thēselues from these vntemperate disorders Of a treath there are many yea very many that bitterly complaine of pouertie who if the whole world were deuided into equall partes would not haue so much vnto their shares as they now possesse I verily beléeue that if all the men and women were placed on the one side and all the riches of the world on the other and that his part were equally deuided vnto euery one as it is sayde Lycurgus did in Sparta it should come to passe that many that now cry out of pouertie should apparantly sée that they were ouer rich and had more then their parts Amongst which number I thinke my selfe should bée one which now account my selfe to bée poore and so peraduenture would you also so that if yée respect this honest and measured end it may bée that this your pouertie will not make you seeme to bée so poore as yée estéemed your selfe to be nor bring you so great affliction finding it farre lesse then yée déemed it to bée But you will say peraduenture and I denie it not that there are a great many rich which féele pleasure contentment and honour by them whereas I by my pouertie receiue sorowe displeasure and shame What complaintes are those Shouldest thou dispayre for not hauing that which other men enioy Wherefore then doe these rich men which bring you in this estate dispayre seeing others aboue them to bée Dukes Princes Kinges and Emperours Why doe not many that delight in eating and drinking hange themselues for not being able to drinke so much as Trigungius did with the Romaines or because they cannot deuoure a whole table of meate as Catellactus hath done in our time and to bring a more true and liuely example why are not all men afflicted and as it were brought into dispayre because they haue not y e strength and force of a Lion the sight of an Eagle the swiftnes of a Tyger the senting of a Dogge the length of the life of a Harte and in the end the flyeing of byrdes It is not néedefull to looke to that which others haue but to that which is conuenient for our estates and callings And heerein according to euery mans degrée to repose our chiefe contentment and felicitie But perhappes you will say that it is not requisite to make such an arithmeticall diuision of the goods of Fortune but rather that it were more conuenient to makē a Geometrical not according to the number but the desart It were well sayde But who shall iudge of this desart This doubtlesse is the head fountaine and originall of all errours Euery one doeth déeme and iudge better of himselfe then there is cause why Selfeloue doeth corrupt our iudgement and sedure our senses in such sort with false imaginations that it presenteth vnto vs that in partiall estéeming of our selues euery one suffers himselfe pleasauntly to bée deceaued Infinite is the number of them vnto whome it séemeth that they haue deserued a great deale more then they haue but there are very few of the other sorte that thinke they haue a great deale more then they haue deserued whereof grieuous perturbations and continuall lamentations for the want of riches and preferment doe afterwards ensue I knowe not then how in this generall discourse wée should consider of the desartes of euery one aright through which all things might bée brought into question and controuersie It is a great deale better to ponder by this Arithmetical diuision that the greatest part of them that complaine of pouertie shall finde themselues deceaued if the world were deuided into equall partes But let vs passe on farther if it please you and let vs set downe with what iust measure riches and pouertie ought to bée measured Euery one doeth loue honour and reuerence riches and couet after them Euery one holdeth pouertie in contempt despiseth her and flyeth from her Know yée wherfore For that euery man onely respecteth the good and commoditie of riches neuer forecasting the euils and discommodities that they bring with them Contrarily euery one lookes vnto the euill that is found to bée in pouertie and there stayeth himselfe but none respecteth or hath regarde to the good and commeditie that commeth by her so that it is not to bée wondered at if the eies being opened to the good that riches hath in them and shut to the euill so many doe prayse and desire them Neither is it any meruaile likewise if opening them to the euill that pouertie hath in her and shutting them to the good euery one despiseth and escheweth it Know yée then wherof this procéedeth surely of none other cause but the first apparaunce For that riches doeth present her selfe vnto vs which a gladsome and chéerefull countenaunce bringing with her a certaine counterfeit bewtie that doth dasell our eies and lime our senses and affections with her enticement in such sorte that we are drawne and as it were brought besids our selues with these couloured enchātments beléeue that euery thing of her is pleasaunt bewtifull and good And these shaddowes and faigned resemblances wherewith shee is set out vnto vs will not permit vs to penetrate into the naughtinesse that shée conceales within her nor suffer vs to sée the poyson that lyes hidden vnder her through which that chaunceth oftentimes which is spoken of the Marmaides that alluring with their swéete but deceaueable voyces men sée not the great euill that lurketh vnder them and is prepared for them On the other side pouertie presenteth her selfe vnto vs with a filthy and horrible countenaunce in such sort that none would euer surmise that any good thing were contained within her neuerthelesse vnder il fauoured counterfeites most bewtifull figures and wonderfull workes both of arte and nature are oftentimes comprehended But as I sayd these measures are not iust neyther can the troth euer bée boulted out by them It is not sufficient of one thing to open onely the good concealing the euill and of another to lay forth onely the euill not reuealing the good and troth cannot possible bée descerned from a doubtful matter if a diuision of the good and the euill that resteth in eyther of them bée not first made and sifted out and the substaunce of the thing after considered of accordingly It being a most true and vnfallible principle that all things vnder the Sunne are I know not in what sorte entermixed with good and euill so that nothing is neither wholly good nor wholly euill and now it may well bée sayde that riches bringes with her much euill and pouertie containeth in her not a little good Neyther is it conuenient that they whose pouertie is great should bée left without an aduocate as wée often sée they are but good iust Princes should sée their right graunted them without any expence Behold again y ◠riches puffe men vp w t a certain vaine kind of insolencie and makes them become proud and disdaineful wheras pouertie replenisheth them with humilitie and
soyle wherein they were planted which had it byn better their vertue would haue proued to be greater Though al the flowers herein contayned carie one name yet eche of thé differs from other both in colour and sauour the better to satisfie the diuersitie of eyes that shall view them and variety of noses that shall smell them Nowe if the spider shall happen to sucke any poyson out of them let not the flowers be the worse thought of but consider that it is his propertie to doe the like out of the most pure and delectable flowers that euer were And God in geuing vnto her and other such like creatures this nature doeth no lesse manifest his omnipotent power herein then in his other wonderful works For reason telleth experience teacheth that in this vale of misery there is nothing so beautifull but that it hath some blemish nor so pure but that it sauours of some imperfection so that as long as the world is a world corruption must continue amongst vs. Which filthy dregs poysoned humors if they were not in parte drawen drayned away by the venomous beastes and wormes of the earth they woulde a great deale more annoy vs then now they doe And it is to be doubted whether life could any long time be conserued a mogst vs. I might here take occasion to liken the crew of curious carpers which more of malice then good meaning accustomed to cauel at other mens doings playing the ydle drones themselues to the venomous beastes wormes before spoken of Whom for their congruity in condition and affinity in disposition I might bring them within the compas of one cōparison conclude that both the one the other are necessary euils But leste that the old prouerb be obiected agaynst me Ne sutor vltra crepitam let the Gardiner meddle no farther thē his spade I wil leaue thē to theyr predecessor Zoilus whose apes they are in imitating his conditions returne agayne to my Gillowflowers eft foones beseeching your worship to accept those that I present you with no lesse thākfulnes then the Gardiner doth offer them willingly wherof he doubtes not calling to minde your accustomed curtesie In one thing I haue vsed suche circumspection as my simple skill would permit me which is that the beauty of my flowers be not blemished with the weedes of wantonnesse that cōmonly grow in such gardens I hope therfore ye shal finde them rooted out in such sort that if there remayne any my trust is they shall not fall out to be many The onely thing that I doubt of this in my dedication is that your worshipp shall haue cause to account mee a deepe dissembler and one that hath byn more lauish in promise then he is able to pay with performance For whereas by my former speeches yee might peraduenture looke for some delicate Gillowflowers it will fall out to be but a coppy of my countenance hauing done nothing els but as the fashion of the worlde is now adayes set a good face on a bad matter For to deale plainly with you I was neuer Gardiner in all my life And the thing that I here present you with is but a collection of such verses and odde deuises as haue at such idle howres as I founde in my maister his seruice vpon sundry occasions by me byn cōposed The one I confesse farre vnworthy your view and yet such as when ye shal returne home weeried from your fielde sportes may yeelde you some recreation The chiefe marke that I leuel at is the continuance of your woorships curtesie and good minde towardes me which as they haue already surmounted the reach of my deserts so if I might enioy the fruition of them hereafter in that fulnesse which I hope for I shall account all the duetifull endeuour that I can possibly shew you insufficient for the satisfaction of the least part of them Thus for feare of being tedious I ende wishing your worship with my good mistres your wife all yours many yeeres of prosperitie with dayly increase of worship heauen for your hauen to rest in when the daungerous sea of this life shalbe ouer sailed Yours in all dutifulnesse HG D     DOe guide my pathes O Lorde my God    T  that I walke not astray O    O who can mount thy holy hill    E  Except thou leade the way R    Renew me with such grace that I    M  May learne thy lawes aright O    Order my steppes so shal I be    P  Preserued day and night T    The wicked Serpent euery houre    E  Endeuours me to spil H    Haste to my helpe so shall I Lorde    R  Right well eschew the il Y    In thee I put mine onely trust    A  Assist me then at neede S    Stand on my side but thee alone    N  None els my sute can speede A    Amidst the sea of sinne and death    C  Continually we ride M    Making still shipwracke of our soules    E  except thou be our guide V    Vnto the Lorde with humble sute    I  I lift my heart and handes E    Encline thine eares to my request    V  Vnlose my sinfull bandes L    Let not vile Satans crafty traynes    S  So sore our soules assayle D    Doe thou protect vs with thy shield    T  Then shal he not preuayle A    As to a Rocke of safe refuge    I  I stil to thee doe fly N    None els there is I know that can    C  Cause al my sinnes to die I    I doe confesse my force is weake    E  Encrease my fayth O Lorde E    Expel from meal heresies    P  Protect me with thy worde L    Let not the fiende that seekes my foyle    R  Reioyce at my decay D    Doe make mee strong in liuely fayth    V  Vnto thee still I pray A    All trueth al good and godly deedes    D  Doe still proceede from thee N    No man can thinke one holy thought    E  Except their guide thou bee V    Vnlesse thou Lord doe giue increase    N  No fruite our deedes bring forth E    Esteemd we are as rotten weedes    C  Corrupt and nothing worth R    Remember not my sinnes forepast    E  Eluminate my wayes S    So shall I still with heart and voyce    G  Giue thee all laud and prayes H    Happy are they that doe thee serue    I  In thought and eke in deede V    Vnturned neuer is thy face    F  From them in time of neede M    Make Lord in mee a stedfast fayth    F  For euer to abyde F    Frame still my lyfe to keepe thy lawes    A  And I shall neuer slide R    Remoue from me all errors blockes    R  Right so shall I remaine I    In perfect footesteppes of thy paths    D  Deuoyde of worldly paine To his approued friend SErue God SErue God thy Lord delight to kéepe his lawes alwaies Alwayes haue care to doe his holy hest Commit Commit not that which may his anger cause no euil No euill then déere friend can thée molest Still feare Still feare and minde the dreadfull iudgement day to sinne To sinne bréedes
death but mercie doe require defie Defie such thinges as worke thy soules decay the diuell The diuel so shall léese his chiefe desire If thou If thou wilt spend thy dayes in great content praise God Praise God ech houre serue him in feare and dread with hearte With heart contrite thy former sinnes lament and minde And minde hence forth a better life to lead Great ioyes Great ioyes the Lord as his pure word doth say in heauen In heauen aboue for good men hath preparde thy soule Thy soule when that this life shall passe away shall finde Shall finde such blisse as cannot bée declarde The life of man metaphorically compared to a shippe sayling on the seaes in a tempest HAste homewardes man draw néerer to the shore The skies doe scowle the windes doe blow amaine The raged rockes with rumbling noyse doe rore The foggie clowdes doe threaten stormes of raine Ech thing foreshewes a tempest is at hand Hoyst vp thy sayles and haste to happy land In worldly seaes thy silly ship is tost With waues of woe besette on euery side Blowne héere and there in daunger to bée lost Darke clowdes of sinne doe cause thée wander wide Vnlesse thy God pitie some on thée take On rockes of rueth thou néedes must shipwrack make Cut downe the mast of rancour and debate Vnfraight the shippe of all vnlawfull wares Cast ouer boorde the packes of hoorded hate Pumpe out fowle vice the cause of many cares If that some léeke it make thée stand in doubt Repentaunce serues to stoppe the water out Let Gods pure word thy line and compasse bée And stedfast fayth vse thou in anckors stéede Lament thy sinnes then shalt thou shortly sée That power diuine will helpe thée forth at néede Fell Sathan is chiefe rular of these seas Hée séekes our wracke hée doth these tempestes rayse In what wée may let vs alwayes represse The furious waues of lust and fond desire A quiet calme our conscience shall possesse if wée doe that which dutie doeth require By godly life in fine obtaine wée shall the porte of blisse to which God send vs all A dolefull Dumpe WHo so doth mone and lackes a mate to bée partaker of his woe And will discourse of his estate Let him and I together goe And I will make him graunt in fine his griefe to bée farre lesse then mine Perhappes hée wil to win the best paint forth what pangs oppresse his minde How that hée féeles no quiet rest how fortune is to him vnkind And how hée pines in secréet griefe and findes no meanes for his reliefe These and such like a number will alleadge to witnes their distresse Some rolle vp stones against the hill with Sisiphus some eke expresse That like to Tantalus they fare and some with Yxion doe compare But I not onely féele the smart of al those euilles rehearsed before But tast the forment in my heart of thousand times as many more So that the worst of their annoyes Is best and chiefest of my ioyes I neuer fed on costly meate Since that this griefe opprest mée first Dole is the dainties that I eate And trickling teares doe coole my thirst Care is my caruing knife God wot Which dayly séekes to cut my throte Muse not that héere I secret kéepe The cause that first procurde my griefe What doeth it boote a man to wéepe When that his teares finde no reliefe Contentes mée onely this repose That death ere long will end my woes In praise of the contented minde IF all the ioyes that worldly wightes possesse Were throughly scand and pondred in their kindes No man of wit but iustly must confesse That they ioy most that haue contented mindes And other ioyes which beare the name of ioyes Are not right ioyes but sunneshines of anoyes In outward view wée sée a number glad Which make a shew as if mirth did abound Whē pinching grief within doth make them sad And many a one in these dayes may bée had Which faintly smile to shroud their sorowes so When oftentimes they pine in secréet woe But euery man that holdes himselfe content And yéeldes God thankes as dutie doth require For all his giftes that hée to vs hath sent And is not vext with ouer great desire And such I say most quietly doe sléepe When fretting cares doth others waking kéepe What doth auaile huge heapes of shining golde Or gay attyre or stately buildinges braue If worldly pelfe thy heart in bondage holde Not thou thy goodes thy goodes make thée their slaue For gréedie men like Tantalus doe fare In midst of wealth they néedie are and bare A warie héede that thinges go not to losse Doth not amisse so that it kéepe the meane But still to toyle and moyle for worldly drosse And tast no ioy nor pleasure for our paine In carke and care both day and night to dwell Is nothing els but euen a very hell Wherefore I say as erst I did beginne Contented men enioy the greaetst blisse Let vs content our selues to flye from sinne And still abide what Gods good pleasure is If ioy or paine if wealth or want befall Let vs bée pleasde and giue God thankes for all In the praise of Friendship REueale O tongue the secretes of my thought Tel forth the game that perfect friendship brings Expresse what ioyes by her to man are brought Vnfolde her prayse which glads all earthly things If one might say in earth a heauen to bée It is no doubt where faythfull friendes agrée To all estates true friendship is a stay To euery wight a good and welcome guest Our life were death were shée once tane away Consuming cares would harbour in our brest Fowle malice eke would banish al delight And puffe vs vp with poyson of despight If that the séedes of enuie and debate Might yéelde no fruite but wither and decay No canckred mindes would hoorde vp heapes of hate No hollow hearts dissembling partes should play No clawback then would fawne in hope of méede Such life to lead were perfect life in déede But nowadayes desire of worldly pelfe With all estates makes friendship very colde Few for their friendes ech shifteth for himselfe If in thy purse thou hast good store of golde Full many a one thy friendship will imbrace Thy wealth once spent they turne away their face Let vs still pray vnto the Lord aboue For to relent our hearts as hard as stone That through the world one knot of loyall loue In perfect trueth might linke vs all in one Then should wée passe this life without annoyes And after death possesse eternall ioyes A commendation of Peace WHen boyling wrath perturbs mās troubled brest Outraging will bids reasons lore adue Turmoyling cares bereaue all quiet rest And hastie yre makes harmefull happes ensue Great stormes of strife are raisd through dire debate But golden peace preserues the quiet state A gift diuine than precious pearle more worth Is blessed peace to discord deadly foe Most plenteous fruits this
blooming trée brings forth When warre and strife yéeld crops of care and woe Rash rancours rage procures fond furious fightes Peace makes men swim in feaes of swéet delights If that this peace bée such a passing thing That it by right may challenge worthy prayse What thankes owe wée vnto our heauenly king Through whome we haue enioyde such happy dayes Next to our Quéene how déepely are wée bound Whose like on earth before was neuer found If England would perpend the bloody broyles And slaughters huge that foraine realmes haue tried It should me séemes by warnd by their turmoyles In perfect loue and concord to abide But out alas my heart doeth rue to tell Small feare of God amongst vs now doth dwell And where that wantes what hope doth els remayne But dire reuenge for rash committed crimes Heapes of mishaps will fall on vs amayne If we doe not lament our sinnes betimes Vnlesse with spéede to God for grace we call I feare I feare great plagues on vs will fall England therefore in time conuert from vice The pleasant spring abides not all the yeere Let foraine ylls forewarne thée to be wise Stormes may ensue though now the coastes be cléere I say no more but onely doe request That God will turne all things vnto the best For Souldiers Ye buds of Brutus land couragious youths now play your parts Vnto your tackle stand abide the brunt with valiāt hearts For newes is carried too fro that we must forth to warfare goe Men muster now in euery place souldiers are prest forth apace Faynt not spend blood to doe your Quéene countrey good Fayre wordes good pay wil make men cast al care away The time of warre is come prepare your corslet speare shield Me thinks I heare the drumme strike doleful marches to the field Tantara tātara y ◠trūpets sound w t makes our harts w t ioy aboūd The roring guns are heard a far euery thing denounceth warre Serue God stand stoute bold courage brings this geare about Feare not forth run faint heart faire Lady neuer woonne Yée curious Carpet knights that spende the time in sport play Abrode sée new sights your coūtries cause cals you away Doe not to make your Ladies game bring blemish to your worthy name Away to field win renoune w c courage beat your enimies down Stoute hearts gain praise when Dastards sayle in slaunders seas Hap what hap shal we sure shal die but once for all Alarme me thinkes they cry be packing mates be gone with spéed Our foes are very nigh shame haue that man that shrinks at néed Vnto it boldly let vs stand God wil geue right the vpper hand Our cause is good we néed not doubt in signe of courage geue a showte March forth be strōg good hap wil come ere it be long Shrinke not fight well for lusty lads must beare the bell All you that wil shun euil must dwel in warfare euery day The world the flesh Diuel alwayes doe séeke our soules decay striue w t these foes w t al your might so shal you fight a worthy fight That cōquest doth deserue most praise wher vice do yéeld to vertues wayes Beat down foule sin a worthy crown then shal ye win If we liue wel in heauen with Christ our soules shal dwell To his friende MUse not too much o wight of worthy fame At view of this my rude ragged rime I am almost enforst to write the same Wherefore forgeue if I commit a crime The cause hereof and how it came to passe I shall declare euen briefly as it was Reuoluing in my mind your friendly face Your bountie great your loue to euery man I heard my wit and will to scan this case If I should write or no thus wil began Take pen in hand thou fearefull wight she said To write thy mind what should make thée afraid Not so quoth wit acquaintance hath he small With him to whō thou bidst him write his mind What tho quoth will that skils nothing at all He writes to one that is to all a friend Him so to be quoth wit none can denie Thou art a foole quoth will then to reply Great cause quoth wit shoulde make him to refraine He would quoth wil declare his friendly heart What if quoth wit he chance to reape disdayne Of such foul fruits quoth wil friēds haue no part Perchance quoth wit it wilbe taken yll Wel meaned things who wil take yl quoth wil He hath no skil quoth wit how should he write Al want of skil quoth will good will supplies I sée quoth wit thou wilt worke him despite For counsell good thou geuest him rash aduice Wit said no more But will that stately Dame Still bad me write not forcing any blame Since will not wit makes me commit offence Of pardon yours the better hope I haue To shew my loue was all the whole pretence That made me write This onely doe I craue In any thing if pleasure you I can Command me so as if I were your man A renouncing of loue AL earthly things by course of kind Are subiect still to reasons lore But sure I can no reasons finde That makes these Louers loue so sore They fry and fréese in myldest weather They wéepe and laugh euen both together Euen now in waues of déepe despaire Their barke is tossed too and fro A gale of hope expels al feare And makes the winde to ouerblow Twixt feare and hope these Louers saile And doubtful are which shall preuayle At night in slumber swéetly laide They séeme to holde their loue in armes Awaking then they are afrayde And féele the force of thousand harmes Then doe they tosse in restlesse bed With hammers woorking in their head A merry looke from Ladies face Bringes them a foote which could not goe A frowning brow doth them disgrace And brues the broth of all their woe Hereby all men may playnely know That reason rules not Louers law But reason doth me thus persuade Where reason wants that nothing frames Therefore this reason hath me made To set aside all louely gaynes Since reason rules not Venus sport No reason bids me scale that forte A will or Testament VVHen dreadfull death with dint of pearcing darte By fatall doome this corpes of mine shal kill When lingring life shall from my life depart I thus set downe my testament and will My faythfull friendes executor◠shall remayne To sée performde what here I doe or dayne To thée O world I first of all doe leaue The vayne delights that I in thée haue found Thy fained shewes wherewith thou didst deceaue Thy fickle trust and promises vnsound My wealth my woe my ioyes commixt w t care Doe take them all doe fall vnto thy share And Satan thou for that thou wert the cause That I in sinne did still mispend my dayes I thée defie and here renounce thy lawes My wicked thoughts my vile and naughty waies And eke my