The Rocke of Regard diuided into foure parts. The first, the Castle of delight: Wherein is reported, the wretched end of wanton and dissolute liuing. The second, the Garden of Vnthriftinesse: Wherein are many sweete flowers, (or rather fancies) of honest loue. The thirde, the Arbour of Vertue: Wherein slaunder is highly punished, and vertuous Ladies and Gentlewomen, worthily commended. The fourth, the Ortchard of Repentance: Wherein are discoursed, the miseries that followe dicing, the mischiefes of quareling, the fall of prodigalitie: and the souden ouerthrowe of foure notable cousners, with diuers other morall, natural, & tragical discourses: documents and admonitions being all the inuention, collection and translation of George Whetstons |
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Howe great a vice it is either for the vertuous, or valiaunt
man, to accompanie himselfe with men of base condition,
when as (acknowledging his dutie) hee may aduenture into the companie of the best.
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 | The Rocke of Regard |  |
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Howe great a vice it is either for the vertuous, or valiaunt man, to accompanie himselfe with men of base condition, when as (acknowledging his dutie) hee may aduenture into the companie of the best.
Where
vertue may, or vallor one aduaunce,
To base his hap, a loute to liue belowe,
Or credite seeke, with men of meanest chaunce.
A fearefull hart, a dunghill minde doe showe,
On thornes no grapes, but sower slowes doth growe,
Euen so by settes, no fame, but shame doth rise,
A faire catch, for such to count thee wise.
To base his hap, a loute to liue belowe,
Or credite seeke, with men of meanest chaunce.
A fearefull hart, a dunghill minde doe showe,
On thornes no grapes, but sower slowes doth growe,
Euen so by settes, no fame, but shame doth rise,
A faire catch, for such to count thee wise.
The forward minde, doth couet this at least,
To prease, where hee is poorest of the traine,
And not to liue, with those (himselfe) the best,
For sure hee shall, a lowsie kingdome gaine,
Where vnder him, do none but beggers raine,
By learninges lore, who doth the idiot schoole,
In fiue wil proue himselfe a passing foole.
To prease, where hee is poorest of the traine,
And not to liue, with those (himselfe) the best,
For sure hee shall, a lowsie kingdome gaine,
Where vnder him, do none but beggers raine,
By learninges lore, who doth the idiot schoole,
In fiue wil proue himselfe a passing foole.
The highest trees, doth keepe the vnder spray,
From Phœbus gleames, from, sugred dewes that fall,
So mounting mindes, aloft doth beare the sway,
When meaner wittes, doth liue belowe in thrall,
They sucke the sweete, when sottes do gnawe the gall,
They wrong, by might, their will makes right a mome,
Who prickes at such, but seeldome shooteth home.
From Phœbus gleames, from, sugred dewes that fall,
So mounting mindes, aloft doth beare the sway,
When meaner wittes, doth liue belowe in thrall,
They sucke the sweete, when sottes do gnawe the gall,
They wrong, by might, their will makes right a mome,
Who prickes at such, but seeldome shooteth home.
Such is their force, where credite beareth sway,
A perfect tale, although the wronged tell,
Their thwarting speach, what they mislike, will stay,
The wronged wight, with wrath may haply swell,
And pleades a fresh, though not so passing well,
Then sausie knaue, how mallapeart hee is,
Away go packe, your purpose you shall mis.
A perfect tale, although the wronged tell,
Their thwarting speach, what they mislike, will stay,
The wronged wight, with wrath may haply swell,
And pleades a fresh, though not so passing well,
Then sausie knaue, how mallapeart hee is,
Away go packe, your purpose you shall mis.
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But if the sot, which in their fauour stand,
Do stammer forth, a patched tale of lyes,
Their helping speach, will force him vnderstand,
The way and meanes, afresh for to deuise,
To frame his talke, from shew of trueth to rise,
A vertue straunge, their wordes can bring to passe,
That fooles seeme wise, the wise in shew an Asse.
Do stammer forth, a patched tale of lyes,
Their helping speach, will force him vnderstand,
The way and meanes, afresh for to deuise,
To frame his talke, from shew of trueth to rise,
A vertue straunge, their wordes can bring to passe,
That fooles seeme wise, the wise in shew an Asse.
What freer life, then others to commaund?
What happier state, then for to liue in rest?
What greater wealth, then what a man demaund?
What credite like, the countnaunce of the best?
For thralles it were, a heauen to reach the lest,
But they aloft, whom vertue doth aduaunce,
If more may bee, inioy more happie chaunce.
What happier state, then for to liue in rest?
What greater wealth, then what a man demaund?
What credite like, the countnaunce of the best?
For thralles it were, a heauen to reach the lest,
But they aloft, whom vertue doth aduaunce,
If more may bee, inioy more happie chaunce.
Who will not then; both seeke and double seeke,
To reach this hap, with hazard at the first,
The foreward wight, though fortune giue ye gleeke,
A fresh will toyle, till that his hart doth burst,
If still shee frowne, in faith the man is curst,
A fall (saith he) who recketh such a losse,
An asse shall ride, and no hie sturring horsse.
To reach this hap, with hazard at the first,
The foreward wight, though fortune giue ye gleeke,
A fresh will toyle, till that his hart doth burst,
If still shee frowne, in faith the man is curst,
A fall (saith he) who recketh such a losse,
An asse shall ride, and no hie sturring horsse.
For proofe againe, the huge and mightie oke,
Whose withered roote, from falling cannot stay,
But downe hee comes, by sturdie Boreas stroke,
His fall god wot, doth crush the vnder spray,
Euen so it fares, with those that beareth sway,
If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall,
The poore doth beare, the burthen of their fall.
Whose withered roote, from falling cannot stay,
But downe hee comes, by sturdie Boreas stroke,
His fall god wot, doth crush the vnder spray,
Euen so it fares, with those that beareth sway,
If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall,
The poore doth beare, the burthen of their fall.
For where as mindes, by mischiefe raisde too hie,
Sedition sowe, their natiue soils to wring,
When Princes might doth make such rebels flie,
The leaders chiefe, well horst away do fling,
When pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing,
They sue for grace, safe in anothers land,
When toyling thralles, are truffed out of hand.
Sedition sowe, their natiue soils to wring,
When Princes might doth make such rebels flie,
The leaders chiefe, well horst away do fling,
When pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing,
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When toyling thralles, are truffed out of hand.
If in abuse, of both their states be best,
Although the best, in faith is very bad,
Deseruing well, they are farre better blest,
They roist in silkes, whē clownes in raggs are clad,
They haue their will, and what can more be had,
Who will not then, how so fly hap saith nay,
Seeke out this chaunce, if vertue sayes hee may?
Although the best, in faith is very bad,
Deseruing well, they are farre better blest,
They roist in silkes, whē clownes in raggs are clad,
They haue their will, and what can more be had,
Who will not then, how so fly hap saith nay,
Seeke out this chaunce, if vertue sayes hee may?
| The Rocke of Regard | |