University of Virginia Library

The Aucthour to his booke.

Sith Virgill loftie vaine in verse, sith learned Homers Quill,
Sith Plutarch and Pithagoras, did practice oft their skill:
To write of fightyng frogges, in fild of wandering bees and flice,
To extoll the reedes and rushes long, with solemne muse aduice.
Though skilfull thei with learned muse, in thinges so small to flowe,
Yet willing I my faithfull hart to natiue zoill to showe:
For who in Athens idle were, by Dracos lawe should die,
As in Hetruria idle heads, by lawe were forcde to flie.
VVhose ground in Rome was baren found, was put in prison faste,
And kyng of Ægypt toke accompt, of daily labour past:
The Spartan youth that waxed grosse by lawe should fast it out,
And loitring Indians went vndinde, from place to place about.
Ech labour well deserueth hire, that Idlenes doth flee,
Ech vertue must haue due reward, ech vice must punished be:
For rather had I venture fame, Chirilus stripes to haue,
Then still with Vatia idle be, ech filthy lust to laue.
Saill then by raging Scillas rockes, passe by Ciclops denne,
On through Lotophagos tent full bould, feare not Auernus fene,
Trudge fast from flattryng Cirens face, make haste from Cirses sight,
Pearce Limbo through, possesse the place where iustice iudgeth right.
Mauger of Mægera head, in spit of furies go,
Through Stigia streame and flaming fluds to frēd thy self to show
VVaie not Momus nor his mates, exteme not Zoilus talke,
Voide fond Suffenus busie brain, with wise Minerua walke.
The Scithian rude had rather here, a horse to ney or kike,
Then solem sound of Orpheus Harpe, with skilfull stroke to strike
The Arcadian blind with Midas will, preferre the pipe of Pan,
Before Appollo sacred God, who iudge of musike can.
Hadst thou Briareus hundred hands, or hundred Argos eies,
Suppose thy sences slack to serue, ech reader to suffice:
And as Vlixes mates were changde, to shiftyng shapes of hoggs,
So like Actæon thou shalt be, deuoured of some doggs.
Some will finde in vearse thy fault, some will defame thy sence,
Some thy stile and some thy state, will finde in thee offence:
The learned loth I am to lose, of right their frendship craue,
Sith thou and thei wer taught in place, true frendship seke to haue
A Crowe sometime in Rome was taught, to speake to Cæsar so,
Aue Cæsar loude with voice, as Cæsar by did go:
An Ægle was in Sefton toune, eche daie would neuer ceasse,
But mount to skey in flight to slee, some foules his frend to please.
The Pecock proude the swellyng Swan, the Feasaunt gaie the Cocke,
Do brag and bost themselues so braue, and other birds do mocke:
Though these like Gorgons grim with eies, thy trēbling face behold
Yet tell that others see in theim, whiche they of thee haue toulde.
No force saie thou if that may chaunce, Antimachus lot maie craue,
Insteede of sondrie diuers heads, one Plato frend to haue.