much for such respect suffice thee Let honour valour truth and wit allure thee Or neuer of a faithfull friend assure thee For paâ—entage affect equalitie For lâ—â—ing vertue ioind with eloquence For bountie wisedomes liberalitie For valouâ— resolutions patience For proâ— â—bour with experience For hoâ—our vertues inclination For spirit graces inspiration Thâ— châ—â— friâ—d if thou wilâ— fauour any For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that cannot alter nature But fauoâ— fewe for if thou mak'st of many Thou wilt be held a simple witted creature Take heed therefore of a dissembling feature Sound the condition and approue it â—ound Before thy faith be to thy fauour bound But if thou find'st a minde of that true worth That is not matcht in all the brokers shops Whence thou canst draw that true loues liquor forth Which is not season'd with vnsauery hops While faiths strong pillars need no vnderprops All as a Phaenix do esteeme that friend With whom thy life with thy affection end But if a smoothing tongue a fleering face A capping knee with double diligence By close colloging creepe into thy grace To make an vse of thy magnificence Know he will but abuse thy patience Away with such and from thy care discard them They purchase bur disgrace that regard them And if he seeke to vndermine thy thought And go about thee with a bad inuention And do denie thy due desire in ought That may performe the truth of his intention Or stand on â—ermes in causes of contention Then do thus much for thy assurance know A hollow friend is but a hellish foe And now for knowing of thine enemy Let this suffice for reasons true direction Who doth intrude into thy company And make a shewe of too too much affection Such nimble wits haue euer in reiection And by a serpents hisse and beare-wheâ—pes eie Mistrust the treason of an enemie If he perswade thee to disloyall thought Imagine him a villaine in the height If that he haue with wanton humors wrought Know that an Idoll is the diuels baite And if he cheat thee with a gaming sleight In cares discretion leaue his company And hold him for a cunning enemy If he importune thee with borrowing Or carelesse liue vpon thy purses spending Or daily put thee off with morrowing Till want do make thee wearie of thy lending Then in the care of better thrifâ—s commending Shake oâ— a varlet in his villany And hold him for an inward enemy But leauing more of friends or foes to speake The one too fewe the other all too many So many friends their friendships daily breake That fewe are faithfull if that fewe be any The Sunne so soone the painted fâ—e wilâ— tawny Thaâ— he that hath the world well ouergone Finde foes too many friends but fewe or none 〈◊〉 when thou wilt a seruant fitly chuse Haue great regard vnto his qualitie Lest lacke of care thy kindnes do abuse Allow no counterfeit formalitie No prigging theft nor prodigalitie No pot companion nor no prating knaue Not lazie Rascall nor vncomely slaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ggard nor sheep-biter dogge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 night-walker nor game player 〈◊〉 â—ing copes-mate nor no grunting hogge 〈◊〉 swearer brabbler nor way layer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iester nor soothsayer No daâ—ie tooth nor double diligence Nor him that hath a world wide conscience But sober honest wittie thriftie kinde Good shape good face expert and laborous Good hand good heart good spirit good minde Discreetly carefull but not couetous Faithfull and firme in perfect truths approuing And think that seruant kindly worth the louing Now if thy sernant vnawares offend In secret giue him reprehension But if you see he care not to amend Nor of aduice take better apprehension Mistrust his spirit of some ill intention Away with him and turne him to disgrace And seeke to put a better in his place But last of all and not the least in charge I wish thee looke into thy loues consort For when the heart hath left the eye at large Venus commaunds where Cupid scales the fort As all too many all too true report Be carefull therefore in thy thoughts affection That they be gouern'd by a good direction Beautie with vertue honour ioynd with kindnesse Wit with some wealth and person without pride True noblenesse without ambitious blindnesse Faire haird straight bodied sweet countenance and cleare â—ide A spirit where no poison doth abide Where these sweet birds do all in one bush sing Who would not spend his life in such a spring But if she be ilfauour'd blind and old A prattle basket or an idle slut A sleepie huswife or a hatefull scold Or such a sparrow as will not keepe cut Spoile not thy teeth with cracking such a nut For in the world there is no greater hell Then in a house with such a hagge to dwell Or if complexion with condition meete A Croidon sanguine and a currish nature A minde that treads good manners vnder feete A sorrell foretop and a sowish feature God blesse thee sonne from such a wicked creature And let thee rather leade a single life Then kill thy selfe to liue with such a wife Learne then to chuse the best and leaue the worst And chusing well make much of such a choise And thou shalt see while other liue accurst Thy heart and soule shall inwardly reioyce Oh heartie loue is such a heau'nly voyce As he that know it or doth kindly heare it Will finde no musicke in the world come neare it But I will leaue thee to the heau'ns direction Beseeching God of his high heauenly grace To settle so the care of thy affection It take no roote in an vnworthy place But that a virgins eye and Angels face So make thee ioyfull of thy happie chaine That fancie bound would not be free againe But that this course and euerie other care May purchase and continue thy content And that thy soule may liue where vertues are The happie soules eternall ornament To him that fram'd the highest firmament Thy heart and soule in loue all humbly bow And to his will thy seruice truly vow At morne at noone at euening day and night Vnto his mercie do confesse thy sin And begge of him to cleare thy blinded sight And teach thy spirit how it may begin To finde the way that gracious loue may win Pray weepe and cry vntill thou hast obtained Into his seruice to be entertained And when thou feel'st the spirit of that grace That rules the heau'ns come downe into thy hart And so thy thoughts in order all to place That vertue do dispose of euery part When thus thou feelest that thou blessed art Pray for continuance of that comforts blisse That keepes the soule it cannot go amisse And when thou feel'st the loathing of that sinne That long misled that mournfull soule of thine And the true way of grace art entred in That doth the soule to sacred loue encline And doth assure thee of the loue diuine Then let thy heart thy minde and spirit sing
For be the Phâ— a 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 a Blood Nature doth wondâ— in her worke house shroud The Sunne itselfe sometime is in a cloud Concealed comforts are the kindest sweets Where loue and honor with discretion meets A boasting tongue is like a heard mans horâ—e Which makes a noyse 〈◊〉 nothing worth the hearing And bragging 〈◊〉 are noâ— to be borne Thogh fooles of choise â—time are worth the chering Yet in the points of wisdoms true appearing Presumptuous fooles and 〈◊〉 religious Iewes Emong the Nobleâ— sort should neuer vse Know how to loue but know not how to hate T'one halfe a heau'n the â—other halfe a hell Learne what belongs to 〈◊〉 and to Fate And trust not all that Idle stories tell And do not reede before you learne to spell But keep thy spirit with that speciall care That Truth may shew thee where her honors are Offend not God with 〈◊〉 the faire In higher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit their 〈◊〉 And looke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the â—ire That 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit 〈◊〉 And let no 〈◊〉 so thy soule perpleâ— But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 remoue That may be â—full to thy happâ—e loue Regard thy followers in a kind as friends But 〈◊〉 a difference in thâ—e eyes affect 〈◊〉 vse their 〈◊〉 in such carefull kinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake of thy respect And well 〈◊〉 rewards do not neglect For â—s the hand that 〈◊〉 the seruice binde Although the spirit 〈◊〉 commaund the minde 〈◊〉 Reason by the rules of Grace And ch◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vertues choise In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwell not on the Base And let thine 〈◊〉 be pleased in the voyce That sounds the song that makes the soule 〈◊〉 Aâ—oyd all substance of the soules annoy And onely Iesus be thy spirits ioy If honor fall vpon thee 〈◊〉 Note how it comes and how it may begone And guide thy 〈◊〉 with such inward 〈◊〉 Thy ground may still be sure to build vpon But needles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studie on For Time is 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And brings the 〈◊〉 soule to Paradise Follow the warres but in a worthy cause And Court it but for â—bilitie Be not a Rebell vnto honors lawes For t is a maime to true Gentilitie In all the notes of true Nobilitie So vse thy sword in field at home thy pen Thou maist be both belou'd and fear'd of men Let not a Shaâ—t a Bowle a Carde nor Die Take vp thy Rent a yeare before the day A Parats feather nor a 〈◊〉 cie Make thee too fast to throw thy wealth away Lest bad I wist do keepe fooles holly day Esteeme a horse according to his pace But loose no wagers on a wilde goosâ— chase Teare not thy throat with hollowing to hounds Nor ride thy horse to death to seeke a Hawke Spoile not thine eyes with leuelling of grounds Nor barre thine honest neighbour of his walke But take no pleasure with a foole to talke But harken to the shepheards what they saine Both of the Sun shine and a showre of raine Feed not too grosse and drinke not ouer much The sparing diet is the spirits feast The Pitch and Tarre are daungerous to tuch And want of reason makes a man a beast Of forced euils euer chuse the least Be warned by a little from the more And take heed of an inward breeding sore Wound not the conscience of a wofull hart Nor take delight in doing iniury But ease the sicke in his consuming smart And helpe the poore man in his misery So liue so die so liue and neuer die Relieue thy friend but not with all thou hast Lest thou be driuen to seeke to him as fast Importune not a Prince in any sute Nor do a sutor long delaie his hope In cause of Iustice be not ouer mute But in a malice do no secrets ope But keepe thy care within discretions scope Smile at the bird whose bill is ouerlong But neuer listen to the Cuckoes song Loose not thy paines to teach an Owle to speake Nor striue to wash an Ethiopian white Make it no tryumph to subdue the weake But vse thy force to put the proud to flight And in renow me giue euery man his right Begin no more then so thou mean'st to finish As of thine honor may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diminish Trauaile to learne diuersitie of Natures But keep at home the care of thy content And euer haue respect vnto those creatures That haue their talents in thy seruice spent And loue the soule that is to vertue bent For euer keep this point of noblenes Let no man note thee of vnthankfulnes Depraue not any that do well deserue Noâ— magnifie an idle headed wit Nor let thy will from wisedomes order swarue How euer humors disalow of it Manage affection with discretions bit For time will teach thee in true reasons creature A foole is but the weake effect of nature In Princes Courts do neuer presse too fast Nor shrinke a foote from thy desert of fame And slip no time for once the humor past A pleasing fansie may be out of frame Shun all occasions of deserued blame 〈◊〉 iâ—â—nwares thou happen to offend Let witâ— excuse the care of will commend 〈◊〉 not too great for feare of Enuies figge Yet ioy in all that vertue may aduaunce Make not thy musique of a country Iigge But leaue the Louâ— to tread the Moris-dauncâ— And keep thy sences from Narcissus traunce And follow not Acteon to the wood For feare Diana do thee little good Studie the lawe but to maintaine thy state Diuinitie to keep thy soule in peace Logicke but only questions to debate Arithmeticke but knowledge to encrease How numbers may both multiply and cease Philosophy to iudge of Natures best And Phisicke but grosse humors to digest And Rethoricke to speake in tune and sence Musique but to remoue melancholy Astrology to know circumference For Architecture learne Geometry And for thy trauaile learne Cosmography For recreation soorne not Poetry But for discourses study History To haue a kind of superficiall sight In hawkes and hounds and horse and fowle fish Is not amisse but let thy harts delight Be neuer setled in an idle dish Nor shew thy folly in a wanton wish Be silent to thy selfe what ere thou thinkest And take good heed with whoÌ„ where thou drinkest Learne for instruction Reede for exercise Practise for knowledge and for gaine remember In worldly pleasures make no paradise Know that thou art of Christ his church a member And do not make thine Aprill in September Vnto thy God in youth direct thy waies And he will blesse thee in thine aged daies Let Conscience know the title of a crowne Yet know withall there is a king of kings Who hoisteth vp and headlong tumbleth downe And all the world doth couer with his wings While heau'n and earth but of his glory sings To whom discharge the loue thou daily owest And he will blesse thâ— where so ere thou goest Winke at the world 〈◊〉 though thou saw'st it not And
THE MOTHERS blessing Printed at London by T. C. for Iohn Smethick and are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunstons Churchyard in Fleetstreet 1602. TO THE SPIRIT OF MVCH forwardnesse in the inclination to much goodnesse in the loue of learning and the honor of vertue M. Thomas Rowe sonne to the Lady Bartley of Stoke Nich. Breton wisheth with continuance of health a prosperous atchieuement of his vertuous desires SYr my acquaintance with you hath not beene litle nor my loue lesse which I wold bee glad to manifest in some better matter theÌ„ bare words and yet since words well weyed sometime carry matter of good sence in the words which I write I pray you wey the sence of my good will which if it haue not done so well as I wish beare with it for a litle fault and it may bee I will mend it with a greater but leauing complements let me entreat you in your kindnesse to Patronage this childe of my best choise to answere the regard of your good discretion in whom though you finde not that finenesse that is fitting to phantastike humours yet it may bee you shall note some such matter of contentment as may be a little worthy entertainment the best is this there is a carefull mothers blessing to her beloued sonne the first I know you haue and the second I doubt not you are who reading what I haue written and remembring what you haue read I am assured will please her that loueth you and loue him that herein hath pleased you for that much good that he knoweth in you will euer loue you but seeing it were better that I rather do so then tell you so I will leaue my hope to a good occasion to manifest the nature of my affection And so beseeching God to blesse your forwardnesse in all good actions and to preserue you from all illusions Yours Irest at commaund in what mine owne Nich. Breton To the Reader GEntlemen there are so many idle Pamphlets vnder the abused name of Poetrie abroad in the world that matter of good worth either morall or diuine if it bee handled in verse it is almost as ill as vertue it will not sell almost for any thing yet amoÌ„g a number of no matter for theÌ„ I doubt not but there are some wil giue Reason his right and Vertue her due to such onely I commend this little tract of morall discipline which though it be handled in single verse yet if it please you to peruse it I hope you will not vtterly disdaine it such as it is I leaue it to your discreete censures and kinde corrections in which as you shall shewe the best conditions of dispositions so shall you giue mee cause with much thaâ—â—lnesse to present you hereafter with some better substance But least I promise more then I can performe I pray you take this in as good part as if it had bin a matter of more worth and so wishing you all that beare good mindes the happy fruites of your best desires Loath to be too tedious I rest as I finde cause Your friend N. Breton The Mothers blessing MY sonne my sonne my best beloued sonne Hear my deare son what careful charge I leaue thee Take hold of Time the glasse is quickly run Trust not to Fortune for she will deceiue thee What ere thou art let not the world perceiue thee Know God loue him be gouern'd by his will And haue no doubt of good nor feare of ill Weane laizie Will from thriftlesse Idlenes Beware the wanton to abuse thy wit Vnbridled Will breeds but vnhappines How euer sorrowes Care would couer it Who buyes Repentance must pay deare for it Time Truth and Triall will in one agree The fruits of sin Death shame and sorrow bee Loue not vpon the first delightfull looke Nor hate vpon the first conceiued harme Let not the care of Conscience be mistooke And feare the force of the Almightie arme Feare not mischance nor harken to a charme By graceles meanes deuise not to enrich thee And let no worlds vnworthy loue bewitch thee If that thou serue a Thatcher do him due But if thou canst subscribe not to the Clowne Lest all too late thou find'st it all too true When thou hast thatcht the house he throw thee downe But neuer fret how euer Fortune â—rowne For what the higher powers of heau'n decrâ—e There is no asking why it should so hee Breake not thy word that well thou maist performe For words are waide by men of worthy minde Take heed of those that falshoods do enforme And strike not â—aile for euery blast of winde Nor do thy spirit to thy body binde Giue not a Misers liberalitie And feare the fruite of prodigalitie Heare all men speake but harken to the wise Learne of the learned and the vertuous loue And let no pride thy blessed soule surprise That may discretion from thy minde remoue Humilitie is grac't with God aboue And Courtesie with honors cariage Twixt Loue and Beautie makes a mariage Be kinde to those that kindly do deserue Cruell to none a Tyrant is a Deuill Haue speciall care thy health for to preserue And keep thee from the Epicurian euill Loue not the eye that squints nor lips that dreuill Beware the Pander and the Parasite And do not leaue a Faulcon for a Kite Giue not thine eare to euery Idle tale And trust no more then what of needs thou must Set not the secrets of thy heart to sale For feare they throw thine honor in the dust And do not loue the treasure that will rust Make it thy day but when the Sun doth shine And ioy in soule but in the loue diuine Place not thy learning in a Library Yet reede and marke remember and apply And till thou art a perfect Antiquary Stand not too much vpon antiquitie Let vertue note the best Nobilitie Be wise in all things that thou doest intend A good beginning makes a blessed end Stand not on termes with persons of estate Be truly loyall in thy life and loue Know what belongs vnto a Magistrate Who hath his office from the heauâ—ns aboue Nor make a Gaunlet of a hedging gloue Let Bountie euer be the fruite of thrift For borrowing is too neare the Beggers shift Looke into Nature with Discretions eye And sort thy selfe with vnderstanding spiritsâ— Build not thy Castle of conceit too high Nor let thy hopes be grounded but on Merits While heedles Connies feare the hunters Ferits Giue none abuse nor basely take disgrace Nor loue that minde that hath a brazen face A blessed Colour is a maiden blush And setled Countenance is a comely sight Stand not too long in beating of a bush For feare the Bird beguâ—le thee with her â—light In idle follies neuer take delight Trauaile but tolle not painfull is the pleasure Where lacke of care in labour hath no measure If God haue blest thee with an inward good Be ioyfull of his blessing but not proud
An Halleluiah to thy heauenly King Begin with glory to his maiestie Proceed with glorie to his holy name Coutinue glorie to his Deitie And end with glorie to his worthy fame And endlesse be the glorie of the same Begin proceed continue end his story Without beginning neuer ending glory O highest glory in the heau'ns aboue O brightest glory of theau'ns behoue O purest glory before heau'ns to proue O blessed glory aboue heau'ns to loue O louely glory that all loue doth moue O gracious glory that all grace beginneth O glorious glory that all glory winneth Thus my deare sonne sing vnto God thy Lord And sing in tune that heau'ns may ioy to heare And let thy tongue thy heart and soule accord To chaunt it out with such a ioy full cheare That heau'ns may see thou hold'st their master deare And thy true faith may in thy spirit proue The liuing comfort of thy heau'nly loue But if thou doost not serue thy God aright And humbly feare his holy maiestie Thy clearest day will turne to darksome night Thy wealth to want thy wit to vanitie Thine ease to paine ioy to calamitie Thy sweetest musicke to a mournfull quell Thy life to death thy hope of heauen to hell For though a while he suffer thee to thriue And finde on earth a fayned paradies Yet death will come who quickly will depriue Thy sences of the pleasures of thine eies Wherein th' illusion of thy spirit lies And thou wilt be within thy soule so torne As thou wouldst wish thou neuer hadst bin borne A world of woes will ouerwhelme thy heart And fearefull dreames affright thee in the night A thousand torments will encrease thy smart And dreadfull visions will thy soule affright Thou shalt be bard from the eternall light And in the darknesse where all horrors dwell Thy soule shall burne in euerlasting hell Where thou shalt see the mizer-minded-dogge Frie in the furnace of his molten gold The glutton monster and the drunken hogge Gnawing their bones with hunger thirst and cold The murtherer in paines not to be told The leacher so bedight in beastlinesse As kills his soule to see his filthinesse The tyrant tortur'd with those vgly spirits That fed his humour with the thirst of blood The traitor follow'd with those hungry ferits That onely fed vpon the poysned food Of damned soules that neuer did man good The theefe tormented with the shamelesse lyer The swearers mouth all in a flame of fyer The pander and the wicked parasite Shall sup the broath of hellish beastlinesse The heretike in wilfull ouersight Shall feed vpon the froth of foolishnesse Boyld in the fire of all vnfaithfulnesse The Atheist so shall feele Gods vengeance on him That all the plagues of hell shall fall vpon him The vniust Iudge at least if there be any The bribing client of ill conscience The periur'd witnesse whereof are too many The plotting pate of sinfull pestilence The wrothfull spirit of impatience All these shall iustly all their torments beare But God blesse thee from seeing of them there But if thou rightly serue thy Lord and God And day and houre do sue to him for grace When faithfull Truth this world hath ouertrod Thy soule shall flye vnto afairer place Where thou shalt see thy Sauiour in the face And in that face that euerlasting blis In which the brightnesse of all glory is There shalt thou see frō hie the day-light springing Which darksome night hath neuer power to shade There shalt thou heare the Saints Angels singing And all their ditties to his glory made There shalt thou feele the ioyes that neuer fade There shall thy soule more perfect ioyes possesse Then tongue or heart or spirit can expresse There shalt thou see the bounteous richly crowned The gratious Prince in Angels armes embraced The vertuous souldiers with the Saints renowmed The Iudge of Iustice in high honor placed The faithfull witnes in Truthes fauour graced The virgins singing in the Angels quier How patient hopes vnto their heau'n aspire There shalt thou feele the blessed ioy of peace Wherein the life of holy loue doth rest There shalt thou heare the Musicke neuer cease Where Angels voyces euer are adrest In their best tunes to sound his glory best Where euery one a blessed part doth beare God blesse thee sonne to set them euer there Amen FINIS