13.
A Dittie, wherein is contained divers good and necessary documents,
which beeing embraced and followed earnestly, may cause a man to shunne
manie evilles and mischaunces, that may otherwise fall upon him, ere he
can beware.[_]
The attribution of this poem is questionable.
[_]
This Ditty may be sung to the high ‘Allemaigne Measure’; singing
every last straine twise with the musicque.
‘Softe fire makes sweete mault,’ they say;
Few words well plast the wise will way.
Time idle spent, in trifles vaine,
Returnes no guerdon for thy paine:
But time well spent, doth profite bring,
And of good works will honour spring.
Bestow thy time then in such sort,
That vertue may thy deedes support:
The greater profite thou shalt see,
And better fame will goe of thee.
In talke be sober, wise, and sadde,
Faire to thy freend, kind to the badde;
And let thy words so placed bee
As no man may finde fault with thee.
Nor meddle not in any case
With matters which thy witte surpasse:
With things that not to thee pertaines,
It folly were to beate thy braines;
For sudden blame may hap to thee,
In medling unadvisedly.
Take heede, in any wise, I say,
What things thou goest about to-day,
That thou to-morrow not repent,
And with thy selfe be discontent.
Speake not such words to others' blame,
As afterward may turne thee shame.
To-day thou speakest, and doost not care,
But of tomorrow still beware:
For then thou canst not call againe,
What lavishly did passe thy braine.
Keepe secrete closely in thy minde
Things that thy state and credite binde;
Beware, if thou doo them disclose,
To whom and where, for feare of foes:
Especially of him take heede
Whose trueth thou doost not know in deede.
For hard it is thy freend to know
From him that is a flattering foe:
And many men in showe are kind,
Yet worse then serpents in their mind.
Be not too hasty in thy deedes;
Of too much haste oft harme proceedes.
Be sober, mute; take good advise,
For things too much are full of vice.
With moderation rule thee so,
As thou aside no way maist go:
For ‘haste makes waste,’ as proofe dooth say,
And little said, soone mend ye may.
Forecast what after may befall;
So shalt thou not be rashe at all.
Have minde still of thine owne offence,
Regard thy faults with good pretence:
Seeke not a moate in one to spie,
First pull the beame out of thine eye.
And find no fault with any man,
Except amend thy selfe thou can:
And when thy faults amended be,
The good that others see in thee,
Will learne them so their deedes to frame,
As they may likewise scape from blame.
Of no man give thou bad report,
Backbite not any in thy sport:
For words doo wound as deepe as swords,
Which many use in jesting boordes;
And slaunder is a hainous hate,
Which dooth nought els but stirre debate;
And twixt good freendes makes deadly strife,
To hazard one another's life:
And all this may proceede of thee,
Except thou wilt advised bee.
Beare freendly with thy neighbours fault,
Remember thou thy selfe maist halt.
If he hath ought offended thee,
Forgive, as thou the like wouldest be:
And thinke, if thou hast gone awrie,
Thou for forgivenesse must apply:
So with thy neighbour's faults doo beare,
And of thine owne stand still in feare.
Pardon as thou wouldest pardoned be,
So God will pardon him and thee.
Be gentle unto every wight,
Let courtesie be thy delight:
Familiar be with few, I say;
For sure it is the wisest waie.
Too much familiaritie
May bring thy sorrowes suddainly:
Therefore, keepe gentlenesse in mind;
To rich and poore be alwaies kind:
So pride shall never conquere thee,
Which is man's cheefest enemie.
