University of Virginia Library

Here beginneth the thirde and last Egloge of the misery and behauour of Court and Courtiers.

Coridon
After sore labour sweete rest is delectable,
And after long night day light is comfortable,
And many wordes requireth much drinke,
The throte wel washed, then loue the eyn to wink.
This night with me it proued otherwise,
I dranke to bedwarde (as is my common gise:)
But suche rest had I till it was on the morne,
As had my mother the night that I was borne.

Cornix
Of that I maruayle, for thou art wont alway
To sleepe and to snort till time that it be day.
But howe happened this, nowe tell me Coridon,
That thou had this night so sore vexation.

Coridon
I was so drenched with dreames, a dread so sore,
I trowe neuer man was troubled so before.
Me thought in the court I taken was in trap,
And there sore handled, God geue it an ill hap.
Me thought the scullians like fendes of their lookes
Came some with whittels, some other with fleshhokes.
Me thought that they stoode eche one about me thicke
With kniues ready for to flay me quicke.
So had I (sleeping) as much of feare and dreade,
As I should (waking) haue lost my skin in deede.
With such a vision I troubled was all night,
Wherfore I ioyed what time I sawe day light.
For as soone as euer I heard the birdes peepe,
For feare of dreames no lenger durst I sleepe:
But start fro my bed, as lightly was I prest,
Almoste as a birde out flyeth from her nest.
So caught I my male, my bottell and my hooke,
And forth with my flocke anone my way I tooke.
But tell me Cornix I pray thee heartyly,
What thing this my dreame may note and signify.

Cornix
I dreade least some one fulfilled with ill will
Hath heard our talking, and it reported ill.
Which may vs after cause rather weepe then sing,
For ill will maketh the worst of euery thing.
But then doth one thing well confort me agayne,
Forst men are wont of that to dreame certayne
Wherewith their mindes in walking troubled be:
A strawe for dreames, they be but vanitie.
And as for me, I no man discommende,
If scabbed clawe, the truth shall me defende.
But how Coridon, thy head is in thy lap,
What nowe so early beginnest thou to nap?

Coridon
Who hath not slept nor rested all the night
Must slepe by day, els shall his brayne be light.
But Cornix, if thou list me for to keepe and wake,
Talke of some matters agayne for Gods sake.
For so shall the time ouerpasse with litle payne,
God knoweth when we shall mete after agayne,

Cornix
I graunt Coridon for recreation
Of court yet to haue more communication.

Coridon
All misery of court thou haste already tolde.

Cornix
Nay nay Coridon, not by a thousande folde:
We shall haue matter nere till this yeres ende
To talke of Courtes, if I might it intende.
But this one day of part well may we talke,
As for the other I force not, let it walke.

Coridon
Then sit downe Cornix, leane here against this banke,
As for our talking, we get but litle thanke.

Cornix
We get as muche almoste as we deserue,
I looke for no thanke, nor meate though I should sterue,
In court shall men finde yet many paynes mo,
Some shall I touche, let all the other go.
Because that of sleeping was our first commoning,
Heare nowe what paynes haue courtiers in sleeping.
They oftentime sleepe full wretchedly in payne,
And lye all the night forth in colde winde and rayne.
Sometime in bare strawe, on bordes, ground or stones,
Till both their sides ake, and all their bones.
And when that one side aketh and is wery,
Then turne the other, lo here a remedy.
Or els must he rise and walke him selfe a space,
Till time his ioyntes be setled in their place.
But if it be fortune thou lye within some towne
In bed of fethers, or els of easy downe.
Then make thee ready for flyes and for gnattes,
For lise, for fleas, punaises, mise and rattes.
These shall with biting, with stinking, din and sound
Make thee worse easement then if thou lay on ground.
And neuer in the court shalt thou haue bed alone,
Saue when thou wouldest moste gladly lye with one.
Thy shetes shalbe vnclene, ragged and rent,
Lothly vnto sight, but lothlyer to cent.
In which some other departed late before
Of the pestilence, or of some other sore.
Such a bedfelowe men shall to thee assigne,
That it was better to slepe among the swine.
So foule and scabbed, of harde pimples so thin,
That a man might grate hard crustes on his skin.
And all the night longe shall he his sides grate,
Better lye on grounde then lye with such a mate.
One cougheth so fast, anothers breath doth stinke,
That during the night scant mayest thou get a winke.
Sometime a leper is signed to thy bed,
Or with other sore one grieuously bested.
Sometime thy bedfelowe is colder then is yse,
To him then he draweth thy cloathes with a trice.
But if he be hote, by feuers then shall he
Cast all the cloathes and couerlet on thee.
Eyther is thy felowe alway to thee grieuous,
Or els to him art thou alway tedious.
And sometime these courtiers them more to incumber,
Slepe all in one chamber nere twenty in number.
Then it is great sorowe for to abide their shoute,
Some fart, some flingeth, and other snort and route.
Some boke, and some bable, some commeth dronk to bed,
Some braule and some iangle when they be beastly fed.
Some laugh, and some crye, eche man will haue his wil,
Some spue, and some pisse, not one of them is still.
Neuer be they still till middes of the night,
And then some brawleth and for their beddes fight.
And oft art thou signed to lodge nere the stable,
Then there shalt thou heare of rascoldes a rable.
Sometime shalt thou heare howe they eche other smite,
The neying of the horses, and howe eche other bite.
Neuer shalt thou knowe thy lodging or thy nest,
Till all thy betters be setled and at rest.
In Innes lie straungers and gestes many one,
Of courtiers liues make there conclusion.
And where they be knowen of neither man or wife,
Oft time Courtiers there ende their wretched life.
Then shall the hostler be their executour,
Or such other ribaude shall that was his deuour.
Making the Tapster come gay and feate,
His shirt, his doublet or bonet to excheate,
For fleshe that he bought and payde nought therefore,
Then is she extreame, for he shal come no more.
But in a common In if that thou lodge or lye,
Thou neuer canst lay vp thy gere so priuily,
But eyther it is stollen or chaunged with a thought,
And for a good thou haste a thing of nought.
For some arrant thieues shall in the chamber lye,
And while thou sleepest they rise shall priuily:
All if thou thy pouche vnder thy pillowe lay,
Some one crafty searcher thereat shall haue assay.
Baudes and brothels, and flattering tapsters,
Iugglers and pipers, and scuruy wayfarers.
Flatterers and hostlers, and other of this sect
Are busy in thy chamber, chatting with none effect.
With brauling they enter first pagiant to play,
That nought mayest thou here what wiser men do say.
Such is their shouting that scantly thou mayst here,
The secrete felowe, which by thy side is nere.
But rurall flimmers, and other of our sort
Unto thy lodging, or court when they resort,
They chat, they bable, and all but of the wombe,
More pert and more pieuish then they wold be at home.
Though thou would slepe, induring all the night,
Some sing, some mourne, their lemman out of sight.
Some sing of Bessy, and some of Nan or cate,
Namely when licour disturbed hath the pate.
The brothell boteman and wretched laborer
Ceasse not to singe, be vitayle neuer so dere.
Who can with such haue quietnes or rest,
But if thou with slepe at last be opprest,
And that sore labours to sleepe thee constrayne,
Rumour thee rayseth, and wakeneth agayne.
On morning when thou might sleepe moste quietly,
Then must thou arise there is no remedy.
For what time thy Lorde vnto his horse is prest,
Then ought no seruaunt lye in his bed at rest.

Coridon
Nowe Cornix I see that with a brauling wife
Better were to bide continuing my life,
And to heare children crying on euery side
Then thus in the court this clamour to abide.

Cornix
No doubt Coridon, but heare more misery,
Which in their lodging haue courtiers commonly.
Men must win the marshall or els herbegere,
With price or with prayer, els must thou stand arere.
And rewarde their knaues must thou if thou be able,
For to assigne thee a lodging tollerable.
And though they promise, yet shall they nought fulfill,
But poynt the place nothing after thy will.
Eyther nere a priuy, a stable or a sinke,
For cent and for clamour where thou can haue no wink.
After thy rewarde they shall thee so manace,
That malgre thy teeth thou must resigne thy place.
And that to some one which is thy enemy,
If they be pleased there is no remedy.
But yet for certayne it were thing tollerable
To becke and to bowe to persons honorable.
As to the marshall, or yet the herbeger,
Or gentle persons which vnto them be nere.
But this is a worke, a trouble and great payne,
Sometime must thou stoupe vnto a rude vilayne.
Calling him master, and oft clawe his hande,
Although thou would see him wauer in a bande.
For if thou liue in court, thou must rewarde this rable,
Cookes and scoliens, and farmers of the stable.
Butlers and Butchers, prouenders and Bakers,
Porters and poulers, and specially false takers.
On these and all like spare must thou none expence,
But mekely with mede bye their beneuolence.
But namely of all it is a grieuous payne
To abide the porter, if he be a vilayne.
Howe often times shall he the gates close
Against thy stomake, thy forehead or thy nose.
Howe oftentimes when thy one fote is in
Shall he by malice thrust thee out by the chin.
Sometime his staffe, sometime his clubbishe feete
Shal driue thee backward, and turne thee to the streete.
What he then sayth, comming if he sit,
Howe often times shall he the gates shit.
For very pleasure and ioy of thy comming
The gate he closeth, lo here a pleasaunt thing.
All if thou haste well rewarded him before,
Without thou standest in rayne and tempest sore.
And in the meane time a rascolde or vilayne
Shall enter while thou art bathed in the rayne.
Sometime the porter his malice shall excuse,
And say vnto thee thy labour to abuse:
That eyther is the Lorde asleepe or in councell,
Then lost is thy labour, mispent is thy trauell.

Coridon
Of our poore houses men soone may knowe the gin,
So at our pleasure we may go out and in.
If courtes be suche, me thinketh without doubt,
They best be at ease which so remayne without.
For better be without wet to the skin with rayne,
Then euer in court and liue in endlesse payne.
For if hell gates did not still open gape,
Then wretched soules great torment should escape.
Right so, if the court were close continually,
Some men should escape great payne and misery.
But Cornix proceede, tell on of courtiers care.

Cornix
Well sayde Coridon, God geue thee well to fare.
Nowe would I speake of paynes of the warre,
But that me thinketh is best for to defarre.
For if thy lorde in battayle haue delite
To sue the warre be paynes infinite.
For while he warreth thou mayest not bide at home,
Thy lust to cherishe, and pleasure of thy wombe.
To sue an army then haste thou wretched payne
Of colde or of heate, of thirst, hunger and rayne.
And mo other paynes then I will specify,
For nought is in warfar saue care and misery:
Murder and mischiefe, rapines and cowardise,
Or els crueltie, there reigneth nought but vice,
Which here to recounte were longe and tedious,
And to our purpose in parte contrarious.
Therfore let passe the warres misery,
The dredefull daungers and wretched penury,
And of these Cities talke we a worde or twayne,
In which no man can liue auoyde of payne,
For whither soeuert he court remoue or flit
All the vexations remoue alway with it.
If thou for solace vnto the towne resorte,
There shalt thou mete of men as bad a sorte,
Which at thy clothing and thee shall haue disdayne,
If thou be busy the club shall do thee payne,
There be newe customes and actes in like wise,
None mayst thou scorne, nor none of them despise,
Then must thou eche day begin to liue anewe.
[And do as they do, be it false or trew.]
As for in Cities I will no more remayne,
But turne my talking nowe to the court agayne,
After of this may we haue communication
Of cities and of their vexation.
Whether that thy lorde sit or yet stande erect
Still muste thou stande or els shalt thou be chekt,
Thy head and legs shall finde no rest nor ease:
If thou in court intende alway to please
Oft muste thou becke, still stande and euer bare
To worse then thy selfe, which is a payne and care.
What shall I common the pensiuenes and payne
Of courtiers or they their wages can obtayne,
Howe muche differing and how much abating
Must courtiers suffer, and manifolde checking,
Neuer hast thou the whole, sometime shall they abate,
Or els shall the day of payment be to late,
From Robert to Iohn sometime they shall thee sende,
And then none of both to paye thee may intende,
From poste vnto piller tossed shalt thou be,
Scorned and blinded with fraude and subtiltie.
Some mayst thou beholde sighing for great sorowe
When he is appoynted to come agayne to morowe,
For many a morowe hath he bene serued so:
Another standeth his heart replete with wo,
Counting and turning the grotes in his cap,
Praying God to sende the payer an ill hap,
For where he reckned for to receyue a pounde
Scant hath he halfe, suche checkes be there founde,
Neuer shall the courtier receyue whole salary
Except that he rewarde the payer priuily.
When nede constrayneth somewhat to haue before,
He gladly receyueth a dosen for a score,
Neuer canst thou make thy couenaunt so cleare
But that the payer shall bring thee far areare,
All if thou right well thy couenaunt fulfill
It shall the payer interprete at his will,
For all that blinde sorte are choked with auarice,
As catchers of coyne ensuing couetise,
But sometime to speake of thinges necessary,
These do all courtiers cares multiply,
Nowe for one thing they labour to obtayne,
Nowe for another, and often all in vayne,
And though their asking be neyther right ne iust,
Yet neuer stint they till they haue had their lust.
But if it fortune their prayer and their cost
Be spent in vayne, then is their reason lost,
Then lurke they in corners for a month or twayne
For wo that their labour and prayer was in vayne.
Some with their princes so stande in fauour
That they may aduaunce their kinred to honour,
But then is their kinred so bad of gouernaunce,
That al if they may they dare not them aduaunce,
But howebeit they durst they dread of wordly shame,
Or punishement of God, or els their princes blame.

Coridon
Nowe doubtles Cornix that man is muche vnwise
Which lifteth fooles vnworthy to office,
But oftetime fauour and carnall affection
Abuseth the right, blinding discretion.

Cornix
If thou hadst mused a yere for this one clause
Thou could not haue said more perfitely the cause.
Beside this Coridon fewe, by the lorde aboue,
Haue of these courtiers true, sure and perfite loue,
For Codrus tolde me what writeth Isocrate,
That all these princes and euery great estate
In louing regarde no vertue nor prudence,
None loue they but of some hastie violence,
Without aduisement, without discretion,
Suche loue ofte proueth faynt at conclusion.
But if they loue any they loue him not as frende,
Betwene like and like best frendship shall we finde.
For truely great lordes loue suche men with delite,
By them when they take some pleasour or profite,
As they loue horses, dogges, and mo suche,
What saide I, I lye, they loue them not so muche:
More loue they a horse or dogge then a man,
Aske of Minalcas, the truth declare he can.
For commonly as sone as any man is dead
Another is soone ready for to fulfill his stead,
With mede and with prayer his place is dearely bought
So oft haue princes their seruice cleare for nought:
But then if it fortune a dogge or horse to dye,
His place to fulfill another muste they by.
Yet little haue I saide, worse in the court they fare,
Not onely thy lorde shall for thy death nought care,
For thy longe seruice ofte shall he wishe thee dead,
Suche is in court thy salary and thy mede.
Eyther for thy seruice longe and continuall
Thou haste of thy lorde receyued nought at all,
And when thou art dead with short conclusion,
Then quite is thy seruice and obligation,
And ofte shall thy lorde sounde swetely foorth this A
A that this man so sone is gone away,
If he had liued longer a small season
I should haue put him to great promotion:
Or els if thy lorde haue well rewarded thee,
That thou haste liuelod and riches in plentie,
Then if thou dye beleue me for certayne,
He surely trusteth to haue all agayne:
Scant any riche man by death hence nowe shall fare
But that some great lorde will loke to be his heyre.

Coridon
That is no leasing but proued often true,
That caused widowes oftentimes sore to rewe,
But this hath bene sene forsooth and euer shall,
That the greater fishe deuoureth vp the small.

Cornix
A right true example mate Coridon doubtlesse,
So mightie rulers the simple folke oppresse.
But what care in court is, nowe heare me Coridon,
Concerning thy lorde or masters owne person:
Of princes or commons thou findest seldome time,
One parfitely good and spotted with no crime,
For all suche thinges as seldome time befall
Tully was wont them monsters for to call,
Then is a good man more monster in dede,
Then is a wether hauing a double head.
And in likewise rehearseth Iuuenall,
That if a man would seke ouer the worlde all,
So many good men vnethes finde should he
As there are gates in Thebes the Citie.
That is to saye vnder the cope of heauen
Of perfite good men scant shall a man finde seuen.
And holy scripture yet speaketh more streitly,
As Shepheard Dauid doth clerely testify,
He saide our Lorde beholding on mankind
Could scant one good in all the worlde finde.
Scripture recordeth suche clauses many one,
That men be sinners and God is good alone.

Coridon
What nowe mate Cornix, I make God auowe,
Thou haste in some friers bosome bene I trowe,
And spoyled some patche of his prechement,
Talke of the court, saue this in store for Lent.

Cornix
So was my purpose, thou nedest not obiect,
Of our first purpose these wordes haue effect.
I tolde thee before by good aucthoritie
Howe both the poetes and oratours agree,
And holy scripture, that fewe men be perfite,
But bad in number be truely infinite.
So if thy master be bad and worthy blame
Then art thou sory of his dishonest name,
Thy lordes vices and liuing negligent
Shall greue thy stomake if thou be innocent:
It greueth thee if he be couetous or harde,
Because he denieth thy labour to rewarde,
And for many thinges fayle by his negligence,
And fall to ruine for sparing of expence.
Agayne if thy lorde be free and liberall
Alway thou fearest least other men haue all,
His prodigall hande ofte vexeth sore thy heart,
Least at the ending nought shall come to thy part,
And least his treasour in folly so he spende
That nothing remayne to helpe him at the ende.
But if he be geuen to wrath and crueltie
Thou fearest least he rage agaynst thy kin or thee,
If he be meke, milde and sober thou art sory,
For he not reuengeth eche hurt and iniury,
If he be hardie then dreadest thou daunger,
When he procedeth then standest thou arere,
If he be a cowarde then haste thou great enuy
Agaynst his enemies, for they continually
Destroy his landes and sore his name distayne,
When he for dread dare do nothing agayne.
If he vse chatting and often be talking,
Well thou perceiuest that while his tong is walking
His priuie counsell he often doth detect,
And muche he speaketh which is of none effect.
If he be secret and still as one in slepe,
Thou sayest he doubteth that none can counsell kepe,
And thee suspecteth as muche as other mo,
Then art thou greued and full of care and wo.
If he loue wines and thou fearest dronkennes,
If he hate wines and thou blamest his sadnes,
And to his body thou countest him nigarde,
Because he would kepe his housholde the more harde.
To Uenus actes if he to muche apply,
Thou sayest he to many doth hurt and iniury,
If he hate women and flee their pleasour, then
Both thou and other reputest him no man.
With fewe men if he vse familiaritie
Thou art displeased of them if thou not be,
If he be common to all indifferent,
Then is thy minde in likewise discontent,
Because he loueth familier to be
To euery person as greatly as with thee,
But if that thy prince be good and thou be nought
Then art thou in likewise sore vexed in thy thought,
Least that he shortly thy seruice may despise,
Because he not liueth after thy lewde gise.
But if both be good and all of vices cleane,
Which is a thing that seldome time is sene,
Then monest thou for that he is not fortunate
As he is ordeyned and after his estate,
Thy heart and minde doth so to him incline
That all his troubles and paynes shall be thine,
For this without doubt I tell thee Coridon,
That no father is so tender ouer his son
As is a good seruaunt diligent and true
Unto a noble prince endued with vertue.
And all if good fortune to him be fauourable.
Yet still thou dredest because it is vnstable.
Thus neuer shalt thou slepe in peace and quietnes,
But when thou wakest thy rest is muche lesse.

Coridon
Because thou recountest of thy fidelitie,
Of masters and men which loueth honestie,
Nowe I remember the shepheard of the fen,
And what care for him demeaned all his men.
And shepheard Morton when he durst not appeare,
Howe his olde seruauntes were carefull of his chere.
In payne and pleasour they kept fidelitie,
Till grace agayne gaue him aucthoritie,
Then his olde fauour did them agayne restore
To greater pleasour then they had payne before;
Though for a season this shepheard bode a blast,
The greatest winde yet slaketh at the last,
And at conclusion he and his flocke certayne
Eche true to other did quietly remayne.
My harte sore mourneth when I must specify
Of the gentle Cocke whiche sange so mirily,
He and his flocke were like an vnion,
Conioyned in one without discention,
All the fayre Cockes which in his dayes crewe
When death him touched did his departing rewe,
The pretie palace by him made in the fen,
The maides, widowes, the wiues and the men,
With deadly dolour were pearsed to the heart
When death constrayned this shepheard to departe.
Corne, grasse and fieldes mourned for wo and payne,
For oft his prayer for them obtayned rayne,
The pleasaunt floures for wo faded eche one
When they perceyued this shepheard dead and gone,
The okes, elmes and euery sorte of dere
Shronke vnder shadowes, abating all their chere,
The mighty walles of Ely monastery,
The stones, rockes, and towres semblably
The marble pillers and images echeone,
Swet all for sorowe when this good cocke was gone,
Though he of stature were humble, weake and leane,
His minde was hye, his liuing pure and cleane,
Where other feedeth by beastly appetite,
On heauenly foode was all his whole delite.
And shortly after this Cocke was dead and gone
The Shepheard Roger could not bide long alone,
But shortly after false death stole him away,
His worthy reporte still liueth till this day.
When shepe wer scabbed this good shepherd was fayne
With easie salues their sores to cure agayne,
He nought pretended nor shewed of rigour,
Nor was no wolfe poore lambes to deuour,
When bushe or brambles pilled the shepes skin,
Then had he pitie and kept them close within,
Or in newe fleces did tenderly them lap,
And with his skirtes did oftentime them hap,
When he departed his flocke for wo was faynt,
The fouldes sounded with dolour and complaynt,
So that their clamour and crye bespred the yle,
His death was mourned from Ely forty mile.
These worthy heardes and many other mo
Were with their wethers in loue conioyned so,
That more they cured by witte and pacience,
Then dreadfull drome can do with violence.
Therfore all heardes vnto the wolde I trowe
Should laude their names if vertue reigned nowe,
But sith that cunning and vertue nere be gone
Nowe be they lauded forsooth of fewe or none.
I let thy purpose to make conclusion,
Uice liueth, vertue hath light obliuion,
But speake on Cornix yet is it long to night,
My minde to disclose causeth my heart be light.

Cornix
To laude these pastours wherfore haste thou delite?

[Coridon]
All other shepheardes to vertue to excite.

Cornix
Then be thy wordes nothing mispent in vayne,
But nowe to courtes will I returne agayne.
And namely for thou haste spoken of cunning
Me liste a little to common of that thing.
It is to clarkes great pleasour certaynly
And recreation to geue them to studie,
And some finde pleasour and recreation
In secrete study and meditation,
To write or to rede in places solitary,
Whole to the muses his reason to apply,
To talke with Plato, with Tulli or Uirgill,
With Aristotle to common at his will,
And other famous doctours many one.

Coridon
What man, all these long past be dead and gone,
Who would with these dispute, common or talke,
To go where they be shall finde a wery walke.

Cornix
Though they be dead aliue yet is their name,
Their laudes, honour, their hye reporte of fame,
So men deuiseth to speake with them in dede
As often as they their noble workes rede.
But as for courtiers aswell earely as late
Be of this pleasour vtterly priuate,
Though they liue idle their paynes infinite
To godly workes them graunteth no respite,
Alway in clamour remayne they and in preace.
And lewde acquayntaunce will them no time releace,
But if that they chose some season secretly
To some good study their mindes to apply,
To write or to read, anone some wretch is fayne
And glad them to vexe and to disturbe agayne,
But if all other be absent and at rest
Then nere their chamber the kitchin clarke is prest.
Iengling his counters chatting him selfe alone,
Thus seke all corners quiet thou findest none.
So must one despise those noble oratours,
The famous poetes and excellent doctours,
And liue among men auoyde of vertues all,
That rather a man rude beastes may them call.
Of great estates there is a blinded sorte,
Which cause their sonnes vnto the court resorte,
That they may in court themselfe dayly frequent
In learning vertue and maners excellent,
But better might they say to learne all malice,
All cursed maners and euery braunch of vice,
As pride, disdayne, enuy and ribaudrie,
So be good maners infect with villanie.
For surely in courtes be men most vicious,
Supporting vices to vertue contrarious,
Dishonest language is counted most laudable,
One bosteth baudry or gluttony damnable,
No man there vaunteth him selfe of honestie,
Of vertue, maners, of mercy and pitie,
But eyther he ioyeth of his mischeuous life,
To haue defiled a virgin or a wife,
Or els to haue slayne his foe or enemie,
Or fraude committed or crafty felony.
Which cursed maners youth sooner doth insue,
Then godly liuing or maners of vertue.
When youth in vices hath fixed their courage,
They by no meanes shall leaue the same in age,
Nor thinke not in court to finde a yonge stripling,
Chast, sober, shamefast or maners ensuing,
All sueth vices, all sue enormitie,
Suche be the disciples as their infourmers be,
For true is the clause rehearsed of Terence,
That youth enclined then namely to offence,
When a lewde master him moued to incline
By ill example to daunger and ruine.
For nature leaneth to all enormitie
When men so vseth which be in dignitie.
Youth thinketh lawfull and but a ioconde fit
Suche vice as elders vse dayly to commit,
And as yong braunches sone rotte and putrify,
So youth corrupteth by vices semblably.

Coridon
Be all yonge galandes of these abused sorte,
Whiche in yonge age vnto the court resorte?

Cornix
Who entreth the court in yong and tender age
Are lightly blinded with folly and outrage,
But such as entreth of witte and grauitie
Bowe not so soone to suche enormitie,
But or they enter if they haue learned nought,
Afterwarde is cunning the least part of their thought.
In court it is counted vice to haue science,
And counted for rebuke for to haue eloquence,
Thus haue men cunning great heauines and payne
Beholding them selues in court had in disdayne,
Their wit despised: in meane time shall they see,
That greatest matters ruled (nay marred) be
Of suche blinde fooles as can not count nor tell
A score saue twentie, yet moste of all suche mell.
But men vnlearned of inwarde payne haue some,
When they beholde that to the court be come
Men groundly learned, in Latin commoning,
The other hearken and vnderstande nothing,
Then truely it is to them a greeuous payne,
But neuerthelesse of them haue they disdayne.
But liuing in court and flying none offence,
What shall I common what grutch of conscience
Uexeth thee dayly, right small is thy delite
When troubled conscience vnquiet doth thee bite.
No payne is sorer nor greeuouser torment
Then to remember and call to thine intent
Howe many vices, howe great enormitie
Hath thee in thraldome and in captiuitie,
Thine owne conscience is still within thy brest
As tormentour, depriuing thee of rest,
With priuie scourges and payne intollerable,
Recounting thy workes and life abhominable,
Thou mayst not auoyde and from this enemy start,
Flee where thee liketh he resteth in thy heart,
This is of courtiers the deadly tormentour,
With desperation them seking to deuour.
Sometime their conscience grutched is with gile,
With theft, with murther, with lechery some while,
Though their own conscience thus torment them with payn
To the same offences returne they yet agayne,
Their conscience grutching to cause of grutch they fall,
Thus still them torment the furies infernall,
I meane remembraunce of manyfolde offence,
Continuall torment by grutche of conscience.
What shall I tell thee the payne of soden feare
Which doth the mindes of courtiers often deare,
Sometime the lower are greeued with threatning,
And suffer paynes when they haue done nothing.
Sometime while the court is daunsing in disport
Or in other solace their heartes to comfort,
Anone commeth in a sodeyn messangere,
Affirming truely some armed foes nere,
And that same army is neare at hande doubtles,
Then turneth solace to wo and heauines,
And while some princes for pleasour hauke or hunt,
Suche fearefull tidinges to heare ofte are they wont.

Coridon
Suche feare and daunger doth happen commonly
On all degrees with sodeyn ieopardy,
For plowmen, shepheardes and citizens also
By warre endureth great dammage, losse and wo.

Cornix
All other sortes sometime may stande afarre,
But courtiers must bide all daunger of warre,
Saue losse of goodes, for some haue nought to lose,
But this will I leaue and turne to my purpose.
No gifte is graunted of God vnto mankinde
Better then frendship when man it true may finde,
But ouer all the court no man shall finde nor see
True stedfast frendship nor perfite amitie,
For sith all courtiers for moste parte blinded be
With vicious liuing and all enormitie,
They haue no frendship but conspiration,
And to do mischiefe confederation.
For perfite frendship is when two men agree
Or mo, in working some dede of honestie.
Some courtiers be founde which seme ingenious,
Pregnaunt of reason, wise and laborious,
Yet haue they but shadowe of vertue and goodnes,
And not of vertues the playne signes expres,
Some seme liberall, but they ensue rapine,
Some seme very chast, but they to pride incline,
Some semeth humble, which vseth gluttony,
And some familier which leane to lechery,
In none mayst thou see one sparkle of vertue,
But twentie vices shall that one gift ensue.
In suche a meany full of iniquitie
Harde is to finde one worthy amitie,
But if thou in court some honest men awayte
Then with great rulers is he made in conceyt,
I[f] he from conceyt and out of fauour be
Thou mayst not with him haue familiaritie.
Sometime shalt thou see suche drawen to torment
As be thy frendes, faultles and innocent,
And ofte thy enemie in many a fault culpable
Thou shalt in the court see hye and honorable:
To see thy good frende bide death so wrongfully,
To sorowe and nought say is a great payne truely,
But yet for thy life say nought, be pacient,
Not onely whisper least thou haue like torment.
Conuersaunt muste thou be with suche to thy payne
Which haue thy father or els thy brother slayne.
If thou be busy or squaring of language
Thou mayst peraduenture walke in the same passage.
And if thou in court to riches so assende
That thou mayst reteyne men on thee to attende,
Some of thy seruauntes shalt thou oft time beholde
Lewdely disposed to vices manyfolde,
Some shall be theues, some dronkenner then swine,
Some shall loue brauling or to lying encline,
Some slowe, some gluttons, some fall to ribaudry,
Aduoutry, murther, with other villany.
Some be forgetfull, some peart, some insolent,
Some craftles fooles, some proude and negligent,
If thou chaunge, some better for to haue,
Thou voydest a lubber and hast agayne a knaue,
And if thou haue one with knauishenes infect,
Then all the other shall folowe the same secte.
Agayne if thy selfe be poore and a seruaunt,
Thou shalt finde thy master rashe, rude and ignoraunt,
Alway complayning, and neuer well content,
Ofte asking seruice, in paying negligent,
Of speche superflue, hastie and rigorous,
Enuious, dronken, vnstable and couetous.
Thus seruaunt, master, gentleman and villayne,
Liue all in court with misery and payne.

Coridon
Nowe truely Cornix this is a wretched life,
Uoyde of all pleasour, wrapped in payne and strife.

Cornix
Count all the rowmes and offices echeone,
And none shalt thou finde without vexation,
What thinke the counsell when princes not agree
To their aduisement of moste vtilitie?
What haue Chauncelers of inwarde displeasour
When their letters written to their princes honour,
For the common weale and sure vtilitie,
Can not passe forwarde till they transposed be
From good to right nought, corrupt for correct?
What thinke comtrollers when they be dayly chekt,
The rulers of court, vsher and senescall,
Treasorers, clerkes, and euery marshall,
What payne haue these echeone in his office,
When often ribaudes them sclaunder and despise,
Or some busy body hauing but small insight
Comptroll their countes be they neuer so right?
What payne haue chaplens comptrolled in seruice,
And phisitians when some their arte despise?
What knightes, trompeters and souldiers commonly,
When treasorers their wages doth deny?
What payne haue cookes whiche scant maye seeth their befe
Without some rebuke, a checke or a reprefe?
Coridon in court no roume is trust thou me,
But that is wrapped in great aduersitie,
But briefely to say and make conclusion,
Right wise men suffer great tribulation
The heauenly pleasour to purchase and obtayne,
More suffreth courtiers to purchase endles payne.
I mell not with them which of necessitie
Agayne their pleasour must in the court be
As busy suters to purchase droit and right,
Which would be thence right gladly if they might.

Coridon
Beleue me Cornix thou turned hast my minde,
Farewell all courting, adewe pleasour vnkinde,
Thou playne hast proued that all they fooles be
Which folowe the court seking captiuitie,
And might els where an honest life purchase,
Hauing suffisaunce and moderate solace.

Cornix
Then let all shepheardes from hence to Salisbury,
With easie riches liue well, laugh and be mery.
Pipe vnder shadowes, small riches hath most rest,
In greatest seas moste sorest is tempest.
The court is nought els but a tempesteous sea,
Auoyde the rockes, be ruled after me,
There is more daunger then is vppon the lande,
As swalows, rockes, tempest and quicke sande.
Mayrmaydes singing, abusing with their song,
Caribdis, Sylla, and sandy bankes longe,
In it be cliffes of hardest Adamant
To sinne exciting yonge fooles ignorant.
What shepheard loueth peace and tranquilitie,
Or rest requireth to liue in vnitie,
Swete peace of heart who euer doth require,
Or health of his soule if any man desire,
Flee from the court, flee from the court I crye,
Flee proude beggery and solemne miserye.
For there is no rest nor godly exercise,
No loue of vertue but vse of euery vice,
As auarise, lust, and beastly gluttony,
Crueltie, malice, ambition and enuy:
But namely Uenus or luste venerall,
To hir vile actes playnly subdueth all,
Upon which vices who fixeth his intent
Him selfe to defende hath he no argument,
But that of all wise men, honest and laudable,
He shalbe conuict of liuing reprouable,
A naturall foole of reason dull and rude,
Proface Coridon, thus do I here conclude.

Coridon
Conclude mote thy life in blessed state of grace
Mine owne heart Cornix for this thy good solace,
But haste thou touched all whole and perfitely
Of court and courtiers the payne and misery.

Cornix
Nay, nay Coridon, I tolde thee so before,
Muche haue I tolde, behinde is muche more,
Their inwarde crimes and vice abhominable,
Their outwarde raging in sinnes detestable,
Their theft and fraudes, and their extortion,
And of misliuers their supportation,
Their dayly murther and forsing of women,
Frauding of virgins, pilling of simple men,
Aduoutry, incest and fornication,
And of good virgins the defloration.
These and suche like dare I not playnly touche,
For all these crosses and siluer in my pouche.

Coridon
Then haste we hence the sonne is nere at rest,

Cornix
Take vp thy baggage my mate that now is best.

Coridon
But tell me Cornix one thing or we departe,
On what maner life is best to set my harte?
In court is combraunce, care, payne, and misery,
And here is enuy, ill will and penury.

Cornix
Sufferaunce ouercommeth all malice at the last,
Weake is that tree which can not bide a blast,
But heare nowe my counsell I bid thee finally,
Liue still a shepheard for playnly so will I.

Coridon
That shall I Cornix thy good counsell fulfill,
To dye a shepheard established is my will.

Cornix
So do, or after thou often shall repent,
Poore life is surest, the court is but torment.

Coridon
Adewe swete Cornix, departing is a payne,
But mirth reneweth when louers mete againe.