Qui quasi flos egreditur.

FAire Madam! You
May see what's man in yo…d' bright rose▪
Though it the wealth of Nature owes,
It is opprest, and bends with dew.

Which shewes, though fate
May promise still to warme our lippes,
And keepe our eyes from an ecclips;
It will our pride with teares abate.

P…ore …illy flowre!
Though in thy beauty thou presume,
And breath which doth the spring presume▪
Thou may'…t be cropt this very houre.

And though it may
Then thy good fortune be, to rest
Oth' pillow of some Ladies brest;
Thou'lt wither, and be throwne away.

For 'tis thy doome
However, that there shall appeare
No memory that thou grew'st heere,
Ere the tempestuous winter come.

But flesh is lo…th
By meditation to fore see
How loath'd a nothing it must be:
Proud in the triumphes of its growth.

And tamely can
Behold this mighty world decay
And weare by th' age of time away:
Yet not discourse the fall of man.

But Madam these
Are thoughts to cure sicke humane pride▪
And med'cines are in vaine applyed,
To bodies far 'bove all disease.

For you so live
As th' Angels in one perfect state;
Safe from the ruines of our fate,
By vertues great preservative.

And though we see
Beautie enough to warme each heart;
Yet you by a chaste Chimicke Art,
Calcine fraile love to pietie.