An Abridgeme[n]t of all the Canonical books of the olde Testament ::

All things is ful of vanitie,
the precher heer dooth tel:
There is nothing is durable,
so long as we heer dwel.
And though a man be nere so wise
yet folly eke and greef:
To reign in him he may confesse,
as part of his beleef.

The ii. Chapiter.

Begin he did to take delight,
in pleasures and in game:
His eye ne likte, but he it got,
ful vain he found the same.
As wel the wise to graue shall go,
as shall the idiot fool:
Wherfore to eat and cheerful be,
he puth vs to that scoole.

The iii. Chapiter.

Confesse he dooth that all thing hath,
a time to go and coome:
That all things was the whiche is now,
and shalbe in the roome.

The woorks of God moste perfet are
and cause vs him to fear:
Bothe good and bad the Lord shall Iudge
when that he shall appeer.

The iiii. Chapiter.

Doutles the cause of Innocents
not heard did vexe him muche:
Our labour heer is ful of greef,
the vanitie is suche.
Societie and feloweship,
is better then alone:
A yung man poor if he be wise,
excels a foole in throne.

The v. Chapiter.

Elect and chuse thy woords aright,
when thou to God doost speak:
The labouring man dooth sleep ful sound,
when Diues braines dooth break.
Man when he dyeth shall nothing haue
but that whiche he did bring:
To eat and drink and ioyful be,
it passeth heer all thing.

The vi. Chapiter.

Ful foolishe is the riche man sure,
whom God muche good hath sent:

And yet t'enioy the things he hath,
the hart is not him lent.
But he that hath not swet therfore,
shall eat it vp at wil:
Yet way they not their greedy lust,
and all the mouth to fil.

The vii. Chapiter.

Good wholesome rules heer are you giuen
from mourning for to flee:
Flee hasty speeche and angry mood
let wisedome guide thine eye.
So shall shee make thee strong in deed,
muche folly to preuent:
Man was made good, now is he bad,
by things hee did inuent.

The viii. Chapiter.

How that we must obay the King
and rulers that doo reign:
And yet how none is Lord of death.
his life for to retain.
This chapter telth and furthermore,
how Gods woorks are vnknown:
Though God prolong to punishe sin
yet fear thou him alone.

The ix. Chapiter.

In looking vpon outward things,
that God dooth giue to man:
To iudge whom he dooth looue or hate,
that iustly no man can.
Nor tel the time when he shall die,
therfore for wisedome seek:
If thou be poore though thou be wise,
yet none wil to thee seek.

The x. Chapiter.

Knowe wel ye may the difference
twixt wisedome and a fool:
The babling tung that slaunder dooth,
yee shall not easely coole.
He telth of Kings that folly haue,
and wilbe ouerseen:
That land is blest whose hed is wise,
be it a King or Queen.

The xi. Chapiter.

Like , liberall men he dooth exhort,
to poore that they should bee:
And not to dout Gods prouidence,
what so that we doo see.
That prosperous state heer in this life,
is vanitie and shall:
As long as world dooth stand with men
but God shall iudge vs all.

The xii. Chapiter.

Men that run on til youth be past,
and neuer doo repent:
In age shall short come of their wil,
when vain their time is spent.
This is the end fear God and keep,
all his commaundementes:
For God wil bring foorth euery woork,
and giue them their Iudgements.

FINIS.

The Preacher thus his sermon ends,
bothe short and sweet to hear:
The plesant song of Salomon,
shall now to you appeer.
By parables how Christe dooth loue,
his Churche he dooth you showe:
And eke againe how shee him loues,
heer may you read and knowe.

University of Virginia Library

The book of the Preacher.

The i. Chapiter.