| AS it fell upon a day | |
| In the merry month of May, | |
| Sitting in a pleasant shade | |
| Which a grove of myrtles made, | |
| Beasts did leap, and birds did sing, | 5 |
| Trees did grow, and plants did spring; | |
| Every thing did banish moan, | |
| Save the nightingale alone: | |
| She, poor bird, as all forlorn, | |
| Lean’d her breast up-till a thorn, | 10 |
| And there sung the dolefull’st ditty, | |
| That to hear it was great pity: | |
| ‘Fie, fie, fie!’ now would she cry; | |
| ‘Tereu, Tereu!’ by and by; | |
| That to hear her so complain, | 15 |
| Scarce I could from tears refrain; | |
| For her griefs, so lively shown, | |
| Made me think upon mine own. | |
| Ah! thought I, thou mourn’st in vain, | |
| None takes pity on thy pain: | 20 |
| Senseless trees they cannot hear thee, | |
| Ruthless beasts they will not cheer thee: | |
| King Pandion he is dead, | |
| All thy friends are lapp’d in lead, | |
| All thy fellow birds do sing | 25 |
| Careless of thy sorrowing. | |
| Even so, poor bird, like thee, | |
| None alive will pity me. | |
| Whilst as fickle Fortune smil’d, | |
| Thou and I were both beguil’d. | 30 |
| Every one that flatters thee | |
| Is no friend in misery. | |
| Words are easy, like the wind; | |
| Faithful friends are hard to find: | |
| Every man will be thy friend | 35 |
| Whilst thou hast wherewith to spend; | |
| But if store of crowns be scant, | |
| No man will supply thy want. | |
| If that one be prodigal, | |
| Bountiful they will him call, | 40 |
| And with such-like flattering, | |
| ‘Pity but he were a king.’ | |
| If he be addict to vice, | |
| Quickly him they will entice; | |
| If to women he be bent, | 45 |
| They have him at commandement: | |
| But if Fortune once do frown, | |
| Then farewell his great renown; | |
| They that fawn’d on him before | |
| Use his company no more. | 50 |
| He that is thy friend indeed, | |
| He will help thee in thy need: | |
| If thou sorrow, he will weep; | |
| If thou wake, he cannot sleep: | |
| Thus of every grief in heart | 55 |
| He with thee does bear a part. | |
| These are certain signs to know | |
| Faithful friend from flattering foe. |