A worthy mirrour, vvherein you may marke, an excellent discourse of a breeding larke To the tune of new Rogero. By reading whereof, perceiue well you may, what trust is in friends, or in kinsefolke to stay.

A worthy Mirrour , wherein you may Marke , An excellent discourse of a breeding Larke . To the tune of new Rogero . By reading whereof , perceiue well you may , What trust is in friends , or in kinsefolke to stay . A Larke sometimes did breed , within a field of Corne : And had increase when as the graine was ready to be shorne . She wary of the time , and carefull for her nest : Debated wisely with her selfe , what thing to doo were best : For to abide the rage . of cruell Reapers hand : She knew it was to perilous , with safetie for to stand . And to dislodge ●er broode , vnable yet to fl●e : ( Not knowing whether to remooue ) great harmes might hap thereby . Therefore she ment to stay , till force constraind to fleet , And in the while for to prouide , some other place as meete : The better to prouide , the purpose of her minde : She would forthwith go seeke abroad , and leaue her young behinde : But first she had them all , attend their mothers will : Which carefull was for to eschew , each likelihood of ill . This Corne is ripe ( quoth she ) w●erein we nestled are : The which ( if ●●de preuents not harms ) might cause our mortall care . Therefore to fence with skill , the sequ●ll of mishaps : I will prouide some other place , for feare of after clappes . Whilst I for this and foode , am flowen hence away , With h●edfull eares attentiue be , what commers by do say . Thus said , she vaunst hers●lfe , vpon her longest toe : And mounted vp into the skies , still singing as she flowe ▪ Anon she home returnde , full fraught with choice of meat : But loe , ( a suddaine change ) her Byrdes for feare could nothing eat . Therewith agast she cried . what how ? what meaneth this ? I charge you on my blessing ▪ tell what thing hath chanst amisse ? Are ●hese my welcom●s home , or thanks for food I haue ? Ye wo●ted were with chyrping chéere , to gape before I gaue . But now such quames oppresse . your former quiet kinde : That ( quite transformde ) dumbe mute things and sencelesse soule I finde . The prime and eldest Byrde , ( thus cheeki ) began to say : Alas deare Dame such newes we heard , since you were flowen away : That were it not the trust , that we ●●pose in you : Our liues were lost : remedilesse , we know it well ynouw : The owner of the plot , came hither with his Sonne : And said to him , this Wheat must down , it is more then time it were done . Go get thee to my Friends . and bid them come to morne : And tell them that I craue their helpes , to reape a peece of Corne . The Larke that was the Dam , stood in a dumpe a while : And after said , his friends ( quoth he ) and then began to sm●le . Tush , friends are hard to finde , true friendship seeld appeares : A man may misse to haue a friend , that liues olde Nestors yeares . True Damon and his friend ▪ long ere ou● time were dead : It was in Greece , a great way hence , w●●re such true loue was bred : Our Country is too colde , to foster vp a friend : Till proofe be made , each one will say , still yours vnto the end . But trie in time of need , and all your friends are flowen . Such fruitlesse seed , such ●●●ale stay , in faithlesse friends be sowen : Therefore be of good cheere , reuiue your dulled sprights : Expell th● care , that causelesse thus , bereau●s you of delights . Let not surmized feare , depriue your eies of sleepe : My selfe will be amongst you still , that safely shall you keepe . And sweare eene be the Tuft , that growes vpon my crowne : If all his helpe be in his friends , this Corne shall not go downe . The young assured by her , that such an oth did sweare : Did passe the time in wanted sléepe , and banisht former feare : And when the drousie night , was fled from gladsome day : She bad them waken and looke about , for she must go her way . And said I warant you , these friends will not come heere : Yet notwithstanding listen wel , and tell me what you heare . Anone the Farmer came , enra●ed well nigh mad : And sware , who for ●●pends on friends . his case is worse then bad : I will go fetch my kinne ▪ to helpe me with this geare . In things of greater waight then this , their kindred shall appeare : The Larkes , theyr Dam returnd , inf●r●ed her of all : And how that he himselfe was gone , his kindred for to call . But when she heard of kin , she laughing cried amaine : A pin for kin , a figge for friends , yet kinne the worst of twaine . This man himselfe is poore , though wealthie kin he haue : And kindred now a daies doth quaile , when neede compels to craue . No no , he shall returne , with ill contented minde : His paines shall 〈…〉sse of time , no succour he shall finde . They all are so addict , vnto theyr priuate gaine : That if ye lacke power to requite , your suits are all in vaine . My selfe am euer chargde , with haruest ye may see : And n●arer as my skin then shirt , this shall theyr answere be . Therefore as ●a●st of friends , so say I now of kinne : We shall receiu● no hurt by them , no● he no profit● winne : Yet listen once againe , w●●t now his refuge is . For kindred sh〈…〉 be like to friends , be well assured of this : I must go furnish vp ▪ a nest I haue begun . And will returne and bring you meat , assoone as it is done . Then vp she clam the Clowds , with such a lustre Lay : That it reioyst her yonglings hearts , as in theyr nest they lay : And much they did commend , theyr Mothers loftie gate . And thought it long till time had brought themselues to such estate : Thus whilst theyr twinckling eies , were rouing too and fro : The saw whereas the Farmer came , who was their mortall foe . Who after due complaints , thus sayed in the end . I will from henceforth trust my selfe , and not to kin nor friend . Who giues me glozing wordes , and faile me at my need : May in my Pater noster be , but neuer in my Creede . My selfe will haue it downe , since needs it must be so : For proofe hath taught me too much wit , to trust to any mo . The bi●ds that listening lay , attentiue to the same : Informde their mother of the whole , Ye mary then ( quoth she ) the case now altered is . We will no longer here abide , I alway feared this : But out she got them all , and trudged away apace ▪ And through the corne she brought them safe into another place . God send her 〈…〉ke to shun , both H●u●e and Fowles gin , And me t●e happe ●o ●auth● neede , of friend , nor yet of kinne .