purpose of living and dying the said shepheard saith the thing that we desire most in this world is to live long and the thing that wee most fear is to dye soon thus he travailed his understanding and made great diligence to know and to do things possible and requisite for to live long whole and ioyfully which this present compost and Kalender of Shepheards sheweth and teacheth Wherefore we will shew you of the bodies celestiall and of their nature and movings and this present book is named the compost for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the daies hours and moments and the new Moons and the Eclipse of the Sunne and the Moon and the signs that the Moon is in every day and this book was made for them that be no Clarks to bring them to great understanding He said also that the desire to live long was in his soul the which alway lasteth wherefore hee would that his desire was accomplished after death as afore He said sith the soul dieth not and in her is the desire to live long it should be an infallible pain not to live after death as afore for he that liveth not after his corporal death shall not have that that he hath desired that is to wit to live long should abide in eternal pain if his desire were not accomplished So concluded the said Shepheard necessary things for him and other to know and do that which appertaineth to live after death as afore And truth it is that he which liveth but the life of this world only though hee lived an hundred year he lived not properly long but he should live long that at the end of this present life should begin the life eternall that is to say the life everlasting in heaven So a man ought to perform his life in this world corporally that he may live spiritually without end For as hee said one shall live everlasting without dying and when he hath the perdurable life hee shall bee perfect And also by this point and none otherwise shall be accomplished the desire of long living in this world The foresaid Shepheard also knowledged that the life of this world was soon past and gone wherefore this Shepheard thought that lxxii years in this vale of wretched misery is but a little and a small term of life to the everlasting the which never shall have ending And therefore he saith he that offereth himself here to live vertuously in this world after this life he shall receive the sweet life that is sure and lasteth ever without end For though a man lived here an C. yeer and more it is but a little term to the life to come Therefore saith this shepheard I will live soberly with these small temporal goods that Iesus hath lent me and ever to exile the desire of worldly riches and worldly worship For they that labour for it and have love to their goods and vain worships oft it parteth man from the heavenly treasure It shutteth mans heart that God may not enter and buildeth man a place of no rest in the low land of darknesse CHAP. II. Hereafter followeth another Prologue of the Master Shepheard that sheweth and proveth the Authors Prologue true that is before rehearsed and so the shepheards dispute one with another but this that followeth the Master shepheard saith to the other of the division of this Kalender Here beginneth the Master Shepheard IT is to be understood that there be in the year four quarters that are called Ver Aestas Autumnus and Hyems These de the four seasons of the year as Prime-time is the spring of the year as February March and April these three months Then commeth Summer as May Iune and Iuly and these three months every hearb grain and tree is in his kind in his most strength and fairnesse even at the highest Then commeth Autumne as August September and October then all these fruits waxe ripe and be gathered and housed Then commeth November December and Ianuary and these three months be the Winter the time of little profit We Shepheards say that the age of man is lxxii years and that we liken but to one whole year for evermore we take six years to every month as Ianuary or February so forth for as the year changeth by the twelve months into twelve sundry manners so doth a man change himself twelve times in his life by twelve ages and every age lasteth six year if so be that he live to lxxii for three times six maketh eighteen and six times six maketh xxxvi And then is man at the best and also at the highest and twelve times six maketh lxxii and that is the age of a man Thus must ye reckon for every month six year or else it may be understood by the four quarters and seasons of the year So man is divided into four parts as to youth strength wisedome and age He to be xviii yeer yong xviii yeer strong xviii yeer in wisdome and the fourth xviii yeer to go to the full age of lxxii And now to shew you how man changeth xii times as the xii months do TAke the first six yeer of Ianuary the which is for no vertue nor strength in that season nothing on the earth groweth So man after he is born till he be six year of age is without wit strength or cunning and may do nothing that profiteth Then commeth February and then the days begin to wax in length and the Sunne more hotter then the fields begin to waxe green So the other six yeers till he come to twelve the child beginneth to grow bigger serve and learn such as is taught him Then commeth March in the which the laborer soweth the earth planteth trees edifieth houses the child in these six yeers waxeth big to learn doctrin science and to be fair honest for then he is xviii years of age Then commeth Aprill that the earth and the trees are covered in green and flowers and in every part goods increase abundantly then commeth the child to gather the sweet flowers of hardinesse but then beware that the cold winds stormes of vices beat not down the flowers of good manners that he should bring man to honor for then he is xxiiii yeer old Then commeth May that is both fair and pleasant for then birds sing in woods and Forrests night and day the Sunne shineth hot and as then is man most ioyfull and pleasant and of livelier strength and seeketh plaies sports and lusty pastime for then he is full xxx years Then cometh Iune and then is the sunne highest in his meridional he may ascend no higher in his station his glimering golden beams ripēs the corn and when a man is xxxvi year he may ascend no more for then hath nature given him beauty and strength at the full and ripeneth the seeds of perfect understanding Then commeth Iuly that our fruits been set a sunning and our corn a
each hath his as afore is said also to know the transgressions of all these aforesaid things how many times in each we have transgressed for many times we have offended God and who that taketh heed shall find omissions and offences without number the which known we ought to doubt and eschue and do penance And thus it is as I know man is christian and shepheard CHAP. XVI The ballad of a wise man I Know that God hath turned me And made me to his owne likenesse I know that he hath given to me truly Soul and body wit and knowledge ywis I know that by right wise true ballance After my deeds iudged shall I be I know much but I wot not the variance To understand whereof commeth my folly I know full well that I shall die And yet my life amend not I. I know in what poverty Borne a child this earth above I know that God hath lent to me Abundance of goods to my behove I know that riches can me not save And with me I shall beare none away I know the more good I have The lother I shal be to die I know all this faithfully And yet my life amend not I. I know that I have passed Great part of my days with ioy and pleasance I know that I have gathered Sinnes and also doe little penance I know that by ignorance To excuse me there is no art I know that once shal be When my soule shall depart That I shall wish that I had mended me I know there is no remedy And therefore my life amend will I. CHAP. XVI Here followeth the ballad of the woman Shepheard the which Ballad is very necessary and profitable to look upon IN considering my poor humanity Above the earth born with great weeping I consider my fragility My heart is overprest with sinning I consider death will come verily To take my life but the hour wot not I. I consider the devill doth watch me The world and the flesh on me warreth straitly I consider that mine enemies they be three That would deliver me from death to death I consider the many tribulations Of this world whereof the life is not clean I consider an hundered thousand passions That we poor creatures daily fall in I consider the longer I live the worse I am Wherefore my conscience cryeth out on me I consider for sin some be damned as the book saith Which shall ever be delivered from death to death I consider that worms shall eat My sorrowfull bodie this is credible I consider that sinners shall be At the iudgment of God most dreadable O Iesus Christ above all things delectable Have mercy on me at the dreadfull day That shall be so marvellous and doutable Which my poor soul greatly doth fraie In you that I put my trust and faith To save me that I go not from death CHAP. XVII The song of death to all Christian people Though my picture be not to your pleasance And if ye think that it be dreadable Take in worth for surely in substance The sight of it may to you be profitable There is no way also more doubtable Therefore learn know your self and see Look how I am and thus shall you be And take heed of thy self in adventure read I For Adams apple we must all die Alas worldly people behold my manner Sometime I lived with beauteous visage Mine eine be gone I have two holes here I am meat for wormes in this passage Take heed of wealth while ye have the usage For as I am thou shalt come to dust Holed as a thimble what shall thee advance Nought but good deeds thou maist me trust All with my likenesse ye must dance The time that I was in this world living I was honored of low and hie But I kept not my conscience clean from sinning Therefore now I doe it dear abye Lo what availeth covetise pride and envy They be the brands that doe bren in hell Trust not to your friends when ye be dead read I Nor your executors for few doe well But doe for thy self ere ever thou die And remember while thou art living That God blessed all things without nay Except sin as accordeth writing The devill cannot claim thee but by sin I say Amend therefore betime and go the right way I would that I might have but an houre or two To doe penance in or halfe a day But while I lived I did none doe But now my debts I doe truely pay Thou man I doe give better counsell to thee If that thou wilt doe after it Then ever any was shewed to me Thou art half warned thinke on thy pit And choose of two wayes which thou wilt flie To ioy or pain one of the two In weal or woe for ever to sit Now at thine owne choice thou maist go For God hath given thee free will Now choose thee whether thou wilt do good or ill CHAP. XVIII Hereafter followeth the ten Commandements of the devill WHo so will doe my commandements And keep them well and sure Shall have in hell great torments That evermore shall endure Thou shalt not feare God nor think of his goodnes To damne thy soule blaspheme God and his saints Evermore thine owne will be fast doing Deceive men and women and ever be swearing Be drunken hardly upon the holy day And cause other to sin if thou may Father nor mother look thou love nor dread Nor helpe them never though they have need Hate thy neighbour and hurt him by envie Murder and shed mans bloud hardly Forgive no man but be all vengeable Be lecherous indeed and in touching delectable Breake thy wedlocke and spare not And to deceive other by falshood care not The goods of other thou shalt hold falsly And yeeld it no more though they speak curteously Company often with women and tempt them to sin Desire thy neighbors wife and his goods to be thine Do thus hardly and care not therefore And thou shalt dwell with me in hell evermore Thou shalt ly in frost and fire with sicknes hunger And in a thousand peeces thou shalt be torne asunder Yet shalt thou die ever and never be dead Thy meat shaâ—be toads and thy drink boyling lead Take no thought for the bloud that God for thee shed And to my kingdome thou shalt be straight led Here followeth the reward of them that keep these commandements aforesaid IN hell is great mourning Great trouble of crying Or thunder and noyse roaring With great plenty of wild fire Beating with great stroakes like guns With great frost and water runing And after that a bitter wind comes Which goeth through the soules with ire There is both thirst and hunger Fiends with hookes pulleth their flesh They fight and curse and each other redeem With the sight of the devils dreadable There is shame and confusion Rumor of conscience for evill living They curse themselves with great crying In stinke and smoake evermore lying With other
life The second house of substance and riches The third that finisheth at mid-night is the house of fraternity The fourth that beginneth at mid-night comming in Occident is named the house of patrimony The fift following is the house of sons The sixt finisheth in Occident under the earth is the house of sicknesse The seventh beginneth in Occident on the earth and stretcheth towards mid-day and is the house of marriage The eight is the house of death The ix finishing at mid-day is called the house of faith of religion and pilgrimage The tenth beginning at mid-day comming towards Orient is the house of honor and regality The eleventh after that is the house of true friends And the twelfth that finisheth in orient on the earth is named the house of charity but this matter is difficile for shepheards knowledging the nature and property of every of the said twelve houses and departeth them lightly and sufficeth of that is said with the figure present Qualiter puer crescit in ventre matris suae Primo mense crescit cerebrum Secundo crescunt venae Tertio quarto habebit omnia membra sua sed erit sine anima Quinto incipit venire multum gravabit matrem suam Sexto circundabitur pelle ossa crescent Septimo ungues crescent Octavo crescit cor omnia viscera praeter jecur Nono sciet mater si puer poterit bene nasci an non Decimo crescit jecur in puero de tunc bene comparebit mulieri si bene eveniet puero an non quae in jecore crescat quod quam cito habuit jecur tam cito nascetur vel morietur In quibus partibus corporis hominis sunt spiritus intellectus Intellectus dicitur essein fronte Memoria in cerebro Ira in felle Avaricia in jecore Timor in corde halitus in pulmone cogitatio in venis quia splene ridemus felle irascimur corde sapimus jecore amamus quibus quatuor elementis constantibus integrum est animal Of the twelve signes which be good or bad to take journeys by land or water ARies is good Taurus is not so Gemini and Cancer will make thee glad But beware hardly of Leo and Virgo Libra for friendship full hard is Scorpio Sagittary good Capricorn perillous Aquary by water good Clarks proveth so For best is Pisces and most plenteous CHAP. XL. How the Planets reign in every hour HE that will weet how shepheards know which planet reigneth every hour of the day and night which planet is good which is bad ought to know the planet of the day and seek therefore The first temporall hour of the Sun rising that day is for the said planet The second hour is for the planet ensuing the third for the other as they are here figured by order and it behoveth to go from Sol to Venus Mercury Luna them come again to Saturn unto 12. that is the hour before the Sunnes going down and incontinent after the Sun is down beginneth the first hour of the night that is for the xiii planet and the 2. hour of the night for the 14. and so unto 12. hours for the night that is the nexte hour before the Sun rising and come directly falling upon the 24. planet that is next before that of the day following And thus the day hath 12. hours and the night 12. also the which be temporall hours different to the hours of the clocks the which be artificials Shepheards say that Saturn and Mars be evill planets Iupiter and Venus good Sol and Luna half good and half evill The party toward a good planet is good and the party toward the evill planet is naught Mercury conioyned with a good planet is good and with an evill planet he is naught and they understand this as to the influences good or evill that been of the said planets there following The houres of the planets been different to them of clocks for the hours of clocks been equall at all times each of lx minutes but they of the planets when the dayes and the nights be equall that the Sun is in one of the Equinocts they be equall but as soon as the dayes lengthen or shorten so do the naturall houres By this it is convenient alway for the day to have 12. temporall houres and the night also and when the days be long and the houres long and when the dayes be short and the houres short in like manner is the night and neverthelesse an hour of the day and an hour of the night together have six score minutes as many as two hours for artificials that the one leaveth the other taketh And take we our planets from the Sun rising not before unto the Sun going down and all the remnant is night Example of that which is above In December the days have but vii hours artificials of clocks xii temporals let the viii hours artificials be divided in 12. equall parts and it shal be 12. times xl minutes and every part shal be a temporall hour that shal be of xl minutes and no mo Thus in December the temporal hours of the day have but xl minutes but the hours of the night have fourscore for in that time the nights have xvi hours artificials which divided in 12. parts bin fourscore minutes for every tēporall hour Thus the hour of the nights in Decemb. have 80. minuts and xl for an hour of the day there been six sore minutes in two temporall hours as many in two hours artificialls that be each of xl minutes In Iune is the contrary in March and in September all hours been equall as the dayes been in other months by equall portion With every planet here afore figured been the signs which be the houses of the said planets as it is aforesaid Capricornus and Aquarius been the houses of Saturn Sagittarius and Pisces of Iupiter Scorpio and Aries of Mars Leo of Sol Taurus and Libra of Venus Gemini of Mercury Cancer of Luna with other significations that would be long to recount Hereafter followeth the nature of the seven planets with the dispositions of the said Planets after the sayings of expert shepheards My son thou shalt understand That to avoid all idlenesse This matter oft thou take in hand To read of shepheards businesse And specially of the Planets seven Of Mars and Saturn that is full high Also of Sol the middle heaven And under him Venus Luna and Mercury For to know their natures all In sooth it is a great cunning And shew what may befall When every planet is reigning By their working oft we been moved To love lust and playes of iollity And by some of them as Clarkes have proved They stir us to theft murther and utily Some be not good some be bad veryly Some be not comfortable to man ne beast Some hot some cold some moist some dry If three be good four be worse at least Saturn is highest and coldest being full bad
the earth have taken on me to indite this little treatise for to instruct and endoctrin the people not lettered First to know God their maker Secondly to govern their bodies and eschue infirmities And thirdly to know the course of the firmament and of the celestiall bodies conteined in it with the disposition of the vii Planets But who that will know his properties ought first to know the Month that he was born in and the sign that the Sun was in the same day I will not say that such things shal be but that the signs have such properties and is the will of God After Poets and Astronomers Aries is the first sign that sheweth the fortunes of men and women as saith Ptolomeus The first sign of Aries I Find that he which is born in the sign of Aries from mid March to mid Aprill shal be of good wit and shall neither be rich ne poor he shall have damaâ—â— by his neighbours he shall have power over deaâ—â—â—lkes goods he shall be soon angry and soon appeased he shall have divers fortunes discords he will desire doctrine and haunt eloquent people and shall be expert in many degrees he shal be a lyer and unstedfast of courage and will take the vengeance on his enemies and he shal be better disposed in youth in all things than in age unto xxxiii year he shall be a fornicatour and shal be wedded at xxv year and if he be not he shall not bee chast he shall be a mediatour for some of his friendes and will gladly be busie in the needs of other he shal be awaited to be damaged he shall have a sign in the shoulder in his head and in his body yet he shall be rich by the deathes of other his first son shall not live long he shal be in danger of four footed beastes hee shall have great sickenesse at xxiii year and if he escape he shall live lxxxv year after Nature The woman that is born in this time shal be irefull and suffer great wrongs from day to day she will gladly make leasings and shall leese her husband and recover a better shee shall be sick at five year of age and at xxv she shal be in great danger of death and if she escape she shal be in doubt till xliii year and shall suffer great pain of the head The days of Sol and Mars to them shal be right good and the days of â—upiter shal be contrary to them and aswell the men as the women shal be semblable to the Sheep that every year leeseth his fleece of wool and within short space recovereth it again Of the sign of Taurus HE that is born in the Sign of Taurus from mid Aprill till mid May shal be strong hardy and full of strife delicious and shall possesse goods given to him by other men that he would have done shal be incontinent and will enforce to himself to finish it In his youth he will dispise every person shall be irefull he shall goe pilgrimages and will leave his friends and live among strangers he shall be put in offices shall exercise them well and shall be rich by women he shall be thanklesse and come to good estate he will take vengeance on his enemies he shal be bitten of a dogge and shall experiment many pains by women and shall be in perill at xxxiii year he shall be in perill of water and shal be greeved by sicknesse and venym at xxiii year and at xxx year he shal be abundant in riches and shall rise â—o great dignity and shall live lxxxv year and three monthes after nature and shall see his fortune sorrowfull The woman that is born in this time shall be effectuall laboring and a great lyer and shall suffer much shame she shall reâ—oyce in the goods of her friendes that which she coâ—â—â—â—veth in her mind shall come to effect and shall have the best party she shall â—â—ve many husbands and many children she shall be in her best estate aâ— xvi years and she shall have a sign in the middest of her body she shall be sickely and if she escape she shall live lxxvi years after nature She ought to bear rings and precious stones upon her The daies of Jupiter and of Luna been right good for them and the dayes of Mars contrary As well the man as the woman may be likened to the bull that laboreth the land and when the seed is sowen he hath but the straw for his part They shall keep well their own and it shall not profit to them ne to other and shall be reputed unkind Of the sign of Gemini THE man that is born in the sign of Gemini from mid Maie to mid Iune shall have many woundes and he shal be fain and mercyfull he shall lead an open and a reasonable life he shall receive much money he will goe in unknown places and do many pilgrimages he will praise himself and will not bide in the place of his nativitie he shall be wise and negligent in his workes he shall come to riches unto xxvi year his first wife shall not live long but he shall marry strange women he shal be late married he shall be bitten of a dog and shall have a marke of Iron or of fire he shal be tormented in water and shall passe the sea and shall live an hundred year and x. monthes after nature The woman then born shall come to honor and set forward with the goods of other and she shal be agrieved of a false crime she ought to be wedded at xiv year if she shall be chaste and eshewe all perill and shall live lxx year after nature and shall honor God The days of Mercury and Sol to them been right good the days of Luna and Venus been to them contrary and as wel the man as the woman shall augment and assemble the goods of their successors but skantly shall they use their owne goods they shall be so avaricious Of the sign of Cancer NExt after he that is born under the sign of Cancer from mid Iune to mid Iuly shal be very avaricious and of equal stature he will love women he shal be merry humble good wise and well renowned he shall have domage by envy he shall have the money of other in his guiding he shall be a conductor of other folkes things he shall have strife and discord among his neighbors and will avenge him on his enemy by his arrogance maâ— shall mock him he shall have often great fear on the water he wil keep his courage secretly in himself and shal suffer dolour of the womb he shall find hidden money and labor sore for his wife he shall see his peril in a certain year the which shal be known of God his favour shall decrease at xxxiii year he shall passe the sea and shall live lxx year after nature and fortune shall be agreeable to him The woman that shal be born in
other Lordshipps that been under the obedience of the Catholike Church The second nation is of Greeks HOrace complaineth speaking of this nation of Greece for the vexation that it hath had in times past The Greeks have the Patriark of Constantinople Arch-bishops and Abbots to the spiritualty and to the temporalty Emperours Dukes and Earles They be now but of smal number for Agariens and Turks have taken the greatest part of Greece the which part obeyeth not the catholike Church for their errour They been condemned by the Church for that they say Spiritus Sanctus non procedit a filio The third Nation is of Armenians WE read that the Nation of Armenians is nigh Antioch they use all one language in the divine service and in holy scripture as who should sing English in the Church and both the men and women understand all They have their Primate which they call Catholike to whom they obey as to the king in great devotion and reverence They fast the Lent and eate no fish and they drink no wine and eat flesh on the Saturday The fourth Nation is of Georgians THis Nation is called Georgians of St. George of whom they bear the Image in battaile and he is their Patron They been in the parts Oriential and been strong and delicious half Persians and half Assyrians and they speak foul and foolish language and make their sacraments as the Greeks The preists have their crownes round raised on their heads and the clarkes have them square When they goe to the holy Sepulcher they pay no tribute to the Sarazins they enter into Ierusalem their standards displaid for the Sarazins feareth them the women use armors as the men When they write to the Soldan incontinent that which they demand is granted them The fift Nation is of Assuriens I Find also by writing that the Nation of Suriens hath taken the name of a citie named Sur the which is the most eminent and most upholden among all other cities and townes of the countrey of Surrey These people for their vulgar and common speech speaketh the language Sarazionis their holy scriptures divinities and offices of the service in the Greek They have the Bishops keep constitutions of the Greeks and obey them in all things They sacrifice with raised bread and have opinions of the Greekes as the Latines There be some Christian men in the holy land that ensueth them and been called Samaritans which were converted in the time of the Apostles but they be not perfect Christian men The sixt Nation is of Mororabins SOmetime were wont to bee a Nation of people in the country of Affrick and Spain called Mororabiens but now they been but few They bee called Mororabiens for that in many things they held the use in Christian men being in Araby they use the language of Latin in the divine offices sacred things and obey to the Church and to the Prelates of the Latines They confesse them in the language Azymonien or in Latin They bin different to the Latines for that in their divine offices they have the hours to long And for the day is divided in xxiv hours of night and day so many offices hours Psalmes and all other Orizons have they along the which they say not after the custome of the Latines for that that the Latins say in the begining they say in the end or in the middst Some divideth the holy sacraments in vii parts and other in x. This is a right devout nation they conioyn no persons by mariage but if they be born in their own countrey and land the strangers be not received in mariage And when a man leeseth his wife by death he will never be wedded againe but live in chastity The cause of so great diversity among Christian men was for that in time past the Christians were let and not constrained to celebrate councell general For this cause there arose divers heretikes in many parts For there was none that might remedy it The seventh Nation is of Prester Johns land in Indie THen is the land of Indie whereof Prester Iohn is For his might is so great that it exceedeth all christendom This Prester Iohn hath under him lxx kings the which do to him obeisance and homage and when hee rideth about his country hee maketh to be borne afore him a Crosse of wood And when he will go to battaile he maketh two to be borne before him one of gold and the other of precious stones and in that land is the body of St. Thomas the Apostle buryed in a Tombe of stone and one of his hands is out of the Tombe and that hand every body may see that goeth thether The eight Nation is of Jacobites FOllowing after the Nation of Iacobits the which been named St. Iames the disciple of Alexander the Patriarck These Iacobites have taken and occupied a great part of Asia in the parts Occidentall and the land of Mambre that is in Egypt and the Land of Ethiopians unto Indie with more then xx Realms The children of that Country bee circumcised and baptised with an hot yron for they have printed the Character of the Crosse on their foreheads and on other parts of the body as on the armes and the brest they shrive them onely to God and not to the preists In this Province the Indians and Agarenoriens say that Iesus Christ hath only but the nature divine Some among them speaketh the language of Calde and Araby and divers other that speaketh other languages after the diversities of nations They were condemned at the councell of Calcedony The ninth Nation is of Nescoriens OF Nescorianus that was of Constantinople hath bin made this name Nescoriens These Nescorians putteth in Iesus Christ two persons one divine and another humain and they deny our Lady to be the mother of God but they say well Iesus to be man they speak the language of Caldee and sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ with raised bread They inhabit in Tartary and in great Inde they be in great number their countrey containeth almost as much as Almaigne and Italy The tenth Nation of Moroniens RObust is the Nation of Moronyens called of an heretick of Morone They put in Iesus Christ one understanding and one will they inhabit in Libia in the province of Venice and be a great number they use specially bows and arrowes and they have bells Their Bishopes have rings Miters and Crosses as the Lattines they use the letter of Caldee in their divine scriptures and in their vulgar speech they use the letter of Araby They have been under the obedience and lordship of the most holy and sacred Church Romain their Patriark was at the general councell of saint Iohn de Latran celebrate at Rome under Pope Innocent the third but since then they be returned They were first condemned at the councel of Constantinople and since been returned to the obedience of the Romain Church and yet returned againe to their false and evill opinions wherein they persevere CHAP. LV. Here beginneth a few proverbs THese proverbs be good to mark The which followeth in this book Be thou never so great a clark Disdaine not on them to look The first is man be content As God hath set thee in degree Each man may not have land and rent It were not convenient so to bee If thou have not worldly goods at will Therefore care nothing by the rede of me Do well and Gods commandement fulfill For every man may not a goldsmith be He that hath a penny in his purse If he the right way of Gods law hold He shall come to heaven as soon I wusse As a King that weareth on a crown of gold Also there is of men full many a score And each of then doth keep well his wife Which never had a noble in store And yet they live a full merry life And also another forget it nat Keep your own home as doth a mouse For I tell you the devil is a wily cat He will spye you in another mans house And in especiall God to please Desire thou never none other mans thing Remember that many fingers is wel at ease That never ware on no gay gold ring And this I tell you for good and all Remember it you that be wise That man or woman hath a great fall The which slide down and do never rise And one also forget not behind That man or woman is likely good to be That banisheth malice out of their mind And sleepeth every night in charity I read you work by good counsell For that man is worthy to have care That hath twise faln into a well And yet the third time cannot beware Say that a fryer told you this He is wise that doth forsake sin Then may we come to heavens blisse God give us grace that place to winne O Ye Clerkes famous and eloquent Cunning is caught by reading and exercise Of noble matters full excâ—llent And remembreth what Salomon saith the wise That praiseth businesse and idlenesse doth dispise And saith he that many books doth read and see It is full likely wisdome have shall hee Remember Clearks dayly doth their diligence Into our corrupt speech matters to translate Yet between French and English is great difference Their langing in reading is douse and delicate In their mother tongue they be so fortunate They have the Bible and the Apocalipse of divinitie With other noble books that now in English be And remember readers where ever ye go That Honey is sweet but cunning is sweeter Caton the great Cleark sometimes said so How gold is good and learning much better Yet many full good be that never knew letter And yet vertuous none can be of living But first of Preists and Clerks they must have learning Wherefore with patience I you all desire Beware of the rising of false heresie Let every perfect faith set your hearts afire And the chaffe from the corn cleane out to try They that beleeveth amisse be worthy to die And he is the greatest fool in this world iwis That thinketh no mans wit so good as his Thus endeth the Shepheards Kalender Drawn into English to Gods reverence And for profit and pleasure shall Clerks to cheer Plainly shewed to their intelligence Ours is done now readers do your diligence And remember that the Printer saith to you this He that liveth well may not die amiss FINIS