Philomythie or Philomythologie wherein Outlandish Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, are taught to speake true English plainely. By Tho: Scot ... The second edition much inlarged |
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| 2. | 2. Uenaticum Jter. |
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 | Philomythie or Philomythologie |  |
2. Uenaticum Jter.
Dedicated To the example of Temperance, Sr Henry Bedingfeild Knight, and to his Lady the example of Loue.
You hunting loue, your fields are spread with sheepe,Looke that your hounds, your folds from foxes keepe.
Foxes and Wolues in sheepskins range about:
Within opinions; Parasites without.
Th' Egyptian Shepheard arm'd at all assayes
With Dogs and Sheephookes, sat vpon the Layes,
At pleasure piping many a learned sonnet
Of fixed starres, and each course-keeping plannet:
Of thunder, lightning, meteors, and the cause
Of changing kingdomes, and translating lawes:
Why pestilence did rage, why good men die,
Why Nilus ouerflowes the bankes so hie,
Why killing frosts, and such aboundant snow,
That ruine falling, ruine as they thaw:
Why th'earth should barren be, and famine breede
In the fat soile, though sowne with better seede.
Why water, ayre, the earth, and cheerefull fire
Should (being made for man) gainst man conspire,
And of themselues (by nature neuer bidden,)
Bring forth such crosse effects, vnheard and hidden,
To plague poore man, and liuing him t'intombe
In his one ruines, e're the day of doome.
The cause of this, they wisely found to be
Mans open sins, and close Hypocrisie.
And of this Theame discoursing too and fro,
Prouing it was, wishing it were not so.
The King came by, and with him many Nobles,
Whose pestred traine the sheep and shephead troubles.
Poore Country, thou find'st this in corne and cattle,
When most remote frō Court, thou most dost battle
With Dogs and Sheephookes, sat vpon the Layes,
At pleasure piping many a learned sonnet
Of fixed starres, and each course-keeping plannet:
Of thunder, lightning, meteors, and the cause
Of changing kingdomes, and translating lawes:
Why pestilence did rage, why good men die,
Why Nilus ouerflowes the bankes so hie,
Why killing frosts, and such aboundant snow,
That ruine falling, ruine as they thaw:
Why th'earth should barren be, and famine breede
In the fat soile, though sowne with better seede.
Should (being made for man) gainst man conspire,
And of themselues (by nature neuer bidden,)
Bring forth such crosse effects, vnheard and hidden,
To plague poore man, and liuing him t'intombe
In his one ruines, e're the day of doome.
The cause of this, they wisely found to be
Mans open sins, and close Hypocrisie.
And of this Theame discoursing too and fro,
Prouing it was, wishing it were not so.
The King came by, and with him many Nobles,
Whose pestred traine the sheep and shephead troubles.
Poore Country, thou find'st this in corne and cattle,
When most remote frō Court, thou most dost battle
The King a hunting rides; the shepheards dogs
Would needs a hunting too, and onward iogs
These iolly Currs: the Shepheards whoope amaine,
Hollow and whistle too, but all in vaine.
The Hunts-men rate, and like to mad men ride;
The Currs suppose they cheere them when they chide:
So on they go, and doe as others doo,
Throw vp their curld tailes, spend their wesands too,
And when thy cannot top the rest, run after
So long, till anger now is turn'd to lafter;
And now the King delights the Currs to heare.
For they are euer busie in his eare;
And comming home to trencher-food they fall,
Prouing good blood-hounds some, good harriers all.
They can draw dry-foot to the harmlesse game,
Whil'st Wolues and Foxes passe their noses tame.
Thus fed by fat sweet bones, they all proue gluttons,
And where they wont to guard, now kill our muttons,
They learned haue Court lore, and nothing failes;
Can fawne and flatter, nimbly wag their tailes;
And snarle, and bite, and beat the better hound
Out of the Court, who their false hunting found.
And now the time drawes on, the King againe
Rides out to hunt, and with him all his traine.
These dogs are fore-most, and pursue the chace
With eager stomackes and with equall pace.
But being trencher-fed, the weather hot,
Themselu's vnbreath'd, to hunting vsed not,
They soone are shaken off, and waxing slacke
Become the lag and hindmost of the packe;
And straight lose sight, sent, hearing of the rest.
So then to Nilus-ward they hold it best
To turne their course, with the coole waues to slacke
The heat they got, for double diligence sake.
Would needs a hunting too, and onward iogs
These iolly Currs: the Shepheards whoope amaine,
Hollow and whistle too, but all in vaine.
The Hunts-men rate, and like to mad men ride;
The Currs suppose they cheere them when they chide:
So on they go, and doe as others doo,
Throw vp their curld tailes, spend their wesands too,
And when thy cannot top the rest, run after
So long, till anger now is turn'd to lafter;
And now the King delights the Currs to heare.
For they are euer busie in his eare;
And comming home to trencher-food they fall,
Prouing good blood-hounds some, good harriers all.
They can draw dry-foot to the harmlesse game,
Whil'st Wolues and Foxes passe their noses tame.
Thus fed by fat sweet bones, they all proue gluttons,
And where they wont to guard, now kill our muttons,
Can fawne and flatter, nimbly wag their tailes;
And snarle, and bite, and beat the better hound
Out of the Court, who their false hunting found.
And now the time drawes on, the King againe
Rides out to hunt, and with him all his traine.
These dogs are fore-most, and pursue the chace
With eager stomackes and with equall pace.
But being trencher-fed, the weather hot,
Themselu's vnbreath'd, to hunting vsed not,
They soone are shaken off, and waxing slacke
Become the lag and hindmost of the packe;
And straight lose sight, sent, hearing of the rest.
So then to Nilus-ward they hold it best
To turne their course, with the coole waues to slacke
The heat they got, for double diligence sake.
The roughest, rudest, curstest Curr of all,
Which wont vpon the gentlest Dogs to fall,
(And neither being Hound nor Mastiffe bred,
But of a mongrill kinde, by shee-Wolues fed,
Did silence such as spent their sweeter voice
In turnefull tones, which Hunters eares reioyce,
Whil'st he nor at the fold would watch in darke,
Nor bite the Wolfe, nor with his harsh voyce barke,
Nor here amongst the Hounds once open wide
His monstrous chaps, except, to bite, or chide,
Or rauin and deuour the daintyest meat
Which the industrious, not the slug should eat:
And in despite of whips, though crouch and cry,
Would neuer mend, nor better grow thereby)
Led on the way, for he would still be fiist,
His impudence was such, and such his thirst.
Nor would he suffer auy their to drinke
Till he had done. Ambitions eye doth thinke
To swallow all, and all too little to,
For him that least deserues, and least can doo.
But see a iust reward, whil'st thus he lies
Tending his pleasure, from the waues doth rise
A cruell subtle Crocodile, who snatcheth
At him with her sharpe fangs, quickly catcheth
The lazie Curre; which struggles, cryes, and striues.
But all too late. Th' amphibious monster diues
Vnder the waues; the Dog resists in vaine,
Death swallowes him, the rest runhome amaine;
Home to the Sheepfolds, and attend the trade
They were by Art traind to, by Nature made.
And fearing now the like, for-warn'd by this,
When hot and dry they waxe, their custome is,
At banks of Nile nere to rest and stay,
But here and there to lap, and so away;
Lest otherwise some Crocodile being hid,
Should serue their sloth, like as the other did.
Which wont vpon the gentlest Dogs to fall,
(And neither being Hound nor Mastiffe bred,
But of a mongrill kinde, by shee-Wolues fed,
Did silence such as spent their sweeter voice
In turnefull tones, which Hunters eares reioyce,
Whil'st he nor at the fold would watch in darke,
Nor bite the Wolfe, nor with his harsh voyce barke,
Nor here amongst the Hounds once open wide
His monstrous chaps, except, to bite, or chide,
Or rauin and deuour the daintyest meat
Which the industrious, not the slug should eat:
And in despite of whips, though crouch and cry,
Would neuer mend, nor better grow thereby)
Led on the way, for he would still be fiist,
His impudence was such, and such his thirst.
Till he had done. Ambitions eye doth thinke
To swallow all, and all too little to,
For him that least deserues, and least can doo.
But see a iust reward, whil'st thus he lies
Tending his pleasure, from the waues doth rise
A cruell subtle Crocodile, who snatcheth
At him with her sharpe fangs, quickly catcheth
The lazie Curre; which struggles, cryes, and striues.
But all too late. Th' amphibious monster diues
Vnder the waues; the Dog resists in vaine,
Death swallowes him, the rest runhome amaine;
Home to the Sheepfolds, and attend the trade
They were by Art traind to, by Nature made.
And fearing now the like, for-warn'd by this,
When hot and dry they waxe, their custome is,
At banks of Nile nere to rest and stay,
But here and there to lap, and so away;
Lest otherwise some Crocodile being hid,
Should serue their sloth, like as the other did.
Epimythium.
This tale doth teach, each man himselfe t'applyTo his Vocation; not to looke awry
At Honors, Riches, Pleasures, which art baites
The deuill layes in our way, and in them waites
To swallow vs, whilest eagerly we seeke
To swallow and ingrosse whats'ere we like:
Without respect what's honest iust, and fit,
So we by any meanes can compasse it.
The clowne the country, and the King his Court.
The Nobles in the Councell or the field,
The Sea, and Burse, doth like to Marchants yeeld.
Each trades-man in his shop, house-wiues at home;
“They range too far, that o're the threshold rome.
Lawyers vpon the bench, Diuines within
their studies, schooles or pulpits; else they sinne.
Who takes the plow in hand, must neuer slacke,
“Nor looke about, for then ne looketh backe,
Who takes the Crowne and Scepter, still must think
“When others soundly sleep, he must but winke,
Who goes to warre, or counsell must aduise
“The shame or honor on the Noblest lies.
Who guides the Helme must still his compas minde,
“And cheere his mates, and saile with euery winde.
Who by Mechanicke Arts doth hope to thriue,
“Must be a Bee, and make his shop his Hiue.
Who sits to Iudge, the Person must neglect,
“Not looke asquint, but to the truth direct.
Who will Episcopize, must watch, fast, pray,
“And see to worke, not ouersee to play.
They haue a double charge, to rule, and teach,
“Whil'st they neglect to preach, neglect they preach,
Each must his Doicesse tend; or if at Court,
What others dare not he must still report.
Yet nought but truth, nor all truthes but the good:
(So Moses in the gap of vengance stood)
What others dare not whisper he must sing,
And like a golden trumpet rouze the King,
VVith wise alarums from securer sleepe,
VVherein fraile flattring flesh doth greatnesse keepe
That wee call great one earth, is apt to fall
VVith greatest danger, greatest violence,
Vnlesse vpheld by greatest diligence.
And he is only worthy to be great,
VVho with a vertuous freedom holds the seat
Of Moses, and inclines to neither hand,
But both vpright only for truth doth stand,
Such tend their flocks; whil'st they attend the Court,
Their pastime 'tis to moderate each sport.
They season all raw humors. Seldome glance
On honours or on pleasurs, but by chance:
And then to recreate their spirits they do it,
Taking a snatch, and fall the harder to it.
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