In shrubs harde shrowded by a wofull wight there lay Whose carefull corps through pining paine was welnie worne away Where powring out his plainte he curst his cruell fate That led him forth to hope for hier where he in fine founde hate He sight and beat his breast and bid all men take héede By him to trust no filed wordes where as they shew no déede For filed wordes me fed to folow fancie so That like the hooked Fish betraide I languish now in wo I looke and longe so death she leapes alofte in ioye Whose subtel sleights alas ê™ he hath wrought all mine anoye That fie on hir fayre face fie on her fained there For hir sake eke alone I bid fie on all women there Whereby he lookte aside and finding where I stoode Like one that sought to liue alone from me he fled as woode For whom such griping greefe my heauy hart did knawe That I my selfe there depe deâ—â—de like linke of Louers lawe Finis The britlenesse of thinges mortall and the trustinesse of Vertue TO you faire Dames whose fauoure now doth florish To you whose daintie daies in ioyes are spent To you whose corpes Dame nature yet doth poolish To you whom Cupide chiefly doth frequent To you I write with harte and good intent That you may note by this which I do say How natures giftes soone weare and waste a way Your loftie lookes the time will plucke full lowe Your statelie steps Age eke will alter quight Not one thinge now that doth geue pleasant showe But time of cuts and forseth to take the flight Saue Uertue sole in whiche who doth delight When wealth when pompe when beautie shall them leaue Uertue alone to such will sticke and cleaue Where is faire Helines bewtie now be come Or Cressed eke whom Troylus long time serued Where be the decked daintie Dames of Rome That in Aurâ—lius time so florished As these and many mo are vanished So shall your youth your fauour and your grace When nothing els but vertue may take place To vertue therfore do your selues applie Call Cressids lyfe vnto your youthly minde Who past her time in Troye most pleasauntly Till falsinge faith to vice she had inclinde For whiche to hir suche present plagues were sinde That she in Laâ—ers lodge hir life did ende Whiche wonted was most choysly to be tende Hir comly corpes that Troylus did delight All puft with plages full lothsomly there lay Hir Azurde vaines hir Cristall skinne so whight With Purple spots was falne in great decay Hir wrinkeled face once fayre doth fade away Thus she abode plagde in midst of this hir youth Was forst to beg for breaking of hir truth Lo here the ende of wanton wicked life Lo here the fruit that Sinne both sowes and reapes Lo here of vice the right rewarde and knife That cutth of cleane and tombleth downe in heapes All such as treadeth Cresids cursed steps Take heede therefore how you your youthes do spende For vice bringee plagues and vertue happie ende Finis The description of his lothsom life to his friende LIke as the wofull wight in Irons colde doth lie And hopes at Sise to be releast is then condemde to die Euen so alas my lot as contrarie doth fall As his who lookt for suger sweet and founde most bitter gaule My reastlesse labour now I iustly may compare To Sisiphus that neuer sleapes or els to Tâ—stius care For after sturdie stormes when calme I thinke to finde More rougher rage a new doth rise to gripe my greeued minde And when my carefull case by meanes I seeke to cure Most deepist dinte of inwarde wo alas I doo endure The cause of this my grief yet will I closly keepe And secretly my sorowes suppe when others sounde do sleape Finis The Louer almost in desperation moneth his estate MY carefull case and heauie pining plight Constraineth me against my will to wright The plungid state wherin I liue and dwell Doth force me forth my trimbling tale to tell My heaped woes all solace settes aside Whose secrete smarte alas I fayne woulde hide But as the subiect Oxe to yoke must yelde So vanquisht wightes are forst forsake the fielde My lucklesse lot denies me all releefe I seeke for help but finde increase of greefe I languish still in longe and deepe dispayre Yet feare to shew the cause of this my care I couit nought that reason might denie I seeke not for to clime the cloudie skie But what I seeke if I the same might finde Then should be easde mine vncontented mine Finis The infortunate ende of Cresus Kynge of Lydia a vvorthy note for Couetousnesse sake WHen darkenesse dim the earth did hide and husht was wood fielde when Beasts Birdes of painted pride to take their rest did yelde When Seas and waues of waters wilde their roring séemde to slake And eche thing els in silence sat on sleape their ease to take Then I whose wakefull troubled head no quiet rest coulde finde Lay mewsing how I best might ease mine vncontented minde At last I starte from out my bead and hauing present light Did finde a Booke whereon I read to driue away the night In whiche the life of Cirus Kynge of Persia I founde Writen by one hight Xenophon from whence I take my grounde The wonderous workes and worthy déedes of Cirus then I read His regale rule his liberall harte and how in warres he spead How he through his beneuolence not only eache hart won But kept himselfe thereby more sure then towne or garison Who when at any time he stoode of Golde or men in neede with wealth and will his people hast to strength him still with speede And breif to be suche noble déedes by Cirus dâ—â—ne I finde As iustly sure deserued hath to winne immortall minde Which I now passe ouer to them that better can indite As one who most vnable is his life at large to write But only this I note therin as thinge of wonders prise A mirrour méete for Maiestrats to set before their eies When Cressus he that cormrant Kinge which ouer Lyde did raigne Seyng the largenesse Cirus vsde wilde him his hande restraine He saide to heape his frendes in wealth was vnto him great pleasure If he then chaunst to stande in néede he tooke them for his treasure O noble Kynge woulde God thy life were grauen in Tables of Golde That Cresus kinde whiche now doth liue thy bountie might beholde So should they se what Fame thou wanne in lands and countries coste where Cresus Kynge was cleane â—â—â—sumde with that he honâ—rd moste Who ended thus his gréedie guttes were â—â—de and set on flote with glittering Golde that 〈◊〉 was â–ª and powred downe his throte Finis The contempt of Riches THe state of worldly things is straunge and most vnstable Both mirth and wo to man it brings through Fortune variable Wherfore I holde him best that hath sufficiente That likes the lot which God hath geuen
liberally extende As longe as thou with mâ—ncy storde or qualities art freight most â—ayâ—e thy maister speekes to thee most ioyfull is his plight 〈◊〉 chearefull peares his pleasant face all times continually And still he saith he full is bent to help and chearish thee â—ayr words they say make fooles to faine trust not swet promise kind before the deedes agree to wordes which thou by proofe shalt finde For though thou be in fauour greatst yet coms a sudden blast that Maisters loue may turne to hate as one dispisde at last â—till shalt thou plie both carks and cares for maysters worthy state to ride to râ—â— in heate and colde at times both er and late In perels plungr and dangers greate thou fealst continuallie thy life thou dost aduenture oft for Maisters cause to dye When others â—â—â—ape in quiet bedde thou ridst in nightes that be in shewres and 〈◊〉 to do the thyng that Lorde commits to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swordes in groues and bushie place 〈…〉 for Masters cause thou runst in painfull race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in presence be to shewe thy diligence 〈…〉 is but all thine owne expense 〈…〉 addresse both here and theare to goe 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 to talke and â—â—yle this is thy endles woe 〈…〉 now mistris speakes now vp and downe goe now 〈…〉 thou theare at all commaundes be thou Yet when thy Maister likes thee well thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus betwene Caribdis rockes thou â—ailst in doubtfull state â–ª Yf both thee loue t is but for times they stande 〈◊〉 for maister geues his eare perhaps to fauâ—inge 〈◊〉 And then a preuie fooâ— maye worke a treuthles â—ale to â—ell that fauour fleeth and maister 〈◊〉 whom late he loued full well â–ª O cruell tonge O masters fonde that so will bende 〈◊〉 eares to cause a faithfull seruantes â—arâ— to mâ—ne in 〈◊〉 câ—eâ—reâ— But thousande wayes besides may â—rowe displeasurs great in place that shall thee bring from ioyfull hart into a dolefull case This is the surest certaintie of seruice that maie fall this is the wofull haps of men in place illiberall At beck thou art to come and goe a bondage t is yee see whâ— wilde liâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 seruitude if well he may go free The crouked clowne with all his â—oyle fealth not one halfe thy paine to whom the tylled soyle restores for laboures gratefull gayne But thou for fruites so 〈◊〉 deserued by longe applied care perchaunce may get but only hate not one good worde to spare O Barraine lande O frutelesse feilde to bringe a fort to woes for when they hopde to haue rewarde nought els but hatred groes What man can iudge of such a soyle that hath both eyes to see but that he will accompt the ende a mortall misere If once thou hapst away to be when maister cals thee well what checks thou hast at thy retorne I neede not here to tell Yea oft we see for absence small though cause full great appeare thy maister taunth and maistris frownes as Heg of Hell she weare And once if thou from fauour fall then laboureth flatteryng spies to hoyse thee out of fauour cleane by lewde and knauish lies And commonly this thing doth hap when youth and goods are spent for then to driue thee of in deede his minde is fully bent And soone will he geue credit then to those that thee depraue alas for all our carkes and cares this is rewarde wee haue When faithfull man hath thus long serued in truth of tried hart in th end shall vice ingratytude retracte his iust desarte O youth beware O men be wyse what foole so blinde is hee that will spende out his youthfull yeres such seruingman to be A seruyngman what mome will loue their names are adsous their life abhorde as wicked waies and trade most impious This will the hellish sclaunderous lipps of honest man report and though the seruinge man be good yet rayles the enwous sort When thus is spent thy golden youth and many goodly yeres and left the waies of surer life where greater fruites appeares When spent be goods both stock and store and all in seruice eare and liued longe at charge of freinds whose bagges for thee go bare Then comth on thee displeasures great at one vnhappy howre that maister hates whom well he loued turnes thee out his dowre Then age with charge and toyling paines so many yeres of trust are now at once on sudden lost and all is layde in dust Thus thou for toyle and great expense hast smaller rewarde to take now age draweth on and all is spent and all men thee forsake And thou art left in beggers state that were in youth so fine what miserie is like to this what woes then like to thine In hope some liue to be preferde for worke to haue his gaine but hope may misse though wide he gap he gapeth perchauÌ„ce in vaine Where one wee see to be preferde three liue for lacke as staruid and other eke shall haue the fruites that they haue well deseruide And this is cause that I olâ—e man am poore whom none regarde for I haue felt for seruice longe the maisters short rewarde What greater plagues or woes can be then lost deserued meede and Lorde to turue his seruant of in time of greatest neede Of seruice longe this is the ende as still by proofe ye see for faithfull harts of seruants true these are rewardes that bee For longe expense and charge of freinâ—s this is rewarde againe for lost of time in golden youth this is the tried gaine For toyling paines and labours longe this fruitelesse endes that bee alas this is the death of some when Lordes ingrate they see But cheefe when age doth once appeare that labour none they haue the mistres cries what makst thou heare be packing doting knaue So are they like vnto the Dog in Hunt that runs his race who hath in youth been well esteemde and liuide in careles case But when in age he weried is that hunting all is past go hange they crie the cursed our this is roward at last This is the ende this is rewarde for paines and lost of age O learne yonge man that seruice then in none inheritage A signe of this of youth ill spent an aged man am I alas no refuge is for me O death nowe let me die O wretched state O cruell course O port of penurie O pitte of pagnes O pesilent race O sincke of miserie O witles wates O frutles factts O badge of beggers state O plumpe of paines O endles woes O man infortunate Retire my sonne this race to run that life vnsertaine is who liues in state of Seruitours liues still in doubtfulnes What is the cause ingratitude withdrawes the helpyng hande since seruing weights by dayly toyle are praise of noble band What is the state of noble troope if saruants haue no powres alone is knowen a princely porte by traine of seruitoures By seruice dew is well distinct of state the right degrees as seruants serue in hoping harts and crouch with humble knees Where are the men more courteous then men of seruice free what men are more of comely corps then Courtly seruants be Who knowes the course and trade of men but seruants daily care who are more feate or trim traind vp then manerd seruants are Who stronge or tall of personage but men of seruants route who beares the cares bront of wars but seruants arms so stoute What then of more necessitie then seruitours full trewe why then shall they haue ill rewards in th end their states to rewe Lo here good sonne I haue declarde some part of thy degre be ware be times hereafter say that I haue tolde it thee Then came this courtly Courtier wherin his prayse redownes and gaue vnto this aged man for helpe full twentie Crownes And saide till death in mindefull brest this counsall will I graue and eke in time I hope by wit thereof the fruites to haue I thanckes restord withe hartye loue which tongue dooth faint to tell god thee preserue in happie dayes O â—ather deare farewell Fare well quoth he with thousande thankes God thy iorney speede which thus hast helpe my aged yeres in times of greatest neede Thus sayd that aged man full glad with lingring steps on went. and laith his corps in plesant shade of Oken tree to bent For tonge with talke now werie was and hart for gift was glad wherefore he went to recreat his limmes that weaknesse had And laying downe his bodie weake he layde his Staffe him bye and leande his head on Elbow bare and closde his sleeping eye Finis Howell to his freinde keper THe seruynge state which you reiect By open cause that you detect Deserues so great a prayse in deede As great contempts cannot exceede Who serues not God is voyde of blisse In noble seruice freedom is And he that hath cleare eyes to see Perceaues that all men seruants bee For Princes greatst serue God aboue And men them serue in God by loue As God geueth gifts who him regards So Lord his seruant true rewards What greate rewards of Maisters be By seruice got wee dayly see Some Knights be dubde for their awards To greater state thence forth prefarde And eke wee see in meaner sort The Lords that keepe the stately port Theire seruants keepe in ioylitie And them prefar to dignitie If seruants then receaue their meede And eche man seruant is in deede In this disprayse of them so prest Include your selfe emongst the rest They are preferd why say ye noe Their Maisters gifts do dayly growe Exalt therfore good Courteours And eke the courte ef Seruitours Finis keeper his answer to H. FReind Howe I hope thou quietly To serue thy Lord most faithfully No man to much can prayse such men No Maister good depraues my pen. I speake of Maister Couetous Unkinde vniust vncourteous Unsweet vnmeet to serue at all Not good not iust not liberall Therfore ye take my worde amisse All saruants are most true it is Yet I do gesse by inwarde moode All seruants serue not Maisters good Finis ¶ Imprinted at London in fleetstreet beneath the Conduyt at the signe of S. Iohn Euangelist by Thomas Colwell
thyrst for goods so thrall The bolder men foolehard ye call The fearefull wights are dastards all Then ill eschew embrace thinges cleane Howell welfare thy golden meane Finis He lamenteth the vngratefull person for inconstancie ALas I vnhappie and most wofull wight Whom Fortune so déeply hath now in despight That tonge cannot tell ne Pen haue powre to wright My pittifull playnt and heauie pining plight How shall I to case me vnborden my brest Of these double dolours that breedes mine vnrest When speeche wanteth powre when Pen is vnprest And witte wanteth conning thervnto adrest This great restlesse rage in my minde doth renew And where I fayne helpe woulde finde harme doth ensew But yet was I neuer founde false or vntrew Which causeth me much more my dolors to rew She that I did honour aboue all the rest To whom I reserued the harte in my brest Hath me quite forsaken and broke hir behest And another taken to loue and like best And séemeth now sleightly to beare me in hande That I was cause only of breatche of hir bande But truth if me tried full searched and scande Then trespas in me should she non vnderstande Wherfore to the Spider I may her compare That cruelly killeth what 's caught in hir snare For she by like tyranie nothing doth spare Most spitefully to spoyle thus my carcas with care Finis The shevving of his good Hart. THe Gloue for gadge is rightly geuen where thinges concluded 〈◊〉 Wherefore I do accompte therof more then of golde or fee Of whiche if I were storde like Cresus in his time I vow to thée if thou so woulde it should be wholy thine Where to if I with Salomon in wisdome might compare And bewtie had like Absolon whose matche is very rare Like eloquence to Cicero in power Caesars peare Yet would I be as now I stande your faithfull seruant deare And thus I rest in Hauen hope whose bosome doth imbrace Your gloue as you till trackte of time may purchase further grace Finis The declaration of the vnstablenesse of fickle Fortune WHere Fortune fauoureth not what labour may preuaile Whom frowning fate will needes thrust downe what shall he win to waile With patience to yeelde for such Ideeme most best And cast their cares and griefes on him that rewleth fates behest Wee see by perfit proofe that none so Princely goes But that by will of God the hiest out of this worlde he floes Sith then suche fickle force in mortall might wee finde Let nothing that shall hap thée heare to much torment thy minde For all to liue a like of this assured bee Was neuer yet nor shal be seene but cache in his degree As like the Potters pottes be made to sundrie vse So some men serue and some are serude here néedes no fine eâ—scuse The labouring man to toyle that spares ne night nor day Gets skarce to feede his famely when some howrde heapes that play Yet doth he not dispayre nor yet from labours flie But liues contente when worldlinges make of wealth their miscrie Who gripte with greater greif if Fortune list to lowre Then suche as earst did feede at fill vpon hir fruitfulst flowre Whiche change full oft hath chaunst through hir vnconstantnesse And whom she lately laught vpon throwne downe remedilesse Was Alexander greate that many daungers past For all his mightie conquestes wonne not poysned dead at last A Kynges sonne eke I finde for Fathers tirannie Constrainde to worke in Smithes Fordge by harde necessitie Suche is the fading force of Fortunes fickle flower Whose fruitfulst fruite both ripes rots in lesse space then one hower Such is hir tickle trust suche are hir slipper steppes That what she seemes to sowe in ioye with sorow oft she reapes Attribute all to him that ruleth fate therefore To him I meane whiche lefte the riche and fed the pinyng poore For thus do I intende whilse vit all breath shall last Though earst I practisde many meanes which proofe hath tride in wast Finis Themislocles ansvver concerninge his Daughter to be maried THemislocles by whose great skill th' Athenians longe were led His only Daughter did bestow on meane yonge man to wed Whiche when his freindes did wonder sore these wordes he did expresse My daughter deare hath wonne ê™ he more wealth then ye do gesse Whom I accompt muche better plaste when truth I truely scan Upon a man that money wants then money wanting man. Finis The Lamentation of the vvofull man hauinge for entire Loue no goodvvyll THe time that I began to enter first to life Woulde God the sisters three had cut the threade with fatale knife Wolde God that death had béen with arowes readie bente To pearce the wofull harte of mine whiche now with care is spente Then should I not at all haue folowed fancies lewre Whose outwarde showe of suger sweet is mirt with poyson sowre As now I am constrainde by destnie sure I thinke That still doth finde but bitter tast yet cannot choose but drinke Thus I God knowes full oft a heauie harte do beare â—hen out wardly I seeme to shew a mery carelesse cheare Desembling eke my case in hope of happier day But aye from time to time I finde nought els but my decay I pine in secret flanies like ware consumde with fyre I wishe but alwaies wante my will lo this mine only hier What Paps did geue hir foode that nought regardes my wo What Tiger fearce alas coulde hate the harte that loued hir so Great crueltie it is to slay the yéelding wight That mercy stil doth sue to haue and vseth none other fight But sith my haplesse hap alas must néedes be so With speede come death to ende my life and ridde me of this wo. Finis The Louer declares his constant harte neuer to forge the thinge that vvas decreed SHall any wight preuayle to bringe to passe by powre Away to mooue or rule our loue that faith hath firt tindewre Shall either force of friendes or frowarde frownyng foes Cause vs forgoe our hoped ioyes bought with so many woes No no for my parte here a vowe to thee I make That first eache torment shall me teare care I my faith forsake Finis An admonition concerning the tracte of time ¶ As time all thinges findes out So time eache thinge must bide In time therefore I wishe That time may well prouide Finis A friendly admonition to his friende that craued good Counsaile COndemne no cause till it be throughly knowne Eche brutish broyle that forth abrode is blowne Beléeue not lightly least by some suche acte Thou chaunce repent of déede informer facte Accuse no wight of crime till trouth thou trie Ne credit then thine eare before thine eye Suche false reporte abrode may often go As perfit proofe shall finde out nothing so In iudgement rashe se that thou neuer bee Deale not in thinges that passe capasitie Thy porcion spende that some thou haue to spare If thou wilt liue deuoyde of