lye buryed in mucke and in sand My beard it is gray though not very old The strong I make wéepe nor for heate nor for cold Yet such is my state that the poore loue me well And stil I am forst with great men to dwell 7 From south and west commeth a straunge warlike nation Attiâ—de and apparelâ— in wonderfull fashion In garments milke white these people are clad Which strike and oppresse both good men and bad But fauour they shew in dealing their blowes And saue him from danger ech on his way goes And on his backe caryes dead bodyes great store Which with their thicke buffets had beate them before Great furies are kindled at end of the fray VVhich makes this straunge nation all vanish away 8 Long is it since first to the world I came Small am I of body poore féeble and lame Yet none in this world nor one neyther other In richesse and substaunce surpasseth my mother 8 Not long am I graunted this life to enioy So many there are that worke mée annoy O Lord how they rent mée it cannot bée told What torments I suffer in heat and in cold One while am I drowned such hap doth befal Then next doe they rost me yet this is not al. When thus they haue vsde me they cannot forbeare me Ere first being beaten by péecemeale they teare me Then serue I the turne of euery estate But one kinde of people mée deadly doth hate 9 Doe tell me my friends what creature is hée That two times is borne as all men may sée And liueth a space though not very long And often is killed not hauing done wrong VVhen y â— his breath fayleth it liueth no more It then is baptised and neuer before Though many a one doe euill entreate it They loue it right well and often doe eate it 10 A certain dead creature in mine armes I take With her back to my bosome great glée doth she make As thus I doe hold her she greatly doth chéere mée And wel are they pleased that sée me and heare mée Whilst erst it remayned in forest and field It silent remayning no speech forth did yéeld But since she of life by death was depriued With language shée speaketh mens sprites are reuiued 11 A father begat me yet I haue no mother Nor Uncle nor aunt nor sister nor brother Straight when I was born I began to florish For euery estate tooke care me to norish Thus many score yéeres they haue loued me full well And eke entertaind me amongst them to dwell All partes of the world I viewd in short space And still was bad welcome in euery place Though many by me reape losse care and woe They neuer will licence me from them to goe 12 Hard fortun doth haunt me by nature estranged From male into female I often am chaunged And where as before I liud well contented With prickings and punchings I now am tormented Now more to accomplish their gréedy desire They cruelly heate mee and scortch me with fire Though badly they vse mée so milde am I still That I yéelde them life that thus doe mée kill 13 Amongst the firiendships rare Of which old writers tell This may bée plaste in highest roome And doth deserue it well Whiles death with gasping throte Did gape for bloody pray Life conquered death and saude that life Which death did séeke to slay That life which did this déede As death would straight haue flaine That life which late by him was saude Preserude from death againe 14 Begot wi hout father in earth I remaine And oft I am turnd to my mother againe By night and by day I labour alwaies And with my sharp sauor both please displease Thus héere in this earth my race out I runne And neuer haue issue nor daughter nor sonne 15 A female I by name Am sister to a brother In all the world may not bée found Our like nor one nor other For hée no sooner dies But I straightwayes doe liue And I oft yéelding vnto death Still life to him doe giue Oft after him I hie And gladly would him stay But hée than arow from the bow More swiftly flyes away Straight wayes hée folowes me My presence to attaine And as hée fled from me before I flye from him againe Though straunge our state doth séeme By proofe yée may it try That both of vs are still aliue Yet both doe dayly die That yée may better know What straungers great wée bée Wee day and night doe dine and sup With men of ech degrée 16 Two are we in name though in substaunce but one First framed by arte then finisht with mone Before we are ready for those that will buy Through greatnesse of torment wée howle and wée Cry Yet féele we no griefe for all this anoy Great numbers by vs haue comfort and ioy Who when for their profits we haue done what wée may They then do reiect vs and cast vs away 17 Fayre art thou and â—â—d deseruing great praise And all men thée reuerence and honour alwayes Whiles that thy white banner abrode still is spread For then thou doest comfort both liuing and dead But if thy blacke banner bée spread foorth in vew All honour farewell all gladnesse adew Such woe then thou bringest to more and to lesse As pen cannot write it nor tongue may expresse 18. Of thée O my friend a thing I doe craue Which thou neuer hadst nor neuer shalt haue If that for thy selfe thou purpose to gayne it Thy labour is lost thou mayst not obtayne it Although thou shouldst liue a whole thousand yéere And séeke it yet shouldst thou be nothing the néere Now if thou doe loue me euen so as thou sayest Doe geue it For truely I know that thou mayst The solutions of the riddles 1 THe father the yéere the xii soÌ„nes y â— xii months the ix children the xxx dayes and xxx nights 2 A Ship 3 Amans minde 4 A footeball made of a bladder 5 An old man being in prison his daughter comming to visite him woulde geue him sucke of her breasts so nourish him 6 An Onion 7 Men trauellng in the snow are beaten with it and carry the dead bodies on their garments vntill they come to a fire which makes them vanish away 8 Hempe 9 A chicken being first an Egge then a chicken 10 A Lute 11 Play at all kinde of games 12 Wheat being the Newter GeÌ„der in Latin is turned into farinam meale which is the feminine which is then coÌ„nerted into bread so nourisheth them that bake it 13 A man coÌ„ming to a fouÌ„taine to drinke saw a serpent climbing vp on a trée to deuour a neast of young Egles which serpent hee slewe with his sworde and so saued their liues beeing about then to drink of the water the young birdes scraping out the filth of their nests fowled it in such sort that it letted him from drinking a spaniel that he had there with him tasting of it was presently poysoned 14 Salt 15 The night and day 16 A paire of sheares 17 A good tongue and a bad 18 A mayde béeing in loue with a young man desires him to geue her a husbande which in marriyng with her hée might doe
vice doe to thy lot befall From thée they came doe take them to thee all To thée O earth agayne I do restore My carrion corpes which from thée did procéede Because it did neglect all godly lore Let gréedy wormes vpon it alwayes féede Let it in filth consume and rot away And so remaine vntil the iudgement day But my poore soule whō Christ most déerly bought Which hated sinne and loathed to offend Together with ech good and godly thought Into thy handes swéete Iesu I commend O sauiour Christ doe guide my steppes so well That after death she stil with thée may dwell A Complaynt of a Louer IF euer wofull wight had cause to pipe in bitter smart I which am thrall to Cupids lawes with him may beare a part Whose ioyful dayes alas are gone whom daily cares doe tosse But wote yée why I thus take on my lucke is turnde to losse Erecruell loue my heart possest no cares did vexe my head But since he harboured in my brest my golden dayes are fled Time was when fortune did allow great gladnesse to my share But ah for that time is not now doth grow my cause of care Time was when I liude in delight and reapt of ioyes my fill But now time is workes me despite would waste had tarried still No hap so hard no griefe so great whereof I féele not part Now shiuering colde now flaming heate anoyes my wofull heart So that hope is the onely stay on which my life dependes Which if it once be tane away my date of liuing ends God graunt my hope such hap may sée that good successe ensue Which if it long prolonged be through griefe I die adiew For his friende I That in fréedome liued of late And neuer stoupt to Cupids lure Haue now made change of my estate And thousand torments doe endure As late abrode I cast my lookes In fancies lune I fast was cought And beauty with her bayted hookes Hath me alas in bondage brought I loue but lacke the thing I craue I liue but want my chiefest good I hope but hap I cannot haue I serue but starue for want of foode Then so to loue what state more yll Such life affoordes small time of ioy Such wauering hope doth often kill To serue and starue what worse anoy Yet wil I loue whiles life doth last And liue whiles any hope remaines And hope when dismal dayes are past To haue reward for all my paynes Loe thus I liue by hope sustaynd Yet through dispayre die euery houre In sorow glad in pleasure painde Now fed with swéete now choakt with sowre Deare Dame in humble sort I sew Since mine estate to you is known Voutsafe my dolefull case to rew And saue his life who is your owne Somewhat made of nothing at a Gentlewomans request YE gladly would haue me to make you some toy And yet will not tel me wherof I should write The strangenes of this doth bréed me anoy And makes me to séeke what things to endite If I should write rashly what comes in my braine It might be such matter as likes you not best And rather I would great sorow sustayne Then not to fulfill your lawfull request Two dangers most doubtful oppresse me alike Ne am I resolued to which I might yéelde Wherfore by perforce I am foretd to séeke This slender deuice to serue for my shield Since nothing yée geue me to busie my brayne Nothing but your nothing of me can yée craue Wherfore now receiue your nothing agayne Of nothing but nothing what els would yée haue Of the instability of Fortune WHo wisely waies false fortunes fickle change Which in short space turnes loue to mortal hate Shall find smal cause to déem it wondrous strange To fléete from happie life to worse estate For whie her swéete is alwaies mixt with sowre If now shée fawne she frownes within an houre Her smiles are wyles to cause men hope for hap Her traynes bréede paynes though pleasant be the show Him whom shée now doth dandle in her lap Straightway sustaines a wretched ouer throw And whom thou séest at foote of whéele downe cast Within short space shée hoyseth vp as fast The raging Seas which dayly ebbes and flowes The wauering winds which blow now here now there More constant are then fortunes flattering vowes Who in one hoode a double face doth beare To trust her lookes when shée doth fleere or laugh Is nothing els but trust a broken staffe Pollicrates as auncient writers tell On Fortunes whéele most highly was aduaunste And many a yéere shée fauourd him so well That no ill hap long time vnto him chaunst Yet in the end to shew her double wayes With hemping roape shée causde him end his dayes If thou wilt shun all sorow and distresse By fortunes threates doe set but litle store If thine affayres haue euer good successe Yéeld hearty thankes to God thy Lorde therefore If great annoyes doe fall vpon thée fast Thinke them due plagues for some offences past By prayer then make leuell with the Lorde Repentant hearts haue mercie when they call Loue him with feare delight to reade his worde So great good haps vnto thée will befall So shalt thou leade thy life without annoyes And after death possesse eternal ioyes Of the vanitie of this life I Reade in Poets faigned bookes That wise Vlysses wandring came Where Circes through her fawning lookes Did worke his men a spightfull shame She causde them quaffe great bowles of wine And presently they turnde to swine But hée which followed vertue still Refusde to taste this proffered charme And would not worke her beastly will As one that doubted farther harme Her witchcraftes and enchantmentes straunge Were not of force this man to chaunge The world with his alluring toyes Is Circes witch of whome they write Which temptes vs with her sugred ioyes And makes vs swimme in such delight That wée so play with pleasures ball As if there were no God at all If man would way what enemies Are alwayes prest him to deuoure Mée thinkes from sinne hée should arise And make defence with all his power For why the world the flesh and deuill Doe neuer cease to worke vs euill These so bewitch our foolish braines That nought wée force eternall paine And euery one in sinne remaines As if hell were a fable vaine Alas wée are seduced so That all true heartes do bléede for woe The shéepe doth yéerely yéelde his fléese The plodding Oxe the plow doth draw And euery thing in willing wise Kéepes and obayes dame Natures law But man in witte which should excell Against his Lord doth still rebell Ech doth deferre from day to day And thinkes the morow to amend But death arestes vs by the way And sodainly some makes their end O wretched case that they bée in Which die and not lament their sinne Thou silly man still feare the Lord Thy former sinnes with spéede forsake The iudgement day in minde record In which ech
soule account must make Confesse thy faultes to God therefore Repent amend and sinne no more Of the vanitie of the world AS I lay musing in my bed A heape of fancies came in head Which greatly did molest mée Such sundry thoughtes of ioy and paine Did méete within my pondring braine That nothing could I rest mée Sometimes I felt excèeding ioy Sometimes the torment of annoy Euen now I laugh euen now I wéepe Euen now a slumber made mee sléepe Thus did I with thoughtes of straunge deuice Lye musing alone in pensiue wise I knew not what meanes might health procure Nor finish the toyle I did indure And still I lay and found no way That best could make my cares decay Reuoluing these thinges in my minde Of wretched world the fancies blinde Alone a while I ponder Which when I had perused well And saw no vertue there to dwell It made mée greatly wonder Is this that goodly thing thought I That all men loue so earnestly Is this the fruit that it doth yéelde Whereby wée all are so beguilde Ah Iesus how then my heart did rue Because I had folowed them as true Alas wée haue lost the heauenly ioyes And haue béene deceaued with worldly toyes Whose fancies vaine will bréede vs paine If Christ doe not restore againe O wretched man leaue off therefore In worldly thinges put trust no more Which yéeldes no thing but sorow To God thy Lord with spéede conuert Because thou most vncertain art If thou shalt liue too morow Leaue of to quaffe to daunce and play Remember still the iudgement day Repent relent and call for grace For pardon aske whilst thou hast space Who doeth from his heart repentaunce craue Forgiuenes saieth Christ of mée shall haue Hée will not the death of a sinner giue But rather hée should repent and liue Stil laud the Lord peruse his word And let thy déedes with it accord A Lesson for all estates HAst thou desire thy golden dayes to spend In blisfull state exempt from all annoyes So liue as if death how thy life should end Still treade the pathes that leade to perfect ioy Bee slow to sinne but spéedie to aske grace How are they blest that thus runne out their race Ech night ere sléepe shut vp thy drowsie eyes Thinke thou how much in day thou hast transgrest And pardon craue of God in any wise To doe that's good and to forsake the rest Sinne thus shake of the â—â—end for enuie wéepes Sound are our ioyes most quiet are our sléepes Haue not thy head so cloyd with worldly cares As to neglect that thou shouldst chiefly minde But beare an eye to Sathans wilâ— snares Who to beguile a thousand shiftes will finde Vaine are the ioyes that wretched world allowes Who trust them most doe trust but rotten bowes Shunne filthy vice persist in doing well For doing well doth godly life procure And godly life makes vs with Christ to dwell In endlesse â—lisse that euer shall endure Wée pray thée Lord our follyes to redresse That wée thus doe thus liue this blisse possesse A Dreame IN pleasaunt moneth of gladsome May I walkt abroad to view The fieldes which nature had bedeckt With flowers of sundry hew The sight whereof did recreate My senses in such sort As passeth far beyond my power Thereof to make reporte Then sat I néere a pleasaunt wood And listened with desire Vnto the small birdes chirping charme Which set my heart on fire Of Goldefinch and of Nightingale I there might heare the voyce The Wren the Robin and the thrush Did make a heauenly noyse Whose swéete melodious harmonie My senses so bereâ—t That I in this delightfull plot A pray to sléepe was left In slumber mine an auncient dame Before my face appeares Whose hollow chéekes and wrinckled face Did argue many yéeres Her vesture was as white as snow Her countenaunce very sad It semed by her watry eine Some inward griefe shée had For why great streames of trickling teares Distilled downe her chéekes And thus to mée with trembling voyce This aged beldam speakes My friende quoth shée bée not dismayde At this my sodaine sight Ne let the spéeches I shall vse Thy fearefull minde afright I am not of the furies broode Ne damned sprites of hell But hée through whome my being is Aboue the skies doth dwell And Lady Concord I am calde From forraine Realmes exilde Once mutual Loue my husband was And plentie was our childe But ah quod shée a hagge of hell That long hath sought their spoyle Hath slaine them both vnlesse they dwell Within your english soyle Héerewith there yssued from her eine Of teares abundant store And sighes so stopt her féeble voyce That shée could speake no more The sight wherof mée thought did rayse Great dolours in my breast Yet praying her for to procéede She thus her minde exprest Vile Couetousnesse that furie fell Hath wrought vs all this woe To Concord and to Mutuall Loue Shée is a deadly foe Time was when wée were well estéemde And calde ech countries stay But Couetousnesse now rules the roast And beareth all the sway And were it not that in this land I finde some small reliefe I had béene dead long ere this time Through greatnesse of my gréefe Debate and rancour night and day On this vile Dame attend Whom shée to worke her beastly will About the world doth send These two haue raysde such warre and strife In partes beyond the Seas That now few nations in the earth Enioy their woonted peace Now gold is reuerenced as a God Eche hunts for priuat gayne Men care not how their soules shall spéede So wealth they may attaine Of conscience now few make account Him men estéeme most wise Which to beguile his neighbour poore Can craftiest meanes deuise This sayd mée thought the auncient dame Did vanish straight away And I awaking héere withall Went home without delay Where taking paper penne and inke With spéede I there enrolde The circumstaunce of all the tale That Concord to mée tolde Which makes me wish that euery one Would mutuall loue imbrace And that no spots of couetousnesse With sinne their déedes deface A Dreame LAyd in my quiet bed to rest When sléepe my senses all had drownd Such dreames arose within my breast As did with feare my minde confound Mée thought I wandred in a wood Which was as darke as pitte of hell In midst whereof such waters stoode That where to passe I could not tell The Lion Tiger Woolfe and Beare There thundered forth such hideous cries As made huge Eccoes in the ayre And séemed almost to pearce the skies Long vext with care I there aboad And to get forth I wanted power At euery footesteppe that I troad I feard some beast would mée deuoure Abyding thus perplext with paine This case within my selfe I scand That humaine helpe was all in vaine Vnlesse the Lord with vs doe stand Then falling flatte vpon my face In humble sorte to God I prayde That in this
being both good and profitable for the hunters Verily the couetous rich man liueth continually in great suspition feare least that his substance be taken from him or that he be beguiled of it or forced to depart with it against his will so that euery shadow séemeth a Bugbeare vnto him euery little stirring in the house disquieteth him so that both at home in his chamber and abroade in his iourney he is neuer without suspition not vnlike the man that is ielous of some woman whom he loueth Whereas the poore man not hauing his brest loaded with such feare and féeling himselfe to bee light in his iourney standes not in doubt to be robbed As that common verse sayeth The man that trauelling by the way no wealth with him doth beare Amids the troopes of theeues may sing not hauing cause of feare AND doubtlesse if it be well considered of the poore man hath but one care which is to procure a little sustenance wherewith to liue but the rich man hath thrée thoughts and cares together The one to conserue the riches that he hath the other how to encrease them the third how to dispose theÌ„ through which it comes to passe that the poore man is replenished with greater hope then feare and of the other part the rich man is assailed more with feare then hope He alwaies hopeth to change his poore estate and miserable fortune into the better béeyng already placed in the lowest degrée that Defilus sayde wâ—ll The man that is most poore most happy is of all For that he neuer feares in worse estate to fall This alwayes doubteth least that his swéete will bee transformed into sower through which it is euident that the poore féeleth a greater tranquillity in his minde being replenished with hope then doth the riche being surprised with feare What farther That pouerty bringeth foorth more woorthy effects then riches not onely in it selfe but in others also For pouerty rayseth pitie compassion in others which are most beautifull vertues in mans minde but riches inflame and stirre them vp to enuie which is a most wicked vice Wherefore if good effectes come of good causes and nanghtie of naughtie causes it is verie likely that pouertie is more vertuous that ingendereth vertue then are riches that produce vices in others What more shal I say that riches procure delightes delightes tendernes and delicasie of the bodie tendernesse and delicasie causeth weakenes and faintnesse through which it happeneth that rich men are lesse able to tollerate trauel heate and colde and other humaine discommodities then the poore are who by a patience perforce are taught to endure all labour and trauell and euery little impression of the ayre neyther are brought down w t euery litle trifling disease as the rich are What farther Riches ingender faintnesse of courage in the possessors of them in that for feare of abandoning of them they wil not aduenture to hazard them selues in any daunger neither for their friendes nor for their kinred nor countrie neither yet for themselues but are alwayes of a timerous and fearefull minde But the poore man not drawne backe with the ielosie of this worldly pelfe sheweth his valure boldely and couragiously exposeth himselfe to perils and daungers for the loue of his freendes countrie What besides this Abundant riches make men sluggish not suffering them to awake to any good exercise wheras pouerty seldom permits them to stand drowsie and idle but awakens them to beautiful inuentions and laudable trauels But let vs consider one point that toucheth rich men to the quicke but the poore nothing so muche All men both by the law of God and nature of necessity must once die But he that aboundes in riches with what griefe and torment doeth he depart this life hee would not leaue his fayre house his gallant village his costly apparrel his braue horses his bright siluer his glittering gold and other infinite commodities and delights that he tasteth in this world which séeing that he must néedes forgoe he is out of measure vexed and through inward griefe killes himselfe before the houre of his death approch But the poore man who takes litle ioy in this world makes no great reckoning to leaue it not tasting that bitter sorow with dying which the rich men féele hoping to inioy a better life in the world to come The poore also in this world haue great consolation and it is no smal comfort vnto them to think that the rich wil they nil they must die and that they are forced in spite of their téeth to forgoe al theyr substance Neither will we omit to say that somtimes honest pouerty bringeth with it more liberty contentment of life then vnmeasurable riches for that is franke and frée this is tyed and bounde to respects and suspitions So that now we perceaue that al is not pleasant delightful that is found in riches nor al vnsauery and bitter that is tried in pouerty but in this much of the swéete and in the other not a litle of the sowre in both séene felt and tasted Now let vs procéed a litle farther And if yée thinke it good let it be graunted that pouerty is euill and contemptuous and hath in it no consolatioÌ„ but truely it hath in it all these comforts of which we haue before made mention which béeing well tasted of the poore man hée shall féele no litle contentment in his pouerty let this be considered farther that he is not onely poore that this euill is not taken from all others and cast on him alone but the number of the poore are vnnumerable when as of the riche there are very few Through which if to haue company in ones aduersity make the euill to séems the lesse howe light should the euil of pouerty be the poore man hauing so great a number of other poore men to associate him Let vs consider farther that pouertie doth not alwayes pinche but onelie then when he féeleth the want of some thing that he greatly néedeth It is not like a quotidian Agewe which whiles it endureth alwayes vexeth and tormenteth a man but this yéeldes the rest and repose first whilest thou sléepest thou hast no féeling of her whereof this auncient Prouerbe tooke his original That in one halfe of theyr life there was no difference betwixt the happy and vnfortunate Further many houres of the day a man thinkes not of it but liues ioyfully as if he were rich and in good case I haue séene many poore men leade their liues so iocundly as did neuer king nor Emperour On the other side I haue knowne many rich men haue theyr myndes alwayes troubled and disquieted as if they were wrapped in extréeme want and misery neuer to laugh neuer to be gladsome nor ioyful wherby I haue noted that the true tranquillity of the mynde springs not of thinges that are without vs but of that delectable musicke and well tempered harmonie of the humayne affections
blooming trée brings forth When warre and strife yéeld crops of care and woe Rash rancours rage procures fond furious fightes Peace makes men swim in feaes of swéet delights If that this peace bée such a passing thing That it by right may challenge worthy prayse What thankes owe wée vnto our heauenly king Through whome we haue enioyde such happy dayes Next to our Quéene how déepely are wée bound Whose like on earth before was neuer found If England would perpend the bloody broyles And slaughters huge that foraine realmes haue tried It should me séemes by warnd by their turmoyles In perfect loue and concord to abide But out alas my heart doeth rue to tell Small feare of God amongst vs now doth dwell And where that wantes what hope doth els remayne But dire reuenge for rash committed crimes Heapes of mishaps will fall on vs amayne If we doe not lament our sinnes betimes Vnlesse with spéede to God for grace we call I feare I feare great plagues on vs will fall England therefore in time conuert from vice The pleasant spring abides not all the yeere Let foraine ylls forewarne thée to be wise Stormes may ensue though now the coastes be cléere I say no more but onely doe request That God will turne all things vnto the best For Souldiers Ye buds of Brutus land couragious youths now play your parts Vnto your tackle stand abide the brunt with valiāt hearts For newes is carried too fro that we must forth to warfare goe Men muster now in euery place souldiers are prest forth apace Faynt not spend blood to doe your Quéene countrey good Fayre wordes good pay wil make men cast al care away The time of warre is come prepare your corslet speare shield Me thinks I heare the drumme strike doleful marches to the field Tantara tātara y ◠trūpets sound w t makes our harts w t ioy aboūd The roring guns are heard a far euery thing denounceth warre Serue God stand stoute bold courage brings this geare about Feare not forth run faint heart faire Lady neuer woonne Yée curious Carpet knights that spende the time in sport play Abrode sée new sights your coūtries cause cals you away Doe not to make your Ladies game bring blemish to your worthy name Away to field win renoune w c courage beat your enimies down Stoute hearts gain praise when Dastards sayle in slaunders seas Hap what hap shal we sure shal die but once for all Alarme me thinkes they cry be packing mates be gone with spéed Our foes are very nigh shame haue that man that shrinks at néed Vnto it boldly let vs stand God wil geue right the vpper hand Our cause is good we néed not doubt in signe of courage geue a showte March forth be strōg good hap wil come ere it be long Shrinke not fight well for lusty lads must beare the bell All you that wil shun euil must dwel in warfare euery day The world the flesh Diuel alwayes doe séeke our soules decay striue w t these foes w t al your might so shal you fight a worthy fight That cōquest doth deserue most praise wher vice do yéeld to vertues wayes Beat down foule sin a worthy crown then shal ye win If we liue wel in heauen with Christ our soules shal dwell To his friende MUse not too much o wight of worthy fame At view of this my rude ragged rime I am almost enforst to write the same Wherefore forgeue if I commit a crime The cause hereof and how it came to passe I shall declare euen briefly as it was Reuoluing in my mind your friendly face Your bountie great your loue to euery man I heard my wit and will to scan this case If I should write or no thus wil began Take pen in hand thou fearefull wight she said To write thy mind what should make thée afraid Not so quoth wit acquaintance hath he small With him to whō thou bidst him write his mind What tho quoth will that skils nothing at all He writes to one that is to all a friend Him so to be quoth wit none can denie Thou art a foole quoth will then to reply Great cause quoth wit shoulde make him to refraine He would quoth wil declare his friendly heart What if quoth wit he chance to reape disdayne Of such foul fruits quoth wil friēds haue no part Perchance quoth wit it wilbe taken yll Wel meaned things who wil take yl quoth wil He hath no skil quoth wit how should he write Al want of skil quoth will good will supplies I sée quoth wit thou wilt worke him despite For counsell good thou geuest him rash aduice Wit said no more But will that stately Dame Still bad me write not forcing any blame Since will not wit makes me commit offence Of pardon yours the better hope I haue To shew my loue was all the whole pretence That made me write This onely doe I craue In any thing if pleasure you I can Command me so as if I were your man A renouncing of loue AL earthly things by course of kind Are subiect still to reasons lore But sure I can no reasons finde That makes these Louers loue so sore They fry and fréese in myldest weather They wéepe and laugh euen both together Euen now in waues of déepe despaire Their barke is tossed too and fro A gale of hope expels al feare And makes the winde to ouerblow Twixt feare and hope these Louers saile And doubtful are which shall preuayle At night in slumber swéetly laide They séeme to holde their loue in armes Awaking then they are afrayde And féele the force of thousand harmes Then doe they tosse in restlesse bed With hammers woorking in their head A merry looke from Ladies face Bringes them a foote which could not goe A frowning brow doth them disgrace And brues the broth of all their woe Hereby all men may playnely know That reason rules not Louers law But reason doth me thus persuade Where reason wants that nothing frames Therefore this reason hath me made To set aside all louely gaynes Since reason rules not Venus sport No reason bids me scale that forte A will or Testament VVHen dreadfull death with dint of pearcing darte By fatall doome this corpes of mine shal kill When lingring life shall from my life depart I thus set downe my testament and will My faythfull friendes executor◠shall remayne To sée performde what here I doe or dayne To thée O world I first of all doe leaue The vayne delights that I in thée haue found Thy fained shewes wherewith thou didst deceaue Thy fickle trust and promises vnsound My wealth my woe my ioyes commixt w t care Doe take them all doe fall vnto thy share And Satan thou for that thou wert the cause That I in sinne did still mispend my dayes I thée defie and here renounce thy lawes My wicked thoughts my vile and naughty waies And eke my
Now broyled so in his breast That nought but Camna could restore Sinoris wonted rest Resolued fully was he then To take this dame to wife Though baser in degrée When no meanes els could serue his turne To cracke her honestie Then suite was made vnto her friendes Who waying well his wealth Would haue her néedes consent Shée after great denialles made At length did séeme content Sinoris when he heard this newes Was passing measure glad And order gaue in al post hast For mariage to bée had To temple of Diana then VVith spéede these couple goe And with them sundry worthy wightes The mariage rites to doe In outward shew shée did expresse Great signes of mirth and ioy But in her heart shée did contriue This tyrant to destroy Ere that they fully were assurde Chast Camna bad one bring To her a drinking glasse Of which shée must to husband drinke As there the custome was She tempred had a pleasaunt drinke VVith balefull poyson strong Of which shée dranke one part And to Sinoris gaue the rest VVhich so did pricke his heart That Phisickes skill could not preuaile To saue his vading life VVhich well did please the minde of her That then should be his wife When Camna saw that her deuice Did frame euen as shée would She gréetes Dianas Image there VVith thankes a thousand folde And méekely knéeling on her knées Ah Goddesse then she sayde Thou knowest from murdring of my selfe How hardly I haue stayde Thou knowest quoth shée what bitter pangues Hath gripte my heart with griefe Since my deare husbands death And onely hope of iust reuenge Prolonged hath my breath VVhich since I see now come to passe VVith gladnesse will I die And séeke that soule to finde In life and death which then my selfe To me was déerer friend And thou thou caitife vile quoth shée Which didst my mariage craue In stéede now of a mariage bed Prepare thy selfe a graue But séeing then Sinoris dead To husbandes sprite shée cryed Oh let not thy swéete company To mée now be denied Come méete me now my louing mate Who still I tender most And saying so her armes abroad She yéelded vp the Ghost Amery lest SOmetimes in France a woman dwelt Whose husband being dead Within a yéere or somwhat more An other did her wed This good wife had of wealth great store Yet was her wit but thin To shew what happe to her befell My Muse doth now begin It chaunced that a scholler poore Attirde in course aray To sée his friends that dwelt farre thence From Paris tooke his way The garments were all rent and torne Wherwith this wight was clad And in his purse to serue his néede Not one denéere he had Hée was constrainde to craue the almes Of those which oft would giue His néedy and his poore estate With some thing to relieue This scholler on a frostie morne By chaunce came to the doore Of this old silly womans house Of whome wée spake before The husband then was not at home Hée craueth of the dame Who had him in and gaue him meate And askt from whence hée came I came quoth hée from Paris towne From Paradise quoth she Men call that Paradise the place Where all good soules shalbe Cham zure my vurst goodman is dere Which died this other yéere Chould geue my friend a good gray groate Some newes of him to heare Hée saw shée did mistake his wordes And thought to make some glée And saide your husband is in health I lately did him sée Now by my troth quoth shée cham glad Good scholler doe declare Was not hée wroth because I sent Him from this world so bare In déede quoth he he was disppleasd And thought it farre vnméete You hauing all to send him hence With nothing but a shéete Quoth shée good scholer let me know When thou returnst agayne Hée answerd Dame I will be there Within this wéeke or twayne Shée sayde my friend if that iche durst Presume to be so bolde Chould pray thée carrie him some clothes To keepe him from the colde Hée saide he woulde with all poste haste Into the towne shée hies Hat doublet shert coate hose and shoes Shée there for husband buyes Shée praying him in earnest sorte It safely to conuey Did geue him money in his purse And so he went his way Not halfe of halfe an howre was past Ere husband hers was come What newes shée heard from Paradise Shée tolde him all and some And farther did to him declare What token shée had sent Whereat her husband waxed wroth And woondrous ill content He calde her sotte and doating foole And after him doth ride The Scholler was within a Hedge And him a farre espide Hée was afrayde and downe doeth fling His fardell in a dike The man came néere andaskt him newes Of one whom hée did séeke That bare a fardell at his backe The scholler musde a while Then answearing said such one I saw Passe ouer yonder style With hasty spéede he downe alightes And doth the scholler pray Till he the man had ouertane So long the horse to stay Vntill hée passed out of sight Full still the scholer bides Who taking then his fardell on His horse away he rides When he returnd and saw himselfe By scholer flouted so Your selues may iudge what chéere he made If he were wroth or no. He sware I thinke a hundred oathes At length per mundum toots For that he had no shoes to weare Martch homewardes in his bootes His wife did méete him at the doore Hayée cought man quoth shée No Dame he sayde he caught my horse The Diuel take him and thée With that shée laught and clapt her hands And sayde cham glad ich sweare For nowe he hath a horse to ride He wilbe quickly there When that her husband well had wayde That remedy there was none He takes his fortune in good parte And makes no farther mone Now whether that this honest wife Did loue her first good man To such as shall peruse this tale The case I leaue to scan To his friend IF thou wilt shun the pricking briers And thornie cares that folly bréedes Put bridle to thy fond desires Make reason mistres of thy déedes Attempt nothing by rash aduice If thou thus doe then art thou wise Where Wit to Will is slaue and thrall Where fond affection beareth sway Ten thousand mischiefes do befall And vertue cleane is cast away For hauing rashnes for their guide Such cannot choose but wander wyde Their credite quickly lies in dust Which yéelde as bondslaues to their will And follow euery foolish lust Such leaue the good and choose the yll The wayes of vertue those forgoe And tread the pathes of care and woe Wilt thou possesse eternall ioyes And porte of blisse at length attayne Still prayse the Lord with heart and voyce From doyng yll thy steppes refrayne These things obserude be sure at last In heauen with Christ thou shalt be plast A Newyeeres gift to
Maister G. R. THe curtesies yée haue to me profest The bounty great that doth from you procéed Woulde make me déeme that day to be most blest In which I might stand you in any stéede When if I flinch cry on me open shame And where you come doe bafful my good name If yée doe muse that I but now begin For to expresse that heart hath long concealde Assure your selfe my secrete thought within So pricke me foorth it néedes must be reuealde And eke desire doth bid me let you know The loyall zeale and duety that Iowe As I confesse there is not in me ought To answeare that my Velle would fulfill So make account right farre hée must be sought That doth surmount or passe me in goodwill Which as in wordes I haue geuen out to some My déedes shal try if once occasion come A crew there are whose nature is to gloze And vaunt in words when heart thinks nothing lesse Assure your selfe that I am none of those But will performe what here I doe professe If that I shrink when you haue cause to rid me Doe cast me off and vtterly denie me Of fortunes giftes since slender is my part Take here in signe of happy yéere at hand These ragged lines true herauldes of my heart By which yée may my meaning vnderstand Their maister hath geuen them in charge to tel When he would worst y ◠hée doth wish you wel A Translation out of French O Heauenly God all beastes that doe remayne And nourisht are with foode that thou doest send Within the wooddes the mountaynes and the playne Thy holy hest and lawes doe not offende The scudding fish that swimmes amidst the Sea The pretie birdes that play them in the ayre Sunne moone and starres ech thing doth thée obey And at thy voyce doe tremble all for feare But man alas yea man whom thou doest make More perfect farre then all things els that liue Man whom thou wouldst thy proper shape to take To whom for guyde thou reason eke didst geue And wit and sense for to discerne aright What thing to take what likewise to refuse He he vile wretch and most vnthankefull wight Thy maiesty and honour doth abuse A Complaint of a Sinner O Lord most deare w t many a teare lamenting lamēting I fall before thy face And for ech crime done ere this time repenting repenting Most humbly call for grace Through wanton will I must confesse Thy precepts still I doe transgresse The world with his vayne pleasure Be witcht my senses so That I could find no leasure My vices to forgoe I graunt I haue through my deserte Deserud great plagues and bitter smart But yet swéet God doe stay thy rod forgeue me forgeue me Which doe thine ayde implore O cease thine ire I thée desire beléeue me beleue me I will so sinne no more But still shall pray thy holy name In the right way my steppes to frame So shall I not displease thee Which art my Lord of might My heart and tongue shall prayse thée Most humbly day and night I will delight continually Thy name to lawde and magnify With sighes sobs my heart it throbs remembring remembring The fraylty of my youth I ran a race deuoyd of grace not rendring not rendring Due reuerence to thy truth Such care I cast on earthly toyes That nought I past for heauenly ioyes But now it me repenteth My heart doeth bléede for woe Which inwardly lamenteth That euer it sinned so With many a sigh and many a grone O Lord to thée I make my mone Though furious fires of fond desires allure me allure me From thée so wander wyde Let pitifull eyes and moystened eyes procure thée procure thée To be my Lorde and guyde As Scripture sayth thou doest not craue A sinners death but wouldest him saue That sinfull wretch am I O Lorde Which would repent and liue With ceaslesse plaints I cry Lorde Thy pardon to me geue O Lord for thy swéete Iesu sake Doe not shut vp thy mercie gate Mercy mercy mercy graunt me I pray thée I pray thée Graunt mercy louing Lorde Let not the Diuel which meanes me euill betray me betray mee Protect me with thy worde So shall my heart find swéete reliefe Which now féeles smart and bitter griefe O Lord I doe request thée To guyde my steppes so well That when death shall arest me My soule with thée may dwell In heauen aboue where Angels sing Continuall prayse to thée theyr king A Dumpe THE pangues the priuie mones The inward secrete smarte The griefes the heauie grones That vexe my dolefull heart So plundge my life in paines And reaue mée of all ioy That death is onely meanes To ridde me from anoy I graunt that vitall breath preserueth life in me Yet liue I so that death more welcome farre should be No wight was euer so perplexed with despite I liue to tast ech woe and die to all delight Although by outward looks some déeme me void of thought Lookes are no certayne bookes but beare false titles oft For sundry times I iest when ioy alas is small And laugh amongst the rest yet haue no lust at all Loe thus in secret strife my lingring dayes are led I die yet am aliue I liue as being dead The more I beare it out as if I felt no yll The greater griefes no doubt doe grow within me still The thing which doth amate and most anoy my mind Is that my hard estate no remedy can finde As one that loathes to liue and daily calles for death These lines to thée I geue in witnesse of my fayth A Dumpe by his friende G. C. MY heauy heart in dolours drownde Consumes and pines away And for me wreth nought can be found To cause my cares decay Yée eyes of mine helpe to bewayle Powre foorth your brinish teares To rue alas his wretched state In whom no ioy appeares How should I wretch take any rest How can my heart féele ioy When as the wight that loues mée best Lyes plundged in annoy Whereto serue teares but to bewayle The losse of such a friend Wéepe eies alas wéepe on your fill And neuer make an end His troubled state if to redresse The spending of my blood Or that small pelfe that I possesse Could doe him any good Then should your eies somtimes permit Mée silly wretch to sléepe But out alas it may not bée Wherefore cease not to wéepe Such inward griefe doth mée assayle Through thought of his estate That if I long of succour fayle All helpe will come too late O sacred Ioue to cure these woes Vse thou some spéedie meanes Or els alas with some short death Dispatch mée of these paines For his friend LAte being new fangled so fancie did moue I was fast entangled in nets of blinde loue Good friends doe beléeue me I chose out a trull Which daily doth giue me a shrewd crow to pull Fauour with her felowes raisde coales of desire Bewtie was the bellowes that
first blew the fire Thus was I enflamed no reason was left me My senses were lamed my wits were bereft me In hope of some fauour I then fell awooing Such was her behauiour she sought my vndoing Small is my promotion most foolish what ment I To yéelde my deuotion to such a dame daintie Since loue first soiourned such ease doe I féele As Yxion turned about on the whéele Although by deseruing she ought to be mine With Tantalus staruing in griefe still I pine And through her controlling my rest is as ill As Sisiphus rolling the stone vp the hill Thus is my state chaunged déepe dolours do fill me My mirth is estraunged good death come and kil me Whiles I héere in moning the time out doe linger My griefe and my groning is falne in my finger My finger my finger my finger beléeue me Alas little finger ful sore thou dost grieue me Was euer a finger perplext in such taking I thinke my poore finger will neuer leaue aking The cause of my sadnes at length I coniecture Is loue with his madnes that bréedes this infecture I force not a pinne it forth now is gotten Yet whole is the skinne the flesh is not rotten I heard when it fel now féele I no euil Dame daintie farewell adew to the deuill A straunge Historie AYoungman once by chaunce that lost his way Through deserts wilde as on a time hée past Foure Lyons fierce that sought to gaine some pray With gasping throte hée saw make at him fast Who running swift to shunne this daunger great Espied a well small trées about it gréewe By which hée honge and in the same did leape Their ramping pawes and malice to eschew Thus as hée thought the perill to escape Hée did discry a mightie Dragon fell With open mouth most hidiously to gape Him to deuour in bottome of the well Then lifting vp his head hée looked out And might perceiue the Lions still remaine Which in such sort beset the well about That of escape all hoping was in vaine Thus as with death himselfe besiegde hée saw A chaunce befell which made him more dismayde Two beastes one white the other blacke did knaw The little twigges that him from falling stayde With daunger thus desette on euery side Hée in a hole behinde his backe did finde A honny pot which some man there did hide Now casting all his care out of his minde Hée with one hand the honny swéete did tast The other did from falling him sustaine Vntill the beastes had gnawne the twigs at last That downe hée fell and ruthfully was slaine This well the world doth truely represent In which wée liue in daunger euery houre By Lions foure the elements are meant VVhich dayly séeke all mankinde to deuoure The Dragon fell doth signifie our graue The twigges self loue the beasts the night and day The honny pot the great desire we haue To worldly ioyes euen to our soules decay Ech one therfore I earnestly aduise Héere in this world to vse themselues so well And spend their dayes in such a godly wise That after death their soules in heauen may dwell Farewell Court The Preface to a Treatise ensuing compyled by the Authour vpon a theme giuen by his approued friend and kinsman Maister A. D. I Haue according to my promise though slenderly compiled this simple discourse on the theme that yee gaue me which was your Farwel to the court which although it be nothing so well handled as by some experienced courtier it might haue beene done neuerthelesse it being considered that my education hath beene so far distant from the court that I neuer sawe the fashions of the court I hope that the priuiledge of a pardon may bee purchased for my excuse in this behalfe I haue heerein introduced Witte and Wil as two domestical counsellers alwayes attendant on a man marching in this vale of miserie The one giuing him trustie and wholsome admonitions how hee should here direct his life to the glory of God and his soules health The other with the flattering alluremets of the sinfull flesh enticeth him to the pursutes of the pleasures of this worlde in the end drouning him in the puddle of al abhomination to the vtter confusion both of body and soule Vnder the person of Wit is prefigured a man hauing a certaine carefull regarde of his calling which is once in a mans life instilled into the harts of those whome God hath sealed vp vnto saluation and causeth them cleane to cast away the vile and vaine vanities that the wicked world accounteth as precious and addict all their doings towards the attainement of lyfe euerlasting Vnder the person of Wil is picturde out how a man letting flippe the bridle of his affections is caryed from the precious paths of perfect felicitie to the ineuitable daungers of drowning Caribdis and so passing the sea of this world not stopping his eares with the waxe of vnderstanding the voluptuous pleasures thereof as subtill Sirens entice him to the folowing of them whome they presently drown in such delights that he hath neuer farther regarde to the preseruing of his soule but imitating the nature of bruite beastes addicteth himselfe onely vnto that which his owne sensuall appetite shal allowe to be good Although this may peraduenture seeme vnto you a too far fetched circumstance little or nothing pertinent to the purpose yet my hope is that when yee haue throughly perused it yee shall not finde the theme that ye gaue me left altogether vntouched The best is I know your thankfull disposition to be such that how soeuer it be being willingly offered it shal not of you be vngratefully accepted Thus referring the view heereof to your discret consideration I wishe you and yours abundance of such prosperitie as your heart desireth H. G. Farewell Court I Youth when Fancie bare the sway Within my péeuish braine And Reasons lore by no meanes could My wanton will restraine My gadding minde did pricke me forth A courtiers life to proue Whose golden shewes and vaine delights My senses then did moue Not halfe so fast the bowdged shippe The water in doth drinke When foes by force of roring gunnes Endeuour her to sinke As when the floodes of fond desires Came rumbling in my head Which clean extinguisht Vertues sparks That Nature there had bred No power I had the sinfull snares Of filthy vice to shunne My good desires did melt away As snow against the sunne If wit somtimes would goe about Mée wisely to perswade How that I spent my time amisse And vsde a naughtie trade Then wilfull will would bée at hand And plucke mée by the sléeue And tell mée plaine wit was a foole And could no counsell geue His lores quoth will are very sowre His precepts are but colde Doe follow mée then all delights To vse thou mayst bée bolde Hée talkes of scripture euery hower Vnsauery to disgest And I will alwayes serue thy turne With that which likes thée best Who would
not rather rome abroad To séeke some pleasaunt sporte Then to be pend in study fast Like souldier in a forte To hawke to hunt to carde to dice To sing to daunce to play And can there bée more pleasaunt meanes To driue away the day To tosse the buckler and the blade Lewd women to entice Are not these vertues most estéemde And had in greatest price To lend ech man a firiendly looke And vse the glosers arte In outward shew to beare good will And hate him with our heart Are not such men as flatter best In euery coast estéemde Is not Tom teltroath euery where A busie cockscombe déeme It is a world to sée the sotte To haue a checke hée knowes And yet the noddy neuer linnes Mens vices to disclose Hée euer telles men of their faultes Such is his rude behauiour When hée by speaking nought at all Might purchase greater fauour Who countes it not a wisemans parte To runne with hare and hound To say and vnsay with one breath So winning may bée found Wherefore reioyce set cocâ—e on hoope Let nothing make thée sad Bée mery héere when thou art dead No mirth can then bée had Thus wanton will would euery day Still whisper in mine eare And wit which could not then be heard Was fled I know not where Who tries the hazard of the seas By sturdy tempest tost If that a drunkard guide their ship Are they not quickly lost How like I pray you is hée then Toâ— suffer shipwracke still VVhose wit and wisdome gouernde is By his vnruly will This Pilot vile in mée long time Did maisters roome supply Till good Aduice did tell mée plaine I ranne my course awry Hée spyed a time to breake his minde When Will was gone apart And thus to mée he did vnfolde The secretes of his heart O Man for whome Christ on the crosse His precious blood did spill What dost thou meane in mundane toyes To spend thy time so ill Dost thou not thinke that God hath eies To sée thy vile abuse What shew of reason canst thou bring Thy rashnes to excuse Did Christ sustaine must bitter death All sinneâ—â— to redâ—eme And wilt thou wallow still in lust And not his lawes estéeme If he by death and no meanes els Mens sinfull soules could saue Doest thou then thinke by wanton life Eternall ioyes to haue Too too too much thou art deceaude If so thou doe beléeue That he to haue men liue in vice Himselfe to death would geue With vpright eye peruse his lawes And thou shalt cléerely sée Into what sinkes of deadly sinne Thy will hath carried thée Thine eyes doe sée thine eares doe heare Thy senses all doe serue thée Yet canst thou neyther heare nor sée Such thinges as should preserue thée In earthly toyes thou canst discerne That which may best auayle thée But in such thing as touch thy soule Thy eyesight still doeth fayle thée O what a madnesse moues thy minde Thou séest and hast thy senses Yet wilt thou blindly wallow still In filth of vile â—ffences It better were for one to be Of sight depriued cléere Then sée to sinne and not sée that Which chiefly should be séenâ— Take héede therefore at length repent Its better late then neuer For Christ the Cockle from the corne At haruest will disseuer At day of doome the good and bad Shall not alike remayne The good shall taste vncessant ioyes The bad eternall payne Doste thinke that such as tospotlike Set all at sixe and seuen Are in a ready way to bring Their sinfull soules to heauen And those that in great Princes Courtes Doe Ruffian like behaue them Doste déeme that they thereby procure A ready meane to saue them To sweare to stare to bib bowse To flatter glose and lye Is this tell me the stedfast fayth That men are saued by If white be blacke if night be day If true pretence bée treason If fire be colde if senselesse things Fulfill the rule of reason Then may the pleasures of this worlde Be cause of our saluation For otherwise thou must confesse They further our damnation Take héede therefore and warned thus Let not the worlde beguile thée Ne let the lustes of lawlesse flesh With sinfull déedes defile thée Let wilfull will be banisht cleane With all his wanton toyes Which filles thy head with vayne delightes In stéede of stedfast ioyes Note well my wordes still serue the Lorde Repent and sinne no more Christ hath for true repentaunt heartes Great mercie still in store When good aduice had tolde this tale Prostrate I downe did fall And humbly holding vp my handes Thus on the Lorde did call OMighty God which for vs men Didst suffer on the Crosse The payneful pangues of bitter death To saue our soules from losse I yéeld thée héere most hearty thankes In that thou doest vouchsaue Of me most vile and sinfull wretch So great regard to haue Alas none euer had more cause To magnifie thy name Then I to whom thy mercies shewde Doe witnesse well the same So many brunts of fretting foes Who euer could withstand If thou hadst not protected me with thy most holy hand A thousand times in shamefull sort My sinfull life had ended If by thy gratious goodnesse Lorde I had not byn defended In stinking pooles of filthy vice So déepely was I drownde That none there was but thée alone To set my foote on ground Whenas the fiend had led my soule Euen to the gates of hell Thou caldst mée backe and doest me choose In heauen with thée to dwell Let furies now fret on their fill Let Sathan rage and rore As long as thou art on my side What néede I care for more MY Prayer sayde me thought I felt Such quiet in my mynde As shipmen after tempest past In wished harbour finde My wil woulde then no more presume To rule in reasons place For good aduice would bée at hand His doyngs to disgrace Who tolde me playne that wanton will Did alwayes serue the Diuell And was his busiest instrument To stirre vp men to euill Although the gallant be so braue And sell such pleasures here They that best cheape doe buy the same Shall find it all too déere Yet they that woulde aduenture there The Diuell and all may gayne With euery inch of pleasant ioyes He selles ten Elles of payne If that thou wisely wilt foresée Such winnings to eschew Ere beggery take thée by the backe Doe byd the Court adew Hencefoorth exile vile wanton will Which is thy chéefest foe Goe get thée home liue to thy selfe And let all courting goe Experience now should make thée know What vice in court doth rayne And tract of time shoulde teach thée shunne Her pleasures mixt with payne Though some may dayly there be séene That follow vertue still Which honour God obey their Prince And flie from dooyng ill Yet sure of them the greatest parte Are carried so away With vayne delightes that they ne thinke Nor mynde their soules decay O that
I here tolde not a lye O were it not too true That very few theyr Princesse steppes In godlinesse ensue Should I passe on her golden giftes And graces to declare The sandes in bottome of the Seas More easily numbred are If tongue or pen should take in hand Her vertues to vnfolde Tongue should not speake pen would be worne Ere halfe the tale were tolde Shée is next God the onely spring From which our welfare flowes She is a trée on which nought els But graftes of goodnesse growes Shée is a Sunne that shines on vs with beames of blissefull happes Shée is a dew that daily drops Great plenty in our lappes When angry Neptune shipwracke threats Through force of wrestling waues Shée is a port of safe refuge Which vs from daunger saues When duskie cloudes of errors blacke Had dimde our ioyfull day Through Christ shée causde the Gospell shine Which draue them all away Shée worthy statutes hath ordaynd To kéepe men still in awe But euery man vnto himselfe Will now set downe a lawe Such as his will doth fancy best They neuer care how bad Nor farre from God and godlinesse So pleasure may be had If lawlesse lust were lawfull loue If wauering wordes were déedes Then would the Court bring foorth more fruite And not so many wéedes Thou knowest among the courting crew How little fayth is forced Sound friendship from the most of them Is vtterly deuorced Who cannot flatter glose and lie And set thereon a face Is neuer able for his life To get a Courtly grace Who sweates not in his sutes of silke And is not passing braue Amongst them beares no countenance They déeme him but a slaue As long as thou hast store of coyne And spendst it with the best In outward shew great friendlinesse To thée shalbe profest But if thy wealth begin to weare If pence begin to fayle thée Theyr friendship then in time of néede But little shall auayle thee For they will shrinke their heades aside And leaue thée posts alone If twenty were thy friendes before Now hardly getst thou one I pray thée let vs scan this case And doe thou sadly tell What thing at first did make thée like And loue the Court so well Didst thinke that there a godly life Might soonest be attaynde And motions of the sinfull fleshe Most easily be refraynd That cannot be for all men sée How vice is there imbraste And vertue with the greatest parte Is vtterly defaste Did hope of wealth first pricke thée foorth In Court to spend thy life Or didst thou thinke that liberal gifts With noble men were ryfe If ought thou carrie in thy purse Thou quickly there mayst spend it But when thy landes and rentes are gone How canst thou then amend it To begge would gréeue thy loftie mynde That earst had store of wealth And hanging is the end of such as take mens goodes by stealth Because thou serust a noble man Perhaps thou makst no doubt In hope that he at such a pinche Will alwayes beare thée out Such hope hath hanged many a one Whom wilful Will did guyde By often proofe in these our dayes Too true it hath béene tried For when a halters sliding knot Hath stopt their vitall breath He was say they a handsome man Its pitie of his death Thus all too late their pitie comes But seldome comes their ayde Wherefore doe not forget these wordes That I to thée haue sayde Be not sedewste by wanton will Let warnings make thee wise And after this in all thy déedes Be rulde by good aduise This tale béeyng tolde he heald his peace And I which found it true Did yéeld him thankes and gate me home And bad the Court adew We till to sowe we sow to reape We reape and grind it by and by We grinde to bake we bake to eate We eate to liue we liue to die We die with Christ to rest in ioy In heauen made free from all anoy FINIS A Preface to certaine questions and Riddles ensuing translated out of Italian verse into english verse by H. G. AL yee vnto whome the skanning and viewing Shal come of these questions riddles ensuing I let you first know thus much without fayning That all of them carry a good and cleane meaning If so they be constred aright in their sense Thus much may I boldly speake in their defence But if in ill part some fortune to take them We fayle of the end to which we did make them Which was for the solace of them that can vse them What thinges can be sound if men wil abuse them To such as are cleane what can be vnpure Such as are defilde ill thoughts haue in vre If of any riddle badde sense ye pick out Gesse at it againe ye fayle without doubt And doe not aright his meaning expound Their true exposition is honest and sound And that shall be proued if you will craue tryall So truely that no man will stand in deniall Committing the sequel to your approbation I finish the preface of this my translation 1 A Father once as bookes expresse Had sonnes twise sixe nor more nor lesse Ech sonne of children had scores thrée Halfe of them sonnes halfe daughters bée The sonnes are farre more white then snowe The daughters blacker then a crow Wee sée these children dayly die And yet they liue continually 2 A mightie blacke horse with gallant white winges Within his graund paunch beares many straunge things Hée oft doth trauayle for maysters auayle And caryes his bridle tyed fast to his taile In going hée flyes twixtearth and the ayre And oft where they would not his riders doth beare Hée hath diuers eies and yet cannot sée I pray you doe tell mée what may this beast bée 3 A certaine thing liueth in place néere at hande Whose nature is straunge if it bée well scand It sées without eyes it flyes without winges It runnes without féete it workes wondrous thinges To places far distant it often doth rome Yet neuer departeth but taryes at home If thou doe it couet to féele or to sée Thy labour is lost for it may not bée 4 What am I that wanting both handes féete and head Of all them that sée me being déemed for dead Of breath haue great store and moue too and fro Now vp and now downe now hye and now low Alas what hard fortune doth to mée befall That guiltlesse am spited of great and of small They strike me and push mee South West North East Yet doe I no harme to most neither least When as my breath fayling I can doe no more They then giue mée ouer and neuer before 5 I being the daughter of my vncles brother Am now of late become a mother And with my milke from my pappes which flowes I nourish a sonne my mothers owne spowse Now tell what I am declare mine estate For I giue him sucke that first me begate 6 None liueth more iocound in al the whole land Though head doth
soyle wherein they were planted which had it byn better their vertue would haue proued to be greater Though al the flowers herein contayned carie one name yet eche of thé differs from other both in colour and sauour the better to satisfie the diuersitie of eyes that shall view them and variety of noses that shall smell them Nowe if the spider shall happen to sucke any poyson out of them let not the flowers be the worse thought of but consider that it is his propertie to doe the like out of the most pure and delectable flowers that euer were And God in geuing vnto her and other such like creatures this nature doeth no lesse manifest his omnipotent power herein then in his other wonderful works For reason telleth experience teacheth that in this vale of misery there is nothing so beautifull but that it hath some blemish nor so pure but that it sauours of some imperfection so that as long as the world is a world corruption must continue amongst vs. Which filthy dregs poysoned humors if they were not in parte drawen drayned away by the venomous beastes and wormes of the earth they woulde a great deale more annoy vs then now they doe And it is to be doubted whether life could any long time be conserued a mogst vs. I might here take occasion to liken the crew of curious carpers which more of malice then good meaning accustomed to cauel at other mens doings playing the ydle drones themselues to the venomous beastes wormes before spoken of Whom for their congruity in condition and affinity in disposition I might bring them within the compas of one cōparison conclude that both the one the other are necessary euils But leste that the old prouerb be obiected agaynst me Ne sutor vltra crepitam let the Gardiner meddle no farther thē his spade I wil leaue thē to theyr predecessor Zoilus whose apes they are in imitating his conditions returne agayne to my Gillowflowers eft foones beseeching your worship to accept those that I present you with no lesse thākfulnes then the Gardiner doth offer them willingly wherof he doubtes not calling to minde your accustomed curtesie In one thing I haue vsed suche circumspection as my simple skill would permit me which is that the beauty of my flowers be not blemished with the weedes of wantonnesse that cōmonly grow in such gardens I hope therfore ye shal finde them rooted out in such sort that if there remayne any my trust is they shall not fall out to be many The onely thing that I doubt of this in my dedication is that your worshipp shall haue cause to account mee a deepe dissembler and one that hath byn more lauish in promise then he is able to pay with performance For whereas by my former speeches yee might peraduenture looke for some delicate Gillowflowers it will fall out to be but a coppy of my countenance hauing done nothing els but as the fashion of the worlde is now adayes set a good face on a bad matter For to deale plainly with you I was neuer Gardiner in all my life And the thing that I here present you with is but a collection of such verses and odde deuises as haue at such idle howres as I founde in my maister his seruice vpon sundry occasions by me byn cōposed The one I confesse farre vnworthy your view and yet such as when ye shal returne home weeried from your fielde sportes may yeelde you some recreation The chiefe marke that I leuel at is the continuance of your woorships curtesie and good minde towardes me which as they haue already surmounted the reach of my deserts so if I might enioy the fruition of them hereafter in that fulnesse which I hope for I shall account all the duetifull endeuour that I can possibly shew you insufficient for the satisfaction of the least part of them Thus for feare of being tedious I ende wishing your worship with my good mistres your wife all yours many yeeres of prosperitie with dayly increase of worship heauen for your hauen to rest in when the daungerous sea of this life shalbe ouer sailed Yours in all dutifulnesse HG D     DOe guide my pathes O Lorde my God    T  that I walke not astray O    O who can mount thy holy hill    E  Except thou leade the way R    Renew me with such grace that I    M  May learne thy lawes aright O    Order my steppes so shal I be    P  Preserued day and night T    The wicked Serpent euery houre    E  Endeuours me to spil H    Haste to my helpe so shall I Lorde    R  Right well eschew the il Y    In thee I put mine onely trust    A  Assist me then at neede S    Stand on my side but thee alone    N  None els my sute can speede A    Amidst the sea of sinne and death    C  Continually we ride M    Making still shipwracke of our soules    E  except thou be our guide V    Vnto the Lorde with humble sute    I  I lift my heart and handes E    Encline thine eares to my request    V  Vnlose my sinfull bandes L    Let not vile Satans crafty traynes    S  So sore our soules assayle D    Doe thou protect vs with thy shield    T  Then shal he not preuayle A    As to a Rocke of safe refuge    I  I stil to thee doe fly N    None els there is I know that can    C  Cause al my sinnes to die I    I doe confesse my force is weake    E  Encrease my fayth O Lorde E    Expel from meal heresies    P  Protect me with thy worde L    Let not the fiende that seekes my foyle    R  Reioyce at my decay D    Doe make mee strong in liuely fayth    V  Vnto thee still I pray A    All trueth al good and godly deedes    D  Doe still proceede from thee N    No man can thinke one holy thought    E  Except their guide thou bee V    Vnlesse thou Lord doe giue increase    N  No fruite our deedes bring forth E    Esteemd we are as rotten weedes    C  Corrupt and nothing worth R    Remember not my sinnes forepast    E  Eluminate my wayes S    So shall I still with heart and voyce    G  Giue thee all laud and prayes H    Happy are they that doe thee serue    I  In thought and eke in deede V    Vnturned neuer is thy face    F  From them in time of neede M    Make Lord in mee a stedfast fayth    F  For euer to abyde F    Frame still my lyfe to keepe thy lawes    A  And I shall neuer slide R    Remoue from me all errors blockes    R  Right so shall I remaine I    In perfect footesteppes of thy paths    D  Deuoyde of worldly paine To his approued friend SErue God SErue God thy Lord delight to kéepe his lawes alwaies Alwayes haue care to doe his holy hest Commit Commit not that which may his anger cause no euil No euill then déere friend can thée molest Still feare Still feare and minde the dreadfull iudgement day to sinne To sinne bréedes
death but mercie doe require defie Defie such thinges as worke thy soules decay the diuell The diuel so shall léese his chiefe desire If thou If thou wilt spend thy dayes in great content praise God Praise God ech houre serue him in feare and dread with hearte With heart contrite thy former sinnes lament and minde And minde hence forth a better life to lead Great ioyes Great ioyes the Lord as his pure word doth say in heauen In heauen aboue for good men hath preparde thy soule Thy soule when that this life shall passe away shall finde Shall finde such blisse as cannot bée declarde The life of man metaphorically compared to a shippe sayling on the seaes in a tempest HAste homewardes man draw néerer to the shore The skies doe scowle the windes doe blow amaine The raged rockes with rumbling noyse doe rore The foggie clowdes doe threaten stormes of raine Ech thing foreshewes a tempest is at hand Hoyst vp thy sayles and haste to happy land In worldly seaes thy silly ship is tost With waues of woe besette on euery side Blowne héere and there in daunger to bée lost Darke clowdes of sinne doe cause thée wander wide Vnlesse thy God pitie some on thée take On rockes of rueth thou néedes must shipwrack make Cut downe the mast of rancour and debate Vnfraight the shippe of all vnlawfull wares Cast ouer boorde the packes of hoorded hate Pumpe out fowle vice the cause of many cares If that some léeke it make thée stand in doubt Repentaunce serues to stoppe the water out Let Gods pure word thy line and compasse bée And stedfast fayth vse thou in anckors stéede Lament thy sinnes then shalt thou shortly sée That power diuine will helpe thée forth at néede Fell Sathan is chiefe rular of these seas Hée séekes our wracke hée doth these tempestes rayse In what wée may let vs alwayes represse The furious waues of lust and fond desire A quiet calme our conscience shall possesse if wée doe that which dutie doeth require By godly life in fine obtaine wée shall the porte of blisse to which God send vs all A dolefull Dumpe WHo so doth mone and lackes a mate to bée partaker of his woe And will discourse of his estate Let him and I together goe And I will make him graunt in fine his griefe to bée farre lesse then mine Perhappes hée wil to win the best paint forth what pangs oppresse his minde How that hée féeles no quiet rest how fortune is to him vnkind And how hée pines in secréet griefe and findes no meanes for his reliefe These and such like a number will alleadge to witnes their distresse Some rolle vp stones against the hill with Sisiphus some eke expresse That like to Tantalus they fare and some with Yxion doe compare But I not onely féele the smart of al those euilles rehearsed before But tast the forment in my heart of thousand times as many more So that the worst of their annoyes Is best and chiefest of my ioyes I neuer fed on costly meate Since that this griefe opprest mée first Dole is the dainties that I eate And trickling teares doe coole my thirst Care is my caruing knife God wot Which dayly séekes to cut my throte Muse not that héere I secret kéepe The cause that first procurde my griefe What doeth it boote a man to wéepe When that his teares finde no reliefe Contentes mée onely this repose That death ere long will end my woes In praise of the contented minde IF all the ioyes that worldly wightes possesse Were throughly scand and pondred in their kindes No man of wit but iustly must confesse That they ioy most that haue contented mindes And other ioyes which beare the name of ioyes Are not right ioyes but sunneshines of anoyes In outward view wée sée a number glad Which make a shew as if mirth did abound Whē pinching grief within doth make them sad And many a one in these dayes may bée had Which faintly smile to shroud their sorowes so When oftentimes they pine in secréet woe But euery man that holdes himselfe content And yéeldes God thankes as dutie doth require For all his giftes that hée to vs hath sent And is not vext with ouer great desire And such I say most quietly doe sléepe When fretting cares doth others waking kéepe What doth auaile huge heapes of shining golde Or gay attyre or stately buildinges braue If worldly pelfe thy heart in bondage holde Not thou thy goodes thy goodes make thée their slaue For gréedie men like Tantalus doe fare In midst of wealth they néedie are and bare A warie héede that thinges go not to losse Doth not amisse so that it kéepe the meane But still to toyle and moyle for worldly drosse And tast no ioy nor pleasure for our paine In carke and care both day and night to dwell Is nothing els but euen a very hell Wherefore I say as erst I did beginne Contented men enioy the greaetst blisse Let vs content our selues to flye from sinne And still abide what Gods good pleasure is If ioy or paine if wealth or want befall Let vs bée pleasde and giue God thankes for all In the praise of Friendship REueale O tongue the secretes of my thought Tel forth the game that perfect friendship brings Expresse what ioyes by her to man are brought Vnfolde her prayse which glads all earthly things If one might say in earth a heauen to bée It is no doubt where faythfull friendes agrée To all estates true friendship is a stay To euery wight a good and welcome guest Our life were death were shée once tane away Consuming cares would harbour in our brest Fowle malice eke would banish al delight And puffe vs vp with poyson of despight If that the séedes of enuie and debate Might yéelde no fruite but wither and decay No canckred mindes would hoorde vp heapes of hate No hollow hearts dissembling partes should play No clawback then would fawne in hope of méede Such life to lead were perfect life in déede But nowadayes desire of worldly pelfe With all estates makes friendship very colde Few for their friendes ech shifteth for himselfe If in thy purse thou hast good store of golde Full many a one thy friendship will imbrace Thy wealth once spent they turne away their face Let vs still pray vnto the Lord aboue For to relent our hearts as hard as stone That through the world one knot of loyall loue In perfect trueth might linke vs all in one Then should wée passe this life without annoyes And after death possesse eternall ioyes A commendation of Peace WHen boyling wrath perturbs mās troubled brest Outraging will bids reasons lore adue Turmoyling cares bereaue all quiet rest And hastie yre makes harmefull happes ensue Great stormes of strife are raisd through dire debate But golden peace preserues the quiet state A gift diuine than precious pearle more worth Is blessed peace to discord deadly foe Most plenteous fruits this