to syng the plansong
And you on me to syng descaunt I wys
Now on mynom tyme and now two long
Together shal we syng swetely this
Most fyt for me than this offyce is
And seldome ye se it in experyence
But the quere rulyth the basys dylyence
After the which prudent and formal reason
To the cocko dyd they al assent
Geuyng hym that offyce of promotyon
And ech with other ware wel content
Kayt in trewe loue sone after ware bent
To repete theyr notes of melody
A swete song to make of armony
The cocko began than redely to syng
A fayre key takyng of meane tyme
The dyapason now and than touchyng
The larke in her voyce anon dyd clyme
The nyghtyngale reportyd hym
A standyng tenor song the thrussh
Ioyned in felysshyp in that bussh
Theyr voyces in the wood dyd redownde
All instrumentes in plesure excellyng
Far bettar theyr eccho was iu sownde
A fayrar lectorn they rede of syngyng
Than dyd the hamors of Tubals techyng
Or Pyctagoras that was so tedyus
Knyt in a sume myght se it compendyus
It was not frompelyd nor yet iombelyd
Nor fayned voyces but of nature pure
Not hob for gyb out rayshly tumbelyd
Lyke blynd bayar that nothyng doth sure
Lytel in the grounde/in the boke assure
Which not syngyth but scuyth al raysh
That with his fryske from the cord doth laysh
Than perseuyd I good apperyng symple
Of many coniectured folyshnese
In the wooddes to lyue forsoke the cyte
Renownsyng al pompe of wantonnese
Dwellyd in the cothowse of wyldernese
And no merwel that such plesure there founde
Eloquentar dyte than in the rounde
So drewe my sorowe to perfectyon
In my reason it dyd so wel recorde
There restyth vehemence in a swete lesson
With whom ragyng wyldnese euer wyl borde
In greater dysdayne at the bettar worde
Which delyte in prouerbe shal not spyl
Moch swettar is sport to the wanton wyl
The wooddes and the cyte I dyd combynde
Many apply but fewe haue the lote
In corde and dyte to agre of mynde
Dyuerse study the armony of note
But in the dyte vtterly they dote
As oft is sen a man wel enpareled
yet lyke goodnese within is fabeled
So in the cyte armony is forsed
From the woodyes translate that melody
But bondage for lyberte is yl scorsed
Byrdes in chages be mured gayly
But that is coacte syngyth not freyshly
As in musytyons we se it playne
yf it come not of corage they wyl fayne
So cordes of lyberte are in corage
With me contryuyng his nature
Uertu is lyberte vyce is bondage
Which causyd me to take more cure
Theyr dyte to marke/as note pure
And anone perseuyd it not darke
Agaynst puaunt vyce that dyd barke
The dyte to me was wonderfull
Of the byrdes expressyd meruelus
No hed but it wold refreyshe dull
Man (quod they) lerne this lesson of vs
To syng in trewe loue as we do thus
From the corde of loue ospryngyth grace
Neuyn wynnyng/hydyng al trespace
Be content with the gyft of nature
Upon the neyghbors enter not pryse
For presumptyon may not endure
Uyce of dysdayne doth euer aryse
Goddys creatyon do thou surmyse
All thyng he creatyd in trewe armony
Gyft to accorde here with gyft meryly
After from thens they toke theyr flyght
Nature to sustayne by his prouysion
Utterly vanyshyng from my syght
Than fel I in great medytatyon
Compassyng that swete noyse with my reason
As lyghtly it is in man most feruent
To recorde delyte somtyme present
O fortune ouerrollyd in darkenese
Ny mured slomberyng in my brest
Thy self forgettyng in welthynese
But sone a wry whan he dyd wrest
Repentaunce had me wel ny opprest
Lerne lerne man arrogaunce euer to fle
Condescend with thes byrdes in humylyte
Man thy reason yf thou do wel tyll
Lyke swetenese of armony we fyude
In all men that refrayne theyr wyll
As in brefe sentence I wyll combynde
The larkys note who bettar hath in mynde
Than where the flowr of chastyte smylyth
A heuynly tewne where so it restyth
That passyth this lyfe in vyrgynyte
With aungel equal and hym beforne
Aungel in ioy/man lapped in mysere
Trogyng and mournyng as ware forlorne
But syngyng this note fortunat is borne
Whose mynde sone the cloudes doth penetrat
Meke and redy all wronge to tollerat
So the nyghtyngale euydent syngeth
In the gentyl brest of curtese
The fetes of reason there reporteth
A propred clame of that dygnyte
On pregnaunt wyt grounded auctoryte
Lawes to sancyt of ryghtfulnes
The ragyng mynde to let of wyldnes
Whome of innocentes I may call
The good and sure buckeler of defence
Chastenyng vyce and wyll tyrannicall
A note trewly of hye magnyficence
Both in nyght and daye of redy presence
The nyght turnyth in dayly pastaunce
Correctyth synne and vertu doth enhaunce
In dyuerse tewnes of the thrushys musyng
In a grosse sume together comest
Clerely expressyth the comyn lyuyng
In the lyne of lyke meryt that do rest
That holdyth of other is not the purest
Whos varyable notes do dysclose
The indygest lyfe that most do repose
The dangerus recourse of marchandyse
The subtyl inuentyon artyfytyal
Composyng in ordar by semble wyse
To confort our lyfe with thynges materyal
With handy craftes that be lyke natural
Which in a nombre yf we redresse
The thurshys notes wyl expresse
Now the cocko druggyth at the plough
Playne as a packestafe euer in care
Be it frost or snowe he goyth thrugh
yf the plough spede the bettar do they fare
Thother geuyng the tewne of welfare
Than goyth the playnsong ryght swetly
The bettar musyke there of armony
But yf the cocko the larke wold fayne
Dekey wold sone theyr modulatyon
Or yf the thrusshe the note wold retayne
Of the nyghtyngalys gently fatyon
Sone theyr corde wold come to confusyon
As lyke to syght as an ape purpuled
Or a slaue in a regal vesture palled
As plesaunt to the ere as the blacke sanctus
Of a sad sorte vpon a mery pyn
Lernyd in the bole of curtys Bacchus
Bathyd in musyke without/and within
Rage in cordes/in dyte do deuyn
Duetystars arrogaunt syt with dysdayne
For tha al wysdome rubelyth in theyr brayne
Lyke Sylene in swetnes of armony
Relyng from his dene with a blacke tankarde
Endyted verses of famous memory
The styffe okes fayned hym to regarde
To Aglays promysyng wanton rewarde
Al faynyng to daunce I iuge they dremed
Or the erth with molles euerywhere heued
Lyke Promachus in tryumph dysgysed
That lorde of drynkars I may call
In Alexanders game vnsemble deuysed
Of thre tankerdes he dronke vp all
No man lyke hym in quaftyng prodygall
He vsyd to sup them at a tryce
Wherfore among them he had the pryce
Lyke knyght in felde for vyctory
For the gottys wul that often stryuyth
Or for tryumph beyng vylony
Of tyranny what laude ospryngyth
What to hym that an other spoylyth
So of comparyson sory is electyon
Where nether of them bryngyth but infectyo
To stryue in offyce it to auaunce
Famyd with the flowre of humilyte
The vertu it is of noble constance
Not to barke at an others dygnyte
That garnyshe theyr gyfte ryght famous be
So drenched in pryde often do lowre
Syt it in cothowse or in bye bowre
The greater in wysdom/the hyar in grace
Goddys ordynaunce if they behold
In them pryde shal occapy no place
The inflar mynde may sone make colde
Comyn folowyth gyftes manyfolde
Panges of foly dayly pursuyng
In pryde that the mynde may haue no raging
Holy saynt Paul was oft cuffyd
For al he was drenched in hye grace
With enflamed lechery oft buffyd
Gladly callyng to heuynly solace
To saue hym from that fylthy trespace
Which let al byrdes dylygent contemplat
So prydly venom shal not intorycat
Let the larke than dylygent aduort
Which of nature in the grotton restyth
Heuyn to refreyshe by dewe resorte
With mowntyng plesauntly as she syngyth
Which thyng a chaste mynde wel expressyth
No lowryng darke clowde may hym let
His prayer afore god to be set
The famous vyrgyn by prerogatyue
Tastyd grace slomberyng on Chrystys brest
The sacrament of secresy dyd contryue
In storys restyth ne such a conquest
Al powre in ordar that hath redrest
Recusyng honor/where honor myght haue
Hyest in honor/that most men dyd saue
Not entreprysyng iusted at the campe
Not shyned in vayne glory and ryet
Theyr lyfe is bryghter than eny lampe
Trechery quenchyng by good dyet
In hyest tryumphe beyng most quyet
This offeryth incenses for our mortalyte
That oft sagge redemyng our fraylte
Solinus showyth of a prouynce
Where the indwellars be hole chast
Al toyes of ryet that do deuynce
Theyr mynde in vertu islockyd fast
Not haltyng doune from theyr norme cast
Lyke one tyme losyng/relyth to the close
Wrystyng and wryngyng to bryng to purpose
The famous flowre of nobylyte
The swete reportes yf be loste
A byrde in name but not in dygnyte
Which of hye lynage may make boste
But lackyng vertu/slepyth in the froste
Gentyl vngentyl that may be named
In the parent fayre in the sonne dyffamed
Sone honor vadyth led by auaryce
Euer lackyng yet drouned in opulence
Sone mannys mynde spousid to vyce
Blynded/tumbelith in to neclygence
This garryth the note of reuerence
Moch truculence wherof ospringyth
That playne a dyscord no other syngyth
The vernaunt flowre of gentylry
Bathyth in the well spryng of clemence
Iustyce/and the dewe acte of honesty
Preferryng/fauoryth royalte
Not grossyth/nor engratyth dayle
Nor druggyth with the cartar at the plough
But syngyth swetly content with ynough
Craftes resyted artyfytyal
Theyr gyfte labored yf they do apply
Most restyth in thynges materyal
To folowe the larke behouyth truly
Thother to obey in corde meryly
So ioynyng fortunes by dyscretyon
The swete corde shal sone rendar of reason
Now the larke pouerly ye ploughman ca play
The cocko vnapt the other counterfyttys
Nature repugnyth the gentylman to play
As truly no game it is for slauys
To iust in the felde with syluer sperys
So dewe ordar makyth armony
A confused state garryth vtterly
To pray belongsth for our offence
The larkys note in humylite
The nyghtyngale protector of innocence
The thrusshe clothith our necessite
Of the cockoys playnsong al fed be
Which to confuse no other thyng is
But the plough the oxen to drawe I wys
Where thes agre. O fortunat countre
Irrored with the dew celestyal
Spousyd to vertu/indued with bownte
The swete key reportyng armonycal
Rauy shed plesaunt in noyse ethereal
Where though the muses be not present
yet theyr odor pausith in monument
Another lyke lesson than dyd I bownte
Which me refrey shed meruelusly
Many thynges creat I dyd recownte
Of the elementys nature facundly
In proportyons syngyng iorundly
In rarnesse/or thycknesse euer a tenth
From theyr corde makng no ragement.
Dystyncted in steyfe by dew proportyon
Of whom compact is al thyng sensyble
Whos armony spyreth propagatyon
And whan they rage/yssueth mysere
Than ceasith the corde by fayned amyte
So wonderful in nature further in stryfe
Content with theyr vertu gyue to al lyfe
So founde I in countreys descryptyon
Of al thynges in one not lyke opulence
Which inducyth this elegaunt reason
To agre in corde of louely congruence
Therfore one bath not the hole influence
That by comodytes in nede of fodar
We shuld aduertyse one to loue an other
As of landes made of in mentyon
For gyftes of nature that be auaunsyd
Some for subtyl and elegaunt inuentyon
Some for the vyne famous be extollyd
Some for theyr sauours greatly are comedyd
Some wooddes/fel/catal and freyshe spryng
Some forest/dale and holsom fosteryng
Some hold moch of the heuinly larke
An other of the nyghtyngale bost dare
Dyuerse with the thrusshe dayly do warke
Most with the cocko druggen in care
Thus sowre and swet in loue ioyned are
But fortunat that parke/plesaunt that tre
Wher thes be knet and in corde do agre
Which in the lectorne of cosmography
The gyfte of nature in none more opulent
Than in Englande of noble memory
Al thes byrdes there syng ryght reuerent
Seldom ragyng/or makyng interment
Fayre semble and of lusty corage
Gouernyd by prynces of hye lynage
A parke vernaunt/plesauntly paled
Under fruitful plage by sytuatyon
With the surgyng see rownd a bowt mured
Fayre in prospect/a place of miratyon
Dystyncted in prouynces by discretyon
Aungels are lyke the people of cowntenaunce
For who ther god makyth great purueaunce
Of catal and corne there is ryght good
From the hylles the stremes do tryl
Encresyng softly at last in flode
Of forest and dale they haue theyr wyl
Of fysshe and fowle they haue theyr fyl
Of metal there is a ryght good vayne
Of men there lackyth no poure and mayne
Al landes to it haue lyeng theyr trade
With al to change his gyfte is redy
Halfe stuffyd come thyther/away go lade
God saue Englond and kepe in armony
The corde of goddis wyl to report dayly
In trewe musyke theyr lesson to rendar
Theyr famous state shal last the lengar
Consent neuer drawyth to confutyon
The flowre euer garnyshyth of prudence
A meke state neuer tumblyth in euersyon
A suffysed brest is full of clemence
That knowyth hymself geuyth reuerence
The swete lectorne of the foules assemblaunce
That wherest spyryth is lytel combraunce
Whereof yssuyth a noble sentence
Man assuage thy insatyat appetyte
Of presumptyon alay the oftence
He lyuyth not here in cordly delyte
Suaruyng from the tewne of his benefyte
Than let go pryde and vnderproppyng
Loke on thy self and leue thy choppyng
Let go bostyng and vayne glory
The subtyl artyllary of the deuyl
Let go dyscorde a blastful sory
Man of vertu that doth euer pyll
And spouse thy selfe truly to goddys wyll
For wyl adulteryne may not endure
That louyth wel god/he lyuyth sure
Creatyd thou must the remembre
In purpose of lyfe far moch bettar
Laude to god than se thou rendre
Frely he gaue the a gyfte comlyar
To rendar agayne thou art but dettar
For such is ordayned the meruelus syght
To behold the myrrour of tryforme lyght
Wherto to come god gyue vs grace
The louyng note to synge of humylyte
For that wyll mownt vnto that place
Must nosel in no pang of mysere
Lyke wyll to lyke and euer shalbe
That in cordly ordar lyue not here of lyfe
Shal lament where is no ordar but al stryfe
Reason the norme of ordar hath inuentyd
To tech man the path of heuynnys salace
That to publyshe Cryst was incarnatyd
Growndyng obedyence to lede that trace
Loue and ordar to purchese that place
Euyl wyl and dysordar there to haue no powr
But fayth and vertu to floryshe in that bowre
That vse wel reason there shal haue meryte
That lyue for heuyn there shal haue honor
Vertu there shynyth in perfyt delyte
Of al swet flowrs there is the fragraunt odor
All perfectyon to beholde that myrror
With other ioyes that be there in corage
Of whom I can not expresse the surplusage
From blyndnese of hart god vs defende
To fyx our loue in lyfe perpetual
And not rest in thyng that shal haue ende
For mortal in thyng to delyte mortall
As neuer wolde depart with loue so spetyal
Hedlyng to tomble it is no other thyng
To the darke lake of pytyful mornyng
God saue our prynce and his louyng make
His byrdes to report in armony
From the breth god defende them of the lake
That the deuyl blastyth owt spytefully
That this compyled Cryst saue from foly
God send vs al the heuynly palace
Uyryng in bewte of meruelus solace

Robert Saltwood Comments