Jeliflowers is for gentleness,

Which in me shall remaine,

Hoping that no sedition shall

Depart our hearts in twaine.

As soone the sunne shall lose his course,
The moone, against her kinde,

Shall have no light, if that I do
Once put you from my minde.

Carnations is for graciousnesse;
(Mark that, now, by the way ;)
Have no regard to flatterers,

Nor passe not what they say:
For they will come with lying tales,
Your eares for to fulfill;

In any case, do you consent
Nothing unto their will.

Marigolds is for marriage,

That would our minds suffise,
Least that suspicion of us twaine
By any means should rise:
As for my part, I do not care;
My self I will still use,

That all the women in the world
For you I will refuse.

Pennyroyal is to print your love

So deep within my heart,

That when you look this nosegay on,
My pain you may impart :

And when that you have read the same,
Consider well my wo;

Think ye, then, how to recompence
Even him that loves you so.

Cowslips is for counsell,

For secrets us between,

That none but you and I alone
Should know the thing we meane :
And if you will thus wisely do,
As I think to be the best,
Then have you surely won the field,
And set my heart at rest.

I pray you, keep this nosegay well,
And set by it some store :

(And thus, farewell! the gods thee guide Both now and evermore!)

Not as the common sort do use,

To set it in your breast;

That, when the smell is gone away,

On ground he takes his rest.

A NEW COURTLY SONET,

OF

THE LADY GREENSLEEVES,

TO THE NEW TUNE OF GREENSLEEVES."

(Chorus, repeated at the conclusion of each stanza.)

Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight;
Greensleeves was my hart of gold,
And who but Lady Greensleeves.

ALAS! my love, ye do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously :
And I have loved you so long,
Delighting in your company!

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave:
I have both waged life and land

Your love and good-will for to have.

I bought thee kerchers to thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly:

I kept thee both at board and bed,

Which cost my purse well-favour'dly.

I bought thee petticoats of the best,
The cloth so fine as fine might be :
I gave thee jewels for thy chest ;
And all this cost I spent on thee.

Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroider'd gorgeously:

Thy petticoat of sendall * right;

And this I bought thee gladly.

Thy girdle of the gold so red,

With pearls bedecked sumptuously,

The like no other lasses had :

And yet thou wouldst not love me!

Thy purse, and eke thy gay gilt knives,
Thy pin-case gallant to the eye:

No better wore the burgess' wives :
And yet thou wouldst not love me!

Thy crimson stockings, all of silk,

With gold all wrought above the knee; Thy pumps, as white as was the milk: And yet thou wouldst not love me!

Thy gown was of the grassy green,
Thy sleeves of satin hanging by ;
Which made thee be our harvest queen:
And yet thou wouldst not love me!

A kind of thin silk.

57

57

HANDEFULL OF PLEASANT DELITES.

Thy garters, fringed with the gold,
And silver aglets* hanging by;
Which made thee blithe to behold:

And yet thou wouldst not love me!

My gayest gelding I thee gave,
To ride wherever liked thee:
No lady ever was so brave:

And yet thou wouldst not love me!

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee :
All this was gallant to be seen :

And yet thou wouldst not love me!

They set thee up, they took thee down,
They served thee with humility;

Thy foot might not once touch the ground:
And yet thou wouldst not love me!

For every morning, when thou rose,
I set thee dainties orderly;

To cheer thy stomach from all woes :
And yet thou wouldst not love me!

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
But still thou hadst it readily;
Thy music still to play and sing:
And yet thou wouldst not love me!

* Aiglets; aiguillette, a lace with tags.