A fig for Momus Containing Pleasant varietie, included in Satyres, Eclogues, and Epistles, by T. L. [i.e. Thomas Lodge] |
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To his deere friend H. L.
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 | A fig for Momus |  |
To his deere friend H. L.
Epistle. 4.
That verie day wherein the sunne beganTo visite Aries, by the Scot thy man
I did receiue thy letters: and with thease
Thy guifts which in this world may better please,
Thy letters, I with letters doe reward;
But for the rest, (because the world goes hard)
Thinke not amisse, if for thy presents kind
My presents, be the riches of my mind;
Whereas thy guifts will serue me but this lent.
But Tom saist thou what presents shall I haue?
Faith Harry counsell, how to spend, and saue,
Which counsell if thou keepe, and follow to;
None better then thy selfe shall liue, or do:
First for instructions how thou shalt dispend:
Spend praiers on God, and pence vpon thy frend,
Which doing, God will blesse thy crop, & plant,
And friend will helpe, if so thou hap to want:
Spend still on that may yeeld thee good, & gaine,
Spend on thy house, to tyle it from the raine:
Spend on thy horse, in trauell euery night,
For such expence, will make him fresh, and light,
Spend on thy teame, their labour gets thee bred,
Spend on thy neate, that breed, & erst haue bred:
Spend on thy sheepe, & see them worm'd and shorne:
Spend compost on thy land, that brings thee corne,
Spend on thy wife, and see her seemely clad,
For such expence in duetie must be had:
Spend on thy sonne, to get instruction,
That he may liue by art, when wealth is gone.
Spend on thy seruants, paying them their wage,
And they will serue thee truely in thine age:
Spend stripes on him, whom words may not reclaime,
Thus spent, wel spent: now learne againe to saue,
Saue from the Sycophant, what he would haue;
Saue frō thy neighbour, that doth presse & pray,
To buy thy goods, and neuer meanes to pay:
Saue from th' insatiate husbandmā thy beefe,
Saue by fast locks, thy money from a theefe:
Saue by receiuing strangers, and estates,
Be not at home to all, keepe fast thy gates:
Saue by forbearing companie, and dice,
Saue by well husbanding, thy graine from mice:
Saue by thy market, and thy sale againe,
Buy cheape, sell deare, thy profit quites thy paine:
Saue in thy diet, spend as thou maist get,
And lay vp some for age, the rest for debt.
Briefly, so spend, as thou maist saue to buy,
So spare, as thou maist spend, and get thereby.
Thus in requital of thy kind good will,
My hart as kind, (though power be weakned stil:)
Presents great thanks, these counsailes graue, and true,
And till my next, occasion bids adue.
| A fig for Momus | |