sig: [A1] | |
¶A comparyson bytwene .iiij. byrdes / the Larke / the Nyghtyngale / the Thrusshe and the Cucko / for theyr syngynge who shuld be chauntoure of the quere. |
|
sig: [Alv] [page blank] | |
sig: A2 | |
¶How a sorowful man went to the wood and there toke comforte by the melody and comparyson of thes byrdes. |
|
LAmentyng my sorowes with syghes depe | |
How lowryng fortune me had scorned | |
Pensyue in my harte dreryly dyd wepe | |
Whos scoffe perfyt anone I lerned scoffe ='contempt, ridicule' | |
5 | Rare is the welth that hath not morned |
Iocunde / plesaunt and of corage | |
O sorowful howre in his outrage O: =one | |
As whyle markyng in cyrcle rotyng rotyng ='rotating', here and below; see OED s.v. rote v2 | |
Famous men callyng to my remembrance | |
10 | That rued pytyful in-to dotyng |
To meane men also showyng his varyaunce | |
Lyke the ayre than founde I hym of constance | |
Now smylyth fayre and sodenly doth rage | |
Ma[n] rockyng in the flode of sharpe passage Man] Mam 1534 | |
15 | This dyd I secretly with me reason This: =Thus |
Of hym anon hauyng aduertysment | |
To clyme not to hye for fere of euersyon | |
A ####ab#### boue my state to make no interment interment ='dealings', probably a nonce-formation from entermete, 'to concern oneself, to have dealings'. MED s.v. entermeten v records a form entermenten. | |
Of comparyson ospryngyth torment | |
20 | Which of me patiently ponderedospryngyth: either a variant of aspryngyth, 'springs up', here and below (lines 552, 655), or 'off-spring' used as a verb. |
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 proudly ='of proud manner'; repastaunce: not recorded in OED, but cf. repast, repasture, 'food, feasting' | |
25 | My welth vanyshed in redy passage |
Thus turned my state in-to dotage | |
sig: [A2v] | |
Fortune than why shuld I now accuse | |
Seyng he ragyth of my mys ####ab#### vse | |
Proude nor portly be thou neuer | |
30 | Comparyng / bosting nor of wylfulnese |
To gyue reuerence the endeuer | |
Recounter thy blode to be of mekenese Recounter: =recount, 'regard, consider', although this form is not recorded in OED s.v. recount v1 | |
Of thy homage reason no secretnese | |
For whan lowe blode clymith o[u]er-hye | |
35 | He tumblyth oft hedlyng in vylonye |
Let the cartar than handel his plough | |
The smyth his hammar dylygent entrete | |
Thy mynd insatyat content with ynoug[h] ynoug[h]: the final letter is illegible. | |
Peres lyke of blod together wel met | |
40 | Of nature prudently pondar thy fet fet ='pursuit, employment, profession'; see OED s.v. feat n, 5 |
Seldom buddyt[h] from the cartars grosse brest buddyth] buddyte 1534 | |
Polycy / cheualry and maners honest | |
This repetyng / in my mynd oft reuolued | |
Of presumptyon I dyd me repent | |
45 | And that comparyson me not behoued |
To late bewaylyng tyme mysspent | |
Sorowe to doble a folyshe entent | |
Therfore purposyng for my comfort | |
To a place of plesure me to resort | |
50 | I drewe to the wood freysh enpareled enpareled: =apparelled |
With flowrs smylyng plesauntly | |
With bewtyful colours enpurpuled | |
With swete odor ryght sauory | |
A medycen apt for syke memory | |
sig: [A3] | |
55 | And ny to a haythorne I approched haythorne: =hawthorn |
Entendyng to take rest there me choched choched: =nonce-form of checked? Cf. choch, below. Or it may be a form of couch v. | |
A busshe of plesure perlese in the wood | |
Fragraunt / vernaunt / bewtyful in coloure | |
The blossoms iucunde / in vertu lyke good | |
60 | Facyng the Lyly in whytly candoure whytly ='whitish, pale'; see OED s.v. whitely |
Al swete flowrs dysclosyd theyr odor | |
The goddes there to solace than I iugged | |
Such comly flowrs on euery boufe budded boufe: =bough, but this spelling is not attested in OED s.v. bough; elsewhere in this text the word is spelled bowghe (3x) | |
A fayre founten was there at hande | |
65 | A freyshe spring / clere as any Crystal |
That sof[t]ely tryllyd on the sande softely] sofely 1534sof[t]ely tryllyd: cf. tryl ... softly, below | |
The which moysted the flowrs vernaunt all | |
The Lybanot and Lyly of conwall Lybanot: not recorded in OED, and presumably derived from the Greek libanos (=incense); cf. MED s.v. libanus, 'a tree from which incense is derived'. Conwall: see OED s.v. convally, an adapted form of the Latin Lilium convallium, 'lily of the valleys'. | |
With a pure sauoure that there remayned | |
70 | As Pallas / or Uenus there had bathed |
The ayre murmured of theyr presence | |
As after assemble remaynith monument monument ='record, document'; see OED s.v. monument n, 2a | |
Of great powrs in fet of magnyfycence fet: =feat, 'exceptional act' | |
Which reuyued my mynde with sorowe ny spent | |
75 | Reioysed streight / vnb[u]rdened 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 | |
80 | Oft recountering that my rest combered recountering ='encountering'; see OED s.v recounter v |
A noyse far passyng in armony | |
sig: [A3v] | |
In cordes and raches of consony raches: error for caches? OED s.v. catch n1, 14, '(sung) round', sense first att. 1601. | |
Th[a]t none I iuge but wold it desyre That] Thet 1534 | |
Except the ayshe vnapt to the lyre ayshe: =ash(tree) | |
85 | O my spyryttes so it refreyshed |
My body trymbelyd in reioysyng | |
That ny my sorowe away it wayshed | |
And fully awake from my slombering | |
To it gaue than dyligent heryng | |
90 | My eye rollyd swyft here and there |
To be fed as wel as was the ere | |
Than gentyl touches I recorded touches ='feelings'; see OED s.v. touch n, 13b; recorded ='recollected'; see OED s.v. record v1, 4 | |
In welth whyle fortune dyd fauor | |
But to far mownt I remembered | |
95 | A fayned melody lost in labor |
Proue who lyst nothyng lyke sauor | |
For there is lernyng of reuenyence of reuenyence ='retrospective'? Revenience is not recorded in OED, but cf. OED s.v. revene, 'to come again', and Latin revenire | |
But I lerned here the notes of prudence | |
Mannys state was there descrybed | |
100 | A ####ab#### mong 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 For: =Four? comparysons ='rivalries, contentions'? see OED s.v. comparisn n, 7; combynde ='combine, bind together'; see OED s.v. combind v | |
105 | Mekly assuagyng in theyr kynde assuagyng ='pacifying, appeasing'? Or perhaps, 'giving way (to one another)'. |
Of foules there certayne dyd assymble | |
To proue theyr voyces in counteryng counteryng: ='singing an accompaniment to a melody or plain-song'; see OED s.v. counter v2; the sense 'engaging in contest', OED s.v. counter v1, 4, is also present. | |
Arrogaunt began / but endyd humble | |
To syng most plesaunt was theyr stryuing | |
110 | In swete armony and also reasonyng |
sig: [A4] | |
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 | |
115 | 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 descryptyon of the nyghtyngale. |
|
120 | The nyghtyngale made heuynly noyse |
Redobelyng her tewnes melodyously | |
Man beryed in sorowe it wold reioyse | |
Swete / plesaunt in consent / in corde redy consent: =concent, '(musical) harmony' | |
The ere fedyth no sownde more freyshly | |
125 | That yf al melody ware truly loste |
To be found in her / perelese she myght boste | |
Ful meryly in tyme it recorded recorded ='sang, warbled'; see OED s.v. record v1, 3b | |
Swete / swete / iug / iug ryght meruelus | |
And in a nother key streyght reported reported ='uttered, pronounced'; see OED s.v. report v, 8a | |
130 | In manyfold notes lyke wonderus |
To be taught in Paradyse / I iuged thus | |
Or had some lectorne of Melpomene lectorne (=lecturn): an error for lecture ='lesson'? See OED s.v. lecture n, 5a, and cf. lectorn below | |
Which of armony hath the dygnyte | |
But of the ere thus fed not suffysed | |
135 | My eye I cast on that mery orgon |
Of whos syght anon [I] was amased I] 1534 omits | |
So lytel a byrde to muse that lesson muse ='sing'; this sense is not recorded in OED s.v. muse v, but see the note on muses ='songs' below. Lesson ='musical piece'; see OED s.v. lesson n, 5 | |
sig: [A4v] | |
So audyble / so tewnable in good facyon | |
From the lytel body than I remembred | |
140 | That famous vertu oft hath burgened |
Hystoryes calling to my rem[em]braunce remembraunce] rembraunce 1534 | |
In the lytel body that vertu hydyth | |
The grosse body a yocke to be of combraunce yocke: =yoke | |
Of educatyon / such robustnesse rysith | |
145 | Demynishment 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 | |
150 | 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 properd: apparently a nonce-spelling for proper (='own, individual'), here and below | |
Whos polycy tryumph had ouer-all | |
155 | Which Corylane morned in lost of victory lost ='loss' |
The grosse body turning in occasyo[n] | |
Also Sertorius hym saued by polycy | |
The tayle of the horse lesyng by reason | |
Sonar than strenght by good conclusyon strenght: =strength | |
160 | The batel of wyt this prouyd spetyal |
Where strenght and lymmes seruyd not natural | |
Moch feble deceyt raignyth in strenghth strenghth: =strength | |
Hartes p[r]opyd in corage without aduysement propyd] popyd 1534propyd ='stuffed'; see OED s.v. prop v2 | |
For lake of wysdome fowndering at lenght | |
165 | And so most comyn we haue it in experyment |
In a lytel body lernyng hath enclosement | |
sig: B1 | |
Freshe subtyl and redy of outteraunce | |
Facunde / elegaunt and of remembraunce | |
The seneuey-sede who lystyth to beholde seneuey: =senvy, 'mustard' | |
170 | In vertu all other that doth excell |
Exhausten of nature gyftes manyfolde Exhausten of ='drawn from'; see OED s.v. exhaust v, 1 | |
Powned the fragraunter I you tell Powned: =pounded | |
Busshyth in vernaunce thoughe not mychel | |
So thys lytel byrde her notes endyted | |
175 | 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 | |
180 | Which as in worthy cheke for cheualry cheke ='attack'; see OED s.v. check v1, 2 |
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 | |
185 | 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 | |
190 | I behelde that byrde of strange nature |
The clowdes welny her inclosed | |
sig: [B1v] | |
In the element redounded her voyce pure | |
The heuyn to penetrat I supposed | |
The heuynly melody she dysclosed | |
195 | At heuyn-gates I iuge she dyd get |
The reches at plesure that she dyd fet reches: =riches | |
Of orbes rotyng she lerned armony | |
Enforsed by powre of the fyrst mouyng | |
Enstructed of nature lawde god almyghty lawde ='may laud? | |
200 | The Egle thowghe strangly be in mowntyng strangly ='strong', although strongly is not recorded in OED as an adjective; but cf. proudly, whytly in this text. |
Yet of it sure hath not lyke outteryng | |
Recordyng at plesure / deuydyng wonderus deuydyng ='descanting'; see OED s.v. divide v, 11 | |
Nothyng so swete [song] Syrene the dangerus song] 1534 omits | |
Anone after she dyd descende | |
205 | 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 lawre: = laure, 'laurel-chaplet' | |
Which in the grotton anone lyghted grotton: =gratten, a southern dialect word meaning 'stubble(-field)' | |
210 | 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 | |
215 | And among the blossomes dyd lyght |
Lyke an heyre to take possessyon | |
Clamyd of ryght for her swet lesson swet: =sweet | |
Of the thrusshe |
|
sig: B2 | |
Which the thrusshe dylygent marked | |
That her ere fast layd to that melody | |
220 | Lyke a byrde greuyd anone carped |
Expressyng sone her fast memory Expressyng ='expelling (the contents of)'; see OED s.v. express v1, 1b | |
As nothyng had scaped of that armony | |
She whysteled and also chypped chypped: =cheeped, here and below? See OED s.v. cheep v | |
And from bowghe to bowghe there trypped | |
225 | Sone after that byrde so semble and fayre semble: =seemly |
Her chere changyd of greuyd cowntenaunce | |
To the hyest branche leppyng of the bryar | |
And her gyft of nature prowdly dyd avaunce | |
Showyng of muses her redy owtterance muses ='songs'; see OED s.v. muse n1, 3 | |
230 | 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 | |
235 | Ful of corage syngyng ryght freshly |
The larkys note she dyd descry | |
The starle / the keyt she pertly dyd mocke | |
Robyn redbrest the wren and the Pecocke | |
Such borowed descaunt she song freshly | |
240 | 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 ####ab#### hy | |
245 | Proyned her fayre fethers by and by Proyned: =preened; see OED s.v. preen v2 |
sig: [B2v] | |
¶The melody of the Cocko. |
|
Which father cocko sone espyed | |
Ful sagely restyng not far off | |
That to confownde hym-self emplyed hym-self emplyed ='he indicated his presence'; see OED s.v. imply v, 2c | |
He noddyd with the hed as a man wold coff | |
250 | 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 | |
255 | Playne was it wit[h]out ruffelyng without] witout 1534 |
Crachettis nor quauerettis cured she The cuckoo appears to have changed his gender. | |
That esyly iuged it myght be | |
By some subtyl reason wold make clame | |
And not by note to encrese her name | |
260 | Lyke as we rede vertu hath oft spyred spyred ='sprouted, mounted'; see OED s.v. spire v1 |
From body not elegaunt of composyng | |
In membres deforme or in tonge lypped lypped ='lopped, truncated'? See OED s.v. lip v2 | |
Esope was not al venust in shapyng | |
Demosthenes of nature was stuttyng stuttyng ='stuttering'; see OED s.vv. stut v1, stutting | |
265 | Yet reason pregnaunt in the one rayngned rayngned: =reigned |
Dylygence in th'other eloquence procured | |
So plesaunt cowntenaunce oft hath be occasyon | |
In vyce or troble that some ware trapped | |
Moch bewty shone in the face of Absolon | |
270 | His bewtyful heere in vyce hym lapped |
Putyfers spouse fayre Ioseph clapped | |
sig: B3 | |
In pryson for his fayre cowntenaunce | |
Be ####ab#### ca[u]se with her he made [n]ot dalyaunce | |
So rudy chekes haue often dysseued | |
275 | Crokyd lymmes be of louely mekenese |
Esyly gotten oft-tymes hath greued | |
Elabored thyng is of more suernese Elabored ='worked for'; see OED s.v. elabour v, which does not record a transitive use in this sense, however | |
That lake bewty be of prompt redynese | |
To garnyshe nature with pregnaunt reson | |
280 | In the cowcko prouyd by conclusyon |
So from the cothows oft hath floryshed cothows: =cothouse, 'small cottage' | |
Prynces redoub[t]ed of valeaunt pusaunce redoubted] redoubded 1534 | |
By vertu and vyctory that it purchased | |
Actes declaryng of worthy remembraunce | |
285 | 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 | |
290 | 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 man confortyth | |
295 | So thys sory byrde in notes ryght playne |
Not in pennes arrogaunt composed | |
Of the lawre made profer to be fayne | |
But [she that] note no bettar expressed she that] that she 1534 | |
To reason she wold styke I than iuged | |
sig: [B3v] | |
300 | 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 | |
305 | 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 | |
310 | 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 | |
A nother bost than made of comparement | |
315 | 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 | |
320 | 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 slomberyng | |
325 | Prowdly crowyng now and than |
But that ne pausyng suckeryth lamentyng suckeryth: =succoureth | |
sig: [B4] | |
Of more lawde is worthy after reasonyng | |
Wherfore most apte am I for this offyce | |
A byrde perelese of pryke and pryce | |
330 | The subtyl fet of good inuentyng fet: =feat |
In cordes and tewnes that plesaunt be | |
With coraged brest of clene delyueryng | |
Seyng the grounde with reportes of bewte Seyng: an error for Sedyng (=seeding) or Sewyng (=sowing)? Reportes ='notes' | |
Bettar than his boke is of auctoryte | |
335 | Such cordes be in me / such tewne is kepte |
As the lady of musyke in me had slepte | |
A nother argument of ryght tytell tytell ='that which justifies or substantiates a claim'; see OED s.v. title n. 6 | |
Most men of me take theyr repast | |
To fede theyr ere delectable well | |
340 | 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 | |
345 | 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 pen[n]es dysdaynyth | |
350 | But fowle legges his corage assuagyth fowle: =foul, with a pun on 'fowl' |
So doth many one promote his parson | |
With crafty colours of aduauncement | |
All that furtheryng is good reason | |
The bowe indyfferent is not bent indyfferent ='impartial' | |
sig: [B4v] | |
355 | To touch the but lokyng for punyshment |
Of whom the prouerbe shal not dye | |
A man fawtlese / but / but doth denye This proverb is not recorded in Tilley, Whiting or the Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs. | |
Many commodytes ye do propone | |
Of notes / dytes and armony | |
360 | By your-selfe as ye ware perles alone |
But to me it semyth a pange sory pange: here and below, pang(e) seems to have a different sense (='attitude'?) from those recorded in OED s.v. pang n1 ('sudden pain or feeling') | |
That lokyth on vertu and not foly | |
Them in a bundel wysdom doth combynde | |
Which sone assuagyth the arrogaunt mynde | |
365 | Your notes I besech where do become |
Whan Baron Ianus blo[w]yth his blast blowyth] bloyth 1534 | |
You lurke in a corner than very dome | |
Your voyce slomberyth / your pennes do wast | |
That after your syght than no man hath hast | |
370 | Is not thys a byrde lyke to make comparyson? |
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 choch: =check? Cf. choched, above | |
375 | Nor fethers for it do asslake |
But in the grotton myrth do [I] make I] 1534 omits | |
And somtyme for my plesure merely | |
My armony sone wyl exalte an hye | |
With an-other gyfte that surmowntyth all | |
380 | Not erth only in me doth delyt |
But also the aungels ethereal | |
sig: C1 | |
Where I lerne so puerly to endyte | |
And ful wel do I theyr grace requyte | |
In theyr swete dewe there bath I oft | |
385 | With plesaunt armony mowntyng a ####ab#### 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 | |
390 | Which is famous after my skyl |
In an-other freysh to behold playne freysh ='(to) refresh'? See OED s.v. fresh v | |
That with study dyscussyd his brayne dyscussyd ='drove out'; see OED s.v. discuss v, 1, 2 | |
This leftyd swetly in the ayre This: =Thus | |
Of armony only [I] here not the lesson I] 1534 omits | |
395 | But I contemplat the woddes fayre woddes: =woods |
The flowrs / the odors haue assentyon | |
Wherof I haue great delectatyon | |
I behold wel the place of amenyte the place of amenyte ='the locus amoenus, the earthly paradise' | |
Paradyse in erth / most worthy of dygnyte | |
¶The reason of the thrushe. |
|
400 | Whom the thrush coude no lengar forbere |
Supposyng to speke al to late | |
As no laude had be lefte for [her] there her] here 1534 | |
And for the offyce began to chat | |
Euyn in the bussh there-as she sat | |
405 | With formal reason of eloquence |
As of Pallas had some influence | |
sig: [C1v] | |
If in report there restyth praysyng | |
In the nyghtys melody commendatyon | |
In varyable notes moch reioysyng | |
410 | 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 cockyng: the sense is unclear here; but see OED s.v. cock v1. | |
415 | Allegyng for the lawre with dysdayne Allegyng ='pleading'? See OED s.v. allege v2 |
Chockyng with a bone of dyshonesty Chockyng: =choking | |
But one thyng marke you very playne | |
Of parteys the hole doth remayne | |
And the hole is no other thyng | |
420 | 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 | |
425 | 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 | |
430 | And of more worthynese vndenayd |
Study in scyence sone is enhaunsed | |
If with quycke memory it be flowred | |
In incredyble memory scyence is lockyd incredyble ='beyond belief'? See OED s.v. incredible adj., 1 | |
So in a dull hed sone is it chockyd chockyd: =choked | |
sig: C2 | |
435 | 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 | |
440 | 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 | |
445 | Yf in no trechery the mynde be duskyd |
In slewth and dyscord be not there luskyd luskyd ='lay hidden' | |
Apt to honor is that elegaunt parson | |
Which as in me lyke / in none hath perfectyon | |
This auaunsyd she in that natural hous | |
450 | Coyshe with her cowntenaunce vnderp[r]opyng vnderpropyng] vnderpopyng 1534Coyshe: =coyish, 'somewhat coy'; vnderpropyng: cf. vnderproppyng, below |
Fayre-mayled and a properd smale dows dows ='sweetheart, dear'; see OED s.v. douse n2; a properd smale dows ='a proper little dear'; see above for the form properd: =proper | |
With scornful syght rollyng on them lokyng | |
That bone in theyr throte thought to be choking | |
But sone after bespake her make | |
455 | 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 | |
460 | Or in the font of the hors lappyd the d[e]we |
sig: [C2v] | |
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 | |
465 | 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 Insculped ='adorned with carvings'; see OED s.v. insculp v | |
For lake of fundatyon fallyth quycly | |
470 | So your reasons apperyng strong |
Lykely / but false I can proue | |
What is descaunt with-out playnsong | |
With reportes of plesure as ye loue | |
In the meane or swetely to syng aboue | |
475 | Yf the playnsong swarue from the boke |
A ####ab#### none your descaunt wyl stande a ####ab#### croke | |
To me it longyth to syng the pla[y]nsong playnsong] plansong 1534 | |
And you on me to syng descaunt I ####ab#### wys | |
Now on mynom-tyme and now two long mynom: =minim | |
480 | To ####ab#### gether 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 dyly[g]ence dylygence] dylyence 1534 | |
After the which prudent and formal reason | |
485 | To the cocko dyd they al assent |
Geuyng hym that offyce of promotyon | |
And ech with other ware wel content | |
Knyt in trewe loue sone after ware bent | |
sig: [C3] | |
1534 misnumbers the signature as B.iij. | |
To repete theyr notes of melody | |
490 | 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 | |
495 | 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 | |
500 | Far bettar theyr eccho was i[n] sownde |
A fayrar lectorn they rede of syngyng lectorn (=lecturn): an error for lecture ='lesson', lection? See OED s.v. lecture n, 3, and cf. lectorne above | |
Than dyd the hamors of Tubals techyng | |
Or Pyctagoras that was so tedyus | |
Knyt in a sume myght se it compendyus | |
505 | It was not frompelyd nor yet iombelyd frompelyd ='rumpled, disordered'; see OED s.v. frumple v |
Nor fayned voyces but of nature pure | |
Not hob-for-gyb out rayshly tumbelyd | |
Lyke blynd bayar[d] that nothyng doth cure bayard] bayar 1534 | |
Lytel in the grounde / in the boke assure The sense of boke is obscure, but may refer to the part of the plough-beam to which the horses are yoked; see OED s.v buck n5, 4. | |
510 | Which not syngyth but scuyth al raysh scuyth: =skews, 'shies (as a horse), swerves'; see OED s.v. skew v2, 2b |
That with his fryske from the cord doth laysh laysh ='dash, spring, start'; see OED s.v. lash v1, 1 | |
Than perseuyd I good apperyng symple | |
Of many coniectured folyshnese | |
In the wooddes to lyue forsoke the cyte | |
515 | Renownsyng al pompe of wantonnese |
Dwellyd in the cothowse of wyldernese | |
sig: [C3v] | |
And no merwel that such plesure there founde | |
Eloquentar dyte than in the tounde tounde: a nonce-form of toune (=town) | |
So drewe my sorowe to perfectyon | |
520 | 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 | |
525 | Moch swettar is sport to the wanton wyl |
The wooddes and the cyte I dyd combynde | |
Many apply but fewe haue the lote lote: =lot | |
In corde and dyte to agre of mynde | |
Dyuerse study the armony of note | |
530 | 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 | |
535 | But bondage for lyberte is yl scorsed scorsed ='bartered, exchanged'; see OED s.v. scorse v1 |
Byrdes in cages be mured gayly cages] chages 1534 | |
But that is coacte syngyth not freyshly | |
As in musytyons we se it playne | |
Yf it come not of corage they wyl fayne | |
540 | 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 | |
sig: [C4] | |
545 | And anone perseuyd it not darke |
Agaynst puaunt vyce that dyd barke puaunt ='stinking'; see OED s.v. puant | |
The dyte to me was wonderfull | |
Of the byrdes expressyd meruelus | |
No hed but it wold refreyshe dull | |
550 | Man (quod they) lerne this lesson of vs |
To syng in trewe loue as we do thus | |
From the corde of loue ospryngyth grace | |
Heuyn wynnyng / hydyng al trespace | |
Be content with the gyft of nature | |
555 | Upon the neyghbors enter not pryse pryse ='contest'; see OED s.v. prize n2 |
For presumptyon may not endure | |
Uyce of dysdayne doth euer aryse | |
Goddys creatyon do thou surmyse surmyse ='conceive, imagine'; see OED s.v. surmise v, 3b | |
All-thyng he creatyd in trewe armony | |
560 | 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 | |
565 | Compassyng that swete noyse with my reason |
As lyghtly it is in man most feruent | |
To recorde delyte somtyme present recorde ='recall, recollect' | |
O fortune ouerrollyd in darkenese ouerrollyd ='enveloped'; see OED s.v. overroll v | |
Ny mured slomberyng in my brest | |
570 | Thy-self forgettyng in welthynese |
But sone a ####ab#### wry whan he dyd wrest | |
Repentaunce had me wel-ny opprest | |
sig: [C4v] | |
Lerne lerne man arrogaunce euer to fle | |
Condescend with thes byrdes in humylyte | |
575 | Man thy reason yf thou do wel tyll tyll ='cultivate'; see OED s.v. till v1, 6 |
Lyke swetenese of armony we fynde | |
In all men that refrayne theyr wyll | |
As in brefe sentence I wyll combynde | |
The larkys note who bettar hath in mynde | |
580 | 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 | |
585 | Trogyng and mournyng as ware forlorne Trogyng: =trudging |
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 | |
590 | In the gentyl brest of curtese |
The fetes of reason there reporteth | |
A ####ab#### propred clame of that dygnyte | |
O[n] pregnaunt wyt grounded auctoryte | |
Lawes to sancyt of ryghtfulnes sancyt ='sanction'; see OED s.v. sancite v | |
595 | 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 | |
600 | Both in nyght and daye of redy presence |
sig: D1 | |
The nyght turnyth in dayly pastaunce | |
Correctyth synne and vertu doth enhaunce | |
In dyuerse tewnes of the thrushys musyng | |
In a grosse sume to ####ab#### together coniest coniest: =congest | |
605 | 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 indygest ='shapeless, confused' | |
610 | The dangerus recourse of marchandyse |
The subtyl inuentyon artyfytyal | |
Composyng in ordar by semble wyse | |
To confort our lyfe with thynges of materyal | |
With handy-craftes that be lyke natural natural ='pertaining to the physical (as opposed to spiritual) world'; see OED s.v. natural adj., 5 | |
615 | Which in a nombre yf we redresse redresse: some such meaning as 'have recourse to' is needed here, but this sense is not recorded in OED s.v. redress v1. An emendation to adresse may be required; see OED s.v. address v, 11 ('to turn the attention to'). |
The th[ru]shys notes wyl expresse thrushys] thurshys 1534 | |
Now the cocko druggyth at the plough | |
Playne as a packestafe euer in care | |
Be it frost or snowe he goyth thrugh | |
620 | Yf the plough spede the bettar do they fare |
Th'other 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 | |
625 | Dekey wold sone theyr modulatyon |
Or yf the thrusshe the note wold retayne | |
Of the nyghtyngalys gentyl fatyon | |
Sone theyr corde wold come to confusyon | |
sig: [D1v] | |
As lyke to syght as an ape purpuled | |
630 | Or a slaue in a regal vesture palled |
As plesaunt to the ere as the blacke sanctus blacke sanctus ='a kind of burlesque hymn'; see OED s.v. sanctus n, 3, where the term is first attested 1578 | |
Of a sad sorte vpon a mery pyn | |
Lernyd in the bole of curtys Bacchus | |
Bathyd in musyke without / and within | |
635 | Rage in cordes / in dyte do deuyn |
Querystars arrogaunt syt with dysdayne Querystars: =choristers | |
For than al wysdome rumbelyth in theyr brayne | |
Lyke Sylene in swetnes of armony | |
Relyng from his dene with a blacke tankarde | |
640 | 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 | |
645 | 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 quaftyng: =quaffing | |
650 | 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 | |
655 | Of tyranny what laude ospryngyth |
What to hym that an-other spoylyth | |
sig: D2 | |
So of comparyson sory is electyon | |
Where nether of them bryngyth but infectyon | |
To stryue in offyce it to auaunce | |
660 | 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 | |
665 | Syt it in cothowse or in hye bowre |
The greater in wysdom / the hyar in grace | |
Goddys ordynaunce if they behold | |
In them pryde shal occ[u]py no place occupy] occapy 1534 | |
The inflat mynde may sone make colde | |
670 | Comyn folowyth gyftes manyfolde Comyn ='commonly' |
Panges of foly dayly pursuyng | |
In pryde that the mynde may haue no raging | |
Holy saynt Paul was oft cuffyd cuffyd= 'buffeted'; see OED s.v. cuff v1 | |
For al he was drenched in hye grace | |
675 | 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 intoxycat prydly ='prideful', although OED does not record an adj. pridely | |
680 | Let the larke than dylygent aduort aduort is a nonce-spelling of advert, 'turn one's attention to'. |
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 | |
sig: [D2v] | |
685 | 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 | |
690 | In storys restyth ne such a conquest |
Al powre in ordar that hath redrest | |
Recusyng honor / where honor myght haue Recusyng ='rejecting, renouncing'; see OED s.v. recuse v | |
Hyest in honor / that most men dyd saue | |
Not entreprysyng iuste[s] at the campe iustes] iusted 1534iustes: =jousts | |
695 | 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 This: =these | |
700 | That oft sagge redemyng our fraylte |
Solinus showyth of a prouynce | |
Where the indwellars be hole chast | |
Al toyes of ryet that do deuynce deuynce is not recorded as a verb in OED, but cf. devict, 'subdued, overcome', and devinct, 'bound'. Deuynce must therefore derive from either Latin devincere, 'to conquer' or devincire, 'to bind fast'. | |
Theyr mynde in vertu is lockyd fast | |
705 | Not haltyng doune from theyr norme cast norme: =norm, 'standard', here and below; OED s.v. norme first attests it in this sense 1635. |
Lyke one tyme losyng / relyth to the close relyth ='rushes, dashes'; see OED s.v. reel v, 3. Close ='end, conclusion' | |
Wrystyng and wryngyng to bryng to purpose | |
The famous flowre of nobylyte | |
The swete reportes yf be loste | |
710 | A byrde in name but not in dygnyte |
Which of hye lynage may make boste | |
But lackyng vertu / slepyth in the froste | |
sig: D3 | |
Gentyl vngentyl that may be named | |
In the parent fayre in the sonne dyffamed | |
715 | Sone honor vadyth led by auaryce vadyth: =fades; see OED s.v. vade v1 |
Euer lackyng yet drouned in opulence | |
Sone mannys mynde spousid to vyce | |
Blynded / tumbelith in-to neclygence | |
This garryth the note of reuerence garryth: =jars | |
720 | 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 | |
725 | Preferryng / fauoryth royalte |
Not grossyth / nor engratyth dayle engratyth ='is harsh or oppressive'; see OED s.v. ingrate v | |
Nor druggyth with the cartar at the plough | |
But syngyth swetly content with ynough | |
Craftes resyted artyfytyal resyted ='already mentioned' | |
730 | Theyr gyfte labored yf they do apply |
Most restyth in thynges materyal | |
To folowe the larke behouyth truly | |
Th'other to obey in corde meryly | |
So ioynyng fortunes by dyscretyon | |
735 | The swete corde shal sone rendar of reason |
Now the larke pouerly the ploughman can play pouerly: =poorly, 'humbly' | |
The cocko vnapt the other counterfyttys | |
Nature repugnyth the gentylman to play | |
As truly no game it is for slauys | |
740 | To iust in the felde with syluer sperys |
sig: [D3v] | |
So dewe ordar makyth armony | |
A confused state garryth vtterly | |
To pray belongith for our offence | |
The larkys note in humylite | |
745 | 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 ####ab#### wys | |
750 | Where thes agre. O fortunat countre |
Irrored with the dew celestyal Irrored ='bedewed'; cf. OED s.v. irrorate | |
Spousyd to vertu / indued with bownte | |
The swete key reportyng armonycal | |
Rauyshed plesaunt in noyse ethereal | |
755 | Where though the muses be not present |
Yet theyr odor pausith in monument | |
A nother lyke lesson than dyd I bownte bownte: probably an error; cf. bownte in the previous stanza | |
Which me refreyshed meruelusly | |
Many thynges creat I dyd recownte | |
760 | Of the elementys nature facundly facundly ='eloquently', although the adverbial form of the adj. facund is not recorded in OED |
In proportyons syngyng iocundly | |
In rarnesse / or thycknesse euer a tenth rarnesse ='thinness'; see OED s.v. rareness n, 1. Tenth may be used in the musical sense; see OED s.v. tenth n, 3 | |
From theyr corde mak[y]ng no ragement makyng] makng 1534ragement ='violence', although ragement is not recorded in OED (but see OED s.v. toying vbl. n [1580]) | |
Dystyncted in stryfe by dew proportyon Dystyncted ='distinguished'; see OED s.v. distinct v | |
765 | Of whom compact is al-thyng sensyble |
Whos armony spyreth propagatyon spyreth ='produces'; see OED s.v. spire v1, 1b | |
And whan they rage / yssueth mysere | |
Than ceasith the corde by fayned amyte | |
sig: [D4] | |
So wonderful in nature further in stryfe | |
770 | 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 | |
775 | Therfore one hath not the hole influence |
That by commodytes in nede of fodar | |
We shuld aduertyse one to loue an-other aduertyse ='notify, admonish'; see OED s.v. advertise v, 4a | |
As of landes made of in mentyon | |
For gyftes of nature that be auaunsyd | |
780 | Some for subtyl and elegaunt inuentyon |
Some for the vyne famous be extollyd | |
Some for theyr sauours greatly are commendyd | |
Some wooddes / fel / catal and freyshe spryng | |
Some forest / dale and holsom fosteryng | |
785 | 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 | |
790 | But fortunat that parke / plesaunt that tre |
Wher thes be knet and in corde do agre | |
Which in the lectorne of cosmography The meaning of lectorne (=lectern) is unclear; see the notes on lectorn(e) above. | |
The gyfte of nature in none more opulent | |
Than in Englonde of noble memory | |
795 | Al thes byrdes there syng ryght reuerent |
Seldom ragyng / or makyng interment interment ='meddling, interference'; see OED s.v. entermete v, and the note on interment above, line 18 | |
sig: [D4v] | |
Fayre semble and of lusty corage | |
Gouernyd by prynces of hye lynage | |
A parke vernaunt / plesauntly paled | |
800 | Under fruitful plage by syt[u]atyon plage ='region, clime'; see OED s.v. plage n1 |
With the surgyng see rownd a ####ab#### bowt mured | |
Fayre in prospect / a place of miratyon miratyon ='wonder'; see OED s.v. miration, where it is recorded only as a regional term in the United States, from 1893 | |
Dystyncted in prouynces by discretyon | |
Aungels are lyke the people of cowntenaunce | |
805 | For whom 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 | |
810 | 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 | |
815 | Half-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 | |
820 | Consent neuer drawyth to confu[s]yon confusyon] confutyon 1534 |
The flowre euer garnyshyth of prudence | |
A meke state neuer tumblyth in euersyon | |
A suffysed brest is full of clemence | |
That knowyth hym-self geuyth reuerence | |
sig: [E1] | |
825 | The swete lectorne of [t]he foules assemblaunce the] che 1534The meaning of lectorne (=lectern) is unclear (='music'?); see the notes on lectorn(e) above. |
That where it spyryth is lytel combraunce spyryth ='mounts up'; see the note on spyred, above | |
Whereof yssuyth a noble sentence | |
Man assuage thy insatyat appetyte | |
Of presumptyon alay the offence | |
830 | 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 | |
835 | The subtyl artyllary of the deuyl |
Let go dyscorde a blast ful sory | |
Man of vertu that doth euer pyll | |
And spouse thy-selfe truly to goddys wyll | |
For wyl adulteryne may not endure adulteryne ='spurious, counterfeit, due to adulteration' in early uses; see OED s.v. adulterine adj. | |
840 | 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 | |
845 | 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 | |
850 | For that wyll mownt vnto that place |
Must nosel in no pang of mysere nosel: =nuzzle | |
Lyke wyll to lyke and euer shalbe | |
sig: [E1v] | |
That in cordly ordar lyue not here of lyfe | |
Shal lament where is no ordar but al stryfe | |
855 | Reason the norme of ordar hath inuentyd |
To tech man the path of heuynnys s[o]lace solace] salace 1534 | |
That to publyshe Cryst was incarnatyd | |
Growndyng obedyence to lede that trace Growndyng ='establishing'; see OED s.v. ground v, 3 | |
Loue and ordar to purchese that place | |
860 | 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 | |
Uertu there shynyth in perfyt delyte | |
865 | 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 | |
870 | 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 | |
875 | 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 | |
sig: [E2] | |
880 | That this compyled Cryst saue from foly |
God send vs al the heuynly palace | |
Uyryng in bewte of meruelus solace Uyryng ='turning'?; see OED s.v. vire v1, 2 | |
¶This endyth endyth] endythth 1534 the comparyson of the byrdes compyled by dan Robert Saltwood monke And imprynted by Iohnn Mychel. |