University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Life and Poems of Richard Edwards

By Leicester Bradner: A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Yale University in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

expand section 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
expand section 

Of a Freend & a Flatterer.

A trustie freend is rare to finde, a fawning foe may sone be got:
A faithful frend bere stil in mind, but fawning foe regard thou not.
A faithfull freend no cloke doth crave to colour knavery withal:
But Sicophant a goun must have to beare a part what ere befall.
A nose to smel out every feast, a brasen face to sett it out,
A shamles child or homely gest, whose life doth like to range about,

133

A fauning foe while wealth doth last, a thefe to rob & spoile his freend,
As strong as oke while wealth doth last, but rotten sticke doth prove in theend.
Looke first, then leape, beware the mire;
Burnt child is warnd to dread the fire.
Take heede my freend, remember this,
Short horse (they say) soone curried is.
Finis.
M. Edwards.