The Rocke of Regard diuided into foure parts. The first, the Castle of delight: Wherein is reported, the wretched end of wanton and dissolute liuing. The second, the Garden of Vnthriftinesse: Wherein are many sweete flowers, (or rather fancies) of honest loue. The thirde, the Arbour of Vertue: Wherein slaunder is highly punished, and vertuous Ladies and Gentlewomen, worthily commended. The fourth, the Ortchard of Repentance: Wherein are discoursed, the miseries that followe dicing, the mischiefes of quareling, the fall of prodigalitie: and the souden ouerthrowe of foure notable cousners, with diuers other morall, natural, & tragical discourses: documents and admonitions being all the inuention, collection and translation of George Whetstons |
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 | The Rocke of Regard |  |
5
The honest minded mans aduentures, his largesse: and his farewell to the world. A worke discouering, the subtilties of all sortes of men.
1
Repyne not, friends, to view the forme of scorne,Skew not to see, a figure fresh of ruth,
A crooked peece, with withered age forworne,
In drouping dayes, whome beggerie pursuth.
A sorrie crop, for seede of all his youth,
Who moylde, who toyld, who gaped after gaine,
When losse ensude, a poore reward for paine.
2
Though straunge at first my tale may seeme in sight,Yet wisely wayde, the cause appeareth playne,
Why backward hap, my foreward hope did quite.
Why losse I found, where I did looke for gayne.
Why pouertie, I reapt in lue of paine,
For trye who list, and he by proofe shall see,
With honest myndes, the world will hardly gree.
3
Which of it selfe, a kingdome is of sinne,The deuill is prince, whose pomp doth neuer fade,
Deceite and Craft, his chiefest counsellers bin.
Extortion foule, his treasurer is made,
Couetousnesse, is merchant of his trade.
Uile Usurie, his racking rents doth rake,
As auditour, account doth Briberie take.
4
Within his court, these vipers beareth sway:First false suspect, high chamberlain they call,
Who raps thē down, which mount by honest way,
Disdaine controuls, the wightes which be in thral.
Then grudge the garde, doth place them in the hal.
Mistrust and spight, doth dayly watch and ward.
And malice is, the captaine of the garde.
6
5
Enuie and Hate, the presence doore doth keepe,Which eluish elfes, dame Uertue still deryde,
Or if she knocke, the sottes will be a sleepe,
Next to the diuel, the court doth Lecherie guyde,
On whom attends, dame Pleasure, Lust, & Pryde.
What office beares, the Glutton with the rest,
Or drunken sot, to shewe it were a iest.
6
Debate and strife, the coastes doth dayly scowre,Well meaning mynds, to see they do repyne,
Though Fortune laugh, ye world on thē doth lowre,
Her subiects sleepe, and snore like fatted swyne,
When hunger sterude, with want the vertuous pyne,
No wonder though they leade this lothsome life,
For worldly rule, with vertue is at strife.
7
But I too long, do tyre you with this tale,To wray the rule, the worldly wretches haue,
Who hath in blisse, when others boyle in bale,
Who do commaund, when others gladly craue,
Yet shame and all, they leaue to fill their graue,
I ment and meane, to shewe his ouerthrowe,
Whose honest mynd, became his chiefest foe.
8
I first by cost, did seeke in court to mount,A needefull helpe, in court to purchase grace,
But fowly short, I fell vpon account,
I quite forgot, to flatter and to face,
The thrall to scorne, the best for to imbrace,
I su'd I seru'd, I did attendance daunce,
And still I thought, desart would me aduaunce.
9
I lookt aloft, and brau'd it with the best,The charge mine owne, no countnance did I lacke,
Whilest pence were ryfe, I was a welcome guest:
I ayded those, whom spitefull scorne did sacke,
Which one aduaunst, were first yt threwe me backe,
7
With cap and knee, the meaner did me meete.
10
The sneaking curres, by bryberie layd a traine,A myle to catch, before they fell the crumbes,
I thought desart, perforce would fasten gaine,
On me which gape, but gained nought but plumbes,
For former graunts, still nickt me oore the thumbes,
The drawlatch thriu'd, my selfe who helpt to grace,
As well as he, which bare the proudest face.
11
He enuide I, of either part the thrift,Since Fortune smylde, vpon the silly sot,
I thought aloft, no doubt she would me lift,
So spent in hope, for feare I spared not,
By cost I sayd, that worship still was got,
But I so long, did spende vpon the store,
That all was gone, then could I spend no more.
12
Then countnance straight, with sower face did frowne,And credite next, began to slip aside,
Disdaine and spight, with speede then threwe me downe,
In this distresse, whom earst I helpt I tryde,
Who gaue good words, but no reliefe applyde:
Thus quight forsooke, I in the briers stucke,
And cryde perforce, a vengance of yll lucke.
13
I thought mishap, my fortune did withstand,And meere good hap, to others gaine assignde,
I little thought, that Item in the hand,
Remembrance was, a friend in court to finde,
Or some for some, could leade a stately mynde,
Ne flatterie I, did feare should be prefarde,
Ere seruice true, had reapt his full rewarde.
14
I could not thinke, the court two faces had,In fauour faire, fresh, sweete, fraught with delight,
8
Sullen, sowre, sharpe, the shewe of deepe despight,
As Syrens songs, bewitch the simple wight,
I quite forgot, in short to shewe you plaine,
The prouerb old, faire words do make fooles faine.
15
I simply ment, but subtly was beguilde,A Crocodile, deceiues with fained teares,
But pray obtaind, it turnes to monsters wilde,
With fayned friends, in fine euen so it fares,
Which snarled be, in froward fortunes snares,
They crouch & creepe, til they haue that they wish.
In your distresse, they wey you not a rush.
16
But certes they, which neuer tasted bale,Persuaded be, that all men bathe in blis,
So sure he thinkes, truth seemes each sugred tale,
Whose honest mynd, did neuer meane amis,
The speach of craft, he counts a mockerie is,
Both losse and gaine (he saith) doth Fortune giue,
And still he hopes, on after hap to liue.
17
My selfe the proofe, which reackt my courtly fal,A backward blast, a fit of froward fate.
Some other way, to hay she would me call,
With double mendes, to vaunce my poore estate,
As gleames of ioy, do followe cloudes of hate,
Thus lights I held (bewitched with faire wordes)
Or bushes beate, while other lymde the byrdes.
18
I still relie'ud, the wights that were distrest,Although they would, they could do me no good.
Which cold excuse, soone cut off my request,
A night cap sure, or else a lyned hoode,
Beseemde my skonce, I sware by sweete S. Roode,
Which like a foole; on would and could did feede,
When simple I, with deede, relieu'd their neede.
9
19
These hashards hard, might honest mindes defile,What Haruest worse, then weedes to reape for corne?
But though the lewde, do laugh if Fortune smile,
And frowne as fast, if that the fyxsen scorne,
Yet wealth, ne woe, no friendly minde can turne,
For happ they leaue no honest way vnsought,
But feedes on hope, by value of their thought.
20
Wel, thus perforce, I left the costly Court.Hie time to trudge, when coine, and clothes were spent,
The souldiers gaine, was rounge with sweete report,
By them which wist not, what their losses ment,
At ventures yet, to see the warres I went,
Resolu'd by them, to rise or leese my breath,
For seruile life, I worse despisde then death.
21
Appointed well, and souldier like arayde,I left my friends, and throngd amid my foes,
Although at first, the thundring shott mee frayde,
In fine saunce feare, I lent such lustie blowes,
That soone my fame, throughout the Campe arose,
With better pay, to credite then I grue,
And thus a flaunte, to care I badde adue.
22
In desperate frayes, gaue charge my band & I,By manly force, our eager foes to foyle,
Not one then flie, but rather chus'de to die,
And where they foyld, I let them fleece the spoyle,
For trueth to say, that tythe, deserude their toyle,
I neuer nickt the poorest of his pay,
But if hee lackt, hee had before his day.
23
They cheerisht thus, when neede inforst them fight,On foes they slewe, in face of all the shott,
As wolues the sheepe, doe spoile or sore affright,
Their enimies soe, did flie or goe to pott,
Such lyll they layde, vppon their pates God wott,
10
I could not choose, but let them gleane the gaine.
24
Such was my hap, to reach the honour still,In hie attemptes, I gaue the ouerthrowe,
Thus fortune long, did frame vnto my will,
But I forgot, how soone shee playes the shrowe,
Euen where of late shee fauour most did showe,
I ouerslipt the time that seru'd for thrift,
As though the warres, ne did their chaunces shift.
25
In poore repastes, whose courtesie is such,To leaue to cut, till lurchers old haue caru'd,
They seeldome say, shal surfet of too much,
Yet haply may, with want be hunger staru'd,
Who so in spoile, so stayes till all be seru'd,
Besides his blowes, an easie burthen beares,
Each for himselfe, where souldiers shift and shares.
26
But whilste I stode in fickle fortunes grace,And swam in wealth, of want I neuer thought,
I toke no heede how age drewe on a pace,
Or brused bones at home for safetie sought,
To liue vppon the gaine that youth had caught,
But when I could, sith then I would not thriue,
Whē faine I would, then could with me did striue.
27
For when the warres, my chiefest strength had worne,When wounded flesh did faint at bloudy blowes,
When fortune thwart, her fawning face did turne,
When faithfull friendes, were reft by raging foes,
When foule debate amonge our souldiers rose,
When treason foyld, where force could neuer speede,
When hollowe heartes did droupe away at neede.
28
When thus of warres, I felt the sower taste,Which seemed sweete, by speach I heard of yore,
11
My skinne well paide, with woundes and bruses sore,
But sure of pence, I had but slender store,
Thus did I spend the time that serude for thrift,
And left old age in drowping dayes to shift.
29
Yet simple I, did thus persuade my minde,Now that the warres do naught but honour yeeld,
And cost in Court, did cast mee farre behinde,
My way to thriue, was tilling of the feeld,
A charge God wott, vnmeete for mee to wield
A farmer fresh, I fell then to the plow,
And coste abridgst, yet cares I had ynow.
30
I then did trust, the trueth of euery swayne,And thought that I, a sight of lubbers kept,
When others housd, my hay lay sowst in raine,
My corne did shead, before the same was reapt,
Or spoild with beastes, whilst lasie Robin slept,
I bought at worst, yet sould I vnder foote,
A poore increase, can spring of such a roote.
31
Thus long with losse, the Farmer stoute I playde,Till out of house and home, pure neede mee prest,
With beggerie bitt, then was I sore dismayd,
To trie my friendes, yet I my selfe addrest,
With squaymish lookes, who intertainde their guest,
With sower showes, my want could well endure,
For small reliefe, then, none was better sure.
32
In what I could, my host then did I please,With quippes, and nippes, who cutt mee ore the thumbes,
But floutes in faith, could not mee so disease,
That from the borde, I gathered not the crumbes,
For poore men pincht, are glad to pray on plumbes,
Hayted and baited, time thus did I weare,
Hard lodgde, worse clothd, not cloyd with costly fare,
12
33
And fettered thus (God wot) in chaynes of woe,I sleeping once, mee thought before my vew,
A mate I sawe, that earst I did not knowe,
God speede (quoth hee) quoth I the like to you,
Acquainted thus, such friendship did insue,
As I to him, my former Fortunes shoe,
My hap, my harme, my want, my weale, my woe.
34
Which to discourse, a tedious tale I tould,Which well hee marckt, and smyled in his thought,
Good friend hee said, thou waxest very ould,
For whom foresight, some succour should haue sought,
But well I see, thou youth hast spared nought,
Yet all thy life, thou moyldst and toyldst for gaine,
Hard was thy hap, that losse still aunsweard paine.
35
No fortune yet, but follie in thy selfe,That losse thou reapst, in recompence of paine,
Thy course was wrounge, a pace to prowle vp pelfe,
For falsehoode must, or flattery compasse gaine,
Or else in faith, thy moyling is in vaine,
Deserte is dasde, with dyrefull enuies driftes,
And honest mindes, are put vnto their shiftes.
36
But listen well, and I will shortly showe,How that thy want in drowping dayes shall die,
The way I know, how euery state doth growe,
From base degree, to wealth and honour hie,
Thy conscience yet, must beare with briberie,
With falsehoode, fraude, feare not to vse deceites,
To fishe for wealth, those are the sweetest baites.
37
If thou doest loue, a faithlesse priest to bee,If Courtiers life, in thee hath lyking wrought,
In merchauntes fraude, if thou wouldst deepely see,
If Lawyers gaine, doth tempt thy greedie thought,
If through the warres, aloft thou wouldst bee brought,
15
If Cheters craft, thou weanst, is full of gaine.
38
If by these trades, releefe thou meanst to reape,Doe thus, and thus, and thou with wealth shalt swell,
With that hee wrayed, of huge deceiptes a heape,
The least whereof, would send a man to hell,
At which amasde (quoth I) good frend farewell,
I like thee not, thy counsell is full euill,
I liued well, I will not die a deuill.
39
At which adue, my mate to sigh I sawe,Who sorrie was, hee had bestowde such talke
On mee, whose tale, to no deceite could drawe,
And in this chafe, away the man did walke,
And waking then, I vp and downe did stalke,
Who in my selfe, did finde a hell of thought,
To see what wyles, to compasse wealth are wrought.
40
Desire of wealth, forthwith my heart did wound,My honest minde, did blame my greedie venye,
Thus in my selfe, a heape of harmes I found,
Afraide of fraude, yet glad to compasse gaine,
Thus both I blamde, and thankt the cousiners paine,
But as by chaunce, I looking in my glasse,
Mee thought I saw, how death by mee did passe.
41
With that (quoth I) away with golden glee,Auaunt desire, of greedie gathering gaine,
Wouldst thou him binde, which whilome liued free,
Away goe trudge, thy toyling is in vaine,
The world I scorne, with my sweete Christ to raine,
No subiect I, of sathans Emiyre came,
Christ is my leage, to serue the deuill I shame.
14
A Larges to the world.
42
My knowledge yet, vnto the world y knowne,May haply warne, my friends to shunne this baite,
Amonge the lewde, this seede is hugely sowne,
They daily take, this bitter sweete receite,
For why their foode, is rapine and deceite,
My larges yet, to all I franckly giue,
Within this world, that haue desire to liue.
43
The Cleargie they, no worldly creatures are,They cost contemne, their weedes but homely bee,
Heauen feedes their soules, their paunche hath pouer fare,
They goodes despise, but what with Scriptures gree,
To helpe the poore, whose want they daily see,
Well these I see, esteemeth not my gift,
To get their thankes, and haue I neare a shift?
44
Yes, yes forsooth: (wel fare the fruits of fraud)They wedded are (a needefull helpe gainst sinne)
Their sonnes full oft, desireth more a gaude,
Then at their bookes, their fathers fame to winne,
Their daughters scorne, to knit, to card, or spinne,
They Gentles are, as braue as is the best,
They royst in silkes, and gad to euery feast.
45
With smal expence, this pride is not maintaind,And when you die, your lyuing bids adue,
If naught you spare, their brauerie then is staind,
They must forsake, their wonted Courtly crue.
Or make some shift, though shame thereof insue.
Which to preuent, this counsel Craft doth giue,
To proule for them, whilst you in wealth do liue.
46
Scorne you the Pope: scorne not to clawe his coine,His titles leaue: lease not the selfe same gaine,
(You colours haue) how so you pence purloine,
Decayed schooles, you may erect againe,
You may relieue, the needie mysers paine,
15
For lacke of skill, which scapes my worthlesse vearse.
47
The Courtier hee, will thanke mee for my gift,Hee spendeth much, yet little hath to spend,
Some say this course doth seeldome compasse thrift,
Yet freely here, his state for to amend,
To bragge it out in brauery to the end,
The Courtier younge, a lesson loe I tell,
The elder sort, doth knowe the forme full well.
48
For credite sake, you needes must brauely serue,And credite wonne, is quickly worne away,
Get vp your crumbes, therfore, ere grace doth swerue,
Fawne still on them, that beare the greatest sway,
Attendaunce daunce, when others plie their play,
The mightiest please, how so their mindes are ledde,
For wisest wittes, with some conceites are fedde.
49
With lawyer soone, see thou thy selfe acquaint,Which knowes what giftes, are in the Princes hands,
What lyes conceald, by reason of attaint,
What fee, what farme, amonge his leages landes,
Drawes to an end, that clarkly vnderstandes,
What office yeeldes, a gaine aboue the rest,
What penall lawe, to begge for thee is best.
50
Who finely drawes a pattent for a neede,And Pattents see, you alwayes haue in store,
A time may serue, when haply you may speede,
Which fitted not so well a yeare before,
And by the way, this care haue euermore,
Well to foresee, to whom yon wray your minde,
Least in your sutes you slender fauour finde.
51
Your charge is great, shift therefore for your selfe,For facion sake, yet flatter to their face,
14
And if mishappe, doth throw one out of grace,
Bee readie preast, to prease into his place,
For why your ioy, comes by your neighbours thrall,
Then be not nyce, to rise where hee doth fall.
52
The souldier stoute, whom fortune still doth tosse,To shadowe fraude, forsothe hath fynest shoe,
His sweetest gaynes are sawste, with sower losse,
Yea life full oft, to reach releefe must goe,
Here faintes his friend, there fightes his mortall foe,
Here bulletes towze, at vnawares him meete,
There hawlberds hewe, here bilmen doth him greete.
53
If in this dole, hee chaunce to reach a rap,In faith at home, hee findes a could releefe,
Best therefore then, whilst fortune fittes for hap,
Hee shift for one, for feare of future greefe,
The souldier once, is neuer tearmde a theefe,
How so hee wronges, how so hee spoyles and spends,
And reason good, his life oft makes amends.
54
The poorer sort, yet seeldome compasse thrift,To helpe whose want, Mast Craft doth vse this way,
(A pettie helpe) for such as loue to shift,
To watch and ward, to filche his fellowes pray,
To sacke the wight, that gladly would obey,
To spoile his friend, as one hee doth not knowe,
If ought be said, hee toke him for his foe.
55
But now to you, which haue both charge and sway,You must be braue, for fame and credite sake,
Yet must you pinch, no souldier of his pay,
Lest nipt with neede (poore slaue) his heeles hee take,
In heate of blowes, before his head doth ake,
What then (well kept) a few will do more good,
Then store of lowtes, which feare to loose their blood.
17
56
Dead payes will helpe, to cheerish all the rest,And likewise you, shall finde therein some gaine,
And when to filch, your souldiers are addrest,
Fleese you their pray, thē chide them for their paine,
For stragling out, from resoue of their traine,
Ne spare to spoile, when force doth foile your foe,
Take time and tide least fortune play the shroe.
57
The lawyer hee, wt doubtes that dulls his braineFor tenne yeares space, his time in studie spends,
Ere practise his, doth purchase stoare of gaine,
Too long a plague, so long to fawne on friends,
And spend on stoare in hope of after mends,
And therefore sure, deceite deserues no curse,
For working meanes, meane while to fill his purse.
58
And yet in sooth, a grote will buy his gift,A booke of notes, remembraunce t'is to ease,
Wherein is writ full many a prettie shift,
Post facto stuf, and Non est factum please,
By larger grauntes, the lease away to fease,
Conditioned releases, how to frame,
By former wordes, the latter for to lame.
59
Such quillets nyce, when thus you noted haue,Some practise needes, must print them in your thought,
Set such at Lawe, in wordes as late but straue,
And when they both in backhouse ditch are brought,
To poule them both, let some deuise be wrought,
Forget not this, when writings hit your hand,
(If youthes them owe) with doubtes to lame his land.
60
With hope of gaine, his greedy minde else moue,To voyde some graunt, or worke some leases wracke.
A lease of trust, then must the title proue,
At leasure yet, this timelesse trust turne backe,
Your interest small, his greatest right will sacke,
18
A little lyme, A foule will fetter fast.
61
Physicians now, that weyes how weake wee are,Newe cures must search, our griefes are now so straunge,
Old Gallens drugges, our time vnfitteth farre,
Augmented then, his cures abroade must raunge,
For healthlesse men, on euery hope will chaunge,
But once reteynde, be sure thou vse this course,
Another blame, although thy selfe be worse.
62
See your receites, some lightning yeeld at first,To worke conceites within your patients thought,
Persuade him still, his paine is at the worst,
Yet heale and harme, till wished gaine be wrought,
But for the poore, see some releefe be sought,
And for your paines, let rich men (greeued) pay,
No cure performde, your custome will decay.
63
But now to you whom office doth aduaunce,For your behoofe, I (forst) imploy my paine,
You come deuaunt, vppon a sorrie chaunce,
Yea stocke you set, vppon a tickle maine,
Durant le vie, no longer lastes your gaine,
And ere you sway, some thousand poundes must flee,
Which is not raysde (in hast) vppon your fee.
64
In tenne yeares space, fiue hundred markes a yeare,Unto his heire, who purchase not to leaue,
Shall sure be blamde, of mysers euery where,
If truth cause lacke, most say the rest deceaue,
If all be false, few will such faultes conceiue,
Once wronge you must a thousand for this gaine,
How voyde you then, the penall statutes paine.
65
You are forbid inroulements for to rase,To fit your friend, or foile your hated foe,
19
To chaunge records, a frendly turne to showe,
For once you may both helpe and ouerthrowe,
Yet vse you must, both meanes by slie deuise,
But frosted bee, for feare of slippery yse.
66
Prouide a cloake, to couler stil your crime,Then worke your will, Apollo oft doth sleepe,
But if your wyles, do come to light in time,
To salue such misse, some carelesse seruaunt keepe,
Plague him with blame, when you the profite reape
What if sharpe checkes, do put you in some feare,
The gaine remaines, ye tauntes in time doth weare.
67
Mas gaylor, needes, must taste of this my gift,Extortion cryes, against his yron fees,
What then in hould, this is your onely shift,
With shackles huge, your prisoners to displease,
Thus pincht (good soules) they will pay, pray, and please,
Pence poucht ne dreade, although they stoutly crake,
To vse redresse, poore prisoners vnde lacke.
68
Now gallants learne, whom brauery still consumes,To royst in silkes, to flaunt in coulers gay,
To pranke your wiues, vp in their Pecockes plumes,
To snuffe to scorne, to looke beyond your sway,
To finde a mint, to feede your mindes with play,
To hauke, to hunt, to boast, to braule, and fight,
Which are the thoughtes that feede you with delight.
69
This cost is more, then carelesse, youthes forethinke.But cost, ne care, their hautie mindes can vaile,
Syth not, see fines, your farmers Cofers shrinke,
Of timber trees, then strike the loftie saile,
The bodies next, will serue for bord and pale,
20
But still your names, in merchauntes iornalls staye,
70
To flote your mindes, if house and land must flee,To two or three, the same giue graunt, and sell,
Caue emptor, to thy assuraunce see,
Hap well, hap ill, some speedeth pretie well,
The rest must take their fortune as it fell,
Shift you for one, the world to fraude is bent,
Coyne stayes your friend, when fleering wordes are spent.
71
Come merchaunts come, and take in worth my gift,Whose Lynxes eyes, in younge mens state doe prie,
Their losse your gaine, their spending is your thrift,
They broche your bagges till all their lyuing flie:
But holla hoe, a bug is Usurie,
Hee houldes you backe, from three times tenne to take,
On morgage good, least no returne you make.
72
What resteth then, your coyne will rust saunce vse,And statute loane, cannot content your thought,
Well fare a shift, both lawe and them t'abuse,
You know in prime, each thing is easily wrought,
The dog to draw, the horse to order brought,
The skillesse youth, is wonne with euery gaude,
The reason is his thought is free from fraude.
73
To worke this feate, see that you vse this course,When dolefull knell, doth bidde a churle adue,
Send streight to know, on whom death vsd this force,
Not to this end your neighbours fate to rue,
But of his heire in hast is share a vew,
If hee be younge, well left and easily wonne,
To feede his dame, see wordes and workes be donne,
74
Some prettie summe on small assuraunce lend,If youth be slowe, at leasure bid him pay,
99
But helpe him to ech toy, to make him gay,
To pay for all, at length, will come a day,
By peecemeales thus, in lash hee wilbe brought,
In daunger once, let this deuise be wrought.
75
Get some to rest, and vexe this thriftlesse youth,Not at thy sute (although by thy consent)
To free himselfe from catchpoles litle ruth,
For thy goodwill, to thee his minde is bent,
To mone his state, his time and coyne mispent,
To faine thy heart, to his behoofe is fixt,
Then let aduise, with prettie tauntes be mixt.
76
But to conclude, lend him his turne to serue,Yet binde him sure, least hee do slip away,
In statutes, which, lands, goods and body sterue,
Twentie to one, hee forfets at his day,
The vauntage then, will double vsaunce pay,
Extent on land, the sale will slaunder soe,
That fee in fine, on easie prise will goe.
77
You Burgoses, which sell the costly stuffe,That wares to ebb, our gallants goodes and land,
This lesson learne, and vtter wares ynough,
Beyonde the price, of paying downe in hand,
His state and stay, first wisely vnderstand,
Close fisted then, deliuer him thy ware,
But binde him sure, if thou his paiment feare.
78
If day hee breake, let Commens be no Leache,No forfet once, the citie custome giues,
In the hoystinges, an outlawes note him teache,
Beare with his talk, his crakes, and yreful tauntes,
Lawe will him stoupe, in spight of all his vauntes,
Collusion thoe, this dealing some do reake.
Yet iumpe thou thus, a penal law to breake.
24
Come Scriueners come, the frie of all abuse,
Deceite beseemes you best of any men,
Why blush you so, you neede not frame excuse,
You are to helpe a thousand with your pen,
Chetors, Cousners, merchauntes, your selues like men,
Good reason you haue store of subtile skill,
Sith you are meanes, each misers bagge to fill.
Deceite beseemes you best of any men,
Why blush you so, you neede not frame excuse,
You are to helpe a thousand with your pen,
Chetors, Cousners, merchauntes, your selues like men,
Good reason you haue store of subtile skill,
Sith you are meanes, each misers bagge to fill.
80
Bee sure you haue, the groundes of lawe by rote,What wordes vnlose, and what as fast do binde,
Eche quillet nyse, see that you neerely note,
In paper booke, as tendes to fraude you finde,
In morgages, leafes, couenauntes vnkinde,
Conditions, bondes, feoffments, Graunts, & cetera,
In some one point, the craftie iacke still play.
81
For craft is that, that doeth you credite gaine,Rich Burgoses, your chiefest clients are,
They lay the plot, but you must take the paine,
Monie takers to meash in meates of care,
They fast, farewell, such will no vauntage spare,
Thus sith your trade, doth tend to falsehoode vile,
Good reason you, acquaint your selfe with guile.
82
This monstrous mate, had neede of thousand shiftes,To feede the thoughtes of those whose forme hee beares,
A lawyers head, hee hath full stuft with driftes,
A simple looke, to free rash youthes of feares,
A flatterers tongue, to feede beleeuing cares,
A harlots face, to witche with wanton sight,
A tyrauntes heart, to wound the harmelesse wight.
83
A scriueners fist, a lackyes legge to trudge,A merchauntes minde, to mountaines that aspires,
A gluttons throte, to shewe hee is no snudge,
What gaine may bee, vngleand, this monster then desires,
What youth vnspoilde, whose wreake this feend conspires,
21
This course, for cheates, Craft willes him to obserue.
89
First flatterie thou, must prye abroad for pray,Thou wily must, eache gallauntes state escrie,
Companion like, with them, thou needes must play,
If able youth, Dice neede, to nip thou spie,
Unto his helpes, be sure thou haue an eye,
And one some lose, drawe neare and note his mone,
And proferre him, supplie on easy lone.
90
Now merchaunt hide, thy hooke in golden baite,In plaine, Iohns name, yet let this dealing bee,
His simple show, will couler foule deceite,
To make false deedes, let maister Lawyer see,
To get them scald, vse scriueners policie,
To meash him sure, let flatterie still assay,
But be not yet, to eger of your pray.
91
With friendly show, first worke him in conceite,Then Epicure, thy bountie, let him feele,
To witch his witts, make mystresse Mynxe a baite,
Hee snarled once, ryng out the Cousners peale,
To forge, to rase: such stuffe then make him scale,
As ouer soone, will put him to his shift,
Noe force for that, hee might haue eyde his thrift.
92
But fraude bewrayde, if wronged youth complaine,Then tyraunt start, to saue the rest from shame,
To stay his sute, by catchpoles lay a trayne,
With Actions huge, his crased credite lame,
In prison popt, there is no laughing game,
There friends do faile, if monie ebbeth lowe,
His sute is cold, his lawyer wilbe slowe.
Hee nipt with neede, and reft of freedome both,
As one halfe dead, in hast will sue for ease,
First make it coy, as men to greement loth,
His slaundrous plaint, so doth your trueth displease,
As trial must this foule report appease,
In fine yet come, and ere you goe agree,
And featherlesse, let my yonge maister flee.
As one halfe dead, in hast will sue for ease,
24
His slaundrous plaint, so doth your trueth displease,
As trial must this foule report appease,
In fine yet come, and ere you goe agree,
And featherlesse, let my yonge maister flee.
94
An other sort of cheating mates there are,By neede inforst, that sues to Craft for ayde,
Whom thriftlesse life, hath wrapt in heapes of care,
In prison throwne, of succour cleane dismayde,
Whose wealth is worne, of friends, whose woe vnwayde,
Whose hautie heartes, gainst thraldome yet do spurne,
Neede workes for these, some shiftes, to serue their turne.
95
If any such, ripe witte, or learning haue,Want ioynde with Craft, this counsell doth bestow,
(To flaunte it out, in outward shew full braue)
To faine eche acte, yea thought by art they know,
A salue for loue, fooles fortunes for to shoe,
Goods stolne or lost, with a vengeaunce for to fetch,
Or faine thou art for euery griefe a leach.
96
But at the first to make your cunning knowne,A baude or two, send pryinge round about,
Where louing wormes, or sickly wightes are throwne,
Old churles some haue, some loue and reape a flout,
Some sicknes catch, by keeping reuell route,
To wightes thus grieu'd, though slender helpe you giue,
Use shewe of skil, in hope to make them liue.
97
If fortune hap, to hitt some heartes desire,You neede no trumpe, your knowledge for to spred,
But by the way, giue mother Bee her hire,
Then wil shee prate to bring a patch to bed,
And vouch for proofe, how such and such haue sped,
Although in trueth, this shifting is but theft,
Your coates for this, the hangeman silde hath reft.
25
98
You holy gyrles, the hindmost in my gift,Be formost yet, in fraud and foule abuse,
While beautie lastes, in blooming yeares to shift,
For your behoofe, this counsell craft doth vse,
To make it nyce, large offers to refuse,
Alooft to stand, if Vobis (rich) do sue,
The more you flee, the more he followes you.
99
If carelesse boyes, your coynesse cannot brooke,Such gallants win, with outward shew of grace,
They swallowing vp, with sugred bayte the hooke,
With carelesse toyes, their fancies can not chase,
And when you stoupe, their hote desires t'imbrace,
Looke to your match, the world is full of wyle,
And well you wot, how sugred words beguile.
100
Still haue an eye, to beauties vading blase,And prye for dames, which soone in prime will be,
On painted stuffe, though often gallants gase,
The wily sort, your surfling straight will see,
To fit their turnes, sticke not to play the Bee,
Scorne not for gaine, in age to holde the doore,
They once were yong, yt were your bandes before.
101
And now (my larges giuen) farewel foule guileFarewel (O world) no wile shal make me rich,
My mynd abhorres, welth won by falshoodes vyle,
To mount by fraud, I loth such loftie pitch,
I can not scratch, the harmelesse, ere they itch,
If due desart, proude Flatterie pyneth still,
I list not fawne, play hypocrite that will.
102
Fare wel, fare wel (O world) farewel againe,Thou now God wot, frō wonted course doest reele
The clergie once, in preaching tooke great paine,
Whose words in works, bare witnes of their zeale
Most now in words, but few in workes reueale,
26
O wicked world, thy wealth is cause of this.
103
O world accurst, in court thou settest pryde,Whose mynions are, fraude, flatterie, and disdaine,
They pyne desart, before his truth be tryde,
They forge offence, well meaning mindes to staine,
They cast at al, yet sildome lose amaine,
Wo worth ye world, thy brauerie works the wracke,
Of such in court, as well deserue, and lacke.
104
The souldier stout, foreseeing small reliefe,For seruice doone, if spoyled home he comes,
Is forst to play, no souldier but the theefe,
When fortune fits, to gather vp his crumbes,
For once at home, poore store of pence he thumbes,
O world thy wealth, with rulers worketh so,
As what they haue, they hardly will forgo.
105
The lawe first made, to weede out wrongs for right,To yeald amends, vnto the poore opprest,
Is wrested nowe, for fauour or for spight,
Nowe monie, so corrupts the Lawyers breast,
That daying is, for poore mens suits the best:
Yea such effects, in worldly muche doth lurke,
As iudges harme, where helpe they ought to worke.
106
Fine fare and slouth, diseases strange do breede,And grieued wights, will spare no cost for ease,
But golden fees, so doth Physicians feede,
As seelde or nere, they rich mens paines appease,
With drinks and drugs, they still do them displease,
O wicked world, thy welth first wrought their grief,
Thy wealth againe, doth hinder their reliefe.
107
Desire of gaine, make offices so leape,As solde they be, not giuen, who best deserues,
27
Who wrongeth yet, from honest getting swerues,
No force for that, fewe nowe such course obserues,
Thus pelfe (O world) first makes the Doner toule,
To leauie mendes, the Done needes must poule.
108
Each pleasant paine, each sweete inticing sowreO world thou workst, our wanton yeres to witch,
And not content, we should our selues deuour,
But churles thou sett'st, to clawe vs ere we itch,
Thou burnst the byrde, and bastes tho bacon flitch,
O spiteful world, thou hap frank harts dost grutch,
And grieuest churles, by giuing of too much.
109
The merchant once, bent all his care to seas,In forreine soyle, he sought desired gaine,
Then was his toyle, to common wealth an ease,
And he deseru'd, his wish in lue of paine,
But nowe at home, he findes a sweeter vaine,
Sance venter nowe, he will in wealth abound,
Foule fall the wight, this second trade that found.
110
The reacklesse heede, youthes haue in large expence,To flaunt it out, their cost, no care, to thriue,
Inticeth churles, with shewe of good pretence,
In prime of pride, their maintnance to depriue,
For lymed once, small bootes (the wrong'd) to striue,
Right Cousners haue such helps, & friends at neede,
As struange it is, to see how cleare they speede.
111
Thy pryde, O world, doth breede such wanton thought,As most men nowe, receiue dame Venus hyre,
To stoupe faire dames, such sharp assaults are sought,
Such proffers large, such wiles to winne desire,
As wonder t'is, what fortes are set on fire,
Who sinneth not, is such a gnawing bone,
To raise this siege, that fewe will throwe a stone.
28
112
Fye on the world, fye on thy foule deceites,Fye on thy fraude, thy flatterie and thy pryde,
Fye on thy shifts, thy subtilties, and sleites,
Fye on thy cloakes, thy filthy crimes to hyde,
Adieu, adieu, I can thee not abyde.
And thee O God, for euermore I laude,
For keeping me, vntainted so with fraude.
113
For though I haue, consumd my dayes in thral,Now death drawes neere, my coūt is quickly made,
And well I wot, death doth all sorts appall,
The prince, the poore, yea men of euery trade,
Who lewdly liues, with recknings huge is lade,
Thus worldlings griefe, where mine doth eb, doth flowe,
A sorrie sweete, to end with sowre woe.
114
Through conscience, I feele no thought of hell,I conquer'd haue, of dreadful death the feare,
Where is thy sting, where doth thy furie dwell?
Where is thy force (O Death) wher is thy speare,
Assault say I, that with my Christe I were?
I ready am, both euening, noone, and morne,
The diuell, the world, and all their works I scorne.
Lenuoy.
115
You worldlings chiefe, to you this tale I tell,God graunt my words, be to your woundes a leache,
The fruites of fraude, vntold, you knowe too well,
Yea better then, my naked Muse can teach,
But to this end, this dririe plaintes I preach,
That hencefoorth you, to getting haue such eye,
As you may liue, as though you dayly dye.
116
And least the lewde, should wrest my worde amis,I do exempt the good of euery trade,
29
To shew thy praise, this checking verse was made,
The Clergie first, at whome a glaunce I had,
Of them there be, great store of preachers good,
To shewe the truth, that will not spare their blood.
117
There are in court, that liue in worthy fame,And well deserue, renoune, and credite both,
Some officers, will take no bribes for shame,
Some laweyers, are to sowe dissention loth,
And citizens, with whome I seemde so wroth,
I needes must graunt (how so my Muse did square)
Of euery trade, a number honest are.
118
The souldier now, whom I do honour much,(How so I toucht) their faults that do offend,
I graunt we haue, of noble souldiers such,
(As maimes to fame) that will those vices shend,
I blame none such, the rest I wish amend,
Physicians good (as many sure there be)
Will not repine, the lewde reprou'd to see.
119
How so I toucht, some scriueners faults at quicke,There are of those, I knowe of honest fame,
Such haue no cause, against my Muse to kicke,
Nor yet the lewde, that wisely weyes the same,
I blase abuse, yet touch no creatures name,
Yea to be short, I nypt no sort of men,
That truly can, with malice charge my pen.
Veritas non querit angulos.
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