| |
| ME so oft my fancy drew | |
| Here and there, that I ne’er knew | |
| Where to place desire before | |
| So that range it might no more; | |
| But as he that passeth by | 5 |
| Where, in all her jollity, | |
| Flora’s riches in a row | |
| Do in seemly order grow, | |
| And a thousand flowers stand | |
| Bending as to kiss his hand; | 10 |
| Out of which delightful store | |
| One he may take and no more; | |
| Long he pausing doubteth whether | |
| Of those fair ones he should gather. | |
| |
| First the Primrose courts his eyes, | 15 |
| Then a Cowslip he espies; | |
| Next the Pansy seems to woo him, | |
| Then Carnations bow unto him; | |
| Which whilst that enamoured swain | |
| From the stalk intends to strain, | 20 |
| (As half-fearing to be seen) | |
| Prettily her leaves between | |
| Peeps the Violet, pale to see | |
| That her virtues slighted be; | |
| Which so much his liking wins | 25 |
| That to seize her he begins. | |
| |
| Yet before he stooped so low | |
| He his wanton eye did throw | |
| On a stem that grew more high, | |
| And the Rose did there espy. | 30 |
| Who, beside her precious scent, | |
| To procure his eyes content | |
| Did display her goodly breast, | |
| Where he found at full expresst | |
| All the good that Nature showers | 35 |
| On a thousand other flowers; | |
| Wherewith he affected takes it, | |
| His belovèd flower he makes it, | |
| And without desire of more | |
| Walks through all he saw before. | 40 |
| |
| So I wandering but erewhere | |
| Through the garden of this Isle, | |
| Saw rich beauties I confess, | |
| And in number numberless. | |
| Yea, so differing lovely too, | 45 |
| That I had a world to do | |
| Ere I could set up my rest, | |
| Where to choose and choose the best. | |
| |
| Thus I fondly feared, till Fate | |
| (Which I must confess in that | 50 |
| Did a greater favour to me | |
| Than the world can malice do me) | |
| Showed to me that matchless flower, | |
| Subject for this song of our; | |
| Whose perfection having eyed, | 55 |
| Reason instantly espied | |
| That Desire, which ranged abroad, | |
| There would find a period: | |
| And no marvel if it might, | |
| For it there hath all delight, | 60 |
| And in her hath nature placed | |
| What each several fair one graced. | |
| |
| Let who list, for me, advance | |
| The admirèd flowers of France, | |
| Let who will praise and behold | 65 |
| The reservèd Marigold; | |
| Let the sweet-breath’d Violet now | |
| Unto whom she pleaseth bow; | |
| And the fairest Lily spread | |
| Where she will her golden head; | 70 |
| I have such a flower to wear | |
| That for those I do not care. | |
| Let the young and happy swains | |
| Playing on the Britain plains | |
| Court unblamed their shepherdesses, | 75 |
| And with their gold curlèd tresses | |
| Toy uncensured, until I | |
| Grudge at their prosperity. | |
| |
| Let all times, both present, past, | |
| And the age that shall be last, | 80 |
| Vaunt the beauties they bring forth. | |
| I have found in one such worth, | |
| That content I neither care | |
| What the best before me were; | |
| Nor desire to live and see | 85 |
| Who shall fair hereafter be; | |
| For I know the hand of Nature | |
| Will not make a fairer creature. | |
| |
