I myself, similar unto him, wrote upon fruit.
I would give thee some copies for thy copying, if I thought thou
wouldst use them temperately, and not render them common, as hath
befallen the poetry of some among the brightest geniuses. I could
shew thee how to say new things, and how to time the same. Before
my day, nearly all the flowers and fruits had been gathered by
poets, old and young, FROM THE CEDAR OF LEBANON TO THE HYSSOP ON THE
WALL; roses went up to Solomon, apples to Adam, and so forth.
"Willy! my brave lad! I was the first that ever handled a quince,
I'll be sworn.
"Hearken!
"Chloe! I would not have thee wince
That I unto thee send a quince.
I would not have thee say unto 't
BEGONE! and trample 't underfoot,
For, trust me, 't is no fulsome fruit.
It came not out of mine own garden,
But all the way from Henly in Arden, -
Of an uncommon fine old tree,
Belonging to John Asbury.
And if that of it thou shalt eat,
'Twill make thy breath e'en yet more sweet;
As a translation here doth shew,
ON FRUIT-TREES, BY JEAN MIRABEAU.
The frontispiece is printed so.
But eat it with some wine and cake,
Or it may give the belly-ache. {153a}
This doth my worthy clerk indite,
I sign,
SIR THOMAS LUCY, Knight.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136