Just came on this while wandering around in the Sixteenth Century Ballads site,
http://pbm.com/~lindahl/ballads/ballads.html, thought it apropos:

A PRINCELY DITTY, IN PRAISE OF THE ENGLISH ROSE.
(Translated out of French.)

Among the Princely Paragons,
bedect with dainty Diamonds,
Within mine eye, none doth come nie,
the sweet red Rose of England,
The Lillies passe in brauery,
in Flanders, Spain, and Italy:
But yet the famous flower of France doth honour the Rose of England.

As I abroad was walking,
I heard the small birds talking:
And euery one did frame her Song
in praise of the Rose of England,
The Lillies, &c.

Cæsar may vant of Victories,
and Crœsus of his happinesse:
But he were blest, that might bear in his brest
the sweet red Rose of England,
The Lillies, &c.

The brauest Lute bring hither,
and let vs sing together:
While I do ring on euery string,
the praise of the Rose of England,
The Lillies, &c.

The sweet Perfumes and Spices,
the wise men brought to Iesus:
Did neuer smell a quarter so well
as doth the Rose of England,
The Lillies, &c.

Then faire and princely flower,
that ouer my heart doth tower,
None may be compared to thee,
which art the fair Rose of England.
The Lillies, &c.

Shula