A posie of rare Flowers,
Gathered by a Young-man for his Mistresse.
To a delectable new tune.
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THe Summers Sunne ore-heating,
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Within an harbour 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 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 blue and crimson Columbine,
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The Dasie and the Woodbine,
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and eke the blooming May.
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The sweetest flowers for posies,
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Pinkes, Giliflowers and Roses,
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I gathered in their prime:
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The flowers of Musk-millions,
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Come blow me downe sweet-williams,
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with Rosemary and Time.
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The Larks-heele 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 Maidenblush 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 Violet and Grediline,
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The odoriferous Eglantine,
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with Thrift and Honesty,
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The Muskerose sweet and dainty,
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With other flowers plenty,
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Oxlops and Piony.
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The Giliflowers variety,
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Of every colour severally,
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the Lady smock and Pancy,
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The Batchelors button faire and fine,
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The Primerose and the Sops-in-wine,
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with them the Maidens fancy.
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The time-observing Marigold,
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Most faire and lovely to behold,
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I pluckt among the rest,
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The white and red Carnation,
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The senses 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 up each severall,
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And made a Posie there withall,
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to beare to my Sweet-heart.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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SWeet Basill 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 kisse me,
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A flower that shall not misse me,
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in my true Lovers bower.
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The Lady of Essex faire,
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A flower passing sweet and rare,
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I in the middest did place,
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Because my Love is fairest,
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And of all maids the rarest,
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in body and in face.
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These flowers being culled,
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And their branches pulled,
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did yeeld a fragrant scent:
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Observing their fit 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 thend that I might give them,
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as pledges 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 sheel ner 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 nere dissemble,
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but hold both smell and taste.
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When I had made this Nose-gay,
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With joyful heart I tooke 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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Untill 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 a River side:
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My Posie not refused,
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When she the same perused,
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upon her arme she tide.
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(Quoth she) although these flowers,
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Will wither in few houres,
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yet take my word, Sweet heart,
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My love to thee shall nere decay,
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Til death doth take my life away,
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from thee Ile nere depart.
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The like to her I vowed,
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And whilst the time 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 remaines in wishes,
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unwilling leave we take.
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