For why of them was slurgyng slothe And gluttonie auoided bothe Now deintie dishes hasten death And bedds bereue our bodies breath To Larius Infirmities THe greuous gouce putts thee to paine From women cares and wine refraine This sicknesse sore and greef of thine Maie bryng to passe that lawe deuine Could neuer bryng to passe in thee A newe man this male make thee bee This greef thee vnto God maie winne With doloures ioyes doe ofte beginne To Maximus a Mâ—seâ— THis is thy cast still Maximus thâ—â— is lest euermore Because thou wilt not spende thy goods thou sparst to feede the poore Ah caitiffe â—arle how art thou witcht with blinde desire of gaine Knowest not that carkyng couetousnesse bryngs hell and hoâ—lyng paine The carle charletts the poore to pine and saues his paultrie pelfe What seekes he but to spaâ—e his goods and quight to spill hym selfe Luste vnsatiate BLacke Proserpine hath neuer suckt of humaine bloud her fill The drie vnsaciable ground doth thurst for moysture still And though thou caste and neuer ceasse whole forrests in the fire It saies not ho for more it calles more still it doth desire So gredy lust vnsatiate doth not contented bide Vntill it hath destroid the corps and eke the soule beside To Ollus Patience NE teares auaile the â—ieke indence nor those in graue now dâ—d Ne pearcyng plaintes when ship is sunk stande Mariners 〈…〉 So fades no whit thy furie Oll when thou dost rage and rore But rather through thy greuâ—us as grones augments it more and more What thou dost suffer take in worth and heare with patient minde What thou dost beare against thy will more lodesome shalt thou finde To Iacobus Melitus Detraction LEad still a godly life well still thy selfe behaue Yet thee shall wicked tongues reproche and eke depraue It is the pastime and delight Of Zoyles at good men still to spight To Vincentius Nouatus shunsloth IF thou Vincentius carest for the health that still doth laste Then farre from thee continually see sluggish sloth thou cast When basking slothfull in the sunne the fiend his foe doth see Then then with mightie hand alwaies to weapon runneth he But whom he sees to labor prest theim lets he still alone He labor lothes and loues the luske to ease and pleasure prone To Flaccus Extortioners Cormorauntes ONe sillie drop of water askt the glotton greedie gorche With humble sute to swage the heat that so his tonge did scorche Yet neuer robd he as I reed the poore of ought hym selfe to feed If that be cause he would not giue thus plaugd the riche man was With torments suche in hell what shâ—ll become of them alas That nothyng giue but still oppresse poore widdowes and the fatherles To Marullus Almesdeedes DOost feare that God will angrie be and turne away his face from thee Marullus mine I will ther tell a waye how to be safe and well Thy face turne thou not from the poore God like for like payes euermore The good man feareth nought IF fortune doe but bend the browe and ner so little strike Thou out of courage straight art dasht I neuer saw the like And yet thou countst thy selfe for good but by no reason sure For goodmen they with manly harts do all mishaps indure Let murdring Mars be modie mad let fire and flame destroie Let frettyng famin pine and paine let mischefes all annoye With stout coragious minds all thinges good honest men sustaine Knowyng that hereby onely they their hauen and heuen obtaine By miseries and daungers great by death it selfe we goe Vnto the sweete celestiall coast where pleasures all do flowe To Doinisius Feb. The holy Scripture ALl thinges the fragrant field doth feed accordyng vnto kinde The birde hath seede the oxe hath strawe the dog his praie doth finde Euen so the sacred Bible booke for euery kinde and sorte Hath store of foode and norishment that list therto resorte Here tender babes haue milke and pap here ripe of yeares haue bred Here also wanteth not repast for age with hory head Yet hereof small account is made the cause may soone be knowne Each one doth seeke to feede his eares and let his hart alone To Archemedorus A Cussoner PEares Birdes to Iulius thou dost send all thinges both great and small And lorde and king and little god thou alwaies doost him call What meanes all this Archemedore what thinkst to get by this To coosen horie heares perdie no easie thing it is To Linus Vice. GO thou where Phoebus scorching burnes or go where Borias raignes Go hide thy selfe in dampishe dennes where darkenes blacke rentaines Go where and to what place thou wil be thy sinnes will follow thee By chaunge of place this certayn is vice cannot chaunges be If thou be faultie from thy minde all vice abandon clere And Linus lead another life and dwell not other where To one verie timerous NOw Does we may call desperat and Hartes coragious bolâ—e For Does and Hartes lesse timerous then thee a thousand folde To be afraid where is no feare is signe of dastardie And soone the faint of corage fall in snares of Sathan slie Against all daunger and mishap the chefest thing no dout Is for to haue a prudent head and heart coragious stoute Feare not the commyng of mishappe but when that it is come Then stick vnto thy tacklyng stoute and beare both all and some To Katharina THe rumor goes and told it is mine owne good Katharine That thou dost blaze my name abroad and laude the deedes of mine Vse measure in thy wordes and leaue thy laudyng so of mee Whom women laude are seldom likt but still suspected be And for thou shalt no ill misdeeme nor me vnthankfull call I thanke thee here let this suffise in recompence of all A Virgin rare renoumd thou art now wilt thou know of mee What best and most beseemes a maid ay blushing red to be B. DARDANIVS A liuely description of Hope THou that on totteryng globe dost stande art thou a Goddes â–ª tell Or els a mortall creature borne a goddes Verie well Whence spâ—ong or how begotten speake of darknesse spryng did I. What nurse did feede and giue thee sucke that did credulitie Who at thy backe behinde thee bides ioyes whiche doe glad and châ—re And what is he that still so pale doeth goe before thee feare Alofte vp to the loftie heauens thy lookes why doest thou caste I doe beholde the heauens whereas I hope to dwell at laste But tell me now what doeth deforme thy face so faire and bright I vexed am when my desires are voide and frustrate quight By staffe why doest thou staie thy self while hope doeth feede my mynde Old croked age with stealyng steps encrocheth on by kynde Why reelst thou staggeryng to and fro hope still doeth slipperie stande The thyng whiche ofte I thinke to holde doeth slip out of my hande The Description of Iustice. WHat hights thy name thou goddes tell my name doeth Iustice hight
hym in bed whereas he lay Not side by side but at his feet this foole did couche alway One night the Bishop had his trull in bed with him to lye The foole was waking and by hap fower leggs he felt hym by Ho maister quoth the foole I feele fower leggs whose be they thyne Yea quoth his master Philibert those leggs they all be mine Then Philibert straight startyng vp vnto the windowe hyes And puttyng out his noddyes nole with Stentors voyce he cries Monstrum horrendum come and see all men both yong and old My master that had twoo feet erst Hath fower now to beholde Against Claudia A Virgin thou wilt called be a virgin counted eake And still in praise of virgins pure still Claudia thou dost speake But why dost thou praise virgins so thy selfe no virgin art For thou didst bear a virgin late which was no virgins part To a certaine frend A Kerchef thou dost weare head ache doth not torment thee rise Nor sicknes surely thou hast felt the Distaffe of thy wife Of an egregious drunkard A Drunkard greate did fall into a feruent feuer sore Whereby he felt a greater thirst then earst he did before He sendeth for Phisitions straite vnto hym thei doe giue Bothe for to cure his feuer and his thirst awaie to driue To whom the pained partie spake Phisitions onely see That you my feuer cure my thirst leaue that to cure for me To certaine proude Papisticall persones SOme men doe call you holie men and some againe doe chuse To call you Fathers glad are you when thei suche titles vse But holie I can not you call whiche holinesse disdaine But fathers I maie call you well for brats you get amaine To Pope Paulus 2. THou needst not Rome for to request of Paul his stones to showe He hath begot a daughter la te he is a man I trowe Of Pope Ione the 8. and of the maner of makyng the Pope POpe Ione in mannes apparell went and faind her self a manne And by this straunge disguisyng she at last the Popedome wanne At last she plaied a piuishe part and let her seruaunt ride In saddle hers she trauailed brought forthe her child and died When as the Carnals Cardinalls I would saie if I could When thei perceiude this filthy facte thei all agreed none should Be Pope created after that vnlesse he had his stones Thei would not haue the Popedome staynde with any more Pope Iones But now adaies at Rome we see this custome waxeth colde What is the cause thei grope not now as thei were wont of olde The cause is now thei knowe before that thei are men in deede For now in euery corner swarme their whores and bastarde breede Of Lucretia whiche was daughter and wife to Pope Alex. 6. WHat makest thou Lucretia with chast Lucretias name Thou art an other Thais thou an other Lais dame Of Nodosius a Papist AT pointed seasons still Nodosius doeth refraine From eatyng fleshe and yet from fleshe no daie he doeth abstaine Doest aske how this maie be I will explane the case Dedde fleshe mislikes Nodosius but liue fleshe he doeth embrace Of a certaine yongman and a toothlesse sire A Yongman and an aged sire at Tauerne drinkyng sate At last well whitled bothe with wine thei fell at greate debate And striude aboute a thyng of nought the yongman all in yre Burst out and saied turde in thy teeth old crooked crabbed sire The old man pleasauntly replide turde in his teeth quoth he That hath teeth I haue none at all beholde and thou shalt se. And so he shewed his naked gummes where no teeth did remaine And thus the strife and greate debate did ceasse betwene them twaine To a proude princox WHy art thou proude stoute poutyng pride from heauenly ioyes on hie Doune hedlong tumbled Lucifer in Limbo lowe to lie To Pigmenius THou wealthie hast bothe house and lande Eke thou the Lawe doest vnderstande By hooke and crooke thou catchest still In cusnyng craft thou hast greate skill Thy fingers to can filche full faste For all these yet no coine thou haste How commeth it to passe wouldst knowe The speckled bones ofte thou doest throwe Of Cotilus a Priest. NO maydes loues Cotilus old wiues he loues as all may see What is the cause maides bring foorth brats old wiues still barren be Against Huberdine an old dottrell and peuish Preacher WHo preacheth naught but triflyng toyes vnto the people still A pratyng preacher may be calde deuoyde of wit and skill To Ruffina He playeth the woer for a frend of his of person as pretty as a Pigmey DIspise not this thy suter small that loues thee as his life And thee desires Ruffina faire to be his spouse and wife In bodies deft of dapper Dicks great vertue ofte doth dwell Perchaunce in bed thou shalt hym proue a man I can not tell Of the vnsatiable couetousnes of this worlde A Golden great vngodly world this may be counted well Each man loues gold but godlines who loues I can not tell To Pontiana a mayd so called SNowe helde vnto the fire doeth melt and ceasseth Snowe to bee So Pontiana perishe those that burne in loue with thee To Claudia OF late thine heares were black but now thei shine gold like vnto With any Painter fine of late tell haddest thou to doe Of Antonina IN bosome hers a dapper Dogge still Antonina beares She lulles hym culles hym louyngly she luggs hym by the eares She would not misse her fistyng curre for any thyng and why Forsothe when so she letts a scape she cries me fie curre fie To Ihon Cullier LIke dombe dog Hennus neuer barkes all preachyng he doeth shunne And yet thou saiest his dutie still by hym is duely doon He drinks he hunts he hunteth whores he smacks how saiest thou tell Doeth he his duetie due doeth he performe his function well Of Glaurus an old dotyng Priest. GLaurus is crooked all for age he still prepares to dye Yet Glaurus hath a prettie wench at home with hym to lye To Hermannus Mennus POore haue I been and poore I am and poore still shall I bee And Mennus loe the cause I will declare and shewe to thee If poore thou be Aemilian thou shalt be poore alwaies For none but wealthy wordlyngs are enriched now adaies Of Clytus ON Saterdaie no fleshe will Clytus eate perdie But for to steale an horse on Sunday he will hie This Monostichon here followyng was written vpon the gate of the Monestarie of the Benedictines or blacke Monkes HIc intret nullus nisi pullus sit sibi Cullus No maner wight shall enter here Vnlesse blacke hoode on backe he beare Barbara vox Cullus pro qua ponēda Latina est Et poterit carmen forsitan esse bonum Cullus is sure a barbarous woorde skant Latine for an whood To Culus Cullus therefore chaunge so maie the verse be good Hic intret nullus nisi pullus sit sibi Culus No maner wight shall
translated out of the first booke of Greke Epigrams THy picture Craesus kyng that didst for riches all excell Vnciuill rude Diogines behelde beneth in hell And vewyng it aloofe he laught as though his harte would breake At laste when he had laught his fill he thus began to speake O foolishe Craesus what auailes now all thy paultrie pelfe Sith now thou poorer art then poore Diogines hym self For what was myne I bare with me when selie Craesus poore Thou penilesse didst packe from hence for all thy hugy store Of the drinke DODRA Which is made of nine thinges I Dodra hight How so nine thinges do go to makyng mine Which they ioyce water hony bread spice hearbes salt oyle and wine Against tvvo sisters of diuers conditions WE muse and maruell Delia muche and that with cause to see That there suche difference is betwixt thy sister she and thee She chaste doth seeme vnchaste indeede because of her araie Thou chast indeede dost seeme vnchast for garments thine so gay Though thou be spotles pure in life thoug she haue honest weedes Yet garments thyne dishonest thee and her her noughtie deedes Of a sluggard THe luske in health is worser farre then he that keepes his bed T is twise so much that he deuoures of beare of beafe and bread Of the riche and poore man. HE is not riche which plenty doth posces Ne is he poore that nothing hath at all And of them both the pooremās nede is lesse as by the sequel proued see you shal The riche of Precious stones doth stande in neede the poore of graine to helpe hym in distres So sith the poore riche both want indeede of both their nedes that poremās nede is lesse Of his deare deceased THree graces fayre there were but while my Lesbia did remaine Foure were there and now she is gone there are but three agayne MICHAEL TARCHAMOTA MARVLLVS To Neaera MY sweete you aske what life I liue Euen suche a life as you me giue Distressed dolefull barde from reste As bad as well can be expreste This is the life for certaintee That you my deare doe giue to me You doe demaunde my deare beside What mates a daies with me abide Cares sicknesse pale and greef of harte Paine twitching throwes scalding smart Sighes sobbes and teares and great vnrest As bad as well can be exprest Companions these and mates of mine These you my deare to me assine ANDREAS DACTIVS Of hym self and his frende LIke as the bough doeth bud and branche ▪ knit to his bodie faste And pluckt awaie doeth sone decaie drie wither dye and waste Euen so by thee I stande or fall I liue or dye by thee For vnto thee I am the bough and thou the stocke to me IOANNIS BAPTISTA PIGNA Of Naijs WHen as the Sunne doeth shine if Naijs hide her face Then Phoebus dies and all the feelds lament in dolefull cace When as the Sunne doeth shroude if Naijs faire appere Then darknesse dies and all the feelds reioyce with gladsome chere CAELIVS RHODIGINVS How a man should prepare to dye GOod ende if thou desire then well to liue thy self applie A happie life if thou desire remember still to die Piscarius his Epitaphe WHo vnder this same Marble colde engraued lyes expresse A Fisher greate in warre a Mars and one that loued peace What caught he fishe declare me no. what then I praie thee tell Townes cities kingdoms kings thēselues haught stoute that did excell How caught this Fisher these declare by what deuised netts By counsell deepe by courage greate by strength that all thyngs getts Who conquerd this stout Duke at last Mars Mors twoo Gods of might What was the cause that them constrainde vile enuious hellishe spight They hurte hym nought for still doeth liue his fame and glorie bright Whiche is of force bothe Mars and Mors and all to put to flight GEORGIVS SABINVS Of the discorde of Princes TWo thrushes falne at variaunce together feirce do fight Eache seekes the other for to foyle by strugling strength and might The Hawke their cruell enimie beholdyng them at square In cruell clutches caught them both and them to peaces tare So christian princes while they be betwene themselues at bate In comes the tyrant Turke their fo and spoyles them of their state To a Lasse lamentyng of her mother the losse IN wayling the departure of thy louyng mother deere In ragyng sort why dost thou rend and hale from head thyne heare O spare thy locks thou lewde and cease to pull thy pace Dost thinke by baldnes pilde thy dolor to abate Of a Painter A pleasant and mery iest A Painter once that was a Zeuxis for his skill Had children foule deformed blacke and of complexion ill His wife spake to hym thus in sport vpon a certen tyme Why dost thou plant so naughtly tell and paint so fayre and fine O wife quoth he you knowe I plant in darkenes all the night But paint I doe when Phoebus raies do cast a radiant light A mery iest of a scattergood WHat tyme a certen skattergood within his gates by night Did entryng see a pilfring knaue somethyng to steale and pike Thou art besnerd here in the night to looke for ought quoth he For I my selfe when Phoebus bright doth shine can nothyng see A Iest of a Iester A Scoffer fine was wont somtime in iest to euery wight Still to rehearse Menalcas verse of whom doth Maro write I le make that none with talkyng tongue henceforth thou shalt abuse This verse of Vergil still in sport and Iestyng he would vse But so it chaunced at the last for many a knauishe parte He was compeld by throtlyng cord of death to byde the smart And brought to place where he should bide the pinching pangs of death The halter tide the hangman horst prepard to stop his breath The hangman puttyng ore his head the halter as they vse Said I le make that none by talkyng tongue hencefoorth thou shalt abuse ANGERIANVS To the Rose THou Rose so faire doest quickly fade so forme fades quickly sure Then thou faire Rose beautie braue a like tyme doe endure To his Image MY portrature so liuely wrought tell me who fashioned thee How passyng right resemblest thou the countenaunce of me Thou lookest pale pale eke looke I thou blinde I also blinde Aye me no mynde hast thou at all I likewise haue no minde No life hast thou no life haue I thou dumbe canst nothyng speake Aye me my tongue ne talkes at all I dumbe and speachlesse eake No harte doeth harber in thy breast I hartlesse am againe Thou bidest vnaccompanied so likewise I remaine Of fadyng paper thou compacte that quickly doeth decaie My bodie eke but brittle barke vnstedfast still doeth staie Thou as a shadowe of my corps enduerst but little tyme A fadyng shadowe followes still likewise the corps of myne Thou feble sone doest fade and faile long maie not I remaine To duste and pouder