Before to her thou breake thy secrecy Whereon the losse of lands and life doth lie For there be multitudes I doe suppose That nothing can keepe secret but disclose All things that they have knowledge of or finde To be reported to their fickle mind And few the number be that trusty are Secrets to keepe and never them declare After that Cato had thus given his sonne These three Commandements and with them done Willing they should observed be and kept He shortly after with his fathers slept And yeelded this his mortall brittle life To deaths remorslesse stroke that fatall knife In few yeeres after Cato his decease Had of these earthly cares a full release His sonne in learning being excellent Belov'd of poore and those of high descent Amongst the noble and ignoble sort Of Rome for 's vertuous life and good report The Emperour thereof being inform'd By trusty friends how well he was adorn'd With courteous modest kinde behaviour He unto him had such a liking favour That presently his sonne was his intent For to commit unto his government That to the end in all good science he And literature might instructed be And for the accomplishment of this amaine He sends for Cato and him entertaine Into the Court and put into his hand Divers affaires of weight and great command Shewing him daily friendships more or lesse And pleasures great abounding in excesse And at the last preferr'd him with great grace Vnto that worthy office and high place Of the sole rule and Cities government Of famous Rome wherewith he was content When Cato on him had his office tooke And fortune smiling on him seem'd to looke According to the custome it did betide He through the City in great pomp did ride Where he did meet a mighty company Leading a thiefe which was condemn'd to die Towards the place of execution For to be hang'd with expedition Being a lusty proper handsome man Wherefore Cato had pity on him an Divers that were there moving him thereto Saying he by his office might let goe At his first entring any prisoner Which would to all redowne his praises farre Cato with pity being then indu'd Willing to satisfie the multitude Without advisement did the prisoner save Thinking thereby the glory streight to have Of his promotion knowne and the great love He had to prisoners poore which did him move Regarding not or calling unto minde The good advise his father left behinde In short time after his preferment he Performing his office in amitie Vnto the Cities wealth comfort of all The Inhabitors thereof great and small As he lay in his bed taking no rest For the continuall cares that did molest His troubled thoughts about the great affaires Of his said office straightwaies he repaires And recollects those Precepts at the last His wise father had given him long since past So that a long time after night by night He called them to minde as his delight â—onsidering with himselfe how that he â—ad broken two and rest but one of three â—hich was to prove if that his wife could keepe â—cret those things that should to light but peepe â—â—downe to his dishonour with fortune cost â—is life and goods in danger to be lost â—â—to determin'd then within his mind â—o prove his wife as's father had assign'd â—nd thereupon a servant of his owne â—hat trusty was and to himselfe well knowne â—e did command the Emperours sonne to take Whom he had to instruct all speed to make â—nd secretly him to convey iwis â—nto a trusty faithfull friend of his â—nd a great nobleman there to remaine â—ntill that he did send for him againe â—hich was performed as he did direct â—or one there vvas did any thing suspect â—â—en shortly after on a certaine night â—erceiving that his vvife vvas in good plight â—d broad avvake began to sigh and mourne â—d privily vvithin himselfe to grone â—hich thing his vvife perceiving did require â— him to know the cause who did admire â—o see his heavinesse Quoth she my deere â—n griefe let sorrow cease be of good cheere â—d all things take my husband in good part 〈◊〉 as a wife I love thee vvith my heart â—en turned he himselfe unto his vvife Sighing so sore as if shee hal'd for life Saying sweet loving wife and tender heart I have a secret matter to impart To thee if that I wist thou couldst be mute Though some to thee should make continuall suâ— To know thereof which stands upon my life Honour and goods therefore my loving wife Shouldst thou reveale what I doe thee injoyne Be secret in you undoe mee and mine Then answered his wife seemiug to cry Saying deare husband I had rather dye Then open any secret you declare Therefore such speeches husband pray forbearâ— Alas what woman think you mee to be That cannot keepe your secrets close quoth shâ— Have you not seene my honesty throâ—ghout And good carriage wherefore then do you donâ— Of me wh o knows your welfare in such measurâ— That I esteem't above all worldly treasure Well my beloved spouse and bedfellow Said Cato then seeing you thus doe vow And that I heare you doe so friendly speake My hidden secrets to you I will breake Laying my heart wide open unto thee Whom I doe trust 'bove all assuredlie For I doe love thee my deare wife so well That nothing can I keepe from thee but tell What ere it be I either know or doe And much the more because thou dost mee wooâ— Some two daies past as I did homeward come â—here met with mee th' emperours onely sonne â—nd used me most vildely in his words â—nd naughty deeds as youth such vice affords â—hich stirred me to such an angry rage â—hat I could not forbeare my fury swage â—ing with waighty affaires troubled â—nd overcome with drinke I strucke him dead â— heat of blood not leaving mee to vex â—hich doth me grieve and much my soule perplex â—urther my furious mood to satisfie â—nd deadly hate that in my breast did lye â—ript his body and tooke out his heart â—nd caus'd it to be drest with best of art â—ost finely spiced as a man would wish â—nd sent it to his parents as a dish â—f dainty curious meat who were not nice â—o eate thereof as much as them suffice â—ot knowing it to be that which it was â—hus I my anger did revenge alas â—hat shall I doe for now I know right well â—hat this most wicked deed which hath befell â—e to commit is a most shamefull act â—nd I am very sorry for the fact â—t too late it is and above mans poweâ— â—or to recall againe the day and houre â—hats past wherefore seeing that it is done â— secret keepe't reveale it unto none â—r I ne're shew'd it any in my life â—or never will but to thy selfe deare wife â— whom depends my only stay and trust That you will keepe my secrets firme and just And knowing you right-well alwaies to be A sober modest
wicked men 46. Morte repentina noli gandere malorum Foelices obeunt quorum sine crimine vita est Rejoyce not at the sudden death of lewd and wicked men They 're counted happy in their death whose life faultlesse hath beene Pauper simulatum vitet amicum A poore man let him shun a dissembled friend or let a poore man beware of a counterfeit friend 47. Cum conjux tibi sit nec res fama laboret Vitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici When thou 'st a wife of substance small whose fame her selfe convince Beware of those that haunt thy house under friendships pretence Junge studium Joyne study to study or study still 48. Cum tibi contingat studio cognoscere multa Fac discat multa vites nescire docer When it doth chance with learning much by study thou art fraught See thou eschew blinde ignorance unwilling to be taught Brevitas memoriae amica Brevity or shortnesse is a friend or a helpe to memory 49. Miraris verbis nudis me scribere versus Hos brevitas sensus fecit conjungere binos That I meanly to verses write dost wonder thus I doe The shortnesse of the sense hath made me joyne them two and two The living speeches of CATO a Dying man C Heere up my panting feeble heart feare not to die A ll must die once some twice such is mans destiny T i me finish that which God allots welcome sweet death O Lord to thee I yeeld my soule who gave me breath A Post-script to the Reader NOw I this worke performed have and sent it to the Presse I know that some will call me foole and sure I am no lesse For printing that which long agoe by others was set out Which is untruth as I can prove if any thereof doubt For though it hath translated beene as I doe not deny Grammatically into prose yet not in poetry As I haved one therefore I say who blames my enterprise If they can finde no other fault I say they are not wise Farewell To I. B. that Grammatically translated CATO HAd I but seen thy worke before I finish'd up had mine I would have mended every line by that bright lamp of thine Who taken hath such paines therein to give each word his due That no translator I have knowne hath done the like but you And hadst thou set those lines on feet that thou hast done in prose Thy friends alone would not thee praise but even thy very foes But thou didst it for schollers good that they may profit finde Not for thy owne glory and praise which shewes a noble mind Wherefore for this thy love thou bearst to infants yet unborne Thy name thy fame and memory shall never be outworne Walter Gosnold Three Lessons thaâ— old CATO as he did lie oâ— his death-bed gave unto his young sonnâ— CATO to be observed and kept translated first out of Dutch into English prose by oâ— Laurence Singleton and now metamorphosed into English metre with the rest of his most worthy Precepts by W. G. O happy is that man which seeth others fall And can avoid the snare that they were caught withaâ— THy wife being wise make her the closet Of thy breast else not for she 'le disclose it For never yet was man so well aware But first or last was caught in womans snare Then triall make before thou dost her trust In any thing thou fearst she 'le be unjust As here old Cato's sonne did wisely try Whether his wife could keepe his secrecy To the Reader GEntle Reader having already presented thee with many good Lessons and morall Instruction of Cato which daily and hourely he taught unto his young sonne I likewise have thought fit to present unto thy view three precepts more which he left unto him upon his death-bed to be observed and kept above all other Precepts and Commaudements formerly left him in writing which rust had almost consumed and time buried in oblivion had I not by chancc lighted upon them in an old Antiquaries library and put upon their backes new liveries their old ones being quite out of fashion and therefore altogether out of request with those which otherwise might be their sociates and fellow-companions being almost an hundred thirty yeers since they were last printed and translated out of Dutch into our mother tongue Wherefore having taken such paines in the metamorphosing of them to the same habite or stile of the rest of his most worthy Precepts I trust they will not be unwelcome unto thee being no lesse worthy of acceptation than the former for as my Authour wished good in translating them into English prose so likewise doe I in metamorphosing them into English metre following my copy in the phrase of our speech without adding or diminishing either in substance or circumstance as neere as possibly I could If any then be so curious as to distaste these my poore indeavours for the plainnesse of the verse or the dislike of the Authour being a heathen I le make no other apologie for my selfe and him but this For the first it is the height of my ambition to adorne every action with the most plainest proper object especially where I have a patterne laid before me for my imitation as for the latter it is no shame for us to learne wit of Heathens neither is it materiall in whose schoole wee take out a good lesson Howsoever therefore my unpolished worke shall be accepted at thy hands yet shall I not have cause to repent me of my labonr for the benefit that may come thereby and so I conclude Yours assured though there be no assurance amongst men WALTER GOSNOLD A caveat to all young married men to beware how they lay open themselves or trust too farre at first to their wives secresie in any waighty matter tending either to the losse of their lives goods or good name before they be well grounded in their wives honesty and fidelity IF thou 'st a wife in any case shew not thy selfe so kinde As to relate each waighty cause unto her of thy minde Untill that thou hast tryall made of her that is but young And dost perceive whether that she be mistris of her tongue Or else too late you will repent that hastily you told In secrecy such things to her which bluntly shee 'l unfold Before her Gossips when she meets with other pratling wives Bringing their husbands many times in perill of their lives As here you may right well behold in this ensuing story The falshood of young Cato's wife that should have been his glory W. G. How a wife is sympathis'd to a vine being both very usefull and yet very hurtfull HOw Wives compared are to vines I shall not need recite For Poets many in this straine endeavoured have to write And set it forth with best of skill I then shall doe amisse To tautologies yet briefly in few words thus it is The fruitfull Vine and vertuous Wife are both for Mans delight For
a scolding Wife WHen wife speaks most do thou least speech afford For silence cuts a shrew worse than a sword A froward wife for very spight will cry When thy neglect doth scorne her tyranny With love and not with fury let her know Her errors for by that amendments grow A gentle hand a Colt doth sooner tame Than chains or fetters which do make him lame QVI MIHI Turned into English meter for the benefit of young Schollers WHen dolts have lucke on honors step to stay Let Schollers burn their books and go to play You Children young that goe to schoole to you I send my verse In English so you shall not need to construe or to pearce The child procures his parents ruth that is not chastiz'd in his youth The Epistle dedicatory REader to whom shall I direct my pen But unto striplings young the sonnes of men To you I send my verses in this booke For you to meditate thereon and looke Where you therein matter of worth shall finde To please your will and satisfie your mind To you alone and none but you I write Others may read but yours it is of right Acc pt you then my labours and endeavour And I shall be oblig'd to you for ever For these my lines are of too meane a strain To elevate my thoughts or entertaine Higher preferment then with it agrees My booke 's too barren for tall Cedar trees Children may busie here themselves at fits It s not for deeper and more solid wits Step then into this Arbour and there walke Where you may meditate discourse and talke At idle times when leasure you shall find To ease the lymbes and recreate the mind Learning no burthen is to any one The sweetest study is when we alone Keepe close unto our books with silent voice Reading such things as doe our hearts rejoyce Then study you that live in grammar schooles And knowledge get and be no longer fooles It is not wealth will make you wise or rich A dunce is poore though he bave nere so mich This is the counsell J to you will give And ever shall so long as I doe live Were I as able as I could desire With moveing arguments for to inspire The inward zeale to learning youth should beare I would therein spend all my pains and care To spur you forward but alas my skill Is nothing comparable to my will Yet in a word thus much observe from me He that this wants cannot true noble be Learning doth helpe to purchase all mens fame So truely learnd doe more renowne their Name Some men there be learning doe not desire But like the swine delights more in the mire The blockish idiots learning cannot prise But hate even those that are by nature wise And sottish fooles at learning will repine So long as puddle shall delight the swine Oh then sweet children marke with heedfull care What 's for your good and doe no labour spare To get this precious jem of so great worth That makes you noble though but meane by birth I le say no more bnt onely this farewell He is most wise in learning doth excell Your faithfull and wel-wishing friend WALTER GOSNOLD Qui Mihi in English Verse The Schoolemaster precepts doth oft rehearse that thou mayst well learne Which to his schollers Lilly writ in verse thy manners they concerne THou child that to be taught desires and scholler art to me Come hither and marke well in mind these things I say to thee Betimes in morning leave thy bed and pleasant sleepe off shake Goe to the Church and unto God thy humble prayer make But first let hands and face be washt combe thou thy head also And see thy cloathes be neate and cleane before to Church thou goe Avoyding sloth when schoole shall call be present out of hand Let no excuse of long delay procure the lingring stand Then me thy master when thou seest with speech salute anon And all thy schoolefellowes likewise in their degree each one And where I doe thy seat appoint there see thou take thy place And from thy seate till I thee bid depart thou in no case And as each childe doth study most and learning best doth get He shall in place above the rest more worthily be set Pen-knife Quills Paper Inke and Bookes as tooles most fit for thee Let them for use and studies thine provided alwaies bee If any thing I shall indite take heed thou write it right That in thy writing blot or fault may not be found in sight No latines unto papers loose nor verses doe commit Which faire to write within your bookes for schollers is more fit Oft-times repeat things thou had read and weigh them well in minde If thou doubt one or other aske till that the truth thou finde He that doth doubt and often aske doth learning soone conceive Who doth not doubt no good he gets nor knowledge e'r will have Good childe I pray you study hard no paines to learne refuse Lest that thy guilty conscience thy slothfulnesse accuse And see that you attentive be for what will it availe To teach thee ought if that the same to print in minde you faile Nothing so hard can be to learne but labour will it win Then take you paines apply thy booke and studie well therein For as from earth there doe not grow good corne flowers nor seeds Nor ought that 's good without tilling but fruitlesse noysome weeds So if a childe in studies good doe not practise his wit His time shall utterly mis-pend and lose the hope of it A law and order in thy speech ought for to be attended â—est by thy over-babling wee be too too much offended Be low in voyce so long as thou thy studies dost apply But all the while thou sayst to me pronounce thy words on high And whatsoever thou dost learne when thou sayst it to me Perfect by heart without thy booke pronounced let them be No word let any prompter tell to him that is to say Which thing doth cause unto a boy no meane or small decay If any thing I doe command see that thou doe endeavour Both praise and credit for to have for thy quick witty answer No commendation shalt thou have for speech too fast or slow To use the vertuous golden meane a comely grace doth show When thou speakst use thy Latine tongue this still remember well Shun rude and barbarous words and then in eloquence excell Besides see thou thy fellowes teach when they thee doe require And all such as unperfect be bring on to my desire Who so doth teach th'unlearned sort though most unlearned he Yet in short time then all the rest more leaned may hee be But foolish Grammer smatterers doe follow in no case Which are to the famous latine tongue exceeding great disgrace Whereof in speach there is not one so rude or foolish now But him the barbarous multitude For author will allow If thou desire thy Grammer lawes most rightly for to know And who in speech to understand best eloquence to show See thou the famous writings learne of old and ancient men The which best authours be and thou shalt know them rightly then Terence Tully and Virgil too now one now other reade And mind and marke well what they teach and thereto give good heed Which Authors he that hath not learn'd in utter darknesse lives And nothing fees but foolish dreames that simple knowledge gives Some boyes there be whom it delights all vertue set apart Lewd toyes and vices very vaine to practise as an Art There be some boyes that pleasure take with hands and feet t' assay How that they may their fellowes hurt or trouble any way And some there are that boast themselves to be most nobly borne And others birth do dis-allow with speeches full of scorne I would thou of such patrons bad should take most wary heed Lest in the end thou doe receive rewards worthy thy deed Doe nothing give nor nothing sell nor nothing buy nor change To gaine by others losse accompt these things to thee most strange And most of all no mony use inticements unto sinne That to others leave vertue seeke and nothing else to winne Let noyses brablings scoffings lies and every foolish jarre Stealing fighting gaping laughing be alwaies from you farre Nothing unhonest speake at all to cause or stirre up strife For in the tongue wee see is both the gate of death and life Accompt it most great wickednesse ill speeches for to give Or by Gods mighty name to sweare by whom we onely live And last of all keepe well thy things and bookes and be not rude And beare them with thee still and thus my Precepts I conclude Exhorting thee take heed if thou desire to live at ease That thou doe all offences shun and no man doe displease FINIS A Postscript to the READER FRiendly READER I had here thought to have unloaded my memory presented thee at this time with some Anagrams Epigrams Emblemes Epitaphs and carolls as also with many Characters and Essaies of my owne but not knowing how well this worke would passe and considering with my selfe I have beene but a metamorphoser of other mens labours and therefore can no waies challenge any higher title at the best then the name of a translator although indeed my paines therein have beene no whit lesse then if it had been wholly mine as old shoos aske more paines many times to mend then new ones doe to make I have thought fit to forbeare my intended purpose untill some fitter opportunity doth invite mee thereto in the meane while if thou findest any fault with what is already done and say it is but cobled over the reason is ready at hand for a translator though in a more fine phrase is but a cobler therefore whatsoever a cobler doth be it never so well is but cobled But howsoever when I am my craftsmaster I will promise thee to mend all imperfections so it be not ultra crepidam till then thou canst not expect any rare workmanship from mee Farewell FINIS
MARCVS AVSONIVS HIS FOVRE BOOKES Of Morall Precepts Intituled CATO Concerning the precepts of common life Translated out of Latin Hexamiters into English meter by Walter Gosnold Gentleman servant unto the right worshipfull Sr. Thomas Bowes of Much-bromley hall in Essex Remember those things that thou hast learned and seeke with diligence to learne those things which thou knowest not and be willing to teach other those things that thou hast learned and thou shalt increase thy learning Learning will live and vertue still shall shine When folly dyes and ignorance doth pine LONDON Printed by EDVVARD GRIFFIN 16â—â— To the Worshipfull yong Gentleman of vertuous education Mr. THOMAS BOVVES Sonne and heire to the Right Worshipfull Sr. THOMAS BOVVES Knight WALTER GOSNOLD wisheth increase of learning knowledge vertue and honour with happy daies Worshipfull Sir LEast I should be thought to be idle or to waste the golden time of my daies the rarest of all jewels in the service of that Right worshipfull Knight your good father with whom I now live without some monuments or impressions of my industry as also thinking with my selfe what I might present some way to expresse my love unto you in remembrance of those not to be requited favours I have received not onely from your selfe but from that Right worshipfull and religious Knight your father and that vertuous Lady your mother which have wholy obliged mee to their house I have thought good for the first to undertake the translation of Marcus Ausonius his foure bookes of morall precepts intituted Cato and for the latter I am inforced for want of better way to shew my good meaning to dedicate to you this rude and slender booke translated out of Latin hexamiters into English meter Wherein if I have any way ministred you occasion to mislike me for dedication of the same unto you one whose love towards me I must and will endeavour to requite though never able to cansell the obligation of your many and infinite curtesies I trust you will bee so far from taxing of me that you will rather hold me excused therein For if a man be bound by all meanes that he may as sure he is to gratifie his well deserving friends then may not I quiet my selfe and be at silence till I have devised the requitall of some part of your friendships by some slender gift such as my fortune and present chance will permit me to exhibit unto you And none can I finde sweet sir that in my minde will be more pleasing to your gentle nature for the encouraging of you to the laborious and industrious obtaining of the Latin tongue where into you are even now entering or more fitter for your worships tractible disposition being of very yong and tender yeeres and in whom the very sparkes of a philomathy is already seene then this new translated Poet which will so fill you with sweet counsell wholesome instructions and abundance of knowledge unto which we must all in some small measure attaine before we can step to any other grace or vertue leading to perfection as also teach you how to behave and carry your selfe in the whole course of your life aswell towards your inferious as superiours that your company will not onely be admired of all them that know you but likewise desired of all those that shall at any time be so happy as to be acquainted with you For the Booke it selfe is so exquisit that notwithstanding the Authour thereof was a heathen and had not the true knowledge of Christ Iesus by faith Whereby we must all bee saved living in a time and place where the outward meanes of salvation lay hid in obscurity and darknesse as it did a long time after being many yeeres before the comming of Christ yet I pray God what ere his faith and beliefe was that his uprightnesse and strictnesse of life towards God and man doe not condemne us who are or would be thought Christians living under the resplendent light and Sunne-shine of the Gospell And although hee was a heathen as I said before yet shall my charity bee such towards him being dead in whom was such an actuall habit of a good life whiles he lived as all the histories that I have read of him besides his owne workes by his many good admonitions to others left behind him doe witnesse the same I cannot thinke neither will it sinke into my heart to believe that hee died altogether in unbeliefe and knowledge of the true God For at the very period and end of his daies being praised of the Romans for his courage at his death laughed they demanding the cause why he laughed hee answered ye marvaile at that I laugh and I laugh at that you marvell for the perils and travels considered wherein wee live and the safety wherein wee die it is no more needfull to have vertue and strength to live then courage to die And if wee looke but a little backe into his life wee shall not have much cause to marvell at his comfortable and patient bearing of the stroke of death for he was a man of such milde and temperate spirit that he could never bee seene to be wroth or out of patience with any man but alwaies counselled that were angry that if they desired to live long cheerefully and die comfortably to bannish rage as an enemy to them both a worthy saying of a heathen and to be had in estemation and remembrance of every good Christian But should any bee so unwise to thinke his precepts are the lesse worthy of immitation for being a Heathen I would aver the contrary against any seditious turbulent spirit whatsoever the best of us all being bound to receive the doctrines of many which doe write tending to our good though wee be not tied to follow the lives which they leade if bad Gold is nere the worse for being presented unto us out of a beggers hand in a lether bagge or a sermon ere the worse which we heare preached because he that preacheth it is of an ill life It is our wisdomes to looke what the gold is and not what the bagge is that it came in or what the man was that brought it We are not to inquire so much what the life and conversation of the Minister is as what his doctrine and admonitions are that hee teacheth not what this Cato was but what his precepts are which in a word are so wise honest and good for every Christian man and woman to reade and practice that you shall not finde any Author from whom a civill life may gather better instructions Many there are of my knowledge which will not have their children brought up in learning because forsooth the Authors which they should learne are heathenish as this our Cato Turrence Mantuin Ovid Virgil Homer and the like desiring rather they should live like idiots and die like fooles then to attaine knowledge as they thinke by such unlawfull meanes Others because of the tendernesse
him for to eate his owne sonnes heart Not fearing God nor who should take his part Nor yet regarding losse of goods and lands Th'Emperours frownes the terror of his hands And thus was there great talke both farre nie Amongst the Commons all of the City Some did believe it true and some could not Yet nerethelesse he led was to the plot Of execution where men justice should fulfill On him according to th' Emperours will And when he came to the said place of death The gallowes ready him to hang beneath He made his prayers and orations With good and godly exhortations And all was finished there nothing lackt But a hangman to performe the act They called fast for one but none would heare For all themselves absented that was there And hid themselves for the friend of Cato's sake What calling ere there was none would answere make Whiles thus this businesse was plotted wel In the meane time a wonder great befell For he whom Cato from the gallowes sav'd And pardon for his life did get uncrav'd By the authority of his office Came out and did present himselfe iwis Before the faces of them great and small And said on high with open mouth to all The people that was there my Lords the fact That this man here hath done is a vile act And not to be excus'd nor borne withall God in his justice for it vengeance call And therefore for the love which I doe beare Unto my Country and the honest care I have to punish with a heavie hand Such evill doers as this wicked man I am my selfe here ready without blame Hang-man to be since none will doe the same When as the multitude of people heard Him thus to speak their judgemens no whit spard To censure him for offering so free His needlesse service as a courtesie And looking well how he himselfe behav'd They said is this not he whom Cato sav'd From hanging which to him was justly due And divers that did know him said 't was true It is the same villaine and very slave VVhom Cato freed and his life did save Then began the people speake a great crue VVith one voyce openly it is most true A very ideot and unwise is he That saves a thiefe and letteth him goe free For the proverbe is no lésse true than old As by our forefathers hath oft beene told The thiefe that sav'd is will most ready be To hang him who him sav'd as we all see Cato this wretched villaine seeing said Thou wicked fellow art not thou afraid That God will powre his vengeance vpon thee For being so ungratefull unto me As to forget the time is past but thus In worldly affaires it goes with us As they were reasoning thus of the cause Behold the people made a suddaine pause For they had seene a huge great company Of mounted horsmen that were comming ny And many other following with speed After them on many a gallant Steed Making a mighty noise and calling fast Vnto the people all with signes in hast Saying put not to death that worthy man My good and loving master out of han But all the while they wist not what was said Yet hoped they his death should be delayd Or that some pardon comming was to free Him from deaths stroke of cruell destiny Of which in heart they were exceeding glad And causd them stay with Cato till they had Intelligence as they came riding on They well perceiv'd it was th'Emperous sonne Who came in haste as fast as he could ride VVith spurs clapt close unto his horses side Calling and crying still I pray forbeare To put to death my loving master deare Let none lay hands on him life to deprive In any case for I am here alive At which all the whole multitude did muse Rejoycing much to heare this joyfull nuse The Prince approching spies his Tutor deare bound and prepar'd for execution neere Then leaps from off his horse and with quick pace Goes to his master whom he doth imbrace VVith such affection and such hearty will That mixt with kisses brinish teares distill And bands unbinding said who could devise Gainst you good master deare friend these lies And false reports wherby your troubles wrough And greatest danger to your selfe is brought Oh could the Emperour my father deere Lightly believe those slanderous tales he heare Gainst you even most entirely belov'd Whose faithfulnesse to him hath been approv'd Th'amazd spectators while they heare and see This gentle carriage more amazed be That their great Emperors son in teares shold vent The joy and great good will in heart he ment Unto his Tutor this they judge to be A sure presage of future clemency For which their praises unto Heaven aspire And at these accidents they much admire Nay more this noble Prince the Emprours sonne Makes Cato ride while he on foot doth run And running holds the raines as if that he Some laquy and not Caesars sonne should be Thus Cato late condemn'd now rides in state Through Romes faire streets unto the Palace gate I need not tell the joy and great delight The people tooke at this so pleasing sight For young and old the lame and halt and blind Did trudge along there 's none would stay behind The newes before unto the Court doth passe To the Emperours presence and the Emperesse Who now forgetting state in haste doe run To see grave Cato and their deerest sonne But sudden joy hereat doth overpoise Their naturall forces and their sences â—ies They speechlesse stand and are amazed quite And strucke with wonder at so strange a sight The Emperour reviving now might see His sonnes observance and the peoples glee At Cato's fortune how he was misled By 's passion rashly to command his head For which he now repenting and asham'd Confest his rashnesse and his foll blam'd And such salutes to him he doth addresse As might his love and favour best expresse Then came the Emperours sonne and mildly said Oh! father deere how could you be so swaid Rashly without advisement to command Against all law or justice in our Land My faithfull master to be put to death Ceasing his goods that he could none bequeath Before you did rightwell perceive and prove The matter clearely as did you behove By witnesses sufficient that those crimes Unto him laid were true least after-times Your furious hastinesse did justly blame As well they might with a perpetuall shame And cheefely for because you know right well The like now living not on earth doth dwell Had you him put to death in angry spleene Marke I you pray what pitty it had beene And what great losse of him we should have had Whose very presence makes our hearts full glad Both you and yours with all Romes City strong Would have him mist and that justly ere long Nay what relentlesse heart would not have cryd That such a man unjustly should have dyed Being innocent as we see at large And faultlesse of