University of Virginia Library

Homo nihil aliud est quoth Sperma [illeg.] vermium

Saynt Bernarde wytnesseth, as the boke telles
That a man in this lyfe, is nothynge elles
But a foule slyme, horryble to all men
And is a foule lake, of stynkynge fen
And also wormes meate, that they wyll haue
When that he is deade, and layde in graue
But some men and women, fayre they semeth
To syght without, as men it demeth
And sheweth nothynge, but the whyte skynne
But who that myght openly loke therin
A fouler caryon, myght there neuer be
Than men shulde on them than se
Therfore who that had a sharpe insyght
And had as clere eyen, and also as bryght
As hath a beest, that Lux men calles
That may se throughe thycke stone walles
Than lytell lykynge shulde a man haue
To beholde a woman, or after her craue
Than myght he se, without any doubte
As well within, as he doth with out
For yf a man myght se her within aryght
It were full dredefull, to euery mannes syght
And so foule euery man within is
As the boke telles, and wytnesseth all this
And therfore, I holde a man nothynge wyse
That maketh hym selfe, of to moche pryse
Syth he may euery day, both here and se
What that he is here, and what he shall be
But a proude man, of this taketh no hede
For hym fayleth reason, that shulde hym lede
When that he is yonge, and loueth playinge
Other hath welth at his lykynge
Other that he be brought, in to great worshype
Than he of hym selfe, taketh he no kepe
For hym selfe than he knoweth all there leest
And fareth than as vnreasonable beest
That foloweth his owne wyll, and nothynge elles
As saynt Dauid wytnesseth, and telles.