Vii

Of the slander envy gives him for so highly praising his mistress

Falsely doth envy of your praises blame My tongue, my pen, my heart of flattery, Because I said there was no sun but thee. It called my tongue the partial trump of fame, And saith my pen hath flattered thy name, Because my pen did to my tongue agree; And that my heart must needs a flatterer be, Which taught both tongue and pen to say the same. No, no, I flatter not when thee I call The sun, sith that the sun was never such; But when the sun thee I compared withal, Doubtless the sun I flattered too much. Witness mine eyes, I say the truth in this, They have seen thee and know that so it is.