University of Virginia Library

Al you that frendship

Of a louer that made his onelye God of his loue.

Al yon

[_]

you

that frendship do professe,
And of a frende present the place:
Geue eare to me that did possesse,
As frendly frutes as ye imbrace.
And to declare the circumstaunce,
There were them selues that did auaunce:
To teache me truely how to take,
A faithfull frende for vertues sake.

---

Z1r

But I as one of little skill,
To know what good might grow therby,
Vnto my welth I had no will,
Nor to my nede I had none eye,
But as the childe dothe learne to go,
So I in time did learne to know.
Of all good frutes the worlde brought forth,
A faythfull frende is thing most worth.
Then with all care I sought to finde,
One worthy to receiue such trust:
One onely that was riche in minde,
One secrete, sober, wise, and iust.
Whom riches coulde not raise at all,
Nor pouertie procure to fall:
And to be short in few wordes plaine,
One such a frend I did attaine.
And when I did enioy this welth,
Who liued Lord in such a case,
For to my frendes it was great helth,
And to my foes a fowle deface,
Aad

[_]

And

to my selfe a thing so riche
As seke the worlde and finde none sich
Thus by this frende I set such store,
As by my selfe I set no more.
This frende so much was my delight
When care had clene orecome my hart,
One thought of her rid care as quite,
As neuer care had caused my smarte
Thus ioyed I in my frende so dere
Was neuer frende sate man so nere,
I carde for her so much alone,
That other God I carde for none.
But as it dothe to them befall,
That to them selues respect haue none:
So my swete graffe is growen to gall,
Where I sowed mirthe I reaped mone
This ydoll that I honorde so,
Is now transformed to my fo.
That me most pleased me most paynes,
And in dispaire my hart remaines.
And for iust scourge of such desart,
Thre plages I may my selfe assure,

---

Z1v

First of my frende to lose my parte,
And next my life may not endure,
And last of all the more to blame,
My soule shall suffer for the same,
Wherfore ye frendes I warne you all,
Sit faste for feare of such a fall,