a witnesse in thy breast against thy selfe dost beare It litle skills where any see thy doings yea or no For day and night thy Conscience of erye thing doth knowe In all estates the lust of fleshe a foule offence is thought But more vnséemely in an olde and Aged man is nought For why the white and siluer heares the witlesse youth should guide By Counsell and by good aduise for feare they wander wide And therfore ought they al theyr talke to frame so wise and graue In presence of the youth as they of them may honour haue For this in former passed times was Age in honour had For this alone the Fathers were accompted graue and sad But on the other side againe let youth do reuerence To aged Syres and â—y to them be succour and defence When ancient Syres to Court do go or on the holy day To church a rout of youth should then awaite them on the way And make their choyce among them al whome ech doth fansie best And whom he could content himselfe withall aboue the rest For sure it is a perfite signe of Vertue in a man To reuerence an aged wight in humblest wise he can Let youth with pacience fall to paines to make their bodies harde From Wine Women but they must in any case be barde Let grosse and homely be theyr fare no dainties in their dishe The belly must be fillde but not as much as throate coulde wishe Let neuer yong men haunt the Cooks where curious Cates be mest Let that suffise them that at home in Fathers house is drest No neither when they come to age and youth is gone and past Let them be ydle and vnwrought or filthie pleasure taste For who denies but aged men may many things dispatch Let them or write with pen or at their studies haue a snatche As soone as they returne from Church when seruice time is past That exercise is good as long as morning Sunne doth last But let the Boy be then at Booke and lesson learne by hart 'T is easie to inforce a childe from studie not to start He easily will beare the yoke but do not force awhit Although he can not worde by worde his lesson well recite For séede that in the soile is sowne lies hidden long below And many monthes is vnder grounde but yet at last doth grow And all the while in bellie of his mother Earth it lies The want of humour in the séede the moistie soile supplies Likewise what so the childe doth lerne and takes in tender yeares In after time when age comes on the frute it selfe appeares Let graue and decent be thy wéede be modest in aray For feare thy outwarde garment doe thine inwarde kinde bewray For sundry nice vnmanly men by nice attire are spid And by that meanes breakes out the bile that was in couert hid The filthie whelke and bladder redde appearing on the skin Declares vnto the lookers on the blood corrupt within Thinke that such nicenesse appertains vnto the womans kind And yet I can not praise the wench in whome that vice I finde Extreme or ouer great to be wherefore if so thou haue That fault imbrace it not to much nor doe thou euer craue To haue it if thou once be frée and quit from such a vice For sure it is a filthie thing a man to be too nice Both womans wede and wanton gate refuse in any case And thinke that they are euer apt mans Nature to deface Fye shame vpon it what is more against our manly kinde Than vnderneath a womans wéede the shape of man to finde Yet let thy garments handsom bée not sluttish lest the Fame And common rumour yelde to thée a fowle and filthie name Kéepe thou amid the two extremes ne though thou haue no store Or great excesse of welth thou must a slouen be the more For neither must the poore man goe too sluttish in his wéede Nor doth the man that barrs thée from this nicenesse here in déede Persuade thée to be ouer rude or to vncleane aray But highly doth with all his heart commende the middle way What so comes nere the two extremes vnséemely is and yll The Middle is the Vertues place there she is planted still Let simple cheere content thy minde not bankets costly dight Such chéere as well from famine may thy emptie belly quight Sufficing let thy table bée let pleasure not redounde Therin to much but euer there let meate inough be founde Let hunger be in steade of sause and stirre the stomacke vp Delight thou not of syrops swéete deuisde by arte to suppe Force not thy chaunge of dishes but for holesome victuals séeke And rest content with cates that erst thy Fathers olde did léeke Nor do accompt so greatly of the Kitchen glorie but Thy whole delight and studie in a sober dyet put Ne shalt thou be so sparefull as a Niggards name to get And cause that ery man on thée his hatefull téeth shall whet Be not seuere in slender things nor séeke to set no lawes In sort to bannishe mirth and bée of drousie dumpes the cause For trifling toyes full many times a great rebuke do bring And yet from thence doth slender gain and litle profite spring And where Decorum many parts and causes hath the best And chiefe consistes in that we know Decoruâ— how to wrest For not in ery time is one selfe thing allowde for good As Proteus Monster sundry shapes did shift in one selfe hood Looke what became and fitted youth in gréene and tender yeares For aged Syres vnséemely shewes full soone the oddes appeares State Office time and present age a difference great doe make And causeth thee what earst became vnseemely now to take And what a priuate man before thou likedst well as nowe To Office calld in common weale thou must not once allowe The furious phrase thou vsde in field encountring with thy Foe Behoues thée nowe a quiet man in Citie to forgoe If bending thou to aged yeares in practise doe delight That fitted youth assure thy selfe thou swarust from Duetie quight And wheÌ„ thou art wel stept in age if then thy maners bee Not altred but which youthful pranks and pageants doe agrée Then dost thou wax a MoÌ„ster sowle whome men of right should flée In youth thou wishte to come to age and siluer heares to haue So now thou shouldst another life and other hostage craue Well may we laugh the Sot to scorne that in his latter dayes Much like a babe in cradle clowtes doth fall to childish playes Loke how thy priestly garments do from others disagrée So much differring ought thy life from other mens to bée And how much higher is thy roome and office so much more Thou oughtst thy maners to regarde than thou wert wont before Doe not as common sort of men since fewe or none at all May match with thée to higher things and déeper matters fall If thou in place appointed be of Lyon stoute to sitte
Condemne an other mans deuise that wisedome would allow And all bicause the loue of that themselues do take in hands Doth bleare their eies makes the none with them in credite stands But that they loue themselues to wel looke what they do possesse Is orient perle and glittering golde all other mens are lesse To be accompted than the filth that in the chanell lies With these is Reason quite exilde these right and trouth despise They litle differ from the dumbe and sauage beastly sect Who so the things that common are by Nature doth reiect And grudgeth sore to giue the same what can we déeme that hée Will share of any worldly trashe his proper goodes that bée But yf so thou by Fortune chaunce to erre in thys respect As of thy selfe to make to much and others to neglect Then mark thou wel with hedeful eye what holy men and graue Do holde for good and thinke it fit for thée the same to haue For many looking eyes by daye a great deale more can marke Than can one blynded eye alone discerne or iudge by darke And when thou hast with good aduise thy purpose throughly scande Abandon all delayes and take with spéede thy things in hande A number are so lumpish and of such a leaden kinde As though they neuer way so much the vertues in their minde Yet are not to be compted wise for why they leaue vndone That part which is the chief of all where wisedome is begon Euen so the gréene and gallant boughs vpon the trée do bud But if they bring not forth their fruite in time it doth no good Euen so the Souldiers march in field and muster in aray But neuer come to handie cuffes to bring the spoyle away Euen so into the fallowde fields in vaine the seede is throwne Vnlesse with sithe thou sheare it down when it to head is growne For chiefest praise that vertue brings in Act consisteth aye And to consult and nought to do is litle worth they say But yet he wants not vertues praise but is commended too That beates his braines about the best although he can not doo Nor put in vre his purpos'd plat For sicknesse hinders some And makes that they can neuer to their hoped purpose come Philosophers do well deserue both fame and praise to gayne Who by their writing well to vertues trauaile vs to traine There is an other vice beside which is long time to spende With ouer earnest studie in such things as in the ende Are rough and not to be attainde for sundry things are such And so profounde as nought at all they profite séeme to touche For to the ende they nought auaile or profit any whit To bettring of our liues although they vexe vs day and night Or if they mought do any good ▪ or ayde vs to attaine The scope it selfe yet all the same I compte to be more vaine And lesse auailing than the ende if it be sought alone What profit comes there by the search of mouing starres thou foole To learne the things and cause therof why doste thou go to schoole Why couetst thou with earnest carke so many artes to know Or haue the skill how Countreys are disposed in arow Why dost thou ioy and long so sore by craft and wilie witte The subtile Sophister to passe conclusions false to knit Or with a swéete persuading voice and pleasant processe tolde Why doste thou couete so the poore and simple eares to holde If wyse thou be no whit at all of these thou standst in néede More plaine and simple is it farre that thou shouldst learne in déede Do learne the way both well to liue and well to die the death These two alone are ours we liue and loose at length our breath A meane and slender studie will instruct vs well ynowe It is an easie knacke the meane to either of both to knowe Wherfore at first behouefull is to wit the thing that may Make happie thée and in thy breast let it full firmely stay And therwith learn the middle meane and path that thither lies Which when thou hast once pased in persist in any wise For many all their liues and dayes in learning it do wast But haue no gréedie minde or will to trauaile on at last What vailes to practise how to know the way and there to rest which when thou knowst thy shame is far more shameful than the rest That neuer wist the way to good wilte thou the path display To other men and wilt meanewhile thy selfe go runne astray Wilt thou aduise by counsell good another man to that Which thou dost leue vntoucht as though thou knewst not what were what How vaine a practise is' t the dayes and nights at worke t' haue watcht And by thy toile to profite nought when matters are dispatcht In vaine good faith our labour is and time mispent full sore Vnlesse the déede do folow that which was conceiude before Then since the Act is perfite ende of studie more desir◠To work with wisedom than to learn to knowledge to aspire And therfore not without a cause the Souldier stoute did scorne Philosophers that all their liues in babling schooles haue worne For sayes the Souldier master Sage I pray you tell me what Auayles it you to crie so loude and chiding wise to chat You braule from dawning vnto darke from rising Sunne to night Yet neuer agrée one flatte affirmes an other denies it quight The wise man answered O my son we séeke that Vertue man Which none with ernest study inough coulde euer séeke or can The Souldier smylde what hast quod he thy head with heares so gray And hast not yet to Vertue founde the readie path and way Why whē then wilt thou vse the same what hast thou any hope To practise it in Plutos court or there to haue such scope Wherfore do learne as much as thou mayst put in present vre And hauing learnde to fall vnto the Acte it selfe be sure It lies not hid but vnto such as reache with earnest fist It offers to be had eche man may catche it if he list Besides a parte of Prudence is an Order to obserue In doing things from which a wise man neuer ought to swerue First way thou wel the gretest things and matters most of weight And then do place in seconde roome more lesser things and light It is no reason thou refuse thy wife and babes to haue A greater carke of plowing boy and of thy housholde slaue Ne lawfull is' t thy life to way but litle or thy health Whilst like a gréedie man thou goest about to hoorde vp wealth Loose not thy soule I pray thée whilst thou séeke for bodies cure For why more precious is the soule the body more impure Wherof should man accompt so much as that he shoulde meane while Neglect his soule in whose regarde all treasure is but vile What mad man would desire in earth to liue a litle space And by the same
earst before thou borste a sway The Praetor many things forbids and so the Consul may Which priuate men can not controll besides the Place and Time Allowe not sundry things for good which are withouten crime And good at any other stemme Pericles chafed sore With Sophocles that was his mate and selfe same office bore And worthily rebuked him bicause he did beholde A pretie boy when he of lawes his tale and sentence tolde But if so be his fellowe had in fielde or wrestling place Done so Pericles to haue chyd would neuer had the face Wherfore as in a Lute the strings and fretts do all agrée To please the longing eares of them that listen to the glée So Person Tyme the Place the Age and ery thing beside Must all accorde and as it were bée all in one allide In him that publike person beares The Priuate man likewise Must practise Iustice with his féeres not studie how to rise Or séeke to presse his equalls downe and vnder foote to treade Yet would I not a Citizen persuade to put his head Beneth his girdle that is not his better in estate And whom the Common lawes allow his fellow and his mate Be not so simple sotted as to beare away the scoffe Or be despisde of any man or naught accompted off And whilst thou woldst be gentle thought and of a curteous kinde Take héede thou be not ouermylde let none haue powre to fynde Ambition lodging in thy brest or boldnesse ouermuch Submit thy selfe but not to low be egall vnto such As are thy péeres ne yet despise inferiours vnto thée And with good will do honour those thy betters farre that bée Yet stande not too too much I say of higher Powres in awe For he that leades his life vpright hath néede to feare no lawe O God howe great desire should dwel within thy heart of right To haue a conscience clere from sinne that feare abandons quight Be not seditious but with all thy powre do practise peace For that is it which causer is that Publike weales increase Do honour due and reuerence to such Estates as bare The office earst and such as now do wield the Common care Yea eu'ry such as bruted is to be of Vertues bande It is a goodly matter for the childe in awe to stande And reuerence of his auncient Syres and such as parentes are If thou by fortune trauaile from thy natiue countrey far And make abode in foraine Towne deale not in any case Or medle once with any rules or customes of the place But to thy priuate businesse haue thou respect for aye Least any stranger pack thou hence by happe to thée doe saye Nor if thou be a Townsman and within the Citie borne Thou shalt no Pilgrim séeme to hate or of a straunger scorne But yelde good entertainment vnto all that come and goe Be friende to all that trauaile and not once to one a foe For he that cuts the Strangers throte or currish is to those That trauaile Countreys leaues to be a man and headlong goes Into the boundes of beastly kinde For why Lycaon was A Woulfe estéemde bicause that be for crueltie did passe To forainers that chaunst to come where he his hostage helde Thinke ery burden to be borne that thou mayst fitly weld But all vnhonest filthy things may not be borne withall For sure a fowle vnciuile thing the bearers necke doth gall As yoke doth pinch the heyfers throte Eschue the thing that gaines An yll report and the with fréekes of filthie rumor staines Thy shamefull partes of Nature thou shalt couertly conceale For Kinde hir selfe doth will thée so in honest wise to deale When so a Player comes on stage he ties his trinkets harde For feare if ought should fal the plays Decorum should be marde Then suffer not for very shame a scaffold vice that may Vnciuile be by reason of his licence in the play In Ciuile nurture thée to passe beleue not such as déenie That eary word that they do speake doth passing well beséeme But do eschue in any wise and filthie language flée Especially in open place when men giue eare to thée For shamefull talke doth wel declare the speaker of the same To be a man from Reason farre and quight abhorring shame But if by hap of force thou must and matter so require To tell thy tale in clenliest wise by circumstance desire For lothsome language pierceth déepe into the inwarde part And doth torment the quiet minde and well disposed hart Detest it as thou wouldst a thing that Carrionlike did smell Or as an Isie place where none can fasten footing well For filthy sauours noy the nose the slipper Path the féete But beastly speach the maners marrs that else would séeme discréete Let none presume in things wherof he hath no perfect grounde To chat for present may be some that will his words confounde Let him that little Latine can in Gréeke not wade to farre Nor him that smatters Greke trāslate olde Maro lest he marre The grace and beautie of his verse Let him that studies lawe Not meddle wyth the Physicke Arte for feare he séeme to rawe Besides a handsome iesture must obserued bée in gate For ery man beholdes him well that goes abrode the state Of all our maners many times is déemed by the same And men that want Decorum there do beare away the blame The going shewes the mindes conceit Let not thy gate be slowe Nor do not with too quicke a foote or pace too hastie goe But vse the meane amid them both It likes me not at all Thou stalk like him that bears a messe of gruell to the hall Or like the maide in solemne sort that to the temple wendes At dauncing day when she to choose a fellow mate intendes But yet I woulde not haue thée vse such posting hast as might Both make thée pant want thy wind or fall downe hedlong right And eke thou shalt as great a part of good Decorum sée In talke and language and as much for that commended be When so among thy fellowes thou thy tale dost happe to tell Let not thy voyce be ouerlowde for that agrées not well But in assemble to pronounce when so thou hast a cause To th' end thy tale may perce their eares do stretch awide thy iawes Yet vtter plainely all thy words with voice both lowde and shrill For Nature and thy helping hand that purpose further will If so thy matters be of weight seuerely set thy grace If light and of importance small vse swéete and smiling face In iudgement sharper than in talke looke that thou euer bée Let life be more seuere than lookes doe learne this rule of me Do sause thy talke with pretie iest and yelde with willing minde Vnto thy fellow looke a prayse for doing so to finde Sée that thou euer blase a trouth but not to scolding fall With any man of force thou must obserue a meane withall For sure sufficeth thée
to say thy minde is nothing so Vse no contentious talke with hym in any case altho He doe defende the other part Vnto thy fellowes harke Whē thou hast sayd 't is shame for thée alone to bawle and barke If any stande in stubborne sort maintaining nought at all But falshode yeld for feare your talke to greater mischief fall Although the tale which any man in presence mindes to tell No whit delight thy curious eares or fansie passing well Yet trouble not the rest that would giue eare vnto the talke But rather paciently endure all others tongs to walke And doe but seldome speake thy selfe If thou be sad by kinde Reproue nor fynde no fault with those that are of mery minde Despise thou none for that thy selfe in wisedome dost excéede But rather ayde them if thou mayst by good aduise at néede In speaking euer doe beware and wisely looke about For feare the sicknesse of the minde by babbling burst not out Nip no man in his absence for no doubt 't is traitorlike A man that is not ware of thée behinde his backe to strike But rather looke wher whilst thou dost an other sharply touch Thou doe not by the selfe same meane controll thy selfe as much What so they are thou speakst vnto do curteously entreate The lesser sort thou shalt not scorne no more than of the great But rather trauaile and thou canst to beare a shewe and face As though thou madst accompt of all this prouerbe taketh place Who so doth lone is loude againe by curteous language we Must chiefly couet in good will of ery man to bée But most of all our frendship olde must be respected still And greatest care must aye be had to maintaine first good will Demaunde no question sharply nor with curst and cruell worde And eke thy selfe demaunded shalt an answere milde auorde Dispraise nor praise not any one for vice or vertue more Than Reason wills a meane is best kéepe still the meane in store So like or else condemne as he that heares thée may not say Good faith thy iudgement is but yll thou wandrest farre astray Thou shalt not like the better with thy tongue in that thou dost That spitefull sting into the limmes of men in absence thrust For ery one both markes the man and hateth him that railes Vpon a man behind his backe and with his tongue assailes Do euer flée the flattring guest nor flatter thou at all For both offences grieuous are nor this nor that is small When other speake thée faire smooth haue euer this in thought That those good fellowes gladly would for litle price be bought But when thou spekest an other faire he will for such a friende But litle giue that proues him but a gloser in the ende Accompt no more of great report that wicked wights bestowe Than if the cause were yll wheron this great renoume did growe But thinke it praise that naughtie men deuise in thy defame The chiefest praise is to offende the beast that liues with shame 'T is harde to stoppe the open eares against the pleasant call And that was euer compted yet the greatest praise of all No other Syrenes sure they were that wise Vlysses guylde Than smooth plesant speaking tongs with falshodes cunning fylde They they are Mōsters great inough to trap the wisest man Thou euer more must stande in dread of pleasant language than Of rougher spéeche For spitefull tong doth aye discouer vice Whē gleining marchāts cloke the crime and cog with craftie dise The pinching griefes that men diseasd do féele they séeke to heale But such as neuer ake they scorne and tender neuer a deale But die therof or eare they thought such mischiefe would befall The woūd the shewes to outward mark the Surgion will with small And litle cost procure to health but that which hidden lies And rankles déepe beguiles the man that is accompted wise Do not desire but as thou art at any time to séeme Among the people couet not that they of thée do déeme More than in déede is reason why Thy déedes and noble race Thy valiant prowes thy grandsyres great bring not so much in place Nor séeke thy linage to aduaunce thy selfe extolling so For sure it yll becomes a man his proper praise to showe Nor is it séemely for a man an others friends allide And Gentrie to deface to much therby to quaile his pride Let raging rancour neuer cause or malice moue thy braine To go about anothers fame or good report to staine Nor if thou couet great accompt of wisdome go about Nor be the sounder of thyne owne good déedes to sette them out For as no man of Reason will his follies blabbe abrode So neither should his vertues by himselfe at all be showde The tale they say is nothing worth but yelds a beastly smell Much more vntrue that any in his proper praise doth tell But couet rather so to deale as men may blase thy déedes That thou a myrror mayst become to Age that thée succéedes But he that blabs his beastly déedes and makes them knowne to all And tells his filthie trade of life a frantike foole wée call And whether it be true or false that he reporteth so He well deserues on Gallow trée to hang to féede the Crowe But if thy fortune frame in sort that thou vnknowne dost liue And dost deserue a greater fame than any man doth giue Then somewhat in thy proper praise with Modestie thou mayst Declare but euer kéepe a meane in ery thyng thou sayst Make men to vnderstand if ought that famous is doth lye Within thy skill but do procure them no offence therby For no man vnder bushell putts a candell bearing light Or nearer than he ought vnto the thing applies his sight Vainglorie by no learning séeke that harbours in thy braine He is vnwise that longs for that All glorie is but vaine For whatsoeuer thing we doe accomplishe worthie fame It is not wée but CHRIST our King that doth atchieue the same Wherfore to him is glorie due this boldly may we say For holy Fathers of the Church so vse in Church to pray Then certainly the glorie that we men on men bestow May vaine and light accompted bée and fitly termed so When so thou happen to controll or rate a man for yll Séeme not to do it toucht with wrath but for a méere good will For oftentimes the bitter guest that chides in angry moode Doth profit nought the pleasant man is he that doth thée good For he doth more a thousande folde instruct and teach the way To vertue than the chiding Carle that cruell words doth say Who so vpon an Error doth vnwittingly amisse Deserues a pardon at thy hands but say vnto him thus That if he doe in after time commit the like againe He shall be so releasd no more but bide the sharper paine Then if thy wordes preuaile no whit but that within a space He do the like offense againe then
set a greater store Nor do thou thinke that by a lie thou canst once false thy trouth But that therwith Religion quite is broken and an othe For though that God for witnesse be not cited to the bande Yet not the lesse he aye in place of good recorde doth stande And if at any time at all it lawfull be to lie Perhaps it is that trouth may be apparant more therby And he perhaps that speaketh false his promise to preserue Perchaunce the same for all his lie a pardon doth deserue So plighted hest must ere be kept as Constancie be founde In all our words our promises with credite must abounde But so it happen may sometime as slender is the faulte To breake a promise firmely made or with a man to haulte As if I promise that to thée that will no profite bréede Or that which more will me annoy than pleasure thée in déede Duke Theseus coulde haue wished erst with all his minde and hart That Neptune wold his promise broke when Hippolite in cart Vnhappie youth was drawne about the cruell craggie clife Where he for no desert of his was reft his honest life Let not the Iust man blabbe abrode the secretes he doth heare Nor in vnlawfull matters let his tongue not dare to steare By doubtfull words bréede no debate nor quarell while you liue But rather certaine iudgement in eche thyng demaunded giue Or rather holde thy peace out right when is no cause to chat For often doth the prating tong offende it knowes not what And wrongs it selfe and others too If thou in common weale Do beare an office and hast cause in such affaires to deale Or hauing store of houshold folks at home at meale and meate The partie that doth yll deserue let him be duely beate To be accompted ouermylde it is no prayse at all For he that fauours one that doth amisse will marre them all If any do offense and thou be parciall to correct That thou art guiltie of the same we may right well suspect The Magistrate doth fauour faults that letts a matter slippe And too much fauour of the Iudge is called a gentle whippe He marres the multitude and doth whole Cities bring to sacke That iustly doth not vse the scourge vpon the sinners backe He quite vndoes them as the man that flings a fiery brande Into a towne or gate vnlocks when foes are harde at hande We can not call that Ruler good nor terme him as a King But rather such a one as plague and mischiefe loues to bring But yet in punishment of vice we must not Reason passe To keepe the meane in ery thing is good and euer was When so thou takst the rod in hande then be not to seuere As though at other mens distresse thou glad or ioyfull were But punishe sore against thy will as though thou were constrainde Thertoo and that thou didst lament his case that so is painde Beside if sundry sinne alike and in one poynt offende Release not one and let the other be in prison pende Rewarde not these with rigor whilste thou deale with other well I meane of those that all at once of lawe in daunger fell Let like offense haue like rewarde deale not in Fathers wise With one and like a cruel foe with tother Spiders guise Is to entrap in craftie webbe the litle siellie gnat But if there come a hornette huge or waspe that 's weightie fat He crusheth downe the slender twist and makes a thorough wayes Whilst siellie flies in hanging netts the spitefull Spider slayes Euen so the poore and miser man the cruell law doth crushe If he offende but welthie wights through tiled trap do rushe If any doe thée wrong let wreake but counteruaile the déede Séeke not to punish his offense no more than thou hast néede But if thou quite forgiue the fact and no reuenge doe séeke Thou art the iuster man for that God thée the more will léeke Vnto thy seruants eake thou shalt obserue both law and right Gyue them their due looke that they thy Iustice doe requight For Nature them our brothers made so that thou must suppose That fowly he offends that past the bounds of mercy goes If so their crimes committed bée too heynous ryd thy hande Of them or else be mercifull but if the case do stande Vpon some small and lyght offense who can foresée to much Or who can deale with too great ruth if so the case be such And sithens we haue thus vnbard the gate of Iustice hall We will of Valiance next intreate that yelds to nought at all Of Magnanimitie OF high and noble Courage I that Man confesse to bée That in defense of honest name no daungers dread will flée But willing vndertake to do the hardest things of all He feares no man he dreades no death nor ought that may befall No torment can the Noble minde no yrefull threates subdue But onely sacred reason make him chaunge his will anewe But yet he will not rashely and in wilfull wise desire The perill or the daunger but as matter shall require For sure more fonde may nothing be than for a man to put His lyfe in daunger where he mought auoyde without a cut That man is ouer braynsicke madde that safe and well at ease Vpon the riuer longs to launch amyd the mounting Seas He that his Countrey doth molest or breakes the Common lawes That hym we Valiant shold accompt there is at all no cause But rather bolde and bedlim beast rashe and vngodly wight And any other terme that tongue can well deuise with spite Nor he Couragious that doth séeke his owne and priuate gaine But he that in his countreys cause doth offer to be slaine For sure there is no praise of minde no worthie feate in dede Lesse it from Iustice and the loue of countrey soyle procede Nor lesse he liue vprightly and plaine dealing vse he can Not gaine the name of Fortitude or of a noble man Let not the tickling brute of thy good déedes thine eyes delight Let it suffise thée that thou didst atchieue the same aright For Magnanimitie hath aye respect of Honestie As for reports of giddie heads it forceth not a flie Nor he that doth depende vpon the brute of peoples braine Deserues the name of valiant minde and Courage to attaine But he that coulde for go the thing for which himselfe doth long That man in dede is valiant that man is truely strong Who so doth ouermuch delight in Titles of his name And with an earnest studie doth séeke out and search the same Is too too fonde and childish wight for chiefly doth pertaine To valiant Courage to contemne the things that are but vaine Which common rascall much cōmend the basest things despise The noble minde doth couete that where dread and daunger lies It thinkes that all these earthly things are subiect vnto him Not all that he doth sée with eye or touch with other lim But what which inwarde mind
possesse Séekst not with care to cure the same and quickly to redresse For how much more the Mynd the corps in Noblesse doth excede So much the more regarde the minde than doth the Bodie néede O to what purpose with such toyle and trauaile dost thou drowne Thy corps make in doubtful whéele thy Soule to runne so rowne Why day and night in feruent heates dost thou thy body broose And dost meane while thy better parte and chiefest member loose Fie too vngodly cruell and vnto thy selfe thou art Extreme that with the propre hands dost bréede the propre smart Why dost thou mash thy mind within so many nets from out The which thou canst not rid it though thou willyng go about Sée how it wakes the day in care and night in noysome woes And like a thing prickt on with spurre vnquiet forth it goes And thou full like a Tormenter with curst Bellonas scourge The sielly flying soule and hurtlesse minde dost dayly vrge What better were it not for thée the losse of hande to haue And that wherby thou waxest wise in dayntie sort to saue Or than to loose the part from heauen that was allotted thée Without the which with other beasts thou mightst compared bée How false and frayle is all thy hope both liuing here and dead If so that member be alacke that ought to be the head Wherfore especially thou must the sicknesse of the soule Remoue that nothing want and that thou mayst be perfect whole Direct the same by rightest wayes and plainest pathes that he Full well may do his duetie and the wittie guide may be But Gentle Reader to auoide the being ouerlong Accompt that these vnto the Soule and perfit Minde belong To hope for that alone which still is sure to bée a stay And such a great surpassing good as neuer will decay To feare that beyng once befalne for euer and a day Will hurt and such a thing as none relieue with succour may To follow with an earnest care and studie all such ioyes As no discase doth daunt awhile or furious face anoyes To sorow that displeasure whom no pleasure doth ensue Or by the meanes of whome decayes both life and health to you Force not of other things at all but of an hostage as Thou woldst accoÌ„pte froÌ„ wheÌ„ce in hast the guest would glaâ—ly passe But rather as a burden deeme and grieuous paine in minde The things to be that stoppe thy race or make thée stay behinde The Trauailer both carâ—ge should and carefull sicknesse shunne That luckily hee may his course and pointed iourney runne And sure this Life is euen the Path wherin we dayly pace But tother is our Countrey or of fowle Exile the place If so it bee our Countrey then assuredly we shall To Grandsyers and our blessed frends in peace to soiorne all But if Exile and banishment to vs it chaunce to bée Then downe we goe to dungeon déepe where is no game nor glée But yelling cries and clamours great and neuer wasting flame Appointed things for due desert the sinfull soules to tame Those passe into their countrey that by meane of wittie braine And Reason ridde themselues of yll and did the Good attaine But they contrarywise Exile doe suffer that aliue In errour dwelt and in the trade of Vertue coulde not thriue The Minde doth rouing runne astray as often times as it Not gouernes and doth sée the good but followes not a whit But nowe we haue digrest too farre the cause doth will retreate And eke our Methode byds vs of our matter to intreate At first of all our meaning was of Motion of the Minde That TeÌ„perance hight to tel our tale and of the Modest Kinde In this shall all my talke consist this vndertaken charge As plainely as we may my Muse and I will sette at large Decorum chiefly doe obserue and note with earnest eye For sure no slender force within his séemely boundes doth lie And this Decorum double is that modest mindes possesse One generall and common kinds the other somewhat lesse The common kinde is it that links with Honestie in all And ech respect and can not from his side or footing fall This more apparant is to sight and to the eares without This generall Decorum can be nothing good no doubt It is naught else at all but euen agreement of the things Which men do wel and wisely worke thence this Decorum springs And as the forme dispersed is the bodie quite throughout And is not yet the body but a shape set on without Euen so with Honestie and right Decorum doth agrée It beautifies the good with shape and makes it fayre to see And as the Bodies seemely shewe delightes the lookers eyes And makes them maruell how it could he wrought in goodly wise So doth Decorum moue the minde and makes it maruell much How that the beautie of the things should happen to bée such Thy selfe good Reader better mayst within thy minde deuise The Nature of the same than I in Metre it comprise The other kinde of decentnesse is that assuredly Which hath his chiefe respect vnto that part of Honestie Which guides the proper motions of the Minde euen as it list And it in habite gesture and in measure doth consist In voice and bashfull blushing hue robes time and séemely place This makes that thou dost stand so great within the peoples grace A welcome wight to ery man thys causer is of thee That such report and noised brute In ery place doth flee Nor do thou scorne or set at naught what men of thée do déeme 'T is yll the iudgement of the worlde so litle to estéeme Allow and listen to theyr doomes for he is compted prowde That doth disdaine that aught besides his owne shoulde be allowde There are yll fauourde things that do the Mindes of men offende As Arrowes wounde the body when the Archer list to bende His crooked bow and shoote his shafts with nimble hande away And such as do offend the parts of shamelesse men doe play But those that offer force of hande are too vniust we say And not alone Decorum in the Bodies outwarde show Is to be kept and well obserude but in the Minde also It is an easie thing the Minde to frame and fashion fit As long as Reason rules the rost and in hir seate doth sit Or though by happe she be displaste a litle if she get Hir olde and sacred roome againe and raigne deuoide of let Here first of all from filthie Ire thou must in any wise Refraine for it both inwarde minde and countnance doth disguise What sight more lothsom caÌ„st thou sée or looke vpon with eye Than one that is in pelting chafe and angrie moode for why Full like a Boare he fomes at mouthe whome Curres haue cruell made With baulyng barkes on ery syde or like a bedlam Iade That wyll not easily bide the bitte Assuredly wée can The partie that in Anger is not thinke to be a man
For then he waxeth out of kinde a sauage beast outright And like a frantike man inragde he lacks his Reason quight And after Anger once is calmde he then repents him sore That he so like a senselesse man behau'd himselfe before A meane this mischief to auoide is at the first to cast And wisely scanne within thy breast what cause of wrath thou hast Euen as the watchman sitts a loft to spie his cruell foe In turrets top for feare he doe oppresse him ere he know So good attendance must thou giue lest anger come vpon And do inuade thée ere thou thinke such fretting malice on And going out of doore as though thou wouldst to fielde to fight At threshold claspe thine armes close in eu'ry point aright And furnishe so thy selfe about as though thou stoodst in feare Of rouing thieues that layde to spoile the goods in ambushe were But if so be vnwares thou fall into the well of wrath Sée that thou be not plungde too long within that beastly bath And do meanewhile with fretting fist no foule offense correct For why outragious Anger of the meane hath no respect Detest excessiue crueltie haue euer that regarde Reuenge for charitie but do a gentle paine awarde Especially yf father thou thy children punish he That is a father ought vnto his children good to be He should not haue a heauie hand but light with litle smart And where as Kynde within thy breast hath grafte a gentle heart Detest thy rawe and hungrie rage of fleshly sauage sort That with their teeth to teare the pray doe thinke it passing sport Agayne you must in any case auoide and flee away From Motion that contrary is to Anger that in play And to much daliance doth delight For Nature neuer made A man to iest but she requires of vs a grauer trade Let all thy wordes to profite more than to a pleasure tende Deale most in earnest but in iest thy winde but seldome spende Yet Nature doth not quite denie a man to sport and iest But yet to holde the golden meane she thinkes it euer best It is not séemely too too grim or ouer harde to bée And reape but hate for solemne lookes nor yet for to much glée To be despisde and had in scorne By Iesting do not craue Vaingloriously throughout the Town a Iesters name to haue As we allowe the wearie man a tyme of quiet rest To ease his pensiue pained limmes with labours long opprest Euen so with seldome prettie iestes thou mayst refreshe thy wit But then thou must so place thy words and sayings as may fit And best agrée with grauitie Sée that thy iest be suche As may both honest be estéemde and ery way may touche Both honest shame and good deuise and Witte in ery case Besides when time requires thou shalt not rashely runne thy race As bedlam Roges do vse to do or like a posting slaue Let all thy Iestes be weightie and thy iesture very graue Let not thy voice be ouerlowde goe not to fast aboute For feare thy hastie pace offend and trouble all the route Beware in any wise thy wordes no Anger doe prouoke Or heauie chéere to any man let nought that thou hast spoke With bitter girding breede offence With rankling tooth to neare Let not thy babling bite or touch the man that doth it heare Ne doth my writing Laughter barre so that in modest meane You vse the same for otherwise it spills the countnance cleane For too muche laughing marres the looke for boyes is laughter fitte And gigling dames that Reason want and haue but slender witte Who so at theft doth girne and laugh and thereof makes a game Or smiles to sée an others harme is very much to blame In Playes auoyde the filthie gaine for certainly by play Is nothing got but wasting yll the golden time away If yong thou be in lustie age and hast thy limmes in prime Some painfull practise doe deuise to passe away the time An exercise to trie thy force but with discretion vse The same and do beware thou do no limme or member bruse I sundry times haue séene an olde man play and vse disport But yet good faith it hath bene all in good and sober sort But neuer saw I in my life a youth delight in game Of whom I could conceyue that hée to good would euer frame When thou with studie wearie art and that thou hast a will To solace cope with learned heads and men of tried skyll For conference both holesome is and eke increaseth wit Do bridle bothe thy mouth and Venus parte with pinching bit At randon neuer let them runne for he that loues to féede Too muche and Venus mynion is he is a beast in déede And onely but a Man in name for shape accompted so Bicause he doth from place to place in manly person go What ery man may soone suppresse Cupidoes flames if he Withdraw such things as to the fire in stéede of faggots be Or if he neuer beate his braines and fire his fonde desire On things that are by Nature apt to stirre that scorching fire Not taking in too many cuppes if thou be wise take héede Howe to the doubtfull skirmish thou with Venus dost procéede Or fight to much with bellie fare List not at all to trie How honest and howe sober thou couldst by a Thais lie When Wine and Women are at hād trust not thy force to much For fire will quickly take the towe if it the towe doe touche When so thou list to conquere sinne and beastly liuing fight Not neare at hande but haue thy foe a greate wayes off in sight Let wanton mates not enter in thy house in any wise Doe barre thy doore with biggest bolt for sure no safetie lyes In coping with such hatefull guests they neuer will away Without the conquest till they doe thy fotted carcas slaye No triumph in this doubtfull case is to be had or woon Vnlesse we shewe the foe our héeles and from the battaile roon And sure a maruells thing to tell the Palme alone is due To him and he is Victor that in poast from fighting flue But if so thou by Fortune chaunce Cupidos thrall to bée Redéeme thy selfe in all the hast thou néedst a slender fée Or summe to raunsome home againe thy selfe if thou be wyse Shake frō thy neck that seruage yoke that on thy shoulders lies Vse force and flée for stay is full of daunger out of dout The longer stay the worser state And who so goes about To flatter Madame Venus he shall suffer greater smart And feele the flame the hotter farre that fretts the Louers hart And since thou art a man by kynde of sect and séede diuine As God is farre from fleshe so thou from fleshe must farre decline Though thou in secrete do offence and no man sée thy face Yet thou as witnesse euer gainst thy selfe dost stande in place Why dost thou more than of thy selfe an others presence feare Since thou
put him in a place Assignde to tame such retchlosse Roges clappe fetters to his shanks To stande assurde he shall no more go play such beastly pranks Procéede not ouer far in chaufe behoues thée too beware Be not too sharpe or curst to those to thée that strangers are If thou be wise doe deale therein as cunning Surgeons play Who for to heale do swap the dead and rotten flesh away So thou pretending good to doe thy frendes with wisdome rate In séeking to reforme their faultes procure thy selfe no hate Wherfore controll but now and then be seldome in a heate Vnlesse there be committed wrong and when none other feate Or way will serue the turne so well as chaufing will in déede If any do the like againe to thée do take good héede Accept his warning well in worth to him that for good will Doth monishe thée vse no outrage no worde or language yll For if vpon good reason he hath chidde thée then no doubt He did thée good if not vpon good cause yet went about And minded he but well therin although thou déeme not so At any time when so thou art defamed by thy foe Or that he whet his rankling tuskes against thy good report Deale wisely with such bedlam beasts in grane and sober sort Oh how much doth thy subtil foe vnweapned daunt thy pride When so he causer is that thou from good demeanor slide Let from thy wise and sober lips no word vnséemely fall Though he vnciuile beastly man in currish wise do braule Besides to voide the mischiefe and to stinte the strife begon Digresse thou from such brauling flat and to the purpose roon Deale in such sort as vnto thée may no man iustly say What stop my frend you raÌ„gle now returne againe I pray And when thou séest that irkesom is thy processe ouerlong Vnto thy felowes shut thy pipes and ende thy lothsome song Séeke not the loftie Marble house beset with pictures braue But couet aye the lodge where thou thy perfect health mayst haue And whether thou thy selfe dost builde it vp or buie the same Prouide it such a one as best vnto thy vse may frame For sithens Houses builded are to onely vse of man Let eche one get him such a roome for profite as he can Thou must not séeke for pleasure of thy house so trimly dight But rather in the beautie of thy secrete Soule delight Whom if thou clense no doubt it wil straunge odours yelde to thée Wherin thou mayst such solace take as shall best liking bée And where as in thy house thou stayst but for a litle space Both day and night that other is to thée a dwellyng place Then let it bée thy onely care to decke it passing fine With precious perfumes swete to seÌ„se do make it freshly shine In sort the owner may not by his house so famous bée As may thy house and dwelling place accompted of by thée It is vnséemely that a man should horow all his praise From lodge wherin but for a time and straungerlike he stayes But let the lodging somewhat ayde the maisters good report And helpe as much as lies in it to set to shewe his porte But take good héede the saying olde be not applyde to thée O Lorde how far this Owner and this house doe disagrée For oftentimes my selfe haue heard men say and that of late O worthie auncient house how muche diminisht is thy state Again in Countrey build thy Graunge no greater than it should But kéepe the custome aye therin a Coate to banishe colde Thy hand thy iesture lips and lookes doe gouerne in such wise As men may well discerne the thing within thy breast that lies And all such iestures as thou déemste in others fonde to bée Accompt it will not very well vnto thy kinde agrée But if thou doubt at all therof go séeke thy friends aduice That will instruct in ery poynt what most agrées with vice For so doe cunning Painters deale and Poets of the best They aske how other men do like their Pictures lately drest Besides to gayne a heape of wealth and to increase thy store Thou shalt not follow filthy artes at any time the more But euer shoon the bâ—â—stly gayne whence hate and enuie springs Wherfore thou shalt not kéepe a Port to looke and search for things That passe froÌ„ theÌ„ce to forain Realms nor Fulkers trade ensue By taking money for the loane as though it were thy due Thou shalt not follow Butchers craft in shambles leading life For gain to knocke the bullocks head and cut his throate with knife Thou shalt not play the Hukster for these Artes that I haue sayd Are vile vncleanly base of kinde and nothing to be wayd And all those other trades of life are to be compted vaine That all in worke consiste and nought in beating of the braine And that for money are to bye which witte can neuer bee Wherfore doe force no one of them if thou be rulde by mée There restes no wit in ought that is set out to open sale No good increase of knowledge comes by Bellyfare and Ale The Dicing Dick and Daunâ—â—ng boy pursue no honest trade The Pedlar eke that beares his packe himselfe for lacke of Iade Is nothing to be compted or the Mercer that doth buye And sells his trashe within a while doth vse full oft to lie And like a periurde patch doth prate and all to get a gaine And sure than him that is forsworne can nothing be more vaine For why he crafts with man and doth yea God himselfe despise But if so be that one become a Merchant man and plies His matters so as wealthie he is woxen by the same And hath his storehouse full of wares he doth deserue no shame Nor worthie is in my conceite a foule rebuke to beare But rather praise for doing so if he at last forbeare His merchants trade and fall to plough and waxe a Countreyman For better than the tillage of the soyle there lightly can Be nothing or of greater same that takes so litle séede And yeldes againe such great increase to pleasure vs at néede This trade of yore the Noble men that Conquerours became Of taking of the plough in hande and culter did not shame They neuer blusht to breake the soyle the Romaine Court did call The Fathers that appointed were to rule and gouerne all And fet them from the CouÌ„trey Coat and he that is as now The Consull bearyng all the sway of late did driue the Plowe Of all the other trades I know Physitions beare the bell And he is worthie praise that builds a house for men to dwell To buie an office be not thou too quicke or sharply set But when thou hast it frankly giuen or offred thée do get And take it yelding worthie thanks Beléeue not ery lie That rumor spreds or brute doth cause in open ayre to flie For often vile and wicked heads no trouth at all deuise And many