Marke well where riches doth abounde the Time so steales awaye And causes many in the ende to perish and decay Bicause that such haue more regarde vnto the wordly mucke And time once past to late to call example of the Bucke Which Esope long ago declarde that praisde so much his hornes So fell at strife with his smal legs that streight was staid w t thornes The yelping voice and sound of dogs on sodeine made him start And crabbed horns which he so praisd both wrought his deth smart Such men therfore as will not sée and haue regarde in time May likened be to Esopes Hart that at his legges did pine Leaue off therefore from vaine delights least they at length you staye And leade you from the way of life to late then to dismaye But fonde desired Wilfulnesse oft thinks it ouerpast When oftentimes he scarce doth touch and he then at his last Both pleasure and felicitie from Time so fléetes awaye Euen as the winde is left behinde vnto their owne decaye Thus leauing off from troublous thought I gan againe to minde The iourney which I tooke in hande and how I was assignde Not once to stay till I had bene in euery land and coste Wherby that I such newes might bring as well to least as moste As I began to vew the fielde my Horse then named Will Began to run with such great force no Dale he sparde nor Hill Till he attainde in middest of plaine then gan him selfe to shake My armes and handes so weried was that straight began to ake As I behelde me rounde about the first that I there sawe Was a Knight with courage stout of whome I stoode in awe His standing was both stiffe and strong well weaponed and sure With valiant courage me abode in armour bright and pure With Trauaile he so armed was his Horse was called Paine And Shielde also faire painted eke with watch that doth disdaine The heauie minde and slumbring sléepe which oft on men doth fall Be ready therfore I you rede regarde him that doth call His Cote was of a certaine Maile the best and surest sure That could be sounde by Suffrance and constant Zeale most pure By semblanâ— show of his attire some trauailer to bée Which from some battell was escapte as Reason showde to mée As I behelde him thus me thought it good to stay a time To sée if that he would assayle or vse vnlawfull crime As I thus musing with my selfe to me he came amaine With courage stout his horse gan run which earst was called Paine ¶ Age here beginneth to make battaile with the Author in the fielde of worldly pleasure The Author after long fight yeeldeth him selfe to Age and receyueth his counsell promising to fulfill all such couenants as Age hath giuen charge withall and so taking his leaue proceedeth on his iourney FOrthwith my Speare I set on Rest ech other strongly stroke That therewithall to ground we fell both our speares we broke The dent of stroke did not dismay so much our strength and might But that full quickly we arose and strongly gan to fight Euen like vnto a valiant knight before me did vpstart With Falcon strong began to strike wherewith he made me smart And I as yet not voyde from strength with trunchion of my Speare Let slie amaine with courage eke not yet vanquisht by feare So long as Regiment my Speare did holde and was vnbroke So long did I the valiant knight kéepe off by dent of stroke But when he by his puisiance my Speare had all to rent Then did decrease my former strength which Ioue aboue had lent Thus fighting still he watched how some mortall wounde to giue But I by Regiment did defende that he me could not grieue His furiousnesse to me was such that wonder was to sée To recompence I showed the same amaine I strokes let flée When he espide my courage so that I tooke no regarde A new assault he gan on me that draue me to my warde His Falcon strong and sharpe also did me so much annoye That to defende then was I faine my selfe so to employe Full many a stroke I did awarde till all my Speare was rent I then was faine to draw my sword yet loth for to relent Although he séemde to vanquishe me I did the best I mought Till he so strake vpon my head that faine I was to stoupe This combat was in such sort fought that nought remained whole Both flesh and armour sore was cut thus Age doth deale his dole My shielde with strokes almost he claue whereon was all my staye As yet he coulde me not subuert nor once my hope dismaye Thus eche of vs still laboured the vtmost of our powre But lacking breath were faine to staye the space of halfe an howre Full glad was I and 〈◊〉 wise to leaue this cruell fight Till we attained had some strength and so recouerde might As I thus breathing on the ground full well then did beholde That gâ—iâ—y Age which we assâ—ide with countnance grim and bolde Then with my selfe I 〈…〉 how I might know where hée Did most remaine and in what coste as after you shall sée WIth Loue so much enflamde I was that streight to him I spake O Knight most worthy sayde I then my loue to thée doe take And show to me if that thou please thy name and eke thy place And then as friendes we hope to grée from yre to ioyes solace If thou wilt show thy name to me to satisfie my minde Demaunde the like if thée it please I ready am assignde To show to thée the like againe graunt me now my request And from henceforth thou shalt me finde obedient vnto rest He aunswerde me with héedfull speach with words most soft and wise I am of royall bloud discend and wilfull youth despise I am of more knowne on the earth than euer Hector was Or Corrin stout which slew by might the Giant tough as brasse My proper name is called Age the Register of Truth Which notes the time of euery one wherby great good ensuth No force of youth may me withstande although he doe excell In Marshall feates and prowes eke though thousands he doe quell This plaine of Time which thou art in not one may ouergoe But by my leaue and ayding helpe therby the way to knoe For he that thinkes from me to scape his labour is in vaine To striue with me he doth but get great sorrow griefe and paine Perforce to me hey néedes must come there is no saying nay Except they die in youthfull yeares then come they not this way What froward and malignant foole would séeme to striue with Age When lustie youth I win with force and make him serue as Page And forasmuch as thou art now thus fallen on my hande Thy selfe in time doe yeelde to me thou mayst not me withstande My puissant force thou soone shalt finde if thou wilt not relent An
The trauayled Pylgrime bringing newes from all partes of the worlde such like scarce harde of before Seene and allowed according to the order appointed Anno Domini 1569. Eccle. 10. The glorie of the riche of the honorable and of the poore is the feare of God Prouerbes 2â— The riche and poore are together the Lorde is the maker of them all TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir William Damsell knight receyuer generall of the Queenes Maiesties Court of VVardes and Lyueries S. B. wysheth most prosperous health and endlesse felicitie AMONG DIuers benefits receyued Right worshypfull considering wyth my selfe in what order or by what meanes I mought deuyse to show some part of recoÌ„pence thoughfar to acquite that which I haue receiued I forthwith called to mind these wordes Non solum gratis esse debet qui accepit benificium verum etiam is cui potestas accipiendi fuit he ought not onely to be thankefull which hath receyued a benefit but also he to whom hath bene power of receyuing a benefite so I confesse who haue not onely receyued so many benefits at your worships handes so often as I haue required but also on your part haue augmented your friendly beneuolence more then as yet I haue deserued In consideration hereof and thinking with my selfe by what means to gratefie some part of your deserued labours towardes me I thought good to dedicate this my simple and vnlearned trauaile who hauing nothing else on your worship to bestow called the trauailed Pilgrim wherin I haue painted foorth the fonde deuise of man and the straunge Combats that he is daylie forced vnto by meanes of this oure feeble nature showing also howe euery degree shoulde or at the least wayes ought to frame themselues and so aduisedly to watch that we be found vigilaÌ„t watchmen aspecting the great second coÌ„ming of our lord Iesus Christ that at what houre the theefe breake in vpon vs wee be readie armed to withstand the same reporting also that the sayde Pilgrime bringeth newes out of all partes of the world by which newes is signified the straunge inuentions of man which at no time contynueth in one estate 〈◊〉 staye so long as the vitall breath remaineth within this wretched corps of oures Furthermore to consider of this my foresayde enterprise not that I write this to the intent to correct or amend any fault or faults in other men but only by way of friendly exhortation exhorting euery faythfull Christian to haue such regarde to this their Pilgrimage here on earth that in the lyfe to come they may enioy the happie gaine of endlesse felicitie So right worshipfull the effect of this my simple and vnlearned enterprise being drawne I mused with my selfe to whome I best might bestowe the same and knowing none other more fit then your worship considering the benefits as well present as past thought good to present the same beseeching your worshyp to except more my good will then otherwise the effect of this my simple trauaile and in so doing I shall not think my labor herein vneffectually bestowed thus I ende beseeching the Almightie God to preserue you both now and euer Amen Your humble Orator S. B. ¶ To the Reader THough the matter gentle Reader conteined in this my simple treatise be not altogither fruitlesse but that manye things therein might verye vvell be amended yet notvvithstanding so farre I presume of thy indifferent iudgement that thou vvilt not be according to the common sort of curious quarellers a captious or a malipert correctour of the labours or diligent studie of anye to hinder although in some poyntes thou bee able to correct but fauourably consider the good vvill of the wryter and then if anye thing chaunce contrarie to thy mind show foorth thy friendly commendations with such ordred corrections as may not onely encourage the Author but also get to thy selfe in lyke effect lyke coÌ„mendation or praise It is hard for one to please many therfore in fewe wordes I haue thought good to knit togither this my simple vvorke called the trauayled Pilgrime wherein is set foorth the state of man and the innumerable assaultes that he is daylie and hourely enuironed withall not onely with outward or bodily enimies as losse of goodes or lyfe of wyfe children or familier friends which eftsones happens as the losse of goodes by theft or fyre the death of thy friende or familye by slaunder and murther these and suche lyke distuâ—bances still eyther in the one or other man is alwayes subiect vnto yet better to be auoyded then the inwarde cogitations or thoughts which daylie by Sathan man is vexed and moued for the one may by pacience in suffering vvrongful dealing oftentimes escape the doings which otherwise myght else happen to his or there great payne and grieuance the other must not onely be ouercome with pacience in suffering but also fayth and good workes must proceede vvhich be tvvo chiefe causes that God by his sonne Iesus Christe beyng oure Mediator doth continuallye heare not the outvvard prayers only but also our invvard thoughts so long as true hope vvyth these three doth remayne that is to say pacience in suffring fayth in beleeuing that God in Christ Iesus is able vvill forgiue the sinnes offences of all true obedient harts good vvorks doth and shall receyue hir revvard vvhich is euerlasting life And hope then is brought from calamities vvhich she long desired vnto iocundity triumphant glory Thus much gentle Reader I haue thought good to vvrite concerning the state of man but vvhatsoeuer I haue left vnvvritten in this my base and simple Epistle although not altogither it chaunce to please some frovvarde braynes yet as much as I haue thought conuenient so much haue I vvritten not that I knovve in my selfe but that by the vvise and learned many things may be amended impute therfore the lacke of any thing which may chaunce to discontent Tyme not to ignorance but only the full minde and effect hereof to the vvriter vvho thinkes this done sufficient Read but deride not at merie things laugh not After mirth cometh sorow for Momus I care not Farevvell in the Lorde S. B. M. ¶ The childe signifieth good Infancie the rod Correction the auncient or aged man Reason the booke Truth the armed Knyght youthfull Courage the speare good Gouernment the shielde Hope the sword Courage standing in the fielde called Time Here the Author beginnes his voyage being ready armed bidding Infancie farewell and now growing by Reason to further possibilitie and strength THe mightye Ioue celestiall when first he tooke in hand That Chaos huge he made to fall and formed so a land Wherein he set and created all things as now we sée First beasts then maÌ„ which he prepard their gouernor to bée And named him in Eden grounde Adam that name he gaue Where nothing then could him confound till he a Mate did câ—aue She Eua hight a woman kinde when he awakte hir sawe As Innocents no sinne
aunswere quickly therfore giue least after thou repent When he to me had sayde these words me thought I felt as still A remnant left of youthfull strength whereby I fearde no ill With that he gaue defiance stout wherby I set no store So gan the battaile much more fell than all the time before His Falcon houge did so me daunt my Speare then being broke Whereon was grounded all my might no more to giue a stroke When thus my force was broken cleane then gan I to dismay Yet fighting still the best I coulde while Courage did me stay And after this the easier to bring me to decaye Frome he tooke my shielde of hope without further delay By dent of Falcon valiant so sore did me pursue Without resistance at the length by state of age I grue Thus feeling in my selfe at length both very weake and faint Not able to continue so his strokes me did restraint To thinke vpon the youthfull race and now to Age must bowe With sobbing cares and inward thoughts to Age I made a vowe Requiring him to pardon me and take me as his thrall Thus faine was I my selfe to yéelde not knowing what would fall To striue with Age I thought it vaine then gan I straight to say Require of me what you thinke good I truely will it pay With that he did withdraw himselfe and ceased from the fight And tooke my Gauntlet of my hande as conquered by right Most louingly with semblant showe he tooke me by the hande And saide if I would ruled bée no foes should me withstande For as the seruant ought by right his Maisters words to kéepe So oughtest thou most faithfully no iot from this to fléete If that thou be then be thou sure not periured to bée Let Aurea king Pircus wife example be to thée When that she saw Béllepheron woulde not to hir consent She euer after sought by meanes a mischiefe to inuent And at the length she did complaine and tolde the King in déede That he accomplish would his will by force he had decréede But he like to a valiant knight hir mischiefe did preuent And so by Pircus was assignde to fulfill his intent Which was to kill a monster fell and then pardned to bée So forth he saylde the place to finde thus was their whole decree Thus euery faithfull Knight is bounde by iustice and by lawe To kéepe in minde and to fulfill and not to stand in awe All promyses with right to kéepe the truth to ayde with might For that pertaines as chiefe renoume to euery worthy knight No greater fame on earth may be then Truth to beare the swaye Therfore to Truth so bende thy minde that is the surest waye The promyse made by true aduice for no man doe forgoe Then be thou sure at all assayes to spoyle thy mortall foe Giue eare to mée and marke my wordes and so kepe them in 〈◊〉 That from henceforth thou prosper mayest therto thy selfe incline Such amorous and daintie Dames that venerie doth seeke From such sée thou in any wise no company doe kéepe And also those whereas their Lords by fraude their house doe kéepe With Flatterie and eke Deceit in no wise such doe gréete Arme thou thy selfe alwayes with Truth and thereto giue delight Then be thou sure froÌ„ such to scape which Truth alwayes doth spite There is no man that I accompt once reasonable to bée That dreadeth not such wicked thought as thou full well shalt sée Wherfore if that thou wilt attaine the state of worthie Age At all times sée thou doe refraine from Cerberus seruage The worthie state of wedlocke kéepe beware of Sathans snare If not be sure at length to wéepe and eke to féele great care For he that is desirous eyther Mayde or Wife to foyle Let him be well assurde that he in hell therfore shall broyle Let honest mariage thée suffice and be therwith content Then God will blesse both Youth Age with grace thée to frequent The Zodomites destroyde were bicause of filthy life With teares lament thy former dayes at such be still at strife Both deede and thought let still be pure from vice doe alwayes flie Cast vice away behinde thée so least in the ende thou die On thy left hande doe thou it leaue account it none of thine And to my wordes haue good regarde away from vice decline From following of diuerse Courtes I likewise doe thée warne For where much people doe resort there lightly bréedeth harme The olde Prouerbe is certaine sure after dâ—ibling commeth durt So where much people doe resort in some doth mischiefe lurke A number sure haue bene decayde whose youthfull yeares haue spent And all to get renowmed fame in Age awaye are sent Though one among a hundreth a fléece haue got by paine A thousand to that one I saye in base estate remaine Climbe thou therfore so for renowme with Reason and with Time Therby to ioy in that thou hast and voyde thy selfe from crime For he that wades for dead mens shoes may chance at length go bare And when he thinkes to haue his fill on bare walles he may stare Where extréeme pouertie doth dwell there dolefull dayes are stoâ—â— Prouide therfore in time doe thou that thou mayst haue the more Of meate and drinke and clothing eke thy state for to supply For pouertie abhorred is and naught of rich set by Beholde the forrest of Lost time take héede thou come not there Nor enter not in any wise therof be thou in feare For he that loyrers all his life and mindes no art to learne Shall beare the bob in Disserds schoole and grind in Moâ—us querne To Idlenesse haue no desire some practise put in vre And minde to liue as I haue taught by Sapience sage demure In any wise Gods lawes obey the better shalt thou liue To put in vre that I haue sayde as Truth doth counsell giue Those things that yong men take in hande concerning great renoune Is of their owne both cost and charge if they in welth aboune The gallant gréene and youthfull mindes desires to bring to passe Aduenturing so long till some therfore doe crie alasse Take héede in time the best way séeke the more shall be thy gaine Thy bodie eke in strength shall grow so lesse will be thy paine When that thou shalt haue cause to deale in combats sharpe and fell Thou mayst thereby be able then thy foes full soone to quell If so it chaunce that thou decrease not able to withstande Yet faint not thou in any wise giue not distrust thy hande With feruent zeale and constant faith thy selfe so yéelde in time That thou therby thy soule mayst saue and so be rid from crime Though all the fierie furies were with Plutos rage in place And Osmodeus ready dight yet naught could they deface What got the furious serpent fell when he iust Iob did paine Could he therby obtaine his will no no this is certaine The