A worthy mirror, wherein you may mark, an excellent discourse of a breeding Lark: By reading whereof, perceive well you may, what trust is in friends or in kinsfolk to stay.  
To the tune of Rogero.  
 

A Lark some time did breed,  
within a field of corn:  
And had increase when as the grains  
was ready to be shorn,  
She wary of the time,  
and careful of her nest:  
Debated wisely with herself,  
what thing to do were best.   

For to abide the rage,  
of cruel reapers hand:  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to perilous,  
with safety for to stand.  
And to dislodge her brood,  
unable yet to fly:  
Not knowing whether to remove,  
great harm might hap thereby.   

Therefore she meant to stay,  
till force constrained her fleet:  
And in the while for to provide,  
some other place as meet.  
The better to provide,  
the purpose of her mind:  
She would forthwith go seek abroad  
and leave her young behind.   

But first she ●ad them all,  
attend their Mother's will:  
Which careful was for to eschew,  
each likelihood of ill.  
This Corn is ripe quoth she,  
wherein we ne●●ly dare:  
The which if ●eads prevent not harm  
might cause our mortal care.   

Therefore to sense with skill,  
the sequel of mishaps:  
We will provide some other place,  
for fear of after cla●s.  
Whilst I for this and food,  
am flown hence away:  
With heedful ears attentive be,  
what comers by do say.   

Thus said, she vaunst herself,  
upon her longest toe:  
And mounted up into the sky,  
still singing as she ●low.  
Anon she home returns,  
full fraught with choice of meat:  
But lo a sudden chance, her birds  
for fear could nothing eat.   

Therewith aghast she cried,  
what ho, what meaneth this:  
I charge you on my blessing tell,  
what thing hath chanced amiss.  
Is this the welcome home,  
or thanks for food I have:  
You wont were with chirping there  
to gape before I gave.   

But now such qualms oppress,  
your former quiet ●ind●:  
That quite transformed ●●m mo●e things  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 souls I ●●●e.  
The 〈◊〉 and eldest bird,  
thus chirpt began to say:  
Alas 〈◊〉 dame, such news we herd  
since you were flown away   

That were it not the trust,  
that we repose in you:  
Our lives were lost remediless,  
we know it well enough.  
The owner of the plot,  
came hither with his son:  
And said to him this Corn must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
'tis more than time 'twere done.   

Go get thee to my friends,  
and bid them come to morn:  
And tell them that I trave their 〈◊〉  
to reap a piece of corn.  
The Lark 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 find,  
true friendship 〈◊〉 appears:  
A man may miss to have a friend,  
that lives old Nestor's years,  
True Damond and his friend,  
long ere our time were dead:  
It was in Gréece a great way he●●  
where such true love was bred.   

Our country is too cold,  
to 〈◊〉 up a friend:  
Till proof be made each one w●●●●…  
still yours unto the end.  
But try in time of need,  
and all your friends are flown  
Such fruitless seeds, such ●●ckle 〈◊〉  
in faithless friends be s●wen.   

The second part of the breeding Lark.  
To the same tune.  

Therefore be of good cheer,  
●ea●●e your dulled spirits:  
〈◊〉 the care that causeless thus,  
bercanes you of delights:  
Let not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear,  
deprive your eyes of sleep.  
Myself will be amongst you still,  
th●… safely will you keep.   

And swear even by the 〈◊〉,  
that grows upon my Crown:  
If all his trust be in his friends,  
this corn shall not go down.  
The young assayed by her,  
that such an oath did swear:  
Did pass the night in wont sleep,  
and banished former fear.   

And when the drowsy night,  
was fled from gladsome day:  
She had them wake and look about  
for she must go her way.  
And said I warrant you,  
his friends will not come hear:  
Yet not withstanding listen well,  
and tell me what you hear.   

Anon the farmer came,  
me●ged well ●y mad:  
And said who so depends on friends,  
his case is worse than bad.  
I must go fetch my kin,  
to help me with this gear:  
In things of greater weight than this  
their kindred shall appear.   

The Larks their dame returned:  
informed her of all:  
and how that he himself was gone:  
his kindred for to call.  
But when she heard of kin,  
she laughing cried amain:  
A pin for kin a fig for fre●nds,  
yet kin the worst of thtwaine.   

This man himself is poor,  
though wealthy kin he have:  
And kindred now a days doth fail,  
when need compels to crave.  
No no he shall return,  
with ill contented mind:  
His pains shall yield but loss of time  
no comfort shall he find.   

They all are so addict,  
Unto their private gain:  
That if you lack power to requite,  
your suits are all in vain.  
Myself a●… o'ercharged,  
with harvest as you see:  
And nearer is my skin then shirt,  
thus shall their answer be.   

Therefore as erst of friends,  
so say I now of kin:  
We shall receive no hurt by this,  
nor he no profit win.  
Yet listen once again,  
what now his refuge is:  
For kindred shall be like to friends,  
be well assured of this.   

I must go furnish up,  
a nest I have begun:  
I will return and bring you meat,  
as soon as I have done.  
Then up she came the clay,  
with such a lusty lay:  
That it rejoiced her younglings hearts  
as in their nest they lay.   

And much they did commend,  
their lusty mother's gate:  
And thought it long till time had brought  
themselves to such a state.  
Thus as their twinkling eyes,  
were roving to and fro:  
They saw whereas the farmer came  
who was their mortal foe.   

Who after due complaints,  
thus said he in the end:  
I will from henceforth●trust myself  
and not to kin or friends.  
Who gives me glozing words,  
and fails me at my need:  
May in my pater noster be,  
but never in my creed.   

Myself will have it done,  
sith it must needs be so:  
For proof hath taught me so much wit  
to trust to any more.  
The birds that listening lay,  
attentive to the same:  
Informed their mother of the whole,  
as soon as ere she came.   

Yea Marry than quoth she,  
the case now altered is:  
We will no longer here abide,  
I always feared this.  
But out she got them all,  
and trudgd away apace,  
And through the Corn she brought them all  
unto another place.   

God send her luck to scape,  
the hawk and foulers g●●●e:  
And me the hap to have no need,  
of neither friend nor kin,   
Finis.    

Imprinted at London for I. W.