A comparyson bytwene. iiij. byrdes, the larke, the nyghtyngale, ye thrusshe [and] the cuko, for theyr syngynge who shuld be chauntoure of the quere

¶ How a sorowful man went to the wood and there toke comforte by the melody & comparyson of thes byrdes . FAmētyng my sorowes with syghes depe How lowryng fortune me had scorned Pensyue in my harte dreryly dyd wepe Whos scoffe perfyt anone I lerned Rare is the welth that hath not morned Iocunde / plesaunt and of corage O sorowful howre in his outrage As whyle markyng in cyrcle rotyng Famous men callyng to my remembrance That rued pytyful in to dotyng To meane men also showyng his varyaunce Lyke the ayre than founde I hym of constance Now smylyth fayre and sodenly doth rage Mam rockyng in the flode of sharpe passage This dyd I secretly with me reason Of hym anon hauyng aduertysment To clyme not to hye for fere of euersyon Aboue my state to make no interment Of comparyson ospryngyth torment Which of me patiently pondered In me the matter lay / that he scorned O low byrth / why woldyst thou auaunce Whan in thy purse lay al thy corage In proudly port to make repastaunce My welth vanyshed in redy passage Thus turned my state in to dotage Fortune than why shuld I now accuse Seyng he ragyth of my mys vse Proude nor portly be thou neuer Comparyng / bosting nor of wylfulnese To gyue reuerence the endeuer Recounter thy blode to be of mekenese Of thy homage reason no secretnese For whan lowe blode clymith ouer hye He tumblyth oft hedlyng in vylonye Let the cartar than handel his plough The smyth his hammar dylygent entrete Thy mynd insatyat content with ynoug● Peres lyke of blod together wel met Of nature prudently pondar thy fet Seldom buddyte from the cartars grosse brest Polycy / cheualry and maners honest This repetyng / in my mynd oft reuolued Of presumptyon I dyd me repent And that comparyson me not behoued To late bewaylyng tyme mysspent Sorowe to doble a folyshe entent Therfore purposyng for my comfort To a place of plesure me to resort I drewe to the wood freysh enpareled With flowrs smylyng plesauntly With bewtyful colours enpurpuled With swete odor ryght sauory A medycen apt for syke memory And ny to a baythorne I approched Entendyng to take rest there me choched A busshe of plesure perlese in the wood Fragraunt / vernaunt / bewtyful in coloure The blossoms iucunde / in vertu lyke good Facyng the Lyly in whytly candoure Al swete flowrs dysclosyd theyr odor The goddes there to solace than I iugged Such comly flowrs on euery boufe budded A fayre founten was there at hande A freyshe spring / clere as any Crystal That sofely tryllyd on the sande The which moysted the flowrs vernaunt all The Lybanot and Lyly of conwall With a pure sauoure that there remayned As Pallas / or Uenus there had bathed The ayre murmured of theyr presence As after assemble remaynith monument Of great powrs in fet of magnyfycence Which reuyued my mynde with sorowe ny spent Reioysed streight / vnburdened of torment And as fre myndes pursuyth oft slepe So soft and gentyl on me dyd it crepe But not long after as I ny slombered Of tewnable cordes I harde melody Oft recountering that my rest combered A noyse far passyng in armony In cordes and raches of consony Thet none I iuge but wold it desyre Except the ayshe vnapt to the lyre O my spyryttes so it refreyshed My body trymbelyd in reioysyng That ny my sorowe away it wayshed And fully awake from my slombering To it gaue than dyligent heryng My eye rollyd swyft here and there To be fed as wel as was the ere Than gentyl touches I recorded In welth whyle fortune dyd fauor But to farmownt I remembered A fayned melody lost in labor Proue who lyst nothyng lyke sauor For there is lernyng of reuenyence But I lerned here the notes of prudence Mannys state was there descrybed Among the fowles of the ayre Man promptly there myght haue lerned Elegaunt to garnyshe nature fayre My sorowe where at dyd appayre For comparysons I dyd combynde Mekly assuagyng in theyr kynde Of foules there certayne dyd assymble To proue theyr voyces incounteryng Arrogaunt began / but endyd humble To syng most plesaunt was theyr stryuing In swete armony and also reasonyng Betwyx the nyghtyngale and the thrusshe The larke and the cocko in that busshe Among them began a natural stryfe Of melody who coude best endyte Theyr tewnes ware redy and outraunce ryfe To tedyous ware it to resyte Comparysons made in theyr delyte With reasons strong there lackyd none That they renderyd one after one

¶ The descryptyon of the nyghtyngale . The nyghtyngale made heuynly noyse Redobelyng her tewnes melodyously Man beryed in sorowe it wold reioyse Swete / plesaunt in consent / in corde redy The ere fedyth no sownde more freyshly That yf al melody ware truly loste To be found in her / perelese she myght boste Ful meryly in tyme it recorded Swete / swete / iug / iug ryght meruelus And in another key streyght reported In manyfold notes lyke wonderus To be taught in Paradyse / I iuged thus Or had some lectorne of Melpomene Which of armony hath the dygnyte But of the ere thus fed not suffysed My eye I cast on that mery orgon Of whos syght anon was amased So lytel a byrde to muse that lesson So audyble / so tewnable in good facyon From the lytel body than I remembred That famous vertu oft hath burgened Hystoryes calling to my rembraunce In the lytel body that vertu hydyth The grosse body a yocke to be of combraunce Of educatyon / such robustnesse rysith Demynishmēt of stature in vertu smilyth Pregnaunt in wyt / lusty in corage In goodnese prompt / in counsel ryght sage The sume of vertu there enharboryng To al thynges apte that be of fame The greattest conquest left in wrytting To a lytel body that honor came Before Alexandar who berith the name Cesar in stature properd / fete and small Whos polycy tryumph had ouer all Which Corylane morned in lost of victory The grosse body turning in occasyon Also Sertorius hym saued by polycy The tayle of the horse lesyng by reason Sonar than strenght by good conclusyon The batel of wyt this prouyd spetyal Where strenght & lymmes seruyd not natural Moch feble deceyt raignyth in strenghth Hartes popyd in corage without aduysement For lake of wysdome fowndering at lenght And so most comyn we haue it in experyment In a lytel body lernyng hath enclosement Freshe subtyl and redy of outteraunce Facunde / elegaunt and of remembraunce The seneuey sede who lystyth to beholde In vertu all other that doth excell Exhausten of nature gyftes manyfolde Powned the fragraunter I you tell Busshyth in veruaunce thoughe not mychel So thys lytel byrde her notes endyted Of no great fowle so wel there recorded

Of the Larkys melody But not far of the Larke dyd appere Composyng her pennes arrogauntly Which to that busshe approched sone nere Fayre penned redy proferyng to fly Which as in worthy cheke for cheualry Ny to that busshe streyght toke her flyght Mowntyng meruelus agaynst the lyght And euer as she dyd than assende Lyke knyght in campe for vyctory Her notes she swetely dyd amende Exaltynge her voyce merely The trebyl tewne song than freshly The Nyghtyngale no bettar in report Such swete armony she made of comfort I behelde that byrde of strange nature The clowdes welny her inclosed In the element redounded her voyce pure The heuyn to penetrat I supposed The heuynly melody she dysclosed At heuyn gates I iuge she dyd get The reches at plesure that she dyd fet Of orbes rotyng she lerned armony Enforsed by powre of the fyrst mouyng Enstructed of nature lawde god almyghty The Egle thowghe strangly be in mowntyng yet of it sure hath not lyke outteryng Recordyng at plesure / deuydyng wonderus Nothyng so swete Syrene the dangerus Anone after she dyd descende By lytel and lytel lyke a byrde of pryce With note that euer dyd amende Redy in wynges swyft / mowntyng at a tryce Of the vernaunt lawre worthy in my aduyce Which in the grotton anone lyghted Faryng as she there wold haue rested But quykly lyke a byrde of bewte To the fayre haythorne toke her flyght As after worthynesse showed of dewte Wolde make clame there to some dewe ryght And among the blossomes dyd lyght Lyke an heyre to take possessyon Clamyd of ryght for her swet lesson

Of the thrusshe Which the thrusshe dylygent marked That her ere fast layd to that melody Lyke a byrde greuyd anone carped Expressyng sone her fast memory As nothyng had scaped of that armony She whysteled and also chypped And from bowghe to bowghe there trypped Sone after that byrde so semble and fayre Her chere changyd of greuyd cowntenaunce To the hyest branche leppyng of the bryar And her gyft of nature prowdly dyd avaunce Showyng of muses her redy owtterance Nothyng was truly to her than strange In cordes at plesure she dyd range The nyghtyngale she dyd cownterfet Lyke a byrde that wolde the hole reply For no dysdayne she dyd than let Ful of corage syngyng ryght freshly The larkys note she dyd descry The starle / the keyt she pertly dyd mocke Robynredbrest the wren and the Pecocke Such borowed descaunt she song freshly And of her owne she spared no bost Now swete / now sharpe and scornfully Avaunsyng as the other had lost Or none such to be in that same cost And so on the bryar syttyng a hy Proyned her fayre fethers by and by

¶ The melody of the Cocko . Which father cocko sone espyed Ful sagely restyng not far off That to confownde hym self emplyed He noddyd with the hed as a man wold coff Apperyng lyke one hauyng no vse therof And at the last it out dyd brast A sad song and a formal blast Great grauyte therin pretendyng Tewnes syngyng of solempnyte Playne was it witout ruffelyng Crachettis nor quauerettis cured she That esyly iuged it myght be By some subtyl reason wold make clame And not by note to encrese her name Lyke as we rede vertu hath oft spyred From body not elegaunt of composyng In membres deforme or in tonge lypped Esope was not al venust in shapyng Demosthenes of nature was s●uttyng yet reason pregnaunt in the one rayngned Dylygence in thother eloquence procured So plesaunt cowntenaunce oft hath be occasyon In vyce or troble that some ware trapped Moch bewty shone in the face of Absolon His bewtyful heere in vyce hym lapped Putyfers spouse fayre Ioseph clapped In pryson for his fayre cowntenaunce Because with her he made not dalyaunce So rudy chekes haue often dysseued Crokyd lymmes be of louely mekenese Esyly gotten oft tymes hath greued Elabored thyng is of more suernese That lake bewty be of prompt redynese To garnyshe nature with pregnaunt reson In the cowcko prouyd by conclusyon So from the cothows oft hath floryshed Prynces redoubded of valeaunt pusaunce By vertu and vyctory that it purchased Actes declaryng of worthy remembraunce Gydyng theyr people by noble gouernaunce Which conquered to landes great royalte Where vyce spoyled them of auctoryte So from the thorne buddyth the rose In bowghe and branch not lyke apperyng ye in sauour his nature doth lose Rubycunde fayre of plesaunt smylyng Whyte / sprynkeled of semble colouryng Lyke in the blake botel lyquor hydyth Swete / freysh / fragraunt that man confortyth So thys sory byrde in notes ryght playne Not in pennes arrogaunt composed Of the lawre made profer to be fayne But that she note no bettar expressed To reason she wold styke I than iuged In an oke not far of restyng As wold fle with her hed noddyng Streyght from her perch she toke her flyght Entendyng there to make comparyson And in that bussh boldly dyd lyght Where they chypped and chaunted a ceson But not long after they began to reason The chantors offyce who shuld haue So they compared them selfe to saue

¶ The reason of the nyghtyngale . The nyghtyngale sayd she was worthy In whom the key of musyke dyd rest All hole her self fayned melody Nothyng delyueryng from her brest But descaunt it was of the purest Another bost than made of comparement A swete qualite to her only lent Whan Lucyfers bemes be beryed bryght Than at rest syt you all lurkyng Many sad hartes than make I lyght The corde of trewe musyke reportyng So Pheba I please with my chantyng And yet on the day I seldom delay Utteryng my notes with sport and play The kocke refreysheth many a man In the nyght from dull and duskyd slomberyng Prowdly crowyng now and than But that ne pausyng suckeryth lamentyng Of more lawde is worthy after reasonyng Wherfore most apte am I for this offyce A byrde perelese of pryke and pryce The subtyl set of good inuentyng In cordes and tewnes that plesaunt be With coraged brest of clene delyueryng Seyng the grounde with reportes of bewte Bettar than his boke is of auctoryte Such cordes be in me / such tewne is kepte As the lady of musyke in me had slepte Another argument of ryght tytell Most men of me take theyr repast To fede theyr ere delectable well Wherby to me such loue haue cast Sayeng my tewnes that all haue past What nedyth me than to make reclame Of that in possessyon that is my name

¶ The larkys reason Me semyth ( quod the larke ) ye do dote Imprudently your self to avaunce That wyll compare must haue no blotte I fynde in you a thyng of combraunce That sone assuage shall your dalyaunce Lyke as the Pecoke in penues dysdaynyth But fowle legges his corage assuagyth So doth many one promote his parson With crafty colours of aduauncement All that furtheryng is good reason The bowe indyfferent is not bent To touch the but lokyng for punyshment Of whom the prouerbe shal not dye A man fawtlese / but / but doth denye Many commodytes ye do propone Of notes / dytes and armony By your selfe as ye ware perles alone But to me it semyth a pange sory That lokyth on vertu and not foly Them in a bundel wysdom doth combynde Which sone assuagyth the arrogaunt mynde your notes I besech where do become Whan Baron Ianus bloyth his blast you lurke in a corner than very dome your voyce slomberyth / your pennes do wast That after your syght than no man hath hast Is not thys a byrde lyke to make comparyson ? In a pange of fortune whystelyng his lesson ? yet nere by nature may I approche Thys offyce vpon me to take No sharpe / hore frost makyth me to choch Nor fethers for it do asslake But in the grotton myrth do make And somtyme for my plesure merely My armony sone wyl exalte an hye With an other gyfte that surmowntyth all Not erth only in me doth delyt But also the aungels ethere al Where I lerne so puerly to endyte And ful wel do I theyr grace requyte In theyr swete dewe there bathe I oft With plesaunt armony mowntyng a loft I rendar kyndly that they me lent Benefyttes geuyn in me do not spyl My nowne person doth it present With prompt seruys and voyce subtyl Which is famous after my skyl In an other freysh to behold playne That with study dyscussyd his brayne This leftyd swetly in the ayre Of armony only here not the lesson But I contemplat the woddes fayre The flowrs / the odors haue assentyon Wherof I haue great delectatyon I behold wel the place of amenyte Paradyse in erth / most worthy of dygnyte

¶ The reason of the thrushe . Whom the thrush coude no lengar forbere Supposyng to speke al to late As no laude had be lefte for here there And for the offyce began to chat Euyn in the bussh there as she sat With formal reason of eloquence As of Pallas had some influence If in report there restyth praysyng In the nyghtys melody commendatyon In varyable notes moch reioysyng In contynual syngyng swete consolatyon Of armony to rendar the mery lesson At heuyn gattes where freyshly it is In solace bathyng of meruelus blys In them cockyng vertu elegauntly Allegyng for the lawre with dysdayne Chockyng with a bone of dyshonesty But one thyng marke you very playne Of parteys the hole doth remayne And the hole is no other thyng But parteys compact in ioynyng What thyng partly ye haue descrybed In me of it the hole sume restyth Who can endyte ? of me not fayned No fowle in the ayre that euer fleyth Of me herd but my brest reportyth Seldom the byrde vtteryth melody That I reporte not in bettar armony The mothe meryar it is sayd Sen in dyuerse the bettar is sped And of more worthynese vndenayd Study in scyence sone is enhaunsed If with quycke memory it be flowred In incredyble memory scyence is lockyd So in a dull hed sone is it chockyd Cesar is landed for fast memory Of no man resyted / that euer red swyftar Pennyng his mynde in quycknes as redy Of foure quaterns he was compylar Of epystels at ons no man bettar Pycus de Myrandula not longe agon Thrughe fast memory felowe had non Now marke ye dylygent my entent The flowre of study of me expressyd To dylygent pregnaunce comyn is lent yf in no trechery the mynde be duskyd In slewth and dyscord be not there luskyd Apt to honor is that elegaunt parson Which as in me lyke / in none hath perfectyon This auaunsyd she in that natural hous Coyshe with her cowntenaunce vnderpopyng Fayre mayled and a properd smale dows With scornful syght rollyng on them lokyng That bone in theyr throte thought to be choking But sone after bespake her make Her arrogaunt bost to aslake

¶ The cocko . Soth sayth the cocko it is that ye say Sen in many but expert in very fewe your brest vtteryth sport and play With Meduseus as ye dyd renewe Or in the font of the hors lappyd the dwe Moch your comparyson greater your bostyng As all the muses had in you reclosyng To the hole perlese ye make reclame A hole sume with a grosse gappe A false tytel and forged fame A vayne bost that the wynde doth flappe A fayre byldyng wyl stand parhappe Insculped / enbosted and paynted venustly For lake of fundatyon fallyth quycly So your reasons apperyng strong Lykely / but false I can proue What is descaunt with out playnsong With reportes of plesure as ye loue In the meane or swetely to syng aboue yf the playnsong swarue from the boke A none your descaunt wyl stande a croke To me it longyth to syng the plansong And you on me to syng descaunt I I wys Now on mynom tyme and now two long Together shal we syng swetely this Most fyt for me than this offyce is And seldome ye se it in experyence But the quere rulyth the basys dylyence After the which prudent and formal reason To the cocko dyd they al assent Geuyng hym that offyce of promotyon And ech with other ware wel content K●yt in trewe loue sone after ware bent To repete theyr notes of melody A swete song to make of armony The cocko began than redely to syng A fayre key takyng of meane tyme The dyapason now and than touchyng The larke in her voyce anon dyd clyme The nyghtyngale reportyd hym A standyng tenor song the thrussh Ioyned in felysshyp in that bussh Theyr voyces in the wood dyd redownde All instrumentes in plesure excellyng Far bettar theyr eccho was in sownde A fayrar lectorn they rede of syngyng Than dyd the hamors of Tubals techyng Or Pyctagoras that was so tedyus Knyt in a sume myght se it compendyus It was not frompelyd nor yet iombelyd Nor fayned voyces but of nature pure Not hob for gyb out rayshly tumbelyd Lyke blynd bayar that nothyng doth cure Lytel in the grounde / in the boke assure Which not syngyth but scuyth al raysh That with his frys●e from the cord doth laysh Than perseuyd I good apperyng symple Of many coniectured folyshnese In the wooddes to lyue forsoke the cyte Renownsyng al pompe of wantonnese Dwellyd in the cothowse of wyldernese And no merwel that such plesure there founde Eloquentar dyte than in the tounde So drewe my sorowe to perfectyon In my reason it dyd so wel recorde There restyth vehemence in a swete lesson With whom ragyng wyldnese euer wyl borde In greater dysdayne at the bettar worde Which delyte in prouerbe shal not spyl Moch swettar is sport to the wanton wyl The wooddes and the cyte I dyd combynde Many apply but fewe haue the lote In corde and dyte to agre of mynde Dyuerse study the armony of note But in the dyte vtterly they dote As oft is sen a man wel enpareled yet lyke goodnese within is fabeled So in the cyte armony is forsed From the woodyes translate that melody But bondage for lyberte is yl scorsed Byrdes in chages be mured gayly But that is coacte syngyth not freyshly As in musytyons we se it playne yf it come not of corage they wyl fayne So cordes of lyberte are in corage With me contryuyng his nature Uertu is lyberte vyce is bondage Which causyd me to take more cure Theyr dyte to marke / as note pure And anone perseuyd it not darke Agaynst puaunt vyce that dyd barke The dyte to me was wonderfull Of the byrdes expressyd meruelus No hed but it wold refreyshe dull Man ( quod they ) lerne this lesson of vs To syng in trewe loue as we do thus From the corde of loue ospryngyth grace Heuyn wynnyng / hydyng al trespace Be content with the gyft of nature Upon the neyghbors enter not pryse For presumptyon may not endure Uyce of dysdayne doth euer aryse Goddys creatyon do thou surmyse All thyng he creatyd in trewe armony Gyft to accorde here with gyft meryly After from thens they toke theyr flyght Nature to sustayne by his prouysion Utterly vanyshyng from my syght Than fel I in great medytatyon Compassyng that swete noyse with my reason As lyghtly it is in man most feruent To recorde delyte somtyme present O fortune ouerrollyd in darkenese Ny mured slomberyng in my brest Thy self forgettyng in welthynese But sone a wry whan he dyd wrest Repentaunce had me welny opprest Lerne lerne man arrogaunce euer to fle Condescend with thes byrdes in humylyte Man thy reason yf thou do wel tyll Lyke swetenese of armony we fynde In all men that refrayne theyr wyll As in brefe sentence I wyll combynde The larkys note who bettar hath in mynde Than where the flowr of chastyte smylyth A heuynly tewne where so it restyth That passyth this lyfe in vyrgyuyte With aungel equal and hym beforne Aungel in ioy / man lapped in mysere Trogyng and mournyng as ware forlorne But syngyng this note fortunat is borne Whose mynde sone the cloudes doth penetrat Meke and redy all wronge to tollerat So the nyghtyngale euydent syngeth In the gentyl brest of curtese The fetes of reason there reporteth A propred clame of that dygnyte On pregnaunt wyt grounded auctoryte Lawes to sancyt of ryghtfulnes The ragyng mynde to let of wyldnes Whome of innocentes I may call The good and sure buckeler of defence Chastenyng vyce and wyll tyrannicall A note trewly of hye magnyficence Both in nyght and daye of redy presence The nyght turnyth in dayly pastaunce Correctyth synne and vertu doth enhaunce In dyuerse tewnes of the thrushys musyng In a grosse sume together comest Clerely expressyth the comyn lyuyng In the lyne of lyke merye that do rest That holdyth of other is not the purest Whos varyable notes do dysclose The indygest lyfe that most do repose The dangerus recourse of marchandyse The subtyl inuentyon artyfytyal Composyng in ordar by semble wyse To confort our lyfe with thynges materyal With handy craftes that be lyke natural Which in a nombre yf we redresse The thurshys notes wyl expresse Now the cocko druggyth at the plough Playne as a pack estafe euer in care Be it frost or snowe he goyth thrugh yf the plough spede the bettar do they fare Thother geuyng the tewne of welfare Than goyth the playnsong ryght swetly The bettar musyke there of armony But yf the cocko the larke wold fayne Dekey wold sone theyr modulatyon Or yf the thrusshe the note wold retayne Of the nyghtyngalys gentyl fatyon Sone theyr corde wold come to confusyon As lyke to syght as an ape purpuled Or a slaue in a regal vesture palled As plesaunt to the ere as the blacke sanctus Of a sad sorte vpon a mery pyn Lernyd in the bole of curtys Bacchus Bathyd in musyke without / and within Rage in cordes / indyte do deuyn Querystars arrogaunt syt with dysdayne For than al wysdome rūbelyth in theyr brayne Lyke Sylene in swetnes of armony Relyng from his dene with a blacke tankarde Endyted verses of famous memory The styffe okes fayned hym to regarde To Aglays promysyng wanton rewarde Al faynyng to daunce I iuge they dremed Or the erth with molles euerywhere heued Lyke Promachus in tryumph dysgysed That lorde of drynkars I may call In Alexanders game vnsemble deuysed Of thre tankerdes he dronke vp all No man lyke hym in quaftyng prodygall He vsyd to sup them at a tryce Wherfore among them he had the pryce Lyke knyght in felde for vyctory For the gottys wul that often stryuyth Or for tryumph beyng vylony Of tyranny what laude ospryngyth What to hym that an other spoylyth So of comparyson sory is electyon Where nether of them bryngyth but infectyon To stryue in offyce it to auaunce Famyd with the flowre of humilyte The vertu it is of noble constance Not to barke at an others dygnyte That garnyshe theyr gyfte ryght famous be So drenched in pryde often do lowre Syt it in cothowse or in hye bowre The greater in wysdom / the hyar in grace Goddys ordynaunce if they behold In them pryde shal occapy no place The inflar mynde may sone make colde Comyn folowyth gyftes manyfolde Panges of foly dayly pursuyng In pryde that the mynde may haue no raging Holy saynt Paul was oft cuffyd For al he was drenched in hye grace With enflamed lechery oft buffyd Gladly callyng to heuynly solace To saue hym from that fylthy trespace Which let al byrdes dylygent contemplat So prydly venom shal not intoxycat Let the larke than dylygent aduort Which of nature in the grotton restyth Heuyn to refreyshe by dewe resorte With mowntyng plesauntly as she syngyth Which thyng a chaste mynde wel expressyth No lowryng darke clowde may hym let His prayer afore god to be set The famous vyrgyn by prerogatyue Tastyd grace slomberyng on Chrystys brest The sacrament of secresy dyd contryue In storys restyth ne such a conquest Al powre in ordar that hath redrest Recusyng honor / where honor myght haue Hyest in honor / that most men dyd saue Not entreprysyng iusted at the campe Not shyned in vayne glory and ryet Theyr lyfe is bryghter than eny lampe Trechery quenchyng by good dyet In hyest tryumphe beyng most quyet This offeryth incenses for our mortalyte That oft sagge redemyng our fraylte Solinus showyth of a prouynce Where the indwellars be hole chast Al toyes of ryet that do deuynce Theyr mynde in vertu is lockyd fast Not haltyng doune from theyr norme cast Lyke one tyme losyng / relyth to the close Wrystyng and wryngyng to bryng to purpose The famous flowre of nobylyte The swete reportes yf be loste A byrde in name but not in dygnyte Which of hye lynage may make boste But lackyng vertu / slepyth in the froste Gentyl vngentyl that may be named In the parent fayre in the sonne dyffamed Sone honor vadyth led by auaryce Euer lackyng yet drouned in opulence Sone mannys mynde spousid to vyce Blynded / tumbelith in to neclygence This garryth the note of reuerence Moch truculence wherof ospringyth That playne a dyscord no other syngyth The vernaunt flowre of gentylry Bathyth in the well spryng of clemence Iustyce / and the dewe acte of honesty Preferryng / fauoryth royalte Not grossyth / nor engratyth dayle Nor druggyth with the cartar at the plough But syngyth swetly content with ynough Craftes resyted artyfytyal Theyr gyfte labored yf they do apply Most restyth in thynges materyal To folowe the larke behouyth truly Thother to obey in corde meryly So ioynyng fortunes by dyscretyon The swete corde shal sone rendar of reason Now the larke pouerly the ploughman can play The cocko vnapt the other counterfyttys Nature repugnyth the gentylman to play As truly no game it is for slauys To iust in the felde with syluer sperys So dewe ordar makyth armony A confused state garryth vtterly To pray belongith for our offence The larkys note in humylite The nyghtyngale protector of innocence The thrusshe clothith our necessite Of the cockoys playnsong al fed be Which to confuse no other thyng is But the plough the oxen to drawe I I wys Where thes agre . O fortunat countre Irrored with the dew celestyal Spousyd to vertu / indued with bownte The swete key reportyng armonycal Rauyshed plesaunt in noyse ethereal Where though the muses be not present yet theyr odor pausith in monument Another lyke lesson than dyd I bownte Which me refreyshed meruelusly Many thynges creat I dyd recownte Of the elementys nature facundly In proportyons syngyng iocundly In rarnesse / or thycknesse euer a t●●th From theyr corde makng no ragement . Dystyncted in stryfe by dew proportyon Of whom compact is al thyng sensyble Whos armony spyreth propagatyon And whan they rage / yssueth mysere Than ceasith the corde by fayned amyte So wonderful in nature further in stryfe Content with theyr vertu gyue to all lyfe So founde I in countreys descryptyon Of al thynges in one not lyke opulence Which inducyth this elegaunt reason To agre in corde of louely congruence Therfore one hath not the hole influence That by commodytes in nede of fodar We shuld aduertyse one to loue an other As of landes made of in mentyon For gyftes of nature that be auaunsyd Some for subtyl and elegaunt inuentyon Some for the vyne famous be extollyd Some for theyr sauours greatly are cōmedyd Some wooddes / fel / catal and freyshe spryng Some forest / dale and holsom fosteryng Some hold moch of the heuinly larke An other of the nyghtyngale bost da●e Dyuerse with the thrusshe dayly do worke Most with the cocko druggen in care Thus sowre and swet in loue ioyned are But fortunat that parke / plesaunt that tre Wher thes be knet and in corde do agre Which in the lectorne of cosmography The gyfte of nature in none more opulent Than in Englande of noble memory Al thes byrdes there syng ryght reuerent Seldom ragyng / or makyng interment Fayre semble and of lusty corage Gouernyd by prynces of hye lynage A parke vernaunt / plesauntly paled Under fruitful plage by sytuatyon With the surgyng see rownd abowt mured Fayre in prospect / a place of miratyon Dystyncted in prouynces by discretyon Aungels are lyke the people of cowntenaunce For whom ther god makyth great purueaunce Of catal and corne there is ryght good From the hylles the stremes do tryl Encresyng softly at last in flode Of forest and dale they haue theyr wyl Of fysshe and fowle they haue theyr fyl Of metal there is a ryght good vayne Of men there lackyth no poure and mayne Al landes to it haue lyeng theyr trade With al to change his gyfte is redy Halfe stuffyd come thyther / away go lade God saue Englond and kepe in armony The corde of goddis wyl to report dayly In trewe musyke theyr lesson to rendar Theyr famous state shal last the lengar Consent neuer drawyth to confutyon The flowre euer garnyshyth of prudence A meke state neuer tumblyth in euersyon A suffysed brest is full of clemence That knowyth hym self geuyth reuerence The swete lectorne of the foules assemblaunce That where it spyryth is lytel combraunce Whereof yssuyth a noble sentence Man assuage thy insatyat appetyte Of presumptyon alay the oftence He lyuyth not here in cordly delyte Suaruyng from the tewne of his benefyte Than let go pryde and vnderproppyng Loke on thy self and leue thy choppyng Let go bostyng and vayne glory The subtyl artyllary of the deuyl Let go dyscorde a blastful sory Man of vertu that doth euer pyll And spouse thy selfe truly to goddys wyll For wyl adulteryne may not endure That louyth wel god / he lyuyth sure Creatyd thou must the remembre In purpose of lyfe far moch bettar Laude to god than se thou rendre Frely he gaue the a gyfte comlyar To rendar agayne thou art but dettar For such is ordayned the meruelus syght To behold the myrrour of tryforme lyght Wherto to come god gyue vs grace The louyng note to synge of humylyte For that wyll mownt vnto that place Must nosel in no pang of mysere Lyke wyll to lyke and euer shal be That in cordly ordar lyue not here of lyfe Shal lament where is no ordar but al stryfe Reason the norme of ordar hath inuentyd To tech man the path of heuynnys salace That to publyshe Cryst was incarnatyd Growndyng obedyence to lede that trace Loue and ordar to purchese that place Euyl wyl and dysordar there to haue no powr But fayth and vertu to floryshe in that bowre That vse wel reason there shal haue meryte That lyue for heuyn there shal haue honor Uertu there shynyth in perfyt delyte Of al swet flowrs there is the fragraunt odor All perfectyon to beholde that myrror With other ioyes that be there in corage Of whom I can not expresse the surplusage From blyndnese of hart god vs defende To fyx our loue in lyfe perpetual And not rest in thyng that shal haue ende For mortal in thyng to delyte mortall As neuer wolde depart with loue so spetyal Hedlyng to tomble it is no other thyng To the darke lake of pytyful mornyng God saue our prynce and his louyng make His byrdes to report in armony From the breth god defende them of the lake That the deuyl blastyth owt spytefully That this compyled Cryst saue from foly God send vs al the heuynly palace Uyryng in bewte of meruelus solace

¶ This endythth the comparyson of the byrdes compyled by dan Robert Saltwood monke And imprynted by Iohn Mychel .