For if we doo consider of each mortall thing That flyes in welkin, or in waters swims, How euerie thing increaseth with the Spring, And how the blacker still the brighter dims: We cannot chuse, but needs we must confesse, Sable excels milk-white in more or lesse. As for example, in the christall cleare Of a sweete streame, or pleasant running Riuer, Where thousand formes of fishes will appeare, (Whose names to thee I cannot now deliuer:) The blacker still the brighter haue disgrac'd, For pleasant profit, and delicious taste. Salmon and Trout are of a ruddie colour, Whiting and Dare is of a milk-white hiew: Nature by them (perhaps) is made the fuller, Little they nourish, be they old or new: Carp, Loach, Tench, Eeles (though black and bred in mud) Delight the tooth with taste, and breed good blud. Innumerable be the kindes, if I could name them; But I a Shepheard, and no Fisher am: Little it skills whether I praise or blame them, I onely meddle with my Ew and Lamb: Yet this I say, that blacke the better is, In birds, beasts, frute, stones, flowres, herbs, mettals, fish. And last of all, in blacke there doth appeare Such qualities, as not in yuorie; Black cannot blush for shame, looke pale for fear, Scorning to weare another liuorie. Blacke is the badge of sober Modestie, The wonted weare of ancient Grauetie. The learned Sisters sute themselues in blacke, Learning abandons white, and lighter hues: Pleasure and Pride light colours neuer lacke; But true Religion doth such Toyes refuse: Vertue and Grauity are sisters growne, Since blacke by both, and both by blacke are knowne. White is the colour of each paltry Miller, White is the Ensigne of each comman Woman; White, is white Vertues for blacke Vyces Piller; White makes proud fooles inferiour vnto no man: White, is the white of Body, blacke of Minde, (Vertue we seldome in white Habit finde.) Oh then be not so proud because th'art fayre, Vertue is onely the ritch gift of God: Let not selfe-pride thy vertues name impayre, Beate not greene youth with sharpe Repentance Rod: (A Fiend, a Monster, and mishapen Diuel; Vertues foe, Vyces friend, the roote of euill.) Apply thy minde to be a vertuous man, Auoyd ill company (the spoyle of youth;) To follow Vertues Lore doo what thou can (Whereby great profit vnto thee ensu[e]th:) Reade Bookes, hate Ignorance, (the foe to Art, The Damme of Errour, Enuy of the hart). Serue _Ioue_ (vpon thy knees) both day and night, Adore his Name aboue all things on Earth: So shall thy vowes be gracious in his sight, So little Babes are blessed in their Birth: Thinke on no worldly woe, lament thy sin; (For lesser cease, when greater griefes begin).