[¶ To the right honorable and my speciall good lord and maister, the lord Paget, Lord priuie seale.]
T The trouth doth teache, that tyme must serue.
H (How euer man, doth blase hys mynde)
O (Of thynges most lyke, to thryue or sterue:)
M Much apt to iudge, is often blynde.
A And therfore, tyme it doth behoofe:
S Shall make of trouth, a perfit proofe.
T Take you my lord, and mayster than,
U (Unlesse mischaunce mischaunseth me:)
S Such homely gyft, of your own man,
S Synce more in court, I may not be:
E and let your praise, wonne here tofore,
R Remayne abrode, for euermore.
M My seruyng you, thus vnderstande,
A And god his helpe, and yours withall:
D Dyd cause good lucke, to take myne hande
E Erecting one, most lyke to fall:
M My seruing you, I know it was,
E Enforced this, to come to passe.
S So synce I was, at Cambridge tought,
O Of court ten yeres, I made a say;
N No musike than, was left vnsought,
A A care I had, to serue that way,
M My ioye gan slake, then made I chaunge,
E Expulsed myrth, for musike straunge.
M My musike synce, hath been the plough,
E Entangled with, some care among:
T The gayn not great, the payn enough,
H Hath made me syng, another song.
A And if I may, my song auowe;
N No man I craue, to iudge but you.
¶ Your seruant,
Thomas Tusser.