Thy air it is not wholsome nor benign,
Lord Eolus does in thy feafon ring,
So boufteous are the blafts of his fhrill horn,
Among thy boughs to walk I have forborn.
VI.
With that the lady foberly did fmile,
And faid, uprife and do thy obfervance :
Thou did promise in May's lufty while,
Then to defcribe the ROSE of most pleasance
Go see the birdis how they fing and dance,
And how the skies illumined are bright,
Enamell'd richly with new azure light.
When this was faid, away then went the Queen,
And enter'd in a lufty garden gent;
And then methought, full haftily befeen,
In fark and mantle after her I went
Into this garth moft dulce and redolent,
Of herb and flower, and tender plants most fweet, And the green leaves doing of dew down fleit.
The purple fun, with tender rayis red,
In orient bright as angel did appear,
Through golden skies advancing up his head,
Whofe gilded treffes fhone fo wondrous clear,
That all the world took comfort far and near,
To look upon his fresh and blissful face,
Doing all fable frae the Heavens chace.
And as the blissful fun drove up the sky,
All nature fang through comfort of the light,
The minstrels wing'd, with open voices cry,
"O Lovers now is fled the dully night,
"Come welcome day, that comforts ev'ry wight;
"Hail May! hail Flora! hail Aurora theen,
"Hail Princefs Nature! hail love's hartfome Queen!
X.
Dame Nature gave an inhibition there,
To Neptune fierce, and Eolus the bold,
Not to perturb the water or the air,
That neither blashy shower, nor blasts more cold
Should flowers affray nor fowls upon the fold.
She bade eke Juno, Goddess of the sky,
That she the heaven should keep amene and dry.
XI.
Alfo ordain'd that every bird and beaft
Before her Highnefs fhould anon compear;
And every flower of virtue moft and leaft,
And every herb of fair field far and near,
As they had wont in May from year to year;
To her their Queen to make obedience,
Full low inclining with due reverence.
With that anon she sent the swift foot Roe,
To bring in alkind beast from dale and down;
The reftlefs fwallow order'd fhe to go,
And fetch all fowl of great and fmall renown,
And to gar flowers appear
of all faffoun:
Full craftily conjured fhe the Yarrow,
Which did forth fwirk as fwift as any arrow.
XIII.
All brought in were in twinkling of an eye,
Both beast and bird and flower before the Queen;
And firft the Lion, greatest of degree,
Was fummon'd there; and he, fair to be seen,
With a full hardy countenance and keen,
Before Dame Nature came, and did incline,
With vifage bold, and courage leonine.
This awful beaft was terrible of cher,
Piercing of look, and ftout of countenance,
Right strong of corps, of fashion fair, but fear,
Lufty of fhape, light of deliverance,
Red of his colour, as the ruby glance:
In field of gold he ftood full rampantly,
With flower-de-lyces circled pleafantly.
XV.
This Lady lifted up his claws fo clear,
And lute him liftly lean upon her knee,
And crowned him with diadem full dear,
Of radious stones moft royal there to fee,
Saying the King of all beafts make I thee;
And the protector chief in woods and fhaws,
Go forth, and to thy lieges keep the laws.
Juftice exerce, with mercy and confcience,
And let no fmall beaft fuffer fkaith or fcorns
Of greater beafts, that been of more puiffance;
Do law alike to Apes and Unicorns,
And let no Bugle with his boufteous horns
Opprefs the meek plough Ox, for all his pride,
But in the yoke go quietly him befide.
When this was faid, with noise and found of joy,
All kind of Quadrupeds in their degree,
At once cry'd LAUD, and then VIVE LE ROY;
Then at his feet fell with humility;
To him they all paid homage and fealty;
And he did them receive with princely laits,
Whose noble ire his greatness mitigates.
Then crowned fhe the Eagle King of fowls;
And sharp as darts of steel she made his pens,
And bade him be as just to Whawps and Owls,
As unto Peacocks, Papingoes, or Cranes,
And make one law for Wicht Fowls, and for Wrens,
And let no fowl of rapine do affray,
Nor birds devour, but his own proper prey.
Then called the all flowers grew in the field,
Defcribing all their fashions and effeirs,
Upon the awful THISTLE fhe beheld.
And faw him guarded with a bush of fpears,
Confidering him so able for the wars,
A radiant crown of rubies fhe him gave,
And faid, in field go forth, and fend the laif.
And fince thou art a King, be thou discreet,
Herb without value hold not of such price,
As herb of virtue and of odour fweet;
And let no nettle vile, and full of vice,
Her fellow with the goodly Flower-de lyce;
Nor let no wild weed full of churlishness,
Compare her to the Lilly's nobleness.
Nor hold none other flower in fuch dainty
As the freth ROSE, of colour red and white;
For if thou doft, hurt is thine honesty,
Confidering that no flower is fo perfyte,
So full of pleafaunce, virtue and delight;
So full of blissful angelic beauty,
Imperial birth, honour and dignity.
Then to the ROSE fhe did her visage turn,
And faid, O lufty daughter moft benign,
Above the Lilly thou art illuftrious born,
From royal lineage rifing fresh and young,
But any spot, or macul doing fprung;
Come bloom of joy, with richeft gems be crown'd,
For o'er the laif thy beauty is renown'd.
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