A worthy mirror, wherein you may marke, an excellent discourse of a breeding larke by reading whereof, perceiue well you may, what trust is in friends or in kinsfolke to stay. To the tune of Rogero.

A worthy mirror , wherein you may marke , an excellent discourse of a breeding Larke : By reading whereof , perceiue well you may , what trust is in friends or in kinsfolke to stay . To the tune of Rogero .

A Larke some time did bréed , wi●hin a field of corne : And had increase when as the grains was ready to be shorne , She wary of the time , and carefull of her nest : Debated wisely with her selfe , what thing to do were best . For to abide the rage , of cruell reapers hand : 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was to perillous , with safety for to stand . And to dislodge her brood , vnable yet to flye : Not knowing whether to remoue , great harme might hap thereby . Therefore she meant to stay , till force constraind her fléete : And in the while for to prouide , some other place as méete . The better to prouide , the purpose of her minde : Shée would forthwith go séek abroad and leaue her yong behinde . But first shée ●ad them all , attend their Mothers will : Which carefull was for to eschew , each likely-hood of ill . This Corne is ripe quoth she , wherin we ne●●ly dare : The which if ●eads preuent not harme might cause our mortall care . Therefore to sence with skill , the sequell of mishaps : We will prouide some other place , for feare of after cla●s . Whilst I for this and food , am flowen hence away : With héedfull eares attentiue be , what commers by do say . Thus said , shée vaunst her selfe , vpon her longest toe : And mounted vp into the sky , still singing as shée ●low . Anon shée home return● , full fraught with choise of meate : But loe a suddaine chance , hir birds for feare could nothing eate . Therewith agast she cride , what hoe , what meaneth this : I charge you on my blessing tell , what thing hath chanst amisse . Is this the welcome home , or thankes for food I haue : You wonted were with chirping théere to gape before I gaue . But now such qualmes oppresse , your former quiet ●ind● : That quite transform'd ●●m mo●e things 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soules I ●●●e . The 〈◊〉 and eldest bird , thus chirpt began to say : Alas 〈◊〉 dame , such news we herd since you were flowne away That were it not the trust , that we repose in you : Our liues were lost remedilesse , we know it well enough . The owner of the plot , came hither with his sonne : And said to him this Corne must 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t is more then time t were done . Goe get thée to my friends , and bid them come to morne : And tell them that I traue their 〈◊〉 to reape a péece of corne . The Larke that was the Dame , stood in a dump a while , And after said , his friends quoth she and then began to smile . Tush , friends are hard to finde , true friendship 〈◊〉 appeares : A man may misse to haue a friend , that liues old Nestors yeares , True Damond and his friend , long ere our time were dead : It was in Gréece a great way he●● where such true loue was bred . Our countrey is too cold , to 〈◊〉 vp a friend : Till proofe be made each one w●●●●… still yours vnto the end . But trie in time of néed , and all your friends are flowne Such fruitlesse séeds , such ●●ckle 〈◊〉 in faithlesse friends be s●wen .

The second part of the breeding Larke . To the same tune . Therefore be of good cheere , ●ea●●e your dulled spirits : 〈◊〉 the care that caus●es thus , bercanes you of delights : Let not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feare , depriue your eyes of sleepe . My selfe will be amo●gst you still , th●… safely will you keepe . And sweare euen by the 〈◊〉 , that growes vpon my Crowne : If al his trust be in his frends , this corne shall not goe downe . The young assa●ed by her , that such an oth did sweare : Did passe the night in wonted sléepe , and banisht former feare . And when the drousy night , was fled from gladsome day : She had them wake and looke about for she must goe her way . And said I warrant you , his friends will not come heare : Yet not withstanding listen wel , and tell me what you heare . Anon the farmer came , me●ged wel ●y mad : And said who so dep●nds on friends , his case is worse then bad . I must go fetch my kin , to help me with this geare : In things of greater waight then this their kindred shall appeare . The Larkes their dame returnd : informed her of all : and how that he himselfe was gone : his kindred for to call . But when she heard of kin , she laughing cryd amaine : A pin for kin a figge for fre●nds , yet kin the worst of thtwaine . This man himselfe is poore , though wealthy kin he haue : And kindred now a dayes doth faile , when néed compells to craue . No no he shall returne , with ill contented mind : His pains shal yéeld but losse of time no comfort shall he find . They all are so adi●t , Vnto their priuat gaine : That if you lack power to requite , your suites are all in vaine . My selfe a●… o●●charg'd , with haruest as you sée : And nearer is my skin then shirt , thus shall their answer be . Therfore as erst of frends , so say I now of kin : We shall receiue no hurt by this , nor he no profit winne . Yet listen once againe , what now his refuge is : For kindred shall be like to friends , be wel assurd of this . I must goe furnish vp , a nest I haue begun : I will returne and bring you meat , as soone as I haue done . Then vp she came the clay , with such a lusty lay : That it reioyc'd her yonglings harts as in their nest they lay . And much they did commend , their lusty mothers gate : And thought it long till time had brought themselues to such a state . Thus as their twinckling eyes , were roving to and fro : They saw whereas the farmer came who was their mortall foe . Who after due complaints , thus said he in the end : I will from henceforth●trust my selfe and not to kin or frends . Who giues me glossing words , and failes me at my néed : May in my pater noster be , but neuer in my créed . My selfe will haue it done , sith it must néeds be so : For proofe hath taught me so much witt to trust to any moe . The birds that listning lay , attentiue to the same : Informed their mother of the whole , as soone as ere she came . Yea Marry then quoth she , the case now altred is : We will no longer heere abide , I alwaies feared this . But out she got them all , and trudgd away apace , And through the Corne she brought them al vnto another place . God send her luck to scape , the hauk● and foulers g●●●e : And me the hap to haue no néed , of neither friend nor kin , Finis .