Flovvers of Epigrammes Ovt of sundrie the moste singular authours selected, as well auncient as late writers. Pleasant and profitable to the expert readers of quicke capacitie: By Timothe Kendall |
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A sportfull comparison, betwene Poets and Papists.
Lo here the cause to Francis, whyHomerus I compare:
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that Monkes like Poets are.
Franciscus could not see one whit,
and Homer he was blinde:
Homerus he was blinde of sight,
Franciscus blinde of minde.
Franciscus was a begger bare,
no bigger Homer was:
Bare beggers bothe, their tyme thei did
in merrie syngyng passe.
Franciscus filde the worlde with lyes,
lyes likewise Homer taught:
Franciscus by his bretheren,
Homer by bookes he wraught.
In secret woods and glomie groues,
first Poets led their liues:
In dampishe dennes and desarts ded,
Monks livde without their wiues.
Eche toune with Munkes was pestered,
when woods at last thei left:
With Poets euery cittie swarmde,
thei could not thence be reft.
Still Poets syng: and moppinne Munkes,
syng likewise daie and night:
And none so muche as thei them selues,
doe in their songes delight.
Eche Poet hath his wanton wenche,
to dandle all the daie:
[74]
hath fowre to kepe hym plaie.
The Poet laudes (and likes of life)
full cuppes whiche flowe and swym:
The Munke if he his licker lacke,
all goes not well with hym.
The Poet with his luryng Lute,
his Sonets syngeth shrill:
The Monke with pot fast by his side,
his carroles chaunteth still.
With diuers Furies bothe are vext:
the Poet beares a speare
With Iuie deckt: the maskyng Munke
a golden crosse doeth beare.
The Poets croune is drest with Baies,
and mirttle braunches braue:
White shinyng shitten shauen crounes,
the Popishe prelats haue.
For sine, to Munke giue Poetrie,
to Poet giue the whood:
And so thou shalt make bothe of them,
right Munkes, and Poets good.
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