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A quip for an vpstart Courtier.
IT was iust at that time whē the Cuckoulds quir rister began to bewray Aprill Gentlemen, with his neuer chaunged notes, that I damped with a melan choly humor, went into y• fields to cheere vp my wits with the fresh aire: where solitarie séeking to solace my selfe I fell in a dreame, and in that drowsie slomber, I wandered into a vale a•…•… tap•…•…stted with swéet and choice fl•…•…wers, there grew many simples whose vertues taught men to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & to think nature by her wéeds warnd men to be wary and by their secret properties to check wan∣ton and sensuall imperfections. Amongst the rest, there was the yel∣low daffadil, a flowre fit for gelous Dottrels, who through the bew•…•…y of their honest wiues grow suspitious, & so proue themselues in the end cuckhold Neretikes, there buded out the checket•…•… (Paunsie) or partly coloured harts ea•…•…e, an herbe sildome •…•…éene, either of such men as are wedded to threwes or of such women that haue hasty husbands, yet ther it grew, and as I stept to gather it, it slipt from me like Tan∣talus fruit that failes their maister. At last, woondring at this secret qualitie, I learned that none can weare it, be they kinges, but such as desire no more then they are borne to, nor haue their wishes a∣boue their fortun•…•…s. U•…•…pon a banke bordring by, grewe womens weedes, fenell 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fo•…•… flatterers, fit generally for that Sexe, sith while they are maidens, they wishe wantonly: while they are wiues they will wilfully, while they are widowes, they would wil∣lingly: and yet all the•…•…e proud desires, are but close dissemblinges. Neere adioyning sprouted out the Courtiers comfort, Time: An herb that many stumble on and yet ouet slip, whose rancke sauor and thick leaues, haue this peculiar property, to make a snaile if she tast of the sappe as swift as a swallow, yet toyned with this prei•…•…dice, that if she clime too hastily, she fals too suddenly. Mée thought I saw diuers yong courtiers tread vppon it with high dis•…•…aine, but as they past a∣way, an Adder lurking there bit them by the •…•…éeles that they wept: and then I might perceiue certaine clownes in clowted shoone ga∣ther it, & ease of it with gréedinesse: which no sooner was sunke into their mawes, but they were metamorphose•…•…, and loookt as prouidly•…•… though pesants, as if they had béene borne to be princes companions.
Amongst the rest of these changlings whome the tast of time ha•…•…