University of Virginia Library

The Recreations of his Age

Of the kindes and frutes of good and yll.

Knowen good devyded into three,
Profytt, delighte, and honestye;
And yll alsoe hathe three of name,
Whiche all menn call, losse, payne, and shame,
Whosoe the good by payne achyves,
The payne passethe, the good revyves:
Whosoe the yll by pleasure attaynes,
The pleasure fades, the shame remaynes:
Thus payne for good bringethe longe fame,
Pleasure for yll bringethe longe shame.

Agaynste Luste.

To man lewde luste bringethe theis ylles,
Councell it damnes, his mynde it kylles,
Vertue it voydes, manners it marres,
Vice it nursethe, his strengthe it starues,
His wytte it dulles, and with sorrowe endes,
A number of naughtes to manne it sendes.

Of Fortune and wisdome.

As ffortune good vayne pleasure breedes,
Soe pleasure fonde to follye leades:
ffor fortune blindes soe wisdomes state,
That fewe be wise and fortunate:
Therefore when fortune fawnethe moste,
Lett reason then rule the hole roste:
fflyeinge this fonde foolisshe devise,
Better happye then to be wise.

Of talke and felloweshippe.

As tree by frute and goulde by fyer,
Soe shewed by talke is hartes desyer:
Thye nature aye is knowen alsoe
By choyse of mates resorters to:
For as thye talke and fellowes be,
Soe thee inclined all menne maye se:
Yea filthye talke and fellowes lewde
Make the wise fooles and the good shrewde:
And fellowes good and honeste speche
To make naughte good is the beste Leeche.
Amonge the thornes and thistelles thycke
Harde to goe soe, but some will pricke:
Therfore if thowe loueste honestee,
By vse of theis, lett menn it see.

Perilles followeinge fortune by Enuye and Malice.

Like as the tree of frute moste puer
To save from spoyle requires moste cuer,
And as the grape of sweteste taste
The Waspe and bee dothe cheifelye waste,
Even soe the man that hathe greate store
Of fortunes giftes muste thinke therefore.
Like store of menn there lyes in wayte
Of waspye kinde seekeinge suche bayte:
And thoughe that wealthe can malice fence,
Envye thereof takethe his Essence:
ffor slye envye hathe moste delighte
On the happye to spighte his spighte.
Theis vices twooe are tormentours
That poore and riche vexethe at all howers:
The envyous freates beinge neglecte
And malice threat by wealthe deiecte.
Therefore councell woulde I my brother
To save for thone and dispise thother.

Agaynste Idlenes.

What bringethe ruste to Iron smothe?
Whye stynkethe water that dothe not moue?
Whye dothe the grounde that fertell was
Bare thorne and thistell in stede of grasse?
What bredethe mothe, what bredethe moulde
And thousandes like here lefte vntoulde?
Noe cause but this when all is soughte,
Neglecte throughe slothe thinges lye vnwroughte.
Likewise of man bothe bodye and mynde
By noe one thinge suche hurte dothe fynde
As they doe by slowe Idlenes,
Of all lewde vice the cheife foundres.
Noe canker can Iron eate soe sore
But Idlenes healthe hurtes muche more:
Nor noe grownde growe soe wylde for tylthe
As mannes mynde rude by Idle fylthe.
The mothe the moulde in manners growe
By suche shrewed seedes as it dothe sowe.
The mynde well wroughte still forthe dothe bringe
Some vertuous frute as his ofspringe.
The Idle mynde whiche fleshe and luste
Beinge vnwroughte nedes followe muste
His fleshelye frute muste nedes oute blowe:
Suche Carpenter suche chippes you knowe.
A witte whiche earste quicke and sharpe was
Throughe Idlenes is dulle as Asse,
And memorye not exercised
Growes slipperye, this is ofte tryed.
The Idle mann is soe tender
That strenghte thereby is full slender.
Besides to mann it dothe forthe bringe
Ill yrkesomenes moste lothesome thinge.
Thus mynde and witte delighte and strenghte
By Idlenes be loste at lenghte.

In commendacion of the meane estate.

The suereste state and beste degree
Is to possesse mediocritye.
By proofe we finde in everye storme
The hier tree the sorer torne:
The Seas rageinge with surges hye
When the meane fludes reste quietlye.
Agayne we see the thorne and shrubbe
As thinges vyle all menn vppe stubbe:
And where the brookes be over smale
Menn stoppe them vppe, and therewithall
The loweste hedge menn moste downe treade,
The weake to wall ioynes in eche stede.
Eschewe to creepe, seeke not to flye,
To lowe for the Crowe, to hye for the Pye,
Bene twooe extremes, and extremes all
ffrom vertues bowndes to vyce doe fall.
fflye them therefore as poyson stronge
And singe the meane as moste swete songe.
The mightie man the greate estate
With thousande cares cumbers his pate,
Whiche the wise man of meane degree
ffor his estate nede not foresee:
ffor their excesse makethe of vayne
Ofte nedefull thinges pompe to maynetayne.
And madde he is that makethe nede
Of not nedefull vayne pompe to fede.
ffor those vayne nedes are nedefullye
To be foresene as necessarye,
Wherewith his brayne he ofte perplexethe
When the meane man noe suche thinge vexethe.
His meate his slepe his other reste,
Care dothe cumber his daylye geste:
And what rewarde for this agayne
But cappe and knee of Selye menne?
Whiche whoe soe geves or else dothe take
Of gayne or losse noe compte can make.
But nowe one telles me in myne eare
That this gaye man hathe muche gaye geare:
Plentye he hathe of menn and horse
And dayntye meates to franke his Cors,
Venus at will beddes of delighte
Preste all to sarve his appetyte,
And appetyte still to contente
Is merieste lyfe that can be spente.
This tale and lyfe tendes all to one,
Apparance muche Existence none.
ffor he that setts ffelicitye
In appetytes Satietye
Withoute makeinge distinction
When it is rulde by Reason
And when onelye by luste and will
Suche appetyte for to fullfille
Hathe righte greate nede of the rable,
The monster is soe variable.
But where reason rulethe the roste
She is full served with muche lesse coste
And muche lesse care as you shall see
In poyntes moste dere to eache degree.
Good meate and drinke the meane state hase
Inoughe to keepe healthe in good case.
The mightie hathe suche dayntye store
Phisicke muste heale ofte natures sore.
The meane is cladde from hurte of ayer,
The mightie is madde that his clothes fayer
Be marde with mothes and loste with lyei nge,
When the faulte is in his muche byeinge.
As to the rowte of Sarveinge menne
Of ffortye they vse well scante tenne:
The reste doe naughte that greate men takes,
But eate and drinke and fill the Jakes.
A breede of theves for to saye trothe,
A nurce of Idlenes and slothe.
The meane mans menn snarre grudge or snufe,
Doe all their thinges with spede to profe:
And fewe well wroughte knoweinge to doe
Will sarve them selves and mayster toe.
Sounde slepe alsoe withoute dreameinge
ffor natures ease to man dothe bringe
Not surfettes chere but the meane dyett,
Nor beddes softe but the bedde quyett.
Venus delighte and tickelinge Luste
By choyse and change nedes followe muste
Their wanton lyfe and greate excesse:
But what is that but bestelynes?
The Cowe the Sowe the Bull the Bore
Have for like luste like choyse like store.
But natures dve whiche it dothe crave
Of Venus rightes the man maye have:
And to excede natures desyer
Is to seeke heate where nedes noe fyer.
Thus you see their pompe and pryde
Standes by excesse from reason wyde:
Whose countrye state is povertye
Dwellinge throwe wante in miserye:
Whiche to disswade I iudge but vayne,
Menn flyeinge it as deadelye payne.
Wherefore by righte I maye conclude
Of thre estates twooe are escheude,
As twooe extremes by reasons lore,
And the meane state is sett before,
Whoe bringes and bredes theis Juells three,
Saftye, Quiette and Libertye.

Agaynste a mynde not contented.

Nothinge in earthe soe good I fynde
As in a mann a contented mynde.
Fewe thinges with this doe sarue alone,
And without this all sarues as none.
This breedes and makes in euerye state
Longe life to haue mirthe for his mate:
And wante of this makes carke and care
Shrewed lyfe and shorte thorowe his ioyes rare.

Agaynste Ambityon.

Whie woulde the Knighte a Barron bee?
Whie woulde the Barron an Earles degree?
Whie woulde the Earle a Duke become?
Whie woulde the Duke a Kinges rome?
And yet a Kinge not soe contente
But seekes increase of govermente.
ffor hardde it is a Kinge to fynde
That with one Realme contentes his mynde.
And yet more hardd the truthe to tell
To fynde one that one governes well.
Nowe in this tumblinge tosseinge state
There is smale reste I am suer of that,
And saftye none but daunger muche.
Nowe museinge what shoulde soe moue suche
Noe cause of this can I invente
But by desire mynde discontente.

Agaynste Couetousnes.

What is the cause the gredye manne
With care to gett waxethe pale and wanne?
Haueinge enoughe whye craues he more?
Whye dothe desier growe with his store?
A like disease to my thinkeinge
As where thirste growes by muche drinkeinge.
Whye makes he wante where plentye is
And haueinge thinges their vse doe misse?
Hee seekes with payne and keepes with care,
Hee hordes and hydes and makethe rare.
Thinges of that kynde shoulde common bee,
Changeinge nature in hur degree.
And yet by profe he sees at eye
Thinges gotten thus spente willfullye.
Noe cause of this can I inuente
But thorowe desyre mynde discontente.

Agaynste Luste.

Whie dothe the man that hathe a wyfe
Loueinge and fayer and chaste of lyfe
Loue an other, withoute suche cause
That settes by him not twooe good strawes?
Whie dothe the Queyne and common drabbe
Whiche bringethe shame losse payne and scabbe
Delighte thee more then a wyfe good
Whiche bringes the impes of thine owne blode?
This breedes a frende, she breedes a foe,
This bringes to thee, she pluckes thee froe,
This sicke and hole seekes thee to please,
Thother never but for hur ease.
Wherefore agaynste reason and righte
Done suche as soe sett their delighte.
Noe cause of this can I invente
But by lewde luste mynde discontente.

Agaynste Inconstancye.

The marchantes wishe the Lawyers trayne
For hasarde smale and certeine gayne.
The Lawyer dulled with sute and strife
Wisshethe to lyue the marchantes lyfe:
The Countrye mann in towne woulde dwelle
To haue all thinges prouyded well.
The countrye healthe for stinkeinge streete
To chaunge the townesmenne thinkethe meete.
To marrye the mayde thinkethe longe,
But the wyfe singes an other songe.
Thoman to rule a man woulde bee,
The man for ease wisshethe hur degree.
Eache age and state wisshethe a change
Vnknowen for knowen, the whiche is strange.
Noe cause of this can I inuente
But mynde vnstayed still discontente.

The conclusion.

To ende I iudge pleasure but scante
Where eache others case dothe wishe and wante.
ffor pleasante lyfe there fyndes smale grace
Where wishe and wante takethe suche place.
Whiche eache man maye easelye eschewe
Geueinge nature noe more then due,
Whoe with fewe thinges is well contente
By witte in mirthe pleasantelye spente.
Thus by playne profe it dothe appere
That thinges of all moste wisshed for here,
Honor I meane wealthe nor bewtye
Nor state of lyfe nor noe degree
Can geve a man a pleasante lyfe,
His mynde for more seekeinge with stryfe.
ffor suche seekeinge puttethe to flyghte
Solace and mirthe mannes cheife delighte.
Agayne some menne we daylye see
Of everye sorte state and degree
Of thinges wisshed for haveinge smale store,
Liueinge contente seekinge noe more,
Prolongeinge their dayes with mirthe and ioye,
Noe Lorde the lyke Cæsar nor Roye.
Wherefore for man nothinge I fynde
Soe good as a contented mynde.

Of hope feare and perswacion.

To hope the beste or feare the worste
Whiche is better harde to iudge iuste:
For hopeinge good and happeninge soe
Longe looked for ioye releuethe smale woe:
And hopeinge good happeninge mischeife
Suche happe besides hope increasethe greife:
Feareinge the worste is it soe chaunce,
Then greife is growen by feares continuaunce,
Feareinge the worste happeninge the beste,
Tyll that happe happed feare bredde smalle reste.
Synce hope and feare inquyettes thye harte
Vse thou therefore the contrarye parte.
Perswade the worste in thinges to come
As beste releife in myne opinyon:
Perswadeinge the worste chaunceinge not soe:
Then sodenn ioye redublethe greate woe:
Perswadeinge the worste if the worste come,
Yet payne is paste by that perswacyon.
To conclude therefore he silde repentes
That perswades the worste in all euentes.

The strengthe of Education.

If the false ffoxe geese and the gredye woolfe sheepe
By payne in bringeinge vppe maye be taughte to keepe,
What excuse for thee then if thye childe lacke nurture
Synce thou seeste Education chaungethe nature?

Agaynste occasion of Euell.

As causer of the smoke is the kindeler of the fyer,
Euen soe is wanton talke the cause of yll desyer:
And as in this soe in the reste if thou wilte fle yll,
Fle then all occasion that belongethe thereuntyll.

An Ode of Horace turned at the desier of my Ladye his Lo: wyfe.

The Prologe to the maske of myndes.

Qualytyes belongeinge to sundrye persons.

Lyberalitye in Nobles, in Lawyers eloquence,
Scyence in spirituall menn, in Marchantes credence,
Comelynes in womenn, in husbandemenn frugalitye,
Thus to eache of theis belonges suche a qualytye.

A Carolle.

Of a Scoller and his boye.

A scoller disposed to eate broyled meate
Tooke a colde peece and badde his boye heate it:
Whiche by mistakeinge the boye strayte did eate.
What, quothe his maister, I badde thee not eate it,
But heate it with an H. I trowe thourte madde.
And eate it with my teethe Sir me thoughte you badde.

A prayer of a Penytente.

An Englishe Jme.

An Englishe Jmme.

Of Jacke and Gylle.

Of Jacke and Gylle the maryage is as fyne
As of the colde water and the hotte wyne:
Jacke louethe his Gylle as hotte as anye fyer,
But Gylle louethe hur Jacke with a watrye desyer:
A matche well made, for shoulde bothe alyke burne
Soe mighte their flames their howse to perill turne.

[A corrupte Judge sayde to an arrante theefe]

Made at Wymbleton in his Lo: greate sickenes in the laste yeare of Quene Marye.

Of a Fryer and a Marryner.

Of a glorious manne and a playne frende.

In wanton ryme a greate grave matter
A gloryous manne shewed to his frende:
Whoe sayde strayte beinge lothe to flatter,
The bodye was marred with a fonde ryme.
This manne then his labor lothe to lose
Turnethe his madde myter into sadde prose,
And to be glorified above the starres
To his frendes iudgemente agayne it referres:
Ohe quothe his frende there is at this season
Made of good ryme neyther ryme nor reason.

Of a Mayde and a Paynter.

A merye Mayde
To a Paynter sayde
That muche she mused to see
His pictures soe fayer,
And his sonne and heyer
Soe muche deformed to bee. [OMITTED]

[Of a smale cause grewe noe smale stryfe]

Of a Louer.

Beholde myne eyes as fountaynes springeinge,
Beholde my harte as brymstone burninge:
Myne eyes to water my corps woulde turne,
My harte to asshes my corps woulde burne:
Blynde Cupyde this temperature hathe wroughte
To be styll dyeinge that deathe hathe soughte,
A wonder to see couched in one thus,
fflames of Ætna and fludes of Nilus.

[A theefe condemned by order of lawe]

Episcopus.

Bothe sheepe and sheparde to aduerte
As cheife shepreve I thinke my parte.

Decanus.

The gredye woulfe from the poore sheepe
By godds worde I am bounde to keepe.

Archedeacanus.

With foode enoughe and good alsoe
ffamyne and Rotte I kepe them froe.

Officialis.

The Pocke the Scabbe and other sore
To see well cured I sarue therefore.

Summonitor.

The shepardes dogge which I presente
To barke and byte is ofte sente.

Of a Snowe balle.

A wanton wenche vppon a colde daye
With Snowe balles prouoked me to playe:
But theis snowe balles soe hette my desyer
That I maye calle them balles of wylde fyer.
Whoe woulde haue thoughte in this colde snowe
Cupyde woulde hide his fonde fyrye towe,
Or that from water shoulde breede brandes fyrye,
Or colde and moyste shoulde cause hotte and drye?
What place is free from Loues slye workeinge
If vnder snowe his fyer lye lurkeinge?
Noe snowe nor thinge this fyer can quenche
But the like fyer of this like wenche.

Of a Jester and a Fryer.

A perte Marchante seekeinge to lowte
A seelye ffryer in a greate rowte
Sayde: mas ffryer I marvell muche
Whie to the Crosse you doe soe crowche
And to the Gallowes Crosses toe
Of the like substance you doe not soe.
Sir quothe the ffryer asmuche muse I
What is the cause and reason whye [OMITTED]