A proper new balade expressyng the fames,
Concerning a warning to al London dames,
To the tune of the blacke Almaine.
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YOu London dames, whose passyng fames
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Through out the worlde is spread,
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In to the skye, ascendyng hye
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To every place is fled:
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For thorow each land and place,
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For beauties kyndely grace:
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You are renowmed over all,
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You have the prayse and ever shall.
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What wight on earth that can beholde
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More dearer and fayrer dames then you?
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Therfore to extoll you I may be bolde,
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Your paces and graces so gay to vieu.
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For Vertues lore, and other thinges more
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Of truth you doe excell,
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I may well gesse, for comelynesse
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Of all, you beare the bell:
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As trim in your arraye
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As be the flowres in Maye
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With roset hew so bravely dight
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As twinklyng starres that shyneth by night.
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For curtesye in every parte
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Not many nor any resemble you can,
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In lady Natures camely arte
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So gravely and bravely to every man.
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And oft when you goe, fayre dames on a rowe
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In to the feeldes so greene,
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You sit and vewe the beautifull hewe
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Of flowres that there be seene:
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Which lady FLORA hath
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So garnyshed in each path
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With all the pleasures that may be
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(Fayre dames) are there to pleasure ye
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Tyl Frost doth come and nip the top,
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And lop them and crop them, not one to be seene
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So when that Death doth hap to your lot,
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Consider and gather what beauty hath beene.
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For as the flowre, doth change in an houre
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That was so fayre to see,
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Consyder and gather (fayre dames) the wether
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May change as well with yee:
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And turne your joyes as soone
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As frost the flowres hath doone
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So sudden Death may change as well
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Your beauties that now doth excell,
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And turne your sweetes to bitter and sowre
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When death with his breath comes stealing neare:
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Such haps may hap to come in an howre
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Which ever or never you little dyd feare.
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Wherfore I say, fayre dames so gay
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That Death is busyest now,
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To catch you hence, where no defence
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May make him once to bow:
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Experience well doth trye
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You see it with your eye,
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How quickely some are taken hence
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Not youthfull yeares may make defence:
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And strange diseases many are seene
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Encreasyng and preasyng to vexe us each day,
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But sure the lyke hath ever beene
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May hove you and move you to God to pray.
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And learne to know, as grasse doth grow
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And withereth in to haye,
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Remember therfore, kepe vertue in store
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For so you shall decaye:
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And pitie on the poore
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With some parte of your store,
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Loke that your lampes may ready bee
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The dreadfull day approcheth nye:
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When Christ shall come to judge our deeds
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No fairenes nor clerenes can helpe you than,
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The corne to seperate from the weeds
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Fayre dames, when cometh the day of dome.
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Now that I have sayd, let it be wayed
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It is no jestyng toye,
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Not all your treasure, can you pleasure
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It is but fadyng toye:
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Therfore remember mee
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What I have sayd to yee,
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And thus the Lorde preserve the Queene
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Long space with us to lyve and raigne:
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As we are all bound incessantlie
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To desyre with prayer both night and day,
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God to preserve her majestie
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Amen, let all her good subjects say.
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