A choice of emblemes, and other devises For the moste part gathered out of sundrie writers, Englished and Moralized. And divers newly devised, by Geffrey Whitney. A worke adorned with varietie of matter, both pleasant and profitable: Wherein those that please, maye finde to fit their fancies: Bicause herein, by the office of the eie, and the eare, the minde maye reape dooble delighte throughe holsome preceptes, shadowed with pleasant deuises: both fit for the vertuous, to their incoraging: and for the wicked, for their admonishing and amendment |
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Silentium.
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| 2. |
 | A choice of emblemes, and other devises |  |
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Silentium.
Ad D. T. C. M.
Pythagoras, vnto his schollers gaue,
This lesson firste, that silence they should keepe:
And this, wee reade Philosophers moste graue,
Yea in theire hartes, this Princes printed deepe:
Vlisses wordes weare spare, but rightlie plac'd:
This, Nestor lik'de. Lycvrgvs this imbrac'de.
This lesson firste, that silence they should keepe:
And this, wee reade Philosophers moste graue,
Yea in theire hartes, this Princes printed deepe:
Vlisses wordes weare spare, but rightlie plac'd:
This, Nestor lik'de. Lycvrgvs this imbrac'de.
This, famous made Epaminondas boulde:
By this, great praise did Demaratvs gaine:
This, Athens made to reuerence Zeno oulde:
Simonides condemned speaches vaine,
Whose sayinge was, my wordes repentance had,
But Silence yet, did neuer make mee sad.
By this, great praise did Demaratvs gaine:
This, Athens made to reuerence Zeno oulde:
Simonides condemned speaches vaine,
Whose sayinge was, my wordes repentance had,
But Silence yet, did neuer make mee sad.
And Cato sayeth: That man is next to God,
Whoe squares his speache, in reasons rightfull frame:
For idle wordes, God threatneth with his rodde,
And sayeth, wee must giue reckoninge for the same:
Sainct Pavle likewise, this faulte doth sharplie tutche,
And oftentimes, condemneth bablinge mutche.
Whoe squares his speache, in reasons rightfull frame:
For idle wordes, God threatneth with his rodde,
And sayeth, wee must giue reckoninge for the same:
Sainct Pavle likewise, this faulte doth sharplie tutche,
And oftentimes, condemneth bablinge mutche.
One calles the tounge, the gate of life, and deathe,
Which wiselie vs'd, extolleth men on earthe:
Which lewdlie vs'de, depriueth men of breathe,
And makes them mourne, whoe might haue liu'de in mirthe:
For euell wordes, pierce sharper then a sworde,
Which ofte wee rue, thoughe they weare spoke in boorde.
Which wiselie vs'd, extolleth men on earthe:
Which lewdlie vs'de, depriueth men of breathe,
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For euell wordes, pierce sharper then a sworde,
Which ofte wee rue, thoughe they weare spoke in boorde.
Not that distroyes, into the mowthe that goes,
But that distroyes, that forthe thereof doth comme:
For wordes doe wounde, the inwarde man with woes,
Then wiselie speake, or better to bee domme
The tounge, althowghe it bee a member small,
Of man it is the best, or worste of all.
But that distroyes, that forthe thereof doth comme:
For wordes doe wounde, the inwarde man with woes,
Then wiselie speake, or better to bee domme
The tounge, althowghe it bee a member small,
Of man it is the best, or worste of all.
The foole, is thought with silence to be wise,
But when he prates, him selfe he dothe bewraye:
And wise men still, the babler doe dispise,
Then keepe a watche when thou haste owght to saie,
What labour lesse, then for to houlde thy peace,
Which aged daies, with quiet doth increase.
But when he prates, him selfe he dothe bewraye:
And wise men still, the babler doe dispise,
Then keepe a watche when thou haste owght to saie,
What labour lesse, then for to houlde thy peace,
Which aged daies, with quiet doth increase.
Th' Ægyptians wise, and other nations farre,
Vnto this ende, Harpocrates deuis'de,
Whose finger, still did seeme his mouthe to barre,
To bid them speake, no more then that suffis'de,
Which signe thoughe oulde, wee may not yet detest,
But marke it well, if wee will liue in reste.
Vnto this ende, Harpocrates deuis'de,
Whose finger, still did seeme his mouthe to barre,
To bid them speake, no more then that suffis'de,
Which signe thoughe oulde, wee may not yet detest,
But marke it well, if wee will liue in reste.
| A choice of emblemes, and other devises | |