A Posie of Gilloflowers :: :: University of Virginia Library

Whereas I heard a harper play,
And saw great store faeries daunce.
I marched neere, drawne by delight,
And prest these gallant Dames among:
When as their daunce being ended quite,
Of him that playde they craue a song.
My presence nought appalde their minde,
Hee tunde his harpe, his voyce was cleere:
And as a foe to woman kind,
He sang this song that foloweth heere.

A Womans face is full of wiles,
Her teares are like the Crocadill:
With outward cheere on thee shee smiles,
When in her heart shee thinkes thee ill.
Her tongue still chattes of this and that,
Then aspine leafe it wagges more fast
And as she talkes shee knowes not what,
There yssues many a troathlesse blast.
Thou farre doest take thy marke amisse,
If thou thinke fayth in them to finde:
The Wethercocke more constant is,
Which turnes about with euery winde.
O, how in pittie they abound!
Their heart is milde, like marble stone,
If in thy selfe no hope bee found,
Be sure of them thou gettest none.
I know some pepernosed dame
Will tearme mee foole and sawcie iack,
That dare their credit so defame,
And lay such slaunders on their backe.
What though on mee they powre their spite,
I may not vse the glosers trade,
I cannot say the crow is white,
But needes must call a spade a spade.

Heerewith his songue and musik ceast,
The Faeries all on him did frowne:
A stately dame amongst the rest,
Upon her face falles prostrate downe.
And to the Gods request did make,
That some great plagues might bee assind
To him, that all might warning take,
How they speake ill of womankind.

Heerewith (a wonder to bee tolde)
His feete stoode fast vpon the ground.
His face was neither young, nor olde,
His harpe vntoucht, would yeeld no sound.
Long hayre did grow about his scull,
His skinne was white, his blood was read,
His paunch with guts was bombast full,
No dogge had euer such a head.
His coulour oft did goe and come,
His eies did stare as hee did stand:
Also foure fingers and a thombe,
Might now bee seene in eyther hand,
His tongue likewise was plagued sore,
For that it played this peeuish parte,
Because it should offend no more,
'Twas tyed with stringes vnto his heart.
Yet in his mouth aboad shee still,
His teeth like walles did keepe her in:
Which now grinde meate, much like a mill,
His lippes were placde aboue his chinne.
Thus was hee chaungd, that none him knew,
But for the same hee was before:
By silent signes hee seemde to sue,
That Gods would now torment no more.
And hee would there without delayes,
Recant all that, which erst hee spake.

Hee pardoned is, on harpe hee playes,
And presently this songue did make.

Amongst all creatures bearing life,
A woman is the worthyest thing:
Shee is to man a faythfull wife:
Shee mother was to Christ our king.
If late by mee they were accusde,
I haue therefore receiued my hyre:
Unlesse they greatly bee abusde,
They neuer are repleate with yre.
They neither chide, fight, brawle, nor lye,
The gentlest creatures vnder sunne:
When men doe square for euery fly,
To make them friends the women runne,
And where they chaunce to fixe their loue,
They neuer swarue, or seeke for chaunge:
No new perswasions can them moue,
Tis men that haue desire to raunge.
Like Turtles true they loue their spowse,
And doe their duties euery way:
They fee good orders in the house,
When husbands are abroad at play.
And to conclude they Angells are,
Though heere on earth they doe remaine,
Their glittering hew, which shines like Star,
And bewtie braue declares it playne.

This sayde, the Faeries laught,
And seemd in countenance very glad,
To speake my minde, I then had thought.
How some were good, and some were bad,
But (marke ill happe) a friend came by,
Who as hee found mee sleeping so,
Did call mee vp with voyce so hye,
That slumber sweete I did forgoe.