Alcilia Philoparthens louing Folly. Wherevnto Js Added Pigmalions Image. With The Loue of Amos and Lavra. And also Epigrammes by Sir I. H. and others. Neuer before imprinted |
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Of a Precise Taylor.
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 | Alcilia |  |
Of a Precise Taylor.
A taylor thought a man of vpright dealing,TRue but for lying, honest but for stealing:
Did fall one day extreamely sicke by chance,
And on the sudden, was in wondrous trance.
The fiends of hell mustring in fearefull manner,
Of sundry coloured silkes displaid a banner
Which he had stolne, and wisht as they did tell,
That he might finde it all one day in hell.
The man affrighted with this apparision,
Vpon recouerie grew a great precision:
He bought a Bible of the best translation,
And in his life he shewde great reformation.
He walked mannerly, he talked meekely.
He heard three lectures, and two sermons weekly.
He vou'd to shun all companie vnruly,
And in his speech he vsd no oath but truly.
And calously to keepe the saboths rest,
His meate for that day on the eue was drest.
And least the custome which he had to steale,
Might cause him sometime to forget his zeale,
He giues his Iournyman a speciall charge,
That if the stuffe allowance being large,
He found his fingers were to filch inclind,
Bid him to haue the banner in his mind.
This done, I scant can tell the rest for laughter,
A captaine of a ship came three daies after,
And brought three yardes of veluet, and three quarters,
To make venetians downe belowe the garters.
He that precisely knew what was ynough,
Soone slipt aside three quarters of the stuffe.
His man espying it, said in derision,
Maister remember how you saw the vision.
Peace knaue quoth he, I did not see one ragge,
Of such a coloured silke in all the flagge.
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