Truste me, your verses I like passingly well, and enuye your hidden
paines in this kinde, or rather maligne and grudge at your selfe, that
woulde not once imparte so muche to me. But once or twice you make a
breache in Maister Drants rules: _quod tamen condonabimus tanto poetae,
tuaeque ipsius maximae in his rebus autoritati._ You shall see, when we
meete in London, (whiche when it shall be, certifye vs,) howe fast I
haue followed after you in that course: beware, leaste in time I
ouertake you. _Veruntamen te solum sequar, (vt saepenumero sum
professus,) nunquam sane assequar dum viuam._ And nowe requite I you
with the like, not with the verye beste, but with the verye shortest,
namely, with a few _Iambickes_. I dare warrant, they be precisely
perfect for the feete, (as you can easily iudge,) and varie not one inch
from the rule. I will imparte yours to Maister Sidney and Maister Dyer,
at my nexte going to the courte. I praye you keepe mine close to your
selfe, or your verie entire friendes, Maister Preston, Maister Still,
and the reste.
_Iambicum Trimetrum_
Vnhappie Verse, the witnesse of my vnhappie state,
Make thy selfe fluttring wings of thy fast flying
Thought, and fly forth vnto my love whersoeuer she be:
Whether lying reastlesse in heauy bedde, or else
Sitting so cheerelesse at the cheerfull boorde, or else
Playing alone carelesse on hir heauenlie virginals.
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