The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes |
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
Verses made upon this Theame:
Little medling, breedes mickle rest.
My youthfull yeares are spent,
old age comes stealing on,
And bids me now, fond Fancies fits,
no more to thinke vpon.
Of worthy Wisdome I,
some lessons now haue learnde,
Whereby the difference twixt wit
and will, I haue discernde:
Among all which, this one,
where euer so I be,
To keepe still secrete to my selfe
what so I here or see.
Which, since of lessons all
I doo not count the worst,
I doo intend his graue aduise,
in this to follow first.
Fyrst in thy selfe, quoth he,
all faults thou must amend,
Before in other men thou seeke,
one fault to reprehend.
Of Cato eke I learnd,
it is no little shame,
To find that fault in other men,
wherein I am to blame.
To hold my peace, therefore,
I count it alwayes best:
And keep in minde the old sayd saw,
thereof comes mickle rest.
old age comes stealing on,
And bids me now, fond Fancies fits,
no more to thinke vpon.
Of worthy Wisdome I,
some lessons now haue learnde,
Whereby the difference twixt wit
and will, I haue discernde:
Among all which, this one,
where euer so I be,
To keepe still secrete to my selfe
what so I here or see.
Which, since of lessons all
I doo not count the worst,
I doo intend his graue aduise,
in this to follow first.
Fyrst in thy selfe, quoth he,
all faults thou must amend,
Before in other men thou seeke,
one fault to reprehend.
Of Cato eke I learnd,
it is no little shame,
To find that fault in other men,
wherein I am to blame.
To hold my peace, therefore,
I count it alwayes best:
And keep in minde the old sayd saw,
thereof comes mickle rest.
I see a flattering knaue
is set by, now and then,
Of greatest heads, as much and more,
then twenty honest men:
But let me rue the same,
since I cannot amende it:
I mought a witlesse foole be thought
to seeke to reprehend it.
is set by, now and then,
Of greatest heads, as much and more,
then twenty honest men:
But let me rue the same,
since I cannot amende it:
I mought a witlesse foole be thought
to seeke to reprehend it.
Some Lawyer sees, at fyrst,
which way the case will go:
Although he list not, at the fyrst,
to tell his Clyent so:
But what meanes he by that?
alas, doo you not see,
Your pence may make you picke it out,
and so they shall, for me.
What boote were it, for me,
their meaning to betray:
And so, no profite to my selfe,
to take their gaines away?
which way the case will go:
Although he list not, at the fyrst,
to tell his Clyent so:
But what meanes he by that?
alas, doo you not see,
Your pence may make you picke it out,
and so they shall, for me.
What boote were it, for me,
their meaning to betray:
And so, no profite to my selfe,
to take their gaines away?
The Marchaunt man he sees too, syr,
by your hye lusty lookes,
That shortly he shall finde your hand.
deep in his reckening bookes.
Bids he you then beware
betimes, of had I wist?
No, no, but lets you lash it out
as long syr, as you list.
Or as you can, at least:
and if you aske me why,
He will no better counsaile giue,
and what he meanes thereby?
Your losse of Lands, ere long,
shall learne you how to know,
As well as I can teach you Syr,
and better too, I trow.
And so shall I offend
the Marchaunts nere a whit,
By showing of their silken snares,
that in their shops doo sit.
by your hye lusty lookes,
That shortly he shall finde your hand.
deep in his reckening bookes.
Bids he you then beware
betimes, of had I wist?
No, no, but lets you lash it out
as long syr, as you list.
Or as you can, at least:
and if you aske me why,
He will no better counsaile giue,
and what he meanes thereby?
Your losse of Lands, ere long,
shall learne you how to know,
As well as I can teach you Syr,
and better too, I trow.
58
the Marchaunts nere a whit,
By showing of their silken snares,
that in their shops doo sit.
Your Tenaunt too he sees,
that by your trim gay Coates,
Some Lease is shortly to be let,
then gets he vp his Groates:
And purseth vp his pence,
and coms with coyne in hande
To craue of your good Maystership,
to hyre a peece of Lande.
And wot you wherefore Syr,
your Farmer finds this feate?
To come with Coyne, ready in hand,
your freenship to intreate:
When that your goods are gone,
and you the losse doo see
Of brainsick bargaines made in haste,
to maintaine brauery:
The smart thereof, at last,
shall shew you then their shiftes:
Then shall you easely discerne,
their double dealing driftes:
Which I dare not descry,
I am so chargde, you see,
To make no words of any thing,
what euer so it be.
that by your trim gay Coates,
Some Lease is shortly to be let,
then gets he vp his Groates:
And purseth vp his pence,
and coms with coyne in hande
To craue of your good Maystership,
to hyre a peece of Lande.
And wot you wherefore Syr,
your Farmer finds this feate?
To come with Coyne, ready in hand,
your freenship to intreate:
When that your goods are gone,
and you the losse doo see
Of brainsick bargaines made in haste,
to maintaine brauery:
The smart thereof, at last,
shall shew you then their shiftes:
Then shall you easely discerne,
their double dealing driftes:
Which I dare not descry,
I am so chargde, you see,
To make no words of any thing,
what euer so it be.
Your servaunt last he sees,
your feathers gin to fall,
And sees your Farmer buy you out,
of house and land and all.
No longer then he likes
your seruice Syr, adew,
And if you meane to keepe a man.
you must go seek a new.
And aske you me by this,
what may his meaning be?
Sure, if you see it not your selfe.
you shall not know for me.
your feathers gin to fall,
And sees your Farmer buy you out,
of house and land and all.
No longer then he likes
your seruice Syr, adew,
And if you meane to keepe a man.
you must go seek a new.
And aske you me by this,
what may his meaning be?
Sure, if you see it not your selfe.
you shall not know for me.
As for the higher powers,
they are too high for me:
What faults are to be found in them,
I list not seeke to see:
Let finde their faults themselues,
so shall they best be pleasde:
And for my silence, I am sure
I shall not be diseasde.
they are too high for me:
What faults are to be found in them,
I list not seeke to see:
Let finde their faults themselues,
so shall they best be pleasde:
And for my silence, I am sure
I shall not be diseasde.
But to the rest againe,
that are of meaner sorte;
Of their fine fetches, secretly,
I somewhat will reporte:
For openly, God wot,
I nothing dare descry:
Who hurts not me, nor yet my friends,
I will not hurt them, I.
But they who doo me harme,
I doo not meane to spare:
To bid my friends in each respect,
of such for to beware.
that are of meaner sorte;
Of their fine fetches, secretly,
I somewhat will reporte:
For openly, God wot,
I nothing dare descry:
Who hurts not me, nor yet my friends,
I will not hurt them, I.
But they who doo me harme,
I doo not meane to spare:
To bid my friends in each respect,
of such for to beware.
From Cittizens to Clownes,
what secret shifte they haue:
It is a sport to see a Clowne
how he can play the Knaue.
The Badger fyrst, one Knaue
that hunts the market place,
When Corne is cheape, to buy good store.
now therby lyes a case.
What should he mean by that?
oh syr, when corne growes deere,
I need not tell you what he means,
your selfe shall know next yere.
what secret shifte they haue:
It is a sport to see a Clowne
how he can play the Knaue.
The Badger fyrst, one Knaue
that hunts the market place,
When Corne is cheape, to buy good store.
now therby lyes a case.
What should he mean by that?
oh syr, when corne growes deere,
I need not tell you what he means,
your selfe shall know next yere.
The toleyng Myller then,
when he hath tollde his sacke,
He findes a trade to fill it vp,
if any meale doo lacke.
Now what meanes he by this?
this feate how dooth he frame?
The Milstones greete among ye meale,
wil make you finde the same.
when he hath tollde his sacke,
He findes a trade to fill it vp,
if any meale doo lacke.
Now what meanes he by this?
this feate how dooth he frame?
The Milstones greete among ye meale,
wil make you finde the same.
The Baker then, that sees
that meale dooth grow so deare,
He findes a shyfte to hold his gaines,
how euer goe the yeare.
But what is that his shifte?
the Bakers man can tell,
And I say nought, but little loaues
will show it pretely well.
that meale dooth grow so deare,
He findes a shyfte to hold his gaines,
how euer goe the yeare.
But what is that his shifte?
the Bakers man can tell,
And I say nought, but little loaues
will show it pretely well.
Some other crabbed Carles,
of canckred cutthroates kinde,
That buy whole groaues of woods at once:
and shal I speak my mind,
What they doo meane thereby?
oh no sir, by the roode,
The Collier & the poore man knowes,
when they do buy their wood.
of canckred cutthroates kinde,
That buy whole groaues of woods at once:
and shal I speak my mind,
What they doo meane thereby?
oh no sir, by the roode,
The Collier & the poore man knowes,
when they do buy their wood.
The Collyer yet to gaine,
will play the craftie Clowne:
He works a knack, yet in his sack,
when coales doo come to towne:
But how he works that shifte,
I pray you aske not me:
But whē you see him shoote his coales,
thē marke what dust you see.
will play the craftie Clowne:
He works a knack, yet in his sack,
when coales doo come to towne:
But how he works that shifte,
I pray you aske not me:
But whē you see him shoote his coales,
thē marke what dust you see.
Another sort of clownes there are
that liue by buying corne,
That secretly vse knauish shiftes,
that are not to be borne:
And these are Maltmen cald:
but what their shiftes should be,
I need not tell, by speered Mault
the Bruer soone will see.
that liue by buying corne,
That secretly vse knauish shiftes,
that are not to be borne:
And these are Maltmen cald:
but what their shiftes should be,
I need not tell, by speered Mault
the Bruer soone will see.
The Bruer then, he findes
a shifte, to make a gaine:
But what is that? small drinke (alas)
doth show it too too plaine.
a shifte, to make a gaine:
But what is that? small drinke (alas)
doth show it too too plaine.
Another sort of Clownes there are,
that droauers are by name:
That Heards of Cattell buy at once:
what meane they by the same?
Oh syr, although I know,
I must not say my minde:
But when the poore man buyes a Cow,
then he the cause shall [finde.]
that droauers are by name:
That Heards of Cattell buy at once:
what meane they by the same?
59
I must not say my minde:
But when the poore man buyes a Cow,
then he the cause shall [finde.]
Another sort there are,
which some doo Grasiers call:
And for their secret kinde of gaine,
they are not least of all:
But how they make theyr gaine,
I list not to descrie,
The Butcher, when he Buyes his Beefes,
he better knowes thē I.
which some doo Grasiers call:
And for their secret kinde of gaine,
they are not least of all:
But how they make theyr gaine,
I list not to descrie,
The Butcher, when he Buyes his Beefes,
he better knowes thē I.
The Butcher too againe,
he is no foole, I trowe:
He findes deuice to make a gaine,
how euer Cattell go.
But shall I tell you how?
oh sir, I must not, I:
But marke you price & Butchers weight,
your Beefe when you do buy.
he is no foole, I trowe:
He findes deuice to make a gaine,
how euer Cattell go.
But shall I tell you how?
oh sir, I must not, I:
But marke you price & Butchers weight,
your Beefe when you do buy.
The Chaundler then, yt of
the Butcher Tallow buies:
If he buy deere, then wyll he worke
a feate in secret wise,
To make a secret gaine:
but what feate may that be
I dare say nought, but some the same
by watry lights may see.
the Butcher Tallow buies:
If he buy deere, then wyll he worke
a feate in secret wise,
To make a secret gaine:
but what feate may that be
I dare say nought, but some the same
by watry lights may see.
Some wealthy fellowes are,
that trauell here and [t]here,
And buy up almost all the Wooll
they can get euery where:
And doo you seeke to know
what they may meane by that?
The Draper, when you buy your Cloth,
can quickly tell you what.
that trauell here and [t]here,
And buy up almost all the Wooll
they can get euery where:
And doo you seeke to know
what they may meane by that?
The Draper, when you buy your Cloth,
can quickly tell you what.
Tush, many such things moe,
I see ofte times, God wot,
Which I would helpe too if I could,
but (alas) I cannot.
Therefore, since I cannot,
I thinke it alwayes best,
To take good heede and hold my peace,
for scilence breeds much rest.
If Scilence, then, breede rest,
why haue I pratled so?
Yet haue I nothing saide, I hope,
whereof just grutch may grow.
But if against my will
I any doo offend,
I pardon craue, I spake in sporte,
and so I make an ende.
The iust will liue upright,
and make an honest gaine:
And if I thinke to mend a knaue,
my labour is in vaine.
But honest men, or els
what euer so they be,
Let Countrey, Prince, and freends alone,
and let them be for me.
But he that wisheth ill,
to Countrey, Prince and freend,
I will not keepe his counsaile sure,
but rather seeke his ende:
But els, as I am warnde,
so doo I thinke it best,
To medle little any way,
and so to liue at rest.
I see ofte times, God wot,
Which I would helpe too if I could,
but (alas) I cannot.
Therefore, since I cannot,
I thinke it alwayes best,
To take good heede and hold my peace,
for scilence breeds much rest.
If Scilence, then, breede rest,
why haue I pratled so?
Yet haue I nothing saide, I hope,
whereof just grutch may grow.
But if against my will
I any doo offend,
I pardon craue, I spake in sporte,
and so I make an ende.
The iust will liue upright,
and make an honest gaine:
And if I thinke to mend a knaue,
my labour is in vaine.
But honest men, or els
what euer so they be,
Let Countrey, Prince, and freends alone,
and let them be for me.
But he that wisheth ill,
to Countrey, Prince and freend,
I will not keepe his counsaile sure,
but rather seeke his ende:
But els, as I am warnde,
so doo I thinke it best,
To medle little any way,
and so to liue at rest.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |