The complete works of John Lyly now for the first time collected and edited from the earliest quartos with life, bibliography, essays, notes and index by R. Warwick Bond |
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 | The complete works of John Lyly |  |
3.
[How can he rule well in a common wealth]
How can he rule well in a common wealth,
Which knoweth not himselfe in rule to frame?
How should he rule himselfe in ghostly health
Which neuer learn'd one lesson for the same?
If such catch harme their parents are to blame:
ffor needes must they be blinde, and blindly led,
Where no good lesson can be taught or read.
Which knoweth not himselfe in rule to frame?
How should he rule himselfe in ghostly health
Which neuer learn'd one lesson for the same?
If such catch harme their parents are to blame:
ffor needes must they be blinde, and blindly led,
Where no good lesson can be taught or read.
Some thinke their youth discreete and wisely taught,
That brag, and boast, and weare their fether braue,
Can royst and rout, both lowre and looke aloft,
Can sweare and stare, and call their fellowes knaue,
Can pill and poll, and catch before they craue,
Can carde and dice, both cog and foyste at fare,
Play on vnthriftie, till their purse be bare.
That brag, and boast, and weare their fether braue,
Can royst and rout, both lowre and looke aloft,
Can sweare and stare, and call their fellowes knaue,
Can pill and poll, and catch before they craue,
Can carde and dice, both cog and foyste at fare,
Play on vnthriftie, till their purse be bare.
Some teach their youth to pipe, to sing and daunce,
To hauke, to hunt, to choose and kill their game.
To winde their horne, and with their horse to praunce,
To play at tennis, set the lute in frame,
Run at the ring, and vse such other game:
Which feats although they be not all vnfit,
Yet cannot they the marke of vertue hit.
To hauke, to hunt, to choose and kill their game.
450
To play at tennis, set the lute in frame,
Run at the ring, and vse such other game:
Which feats although they be not all vnfit,
Yet cannot they the marke of vertue hit.
ffor Noble yought there is nothing so meete
As learning is, to knowe the good from ill:
To know the tongues, and perfectly endyte,
And of the lawes to haue a perfect skill,
Thinges to reforme as right and iustice will:
ffor honnour is ordeyned for no cause
But to see right maintayned by the lawes.
As learning is, to knowe the good from ill:
To know the tongues, and perfectly endyte,
And of the lawes to haue a perfect skill,
Thinges to reforme as right and iustice will:
ffor honnour is ordeyned for no cause
But to see right maintayned by the lawes.
| The complete works of John Lyly | |