University of Virginia Library

A Pithy and pleasante discription of the Abbusions, and Uanities, of the Worlde.

If man through wisedome would peruse
himselfe & weigh his state:
And ponder wisely the abuse
that ouerthrowes his fate:
And vnnerstande the lothsome cares
conteyned in this life,
And know the cause of all his woes
and motion of such strife.
And marke the tickle tract of time.
and learne the rewfull rase
Of mortall nature which abhorres
the skill of mortall case:
His perfect sense considring thus
perusing these with payne,
Should well perceiue and so confesse
that euery thing were vayne.
For euery mortall man and thing

Saluste.

is like the withering grasse,
And all things frustrately by kinde
do passe and do repasse.
The heauens by course vpō their poles
reuolue in circle rounde:
And charme their dewties to distill
the same vpon the grounde:

Sibilla.

And all things labor in likewise
the which it doth contayne,
And yet their labor frustrate is
and trauels be in vayne.
So likewise Titans ramping race
perseuers through tho skyes,
And through the burning Zones doth course

Salamon.

& through the Zodiake hies
And daily trafficks to the West
and turnes to East agayne,
And trauels thus for mortals sake
yet is it all in vayne.
And siluer Phebus partes the darke
and lendeth wholesome light,
(And Titan couered) then displayes
hirselfe, in pitchy night,
And so by kinde and natures craft
hir walking doth maintayne:
To each mans sight for each mans welth
yet is this same as vayne.
The windes disperse their blustring breathes
and scatter them about,

Salamon.

Extending ayre and elements
and euery place throughout,
And course from north to south and so
from euery part with payne:
And yet the same and all things els
is frustrate and in vayne.
And hoary Boreas fiercely blowes
his colde congeling blast,
And Zephirus with gentle breath

Salamon.

dissolues the same as fast,
And with a bridell holdeth frost
and burning doth refrayne:
Yet is the same a frustrate toyle
and labor spent in vayne.
And in the like recourse by kinde
the elements beare sway,
The which on fire, on ayre, and earth,
and moysture take their stay.
And rule the natures of the man
and do dispose his helth
By sondry meanes and secreate wayes
in working of his welth.

Plinius.

And when as Titan hath drawne vp
of euery filthy lake:
These purge the same, and euery filth
and humor clenly make.
And then in season sendes it downe
in pleasant wholsome hewe:
And lay the sappe vpon the earth
that each thing may renewe.
And so these siluer drops distill
the earth for to sustayne:
And yet it is but frustrate fonde
and most exceeding vayne.
For all such things for mortall vse

Iesus sy

their trauels do pretende:
And therfore all is meare abuse
and serues to fruitles ende.
The earth it selfe with all his fruites
his profites and his gayne:
Is also fonde and mere abuse
and most exceading vayne.
The soyles & fieldes with plesant hews
and greenish coates yclade:
Their fertile flowers and sappy plants
displayde through natures trade.
And with odiferous vertues yelde
their sents to euery brayne:
For to reioyce each panting heart
and yet the same is vayne.
The holesome blossomes once through spred
the fruits do follow faste:
And euery tree with plenteous store
deliuers vp his taste.
And euery seede doth yelde his proofe
and so doth euery grayne:
And yet these labors are but fonde
and trauels spent in vayne.
The secreat hidden golden gubbes
which lye in deepe of grounde:
By mans deuice are delued vp
and wisedome well are founde.
The which he reapeth for his vse
and taketh for a gayne
And yet the same is meare abuse
and most exceeding vayne.

Salamon.

For all things florish for a time
and vade agayne in hast,
And euery mortall thing by kinde

Mar: au

is subiect vnto wast,
And as they come they vade away,
and as they vade they come:

Iesus sy

One standes, another doth decay,
another filles the roome.
Each thing that hath bene is agayne,

Iesus sy

and this is also trew,
That whatsoeuer is shalbe

Pithago

for nothing can be new,
And euery case is throughly stuft
with hazarde, losse, and payne:
And therfore all is great abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
The world is full of drowsy dreames,
of feares and tickle ioyes,

Plato.

Of bitter baytes, of short delights
permixed with annoyes,
Of much mishaps or fickle falles

Hermes:

of foolish hasty fame,
Of endlesse trauell, of despite,

1. Iohn. 5

of neede, rebuke, and shame,
Of sinne, of mischiefe, and of vice,

Pithago

and nought it doth contayne:
But mortall is and hath an ende
and therfore all is vayne.
And man doth liue and vse his toyle
and moyleth sore with care,
And still deuiseth with his witte

Archilaus.

to worke his owne good fare,
And seekes with trouble how to get
the goodes of worldly gayne:
And yet by death forgoeth all
which thing is very vayne.
And so the state of euery man
is bound for to sustayne,
And therfore all is mere abuse
ane most exceading vayne.
For each thing mortall stands in neede
or els in fickle ioy,

Archilaus.

Or els in hazard or in feare
or els in great annoy,
And each thing hath vncertayne state
wheron it doth depende:

Socrat.

And therfore all is mere abuse
and serues to no good ende.
Both high, and low, and rich, and poore,
as also great and small,
To hazardes, troubles, losse, and woes,
they be addicted all,
And euery state and each degree
is subiect vnto payne:
And therfore all is mere abuse
and most exceding vayne.
The prince whom most men do repute
to liue in happy staye,
Is most subdewd to troubles yoke
and subiect to decay.

Marcus aure.

Whose wittes not onely frounsed are
in drowsy dumpish cares:
By waighty charge the which himselfe
vppon his shoulders beares.
But also is dismayd by feare
of open foes despight,
And also of the priuy foe
which worketh out of sight.
And is suppressed by the force
of fortunes tickle whele
Which cannot stande but stackring stil
vnstedily doth reele.
And as his case is most aduaunst
so most subdewd to call,
(Of fortune) which when fortune failes
attaynes to greatest fall.
For as his members many be
wheron his state doth stay,
The greater likewise be the harmes
that worke his owne decay.
And thus he lyues in trauell, peyne,
in feare and fickle ioy,
In doubt and hazarde of his welth
but certayne of anoy.
And if it chaunce that fauour do
befrende his happy fate,
That neuer mischefe do suppresse
the glory of his state,
Yet not withstanding such his ioyes
his welth and his renowne
By death are finished in fine
and cleane suppressed downe.
And then of all his glory, nought
therof he doth retayne:
And therfore such his state is fonde
and most exceding vayne.
For though he were of greater welth
then Midas miser he,
Or power then Alexander great
by any meanes could be,

Salamon

And though he could deuise to liue
with such an ydle hart
That both from tedious workes and thoughts
his fancy could depart:
And neither trouble nor annoy
his diet could disease,
But that his humour should receaue
the thinges his stomake please.
And weare of purest golde with stones
of passing precious kinde,
Such costly robes as nere the like
no mortall man can finde,
And treade as subiect vnderfoote
the scepter and the crowne,
Of euery nation vnder heauen
suppressing all thinges downe,
And did an epicurish lyfe
with all delightes sustayne:

Salamon

Yet were his state vncertayne stil
and most exceading vayne.
Each ruler likewise vnder him
which beareth rule and sway,
For all his rule is rulde himselfe
by ruine and decay,
And though with noblenes of birth
his state be set alofte,
And though his bones is rested wel
vpon his pillow softe.
And though with dainty fare his mouth
is satisfied with taste,
And mirth delites his senses well
yet all these things do wast,
By sinking sorow which apares
his great considering hart,
By painfull toyling how to deale
and execute his parte,
The which as well doth weaken witte
as also troubleth brayne:
And therfore all his rule is fonde
and also very vayne.
For he doth liue in no such state
so certayne or so sure,
That he in maintenance of ease
or welth shall still endure,
But all his pleasure still is mixt
with pensiuenes and payne:

Salamon.

And care and perill of his case
which thing is very vayne.
Since therfore thus the lofty states
of earthly tedious race,
Be so subdued to casualties
and yrksome painfull case
How much the more is simple sort
opprest with further woes,
When thraldomes pester and his yoke
is bent so much to those
Agree therfore with open throte
with me for to complayne:
And say that all things is abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
And marke from hyest to the least
and note with busy cure:
If thou canst vewe one thing in earth

Mar: au

is stable firme and sure:
But all things be addict to waste
and each thing to decay,
And there is nothing in the world
but it doth weare away:
And yet in life and being be
the subiects all to payne:
And therfore all is mere abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
And in our life no life doth liue
so much at certayne ease
That it can satisfy the hart
or stomake throughly please.

Plato.

Because that euery life to cares
is bounde, and euery state
To trauels, hazardes, losse and feares,
and yokte to wauering fate.
The noble captayne whose renowne
is hautily displayde,
Through martial feates which wel deserue
no prayse to be delayde:
Though yt in glorious plight he spendes
his dayes in happy time,
When forsing cause of manly proofe
espruddeth not in prime.
Yet after pleasant easy tyde
and weather cleane end fayre:
When tempestes rage and stormes be rude
and misty is the ayre.
His easy state from great delight
is turnde to greatest payne,
Respect therfore and see of right
if each thing be not vayne.
Can pleasure more thy stomake please
or gayne thy fancy feede
Of earthly store, then get renowne
through manly martiall deede?
Or is there any thing or things
so pleasant to the lyfe
Of man as fame? or any case
more greuous then in strife?
If not beholde and ponder well
the captaynes tickle trade,
The which to both these fickle things
is most a subiect made.
Now lifted vp and much aduaunst
through worthy hie renowne,
Now by reprofe or great reproch
as much suppressed downe,
Now at his ease when as his hart
is pleased through repast,
Now at his pester when with smart
he feeles his force to wast,
Now in a certayne sure estate
deuoyde of euery care:
And now in hazarde and in flight
abounding all in feare.
Now in suffisance of his store
and maintenance of welth,
Now thorow drownde in depe dispaire
diminishing his health,
Now preaching pleasantly to those
which gratify his payne:
Now dealing rudely with his foes
which yelde the like agayne.
Now florishing with semely hew
and comely braue and trimme
Now mangled, torne, and all disperst
in euery part and limme.
Now bearing life when healthful sappe
his lusty senses shielde,
Now like a beast bereft of breath
remayning in the fielde.
And now of all his race and course
what profite doth remayne,
Or of his toyles and labors all
what thing doth he retayne?
Himselfe is dead, and saith no more
and strikes no more his foe,
And cannot shew the reason why
or cause that he doth so.
And all the substance that his care
hath reaped in his dayes,
He leaues behinde him to his heire
the which as fast decayes.
And all the pleasure that himselfe
hath gayned of his fame,
Is also dead, and no man knowes
where he may seeke the same.
And if perchance through actual deedes
he vsed in time past,
He after death receaues renowne
what is it but a blast.
And yet to him no pleasure is
nor profite, nor a gayne:
And therfore see how his astate
is most exceading vayne.
The ventrous marchant whose degree
is maintaynde by his toyle,
And doth deuise and labors harde
and trafficks euery soyle.
And learneth this, and knoweth that,
and yet is still to seeke:
What is his trauall but a payne
which still doth come to wreke.
Is labor sweetenes, or the toyle
that makes the sweaty brayne,
May it by right accombted be
a profite or a gayne?
If not, peruse and ponder well
the marchants tickle state:
Whose wealth is guided by the fraude
of fortunes fickle fate.
With great aboundance of his woes
and anguish of his minde:
He seekes, and at the last doth get
the thinges which he would finde,
He doth prouide by good forecast
and seekes with earnest payne
To purchase credite which wel got
he cares for to maintayne.
And learnes to know of euery ware
the certayne easyest price:
And then doth warily pursue
to follow his deuice.
He byeth wisely with his witte
and maketh neere accompt
Of each expence which followes, then
what profite wyll amount.
And then with diligent aduice
according to the same:
With expedition to the effect
his matters he doth frame.
He wayes the thing, the time and place
wherto he meanes to sende:
And these considred followes more
and further doth extende.
He bargaynes with the sayler then
in seeking his resorte,
How that with diligence his goodes
the sayler will transport.
And after some accustomde talke
he shortly doth agree,
And then agayne peruseth all
how euery thing wyll be.
This done he packeth vp his wares
and euery thing in haste:
But so that still he viewes that nought
be framed vnto waste.
And shippeth it with busie cure
and looketh to the sayle
And taklyngs, seeinge all thinges sure
that nought in neede maye fayle,
And for his owne and proper vse
such thinges hee doth prouide,
That nothing needfull is should want,
or lacking bee espide.
And then when all thinges finisht bee
and eche thinge well assinde,
Hee tarries for a prosperous tyde,
and for a luckye wynde.
The whiche by chaunce, or els in tyme
allot vnto his praye,
And then with speede and warie witts
they hoyse and packe a waye:
And then by course the waues aryse
and boysterous blastes do blowe,
And stormes do rage the shipp aboue
and eke the shipp be lowe,
And beates the hatches, and by force
do breake the steaddye maste,
And teares the sayles, & ouer whelmes
the vessell at the laste.
And then the raging rampyng seas,
so fearslie do abounde
That shipp, and man, and goods, & all,
are turned to the grounde.
This is the ende of all his toyle,
this is his onelie gayne:
Consider therfore of the same,
And saye that all is vayne.
And if that fortune fauour so
this same his rufull case,
That it do graunte the selye wretche
suche casualties to passe:
And after heauie shippwrackes, brings
by chaunges of the ayre
His fearfull hart to good reliefe,
abandoninge dispayre.
And after longe exspected tyme
doth harbour him at laste,
Deuoyde of feare in hauen sure
which yeldes him more repaste:
Yet not withstandinge vewe the ende,
of all his toyle and payne,
And thou shalt see, and saye that hee
and euerie thing is vayne.
By former trauell hee hath paste
the pykes and scapte great cares,
And vanquished the force of waues,
and now deuoyde of feares,
He is ariued at the port
which well doth please his minde,
Where as he doth deuise agayne
his profite how to finde.
And there with diligence prouides
and wittely prepares
By crafty meanes for strangers sight
to lay his subtill snares.
And with his care he purgeth cleane
the wracke his goodes sustaynde
Upon the seas by great mischaunce
when he himselfe was paynde.
This done vnlading such his wares
by credite he doth get
A roume or warehouse wher he works
the tryall of his feate.
And wisely ordring all such things
according to the skill
Of marchants secreat knowledge, then
he moues his witte and will,
By wary vsage and aduise
of cunning to allure
His marchants, so that at the last
he therby doth procure
The happy sale of all his goodes
according to desire:
And then this done he thinks againe
how homewarde to retire.
Now know thus far the wretch hath wrought
& moyld with careful pain
And now to rage of cruell seas
he yeldes himselfe agayne:
And marke the misery of this
wherto it doth extende:
And thou shalt see the great abuse
which serues to fruitles ende.
He did begin his voyage first
with trauell feare and doubt:
And as he feared euery thing
is painfully faulne out:
He endeth likewise with the same
and yet for all his toyle,
He hath least parte of that wherin
he vsed thus to moyle.
Suppose of this, iudge of this griefe,
and ponder of this payne:
How man shall toyle & moyle with care
and feare, and reape no gayne.
And well perusing thou mayst see
that all the world is bent
To such vnhappy toyling state
which is as vainly spent:
But passe not thus the tickle state
of marchants frustrate race.
But thorowly peruse the same
considring of his case,
That thou mayst fully see and thinke
and deeme of all his payne:
And therby know and vnderstande
his state to be most vayne.
As first with care he did prouide
and then did scape annoy:
And then agayne did vse his care
so now he leaues his ioy:
And to the raging seas returnes
which troubles stomake sore
Because he enters perils where
his heart was vext before.
And yet occasion moueth so
and cause doth so constrayne,
That needes of force vnto the same
he must returne agayne:
Now note that he as likely is
with all his store and goodes
For to remayne in deepe of seas
inuironde of the floods.
As by good chaunce the wished porte
with safety to ariue:
Wheras his hart with more of ease
may purpose for to thriue.
Yet not with standing though hee haue
the full of his desire,
So much that fansie may not craue
nor stomake more require,
And though hee bringe of happie store
sufficient to extend:
For maintenance of him and his,
yet vewe the frustrate end.
He longe hath bin at easles state
and at vnquiet staye,
For filthy luker, which as draffe
or durte doth weare awaye,
And hath escaped daungers greate
and perrills with much feare
And nowe at laste with ioyfull harte
he is approched where
He hopes to liue at better ease
and to receiue reliefe,
And yet it turnes to his disease
and most vnto his griefe.
For shortly after life departes
from this vnhappy man,
And he inwrapped in the grounde
of gayne or pleasure than:
What doth he reape though he with care
haue traueled for the same,
Which often times when he is deade
doth worke his vtter shame:
Learne therfore, see, peruse, thinke, iudge
& then thou shalt wel know,
The full effect of marchants case
and matter which I showe:
To day possessing welth and store
to morow worne away.
His goodes and riches all are lost
he brought vnto decay.
To day in estimation great
to morow very small:
The next day lesser then before
the next day leesing all.
Sometime abounding in his ioyes
and somtyme drownde in care:
Somtime in happi luckye state
sometime in mornefull fare.
Sometime at ease sometime at payne
sometime in quiet place:
Sometime at losse sometime at gayne
sometime at perilous case.
And thus his state vncertayne is
and neuer hath a stay:
But as it is adict to ioyes
so likewyse to decay.
And he therfore in such his state
can nought at all preuayle,
But with his state doth rise aloft
and fall when it doth fayle.
Agree therfore with open throte
with me for to complayne:
And say that all things is abuse

Salamon

and euery thing is vayne.
As well the man indewde with welth
as vaunsed by renowne:
As also he that both by fate
is raysde and pressed downe.
And likewise he who by his toyle
or trauell doth pursewe,
To purchase store or to his lyfe
a profite to renewe.
And nowe consider of degree
which beares a lower sayle
If that the same be not addict
as sodainly to fayle.
That by perusing of the same
though lowest and the least,
Thou mayst discerne it for a state
though vayne, yet most at rest.
And thinke vpon the man who liues
by labor of his handes,
With whome no profite nor encrease
nor gayne nor comfort standes:
Except he get it by the sweate
of browes, or earnist payne
Of bodyes force which still applyes
his liuing to sustayne.
He beats, he breaks, he batters, bowes,
he writheth, and he bendes:
He digges, he delues, and to his toyle
his labor still extendes.
And neuer ceaseth all his life
to moyle with all his strength,
Till foule deformed tedious age
or death aproch at length:
And yet a common thing it is
for man in youth to plye
His payne and labor, and in age
in wretchednes do die:
Uiewe therfore from the top to toe
of euery such degree,
And wisely ponder of the same
and thou shalt plainly see:
That in conclusion each and all
is bent to care and payne:
And yet doth tende to no good ende
but frustrate and in vayne.
Of painfull liuers who doth liue
(permixt with tickle ioy,
And yet in trauell and in losse
and diuers much annoy,)
More better then the simple man
whose race and vitall scope:
Doth both depende on wealth & woes
and feare and fickle hope.
And yet receaues the naturall vse
and kindly happy welth,
Which doth procede from fertile earth
maintayning manly health
In winter he adornes the grounde
and sowes in meetest time,
And after seedes espruddeth forth
he purgeth them in pryme.
And all these thinges he gladly doth
and with a ioyfull hart,
Because that hope his fancy telles
he shall receaue his parte.
And then in Somer doth procede
from earth his hoped gayne:
The which enioyes his doutfull sense
and doth relent the payne.
The which his stomake did forbeare
with doubtfulnes before:
And so by fate and fortune good
he heapeth vp his store,
And in a season doth procure
to him such great encrease:
By former labor that at length
he doth agree to cease
From moyling and determines now
to liue in happy rest,
But marke how fonde is his estate
when he doth iudge it best.
The myser is compelde to leaue
by death his pleasures all,
And other florish in the same
when he hath got the fall.
And this is most a vexing griefe
whych worldlings do retayne:
And therfore all is meere abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
For euery man that liues in earth
doth lyue in carpe and care,
To reape the wealth of earthly store
and hardly to prepare:
Such benefites as may suffise
the stay of his estate,
And doth sustayne misfortunes great
by frowning frowarde fate:
And yet it is not for himselfe
to vse or to enioy:
But for another which receaues
the same without annoy.
And thus the profite is not his
but his is still the payne:
And other men do reape the welth
which thing is very vayne.
If therfore this thou do peruse
and weigh the ample tract
Of each estates effect, and thinke
how each thing is compact.
And from the highest to the least
thou ponder in thy hart,
And from the simplest to the best
considring euery part:
Thou shalt perceaue and vnderstande
that each thing earth contaynes:
Which is aduaunst to greatest porte
is subiect most to paynes.
And euery thing that is the least
and beareth least of sway:
Is charged least and least subdewde
to ruine and decay.
For still the higher that a thing
doth stande, the greater fall
It doth attayne, but lower lesse
for lowest least of all.
And note that nothing in the world
remaynes at better ease:
Then the degree which kept alowe
no fortune can displease.
For what doth liue in lesse misdout
or hath lesse cause of feares
Or most occasion of a stay
or motion least to teares.
Then that which euer troden downe
could neuer ryse a hye,
To know what fal should meane, or els
of pleasure to discry:

Protege.

The poorest therfore and the lowst
estate, and least degree
That is, and may be so maintaynde
is most from troubles free.
For it by losses is not vext
nor cares distempered sore,
Because it is refraynde of that
which it possest before:
Nor trembles not through quaking feares
nor is no more opprest
But still doth liue at certayne stay
and one especiall rest:
Nor is not threatned to decay
by fortunes frowning cheere
Nor death, nor doubt, nor once dispayre
for ought then can appere.
Nor seekes not for to scratch with care
the heapes of earthly store,
But is contented with his owne
and doth desire no more:
Nor feareth not to be depriued
of that he doth possesse,
Nor neede not care least any man
his substance would oppresse.
Nor doth not craue the wanton sectes
of pleasure or delight:
But is by abstinence inforst
to liue and deale aright.
And therfore such estate doth both

Dioge.

himselfe to right subdew:
And matters most which duty craues
it rightly to infew:
And also least is bent to feele
though naturally the payne
And trauell of the world the which
in euery thing is vayne.
And therfore thus amongst the midst

Mar: au

of mortall things abuse:
I finde the poorest state to tende
to best and wisest vse.
And yet the wisest and the best
is but a frustrate payne:
And therfore all is great abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
For what assured ease doth grow
vnto the wise man more
Then any other? not a whit,
but as to them before.
For though his wisedome by forecast

Salamon

may diuers harmes eschew:
Yet notwithstanding do his lets
as plenteously renew.
What tedious trauell doth he beare
his wisedome to attayne:
What lothsome dayes doth it import
to spende in endles payne.
And yet when amply he hath got
the full of his request,
What wretch doth liue at his disease
and more at his vnrest:
For both his wisedome and his skil
especially pretende:
To vexe himselfe, and thus his toyles
is spent to frustrate ende.
It bringeth cause of great complaynts
and motion vnto teares:
And sobbes & sighes, & pensiue thoughts
and thus the time it weares.
And doth allure vnrestfull tract
and lothsomnes of life:
And thus doth nosell in the hart
such diuers vexing strife.
Can there be more vnease to man
when he vneased most
Remaynes, then thus in hartes vnease
for to be vext and lost?

Mar: au

Or is there more a misery
that worldlings do retayne
Then in the hart or inward partes
to ouerflow in payne?
If not: suppose of wise mens woes
the which ingendred be
By wisedome who cōplaynes of world
the vanities to see.
Be wayling greatly to beholde
the fondnes of the same:
And workes therof which only tende
to foolishnes and shame.
And the presumption of the life
and nature of the minde,
And disposition of the corps
by nature so assignde:
And endles trauell it forbeares
vnto a fruitles ende:
And what dispite and iniury
it chiefly doth extende:
And the annoyous harmes and hurtes
the liuing do assayle,
And the dispituous cruell foes
which in our life preuayle:
And the incombrances and stoppes
that hinder earthly health,
As also the vnhappy lettes
that hinder heauenly wealth:
And last the mortall ende of man
his ruine and decay:
How euery mortall thing by right
is bounde to weare away.
And the rewardes which after death

Salamon

approch with ioy or payne:
Which thing especially doth moue
the wise man to complayne.
Thus see how wisedome doth prouoke
the minde it doth enioy:
To such vnceasing pensiue thoughts
which bredes his owne annoy.
And can not stay but thinke vpon
his owne vnhappy case,
Who happy should esteme himselfe
if ended were his rase:
And marke & note if thou mayst view
the wise mans state so free:
From payne or death in any poent
or so deuoyde to be
Of naturall decay but that
his state doth fall at last,
When all his wisedome wyth himselfe
is brought to vtter waste:
And then of all his wisedome nought
he reapeth for a gayne:
And yet in life it doth intende
his trauell and his payne.
Thus therfore pondring of the case
perusing the effecte:
How that the wise mans wisedome seemes
his pleasure to detect.
And can not get no rest of all
the trauell he doth vse:
Me thinkes his wisedome onely tendes
himselfe for to abuse.

Salamon

And therfore feele I that the foole
doth liue at better ease:
And more at rest with quiet state
which doth his stomake pease.
And better is suffised with all
that nature hath assignde
Then is the wise man who complaines
of each thing in his minde.
For fooles be voyde of each suspect
and nother minde decay
Of thynges, nor matters weyght nor thinke
of euerie matters staye:
And neither ponder of them selues,
nor vse their payne to learne
Of other matters to discrye
or rightlie to discearne,
But thinks vppon the present thinges
and lets the other passe,
And so supposeth of the same,
as doth as Oxe, or Asse,
Whose inwarde partes is neuer vext
but when at presente time
It hath occasion wherunto,
capassitie muste clime.
For so a foole, determines that
the whiche doth appertaine,
Unto his common sustenance
or present ready gayne.
But little weieth the cause or case
or seeketh to define:
The proofe or sense of any thing
wherto it should encline.
And therfore since that nether care
nor anguish do oppresse
His heart nor toyle his stomake teare
in any such distresse.
And that he liues and doth not moyle
in body nor in minde
But is at rest: his foolish state
is most at ease I finde.
What profite more doth there redound
vnto the sparers payne:
Then to the spender who deuoyde
of cars doth wast his gayne.
Euen as the one by wastfull wyll
doth begge when all is spent:
And so doth purchase to himselfe
the wracke of such intent.
So doth the other passe his life

Cicero

in sparing of the same:
The which rebounds vnto himselfe
for most exceading shame.
Can there be more a greater griefe
or terror to the hart,
Then for a man to breake his brayne
to reape his proper smart?
Or is there more a painfull thing
for any to forbeare,
Then for to labor for the same
the which ingenders feare?
Or is there more a witnes sharpe
against the dreade of minde:
Then when a man against himselfe
a witnes seekes to finde?
No: neither worldly care ne payne
ne trauell, ne misdoubtt
Ne losse, ne hazarde, which by chaunce
may diuersly fall out:
Doth so distemper worldly harts
in seeking of their gayne:
As he witholding of the same
which they would fayne retayne.
For after labor long bestowed
and trauell much pursewde:
And care much vsed yet in ende
they be agayne renewde.
And though a man haue liued longe
and spent his trauell much:
For his reuenewes yet his heart
is vexed more by such.
Not onely by the wretched care
that seekes it to encrease:
And by desire insaciate
which therin can not cease.
But also by his owne abuse
and by the further shame:
Which doth by such abuse amount
to his deserued blame.

Cicero:

What misery is this for man
to moyle with all his care:
To get the ease which may suffise
to worke his owne good fare.

Plato.

And yet when he hath got at large
the thing he did desire:
It should be cause that more and more
his stomake should require.
And yet not onely that, but eke
his state for to abase:
As also through his owne abuse
the same for to deface.
And marke what great vngratefulnes
is rendred for the store:
Which he doth leaue to the successe
of other, though before
He vsed his care and payne so much
and thou shalt plainly see:
How frustrate, fonde, and very vayne
his sparing all should be.
For what more better is it sayde
of him when he deceast:
But since the chorle could not be filde
now shall it be my rest.
For he though still vncessantly
did seeke for such a stay:
Yet when as he possessed it
it was his owne decay.
And therfore now the miser gone
hath left against his will:
The fruites of all his payne to me
and it shalbe my fill.
Since therfore thus in this same world
the man which doth retayne
The full of worldly wealth his state,
is so exceading vayne.
What may be sayde of those which liue
in needefulnes and want:
With whom ne welth ne ease abounds
but euery thing is scant?
What may it now be thought of him
which all hath spent away:
And by deserued wilfulnes
is falne vnto decay.
No more but briefly to conclude
he reapes deserued payne:
And therfore all is meere abuse
and euery thing is vayne.
For so the world is diuersly
tormented with his owne:
And all the trauels of the life
are sundry wayes yknowne.
Some by their high estate are vext
and some for want of wealth:
Some by presumption which they vse
and some through lacke of health.
Some by their greedy appetite
which neuer hath his fill:
Some by the gnawing worme in mind
some by their wanton will.
Some by the losse of their delite
some by frequented vse:
Some by superfluous pleasures fonde
some by their owne abuse.
Some by their fancy, some by feare,
some by compelled payne:
Some by the tickle ioyes of fate
some by their wilfull brayne.
And thus the world is full of griefes
which euery man doth beare:
Though some in this and some in that
their tedious times do weare.
One trauels farre with doubt & payne
in dangers and annoy:
And griefe, and anguish of his minde
a profite to enioy.
Another in his natiue soyle
tormented is as much:
And liues in trembling feare and toyle
though not in cases such.
For euery thing and each estate
though that a little space
It may attayne to little ioyes
surmounted in his place.
Yet if thou marke, it nere assendes
so lofty or so hye:
But at the last it doth discende
and fall as lowe therby.

Esayas.

What man can compasse so to reach
the full of worldes delite,

Salamo.

But that his case is diuers wayes
inclyned to dispite.

Iesus sy

Or who can so deuise to gayne
himselfe to his renowne:
But that occassion may suppresse
and ouerwhelme it downe.
Or who can comprehende so much
experience of his time?
But that as long as life doth last
he is a slaue to cryme,
No man can bridell so the world
nor worldlines refrayne:
But still the world infecteth all
and each thing puts to payne.
And therfore with a lothsome hart
I forced am to say:
That euery thing is vayne, because
it comes to vayne decay.
What pleasure more doth he attayne
that hath the chiefe of all
The pleasurs which the world cōtayns
and hath at last a fall?
Then he which neuer could discerne
what such delites should meane,
But is from such abusions kinde
by force excluded cleane.
Doth golde adorne the sprite of man
or bewtify the minde:
Or is there grace by worldly wealth
into the soule assignde?
Or is the raging lust restraynde
by heapes of earthly store?
No, no, but wickednes and crime
is therby moued more.
For earthly treasure is the bagge
which vices doth maintaine:
And vice is that same very thing
which maketh all things vayne.
Who therfore gladly would receaue
the happy life and time:
Must in his mortall race auoyde
the motions vnto crime.
Regarding each thing in this vale
as I haue sayde before:
To be but frustrate, vayne, and fonde,
no better nor no more.
For mortall trace a passage is
vnto another life:
Which is not mortall but deuoyde
of foolish mortall strife.
And therfore he that willingly
would other life attayne:
Must seeke for to reforme this life
because it is but vayne.