University of Virginia Library

Epigramms.

(1) The Armes of England.

The sacred Lyon of Iudeas princelie lyne,
which weldes the scepter of the glorious skye,
of Iesses roote the flowers most divine,
whose heavenlie smell feedes our mortallitie,
protect (moste worthie Queene) from all annoye
Thy Realme, thy Lyons, and thy flowers of Ioye.

(2) Crisopeia.

(3) Vpon the armed Statue of Venus.

(4) Sundrie and strange effectes of wyne.

(5) Contemninge.

(6) What maketh menn forgett themselues.

(7) Thinges not to be recalled.

The stone once cast out of the hand or slinge,
the tyme once past consuming everie thinge,
the foolishe wordes which throughe the lipps doe flie,
the broken Hymen of virginitie,
by witt, by art, by pleasure, or by paine,
cannot returne, or ells be calld againe.
then well foresee, before thy hand doe ought,
spend not the goulden tyme on things of naught,
premeditate before thow speake in haste,
doe keepe thy bodie allwaies cleane and chaste;
Soe shalt thow live free from the worlds distresse,
and in thy self thy self full well possesse.

(8) The vnapt not to be forced to learninge.

(9) The waye to gett and keepe frendes.

(10) Of Stumblinge.

(11) First guestes at a feaste.

The buzzinge flye which falls in everie thinge,
the meger dogg that hopes to gorge his mawe,
the wandring mynstrell, redie for to singe,
the roaging beggar living without lawe,
the Parasite smell-feast, which newes doth bringe,
and cares not whome his flattring tongue doth stinge,
allthough vnbidd, like vnto shameles beastes,
with hast come first vnto all solempne feastes.

(12) When a wife is badd, worse, and worst. When she is good, better, and beste.

(13) A Puritane.

Dame Lais is a puritane by religion,
Impure in her deedes, though puer in her talke,
And therefore a puritane by condition,
or pluritane, which after manie doth walke;
for pruritie of wemenn, by lecherous direction,
seekes pluritie of men to worke satisfaction.

(14) Of heauie and light.

Philosophers were fooles, that taught of ould
that naught cann worke his natures contrarie,
Since experience (best proofe) hath them controld,
that heavie makes light, and light makes heavie;
for a light purse makes a heavie harte, wee finde,
and heavie purse doth make light hart and minde.

(15) Waterhowse.

(16) A preist which knewe not anie letter.

(17) The hedd and the tayle.

Great was the glorious fame, most worthie knight,
stout Perseus, when with thy warlike knife
thow strakest of the monsters hedd, in sighte
of vglie Gorgon, then bereav'd of life;
but farr more famous should haue byn thy glorie
yf thow hadst cutt of the tayles of the Clergie.

(18) Cause of a deere yeare.

Thow fondlie askest me, as though I were a god,
what causeth this continued dearth, and plague of Iove his rod.
yf I the truth maie tell, although it purchase blame,
I will not spare to speake my thought, but yet to thy defame:
Th'inseasonable yeare, this dearth doth not procure,
nor the discurtesie of heaven, which thus wee doe Indure,
nor Saturns cursed starr, nor barraynesse of land,
nor want of heedie carefullnes of things wee haue in hand,
nor Ioue his iust anger powr'd out on mortall wightes
for these our manie heaped sinns, and for the fleshe delights;
but thow dost plague vs all, and force vs for to die,
through murdring death, and famins rage, by thy extremitie;
for since the greedie mawes of thee, thy sonns and kinne,
cann never well be satisfied with that they dailie winn,
but that they horde, they scrape and gripe all that they maie,
to sett them selves in highe estate by everie manns decaye,
devouring all the paynes which others doe imploye,
howe maie it chuse, but derth and want, all others must destroye?

(19) Pinkes.

ffreind Meering, I deeme you smell verie sweete,
that are soe full of Pinkes from hedd to the feete;
Yet if everie Pinke of your hatt, doblet, and hose
were decked with a garden Pinke to savour your nose,
You might stand for a maye game, what so you do thinke;
for thoughe the flowers were sweet, your follie wold stinke.

(20) Shoinge.

Good Browne, thow doest complaine with heavie cheere,
the Shomaker shoes thee not to thy minde.
the fault is not his, as it maie appeare,
that with straite shoes thy foote hee doth bynde,
for hee makes them small like thy foote in ech thinge,
since, in shooing thee, hee must shooe a goslinge.

(21) Glasses.

The sundrie sort of glasses which art doth put in vre
for our delights, in severall kindes, sweete pleasures doe procure:
the daintie Ladies, loue in lookinge glasse to prye;
the glasse perspective, is desyrd of learnd Pholosophie;
greate states, their windowes deck with glasse, for their delight;
the searchinge Chimists, for their art, haue glasses strange of sight;
the burning glasse is made, a thinge of rare devise;
and glasse vessells for banquettinge are dailie had in pryse;
besides, there is of glasse a temple faire and brighte,
which learned Chaucer builded hath with penn of heavenliespright;
And gascoigne, for his sport, hath made a glasse in verse,
wher wee maie see our owne defaults, which there he doth reherse;
but all these curious glasses, or anie of like kinde,
or other strange proportion which art or wealth maie finde,
Cannot content my frende; hee hath them in disdayne,
hee them reiects as frivolous, he houlds them all in vayne,
for, of all sorts of glasse which give forth anie shine,
my frend loves, euerie hower, to haue a venice glasse of wyne.

(22) One assured he was elected.

Thow greatlie bragst how that thow art
assur'd thow art elected:
Chaunge but one letter, and thow saiest true,
because thow art eiected.
ffor, knocking at the heavenlie gate,
to enter as right heire,
Thow art repulsd as bastard childe,
and driven to deepe despaire.

(23) Cham.

In all the course of thy vnhappie yeares,
noe kinde of vertue in thy life appeares;
ffor thow art Cham, or ells Chamms wicked brother:
he did deride his father; and thow thy mother;
his curse was greate; and soe will fall to thee,
that scoffes at her which still should honnored bee.

(24) Fayth.

Our Saviour Christ, with words of greife complayned,
that when he came to Iudge the world by fyer,
that fayth should not be found to his desire,
soe greatlie should the Christian fayth be strayned.
but if he nowe the same would come to finde,
he should see faythes more then stande with his minde;
ffor greater and more faiths in yearth,
with menn did not abounde,
Soe contrarie, soe confident,
soe pleasant to bee founde.

(25) Cuttinge of tyme.

The Curious gardiner, with his cruell Shires
doth cutt the wholsome tyme, and her sweet flowers;
which hee doth cutt soe longe, till tyme at length
cuts of his life by doome of heavenlie powres,
for tyme, in tyme cutts him with full despight,
that first by tyme cutt tyme from his delight.

(26) A tench and a wench.

A Catholike and a Protestant
were frendlie sett at meate,
for both whose dinner was prepared,
both fyshe and fleshe to eate.
They both, as did their conscience bidd,
feed on the severall dishe:
The Protestant vpon the fleshe,
the Papist on the fishe.
At length the Catholike complaind,
our wantoun times to bee
disordered in everie thinge,
as dailie hee did see:
‘ffor nowe our Protestants,’ (said hee,)
‘which newe Religion take,
Twixt Pigg and Pike, twixt Carpe and Capon,
not anie difference make.’
To whome the other replied: ‘wee make
such difference of their kinde
As Papists doe twixt tench and wench,
to serve their wantoun minde.’

(27) Whoe are happie.

Antomedon the Greeke Poet doth tell,
and rightlie, yf the same be wayed well,
that firste he happie mann is sayed to bee,
which oweth nought, and is from borrowinge free;
Next, hee whome wedlocks fetters doth not strayne;
the third, whome childrens cares did never payne.
but if he bee soe madd to take a wife,
to ridd himself from his most quiet life,
yf shee be rich, and therwith soone to die,
hee happie is, to gaine her wealth therbye.

(28) Linguistes.

Twoe gentlemen at meate by enterchaunge
of frendlie speech, the tyme to entertayne,
a womann did commend for vertues straunge,
as one that too much learning did attaine,
being a greate linguist, whych praise doth gaine;
for of the tongues shee nothinge was to seeke,
since she was skill'd in Hebrew and in Greeke.
The other said, “marveyle not much
that they such cuninge take,
ffor nature, by a speciall grace,
great linguists doth them make.”

(29) Drinkinge.

(30) Enuye.

Thow monster of mankinde, obscurer of good name,
thow hated childe of pride, and autor of thy shame,
whose heares are stinging snakes, whose face is pale & wann,
with scornfull eyes and browes, disdaining euerie mann,
with canker taynted tethe, and poysoned tongue of spight,
with vile detracting lipps, defaming euerie wighte,
with breth of Sulphures smell, fedd with revenges desire,
with brests defyld with gall, and hart of flaminge Ire,
whose nayles are harpies clawes, and bodie leane and spare,
which never smiles, beinge still opprest with greife & care,
whose frettinge pynes thy hart, and eates thy flesh awaie,
still feeding on thy self, till thow dost cleane decaye
like burning Aetna monte, which with his stinking fumes
feedes on it self, and with his flame it self consumes.
thy force ech sowle doth feele, thoughe, to thy better paine,
except the mann deiect, whome fortune doth disdaine.

(31) Mann must provide for bodie and sowle.

(32) Mongers.

(33) Tyme.

An Auncient knight of ffee and of renowne,
with his Ladie to dinner sate him downe:
they sett; the hungrie knight did bid his mann
some pottage sett, with which the knight begann;
but eatinge fast and over greedilie,
a little herbe did take his course awrye,
which made him coffe, that chok'd he was, he said.
Yet the good Ladie, therwith not dismayed,
“Sir, it is tyme, it is but tyme,” replied.
the payned knight, the more, for anger, cried
that chok'd he was; but his Ladie, that ment
but well, saied “it is but tyme, sir, be content!”
whereat the knight the more did coffe and strayne,
ffor Anger of her speech then of the payne;
for where her wordes the herbe tyme did intend,
hee them mistooke, and deem'd shee sought his ende,
since wronglie hee conceiv'd therbye that shee
thought it but tyme that he should choked bee.

(34) Receipts and expenses.

(35) Counterfetts deuoure the whole world.

The kinge deuoures the husbandman;
fond youths do spoyle the kinge;
The vsurer consumes those youthes.
the preist decaye doth bringe
To vsurers; and whores consume
the preist with filthie lust;
The bawd eates vp the gayninge whore
who putteth her in truste;
The taverner beggars the bawde;
and next is swallowed vpp
The taverner, by Parasites
which hange vpon the cupp.
The needie Parasites in th'end
are spoyled by lothed lyce;
The Ape, mann counterfetter, eates
those vermyn at a trice.
So that the beastlie, mocking Ape,
which mowes at everie thinge,
By circulation doth consume
the kingedome and the kinge.

(36) That one thinge Produceth annother.

(37) A longe nose.

A knight that should with curtesie
a ladie entertayne,
at her longe nose begann to scoffe
with words of some disdaine,
and said, ‘yf your longe nose were not
a bulwarke of defence
To gard your lipps, they should be kiss'd
before wee parted hence.’
‘why, sir,’ quoth shee, ‘spare not therfore,
yf nose such hindrance bee,
you maie, where hindred nose doth want,
with ease freelie kisse mee.’
The scoffing knight thus retaunted,
in furie flange awaye,
But with replyeng scoffe before,
he thus to her did saye:
‘Madame, it greatlie forceth not,
for sweetnes of your breth,
Whether I kisse your lipps above,
or ells your hipps beneath.’

(38) Spencers Fayrie Queene.

(39) Martine.

Menn say thow art call'd the Rich Martine,
in Latiane speech who art Martinus nam'de;
but wholie they mistake thie name, I wynne,
if to thy gaine the same be dulie fram'd,
for Martinus thow shouldst be termed right,
in hording gould which hast soe greate delight.

(40) Vsurers.

Stukelie the vsurer is dead, and bid vs all farwell,
who hath a Iourney for to ride vnto the court of hell;
yf anie would his letters send to Plutoes divelishe grace,
hee wilbe messenger therfore, and beare them to that place;
but yf he anie answer crave, of letters sent from hence,
he must some other post provide, which maie returne from thence,
for Stukelie once arived there, cannot come back againe,
since Pluto, for his needfull vse, doth meane him to retaine.

(41) Grace.

A man of lewd living all vertue sett at naught,
was rested by Sergiant at mace, and vnto prison brought,
who beinge sett at large, the Bishop would him trye,
and him to common pennance put, for dedes of Lecherie.
his aged mother, greved of her sonns open shame,
with gentle speech of moothers loue, his lewd follies did blame,
and said ‘that want of grace did force him soe to fall;
wherfore hee dailie, on his knees, for needfull grace must call.’
her scoffinge sonne, which scorn'd his mother with disdaine,
said ‘hee would rather hang, than seeke for anie grace againe;
for seriaunt grace his mace, his purse had sucked drie,
and the Archbishopps reverend grace had sham'd him penlie;
And therefore since these twoo before, him did deface,
he soe, past grace, bequeath[d] them both vnto the divells grace.’

(42) Cardinge.

Kate is a good huswife, as all men saye,
for shee doth nought but card all the longe daie,
whoe in continuall carding hath such delight,
that, besides the daie, she will card in the night.
ffor cardinge, to her is but a pleasant playe,
and when she playes she is cardinge allwaies.
Yet by her carding she hath little winninge,
for of her carding never com[e]th spinninge;
Soe she is a huswife, but noe good huswife, I trowe,
for of good huswifes cardinge, spinning doth growe.

(43) Reelinge.

Iohn, thy wife, to live doth take great payne,
a good huswifes name therbye to gaine;
for she spinnes and Reeles as fast as shee maye,
but cheeflie in reelinge spending the daye;
for, once haue shee sett the pott at her hedd,
she never lins reelinge till shee goe to bedd.

(44) A Rose.

Willford, thow lovest a pleasant Rose verie well,
both for the faier cullor and the sweete smell,
for thow canst not bee without a rose in thy bedd,
to colle the, and to laye her arme vnder thy hedd.
Yet is not thy Rose, flower of Carnation hue,
nor perfect white, nor redd, but yellowishe and blewe,
and therfore most meete to serve in the night,
for other Roses would shame her if she were in the light.

(45) Sowinge.

Sweete flowers growe when gardeners sowes the seed;
the plowman sowes the graine wherby wee live;
and man sowes that wheron mankinde doth breed,
soe that their sowing, his like doth allwaies give.
But weemen sowe farr different from these kindes,
both workes and wordes which send forth paine and greefe,
for with there words they vex their husbands mindes,
with needle sowinge, not gayninge their releife.
They sowe discorde, with tongue of false report;
their needle sowinge, doth breed but more expence;
they sowe deceyt, and make therof a sport;
their needle workes are but a showes pretence.
Then lett not wemenn sowe, yf thow bee quiet bent,
for of their doble sowing, growes naught but discontent.

(46) Woodcocks.

He is as wise as a Woodcock, all wee doe see,
because everie woodcock is as wise as hee,
which wee knowe to be true, and that the rather,
for that Alderman woodcock was his father:
A thinge of greate worth, that woodcocks are made
the governours of Citties and the Marchants trade.
Then woodcock on his side, by birth and by witt,
makes him as wise as a woodcock his birth for to fitt;
for if naught ells causd him a woodcock to bee,
yet since he is borne a woodcock in everie degree,
he cannot degenerate from woodcocks kinde,
and therfore as wise as a woodcock you shall him finde.

(47) Kissinge.

Three pleasant gentlemen vpon the waye
did meete three maides that went them forth to playe;
the menn of ech other would gladlie knowe,
which of the maides he would kisse in the rowe.
the maydes, like goselinges, after other went,
noe whit mindinge the menn nor their intent.
But of the menn, the first amongst the rest,
that with his fellowes scoffinglie would Iest,
said ‘hee would kisse the pretie maide before,’
not meaning for to meddle with anie more.
the other said, ‘yf he might haue his wishe,
the browne wench in the middle he would kisse;’
the third, as liked best vnto his minde,
said ‘hee would kisse the blobcheckt wench behinde.’
Nowe, fellow Garrett, of the would I crave,
which of these three the sweetest kisse should haue;
for the wenches breath, formost of the three,
smelled verie ranke in the highest degree.

(48) White heares.

At the Rose within newgate, ther frendlie did meete,
fower of my ould frends, ech other for to greete:
one had a black beard, but white was his hedd;
one other, white hedd, with a beard which was redd;
the third had yellowish hedd, but his beard somewhat white;
the yongest had silver berde, and hedd agreeing righte.
thus sett at their cupps, they thought to devise
howe these severall white heares in them did arise.
the black berd and white hedd begann for to saye,
‘his hedd was elder then his berde by twentie winters daye,
ffor where nature by age doth soonest decaye,
graye heares spring vp, which age doe displaye.’
the other white hedd with the reddishe beard, tould,
‘that his hedd was not white because he was ould,
but for that he had more labored, by studie his brayne,
then his teeth by eatinge, his hedd white heares did gayne.’
the third, with yellowish hedd and beard somwhat white,
Philosopher-like, this cause did recite,
‘I see it perfect true, for soe you agree,
that what is labored most will weakest bee;
and what of mann is most weake by kinde,
soonest graye haires in that part you shall finde;
then vsinge my teeth more than my witt, by right,
my berde then my witt, must needes be more white.’
the last, with a ieste to knitt vp the game,
this reason for himself begann for to frame,
‘hornes and hoore hares comm not by age, menn tell,
and that by my self I haue tried verie well,
for havinge both agreeing together,
Cares gaue the one, and my wife gaue the tother.’

(49) Cutters.

‘Iack, I here thow hast leaft thine ould trade;
thow wilt noe more become a ripiers Iade.’
‘In fayth, good Will, thow sayest true,
for I haue left mine ould occupation for a newe,
for I cann braue it in the streetes with the rest,
beinge a right cutter, as good as the best.’
‘A cutter! what cutter, I praye the, maye that bee?
a cutter of Queene hithe, or a garment cutter, tell mee,
A Swashebuckler cutter, or one of the cutthrotes,
or a garden cutter, or a false cutter of groates?
Or art thow such a cutter as ostelers and tapsters be,
or a woode cutter, a stone cutter, or a heare cutter, letts see?’
noe, in faith, Will, for better or worse,
I am none of these, but a plaine cutpurse;
a life of such pleasinge, that I never feele payne
till the rope and the gallowes doe hinder my gaine.’

(50) The deceased Pretor.

Thy vertue, not thy vice; faith, not dissembling speech;
thy goodnes, not thy flowings goods, made thee this honor reach.

(51) To Humfrie Waldronn.

(52) Fortune.

Blinde ffortune, with her fonde and sencelesse sence,
regarding nought the worth of anie wight,
which heedleslie her riches doth dispence,
not forcinge whether shee doth wronge or right,
Enricht by suche as vices do adorne,
The good reiectinge with most bitter skorne,
Which growes, for that noe perfect good she knowes,
beinge onelie fedd with vaine and outward showes.

(53) To his freind Burrell.

The loathed povertie still shall thee feede
yf poore thow be in anie time of life,
By byrth, or fortune, or for want of heede,
for vnto such, rewards are nothinge rife,
since, in this thanklesse age, none wealth attaine,
but such as riches haue, and giue for gaine.
Then must thy hard and woefull state
of shamefast povertie
Embrace patience, since vnto thee
welth will not multiplie.

(54) Issues.

The Ioyfull mother brings forth manie faire yssues,
the learned lawyer brings his cause to good yssues,
the skilld Phisition makes for goute runninge yssues,
the faulting Iuror is amerc'd in much yssues;
the large expences are counted needles yssues;
but yet, of all the yssues wee haue in anie kinde,
none is more badd then yssuing from our land, wee finde,
for soe our witt and wealth from vs soone yssues then,
which lost and brought to naught, w'are scorned of all menn:
Such yssue they obteyne, their birth right which doe sell,
on which yssue the verdit hath condempned mee right well.

(55) Mariage.

(56) Sweete mouthes.

A noble Earle, to vertue allwaies bent,
with rich and scoffinge knight on hunting went:
the Buck was rows'd, the hounds vncopled bee,
who with swifte course, to flie did seeme to mee,
and eger of the game, in their full crie
with dobled voice lowd ecchoed in the skie,
whose pleasant musick did the eares delight
of Earle and all the rest, except the knight,
that pleasured more in purchasing and gayne
than hawkes or hounds, or in such toyes vaine.
of whome the Earle demanded curteouslie,
when ended was the hounds long solempne crie,
‘yf those faire doggs, with their reioicing voice,
had not sweete mouthes as hounds of rarest choice;’
wherto the knight gaue answere scoffinglie,
‘hee did not knowe till hee the same should trie,
for anie of them he never kissed there,
and soe knewe not how sweet that there mouthes were.’
wherat good Earle, which tooke it in disdaine,
from moved chollar hardlie could refraine,
but said ‘if that you kist them not before,
you maie with ease kisse them behinde the more.’

(57) Fooles.

(58) Gallopinge.

(59) Churches.

The Auncient Saxons did full Christianlie,
to shewe their fervent zeale and zealous love,
erect most statelie churches plenteouslie,
as holie place ordain'd for god above.
But nowe le monde reuerse, the world turn'd upside downe,
our Scismatikes will haue noe church in Cittie or in towne.
Noe Church! alas! what doe I saye? I lye;
they sett vpp churches twentie for their one,
for everie private howse spirituallie
must bee their church, for other will they none,
Excepte the open felds, or ells false Ethnicks groves of trees,
where sencelesse as the sencelesse woods they flock like swarms of bees;
there sowe they Satans damning seedes, of which dissention springs,
(tearing Christes vndivided coate), which all to ruyne bringes.

(60) Menn before Adame.

(61) Iuye.

(62) Iestinge.

Three things there be which maie susteyne noe Ieste
or foolishe blemishe of our Idle braine:
the honest fame wherwith our life is blest;
our godlie faith, for that maye bide noe stayne
of heresie, or false religions bayne;
Next, watrishe eye, wherof ech litle gall
doth hurte the sight and dangers th'ye withall.

(63) Honor.

(64) Temperance.

(65) Doinge nothinge.

A Crabbed Cobler, and his slothfull wife,
which would not labour for to gett her meate,
from words to blowes did often fall at strife;
but as the husband did her feircelie beate,
this question shee did oftentimes repeate:
‘why doe you thus torment me in my life,
Since I haue nothinge said, nor nothinge donne?’
but he, continuinge still as he begun,
Said, ‘for that cause onelie he made his blowes soe rife.’

(66) Astrologers.

(67) The herbe filius ante Patrem.

A vertuous Ladie, skilfull herbaliste,
in Chimick art whoe takes noe meane delight,
whome modestie with good report hath bliste,
and wifelie dutie hath adorned righte,
of gentleman (that learned would bee deem'd,
as by his tria verba he had seem'de,)
Demanded ‘if the herbe most rare of sight,
and of all Artistes greatlie esteem'de,
which filius ante patrem they doe hight,
were to him knowne’: who said, with courage bould,
his deepe insight in herbes for to vnfould,
‘it is, madame, well knowne to everie wight,
to be sonne of Antipater, as learned men doe houlde.’

(68) Monstrous Childe.

Did Learned Ouid live, with poetrie divine,
his Metamorphosis he would a newe refyne,
and add this prodigie, as vncouth as the reste,
of his transformed shapes which there he hath expreste;
ffor here, though bodies were to other forms not chang'd,
Yet is this followinge truth as farr from nature strang'd,
That the celestiall saints which doe adorne the skye,
should from the heavens discend, and children multiplie;
for why sainte Peters sonne, a thinge to fewe men knowne,
maintaind a child which he supposd to bee his owne,
yet others had more righte to her by kindlie knott;
soe easilie one others child falls to our lott.
This is a thinge vnvsd, a Saint a sonne to haue,
and hee deformed, not shap'd as heavenlie bodies crave,
whoe, though of heavenlie seed, yet was he foule beguylde,
that fondlie nourished as his, one others childe,
exceedinge anie chyld which natures course doth give,
for lightlie she could beare the tallest mann on live;
soe bigg her bone in bredth, soe monstrous shee did seeme,
that ech, noe childe, but perfect woman, did her deeme.
Thus nature changinge kinde,
these monsters forth doth sende,
Saint Peters sonne, a woman childe,
which could with menn contende.

(69) A godly mann.

He is a godlie mann, that doth with tongue and minde
and sincere hart, the heavenlie god
adore in his true kinde,
That liberall is to pore, that Iustice doth maintaine,
And beinge chosen for a Iudge,
takes noe reward for gayne;
That is not mov'd with loue, or doth for anger hate,
And as infectinge poysonn, shunns
fonde scouldinge and debate;
That hath a good foresight in what he takes in hand,
that rashelie nothinge doth attempte
which reason maie withstande;
That chooseth honnest frends, for to converse with all,
whose sage and true advise maye helpe
in dangers when they fall;
That vtters with his tongue, but what his hart conceives,
And doth envie that wicked speech,
which other menn deceyves;—
This is a godlie mann; but I thinke none is found,
In whome these sacred vertues doe
in their full power abounde.

(70) Kindred.

(71) The Courte and Cuntrey.

My yonge and youthfull yeares,
that once drewe forth my life
In pleasant game of ffancies trayne,
where pleasures all were rife,
Haue nowe forsaken quite
their ould and wonted trade;
My strength is gone, my mirth is past,
my wantonn daies doe fade.
ffor where I often vsed,
amongst the Courtlie sort,
In Idle play, through bewties hue,
with loving talke to sport,
Nowe am I shakenn of,
My faltring tongue doth staye,
Vntimelie thoughts of such mishapp
hath worne such toyes awaye,
And I must rest at home,
lock'd from my pleasures paste;
They scorne me nowe whome I disdaind:
this is my fall at laste.
ffrom Court to cart I flye,
a longe but easie leppe;
I liste noe more with glosinge speech
on fortunes wheele to stepp.
She did advance me once,
to throwe me downe againe,
But through her spite and my good happ
more quiet I attaine.
The little shrubbs that growe
hard by the tender grasse,
Abide the force of blusteringe winde,
when greater trees doe crashe.
The lowe and meane estate
is surest thinge, I finde;
The Courtlie life vnstedfast is,
more fleeting than the winde.
There spend they all they haue,
and more, if need require;
They gape for this, they watch for that,
they followe ech desire.
They frowne vpon their frends,
and fawne vpon there foes;
They envie all the favored,
they scorne the mann in woes;
They presse vpon the prince,
they glose for hope of gayne;
they hate the wise, they ride the fooles,
they laughe and loue in vaine.
They seeke with greatest shewe
for to maintaine their route;
They pinche and spare, they carke and muse,
to bringe the same about.
Thus, vnder all this shewe
and troope of goulden sights,
They doe possesse vnrestfull daies
and thowsand woefull nights.
ffore loe, this goulden miserie,
as I doe finde, is naught,
But highe disdaine Ioynd with distresse
and manie mourning thought.
Wheras my Cuntrye life,
which nowe I take in hand,
Bringes quiet rest, a carelesse minde,
it needes noe lustie band.
Wee envie noe estate,
wee loue the porest sorte;
We lavishe not Ill gotten goods,
wee keepe a meaner port.
Wee spend as reason bidds,
wee entertaine our frend
In honnest state; and when you lack,
then must wee seeme to lend;
which is farr better case,
at neede allwaies to haue,
Then for to spend without a reine,
and then haue need to craue.
Our garments are not gaye,
our garners haue the more;
wee seeke noe statelie halls, nor hante
the Princes Court therfore,
But live in pore estate,
more quiet in our brest
Then those whome dailie service doth
procure soe much vnrest.
Wee passe the silent night
with his vnbroken sleepe;
Wee ease our heavie minde with mirth;
of loue wee take noe keepe.
I therfore flie the presse
and troope of Courtlie trayne
And scorne their pride that scorne my fall,
to rest from restles payne.
I leaue the Courtlie life
to those that skillesse are,
And hedlonge runn by others harms,
that soone will not beware.
My cottage doth content
my well contented minde;
My wantoun yowth is gone, and nowe
grave thoughts in hedd I finde.
Thus well I tried haue,
that my mishappe hath wrought,
More quiet state for my behoofe
then I had ever thoughte.
In happie tyme, therefore,
I banishd such a life,
where no thinge certaine maie be found,
where all things are but strife.
Thus, carefull Court, farwell!
and wellcome Cuntrie state,
where thow shalt live at quiet rest
from all envyenge hate.

(72) The number 1, 2, 3, 4.

(73) Mr Camdens Britania.

(74) Solomons witt.

(75) Leylandes rightefull ghost.

(76) Quiet and Rest.

As wearie bodie doth restore his strength with rest,
as fertill soyle sometimes vntild doth prove the best,
As laboringe beastes, the ox, the horse, must quiet haue,
as toylinge daie, the restefull night doth dulie crave,
As bowe still bent, in time is weake
and looseth strength,
As Sommers flowers in Winters rootes
doe reste at length,—
Soe must the rulinge minde, the seate
where reasone reynes,
with quiet recreate it self
from former paynes.
ffor what wants interchanged rest
will weare awaye,
And restles paines, both witt and wealth,
doth soone decaye.
Then cease, thow wearie muse, allwaies
to beate thy brayne
And weare thy paynefull hand,
which never reaped gaine;
Since all thy sweating toyle finds but
such hard event
As damned Sisiphus,
most bitter punishement,
Wherbye thy goulden tyme
thow thriftelesse dost consume,
Like Gebers Cooke, to waste thy wealth
in Ayerye fume.