A Posie of Rare Flowers:
Gathered by a Young-man for his Mistris.
To a pleasant new Tune.
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THe Summers o're heating,
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Within an Arbour sitting,
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under a Marble shade.
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For my true love the fairest,
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And of all flowers the rarest,
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a Posie thus I made.
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The first and last for trusting,
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Is called everlasting,
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I pulled from the bay.
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The blew and crimson Columbine,
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The Dazy and the Woodvine,
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and eke the blooming-May.
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The sweetest Flowers for Posies,
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Pinks, Gillyoflwers and Roses,
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I gathered in their prime.
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The flowers of muskmillions,
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Come blow me down sweet Williams,
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with Rosemarry and Time.
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The Larkheel and the Lilly,
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The Flag and Daffadilly,
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the Wall-Flower sweet of smell,
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The Maiden-blush and Cowslip,
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The Peagle and the Tulip,
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that doth so sweet excell.
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The Violent and the Greenline,
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The Odoriferous Eglantine,
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with thrift and modesty.
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The Musk Rose sweet and dainty,
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With other Flowers plenty,
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Oxlops and Pyony.
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The Gilly Flowers variety,
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Of every colo[u]r severally,
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the Lady smack and Pancy.
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The Bachelors Button fair and fine
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The Primrose and the Sops in Wine
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with them the Maidens fancy.
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The time observing Marygold,
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Most fair and lovely to behold,
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I pluckt amongst the rest.
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The white and red Carnation,
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The sences Recreation,
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with other Flowers the best.
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The Flowers fit for smelling,
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Whose sweet is far excelling,
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all the perfumes of art,
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I pulled each several.
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And made a Posie therewithal,
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to bear to my sweet heart.
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SWeet Basil and sweet Margerum,
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The Cowslip of Jerusalem,
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the Crow-foot and Sea-Flower.
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The Start up and come kiss me,
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A Flower that shall not miss me,
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in my true Lovers bower.
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The Lady of Essex fair,
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A Flower passing sweet and rare,
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I in the midst did place,
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Because my love is fairest,
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And of all Flowers the rarest,
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in body and in face.
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The Flowers being called,
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And their branches pulled,
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did yeild a fragrant scent.
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Observing their due places,
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I bound them in bride Laces,
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and to my love I went.
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In hope she would receive them,
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To'th end that I might give them,
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as pleadges of my love.
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To her whose radiant beauty,
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Did bind me to this duty,
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hoping she'l nere remove.
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Her permanent affection,
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To me who by election,
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am hers while life doth last.
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These flowers did resemble,
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My thoughts, which ne'r dissemble,
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but hold both smell and taste.
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When I had made this Nosegay,
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With joyful heart I took my way,
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to find out my true love.
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Who for my absence mourned,
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Until that I returned,
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as doth the Turtle Dove.
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At last I found her sporting,
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With other Maids consorting,
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close by Rivers side.
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My Posie not refused,
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When she the same perused,
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upon her arm she ty'd.
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Quoth she although these Flowers.
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Will wither in few hours,
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yet take my word sweet heart.
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My word to thee shall never decay,
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Till death takes my life away,
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from thee Ile ne'r depart.
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The like to her I vowed,
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And while the same allowed,
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about such things we talked.
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At length because it waxed late,
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We for that time did leave our prate
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and from each other walked.
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When with a mild behaviour,
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She thanks me for my favour,
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and wore it for my sake,
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With enterchanging Kisses,
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The rest remains in wishes,
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unwilling leave we take.
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