University of Virginia Library

EX XENIIS, ET APOPHORETIS, MARTIALIS.

Wheate flower.

The profits greate, none maie repeate
of flower so fine perdie:
Sith for the Cooke, and Baker bothe,
it serues to occupie.

Lettuce.

Sith that our auncients vsde to eate,
Lettuce when all was doon:
I muse why euery meale of vs,
with Lettuce is begunne.

Leekes oft cut.

Strong sentyng Leekes of Tarentine,
when so thou cranched haste:
Be sure to kisse thy lasse with lippes,
together clinched faste.

The Dormouse.

I slepe out all the Winter sharpe,
and fattest then am I:
All whiche tyme naught but slūberyng slepe
doeth make me fatte perdy.

The Conie.

The little Conie loues to scoute,
In Berries, that are digged out:
By these our foes in elder daies,
Haue learned many secrete waies.

The Ringdoue, or Stockdoue.

The Stockdoues secrete parts,
make lumpishe, dull, and dedde:
Shunne hym to eate, if thou wilt bee
with liuely courage spedde.

The Peacocke.

Thou wondrest when he spreads abrode,
his wyngs that glisteryng looke:
And canst thou finde in harte, to giue
hym to the cruell Cooke?

The Swanne.

With warblyng note, he tuneth verse.
The Swanne doeth sweetely syng
Before his death, tracyng a long
the streame with fethered wyng.

A shelfishe, in Latine Murex.

( Churle as thou art) with our blood,
thy clothes are purple died:
Yet this is not sufficient,
we made are meate beside.

The Gogion.

Although in Uenice feasts they make,
and still haue daintie chere:
Yet with a Gogeon thei beginne,
their suppers lightly there.

The Hare.

Emongest birdes the Thrushe is best,
and beares awaie the bell:
Emongest beasts the Hare is best,
and doeth the rest excell.

Does.

The tuske the Bore doeth well defende:
the horne the Harte doeth shelde:
Poore sillie Does what els are wee,
but preyes to Doggs in feeld:

Wine of Tarentum.

Avlon hath Woolles moste excellent,
and Grapes moste goodly fine:
Take thou the ponderous waightie felles,
giue me the precious Wine.

Sweete oyle, or oyntment.

Nor wine nor oyntmēt leaue thine heire:
let hym possesse thy pelfe
For his parte: and these other giue
all onely to thy self.

Chestes made of Iuery.

In coffers these put nothying els
saue yellow glisterying golde:
Chests homely, rude, lesse precious,
may siluer serue to holde.

Nuttes.

Small dice and nuttes; seme trifling toyes
and thinges of slender price:
Yet these haue made boyes buttockes smart
with rods, not once, nor twise.

The combe, to the baldpate.

With boxen combe, thick toothed sharpe,
that giuen is to thee
What wilt thou doe? when as no heare
is on thy head to see.

Otherwise.

What wilt thou doe, wt cōbe thick tothed so?
whē as no heare vpō thy head doth grow.

The Coffer wherin bookes are laid.

Tye streict, bind hard thy bookes in mee:
lest that with Mothes consumd they be.

Light, pertainyng to the chamber

Thy Candle bright, of chamber thine
the secrets all I knowe:
Doe what thou list, I still am whist,
No secrets I doe show.

A Candlesticke of wood.

Thou seest that wood I am, vnlesse
thy light thou do well watch:
A Candle great shall I become,
the flame if once I catche.

Bellovves.

Fresh friskyng youth be packyng hence,
Mild age agrees with mee:
Boyes bellowes best beseeme, and syres
that frosty berded be.

A medicine by rubbyng to make the teeth vvhite.

Tell? what hast thou to doe with mee?
fayre gerles and maydens ought
Mee for to vse: I trim no teeth
made, counterfet, and bought.

A Lanterne of Horne.

A Lanterne bright (incloasing light)
the waie I show thee best:
The candle in my bosome put
doth shrowd, and safely rest.

A Flye flap of Peacockes plumes.

The taile of princely Peacock proud,
that glisteryng faire doth show,
May serue to flap the filthy flies
vpon thy meate that blow.

The Parret.

I pratying Parret am, to speake
some straunge thing, learne ye me:
This of my selfe I learnd to speake,
Cæsar alhaile to thee.

The Nightingale.

Fayre Philomela howles, for fact
Of Tereus filthy kyng:
A maid she could not speake, a byrd
she loud and shrill doth sing.

The Pye.

A chatteryng Pye am I, and doe
salute my maister thee:
If mee thou sawest not, thou wouldest sure,
deeme mee no bird to be.

Cups of Christall.

When thou dost feare to breake these cups,
then doest thou breake them still:
Bold hands are ill to hold these cups,
and fearefull hands are ill.

A Girdle.

Now long am I, but when with child
thy belly shall beare out:
Than gerdle short I shall be made,
and scant thee come aboute.

Hay.

When feathers want, to stuffe thy couche
with hay thou maist be sped:
Pale care doth seldome come to couche
on hard and homely bed.

Leander.

Leander bold, in weltring waues
cride, spare mee now ye Seas
Untill my lady I haue seen,
then drowne mee, if you please.

The Tumbler.

Not for hymself, but for his lorde,
the tumbler hunteth free:
Which claspt in mouth doth bryng vnhurt
the Leueret vnto thee.

The Ram.

With Butchers knife thou carued hast,
the Ram his tender throate:
Deservd he this whiche vnto thee
so often gaue his coate?

The Havvke.

A Rauener fowle of foule he was,
now faulckoners seruaunt he:
He birds beguiles, yet gaineth not
the birds that taken be.

A Cooke.

Tis not sufficient for a Cooke
a Cooke for to be tryde:
A Cooke must know his maisters mouth,
and appetite beside.

A baker of fine Cakes, or like thinges.

A thousand sweete delicious knackes
he formeth fine, by skill:
For hym alone they busy bee
doth toyle and labour still.