A Handful of Pleasant Delights/A proper new Song made by a Studient in Cambridge
¶ A proper new Song made by a Studient in Cambridge, To the tune of I wish to see those happy daies.
Which was once a happie wight,
and hie in Fortunes grace:
And which did spend my golden prime,
in running pleasures race,
Am now enforst of late,
contrariwise to mourne,
Since fortune ioies, into annoies,
my former state to turne.
¶ The toiling oxe, the horse, the asse,
haue time to take their rest,
Yea all things else which Nature wrought,
sometimes haue ioies in brest:
Saue onelie I and such
which vexed are with paine:
For still in teares, my life it weares,
and so I must remaine.
¶ How oft haue I in folded armes,
enioied my delight,
How oft haue I excuses made,
of her to haue a sight?
But now to fortunes wil,
I caused am to bow.
And for to reape a hugie heape,
which youthful yeares did sow.
¶ Wherefore all ye which do as yet,
remaine and bide behind:
Whose eies dame beauties blazing beams,
as yet did neuer blind.
Example let me be,
to you and other more:
Whose heauie hart, hath felt the smart,
subdued by Cupids lore.
¶ Take heed of gazing ouer much,
on Damsels faire vnknowne:
For oftentimes the Snake doth lie,
with roses ouergrowde:
And vnder fairest flowers,
do noisome Adders lurke:
Of whom take heed, I thee areed:
least that thy cares they worke.
¶ What though that she doth smile on thee,
perchance shee doth not loue:
And though she smack thee once or twice,
she thinks thee so to prooue,
And when that thou dost thinke,
she loueth none but thee:
She hath in store, perhaps some more,
which so deceiued be,
¶ Trust not therefore the outward shew
beware in anie case:
For good conditions do not lie,
where is a pleasant face:
But if it be thy chaunce,
a louer true to haue:
Be sure of this, thou shalt not misse,
ech thing that thou wilt craue.
¶ And when as thou (good Reader) shalt
peruse this scrole of mine:
Let this a warning be to thee,
and saie a friend of thine,
Did write thee this of loue,
and of a zealous mind:
Because that he sufficiently,
hath tried the female kind.
¶ Here Cambridge now I bid farewell,
adue to Students all:
Adue vnto the Colledges,
and vnto Gunuil Hall:
And you my fellowes once,
pray vnto Ioue that I
May haue releef, for this my grief,
and speedie remedie.
¶And that he shield you euerichone,
from Beauties luring looks:
Whose baite hath brought me to my baine,
and caught me from my Books:
Wherefore, for you, my praier shall be,
to send you better grace,
That modestie with honestie,
may guide your youthfull race.
Finis quod Thomas Richardson, sometime Student in Cambridge.