University of Virginia Library

The fift Satyr.

[Tis straūge to see what small account]

Tis straūge to see what small account
men nowe a dayes do make:
How slightly they let slip the paine
of Brimstone burning lake.
How fondly they perswade them selues
(at least how they suppose)
That griesly death shall neuer strike.
That eyne shall neuer close.
O sottish sinfull brittle age.
O mad and blockish Mome.
O doltish foole, and wilfull wretch
that here dost hope for home
And dwelling aye vnto thy selfe.
Howe art thou wilfull blinde?
I tell thee, I, thou hence shalt flit
lyke dust blowne forth with winde.
Let wearish wimpled age growe on:
let head be hoarie white,
And olde be thou: yet at the last
blackwinged death shall smite.
But what is he can promise heere
him selfe to liue a day?
No doubt not one. Death vnawares
shall take our life away.
And when we thinke vs surest, then
most often doth he strike.
O then why do we lyngre on
to sleepie sluggerds lyke?
O, why should men thus mucker vp
such falsely gotten gaine?
Or why should they by wicked wayes
seeke wealth for to obtaine?

Banckrowtes.

But soft a while, what neede these words?
as good to holde my peace:
For loe how Banckrowts ginne for gaine
to put them selues in prease.
Shall fraude lye hid vnfriended now?
Shall fowle Deceyt be gon?
Shall Wylie want? No, harcke a while,
and you shall heare anon.
Some men there be that beare a porte,
and liue lyke to the best.
That feast, ye flow, that chop, that chaūge,
and practise with the rest.

I haue made a dyfference betweene the wilfull and the cōtrarie.

That Office beare, and worthy seeme
through welth to weelde the charge.
That saue, that spende, & bargaines make,
that keepe their trade at large.
That war{t}e worste, and winde to them
good credite in the ende.
That get such friendes as wyll not stick
a thousand pound to lende.
Oft more oft lesse: almost as much
as they can well demaunde.
For why, their credite now is such,
that they may men commaunde.
But what of this? Euen this forsooth.
Theyle shut vp doore anon,
Theyle giue vp office, trade and all:
farewell, they will be gone.
When they haue gote the most they can,
they wyll become banckrowte,
They wyll no longer styfeled be
amongst the honest rowte.
They can no longer byde the trade
which honest men do vse.
They keepe at home amongst their bags,
Theyle honesty refuse.
Theyle lurking lye lyke Theefe in denne,
lyke Drane vpon the spoyle.
Theyle grease their lips, & fat their paūch,
with honest Marchaunts toyle.
O dreyrie dregges of dampishe caue,
O fowle infernall fiendes,
O tryple stinged Uipers broode,
O hagges of hellishe mindes.
O Cyclops such as styll deuoure
the sheepe of forreine foldes,
O brockish beastes with rauine gorgde:
that lurcke within their holdes.
Shall duskie drosse of Dytis caue
denie infecting death?
Shall Oreus spare with skalding skortch
to noye their vitall breath?
No sure, the pitchie burning pit,
and Limboes flaming Lake
Shall yolpe them vp, except they yeelde
the goodes which they did take.
Or else to powre requite the same.
But this they neuer thinck:
For marck how they do still bestowe
this beastly gotten chinck.
And here I must aduertise you
that some besides there bee
Which oft by meanes becom banckrowte
(as dayly we may see.)
For some exceede and so abounde
in Epicureous fare,
That so at length they banckrowte be
and bring them selues full bare.
And othersome through great excesse
and prowde surpassing charge.
In braue arraye do bring them selues
into Cock lorrels Barge.
When ere sawe you their Dames so nice,
and wiues so richly clad?
When wist yon Women ere so proude,
or Husbandes ere so mad?
O where are Matrones now become?
O where are Husbands graue?
Where are ye Wiues that tooke such care
their honesty to saue?
Woulde Matrones walcke or Wiues discreet
with syluer shining browes
From streat to streat? no, rather they
would keepe within their howse.
Would Matrons skud to common games
and prancke in earie prease?
No, tys to vyle, I loath to tell.
Ile therefore holde my peace.
Tys this, tys this, ye Banckrowts breede.
This brings the wife yll name.
The husband thus is bare through spence,
and wife naught by the same.
And nowe you see a difference
tweene him that banckrowte is
Of vyle intent, and him that falles
through great excesse of his.
But both of these perhaps a lyke
by fraude haue Nummus gote,
Though both in care and wanting pine
syng not lyke dolefull note.
And nowe, (as to my promise made
at fyrst when I began)

Fooles and Roysters.

Ile place syr Nummus caught by Fooles
and Roysters now and than.
A wise man dyes, and welthy leaues
his sonne in goodes and lands.
The young man (when he is of age)
takes all into his handes.
And streight to Court, or Innes of Court,
he goes to leade his lyfe)
Where franck he is, and youthfull bent
for why, haas Nummus ryfe.
Or else, if not: So he han lande
or ought that's Money worth,
He shall not want of Marchauntmen
fine silcks to set him forth.
Nor Money will they stick at all
to lende him at his neede.
As long as ought he doth possesse,
theyle neuer cease to feede
My yonker and yong Maister so.
And he (when once he sees
The bridle layde vpon his necke)
is loath much time to leese.
For why, he wisht it long before:
And sith he doth espie
The matter wholy in his handes,
why should he longer lye
Lyke blunt Iohn Whoball all at home?
No fie, heele haste him now.
Both lybertie and Chinck ynough
himselfe he will allow.
And streightway (else the world is hard)
He meetes with Copesmates, such
As to exalt and set him forth,
at all will nothing grutch.
And hee forsooth must foremost be
in euery braue attempt.
Who eare be one, yong Maister must
at no time be exempt.
Heele be the chiefe within the Maske
and chiefe in bancquet: hee
Shall syt exalted to the Sunne,
Euen to the tenth degree.
And now and then (else scapes he well)
heele haue a spyrt at Dice.
He wantes no mates to bring him too't
by slight and fine deuice.
He must haue walkinges in the night:
he must be braue and fine.
He must be of the hoygh no doubt.
He neuer must repine
Although it be to sit it oute
all night in costly game.
And (more then this) he must not stick
to paye for all the same.
And when he seemely seemeth once,
and thinks well of himselfe,
Then, then no doubt he is stird vp
to spende this noysome pelfe.
And then (I saye) with posting speede
he must be gaylie dect
In colours of his Ladie, and
therein not ought neglect
That's incident to euery sute:
Of chaunge he must haue store,
And frame himselfe full scatly then
to euery lusty lore.
And doubtlesse then he is so drownde
in pleasure and in pride,
That nought at all may him withdrawe:
It hath bene often tride.
Yea, though at length he feele great smart
through that he made away:
Yet is his minde so hawtie then,
that he can make no stay.
For wote you what, vse custome brings,
and yongker thus doth say:
Shall I make spare whyle ought is left
and so lyue wanting? Naye,
It were a shame and great reproche,
if I that euer haue
As yet lyu'de lyke a Gentleman,
should now lyue like a slaue.
And so my chylde no chaungling is,
tyll all be spent and gone:
And till his mates him needie leaue
and comfortlesse alone.
From which time forth if ought he haue,
whereof may Nummus ryse:
He will lyue shifting til't be gone.
Then forth of Towne he flyes
And keepes the high way side (perchaunce)
to lyue by theft and spoyle:
Till Tyborne twitch him by the neck
and Hangman giue the foyle.
So that's the ende of all his wealth
and ending of the man.
But goods perhaps were euill gote:
and who can maruaile than
Though that the same were all consumde
in filthy vaine exspence?
And who will doubt that gallowes should
such Dingthrifts recompence?
But one thing I do here lament
and tys most wicked sure,
Tys noysome, vyle and beastly trade,
yet most of all in vre.
A Gentleman his childe doth sende
t'apply his studies here,
With hope to haue him do the same
as daylie doth appere.
The youth oft tymes declyneth streight
as apt to youthly guise:
And sets his minde to make him braue
with all he may deuise.
The Citizen when that he sees
the bruite so brauely bent,
Doth closely search the yong mans state,
and learnes the whole extent
Of all his possibilitie,
which knowne, he will not spare
For friendship sake vnto the same
of loane to let his ware.
The yong man hauing welth at wyll
and all thinges at request,
Byds booke adue, and cuts it out
as brauelie as the best.
How vyle this is, let all men iudge.
how oft it comes to passe,
The yongmen brought to naught therby,
are witnesses alas.
Oh, where is loue or feare of God?
Wher's faith for to be found?
Wher's friendship, truth and honestie?
Where doth not Fame resound
The beastly pranckes of wicked men?
Wher's one that thinks of God?
Wher's one that doubts or feareth ought
the sharpnesse of his rod?
How few be there that tread the pathes
or trace Dame vertues steps?
How many rather be there now
that quite from vertue leps?
O wofull case: the best almost
do much account it now
If they from vile notorious faultes
at any time do bow.
How talke our tatlers of the truth
and Scripture still discusse?
How lyue they quite contrarie yet
for all their talking thus?
How earnest bent are men as now
to heare the worde of God?
(I meane professors of the trueth.)
How farre yet liue they od?
They crie Lord Lord, and God be praysde:
but streight within an howre,
That heate of theirs is colde as stone.
Such heate hath made them sowre.
O thou good God and Father kinde:
were not thy mercies great,
Thou wouldst destroy these men with fire
from thy supernall seat.
O heauenlie Prince of glorie: and
O thou alone Iehoue,
Thou God of grace, oh louing Christ,
yond whome we can not roaue
Or raunge aright: yond whome no man
can perfite blisse attaine:
Thou only one, and all in one,
yond whome doth nought remaine:
Giue grace vnto thy wandring sheepe.
Fetch home the same againe,
Sith blood of thine hath them redeemde
from sharpe infernall paine.
Graunt graunt (O God) thy holy spreete
to guide, defend and keepe
All such as in most lothsome sinne,
are yet not falne a sleepe.
Saue thine elect from noysome trade
of worldly minded men:
Let not the custome of the worlde
their lyfe with vices blen.
From place to place, from streat to streat,
from house to house, alas:
Yea, and well nigh from man to man
doth sinfull lyuing passe.
Not words preuaile, nor preaching ought,
can turne the peoples harts:
No kinde of thing can moue their minds.
O, death is their desarts,
O, Hell their hire, and burning flame,
is guerdon of their deedes:
No one almost in hart doth beare
the true repentaunt seedes.
O, horror doth possesse my heade,
And whyle through towne I trace,
Deepe cutting cares annoy my hart.
to see such want of grace.
No sparckle, iote or small remaine,
no signe of godly feare,
No badge at all of christen men
doth any person weare
Or keepe almost throughout the Towne,
O, what a case is this,
Not one to finde that feareth God,
but all to do amisse?
And all to wander from good lyfe
(full few alas exempt)
And all to worke that wicked is
and beastly vile attempt?
O God, howe often do I wishe
to be deuided cleane
From all the dealings in the worlde,
and to God only leane?
How often do I seeke some trade,
and solitarie lyfe.
How fayne would I depart the place
where sinnes be now so ryfe.
The world doth tempt, & nought remains
in his due practise now:
Eche kinde of trade corrupted is,
alas, I know not how.
Nothing almost is exercisde
without some vile deceyt:
Fraude, falsehood, theft and pilfring, oft
in matters are of weyght.
The worldlings weene & thinke no doubt
there is none other place
But ground and graue, and so they runne
and keepe their woonted race.
What helpen teares or wayling griefe?
what ought at all preuayles
Gods worde sincere? They keepe theyr course:
they haue set vp theyr sayles
Of deadly sinnes and hatefull hellish lyfe.
They runne and will not stay.
They keepe themselues in darksom holes.
They hate to see the day.
Looke looke throughout their dealings all,
and you shall nothing finde
But couen, craft, and fylthy lore.
They haue good lyfe resignde.
Lets sift & searche our selues throughout.
Lets rippe our inwarde man:
Let's way our selues euē with our selues.
And we shall see vs than,
And finde our selues but drosse and death
and fowle infected Swine.
Most vgsome shapes, and creatures, such
as I can not define.
What faith in bargaines can be found?
What store of othes must bee
In eche compact? And yet in ende
what falsehod do we see?
Not Marchaunt vseth onely fraude:
nor men of greatest meede.
But eche one now that bargaine makes,
hath falsehod in his deede.
How oft and daylie haps it now
that chyldren do begin
Where Parents ended, and do ende
where Parents did begin?
The parents beggers first began,
They ende great men of wealth.
The sonne begins a welthy man:
and endes his lyfe by stealth,
Or wofull wanting simple state.
How oft comes this to passe?
Tys daylie seene of common course.
it happeth still alas.
Shall welth that's woonne by fraude, be kept?
shall riches such descende
From heire to heire? No no, such welth
shall quickly haue an ende.
It cannot bide, nor prosper well.
But who doth that regarde?
Who yet for welth most vyle deceyt
at any tyme hath sparde?
No one well nighe: (the world is such.)
And here doth come to minde
The passing pride in common sort
which now eche where we finde.
Such is their rage, and fowle affect,
that though their bellies want:
Their backs must brauely clothed be:
apparell nothing scant.
For what cause else they do reserue
eche where the Saboth day,
But for to iette about the streates
in passing braue array?
The welthy sort exceede their state,
and meane degree the same:
The common sort wyll do the lyke.
So all goes out of frame:
And Roysters ruffle all about
and tosse the Bylbow blade,
And to maintaine such vyle excesse,
beholde what shifts be made?
Such cogging, foysting, cossening:
such fylching, theft and guile:
Such pelting, pylfring, pieuish drifts,
as are almost to vyle
And beastly to be named once.
Ile therefore silent bee:
For sure I am such lyfe of theirs
all men may plainly see.
Ther's brothel baytes, & whoring dēnes:
Ther's lurcking strumpets lodge:
Ther's stuffe eche where for lusty Swash
for Simkin, Dick, and Hodge.
Looke looke the Lanes about the Towne,
and search eche corner through:
And you shall finde I doubt not I
of broken ware ynough:
Corrupt at least much seemes to be:
so brightly shine the browes,
So prickt & pranckt, so lyckt and trimde
is Banckrowtes pretie spowse.
Search Tauernes through, and typling bowres,
eche Saboth day at morne:
And you shall thinke this geare to be
ene too too much forborne.
Take care a whyle to vew the Skowtes,
and wanton walking trulles:
And you shall see howe suffraunce nowe
good lyfe awayward pulles.
What should I saye? Marke eche where well,
and you shall vnderstande
And plainely see how sinne is sparde
and cloked vnder hande.

Beare bayting on the Saboth day.

What else but gaine and Money gote
maintaines each Saboth day
The bayting of the Beare and Bull?
What brings this brutish play?
What is the cause that it is borne,
and not controlled ought,
Although the same of custome be,
on holy Saboth wrought?
Now sure I thinke tys gaine or spite,
gainst good and godly lyfe:
It seemes it is t'ynuegle men,
whyles Gods worde is so ryfe:
I cannot any where perceyue
where gaine is gotten well:
I can not see where well tys spent.
I thinke no man can tell
Or iustlie saye, here goeth one
(for most part now I meane)
That iustly lyues and leades his lyfe:
that doth to vertue leane.
But well, to God I leaue this geare,
I haue bene somewhat long:
Ile turne my tale to other talke:
Ile sing some other song.