University of Virginia Library

Of holy husbandmen, and of the art we minde to sing,
That mortal minds doth til, & blinded brests to good doth bring,
What noisome plants out of ye harts corrupted thou shalt weed
Before that of the Gospell there thou sowste the ioyfull seed:
And howe the fieldes are to be drest, and eke the certaine way,
To keepe the seede in saftie, so as it doe not decay,
Nor that the prince of hell abrode the cockle fowle doe fling,
Or of the lewdnesse of the ground, or faultie soyle it spring.

Herein vnknowne to Poets olde, that long agone did write,
O Christ the perfite sonne of God, and fathers Image right,
Graunt me thine ayde: for wisedome all from thee alonely springs,
And worthie Poets through thy helpe, haue written worthie things.
Thine owne affayres are had in hand, of this so sacred paine,
Thou art the cause, for it belongs vnto thy heauenly raigne:
Thou sendes the husbandmen and art the plowmans chiefest ayde,
The blessed corne that springeth vp, shall in thy barnes be layde.

And you most worthie souereigne Lords, and chosen fathers graue,
That in this age aboue the rest, the chiefest honor haue,
For learning and religion pure, of Muses taking charge,
As Bern your Countrie doth declare, and all your Empire large.
For there true godlinesse is taught, and Christ and fayth withall,
And place assignde to vertuous wits, and studyes liberall.
You are not (as a great sort are) of Christ ashamde awhit,
That here amongst a thousand foes, in blinded world doth sit,
And calleth all men in the ende vnto his heauenly raigne,
Accept these simple verses here, and fauour this my paine.

At first the almightie father framde the worlde, and mortall kinde,
In perfite state, and yeelding fruite such as himselfe assignde,
Who wholy gaue themselues to him with all their force and might,
For first of all within their heartes, he sowde a knowledge right:
And gaue them reason to discerne in euery kinde of thing,
That in the foming seas, or ayre, or on the earth doth spring.
Thus when the passing force of his almightie name did shine,
He plaste in man a dreadfull feare, of his estate deuine.
Which least it caused fearefull flight, or stirde vp deadly hate,
He ioynde a pleasant loue withall of his excelling state:
Whereby the feare and reurence of his mightie Maiestee,
With felowship of feruent loue might safely guided bee.
For with himselfe he framed man, both Lorde of earth and seas,
And after death to liue with him in euerlasting ease:
Prouiding him to feede vpon the fruite of euery tree,
And pleasant hearbes, that so be might his carefull mercy see.
Who would not with his heart esteeme and loue with all his minde,
A Lorde so good and gracious, and of so gentle kinde?
Yet least that cause of feare should want, and fauour breede disdaine,
And to much welth inflame his heart, and prick his ydle braine:
He gaue him one commaundement, to barre him of his will,
That is, he should not taste the tree of knowing good or ill:
Except they would their life forgo, and lose these giftes of grace.
Besides all this he planted in the deepest of their minde,
That vnto other creatures to, of nature was assignde,
That they ne should with hate pursue their kinde, nor ouerthrow,
But with a friendly faythfull heart eche other friendship show,
And giue aduice what best to doe, and mischiefe how to let,
Such happie seedes in heart of man at first were deepely set,
By him that all thing here did frame, and thus he left this fielde
Of owne accorde, his pleasant fruites and good encrease to yeelde.

But streight the Stygyan Prince that late from skies was hedlong throwne
For prowd presuptuous mutenie & trespas earst vnknowne,
Both hating God himselfe aboue, and all his vertuous deedes,
Began to frowne and lowre on man, and on these pleasant seedes:
Determining these plantes pluckt vp, to sowe contrarie graine.
And taking on himselfe the shape and cloke of Serpent plaine,
Our father first he doth perswade, to breake the sacred hest,
That so he might both rare and pluck due feare from out his brest,
And cease the loue and certaine hope of Gods assistance knowne,
Whereby the ground disordred might with weedes be ouergrowne.
Ne faylde he of his purpose here, for why the womans hart
Consented streight to taste the fruite, and gaue hir husband part.
As ground that long hath lien vntilde, is filled euery where
With humblockes, thornes, and thistles sharpe, and other hurtfull gere:
So was the minde of man opprest with mischiefes fowle and great,
And harmefull things deseruing death, had there abiding seat.
The knowledge of th'almightie Lorde with darkenesse was disgraste,
Our iudgement eke in worldly things, with blindnesse great defaste.
Both feare and reuerence due to God, were banished cleane away,
Loue colde, and hope of helpe deuine did vtterly decay.
In place whereof sprang hate, and flight, contempt of God beside,
And nothing that was good or right, the will corrupt applide.
If any good desire by chaunce, of vertue mooues the minde,
The force doth streight begin to faile, in slouthfull bodie blinde:
And sinne prouokes to greater crime, not suffering them aright
To runne their race, but mooues agaynst the Lord both day and night.
Nor needefull is it much to mooue, for of his proper sway,
Like Lead he alwayes hedlong falles, and runnes the hurtfull way.
Doest thou not see how leauing God, his honour here we giue
To trifles vaine, and wretched men that on the earth doe liue?
If that a king that may to day, or else to morrow die,
Receyue vs into fauour great, and giue vs honour hie,
Or if of glistring golde we haue abundaunce in our handes,
Or haue our bagges with siluer full, to purchase Lordly landes,
Or Iewels great, or precious stones, or costly rich aray,
And friendes in number great about vs dwell and beare the sway,
Or store of lustie souldiors haue, to encounter with the fo:
O Lord how then we looke aloft, how stately then we go?
And thinke our selues in happie case, and blest on euery side,
How fowly doth our filth appeere, to him that all doth guide?
With most men for their God alone, the belly here is thought,
And euery thing as it commaundes, is eyther shund or sought.
Some place a loft on aulters hie the sharpnesse of their wit,
And some the bodyes force, and as a God they worship it.
But no man laboureth so the will of God for to obay,
As all men doe for trifles vaine, that fade and passe away.
Of Gods innumerable sort are found, by feare and loue,
And in the meane time he dispisde that reignes and rules aboue.
What mischiefe can be found, but doth from blinded ignorance spring?
Or what contempt of God? to sweare is thought a decent thing.
With Gods most dreadfull name aboue, both men and children play,
And diffrence none is made betwixt the lawes deuine, and lay.
What God commaundeth to be shund, or willeth to be wrought,
Is to the eares a torment great, and dreadfull poyson thought.
Nor vnto him they seeke for ayde, nor confidence they haue,
But rather seeke to stockes and stones, than him that all doth saue.
No honor to their parents due, at any time they pay,
A hell it is to feele the yoke, or maister to obay.
The minde desires to runne at large, and raunge at libertee,
The bloud doth boyle about the hearts of such as harmed bee:
And slaughters great attempted are, and deadly battayles fought,
And at the wagging of a straw, good lawes are set at nought.
Beside both vile and beastly loue in euerie place doth raigne,
That none can keepe the holy rytes of sacred bed from staine.
The Harlots eke among themselues, their bodyes doe defile:
Who can declare the shamefull theft, and wayes for to beguile,
That commonly with youth doth spring? deceyt doth most delight,
And sweete it seemes an others goodes to get against all right.
And looke what wants in doing wrong, with force and wretched will,
Is recompenst with rayling mouth, and spitefull language ill.
The teeth togither gnash, and poyson fowle abroade do spit,
As well agaynst the vnworthie, as such as deserued it.
Discention sowne, and lyes abrode in eurye place do raigne,
And filthie talke, and wordes vncleane, are vsde of wretches vaine.
The simple man deceyued still, with wordes that fayned bee,
And from the heart the flattring tongue doth alwayes disagree.
As raging seas with boystrous windes do swell aloft and rore,
And driue the mountaynes of their waues against the rocken shore:
Euen so the wretched fiend of man, both euery day and night,
Spewes out his filth, and ioyes to offende the soueraigne Lord of light.
Ne thinkes he meete for him it is to sleepe, to drinke, to eate,
Except he do before commit, some haynous trespasse greate.

Thus in the heart of man the prince of hell had sowne his seedes,
And ouergrowne his precious plantes, with his vngracious weedes,
And had oppressed godlinesse, while it was yet but greene,
That scarcely any where the steppes of vertue might be seene.
And brought vnto the Chaynes of death, and misery all their dayes.
Men first created vnto life, and to th'almighties prayse.
Poore Adam spoyled of his grace, in naked plight and bare,
Perceyued streight this hellish seede and neuer ceassing care.
Wherefore in Figtree vesture clad, himselfe by flight he hydes,
Both doubting of the mercy of God, and of his life besides.
Whose sight he shoonnes, and eke his voyce he quaketh for to heare,
As doth the Chicken of the Kyte, or Oxe of Lion neare.
And surely vnderneath the yoke of death and dreadfull sinne,
Both he and his posteritie, for euermore hath beene:
But that th'almightie Lorde aboue tooke pittie of his case,
And gaue agaynst the deuils thornes, and seede of cursed grace,
A remedie, an other seede, his blessed worde deuine,
And promise of his fauour made, how that in after time,
A holy vertuous man and strong, should rise and succour bring,
And tread vpon the serpents head, and ceasse his deadly sting.
And purge away the sinnes of man, though losse he doe sustaine,
Not voyde of ouerpoyse, but with his profite great and gaine,
Commaunded Adam for to sow this in his sense vnsounde,
To oppresse thereby (if that he could not plucke out of the ground)
The deepe set rootes that Sathans hand had planted there afore,
And so become a husbandman for him and others more,
That after sprang, and so resist by all the meanes he may,
The serpent still with earnest prayer, and with a perfite way:
And for to teach from hand to hand, to his posteritie,
The art and all the whole effect of holy husbandrie,
The comming of the blessed seede, and promises deuine,
That godlinesse and hope of life might still remaine in time,
And be preserued in the worlde: and that he neuer yeeld,
And boldly meete the prince of hell, and face him in the feeld.
He ioying in the worde of God, and in his happie state,
Of skilfull perfite husbandman that he receyude of late,
Withstood the deuill well, and drest his heart with tillage due,
And pluckt out nettles, thistles, and eche other weedes that grue.
And found againe the loue of God, whereof he felt the smell
And in the vertuous order of his life declarde it well.
The fruit of righteousnesse he looude, and all that in him lay,
Represt the raging of the flesh, and caused it to'bay,
He hated euery wicked act, and euery sinfull lore,
That was displeasing vnto God, and all his sinnes before
With prayer and streames of perfite teares, he wypte and washt away,
And all his hope and confidence, in Christ doth surely lay.

This same vnto his wife he taught, and to his children deare,
And all his ofspring euery one vnto his latest yeare:
And then to Seth he left the plowe, who eke committed it
To Enock, that applyde it well, with all his force and wit,
And sowde the worde and fayth abrode, with luckie fruitfull hande,
And so did all the yonger sort that after ought the lande.

Olde Sathan hating all this while, the seede so promised,
The chiefe esteemers of the same, and faithfull brotherhed,
And seeking all men for to drawe vnto th'infernall raigne,
Applyde himselfe with all his force, and all his hellish traine,
To ouerthrow these fathers deedes, and all their worke to spoyle,
And vnder cloke of truth with lyes, he poysons all the soyle:
And in the steede of Godly feare, he sinfull life reuiues,
With heapes of vice, and Godly seedes to spoyle againe he striues.
And now amid the pleasant corne the pricking thistle flowes,
And gracelesse cockle lothsome to the eye it ouergrowes.
Sometime the raging stormes of haile doth beate it to the ground,
And oft consuming wormes, and drake, and darnell there is found,
Or mildewes fowle, or stormes of raine, or heate, or frostie coldes,
Sometime a sunder crackes the plowe, while Camock strongly holdes.
Not much the plowmen then preuaylde, and Cayne did first beginns
To hate his fathers husbandrie, and sowe the seedes of sinne:
Whom all his issue folowed fast, as one of greatest skill,
And better fruite might not be seene, than this so lewde and ill,
Nor godlinesse was to be found in all the world so wide,
So that th'almightie father drownde both man and earth beside,
And euery creature hauing life, as iustly they deserude,
Saue one poore Barke, that in the flouds of mercie he preserude.
What should I all things call to minde? the world renude againe,
Not long regarded vertuous wordes, but folowed pleasures vaine.
Eche godly thing was lothde and left, as men did fast increase,
So all things waxed worse and worse, and vertue gan to cease.
Although the guide of heauen and earth, did euermore prouide,
For husbandmen and prophets good, and sent his sonne beside,
In vesture clad of fading fleshe, of workemen all the chiefe,
And author of our life: who though he sent for our reliefe,
His messengers and seruaunts forth abrode in euery place,
To teach the perfite art and way, and sow the seedes of grace:
Yet of the dreadfull dragon blacke preuayled much the heed,
To tread and stampe in euery place vpon this sacred seed.
The seedes of Gods triumphant worde, were neuer so largely sowne,
Nor couered in the heart of man, nor vertue better growne,
Nor in so many places seene such store of goodly graine,
As when these holy Messengers, and their disciples plaine,
Did teach in euery place abrode the arte of husbandrie,
And trode the steps of vertuous life for their posteritie.
But streight the enimie poysoned all, and brought it vnto this,
That godlynesse in few remaynde, and most men ranne amisse,
And put not for eternall life in Christ their onely trust,
So many weedes of herisies among the corne he thrust,
And monstruous droues of rauening wolues, such fierce debate & strife,
So many superstitions vaine, and such deformed life.
Now these with raging furious heate, he causeth for to start:
Now those with frostie coldes congeald, he nyppeth to the hart.
And looke how much this wretched worlde to ende doth nearer grow,
So much the more he striues the raigne of Christ to ouerthrow:
And with his filthie seede, the heart of man to cast away,
Nor much he forceth them herein, that fall by proper sway.
The olde remaynes of sinfull rocke, is vnto him an ayde,
So is the lusting force of flesh, with raigne and hed vnstayde.

Agaynst these ylles the ruler of the loftie heauens bright,
Sendes out his learned labourers, that ouerturning quight
All wickednesse, and driuing hence the darkenesse farre away,
True godlinesse may plaine appeare, and vertue beare the sway.
And euery one with heart and might, his holy will obay,
And follow perfite righteousnesse, and hate the wicked way.
By whome they may restore the hearts, where Sathan had his seat,
Euen as to let of woonted course the running riuer great,
And make it passe the mountaynes hie, or else to quench the flame
That entred hath the dryest woods, and rageth in the same.
The paine is great to labor thus agaynst the sturdie streames,
Or for to bend the aged bough growne hard with Phœbus beames.
And as the paynes are great, so great rewardes thou shalt enioy,
When Christ shall shed the stinking Goates that did his flocke annoy.
When as the dreadfull day of doome, and clearest light shall shine,
That shall reueale how euery man hath wrought and spent his time.
And therefore shrinke not for no paynes, if that thou mindst the skies,
If that thou seekste to see the face of God with happie eies.

But who deserues so great a gaine, and such a stately charge?
Or who is meete to tyll and dresse a soyle so fayre and large?
As no man takes the Ores in hand, nor thrustes the plow in ground,
Or guides the sayling ship on sea, or Captaine may be found,
Except he wise and actiue be, and taught his skill in time:
So none can out of hande be meete to till the soyle deuine.
His paterne and his fashion eke, my Muses let vs see,
And howe from youth in euery poynt, he framed ought to bee:
What kinde of man in all respects, and after let vs tell,
The maner how he ought to teach, and order all things well.

First let the fauour of his face be good, and countnance clere,
Not staynd with lothsome colourde mowle, nor speckled here and there,
Nor mangled any where with cuttes, nor let his hed be hie,
Or pyked like a Sugerlofe, not set with hanging eie,
As lowring Bulles are alwayes markte, ne let them hollow bee,
Deepe setled in their darkned dennes, no Cocles let vs see,
Nor any blearde or squinteyde mate, no hooked hawkish beake,
Nor short and apish turnde vp nose, nor Pypers puft vp cheake,
Nor toothde like dogges: who knowes not eke that tillers may not bee
Dumbe, deafe, or lame, or stammerers, or such as cannot see?
Away with broken limping legges, and halting hips beside,
No mowlehill caryed on the backe, nor wennes the throte to hide.
No lymme nor member let there want, but all in order due,
And in proportion comely framde, and pleasant to the vew.
Least Vulcane with his crooked pace delight the scornefull sort,
Or with some other fault or maime, do make the people sport,
Resembling Thersit in his looke, or else Corites face,
Or Esope in his lothsome shape, or Damon in his grace.
Ne let him of a harlot be borne of vnhonest fame,
By common rut as beastes do vse, or villaines voyde of shame.
This also must be lookte vnto, what trade his parents vsed,
If no reprochfull kinde of arte that ought to be refused,
They liude vpon, for trade of life doth often hinder much,
And let the worde, that as it should the heart it cannot tuch.
Of these things also other causes mayst thou many bring,
For though it lyes not in our power, and though it be a thing
We can not doe withall nor helpe, what shape soeuer fall,
By fowle mishap or parents fault, yet he that gouernes all,
Createth nothing here in vaine. For if the fashion right
Of things be altred here from good, and nature chaunged quight,
It doth declare some great mishap, and is a perfite signe
Of Gods appoynted punishment, and of his wrath diuine.
If that the same be stainde with blacke, against his nature cleare,
Or that the moone before the full eclypsed doe appeare:
If in the glistring starrie night, a blasing starre doe rise,
And armed men in clowdes appeare, and skirmish in the skies:
If sodenly the sunne do stay, or Planets runnes awrie:
If dreadfull streames of bloud doe gush and fall from heauens hie:
Or if amid the market place a sauage Woolfe doe stande,
Or beast doe speake, who can suppose that goodnesse is at hande?
Who feares not streight the wrath of God, or who that hath his wit,
Will not conceyue some great mischaunce to happen after it?
Both nature and examples eke perswades vs to the same,
The Grecians eft the signes of God haue felt of auncient fame.
The like in many ouerthrowes the Romanes prowde haue knowne,
Nor rashly seemed the oxe to warne, that Rome should kepe hir owne.
Sagunthus sacked, and all hir men in cruell order slaine,
Did shew the infant entred not his mothers wombe in vaine:
Did not the armyes, sworde, and cart, that God in clowds did sende,
Foreshow Hierusalems decay, and miserable ende?
And Xerxes might in field before his legges for flight prepare,
When as a Mare amongst his campe did fole a flying Hare.
The monstruous foling of a Moyle beside, did plainly show
The loftie walles of Babilon should haue an ouerthrow.
We all abhorre these monstrous birthes, as nature vs doth mooue,
And seldome after them is seene, doth any goodnesse prooue.
But most of all if women chaunce, such monstrous shapes to beare,
If nature faile in those that are the worldly rulers heare.
For sure the outward countnaunce doth declare the inwarde minde,
And what lyes hid in secret sense, of good or yll we finde.
Of any foule yll fauoured face, what lookste thou for but yll?
And who doth not his talke abhorre, and shunne his presence styll?
For these misshapen folkes vnto themselues or other men,
Betoken harme, or else a signe of froward witte in them.
Therefore let not our husbandman be shapte yll fauouredly,
Nor any such whose parents haue bene staynde with infamie.

And if it might be done, I would (a thing we seldome see)
That in his tender youth he should in vertue trayned bee,
And from his childhoode learne to loue the Lord, and him to dread,
And euermore commit himselfe to Christ his soueraigne head:
And worship him with harmelesse hart, in deede and worde alwayes,
And seeke the thing that most may sounde to his most worthie prayse.
Likewise to pray that from the skies the blessed holy spright
On him may fall: by whome he may teach Christ to all men right.
Let him to parents dutie shew, and honor learne to giue
To eche man as his place requires, and as he here doth liue.
I would beside he should be kept with vertuous companie,
And shunne the gracelesse sort of youth, that vse to prate and lie:
Least that his fellowes him infect with maners lewde and yll,
That hardly after will be left for any care or skill.
The die that wooll doth first receyue, will hardly out be got,
No more than on the Tables newe the first deformed spot.
And this beside importeth much, if that the parents heare,
The nourse, and eke the schoolemaister be good, and Christ do feare.
Thus would I haue him liue with men that good and vertuous bee,
In yongest yeares, when as you list you bow the tender tree.
And filthie wordes he may not heare, nor vse at any time,
Nor with his eyes beholde the thing that may to yll encline.
Besides in Countrie language must he haue a perfite skill,
And remedie be had, if that his wordes he vtter ill.
Nor onely in the vulgar tongue he must be throughly seene,
But also in the fountaynes sweete of Latine phrases cleene,
And taught the best Gramarians that olde or newe haue ben,
And read the purest wryters first, as Cato teacheth him,
And heare the best, least barbarousnesse do him in youth infect,
Which once a man, he must forsake and vtterly reiect.
The Romane speach doth profite much, as openly is seene,
Which of all other languages, in Europe is the Queene.
The auncient Romanes as they did their Empire large extende,
Unto the frostie Northren pole, where earth doth seeme to ende,
And to the flouds of Euphrates, and mightie Parthians raigne,
To foote of loftie Atlas mount, that doth the skies sustaine:
So was their tongue through all the worlde dispersed here and there,
And for their scepter and their sworde, was reurenst eurye where.
For in this tongue the subiects all their aunswere euer had,
And all their prowde Edicts and lawes, in this were likewise made.
And hitherto wheresoeuer the Empire large of Rome doth raigne,
In estimation is it had, and honour great doth gaine.
Besides it famous is for holy bookes and woorkes prophane,
Wherein to haue no skill, were to our husbandman a shame.
By this we tread the path that leades to eurye science hie,
Whereto by vulgar speach, we neuer can approch so nie.
For this same cause, and for the learnde and godly wryters sake,
That long tyme since in teaching Christ, did paines and trauaile take.
Let him the Grecians tongue pervse: and for the volumes graue
Of Moyses and the Prophets olde, the Hebrue let him haue.
And ioyne thereto the Chaldean speach: the water that is shed
Thorow many vessels, cooles not so as doth the fountaynes hed.
Eche thing himselfe let him pervse, and knowe the speach deuine,
And not depend on other men, to preach as they assigne.
Therefore let him apply the tongues, wherein were first enrolde
The holy lawes that God did giue vnto our fathers olde.
And weigh the rules and titles well, and what eche worde doth means
Know perfitely, that in the phrase he may be throughly seene.
For of the name a knowledge great in matters oft is sound,
And fond it is for men to talke, and not to know their ground.
Wherein a number great of men haue mooude the skilfull sort,
To laugh to scorne their ignorance, whereof they made a sport.
For as in all things, names and wordes doe greatly signifie,
So most of all in scriptures where both oft and commonly,
The letters small and little prickes, doe misteries containe,
Which no good man will sleightly way or count as matters vaine.
The figures and the diuers tropes that in these speaches are,
Let him beside well vnderstand, for oft the sense they marre
That are vnskilfull in the same, whereby they vtter lyes
Unto the simple common sort in steede of verities.
Whence springs such heapes of errors nowe as at this day doe raigne,
Or hurly burlyes that do rage among the people vaine:
But onely that a great sort are, so to the letters bounde,
As can no Metaphor allowe, nor any figure sounde?
Of this must mischiefe needes ensue, no tropes yet I allow,
Except the text require the same, or charitie auow.
For in the scripture certaintie the people must be taught,
And one thing still that they may know, what good and what is naught.
Nor meete it is to force the phrase, to senses many mo,
When nothing doth compell thee from the verie wordes to go,
Least things assurde he doubtfull made, and charitie be broke,
Nor any phrase may iudged be by figure to be spoke,
Except the same in other place be open told and plaine,
For else to thinke a mysterie in figure hid is vaine.
That speach doth most delight the eares, and winnes the peoples prayse
That sundrie sortes is varied oft, and turnde a thousand wayes.
But thou take heede thou dost not wrest, the text out of his kinde,
Nor play with holy scriptures, for to please thy foolish minde:
Which now is vsde of many men, a dreadfull thing to see.
Consider thou and ponder well, what thing may meetest bee,
And profite most the common sort, and rude vnruly traine,
Before that thou delight their eares, or play with them in vaine.

Not onely olde Palæmons arte, our husbandmen must haue,
But great Chrysippus cunning to, and skill of Zeno graue,
Not therewithall to scolde or brawle, as schoole men vse to play,
Or to beguile the simple sort, and wipe the truth away:
But better to defend the dartes of deadly enimie,
Or for to breake the snares and ginnes of such as teach awrie.
For theirs it is aboue the rest to aunswere all men here,
That question mooue of faith and hope, or doubtes that doe appere,
To keepe their doctrine and their flocke, agaynst the greedie woolfe.
Now if they know the snares and trappes, and depth of euery goolfe,
And easly can discerne the truth, and falshood put away,
Then still the truth they shall preserue, and neuer it betray,
Nor cause it to be iested at, nor for to suffer wrong.
For if to mortall mysers here, destruction doth belong,
That know not Christ the sauiour hie, nor his religion pure:
What shall we of the teachers thinke, whose want of skill procure,
Not to themselues alone, but to a hundred thousand mo,
By error harme, who led to hell by their perswasion go.

Who doubtes that reading of the workes of famous Cicero,
Is needefull for our husbandman, and well agreeing tho,
The art of speaking faire and plaine, this meetest is to know,
The pleasant filed speach that from the learned breast doth flow,
The quick and well perswading tongue, that knowes wel how to deale
What matters secrete for to keepe, and what for to reueale:
And to obserue the chaunge of time the persons and the place,
This is the plowe of husbandmen, that riddeth worke apace.
Let children out of order prate, and people gape and gale,
It doth beseeme a preacher well, by art to frame his tale.
Nor any thing against vs heare the minde of Paule doth make,
Nor yet vnlearned kinde of wordes, that Christes Apostles spake.
Where diuers causes euer be (as hath bene alwayes sayde)
Effects are diuers to be seene, and to be thorowly wayde.
We may not therefore follow them, in euery thing aright,
Since that our causes differ much, and case is altred quight.
Who knoweth not that otherwise we alwayes ought to speake,
Unto the learnde and skilfull sort, than to the yong and weake?
The first beginnings of our fayth, they did the Gentiles teach,
Which needed not a filed phraise, and curious tongue to preach,
But rather of the power of God to mooue them therevnto.
Wherefore the Lorde did giue them power, great wonders for to do.
That might vnto the worde giue force, though learning were away,
That thus perswaded to the fayth, they could not truely say
That eloquence had trayned them for to beleeue on Christ,
But that it was the holy spirite and vertue of the hiest.
Beside the principles may not be taught, by curious art or wit,
Nor needes a Rhethoricians tongue in the perswading it.
But stedfastly we must beleeue the first beginnings well,
Therefore it is but vaine, a fine and pleasant tale to tell,
Unto the rude vnskilfull sort, that doe the groundes denie,
As of no myracles they neede, nor wonders from the skie,
That knowe the true and certaine path, and after Christ haue sought,
But from the Craddle, Christ and his decrees to vs are tought.
In these our tender yeares we neede plaine wordes, not loftie speach,
But rather ayde of holy spirite, and faythfull man to teach.
But after Christ and fayth is got, then vse the finest kinde,
Of Rhetoricke, and colours all, to mooue the slouthfull minde.
Inflame their hartes with loue of Christ, and God continually,
Perswade them wickednesse to hate and all Idolatry:
And vertue alwayes to embrace, in goodnesse to delight,
And wickednesse to shunne and hate, and euery sinfull sight,
To leaue their hard and flintie hartes, prouoking God to yre,
To feare the threatnings of his worde, and euerlasting fyre:
To shed their saltish teares for sinne, and all their confidence
On Gods great mercie for to set (who pardons eche offence)
Assured of his fauour great, extolting him alway:
On this bestow thy Rhetoricke, and all that thou canst say.
And likewise if thou chosen be, to fight against the traine
Of Sathan, errors to suppresse, and truth for to maintaine.
For though as sharpe and fierie sworde, the worde of God we see,
Doth pearce into the deepest part of hardest hearts that bee:
And as a heauie hammer great, breakes all that doth withstand,
Yet is the force increased much, by helpe of perfite hand:
Euen as the wounde is deeper cut, that stronger hand doth make,
And sooner breake ye stone, which maule with stronger arme doth shake.
Use Rethoricke therefore husbandman, and set thy whole delight,
In furthring of the worde of God with all thy force and might.
For Paule among the perfite sort, did deepely still entreate,
And fed the weaker sort with milke, refusing stronger meate.
What should I shewe how eloquent they were, and eke how fine,
That wrote their worthie volumes neare vnto the Apostles time.
Choose where thou likest among the Greekes, or all the Latine rowtes,
None hateth Rethoricke certainely, but slouthfull drowsie lowtes,
And gorbellyes that euermore doe set their whole delight,
In liuing lasily at home, and sleeping day and night.

Our husbandman must yet attempt, the other studyes all,
That tearmed are of auncient men, the learnings liberall,
None of the things that here to God or man belonging bee,
Are voyde of number dealt withall. Th'almightie Maiestee
Framde eche thing with his perfite poyse, and numbred euery thing,
The art of numbring pleasant is, and profite great doth bring.
In this alone from brutishe beastes, we men doe differ here,
So would th'almightie king, when first he made vs rule to bere,
And Lordes of all things that he framde, appoynted vs to bee,
That perfitely we might pervse eche thing in his degree,
That in the skies or earth he made, eche thing he did deuide,
Both generally, particular, and minutes small beside:
That waying so his wondrous workes, and vsing well the same,
We should extoll his worthinesse, and prayse his holy name.

The skill of heauenly motions eke, doth to the same encline,
Than which amongst vs men there is, no knowledge more diuine,
Nor more that brings vs to the loue, of God himselfe aboue,
Nor farther liftes vs from the earth, and to the skies doth moue.
Who woonders not to see the Sunne and Moone continuallie,
To keepe their course, and planets faire, and glistring starres in skie,
And prayseth not the hande of God, that them did thus create,
And doth not count himselfe to be in passing happie state?
Who shall inioy that blessed house, whose walles so outward shine,
With Princely beautie garnished, and figures framed fine?
For needes he must suppose, that greater things remaine within,
Nor is he here deceyude, for neyther eye hath euer seene,
Nor eare hath heard, nor any heart of mortall man might deeme,
The ioyes that God prepared hath, for such as him esteeme.
Wherefore a pleasant studie sure, and aptest for our minde,
Is this that doth the skies beholde, and starres of euery kinde.
Our countnance seemes to prooue the same, that lifted vp a hie,
Is framde as it appoynted were for to beholde the skie.
Beside it standeth man in steede for many vses here,
For whose behoofe the Lorde hath made, eche thing that doth appere.
By face of heauen, and moouing of the Moone and Phœbus crowne,
And by the three folde rising of the starres and going downe.
The Lorde deuided tymes, and did appoynt the day and night,
The chaunge of yeares and monthes and houres, both equall & vnright.
And set them signes of winter blacke, and of the chearfull spring,
Of burning Sommer, and the time that rypest fruites doth bring,
Of weather faire and fowle or stormes and tempestes that arise,
And tokens for the Mariner that on the water lyes,
And for the husbandman that in the ground his seede doth sow:
Hereto the Northren Pole doth serue, the beare and beareward slow,
The monstrous Waine of Charles, the Goate and little Riddes withal,
And Hyades that tempest showes, when as they rise or fall:
Orion eke that winter brings, with sworde and dreadfull face,
And vnderneath his feete the Hare, whom Syrian Curre doth chase,
And many other goodly starres, and pictures in the skie,
Besides the twelue familiar signes that in the Zodiake lie.
These ought our husband man to knowe, and throughly to pervse,
Bicause of holy scripture, and that oft they come in vse.
And least he should not vnderstand, the things that euen those
That rude and common people be, are able to disclose.

I suffer not the Chaldeyes here, ne yet the Arabians vayne,
Who thinke that euery thing is wrought, by force of starrie raigne,
And fearefull in their matters, wey what signe doth vpward spring,
Deuiding all the heauens great (a straunge and monstrous thing)
To houses twelue, and boldly than their figure vp they rere,
Assigning to the Lorde of birth, eche mans conditions here.
Than Planets plase, and marking how their fond asspects do runne,
The bussardes blinde doe streight wayes iudge what good or yll to come?
How short or long his life shall be, that than the mother beares,
What welth he shall obtaine, and how, and in what space of yeares,
What brethren, and what sisters, or what parents he shall haue,
What maisters, or what sicknesses, and when he goes to graue.
They likewise of his mariage iudge, what wife he shall obtaine,
And in what sort she shall be got, with pleasure, or with paine.
Then of his honestie they deeme, and his dishonest life,
What friendship he shall alwayes finde, what hatred, or what strife.
Besides, of signes they monstrous things and wonders doe declare,
Appoynting of the lineaments of man to eche his share,
Without the which they may not toucht, or euer mooued bee,
Whereon both death dependes they say, and life in their degree.
Then to the seauen wandring starres, they houses doe assigne
Perhaps for feare of banishment, when here or there they clime.
And which of them are hote or colde, or doe with moystnesse flow,
Which drie, or which are swift in course, or which in moouing slow,
Which blacke, or white, or yellow are, which greene or red doe shine,
Which of them of the womens sexe, or which are masculine.
These things they boldly do affirme, and with as sober grace,
As if they late from heauen came, and saw it face to face.
What should I tell how they prescribe an houre for euery thing?
And with their superstitions, feare on feeble heartes do bring?
They teach how that it is not good, this day or that to sow,
Nor for to trim the barraine fieldes, nor cut the woods that grow,
Nor for to plant or cut the vines, nor houses for to make,
Nor wane the little sucking childe, nor men to friendship take,
Nor for to cut or shaue the beard, nor for to dresse the handes,
Nor for to passe from place to place, nor visite other lande.
Nor for to beate the bushe for birde, nor baite the fishers hooke,
Nor for to chase the fearefull Hart, nor teach the childe his booke,
Nor for to take a wife, nor once at Cardes or Dice to play,
Nor for to keepe thy worde, nor thought, nor borowed things to pay,
Nor to dispute of any thing, nor take the lawe in hande,
Nor for to cut the bleeding vaine, nor seeke the healing hande,
To breake no yong vntamed horse, nor Geldings for to make,
To biue no iewels, nor no lande, nor any bargaine take:
To sende no postes nor messengers, to beare thy friend thy minde,
To cut no heare, nor poll the heade, nor send thy corne to grinde,
Not for to digge or deale with mines, nor houses faire to make,
Nor lately built to dwell therein, nor seruaunts for to take,
Nor battaile to begin, nor meete in fielde the furious fo,
Nor on the surging seas in Barke for any thing to go.
Who can remember all their toyes, a hell they here doe frame,
While nothing can be done, except the skies permit the same?
Such Prophetes blinde I doe not like, that in their foolishe traunce,
Perswade the common people fonde, that this or that shall chaunce:
In giuing all things to the starres, that none aliue can knowe,
Nor any reason nor experience perfitely can showe.
I giue them leaue that worldly are, such folly for to vse,
Wherewith themselues and other men, they fondly may abuse.
But for the other perfite is, and causes certaine bee,
That from the olde experience of the worlde deriude we see.

Next to this knowledge is the same, that first from prick doth spring,
And teacheth all the trade to meate and measure euery thing,
As Medowes, Pastures, Mountaynes great, and valleys large & wide,
And loftie stately towers, and starres that in the skies doe glide.
A worthie pleasant arte is this, for many matters meete,
Which needes our husbandman must ioine with other learnings sweete.

The dearest daughter of the Muses now who dare despise,
Or melodie that in the voyce, or in the finger lies?
The cares that doe consume the heart, doth Musicke driue away,
And comforteth the sad, and rayseth mindes that troubled lay,
Prouoketh teares, and mooueth vnto pittie now and than,
Which waies thou wilt doth Musicke draw the thought & mind of man.
It ceaseth anger great and fierce, and furie doth withstande,
And mooues againe the martiall heart, to take the sworde in hande,
By Musicke fowle and hurtfull spirites, are often ouerthrowne,
And good are brought, a thing full well to auncient Prophets knowne.
The force doth Musicke eft augment, and easie make the paine,
That workemen, shipmen, and the plowman doe full oft sustaine.
The childe by meanes of Musicke doth, in Cradell quiet lie,
And doth forget the mothers breast, and hunger by and bie,
The fierce Laconians when they were in battell bent to meete,
Terpander set them all agreed, by song and Musicke sweete.
Not men alone are mooude with sounde of sweete and pleasant note,
But also birdes and brutish beastes, and fishe in floodes that flote.
The loftie prauncing horse we see, in Musicke doth reioyce,
The vnweeldie Beare doth also leape to heare his maysters voyce.
Arion borne vpon the backe of Dolphyn swimming sure,
Doth shewe what force in Musicke is, and what it can procure.
Both mountaynes, woods, & hawtie rocks, as auncient men do wright,
Did follow Orphæus for his song, and wonderfull delight.
Amphion eke the sonne of Ioue, as stories doe declare,
With Harpe did cut the ragged stones, and brought them into square,
Wherewith he built the Thebane walles, and stately tower strong,
That wayde not all the Grecians force, nor enmyes sieges long.
Th'almightie father hath assignde, to euery minde a loue
Of Musicke sweete, and would the earth should show the workes aboue.
And counterfet them in hir kinde, as neare as here might bee,
That hyest and the chiefest things, with basest might agree.
For doubtlesse all the heauenly Spheares, that make so sweet a noyse,
With whirling vp and downe of starres, or else of angels voyce,
That doe in thousands serue the Lorde, doth to the earth let fall,
This sweete consent that mooues the minde, delightes and pleaseth all.
And as this same in sweetenesse farre eche other arte exceedes:
So ought it to be well applyde with good and godly deedes:
Not vnto wanton pleasure here, nor foolish vaine delight,
As men in madnesse oft doe vse, opprest with wicked spright.
With good example hath the sonne of Iesse taught vs so,
And Moyses with his shining face, and many Prophets mo.
As Paule inspirde with holy spirite, doth teach and will the same.
The Gentils all their prayers eke, in verse did chiefly frame,
And chaunted vp their Hymnes vnto their Gods in solemne plight,
Perswaded that their fayned Saintes in Musicke tooke delight.
Our husbandman therefore must not this worthie arte disdaine,
But with the chiefest seeke the top of Musicke to attaine.
Whereby he may extoll the Lord, and mooue the sluggish minde,
And what if that in making of a verse he pleasure finde?
And prooue a christian Poet good? the Prophets olde sometime
Were woont to write there workes in verse, and pleasantly to rime.
In verse Apollo aunswere gaue, Religion and good lawes,
Unto the common sort were taught, in verse and Poets sawes.
By Manto, Linus, Amphiaraus, Sibills, and Orphey eke,
The maiestie was alwayes great, in stately verse to speake.
With this the vertuous Poets learnd, did please and well entreate,
Both simple common people rude, and worthie princes greate.

Nowe tyme it is the nature straunge, and cause of things to know,
And whatsoeuer learned men, in Phisicks earst did show.
Although they are but laughing stockes, and dotars commonly,
And that you sooner may the North and South togither tye,
And ioyne vnto the brittish shore, the Persian dignitie,
Then for to cause their diuers mindes, in one for to agree.
Nor maruaile when without the light, that from the scriptures springs,
They rashly iudge of hed and ende, and order right of things.
As if a blinde man in the way would make himselfe a guide,
Or iudge of colours which were fairst, or which were better dide.
It shall not hurt thee much these things (though fond) in hand to take,
And lightly to pervse and see, for lyes doe often make
The truth to be esteemed more, and of more force to showe.
Both sweete it is, and I allow the cause of things to knowe.
But such as certaine are, and such as no man can denie,
Of knowledge certaine endes there are, and boundes appoynted lie.
The worde of God must beare the bell, and sway in euery thing,
And next to that such reasons good, as wise men here doe bring,
Must be esteemed as a troth.
Be circumspect in euery thing, if ought thou seekst to finde
Concerning heauen, world, and forme, of substance, or of kinde,
Or touching fortune, place, or hap, the elaments and time,
Of motion, thunder, winde and snow, raine, haile, or frostie rime.
Whereof it comes that pleasant dewes in Sommer wettes the spring,
Or what procures the lightning fierce, that pearceth euery thing.
What makes the fire oftentymes, in hellish clowdes to glow,
Or why the sunne in showre appearing, the rainbow streight doth show.
Why Moone with fogge is compast oft, or how the blasing starre
Appeares, that oft is signe to men, of famine, death, or warre:
Wherefore the earth doth tremble so, and Cities ouerturne,
And why that Phœbus oftentimes with threefolde face doth burne
Besides let him consider well, if that a good man may
Beleue the distance of the skies to be as they doe say.
If that the Moone so farre exceede the earth in quantitee,
Or if the starres so farre aboue the earth in bignesse bee,
Or if the Lord created more than two of greatest light,
Or any saue the Sunne that past the Moone in force and might.
Moreouer, land and seas pervse, and marke their natures plaine,
And all that in the earth or ayre, or in the seas remaine.

But for these straunge and forraine things, men ought not so to care,
As for our nearer neighbors much, that in vs dwelling are.
Unto our proper houses therefore, let vs come and see,
What wondrous things by natures handes in vs created bee,
How much we doe excell and passe, eche other worldly kinde,
Whose rulers and correctors here, the Lorde hath vs assignde.
What giftes of minde we doe enioy, and what of bodie here,
What vertuously of vs is wrought, and what doth lewde appere.
These things are first to be perusde, that we may perfitely,
Both knowe our selues, and eke the things that are to vs so nie.
Fond is it to be wise abrode, and onely for to see
The outwarde things, while as at home like bussards blind we bee.

But here me thinkes some lasie lowte should say to me. O how
Suppose you sir that meete it is your plowman first to know
These things, before he till his ground, and holy plow doe holde:
What say you to the Apostles than, and to the Prophets olde,
Where euer finde you that these men were learned in this sort:
Or who would credite him that any such thing would report.
Besides but few such plowmen could be got as you desire,
Whereas the haruest of the Lorde, doth numbers great require.
The time hath ben when men of god, without their bookes were taught,
And diuers sodainely by him, to state of Prophets brought.
So fishers and vnskilfull men, by force of holy spright,
He made the teachers of the world, and showes of perfite light.
Besides a number more of such, his mightie hand did frame,
Not for to breake dame Natures lawes, and alter quite the same,
But for to shewe his mightie force, and great prerogatiue,
And that he was not tyed to sleaue of any thing aliue.
We may not therefore giue our selues, to gape for wonders still,
But as the guise of men requires, we must conforme our will,
Till God do worke in other sorte, and other meanes doth giue.
In sterne and barren wildernesse the Iewes sometime did liue,
And neyther plowde, nor sowde, nor reapte, in fortie winters space:
And were not he starke madde that now would looke for such a grace,
And like an ydle lubber sit, and take no kinde of paine
With hande nor foote, for him or his a liuing for to gaine?
Or gape to haue the Rauens come, or widdow at his neede.
Who at the bidding of the Lorde, Helias once did feede.
The Riuer great of Iordan once, and eke the fearefull seas,
Through might of God, and all on foote, the Hebrues past with ease.
Now neede we when we passe these floods, both barke, and mast & saile,
And Tiphys eke to holde the helme, least on the seas we quaile,
Thus are we bound to learne whatsoeuer, on earth we knowe or see,
That may vnto the honour great of God and glorie bee.
Ne must they looke for ydlenesse, that will be husbandmen,
Least that the Lorde be tempted so, and iustly plague vs then,
For our contempt and slouthfulnesse, example here let bee,
The franticke Anabaptistes that in any place we see:
Who hating bookes and learned artes, doe count it vertue graue,
No skill in any language, saue their Countrie tongue to haue:
And leaping lately from the shop of Shoomakers, or such,
Are not ashamde the Preachers place with greasie handes to tuch,
Still boasting of the holy ghost, and so with passing pride,
They hedlong throwe themselues to hell, and numbers great beside,
By teaching false and foolish things, the Prophets eke deuine,
Good Moyses first in Pharaos house, applyde the Muses nine,
Before he taught the worde of God, or traynde the Iewish hartes,
And Daniel did refuse the Chaldeans meate, but not their artes.
Paule of a learned Doctor in Ierusalem was tought,
And not alonely in the scriptures to excell was thought,
But in the Grecian eloquence, and sciences prophane,
Wherein to be exactly learnde, he alwayes had the name.
With which he better armed, put the Gentiles soone to flight,
And with these weapons of their owne, he ouerthrew them quight.
At Athens with Aratus wordes, he gaue them all the foyle,
And brought agaynst the Creteans witnesse of their natiue soyle.
A man that hedlong threw himselfe in Etnaes raging flame,
Amongst the people for to gaine an euerlasting fame.
What good and honest is among these artes, they well may chuse,
And make them for to serue their turne, that vertuously them vse.
The Egyptians once were robbed of goodes, and spoyled vtterly,
To increase the treasure of the Lorde, and his to bewtifie.
The Gentiles fayth and life we onely are forbidden here,
And not their worthie sciences and springes of learning clere,
So that we put them to good vse, and profite any wayes,
Applying them with all our force vnto th'almighties prayse.
Our sauiour Christ commended eke, the Scribe that well was tought,
Resembling him vnto the rich, who from his treasure brought,
Things olde and newe aboundantly. Yea glory doth remaine
At home for learned men that do in godlinesse take paine.
As that most learned Prophet song, and plainely did declare,
He whom the cruell Lions in their dreadfull denne did spare,
Rude rusticall vnskilfulnesse deserues no prayse at all,
But lothsome is in him to whom the sacred plow shall fall.
Who doth allow the laysie lobbe? where is not slouth vnmeete?
The hony gathering Bees are praysde, bicause in springtime sweete,
With dayly labour great they make the wholsome honie good.
The little Ant doth frame his house with trauaile in the wood,
And on his backe a greater burthen than himselfe doth lay,
And thrusteth vp his corne in caue agaynst the winter day.
Why should not likewise in our husbandmen such care appere,
In those whom God appoynted hath the worldes correctors here?
No loytring leysure here was left, but businesse to be done,
Which faythfull seruaunts should applie vntill their maister come.
That fewe such seruaunts at this time in any countrie bee,
Who doth not know? and eke the cause I thinke eche man doth see.
Some seeke their owne commoditie, and belly well to fill,
And some in fieldes of ydlenesse, doe loue to lynger still.
But seldome any man t'aduaunce the prayse of Christ desires,
Nor weyes what labours great and toyle, the heart of man requires.
Therefore the fieldes doe barraine lie, and brambles thicke doth bring,
And Cockle fowle abundantly, in euery place doth spring.
The tender sheepe dispersed are, and faint and sicke they bee,
And feede vpon the poysoned plantes that in the Marsh they see.
Yet none vouchsafes for to redresse this miserable case,
Thou wouldest suppose that all had sworne togither now in place.
The deuill and the raging worlde, and princes of estate,
And all the shauen plowmen here, that euermore doe prate,
And talke of Christ and boast themselues to be his seruaunts true,
That blinded mindes of men might not with wholsome tillage due,
Be brought vnto a blessed state, nor perfite seedes be sowne,
And gratefull haruest vnto God, with great aduauntage mowne.
What wages to these seruaunts lewde and deulish kingdome here
Shall God assigne, when on his iudgement seate he shall appere?
With pacience let them looke for that, and beare their owne contempt,
We mindefull of our matter here, will better things attempt.

Now must our husband frame himselfe a vertuous man to bee.
That both his teaching and his life, may iustly here agree,
Least teaching others, he himselfe doth misse the perfite way,
And bring the worde to bide reproche, and building to decay.
Aboue all things he must beware of pride and loftie minde,
The perfite following here of Christ, who liued in lowest kinde,
(Who must be their assured marke) doth not allow the same
In christen men, and eke aboue the rest, it is a shame
For any seruant to presume aboue his maisters gree,
And for to chalenge princely state, and worldly soueraintee.
Where Christ the Lord with bloudie sweate, & face with spittle stainde,
And blowes, and mockes and boare his crosse, and cruell death sustainde.
Who hateth not Nestorius voyce, and wordes deseruing blame?
Or pride of Paule, the Bishop once of Antioche; the same
That cleare Orontes passeth by? who doth not here repine,
To see the christian husbandman, the steps of Maximine
The prowde to treade, and both his handes, and stinking wretched feete
To let be kist, and borne on backs of men with pompe vnmeete,
Beset about with precious stones, all clad in rich aray,
Like Persean prince or Emprour great that beares in Inde the sway.
Let kings pursue such pompe and pride, and our poore husbandman,
Content himselfe with meane estate, not looking hier than
Confessing not alone himselfe a seruaunt here in name,
But both in countnance, weede, and voyce, and life, declare the same.
Directing all the order of his life by Christ alone,
And making him the marke of sauing health, and others none,
There is no cause why man should swell with pride, or such disdaine,
For noble bloud, or welthie state, or shape of bodie vaine,
Or troupe of men, or learned show, or titles gotten graue,
Or any other kinde of thing. (For what is all we haue?)
Since that we were created here, with all that in vs lyes,
Eche one to be an others helpe, which if we doe dispise,
And looke aloft with hautie minde, and thinke to beare a sway,
The greatest giftes that here we haue will turne to our decay.
Beside the seruant of the Lorde must not inflamed bee,
With wrath, or yre, nor frowning looke, as beastes that oft we see,
With hurtfull hornes do runne vpon such as do come in sight,
And threaten with their countnance fierce, continually to fight.
Let gentle mindes be shrowded still, with milde and comely cheere,
And in the seruant of the Lorde, Christes Image plaine appeere:
Least that before he gin to speake or clime the Pulpet hie,
The people streight suspecting harme, for feare away doe flie.
And let him learne both wordes and deedes to suffer paciently,
Contemning diuers things, and most esteeming not a flie.
A noble heart in bodie beare, not mooude with easie winde
And take good heede he neuer speake no wordes of wrathfull kinde.
Forbearing grinding with his teeth, and frowning with his face,
And most of all from skirmishing with hande or fist in place.
Such anger doth not well agree, that he shall eft dispise,
And thinke vnmeete for common people rude to exercise.
Who can abide Amphitrions sonne, on O[illeg.]ta for to see,
Or viewe the face of Aiax fierce, while in his furie hee
Destroyes the poore vnguiltie beastes Vlysses for to kill?
Who will not shunne the companie and friendship all to yll
Of mad Eurilochus, while as he doth pursue in chase
His man, with spit and meate in hande vnto the Market place?
Who can delight in Commodus, that in his raging yre,
For trifles cast the maister of his bathes into the fyre?
Or who doth not Comedes his wicked act detest,
That Samson like in furious rage, a schoole of boyes opprest?
Let rage and wrath be driuen hence, nor let him euer speake
With bitter wordes to any man, his malice for to wreake,
Nor coole his minde with Stygian streame, nor any man defame,
In euery matter let him learne to keepe his tongue in frame.
And talke of pleasant things and good, not prating much the while,
The chattring tongue is lothsome still, and foolish speach is vile,
And full of lyes is alwayes scornde. To rule the tongue aright
Is acceptable vnto God, and vnto euery Wight.

These things as meetest to be kept of plowmen all we thought,
And more beside (my gracious Lordes) yt they be chiefly taught
To shunne all greedie auarice, and fowle desire of gaine,
A thing that alwayes cōmonly amongst these men doth raigne:
And therefore are they oft reprooude at common peoples handes.
This is the worst they teach men to dispise both goodes and landes
And euery other fading thing, and worldly vaine delight,
And onely for to set their mindes vpon the heauens bright.
For when aboue the rest they seeke, for riches gredilie,
What doe they else but plaine confesse, and truely testifie,
That to no other ende their paynes, in teaching this they take,
Than for to scrape vnto themselues that other men forsake?
As in Vicenza sometime did a carefull Usurer,
(The storie is not very long) it chaunst this man to heare,
That in the towne a learned man of eloquence profounde,
Did preach in euery place abrode where Usurie was founde,
Condemning much the vse thereof, and eke the filthie gaine.
To him he comes and greetes him well, and thankes him for his paine,
And prayse him much for to proceede, in blaming of this vice,
And to disswade the Citizens from filthie auarice.
Declaring eke the greatnesse of the sinne and wretched state,
And how that God aboue all other vices this doth hate:
What torments they shall haue in hell, when as the world doth ende.
And howe they shall be punished that so their money lende.
Thus while with tedious talke he doth molest the aged man,
Rehearsing oftentymes the wordes that he before began:
What mooueth thee, quoth he, for to desire this thing so much,
Since thou thy selfe art one of those that it doth chiefly tuch.
Forsooth quoth he, for nothing else, but when they all were gone
Through your disswasion good, I might receyue this gaine alone.
That now am pestred with the prease, and pinched with my shewes.
None otherwise (their deedes report) these plowmen all doe vse,
Whom well thou mayst perceyue to mocke, and with the world to play,
For earthly things they still doe teach, to leaue and cast away.
And for to set the whole delight vpon the heauens hie:
While as themselues the things aboue esteeming not a flie.
But leauing farre behinde their backes, with all their force and might
Do hunt for earthly riches here, and foolish fonde delight.
And looke what people, Princes, Dukes, and mightie Monarches bigge
Haue throwne away, they chest it vp, and giue them all the figge.
And yet no ende of gayning here deuises fine they haue,
To spoyle as well the liuing here, as those that lie in graue.
O God forbid our husbandman, should labour in this plight,
And teach the people one thing here, and doe contrarie quight.
Nor let him be addicted thus to lucre and to gaine,
Nor for to set his heart and minde on wicked treasures vaine.
Let him content himselfe to live in slender simple gree.
That must a Captaine keepe the field where bloudie battailes bee.
The simple man whose purse is light, dare boldely meete his fo,
Whereas the riche man feareth from his riches for to go,
To put his life in ieopardie that now so well is sped,
Who for to lead a pleasant life and voyde of care and dred.
Esteemes nothing that doth belong to God nor honestie,
Comparing gaine what kinde of thing doe we more common see?
Who knoweth not that Pluto hath bene alwayes counted heare,
Of Poets blinded of his sight, and full of fainting feare?
Who so hath any thing to lose, and doth it much esteeme,
Dare not controll the hie estates or such as mightie seeme,
Nor warne the great man of his fault, that runneth here awrie,
Nor teach him how to doe to God his dutie faythfullie.
Where as so many Princes dote, and sinfull crimes commit,
Regarding neyther Gods decrees nor lawes of man a whit:
And such great store of husbandmen vpon their Courts attend,
How chaunceth it that none of them doe mooue them to amend,
Or tell them that they doe amisse? but rather flatter still,
Or passe their time with silence dumme, not speaking good nor yll?
Assuredly the hope of Golde, and pleasant princely fare,
And loue of men constrayneth them hereof to haue no care.
Our husbandman must here dispise both riches, worlde, and strife,
And neyther weigh the Princes wrath, nor hazarde of his life.
Of Iesus still respecting most, the honor and the welth,
His owne estate and office greate, and peoples sauing helth.
If that the common people rude through couetous desire,
Runne hedlong in the deuils chaines to euerlasting fire.
What goulfe of torments doth remaine for learned men that preach,
And most of all for welth and graine, with greedie hande doe reache?
The learned bent to any vice in madnesse doth exceede,
And runne with greater sway and swing to euery wicked deede,
Their folly eke appeareth most when as they doe offende,
And vnto hell with swiftest pace themselues they alwayes sende.
Example of this wretched crime, and of the vengeaunce dewe
Doth Iudas giue that hung himselfe, and eke the king that slewe
Yong Polidor for money sake: a lyke example meete
Is he that once was hoyst aloft, and hanged by the feete,
Whose hed was downewarde thrust by force into Pactolus great,
Bethsaydas brood with fearefull wordes, doth Simon Magus threat,
Desirous for to buy with golde the giftes from heauen sent,
Whereby he might be sooner riche, who after Sathan went.
Let loue of Golde therefore be shunde, and greedie thirst of gaine,
Least Plowmen bring themselues and others, both to endlesse paine.
Besides let lust and daintinesse be clearely cast away,
With fowle excesse of meate and drinke, and Persian prowde aray:
Which things who seekes for to maintaine, no liuing great must lacke,
Offendeth aye the people much, and keepes the Gospell backe.
Let dronkennesse be farre from hence, and loue of pleasant wines,
Which both decay the force and witte, and vnto vice inclines.
Nor let them oft the Tables vse of great and welthie men,
Least they through daintie fare be thought to fawne and flatter them,
And to betray the precious truth, for oft it haps thereby,
Their mouthes stopt vp they dare not speake the truth vnfaynedly.
But as I would our husbandman, these foresayde faults should shunne,
So will I not aduise that he to vice contrary runne.
Ne prayse I life in ryot spent, nor like I slouens guise,
Nor sauage life with vesture fonde in most vnseemely wise.
Such as abide the voyce of such as them haue well aduisde,
Like Demea rude, or Timon, he that all the worlde despisde.
I like not daintie Aristip, nor beastly Cinicks sort,
Nor tables of the Sybarits, nor yet king Porus port.
As prowde is he that feedes on rootes, and goth but poorely clad,
And oftentymes as much desires in honor to be had,
As Persian Prince arayde with golde, and glistring in the eie,
Or yet Lucullus vsing still to fare so daintilie.
All superstition hatefull is, excesse deserueth blame,
If any way to much thou doest thy minde and fancie frame.
Democritus I doe condemne, nor Crassus doe I prayse,
Let measure be obserude and kept in euery thing alwayes.
With meane contented keepe thy selfe, and therein most delight,
For vertue placed there doth lye, as Homer well doth wright.

A haynous cryme by publicke fame hath toucht mine cares of late,
A piteous thing for to beholde, and miserable state.
Whersoeuer the worthie name of Christ hath bene reputed hie,
There whoremongers in euery place, and harlets swarming lie:
Aduoutryes fowle and shamefull actes, doe rage in euery place,
In tauernes, hie wayes, streetes, and eke amid the Market place:
Whereof good christian people should not once declare the name,
Much lesse abide or haunt the thing, allowing well the same.
Nor onely on the people doth this sinke of mischiefes light,
Who scarcely knowe the will of God, nor how to serue him right:
But chiefly on their guides, and on the husbandmen profest,
Who know the Lords commaundments well, and brag aboue the rest,
In things belonging vnto God, in all dominions wide,
Most skill to haue and terme themselues the maisters chiefe beside.
O shame with tongue not to be toucht, and fowle iniquitee,
Beholde thy husbandmen, O Christ (if that it lawfull bee,
To call them thine that nowe doe folde, and roll themselues within
Thy sacred name as lothsome Apes in princely Lions skin.)
Aufidius maners vse, and in Sardanapalus guise,
Doe leade their life, and alwayes passe their time in pleasure so,
As Chratis did, Semiramis, and Xerxes long a go,
As men that neuer trayned were, nor fostred in thy lawe,
Or knewe thy dreadfull worde deuine, or stoode thereof in awe.
Or brought vp in the bosome of thy chaste and sacred folde,
But in the Capræan Iles whereas Tiberius built his holde,
Where from their tender youth they vse to drinke and reade the while
The bawdie booke of Sotades, and Eelephantis vile.
What country is there in the world, where Christ his name is knowne,
And Popish lawes by tyranny hath earst bene euer sowne?
What Colledges can you report, what Cities great of name,
What villages in Christendome, or townes of any fame?
Wherein the husbandmen themselues from harlots do refraine,
Where as no great examples fowle of filthie lust remaine?
That scape with lesser punishment, and easlier delt withall,
Than those that breake a light decree in lawe or statute small.
The hyer sort abuse themselues, and liue so voyde of shame,
That iustly can they not controll the meaner for the same.
And dare such beastes the blessed worde of God to others breake?
And both in bodie and soule defilde, of holy scripture speake?
May such disguised wretches full of vice and sinfull crime,
To any man presume to giue the sacraments deuine?
Who could Autolycus or else his crasie father beare,
Or Cacus, or Voranus, if they should them plainly heare,
Disswading men from frawde and theft? who would not all to breake
Both Pulpet and the Tables quite, in hearing Caine to speake,
And to entreate of brothers loue? or else to chastest trade
Of life, to heare the mother of Orestes mad perswade?
Aristo, or Pasiphae, of shamefastnesse to tell?
Or weryed with the vse of men, yet not contented well.
The wife of Cæsar great that past in order last of all,
The shamelesse threshold of the stewes, and hatefull harlots hall?
Farre of from hence you godly men, depart and go in hast,
Among the seruaunts of the Lorde, go seeke for maners chast:
Whom pure religion best becomes, the giftes of God deuine,
Receyue not at such filthie handes, nor of such beastly swine:
More wholesome is the streame by much that from the fountaine cleare
Doth runne, than that which durtie standes in lake defiled heare.
The Lorde himselfe cannot abide yll men to handle heare,
His holy worde, who once forbad the deuill witnesse cleare.
The like did Paule, who of hir tale the Prophetesse did breake,
And would not suffer Phœbus Mayde the certaine truth to speake.
Looke you likewise you suffer not such plowmen as you know,
With any open filthinesse, or wicked vice to flow.
The swine can neuer wholsomely of holy matters speake,
No more than can the Lapwing lewde with fowle and durtie beake.
Here therefore let our plowmen learne to liue in chastitie,
And to restraine the raging force that in his flesh doth lie,
For Gospels sake, least from the same he driue men quite away
With filthie life, and from the loue of Christ him selfe doe stray.
And vnderneath the dreadfull waues of worldly pleasures runne,
From whence he neuer can escape, what neede soeuer come.
But if he cannot leade his life in perfite chastitie,
But feeles himselfe a subiect still to fleshly frailtie,
And flameth euermore with lust: then let him take the holde
Of mariage as a remedie, that scriptures haue him tolde,
And chastly therein leade his life among the vertuous crue,
This libertie doth God alow, and men haue thought it due.
No fault it is t'obay the order of the holy spright,
But rather reason good, and most according vnto right.

Thus all things well prepared thus, that hereto needefull bee,
Instructed eke in euery arte and learned qualitee,
With good conditions furnished, in minde and bodie cleene,
For filthinesse must banisht be, when scriptures must be seene:
Then vnto this let him applie his witte with all his might,
To finde the chiefest seede to sowe, by which in better plight
Himselfe also may dayly wax. Canst thou not truly tell,
What Garner for to seeke for this, or in what secrete Cell?
What fields to ouerlooke, whereas the knowledge doth remaine,
Of Christ, and vertuous life, without which all things else are vaine?
Giue care vnto the maister great, discending downe from hie,
He willes vs for to search, what doth in holy scriptures lie.
The volumes fiue of Moyses, and the Prophetes all beside,
In them to heare the tongue and voyce of him that all doth guide:
And for to learne what thing is good, and meete for vertuous men,
And eke what things are yll and nought, and to be shoonde of them.
So that we neuer neede the ayde of deuils here to craue,
Or heathens helpe, or for to call the sprite from stinking graue.
Tis sure these Prophets neuer did their owne deuises teach,
Nor mens decrees, but euermore the worde of God did preach.
Hereby appeares howe much we ought their writings for to wey,
What credite eke we ought to giue vnto their wordes alway,
That God by them doth vtter here, who dare his name dispise,
Or yet his worde, by whome is rulde eche thing in earth or skies?

First therefore let vs here perswade our selues assuredlie,
Who thinke with God to liue and dwell, aboue the heauens hie:
That God will haue vs to esteeme, whatsoeuer the Prophetes olde,
Inspired with the holy ghost, in auncient time foretolde:
As if himselfe with sacred voyce the wordes pronounced had,
Long time agone by Aungels mouth, he spake to good and bad,
And many things himselfe declarde in that most happie tide,
When as the worlde was not so yll, and he but fewe did guide.
Before that Amrams sonne was borne, while as the Hebrues all,
Were sore oppressed in the lande where Nilus floud doth fall.
But when they were deliuered thence, then Moyses streight did write,
His volumes fiue the Prophets eke put out their workes to light,
That of the worde of God, the sonnes might euermore remaine,
And men no lenger looke to heare the voyce from starry raigne.
Nor can the eares of man abide the speach of God to heare,
As once the Hebrues made afrayde, good witnesse well may beare.
Therefore he mortall doctors vnto mortall men did sende,
As Moyses, Aaron, and such men as euer did attende
About the seruice of the Lorde, and Moyses now in graue,
They read the people still the lawe, and laboured them to saue,
As Prophets, priestes, & Leuits eke, who preacht and alwayes taught,
For to beware of wicked things, and to eschue the naught.
And to conceyue assured hope in Christ the promised seede,
Whereby the hearts might healed be, which griefe had causde to bleede.
This was the Prophets office than, and this their order iust,
When Moyses here had yeelded vp his carkasse vnto dust.
Whose wrytings through the gift of God doe hitherto remaine,
The very doctrine of the holy ghost appearing plaine.
We must not weigh them as the worke of mortall men that die,
But take them as the bookes of God, sent downe from heauens hie.
In like sort must the Gospell here of good men honorde bee,
For both with all the Prophets olde it iustly doth agree,
And with the dreadfull voyce of God, it hath confirmed beene,
Nor any thing repugnant here, may any where be seene.
Therefore the Church did iustly giue the chiefe authoritie,
Unto the holy bookes that in the Bible written lie:
Commaunding that they neuer be abusde by any wight,
But to remaine for euermore in good and perfite plight.
As knowing well hir husbandes voyce, the ender here of strife,
And these the certaine instruments of euerlasting life.

Beside we must esteeme them more than all the Sibylles heare,
Or all the Oken groues that earst to Ioue were counted deare,
And thinke that vnto men these bookes sufficient light doth giue,
Whereby they well may know the will of God, and how to liue.
So that we profite much herein, in knowing that we neede,
Not ransacke other volumes great of fayth or hope to reede.
For miserablie doth he toyle, and tosse his troubled minde,
That seekes his pleasure where it doth not lie, or else is blinde.
Whosoeuer of pure and perfite golde, hath founde the fruitfull vaine,
By which he may to Pelops welth, or Cræsus state attaine,
And passe the Arabians riches here, and Hermus sandes that shines
Will hardly hence be had away to digge in emptie mines,
And vainely pecke in euery rocke, whereas no golde doth lie,
Where trauaile great must be indurde, and nothing got therebie.
To these therefore let husbandmen their mindes and studie giue,
Here shall they finde what needefull is to teach them how to liue.
No neede is here to vexe the minde with turning many bookes,
Nor for to gaze on barraine fielde, with vaine and ydle lookes.
Here of the euerlasting worde, the knowledge full doth lie,
That sonne of God, and Iesus whome the worlde is saued bie:
The knowing of whom alonely, brings vs to euerlasting blysse
And reconciles vs to the father, where we did amysse,
And makes vs heyres of heauen bright, this is the treasure which
Lay hidden in the ground so deepe, and Iewell passing rich,
For which all worldly substance great is well bestowed here:
Looke where thou list thou shalt not finde it any other where.
Leaue searching of the Cesterns, and the Fennes and filthie soyles,
And stinking pondes, when as at home the fountaine freshly boyles.
Here draw of cleare & Cristall streames, here mayst thou drink thy fill,
If thirst of euerlasting life, and vertue mooue thy will:
Giue all thy force and minde hereto, and all thy wittes applie.

Moreouer this perswasion doth great profite herein bring,
When in the scriptures plaine appeares, Gods will in euery thing.
What honor we must giue to him, what worship him delightes,
What maners and what wayes are meete to frame the life arightes.
Least superstition in our mindes, or wicked error spring,
And least we preach and blase abrode, some lewde and hurtfull thing.
As if the things sufficed not that God himselfe hath tought,
Or that we thinke by our deuice might better things be wrought.
Who so beleeues that God hath hid no vertue here nor right,
Contents himselfe, and doth obey the worde with all his might,
And faynes not any thing himselfe, nor followes fancie vaine,
Nor any gloses blinde of men, nor dreames of ydle braine.
As most men commonly doe vse, this madnesse vereth sore,
And is a plague that all the worlde doth trouble euermore.
Without the worde of God eche foole dare frame himselfe away,
Procuring eke companions to runne with him astray:
Whom at the first he doth perswade, and after doth constraine
T'obay his folly as a God that ouer all doth raigne.
Let not our husbandman be staynde with such vntowarde minde,
But know the waight of scriptures well, where he may easily finde
What best is to be done or left, least that he wander wide,
Obaying more the voyce of man, than his that all doth guide.

Thus boldned let him duely reade the scriptures euermore,
From top to toe, and oft reherse that he hath read before,
And print it deepely in his minde, layde vp in safetie there,
None otherwise than golde or pearles, or such like precious gere.
From whence he largely may disburse to men as cause requires,
The maner how to please the Lorde, and leaue their fonde desires.
And if perhaps he vnderstand not all things perfitely,
Or reade some things that doe declare a great simplicitie:
Let him beware that tediousnesse, nor lothsomnesse him take,
And force him so the sacred worde of God for to forsake.
In prophane wryters many things at first doe not appeare,
But hidden lie, and doe deceyue the readers looking neare.
No maruell then if that the holy ghost declare not all
In easie phrase, but sometime teach with senses mysticall.
Accept the plaine and easie wordes, and those that from thee flie,
With haste pursue and drawe them from the darknesse where they lie:
He blessed is that profiteth both with the hard and plaine,
And is not feared with the tone, nor countes the other vaine,
But markes the order and the guise of Gods most holy spright,
And beares with that in euery case, and takes his meaning right.

First shall he knowe the causes true, and father of eche thing,
From whose commaundment, and whose worde all kind of things doe spring.
Created of no substance here, the stately framed skies,
The breathing ayre, and weightie earth that in the middle lies.
The monstrous waues of raging seas that here and there doe slowe,
And what in sixe dayes worke was wrought for garnishing or showe.
The wondrous sort of creatures straunge, in ayre, in seas, or landes,
That haue bene made, committed to the powre of Adams handes.

By this he also well shall learne, that in the worlde there is,
But one all onely Lorde and king, whose powre almightie is,
Who doth of persons three consist, coequall in degree,
In nature, Godhed, powre, and euerlasting dignitee,
Who doth regarde the deedes and actes, that here on earth are done,
And suffers nothing in the worlde, at random here to runne:
But holdes the helme of all himselfe, and sterne doth onely guide,
Though diuers Ministers he hath for euery thing beside.

He well shall also vnderstande, the great affection deare,
That God doth alwayes beare to man, who made his subiectes heare,
Both birdes, and beastes, and skalie fishe that in the seas doe swim,
And gaue him from the skies a minde that most resembled him:
Nor left him when he wickedly vpon the fiende did waight,
But threatning Sathan and his traine, to mercie tooke him straight.

Moreouer he shall learne from whence the spring of death and sinne,
And wretched ignorance of truth, did in the worlde beginne:
And what great force of ours remaynes to deale in vertuous deedes:
And whence the safe assured hope of righteousnesse proceedes,
And whence remission of our sinnes. Besides he plaine shall see,
Examples store of Gods great wrath, for such as wicked bee;
And eke againe the mercy great of God omnipotent,
Towards them that vertuous are, and such as earnestly repent.

There plainely also shall he see, what things the law doth tell,
How it condemneth euery man, and driueth downe to hell:
That sinne deserueth dreadfull death, and eke the certaine way,
To please the euerlasting Lorde, and him for to obay.
Moreouer that there are good sprites, and aungels faire aboue,
Sent out from God for mans defence, and for their great behoue,
As vnto them the wicked sprites are deadly enimies.
There shall he learne, that soule of man with bodie neuer dies,
Nor that the bodie euermore shall kepe the stinking graue,
But sound and safe at th'ende of the worlde, their olde estate shall haue,
And come to euerlasting life, where of the Iudge seuere,
The fearefull sentence shall they see, and righteous iudgement here.
There shall the wicked sort receyue theyr iust deserued hire,
Cast downe into the smokie pitte of dreadfull flaming fire.
The good exalted to the ioyes of heauen shining bright,
Shall see the face of God, and liue in passing great delight.
And more he well shall vnderstande, the will of God aboue,
What honor here he best esteemes, and what he most doth loue,
What orders he accepteth here, what dutie eke we owe
Unto the Magistrate, the whole estate of mariage shall he knowe.
But of this worthie treasure-great, why call I all to minde?
As if I would the surges tell of seas in raging winde:
Or number all the glistring starres that in the skies appeare,
And cast abrode their golden beames when as the night is cleare:
Or tell howe many thousand leaues in woodie groues doe lie,
While as in Autumne Saturne throwes his frostie flakes from hie:
Or count the number of the eares that through the worlde are seene,
While as approching Harnest neere, the corne forsakes his greene.
There shall he finde whatsoeuer doth to husbandmen belong,
Wherewith to ouerthrow the foe, and to instruct the yong:
Therefore let him at first the bookes of Moyses well applie,
And all the other Prophetes else in order heedilie,
And from the fountaynes draw the worde, and fetch it from the spring,
That perfitely he know the minde of God in euery thing,
But chiefly in the scriptures written by the holy ghost,
These two, the law, and Gospell, let him alwayes thinke on most.
Discerning well betwixt them both, what doth to eche belong,
The propertie of euery one, their force and vertue strong.
Least that he hap to deale therein as most men doe this day,
To make them both agree in one, that differ farre away.
The lawe destroyes, condemnes, & worketh wrath and vengeance due.
And showth vs what we ought to doe, and what we must eschue,
Augmenteth sinne, and driues men downe into the pit of hell,
That doe not heare in euery poynt obserue and keepe it well.
On the other side the Gospell doth bring euerlasting life,
And doth appease the wrath of God for sinne, and ceaseth strife,
And thorow Christ forgiueth all that hath bene done amisse,
And drawth vs from the depth of hell, and placeth vs in blisse.
In giuing ioyes that neuer endes: ne shewes how we should liue,
So much as it the deedes of Christ to vs doth wholy giue,
And maketh righteous euery one, and doth our sinnes deface,
Restoring vnto sauing health, all such as seekes his grace.
Lo here thou seest a diffrence great, that will no vnitee,
No more than fowle deformed death, with life will here agree.
Therefore herein our husbandman must seuer them aright,
Not mingling them togither thus, as iust in egall plight,
Not making Moyses here of Christ, or olde Licurgus sowre,
Nor yet ascribing that to Christ, that longs to Moyses powre.
Let eche of them their office keepe, their time, and eke their place,
Sometime t'is meete the stonie hearts with deadly lawe to chase:
And to declare the dreadfull plagues, that no excuse remaine,
To wretched men that all their life in wickednesse doe traine.
A time againe when meete it is of nothing else to speake,
But graciousnesse, and to relieue and comfort vp the weake,
With sweetenesse great of Iesus milde, both necke and hands vnbound,
From dolefull chaynes of miserie, that weyes them to the ground.
What can be worse than for to kill such as deserue to liue,
And vnto such as death deserue, eternall life to giue?
Which thing doth alwayes come to passe when all things are not well
Discerned as they ought to be, and as I earst did tell.
And though the face of Moyses, and our Sauiours countnance bright,
Must both be bare and open showde, and furnisht out with light,
Yet most of all we ought the name of Christ to magnifie,
And seeke t'advaunce aboue the rest, his prayse and dignitie.
For he of euery other thing is finall ende and summe,
And all things both in heauen and earth, by meanes of him are donne,
And euery thing committed here vnto his holy hande,
Wherein both health and righteousnesse, and death, and life doth stande,
With sauour, grace, and punishment, and whatsoeuer doth lie,
Created heare vpon the earth, or in the heauens hie.
He is the soueraigne king and guide of chosen people pure,
The happie priest, chiefe head and Lorde, and Sanctuarie sure:
The stedfast stone to cleaue vnto, and strongest towre of might,
The glorious Bridegrome, garnished most bewtifull in sight,
That with his owne most precious bloud, did washe and purifie
His spouse from euery spot and staine that might offend the eie.
The onely shepheard, bread, and light, and chiefest maister here:
In fine, the large and welthie horne, where all things doth appere.
Him from the first beginning, God did promise for to giue,
To Adam and his children all, that after him should liue,
A gift that well should pacifie, his iust conceyued yre,
And eke redeeme the dammed soules, from neuer ceassing fyre:
Thus taught the holy ghost abrode, and Moyses did the same,
And all the Prophets after him did blase abrode his fame.
The Apostles bande did preach and teach him all the world throughout,
With trauaile and with labour great. And eke the Lawyer stout,
That was sometime his enimie, confessed openlie,
That nothing here he sought to knowe, saue Iesus that did die
Upon the crosse for mans offence, who at that present time,
Was made our wisedome, righteousnesse, and purger of our crime.
And not by will or force of man, but by th'almighties law.
Why seekst thou here to knowe the cause? the rest not worth a straw,
(Respecting this) thou mayst account but all as darknesse blinde,
And fonde ymaginations, and fancies of the minde,
The perfite way that leades to hell, which here with labor great.
The foolish worlde doth blase abrode, while as it doth intreat,
Of lawes, religion, offices, yea though they taken bee,
From Gods most holy worde, or more from worldly fantasee.
They all are vaine and of no force, except we hereto ioyne
The knowledge pure of Iesus Christ, and maiestie deuine.
The Iewes although the Bible still they gaze and looke vpon,
And honor great do giue vnto the Prophets euery one,
Whose foming lips with boasting of the law the people feedes,
And glorie in such Cartlodes here of good and vertuous deedes,
Yet blinde they still remaine, shut out from euerlasting light,
In darkenesse groping all about, doe runne to hell aright.
What profites bookes or Moyses nowe, or yet the Prophets all,
When as thou dost not vnderstand the chiefe and generall?
Both many & worthie words likewise, from Turkish mouth proceedes,
Of God, his worship, prayers, and good workes, and almose deedes:
And in the sobernesse of life, they farre doe vs excell,
They fast, and keepe their bodyes euer pure, and cleane, and well,
And oft a pilgrimage they runne, with paynes and great expence,
From Saint to Saint to visite shrines, with wondrous reuerence.
But all not worth a strawe. For if that God be angrie still,
And neyther heare their prayers, nor to their vowes he hearken will.
For if he all extreemely hate, and can away with none,
That put not all their confidence in Iesus Christ alone,
As holy scriptures testifie, and teach in euery place:
What profites all this trauaile vaine, or labor voyde of grace?
Like vanitie a great while nowe hath vext the christian sort,
With ignorance of Christ, whose name they onely could report.
The merits of good workes and prayers, mens eares did alwayes fill,
Of vaine and foolish cerimonies, their Pulpets thundred still.
And in the meane time as the Turkes, with name of Christ they play,
Not teaching all our confidence and trust on him to lay.
And thus no good foundation of their doyngs doth remaine:
But as the daughters of Danaus, they labourde all in vaine,
And tooke their trauaile to no ende, with weake and wearie hande,
But tilde vpon the barraine earth, and sowde vpon the sande.
Not that they lacke the worde of God, which likewise had the Iewes:
But that it lay neglected still, and slept in deske and Pewes,
With dust and Cobwebs all to rayde, in fowle and filthie plight:
Whereon if any man by chaunce did happen for to light,
And otherwise than custome was, on leaues a fewe to looke,
As vsde it was in Churches oft, to chaunt vpon the booke.
He sought not here for Christ, nor how to finde the way to skies,
(For that was thought but childishnesse, and plaine to all mens eies,)
But sought for other kinde of things, though worthie sure of prayse,
As for to leade a vertuous life, and to direct his wayes.
Some others vsde to mumble vp the matter speedily,
And with the swiftnesse of their tongue did labor busily.
Regarding neyther sense nor wordes, to whome it seemde a hell,
For to bestow a little time in reading scriptures well.
Hereof sprang vp the blindnesse great, that dazde the people sore,
And well deseruing did oppresse their husbandmen the more.
The knowledge eke of Christ lay hid, that bringeth righteousnesse,
And causeth vs the blessed reigne of heauen to possesse,
Thus warnde by Christes example, and the daunger that may fall,
Our husband man must follow Iesus Christ before them all:
That for the people and himselfe, by this he may prouide,
Least that he stumble at a straw, and mountaynes ouerstride,
And wonder at the village small, and stately towne despise,
And at the entrance misse the house of God before his eies:
Which doth declare a bussard blinde, or one that wants his sight,
Or else some dronken Plowman mad, that knowes no way aright.

This rule obserude, and drinking at the purest fountaine cleare,
And taking counsaile first of God, and alwayes giuing eare
Unto the voyce of Christ our Lorde, reseruing it in minde,
No voyce nor any Paraphrase, nor glose of any kinde.
That olde or newe hath written beene, must be dispisde of thee,
That eyther is the Bridegroomes friend, or else is thought to bee
Both for the Bridegroomes sake, and for the right of all the reast,
That iustly here are called in vnto the Bridegroomes feast.
Yet not without a iudgement great, or straight examining,
Reade thou the workes of any man, or his interpreting:
For oftentymes it comes to passe, that euen the guide of hell,
Takes on himselfe the furniture of Aungels seeming well.
And in the middest of righteous men, the craftie knaue doth stande,
And as a Saint his matters there he taketh than in hande.
Whatsoeuer wryter followeth still the text of scriptures plaine,
With Paule and Peter ioyning iust, and all the Apostles traine,
And teacheth that our health proceedes from onely Christ alone,
And for to liue as he commaundes, and trust to others none,
Him reade, and earnestly withall lay vp his wordes in minde,
As one that onely teacheth, as the holy ghost assignde,
And seekes with all his force and might, to extoll and magnifie,
The honor of the Bridegroome here and soueraigne Maiestie.
But some there are that at the Thresholde of the doore are blinde,
Who leauing all the Prophets, and the testament behinde,
Set out the fonde decrees of men, and fancies lewde and vaine,
Such as the man that neuer heard of Christ, nor of his raigne,
With easie trauaile might inuent, as once did Xenophon,
Isocrates, and Cicero, and others many one.
Who surely better things doe teach, and sounder much are tride,
Than diuers whom we earst haue knowne with baptisme purifide.
These also reade: for vnderneath the dunghill oft doth lie
The precious stone, and many tymes from sandes the Golde we trie.
Scarce can there any booke be founde, so lewde vnlearnde or naught,
But bringeth some commotitie, as Plinie truely taught.
For though there be no learning great, for to be had therein,
And though the phrase and matter all, be scarcely worth a pin.
Though many wicked things they teach, yet good to know the same,
For to auoyde the yll, and of the rest to make a game.
More laugh to heare the Cuccow lewde, to rattle in the throte,
Than for to heare the Nightingale with sweete and pleasant note.
But if these foolishe bookes doe hap, a lothsomenesse to breede,
And to offende the stomacke much, as oft they doe in deede,
Than after reading once or twise, no more aboute them stande,
But giue them to the Spiders, Mothes, or to the Grocers hande,
Whatsoeuer is good esteeme it well, and keepe it for thy neede,
And what is yll dispatch it quite, and take thereof good heede.
But if a controuersie rise amongst the learned men,
And such as teach the people heare with graue and skilfull pen.
If that the matter come to fight, by battaile to be tride,
And that the skirmishe waxeth hote, with bookes on euery side.
Let him a Newter keepe himselfe, neglecting Solons lore,
And meddle not with any part, nor iudgement giue before
He well doe vnderstand the case, and wayde it perfitelie,
Regarding no mans person, stile, nor earthly dignitie,
Nor giftes of happie fortune here that haue bene delt to men,
Nor great or little companie, of such as follow them.
Let neyther priuate loue nor hate perswade him any way,
Nor force him any kinde of thing, on eyther part to say.
Nor kinne nor Countrie mooue his minde, to beare his hande awrie,
And cause the ballance for to swarue, and fall vnequallie.
But free from all affections, let him marke aboue the rest,
Which of them neerest comes to Christ, and followes truth the best,
And keepes the perfite rule of fayth, and iustly doth agree,
With euery thing that in th'apostles volumes written bee.
(For new things no man here may faine) and rightly vnderstande
The worde of God, to such let him assent to giue his hande.
And beare this alwayes in his minde, that scriptures onely must
Be they, whome godly men are bound vndoubtedly to trust.
All other wrytings of such force and value ought to bee,
But onely where with scripture they are found for to agree.
Nor must we here regarde nor wey, what man the Author bee,
Of any learning newe, nor yet howe great the companee.
If that he bring not with him still the perfite Bridegroomes sounde,
And heauenly worde of God, vnto the which are onely bounde
The heartes of mortall men, and which we safely may applie,
And vanquishe both the gates and raigne of hellishe soyle therebie.
What thing hath more disperst it selfe through all the worlde so wide?
What sect hath got so many friendes and followers beside?
What is more constantly affirmde? with sworde and fire defended?
And thought to come from God, as from the loftie skies discended?
Then that so grosse and foolish law of Mahomet the blinde,
Whose doltish dreames among themselues contrary oft we finde?
What shall he doe, if number great of people mooue his minde?
Or generall consent of all the worlde his fansie binde?
Or stately crownes of Emperours, or Diademes of Kings,
With madnesse shall he runne the way that to destruction brings,
And doubtfull hanging iust betwixt the earth and heauen tho,
To hell with crowde and number great of people shall he go.
Go search the scriptures teacheth hee that from the heauens came,
Appoynted by the fathers voyce, the gouernor of man.
He biddes not here the doting fruite of mans deuise to way,
Nor what the loftie Prince commaundes, nor multitude doth say.
For error springs with mortall men by speciall propertie,
And blindnesse from the mothers wombe, doth all accompanie.
From which doth neyther Chaynes redeeme, nor townes, nor princely seat,
Nor wooll that twise hath earst beene dide in purple poyson great.
These are the chiefe desires of Pan, and Mydas fonde delight,
And eke the heddie frantike rage of Princes great of might,
Not onely with the Gentiles lewde, who lacke the light deuine,
But with the learnde and fleshly seede that comes of Abrahams line.
That now thou needste not to condemne of Ocean seas so deepe,
The farthest partes that in Cimmerian mistes and darknesse sleepe.
For all the earth whereas the Sunne doth cast his countnance cleare,
Opprest with dreadfull darknesse great, and blindnesse doth appeare.
In matters touching fayth therefore, and ioyes of heauen than,
Let him not trust the iudgement here of any kinde of man.
But know that men will alwayes lie, with mindes disposed yll,
Except the holy ghost, and worde of God doe guide them still.
Which whether it be done or not, let scriptures here decide,
Considering well of euery part, as Argus throughly eide.
Except he doth dispise the wordes that Christ did once declare,
Who doth commaund attentiuely, false Prophets to beware.
The like hath Paule commaunded oft, and earnestly doth will,
So doth the sonne of Zebedey by good and perfite skill.

But for the iudgement now in bookes, and their examining,
Our Plowman must giue heede to this, as to a speciall thing,
That to no doctor here he binde himselfe continuallie,
Although the same be learnde, and had in estimation hie,
And of the people honorde much, and worshipt for his skill,
Least by this meanes he be enforst with good to swallow ill,
And maintaine lies in steede of troth, yea for his maisters sake,
To wrest and wrie, and small account of scriptures for to make.
But let him kepe his iudgement, and reserue his libertee,
To alowe the things that with the holy sprite agreeing bee.
And to reiect the lewde and false, with malice neuer mooude,
But onely with the loue of truth, which as before I prooude,
Must onely here respected bee, no kinde of man beside,
Nor loftie hats, that earst hath beene with purple colour dide,
Nor multitudes in number great, nor prease of people rife,
Nor miracles that haue bene ioynde with holinesse of life.
For since the Apostles worthie time, hath not bene knowne to liue,
A man to whome in euery thing we credite safe may giue.
For through affections of the minde, the generall companie,
That both in Greeke or Latine write, doe often runne awrie,
And from the perfite path decline, and doth the scriptures wrong,
Inforcing them to other sense than doth to them belong,
While as they tooke not heede ynough, or else too earnest were,
In things they went about for to perswade or maintaine here.
Oft times they supersticious things doe teach and fansies vaine,
That neither with the Gospell doe agree, nor christian raigne.
Let these be spottes and marks that in thy body fayre appere,
Yet thinke we them not worthie prayse, nor to be made of here.
As on the other side, for these we may not damne the rest,
That soundly they haue vttred here, and Christianly exprest,
A foolish loue and all to blinde, is it when we allowe,
The manifest deformities, and them for good auowe,
And in a princely hall commend the dung before our face.
Let euery thing retaine his name, his praise, and eke his place:
And let not things contrarie quite, haue both one worshipping,
Nor yet that matters base and vile, be sealde with precious ring.
Wherein they shall constrayned be, to trespasse now and than,
That in this sort addict themselues to any priuate man.

But this is not the greatest harme that happeneth thereby,
In such as to one Author binde themselues continaully,
There is another greater thing and worser aye by much:
They care for no man here beside, nor make account of such,
As painefully doe write or teach, especially if hee
In any poynt doe swarue, and from their maister disagree,
Whom onely here they make their God, as one that cannot lie,
Nor be deceyude in any poynt, nor euer treade awrie.
He onely lookes not by the glasse, nor shadowes here that lyes,
But all things openly discernes, with more than Lynceus eyes.
Who if he any thing commend, their prayses than excell,
And looke what he doth here mislike, they damne it downe to hell,
And at an ynche they follow him, and iumpe with him they go,
And euermore as he decrees, there mindes are altred tho.
Of these men canst thou looke for good, or faythfull husbandmen?
Imaginst thou that euer truth can be esteemde of them?
Or that they can vprightly teach: he that from loftie raigne
Of heauen came, did not forbid his followers here in vaine.
No man on earth their maister, or their father for to call,
For why he knewe in euery place were swarmes of doctors all,
Puft vp with pride, by reason of the learning that they had,
Who chiefly sought for to aduaunce their owne deuices mad,
And cleerely doe deface the truth: and here in euery thing,
To conquer all mens heartes, and them vnto subiection bring.
Sith cleauing to one maister still, doth make men soonest fall,
We neyther must our parents here, nor friendes esteeme at all.
But onely Iesus as the Doctor chiefe we must obay,
As one that onely teacheth here the truth and perfite way.
This was the auncient fathers rule, for this the writers newe,
Haue striuen long, and plaine disclosde a lewde and lothsome crewe
Of errors blinde, wherein great learned men in time did stray,
Whereat I more doe muse why men should at this present day
Allow this rule, and vse it boldely towarde euery man,
When as the workes of writers newe, and of the olde they scan.
Yet as if they in heauen should continually abide,
Of no man here they will be iudge, nor haue their matters tride,
But would be thought in euery thing to touch the perfite pinne,
Whose doings here to bring in doubt, or to resist is sinne,
And taken for a deadly crime that needeth sacrifice,
Whatsoeuer they teach must be deuourde with shut and closed eies.
If that thou doubt, and that thy stomacke loth at diuers things,
Then hatred and defiance straight, and hurly burly springs,
And daungers great doth thee awayte, and prison hard at hand,
And death with cruell torments neare, vnto thy head doth stand,
Thou happie art and eke thy birth hath fortune fauourde right,
If that thou mayste thy countrie leaue in poore and simple plight.
And is not this a foolishe rage, and madnesse grosse and blinde?
Yet numbers great of fooles that doe accept this same they finde,
And binde themselues to all their toyes, and farther with them go,
Esteeming all their dooings here, as God had wilde it so.
Nor any thing herein they doubt, and worse than Todes they hate
All those that seeme to doubt thereof, or speake against their state.
Euen as a loftie Pine, they labour such to throwe to ground,
And worser than their maisters farre, in all things are they found.
Therefore addict thy selfe to none, but gather still the best,
And things that well agreeing be, with worde of God exprest:
The other to the Doctor leaue, or to his foolish bande,
Nor suffer him in sted of Golde, to giue thee durtie sande.

But though the almightie Lorde hath here deliuered vnto men
His holy worde, with wryters store, and worthie husbandmen,
Whereby the truth may well be knowne, and Christ that doth redeeme,
And all men ought to learne and reade, but chiefly such as meene
To take the holy plough in hande, and mindes in order bring:
Yet shalt thou not discerne the truth, nor Christ the soueraigne king,
Except the holy ghost from hie instruct thy feeble minde,
And teach thee here the perfite path, and certaine way to finde.
Beholde in euery place, what store of schooles are to be seene,
What numbers great of Doctors here, whose learning men esteeme:
What companie of bookes, and eke what care to learne and teach,
Yet emptie standes the Pulpet still, and fewe of Christ do preach,
And fewe regarde to heare of him, nothing is pure or cleene,
Nor of the holy ghost may any steps or path be seene:
The earthly things are had in price, and worldly wisedome vaine,
But no man seekes the doctrine that belonges to christian raigne.
From whence proceedes such mischiefe great of God, the furie fell
It is wherewith he plagues contempt, and worlde that doth rebell,
And doth denie his heauenly deawes to euery studie still,
And onely leaues the worlde the shell and letter that doth kill.
Himselfe the kirnell close doth kepe, and takes the pith away,
And lewde dispisers doth dispise, and suffers them to stray
In worldly trifles fonde and vaine, wherewith they feede their flocke,
Why should he open heauen gates to such as doe not knocke?
Why should he giue his holy sprite, his Christ and giftes deuine
To them that neuer aske, but with a frowning looke repine?
Thus men still trusting to their wits, while as they seeke to finde
The way to heauen with fonde decrees, and actes of diuers kinde,
In sundrie follies drowne themselues, and labour all in vaine,
And hedlong hurle themselues into the flouds of hellish raigne.
But thou applie thy force and minde, and banishe slouthfull ease,
Spread out the sayles of diligence, and trie the learned seas.
Remember yet the ayde of God, and helpe of heauenly light,
And pray to God continually, to giue the heart his spright,
And to reueale the certaine truth, thy minde for to inspire
With Christ the sauing health, who ought to be thy chiefe desire,
Thy onely glory, and thy talke, and in thy minde to lie,
In setting forth whose honour, thou thy learnings must applie.
These things if that with earnest minde, of God thou dost require,
No doubt but he will helpe thee straight, and graunt thee thy desire,
And fill thy open mouth with foode, and precious treasures great:
Thus hath he promised, and likes it well when we entreat.
Dost thou not see howe Salomon did greatly him delight,
In asking neyther goodes nor life, but wit and iudgement right,
Howe much aboue all other men he thereby did receaue?
Go pray therefore, and knocke a pace, desire and neuer leaue.
Thou neuer canst thy selfe desire more earnestly to haue,
Than he is readie for to giue to such as thus doe craue,
The blessed giftes of heauenly sprite. Thence shall he open wide,
The secret Celles of sacred bookes, and wisedome great beside,
Wherein the sweetest sight of all may Christ be plainely seene,
That of the chosen euermore, the onely hope hath beene,
And many mysteries beside of straunge and wondrous kinde,
Kept still in secret from the worlde, that euermore is blinde,
Which no dispiser lewde may knowe. His worde eke will he teach
Abundantly, and giue a sprite that earnestly shall preach.
Who if he giue thee not these things, and thou to aske disdaine,
In learning onely shalt thou not bestow thy time in vaine,
But what thou speakste shall foolish be, vnsauory, and vnsweete,
Disordred eke in euery poynt, not hauing hed nor feete.
Nor Doctor shalt thou counted be, but for a trifler vaine,
A duns, a foolish babler, and most worthie of disdaine,
Whose presence, voice, and foolish wordes, no sheepe of Christ will hear
That knowes the voyce of Iesus Christ, & Gods cōmaundments clear.
What profites it forsaking God, to be accounted great,
And with the damned stinking Goates to haue the hyest seat.
Like as the Iewishe Rabbines haue, among the castawayes,
And as the teachers of the Turkes, and many in these dayes,
That bounce and beate the Pulpet still, with lothsome noyce and crie,
Meete onely for to raile, and in the rest not worth a flie?
A great thing is it in the house of God to drudge and sweepe,
And seruaunt in the earth to be vnto the chosen sheepe.
For such a worthie rowme therefore, looke well thou worthie bee,
Requiring God continually to graunt this force to thee,
To giue thee grace and strength thereto, and while thou here dost liue,
Eschue no trauaile great, nor toyle, thy minde to labor giue.

According to thy calling, let thy house well furnisht bee,
Not glistring all with sumptuous plate, nor costly Imageree,
Nor hangde about with Arras rich, nor pleasant Tapestrie.
Let all Th'assirian furnitures, and Phrygian bewtie lie,
Nor seale thy house with Iuory white, nor Marble grauen fine,
Ne let thy walles with painted Tables of Apelles shine,
Nor with Parrhasius costly workes, nor Euphranors beside,
These things are meete for Princes great, and men addict to pride.
Who (foolish) much regarde such toyes, with loftie swelling minde,
And little wisedome got thereby, not meete for such a kinde
Of men as search for heauenly things, and scriptures doe applie:
And of poore Christ do preach the worde, and doctrine faythfullie.
Dresse vp thy house in comely sort, but not with great expence,
Cleane kept, and swept, perfumed well, with pleasant franconsence,
With berries sweete of Iunyper, or in the Sommer time,
With Lauender, or Uiolets, and Roses sweete and fine,
Or pleasant Lillies white. Sweete smelles the wit doth chiefly feede,
As stinking ayre doth dull the minde, and great diseases breede.
Let large and faire thy studie be, and lightsome euery where,
Farre placde from any filthie smell, no sinke nor dunghill nere,
No lothsome priuie there aboutes, no marshe nor lakes at hande,
Nor filthie vapours that arise from stinking pooles that stande.
Here let thy chiefest goodes appeare, and bookes in number great,
Of sundrie sort, among the which, the best and highest seat
The Bible chalengeth of right, which many yeares agone,
Was written by the holy sprite, and in the tongues eche one,
Wherein it hath bene written here. Of which the chiefest grace
The Hebrue hath, and next to it the Chaldean tongue hath place.
Let not the Greeke translation want, but stand among the rest,
Which seuentie sundrie men did write, at Nilian kings request,
And which the auncient fathers vsde, that Christ of olde did preach,
And with their vertuous wrytings graue, the Christian fayth did teach.
Then let the worthie Doctors all, and famous christian crue,
That long time since haue written bookes, be placde in order due.
And next vnto the Bible, first let Austine haue his place,
Who hath among the writers all, in Latine chiefest grace,
Whose pregnant wit found out the truth, and syfteth all things well,
Whose iudgement in detecting fraude, did others farre excell.
And next to him his auncient friend, let Ierome haue his seat,
Well knowne vnto the world, for skill in tongues, and wisedome great,
Who perfite was in euery arte, and learned science tho,
And was not farre behinde in match to worthie Cicero.
Let Ambrose also there be set, with learned phrase and sweete,
Whose fatherly heart in instructing well, doth teach vs what is meete.
Nor let Hillarius absent bee, nor Athanasius great,
Who alwayes doth with stedfast tongue of pure religion treate:
Nor both the Gregories that in the Grecian tongue excell,
Whose glistring beames vnto the world hath erst bene knowne ful wel.
Let Cyprian eke the Martyr here, an handsome place possesse,
And vertuous Basyll, and Chrysostome full of holinesse,
Whose wordes doe like a fountaine flowe, and eke whose worthie wit
For eloquence excelles, amid whose lappas doth Pitho sit.
Let Irenæus haue his place, a famous wryter olde,
Let Origen be placed there, and eke Cyrillus bolde,
And sundrie others mo, that doe in Greeke and Latine write
The names of whome it were to long and tedious to resite.
Take also those that liued next, of lesse antiquitee,
Although for fayth nor vertue they may not compared bee
With those so famous fathers olde, and though they rudely write,
Not hauing eloquence alike, nor cunning to endite.
And to fill vp the number, let in worthie places stande,
Such men as in this age of ours haue set their helping hande,
Whereof thou not a fewe shalt finde, that to these Doctor good
Full neare haue gone, and through the holy ghost haue vnderstood
Such things as fewe before haue knowne, who not inferior bee,
In knowledge tongues and eloquence, and in diuinitee,
Unto those men that wrote of olde, for God hath at this time
Brought forth such glistering beames of light, & causde thē forth to shine,
And wondrous giftes hath delt abrode as no man can denie,
That wisedome hath, for which we are bounde to yeelde continually
Great thankes and prayses to his name, and well to vse them here,
To our behoofe, and profite great, and not for to dispise
Them as the custome is of olde, in shamefull sort and guise,
Wherewith the things that in our daies are found and brought to light,
Though neuer so good, we do contemne with lothsome appetite.
On th'other side, the fashions olde, and such as farre be fet,
With willing armes we doe receyue, and most by them we set.
This spitefull custome cast away, and let vs here embrace
Gods blessing sent from hie, and workes of men so full of grace,
Nor mooued be if any thing therein amisse doe seeme,
Or fancie such as ought of vs to be reiected cleene.
What wryter (scriptures here except) could euer yet be found,
That hath not erde in any poynt from doctrine pure and sound:
We all in many things offende, and sundrie things deceaue,
When darkely placde the perfite sense the minde doth not conceaue.
Among these writers here deserues the chiefe and highest seat,
Erasmus, he that learned was in euery science great,
The Iewell of our time, and glorie great of Germanie,
By whome we safely may contende and haue the victorie,
With all the Italians, Spaniards, French, and such as English bee.
In these most learned workes, thou shalt be sure for to attaine,
To knowe whatsoeuer Christians good haue thought, or heathen vaine.
Next unto him let sundrie other good men haue their place,
Shut no man out that taketh paynes to fill the worlde with grace,
What Countrie man soeuer he be, or in what time he liue,
Yea what soeuer name the worlde to him doth vse to giue.
So shalt thou well he furnished, of counsaile learnde and good,
That may declare what needefull is for to be vnderstood,
Of Christ, of fayth, and hope, whereby thou well mayst answere giue
In euery doubt, as one that still about the Lorde doth liue.

Let not the whip of Ierome feare, nor force thee to refraine,
(For in the worlde he vttered hath his dreames and fancies vaine,)
From reading of the heathens workes, and of Philosophie.
Sometime for recreation sake, thy minde a while applie,
In Aristotles bookes to search the sense and phrase obscure,
And whatsoeuer Plato here hath left in writing pure,
Or Plutarch, Euchide, Xenophon, or Ptolomæ the graue,
As touching Mathematicals, or manners written haue.
Let here the Lawyers present be, and also them withall
The Popes decrees, rescriptes, and such as Decretals they call.
A meete and worthie place is due to Poets here of right,
As vnto vertuous mindes, and men inspirde with holy spright.
Let Galen, and Hippocrates be placed neare to thee,
And other famous Doctors that in phisicke skilfull bee.
Let Tullie that excelles in Latine tongue haue here his seat,
The father sweete of eloquence, and guide of dutie great.
Let Plinie, and Demosthenes, and valiant Cæsar hie,
Isocrates, and Seneca, be placed worthylie.
Ioyne here withall in companie the storie writers olde,
Such as haue written liues of men, and actes of Princes tolde
Who able is eche writers name, in verse for to resight?
Who in rehearsall of so great a number would delight?
But such as holde the sacred Plowe, must not be ignorant
Of any Author, but with them be alwayes conuersant.
Learne of the honiemaking Bees, about the Medowes flie,
And sucke the pleasant iuice that doth in euery flowre lie.
Of euery thing are arguments, and reasons to be brought,
Not onely out of bookes, and out of things that nature wrought:
But euen from the handicraftes, of base and vile degree,
That husbandmen may haue no time vnoccupide to bee.

What should I shew how great a gaine & pleasure hence doth spring:
For first of all assuredly it is a worthie thing
To haue so many learned mates, and sweete companions here,
And such a learned Senate as aboute thee shall appere:
To whome thou mayst for counsell come, in any doubt of thine,
That eyther longs to worldly state, or vnto things deuine.
In silence they remaine, if ought thou wouldst not forth to flie,
And truth is tolde thee plaine, and nothing vttred there by flattrie:
Them shalt thou haue that can their part in weightie matters play,
And such againe as mirth can mooue, and sorrow driue away.
Thus shalt thou willing maisters haue, that present still shall bee,
Who if thou wilt shall teach, if not, they will not trouble thee.
Hereby thou shalt eschue the prease of common people vaine,
Nor pleasure shalt thou take in rude assemblies to remaine.
Thou shalt both spare thy pursse and eares, and keepe a quiet minde,
Nor shalt sustaine the vile reproch of such as be vnkinde.
Nor shalt thou be constraynde to looke vpon thy frowning fo,
Nor driuen for to heare the ribaulds tongue at large to go.
No malice, wrath, nor wretched loue, shall purchase thee disease,
No gates of noble men shut vp from thee shall thee displease,
The doubtfull cases of the lawe shall neuer mooue thy minde,
Nor strife that here in trifles vaine the brawling people finde.
Thou shalt no whit regarde the steps of hie estate to clime,
Nor shalt thou be with Dice vndone, nor cast away with wine,
Thou shalt as in a Paradice, enioy thy libertie,
And walke amongst the flowers sweete of white and purple die.
The worlde thou shalt dispise, and onely ioyes of heauen embrace,
And follow here the doctrine true of Christ in blessed case.