Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
George Gascoigne, 1539-1577: Sonnet IIII
To prinke me up and make me higher plaste,
All came to late that taryed any time,
Pilles of provision pleased not my taste,
They made my heeles too heavie for to clime :
Mee thought it best that boughes of boystrous oake,
Should first be shread to make my feathers gaye.
Tyll at the last a deadly dinting stroake,
Brought downe the bulke with edgetooles of decaye :
Of every farme I then let flye a lease,
To feede the purse that payde for peevishnesse,
Till rente and all were falne in suche disease,
As scarse coulde serve to mayntayne cleanlynesse :
They bought, the bodie, fine, ferme, lease, and lande,
All were too little for the merchauntes hande.
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