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A proper new balade expressyng the fames,
Concerning a warning to al London dames,
To the tune of the blacke Almaine.
YOu London dawes, whose passyng fames
Through out the worlde is spread,
In to the skye, ascendyng hye
To euery place is fled:
For thorow each land and place,
For beauties kyndely grace:
You are renowmed ouer all,
You haue the prayse and euer shall.
What wight on earth that can beholde
More dearer and fayrer dames then you?
Therfore to extoll you I may be bolde,
Your paces and graces so gay to vieu.
¶For Vertues lore, and other thinges more
Of truth you doe excell,
I may well gesse, for comelynesse
Of all, you beare the bell:
As trim in your arraye
As be the flowres in Maye
With roset hew so brauely dight
As twinklyng starres that shyneth by night.
For curtesye in euery parte
Not many nor any resemble you can,
In lady Natures camely arte
So grauely and brauely to euery man.
¶And oft when you goe, fayre dames on a rowe
In to the feeldes so greene,
You sit and vewe the beautifull hewe
Of flowres that there be seene:
VVhich lady FLORA hath
So garnyshed in each path
VVith all the pleasures that may be
(Fayre dames) are there to pleasure ye
Tyl Frost doth come and nip the top,
And lop them and crop them, not one to be seene
So when that Death doth hap to your lot,
Consider and gather what beauty hath beene.
¶For as the flowre, doth change in an houre
That was so fayre to see,
Consyder and gather (fayre dames) the wether
May change as well with yee:
And turne your ioyes as soone
As Frost the flowres hath doone
So sudden Death may change as well
Your beauties that now doth excell,
And turne your sweetes to bitter and sowre
When death wt his breath comes stealing neare:
Such haps may hap to come in an howre
Which euer or neuer you little dyd feare.
¶Wherfore I say, fayre dames so gay
That Death is busyest now,
To catch you hence, where no defence
May make him once to bow:
Experience well doth trye
You see it with your eye,
How quickely some are taken hence
Not youthfull yeares may make defence:
And strange diseases many are seene
Encreasyng and preasyng to vexe vs each day,
But sure the lyke hath euer beene
May houe you and moue you to God to pray.
¶And learne to know, as grasse doth grow
And withereth in to haye,
Remember therfore, kepe vertue in store
For so you shall decaye:
And pitie on the poore
With some parte of your store,
Loke that your lampes may ready bee
The dreadfull day approcheth nye:
When Christ shall come to iudge our deeds
No fairenes nor clerenes can helpe you than,
The corne to seperate from the weeds
Fayre dames, when cometh the day of dome.
¶Now that I haue sayd, let it be wayed
It is no iestyng toye,
Not all your treasure, can you pleasure
It is but fadyng ioye:
Therfore remember mee
VVhat I haue sayd to yee,
And thus the Lorde preserue the Queene
Long space with vs to lyue and raigne:
As we are all bound incessantlie
To desyre with prayer both night and day,
God to preserue her maiestie
Amen, let all her good subiects say.
quoth Steuen Peell.
¶FINIS.
Imprinted at S. Katherins by Alexander Lacie for Henrie Kyrkham, dwellyng at the middle North dore of S. Paules church.
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