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 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
A caueat to G. W. at his going into Fraunce, written by his friend R. C.
|
|
 | The Rocke of Regard |  |
A caueat to G. W. at his going into Fraunce, written by his friend R. C.
Post haste, since so thou mak'st, the coast of Fraunce to see,Thy frends aduice in baren verse, good George yet take wt thee,
Haue thou a haught disdaine, which art a Bryttan bred,
At thy returne, to proue howe that, French follies filles thy hed,
In natiue soyle disguis'd, thy selfe God shield thou showe,
In coate, in cloake, in hat, in hose, a French man like to go,
French shoes, made fast with pointes, in doublets syde and wide,
Which French men weare (God wot) for ease, sute not thy selfe through pride
What tendeth to thy thrift, to folow, not refuse,
Keepe thou one seruant and no more, but not as french men vse,
For wages pay not words, as is the guise of Fraunce.
Array him not, in tattered rags, french like, or nakt to daunce.
One meale, no more a day, is pittance very small,
To like wel of, such french like fare, few English yeomen fall,
Let gesture, words, nor weedes, inforce thy friends to say,
Behold a frenchman wher he flaunts, if face be turn'd away.
Which face french like to sute, good George take special heede,
In taste the baites are very sweete, that do such cankers breede.
For to pronounce thy wordes, yea french and all first lose,
Afore thou spoyle thy English tong, with snufling in the nose,
Thou knowest what I meane, thy wit is good and quicke:
Yet wise men oft before they looke, fast in the myre sticke.
But ere thou rashly leape, the ditches I reueale,
The plainesse of my Muse bewrayes my warning is of zeale.
My ioy thy profite great, if thy returne do showe,
Thy trauell tends to countries good, not french man like to goe.
The rage of retchlesse youth, thy trauell did allay,
And not thereby with proudest shewe, to royst in garments gay,
That thou canst yeald account, what is the countries state,
70
These fruits thy friends expect, at thy returne to reape,
But stay I here, into aduice, my Muse too farre doth creepe,
She ment not to direct, how thou shouldst vse thy time,
She ment french follies, for thy heede, to touch in naked rime,
Well, since she rou'd so farre, alowe what she hath sayde,
My inward wish (for thy auayle) she hath no more but wrayde.
Viue & vale.
| The Rocke of Regard | |