The complete works of John Lyly now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond |
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 | The complete works of John Lyly |  |
54.
[Where wardes are weake, and foes encountering strong]
Where wardes are weake, and foes encountering strong:
Wher mightier doe assault, then do defend:
The feebler part puts vp enforced wrong,
And silent sees, that speach could not amend.
Yet higher powers must thinke though they repine,
When Sunne is set: the litle starres will shine.
Wher mightier doe assault, then do defend:
The feebler part puts vp enforced wrong,
And silent sees, that speach could not amend.
Yet higher powers must thinke though they repine,
When Sunne is set: the litle starres will shine.
While Pike doth range, the silly Tench doth flye,
And crouch in priuie creekes, with smaler fish:
Yet Pikes are caught when litle fish goe bye:
These, fleete a flote; while those, doe fill the dish.
There is a tyme euen for the wormes to creepe:
And sucke the dew while all their foes doe sleepe.
And crouch in priuie creekes, with smaler fish:
Yet Pikes are caught when litle fish goe bye:
These, fleete a flote; while those, doe fill the dish.
There is a tyme euen for the wormes to creepe:
And sucke the dew while all their foes doe sleepe.
The Marlyne cannot euer sore on high,
Nor greedie Grey-hound still pursue the chase:
The tender Larke will fynde a tyme to flie,
And fearfull Hare to runne a quiet race.
He that high growth on Ceders did bestow:
Gaue also lowly Mushrumpts leaue to grow.
Nor greedie Grey-hound still pursue the chase:
The tender Larke will fynde a tyme to flie,
And fearfull Hare to runne a quiet race.
He that high growth on Ceders did bestow:
Gaue also lowly Mushrumpts leaue to grow.
Wee trample grasse, and prize the flowers of May:
Yet grasse is greene, when flowers do fade away.
Yet grasse is greene, when flowers do fade away.
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