A Handful of Pleasant Delights/A Nosegaie alwaies sweet
A Nosegaie alvvaies
sweet, for Lovers to send for Tokens, of
loue, at Newyeres tide, or for fairings,
as they in their minds shall be disposed to write.
Nosegaie lacking flowers fresh,
to you now I do send.
Desiring you to look thereon,
when that you may intend:
For flowers fresh begin to fade,
and Boreas in the field,
Euen with his hard coniealed frost,
no better flowers doth yeeld:
¶ But if that winter could haue sprung,
a sweeter flower than this,
I would haue sent it presently
to you withouten misse:
Accept this then as time doth serue
be thankful for the same,
Despise it not, but keep it well,
and marke ech flower his name.
¶ Lauander is for louers true,
which euermore be faine:
Desiring alwaies for to haue,
some pleasure for their pain:
And when that they obtained haue,
the loue that they require,
Then haue they al their perfect ioie,
and quenched is the fire.
¶ Rosemarie is for remembrance,
betweene vs daie and night:
Wishing that I might alwaies haue,
you present in my sight.
And when I cannot haue,
as I haue said before,
Then Cupid with his deadly dart,
doth wound my heart full sore.
¶ Sage is for sustenance,
that should mans life sustaine,
For I do stil lie languishing,
continually in paine,
And shall do stil vntil I die,
except thou fauour show:
My paine and all my greeuous smart,
ful wel you do it know.
¶ Fenel is for flaterers,
an euil thing it is sure:
But I haue alwaies meant truely,
with constant heart most pure:
And will continue in the same,
as long as life doth last,
Still hoping for a ioiful daie,
when all our paines be past.
¶ Violet is for faithfulnesse,
which in me shall abide:
Hoping likewise that from your heart,
you wil not let it slide.
And wil continue in the same,
as you haue nowe begunne:
And then for euer to abide,
then you my heart haue wonne.
¶ Time is to trie me,
as ech be tried must,
[?]tting you know while life doth last,
I wil not be vniust,
And if I should I would to God,
to hell my soule should beare.
And eke also that Belzebub,
with teeth he should me teare.
¶ Roses is to rule me.
with reason as you will,
For to be still obedient,
yur minde for to fulfill:
And thereto will not disagree,
in nothing that you say:
But will content your mind truely,
in all things that I may.
¶ Ieliflowers is for gentlenesse,
which in me shall remaine:
Hoping that no sedition shal,
depart our hearts in twaine.
As soone the sunne shal loose his course,
the moone against her kinde,
Shall haue no light, if that I do
once put you from my minde.
¶ Carnations is for gratiousnesse,
marke that now by the way,
Haue no regard to flatterers,
nor passe not what they say.
For they will come with lying tales,
your eares for to fulfil:
In anie case do you consent,
nothing vnto their wil.
¶ Marigolds is for marriage,
that would our minds suffise,
Least that suspition of vs twaine,
by anie meanes should rise:
As for my part, I do not care,
my self I wil stil vse.
That all the women in the world,
for you I will refuse.
¶Peniriall is to print your loue,
so deep within my heart:
That when you look this Nosegay on,
my pain you may impart,
And when that you haue read the same,
consider wel my wo,
Think ye then how to recompence,
euen him that loues you so.
¶Cowsloppes is for counsel!,
for secrets vs between,
That none but you and I alone,
should know the thing we meane:
And if you wil thus wisely do,
as I think to be best:
Then haue you surely won the field,
and set my heart at rest.
¶I pray you keep this Nosegay wel,
and set by it some store:
And thus farewel, the Gods thee guide,
both now and euermore.
Not as the common sort do vse,
to set it in your brest:
That when the smel is gone away,
on ground he takes his rest.
FINIS.