University of Virginia Library

To the high and Honorable, and his especiall good Lorde, Lorde Robert Dudley, Earle of Leycester, Baron of Denbigh, and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter, high Stewarde of her Maiesties Burrow of new Windsore, Edw. Hake, vndersteward there, wisheth dayly preseruation with increase of honor to Gods glory.

Sith grace hath graffed in your Noble brest,
Farre grater gifts then tipe of mundane glee:
Sith high renowme, your Honour, & the rest,
To Vertue yeeld, and counteruayled bee
With great effect of Vertues worthy vew:
I make it bolde for vertues ayde to sew.
And though my gift (as slender to the shoe)
Vnworthy seeme to shrowde himselfe as nowe
In blessed Bay from force of deadly foe:
Yet Vertue may your Lordships pitte bowe
To fense the Booke beset with deadly bate,
For that the same explanes the present state,
And sets to vew the vices of the time
In Nouell Verse and Satyrs sharpe effect
Still drawne along and pend in playnest rime
For sole intent good liuing to erect:
And sinne rescinde which rifely raignes abroade
In peoples harts full fraught with sinfull loade.
Sith so (I say) therefore your Noble hart
Let grace so guide and bend to Vertues bayte,
That Satirs these (though seeming somwhat tart)
May shielded be from such as lie in waite
The same to shend and bring to fowle decaye:
To deadly shame, and mortall malice aye.
So shall your Lordship shewe your selfe to bee
Sole vertues stay, and friend vnto the good:
So hate to sinne shal men apparaunt see,
And loue set forth to saue the sinfull bloud.
And so shall I encouragde in my paine,
Proceede, and set my Pen to Booke againe.
And euer pray the liuing God of might
Your Lordship so to guide by gift of grace,
That you may stande accepted in his sight
VVhilst here you liue, and in the ende a place
Receiue with such as vertues path haue traste:
And liue with them that vertue haue imbraste.

The same to the Citie of London.

A great conquest of sinne hath made
a Student Edward Hake.
O London learne for to beware,
from sinne arise and wake.
Of wanton Maydes he did also,
the slights a late detect:
Learne to be wise, and looke to them,
the worst alwayes suspect.
Hee hath redusde to vulgare tongue
the Imitation true
And following of our Captaine Christe,
good liuing to renue.
A Touchestone for the present tyme
hee eke set forth of late,
Wherein the ruynes of the Churche
with zeale he doth debate.
A brief memoriall of our Queene
and of her blessed raigne
He also wrote in dewe discourse
first once and then againe.
At length these newes are now come forth
wherein thy sinnes he showes.
Repent (therefore) and call for grace
of God eche thing that knowes.

The Author to the Carping and scornefull Sicophant.

The Noueltie of this Booke.

Such Noueltie as time doth bring,
I yeelde in meeter heere:
Euen newes that to the Godly hart
may noysome newes appeere.
But yet what then? such is the state
of this our present time,
That now no daye doth passe without
some new deuised crime.

The Glory of the Honorable, is the feare of God.

The Beare doth beare me now in hand
that Noble is thy race.
The vertues of thy worthy minde,
shevve forth the gifts of grace.

The first Satyr.

[As late I walked vp and downe]

Aucthor.
As late I walked vp and downe,
in Powles for my repast,
And there (as many woont to doo)
about the Church had traste
Long tyme alone to view the rowse,
and great confused noyse,
With pleasaunt chat (a world to see)
at length I heard a voyce.
And casting backe mine eye, I spyde
a pretie wymble lad,
Who saluing of his mate, dyd aske
what newes were to be had.
His fellowe (lyke a gentle swaine,
and ioly headed chylde)
Conioyned handes, and sighing, sayde
a slaue hath me beguilde.
But scarcely had he spoken this,
or eare his faithfull seere
Faste claspte his arme, and him besought,
to be of better cheere:
And let not chaunce (quoth he) afright,
nor so molest your minde,
As thus to seeme a Wight that hath
his woonted ioy resygnde.

Bertulph.
Tell tell, quoth Bertulph (so he hight)
By whome you are beguylde
And eke what cause and cruel chaunce
your comfort hath exylde.

Paule.
O friende (sayde Paule) full soone would I
expresse to thee my griefe,
But so peruersely falles it foorth
that I see no reliefe.
But yet sith thou so vrgent arte
and earnest of the case,
I graunt thereto if thou attende
and walke about the place.
Content is pleasde, quoth Bertulph tho,
and then they walckte yfeere,

Aucthor.
And I perceyuing all their talcke,
approched very neere:
And ioyning close vnto their side,
I walckt with equall pace
(Without offence as I suppose
their talcke had such a grace.)

Paule.
Then Paule began with visage pale
and handes conioyned fast,
To fettle forth him selfe to speake,
and thus he spake at last.
The highest God that syttes aboue
For aye in heauenly Throne,
That Prince of might that rules the heauens
and Welkin weeldes alone,
He knowes if I do falsely speake,
or (mooued through affect)
If I through hate or fauor, lye
in any one respect.
But first, before my tale begyn,
Ile tell you howe the slaue
Hath many one beguyled earst
that sought the same to haue.
His name also I wyll not sticke
to tell you with the rest.
And to be short, He Nummus hight
(a passing proper guest,)
He lodgeth ofte with Marchauntmen
and eke with men of Lawe,
And lightly where be bosteth, there
are people kept in awe.
Ile eke declare howe that as he
doth often men beguyle,
Euen so him selfe is often catcht,
with fraude and filthy wyle.
And howe ofte tymes by force they wrest
and wring him to their handes
And howe from fooles he often flyes
and breakes his tynsell bandes,

Aucthor.
Now, whiles yt Paule was speaking thus,
his mate gan me espye.
He knewe my minde, I gaue a becke,
he wynked with his eye
And helde his fynger on his mouth,
suspecting sore the man:
He thought that fancies fed his braine,
his visage lookte so wan
And wordes so voyde of woonted sence.
But yet (for that he hight,
And promisde had to heare the ende)
his hest he kept aright.

Paule.
And forth proceeded Paule at large.
This Nummus nowe (quoth he)
Is straightly watchte, and hardly kept
with men of each degree.
He wanteth none to wayte for him,
although he scapt from mee.
The Laytie and the Clergie bothe,
if haply him they see:
Will talke with Vobis eare he parte,
theyle plucke a Crowe with him.
Theyle shut him vp, or sende him forth,
some greater gaine to wyn.
Or else to worke their neighbors woe,
by waginge sutes at Lawe,
To bring them selues in prease and price,
and to be had in awe.

Clergie.

But as for Clergie, some of them,
they knowe his nature well,
They knowe his false corrupting force,
with him they will not mell,
Except it be where neede requires,
and for a iust intent.
And surely some, though not the swaye,
right so to gaine are bent.
Although that some againe doo seeke
excessiuely the same,
And some do hoorde it vp in store,
to their rebuke and shame.
But (if I should vprightly speake)
Their lyuinges are so lopt,
That from th'inferiour Clergie men,
long since syr Nummus hopt.
I meane not pompous Prelates here,
nor Chaplens of degree.
These flaunting fellowes by your leaue,
will haat ift had maye bee
I meane, I meane poore Ministers,
some plaste and some disperst.
Whome powling Patrons and such lyke,
haue greeuously amerst.
And yet forsoothe our Baldockes bleate,
and say they keepe no cheere.
They catche syr Nummus from them still,
and yet would haue him heere.
But well they are no small fooles nowe,
that robbe the Clergies meede.
Wherfore to sylence were I best,
such wordes may rancor breede.
And here you must aduert it well,
that iustly men maye seeke
For Nummus to releeue their neede,
if so their fancie leeke.
And also how that they right well
the same may styll retaine,
So that they doo not boord him vp
for sole intent to gaine.
But such as I shall here recite,
cannot without offence
The same or seeke, or keepe, or spend
what so be their pretence.
Bicause their mindes are all peruerse:
they spende for spyte or gaine:
And through the lust of lawlesse hoords,
the same doo they retaine.
And what are they that seeke it so?
Euen most men now a dayes.
In Countrey, Citie and each where
they finde sinister wayes
T'obtaine the same, and spende it yll,
or else to keepe it worse:
And euer aye their mindes are bent
to fyll their farsed Purse.
But nowe, for that the scope is large
where we may finde them out,
And time but short, I rather meane
to leaue the Country rout,
And medle with our Townish lade
in London sole precinct,
Except (as neede) the Suburbs must
be with the Citie Linckt.
Wheras, when I haue reckned vp
of them the most estates,
Then tell howe many kindes of folcke
ne lyue within the rates
And bounds of honest seeking store.
of spending well the same,
Of closely couching vp their hoord
as bedle

Bertulph.
Why syr (quoth Bertulph) now me thinks
you talke not of the man
That seru'de you of that sluttish touch
of late I wot neare whan.

Paule.
O Friende (quoth Paule) is this the faith
and this thy late behest?
I stickt not to begin my tale
at thy alone request:
And thou therefore didst promise mee
thy silent eare to giue.
And yet thou interruptst my tale.
Howe should I thee beleue?
Of friendly faith attende a while,
and marke me to the ende:
Then shalt thou thinke that I disclose
to thee as to a Friende.

The second Satyr.

[As promise presse thine to show]

Paule.
As promise presse thine to show
my minde to thee at large:
Euen so t'obserue due order is,
belonging to my charge.
Har[illeg.] therfore (first) how Nummus doth
beguile eche kinde of men:
Howe it through force and vyle effect
doth noysome humor blen:
His beautie (first) and pregnant show,
and then his mighty force,
Enchaunteth so the peoples hartes:
that (voyde of all remorse)
They fawne & gape, they watch and prie,
they leaze and oft forsweare,
They worke the thing that wicked is,
they cursse, they ban and teare
The blessed name of great Iehoue,
and all to wyn the {fame}
They put {in} vre they practise still
to get the golden hame.

Men of Lawe.

And first beholde our men of law:
let them haue chiefest place,
Sith by the lawes, [illeg.] common weath
doth runne his nightfall race.
And for that Lawes accoumpted are,
eche where the chiefest staye:
Let Lawiers then be principall,
and first within my playe.

Iudges.

But as for Iudges now to iudge,
my iudgement will not saye:
I wote full well, their prayse was spread
by me this other daye.
And Trueth it is, our Iudgement seates
such Uyrent heades possesse,
As former dayes for men of choyse,
had neuer such I guesse.
What then? no sort, no one degree,
no place, no function so
Uprightly standes, but with the good
some wicked weede doth growe.
With vertues league, som vice doth lynk
and forme of godly vew
Oft equall makes with men of troth,
some Hypocrites vntrue.
I knowe friend Bertulph, fewe there be
whose hands regarde no meede,
Whose hartes Dye no deceypt at all,
from whome no harmes proceede.
And sure I am, when cause of troth,
before such men is tryde,
{VV}ith simple troth, they Iustice yeelde,
and iustly do decyde.
But nowe, although with these there syt
no one that doth dissent
Though all of them in publicque place
doo sing Amesine lentent
Yet vnderhande perhaps there are
that nowe and then deuoure
The sugred sappe that Iustice yeeldes:
And where they lyst to lowre
For spyte or gayne, or priuate wreke,
there Iustice course is stayde.
And where they lyst to smoother troth,
there, right is cleane dismayde.
Such such there be (or haue bin some)
who when they rule alone,
When scope & course hath hoyst them vp
and set them chiefe in Throne
From Censors sight, and priuate made
their swaye and supreme place:
Then then they wring & wrong the right,
then then they truth deface.
Ah Bertulph, be there not thinke you,
In place of Iustice sette
Some fained sortes of fawning Spreetes
that course of Iustice lette?
That frame a semblaunce sound and good,
that iuste and holy seeme,
And yet in harte are fraught with guyle,
and ofte vniustly deeme?
I feare I feare me falsehod lurkes
in lappes of learned syse
I feare me Nummus oft peruerts
in some that go for wyse:
So then, some chiefe and some besides
so smally ponder meede,
That where they syt in common swaye,
there, Iustice doth proceede.
But some againe where place hath made
their powres distinct, I feare
Of popish willes, through gruteh or gaine
with much enorme do beare.
And hence, from hence I feare me come
these cryes of common sort
That oft lament and oft affyrme
their Iudgement to be fort.
One here bewayles his wofull case
and wisheth him vnborne,
Another cryes with wringing handes,
alas, I am forlorne
My sute thus long depended hath:
The Lawe is on my syde,
And yet in harde delayes I lye
true Iudgement to abyde.
Another thus: be friended is,
the Iudge doth loue him well
And me (as poore and needie) they
doo dayly thus depell
Two hundreth myles and more I come:
My Wife at home (alas)
Lyes with my Children halfe forepynde:
(O lamentable case.)
My goods are spent, which labor brought,
through long and carefull toyle:
The Lawe hath lyckt vp all my wealth
for which I dyd turmoyle.
Oh, I can haue no Law nor right,
ne Money haue I nowe:
I must go beg, my goodes be gone,
to lyue I knowe not howe.
These eares of mine abhorred haue,
mine eyes haue wet my plants.
My hart hath yernd in Iudgement true,
to see such wofull wants.
Tys harde to saye, Ile holde my peace.
But if these playnts be true,
Syr Nummus swayeth there with some,
(a woorthy cause to rue.)
But vnto him that highest syts,
and sees eche secrete yll,
With prayer I commytte the same,
t'amende it at his wyll.

Practisers at the Law.

And nowe to Lawiers that do parle,
and pleade in cause of right,
To such as for syr Nummus wyll
turne darknesse into lyght,
And lyght into obscured sence,
and arsiuersie turne eche thing:
To such wyll I proceede as now,
and to my matter bring.
I wyll not speake of fine deuise,
nor fowle deceyptfull clause,
In Leases, wyls, and other lyke,
but wresting of the Lawes
And foding of the Clyent forth:
for though that fraude abound,
And though by falsely framing so,
eche where are beggers founde:
Yet I as nowe will blason forth,
and geue you well to see,
Howe these men ioyne in matters false,
retayned for a fee.
And so for Nummus long delaye
a poore and needy soule,
To fleese and flea the simple wretche,
to pylfer and to powle:
To shred him cleane from all his wealth,
and then perhaps relent,
And ware full colde to ayde his right,
when Nummus all is spent.
Yea lykewise tys in doubte with some,
when Nummus so doth fayle,
If they through brybe of {thother} syde,
let not the sute to quayle.
A Fee of Forma pauperis?
no no it hath no sent.
Such formall Fees finde smal reliefe
they buy no lande ne rent.
My friend (therfore) if you haue nought
wherewith to see me styll
But formes and showes, Take formes againe
for Counsayle if you wyll.
But what sayde I? was promise made
to paint such practise heere?
No no: If so, I must relent:
Great matter doth appeare
Therein: and therefore will I leaue
them to the worldly vewe:
I meane the false and subtil ones,
I speake not of the true,
Nor such as are affected well
(as many there are such
Although the false in number doo
exceede them very much.)
But well, go too: this gotten good
howe is it spent I praye?
Forsooth, no poore man must haue lande:
for so wyll they assaye
And practise, that in tyme they wyll
gette all into their handes.
And turne the poore men headlong forth
of all both house and landes.
A shame it were and great reproche
to see a poore man dwell,
Or haue a house not farre from theirs:
their Noses hate the smell.
And long (no doubt) their Noses be,
right mischeuous of Sent:
For that which once was lande demeasne,
is holden nowe for rent.
They smell it forth, though farre it be:
they haue a vengeaunce hooke:
Both Parsnage and ought besides
theyle haue by hooke or crooke.
Their Princely Places stately be,
their houses buylt for aye,
Their Turrettes vp aloft are raysde,
foundations deepe they laye,
So thus (no doubt) and farre more yll,
they let syr Nummus wagge,
Reseruing still some mightie Masse
to rust within the bagge.
And here you see what wayte they laye
and eke what wayes they vse
To get this pelfe: and gotten, see
how they the same abuse.

Attorneyes and Petypractisers.

The next are Petypractisers
and Petyfogging mates:
Yea, Clarkes, Attorneyes, such of them
as lyne of lewde debates,
Eache honest calling towardes Lawe,
so pressed is from Sise,
That hardly can an honest man
with honesty aryse.
And twise as hardly may he stande,
to stoppe eche strayned shyfte.
Such force hath falsehood, more thē truth,
so deadly can they lyfte.
What crewes of greedy griping crowes,
what fowle infecting rowte.
Good Lord, what store of gleaning Iacks
dispersed are through out?
Can Lawes reliefe be easily got,
or gotten, can't do ease,
Where such great troupes of bribing fists
must fyrst syr Nummus cease?
Of trueth such traines, of truthles mates
such heapes of monsters dwell
Tweene playnts and fynall Iudgements seate,
that greater woes in hell
If hell were as the Poets wryte,
I thinke coulde not be felt.
Eare Soles haue ende, such chardge, such toyle,
as make my harte to melt.
But whence aryse these rauening rowtes?
whence spring they? Sure from guyle
And of disdaine to vulgare state,
wherein their Parents toyle.
Well, these be they, that what for tale
and what for falsehod great,
Doo taynt the Realme with stryfes, & stop
the waye to Iustice seate.
That make the iuyce of Iustice sowre,
that turne the Lawes to wreake,
That make true Iudgemēt taste like gall,
that nought but falsehod speake.
That liue and lustily lashe out
in purchase or in pride
More largely then of Countrey States
doth any State beside.
But here to shew what prowling means,
what pranckes this pylfring sort
Doo vse to gette syr Nummus with,
and so holde vp their porte:
This this to doo, were to to harde.
Naye, this were such a woorcke
As if one only man should prease
to fight against the Turcke.
But greater, yea farre greater t'were
to clense this Chanell cleane.
I thinke Augæus Oxestalles were
to this a worcke but meane.
I knowe good Iudges haue begoonne
and waded verie farre
I knowe that some, to helpe these hurtes,
right godly carefull are.
But new found Clerckes and Officers
so prease with might and mayne,
That (Hydra like) one head cut of,
for eary head springs twayne.
Good Lord, & shall these wandring Spreets
aye walcke abroade at wyll?
Shall Numus no where start, but streight
these Catchpolles catch him styll?
Shall no mannes eye that lyues this day,
beholde a better state?
Ah, out alas, and shall this rowte
feede alwayes of debate?
Why then, what man shall lyue in peace?
whose porcion shall be fast?
Whose land and lyuing shall be free
where these men once are plast?
And where almost, or in what Soyle
do not these Monsters swarme?
What coast frend Bertulph can you name
where these men do not harme?
I knowe in thissame calling are
a sort of seemely Wights
That lyue in peace, and further peace,
that so their Countrey dights
With sounde examples of good life,
with Iustice and with truth,
That scarce from any state of men
a better lyfe ensuth.
And in this speache of mine, I meane
and eke do comprehende
Not only Clerckes and Practisers
But also do intende
That Counsaylers haue equall praise
and higher praise in deede
By howe much they in higher place
and higher thinges proceede.
But these, all these are nowe so matcht
and ouerswayde with swarmes:
That seeld and seldome can they helpe
to keepe the good from harmes.
I wishe to God some Theseus
might giue a choppe or twayne
And rather then these heads should stand,
to choppe and choppe againe.
Nowe, wheras Bertulph here perhaps
you looke I should declare
How this great Rabble rakes for coyne,
and howe they Nummus snare:
I tell you as I tolde you earst,
this is too much for me:
The pennes of twenty skilfull men
for this would needefull be.
In briefe, yet thus I dare affyrme
that these superfluous traynes
In Lawyers state, vse fowle deceytes
t'inlarge their priuate gaynes.
Which gotten once, is lewdly spent
in pompe and prowde araye,
To whose fowle rapine seely wightes
are ofte and ofte a praye.
I leaue them as I lefte the rest,
I touche and go my wayes.
This short discourse shewes well enough
howe here syr Nummus swayes.

The thyrde Satyr.

[Aduert we nowe who else there be]

Paule.
Aduert we nowe who else there be
that grasping gape for gaine,
And let vs place them in the cue
amongst this greedy traine.

Phisitions.

Phisitions take the seconde roome,
for worthy so they be:
They stately stalcke, and beare a port
in London now we see.
With reuerence and worship great,
with cap and eake with knee,
Wee must beseche his Maistership
our Patient to see.
And what of this? will this suffice?
No: Nummus doth the deede.
Vnguentum Aureum or such lyke
will make him runne with speede.
Go Symon go, or Gilbert else,
go cast my footecloth on?
No neede to byd the Doctor go,
he will be gone anon.
And when hees there, with solempne face
and graue deuised porte
He frames his talke for to perswade
or else for to dehorte
As lykes him best: he both can doo,
and both so finely frame,
That Nummus shall be nymmed streight.
O passing pretie game?
Who would not blushe to see such frawde,
and such fine framed knacks?
Who would not hate the falsehoode vyle
of these so pieuish Iackes?
And (soothly if I should affirme)
I beare so much deceat
Of theirs in progging after gaine,
as tongue can not repeat.
And (as of course) I doo demaunde
howe they doo spend the same?
Forsooth, I heare no good they doo:
No man can iustly blame
Or ought accuse them of good deedes.
But this my selfe can saye,
That most thereof that I see spent,
is on apparell gaye.
For but of late, ene thus I heard
a worthy Doctor say:
My matters frame not as I would,
Ile worke some other way.
I see these weedes be not to weare.
Ile henceforth so prouide,
That I will haue a pretie Nagge
about the Towne to ride.
Ile haue a footecloath, and each thing
belonging to the same:
My felow Doctor hath the lyke,
and passing flyes his name.
A Gowne with graundcape will I haue,
a swinging Ueluet Cap,
A Coate according verie braue:
and then ift be my hap,
With mighty lookes, and learning such
as God hath giuen mee,
Ile hooke syr Nummus to my handes,
and make the Ruddockes flee
For feare almost into my purse.
Ile leaue my simple gate,
Ile rather frame my selfe to ride
lyke one of high estate.
And what? were these but scoffing words?
Yes sure, hee (earnest bent)
Hath so purueyde, that now he hath
euen all for that intent.
And thus you see with how great care
they seeke t'enrich their store,
You see the pride that they mayntaine
through this excessiue lore.
And (well I wote) none other meanes
of spence at all I see,
But only such as wicked are:
(if any else there be.)
Wherefore, it seemes they hoorde it vp
and hyde it from the Sunne:
They couer't close, and lock it fast
tyll more thereto be wonne.
They giue small almes as I can heare,
for beggars barcke apace,
And say that they of all men woorst
relieue their wofull case:
Their pride is great, and high they looke
for feare of waxing lowe:
Theyle giue no place to any man
where ere they hap to go.
I well recorde a pretie tale
alluding to a truthe:
I force not much to tell it you.
Harke how the same ensuthe?

A Ciuilian, or a Canonist, or both.

Once hapt it (through a fowle mischance)
that great debate did ryse
Betweene a Doctor in the Law
(for so th'example lyes)
And Doctor (eke) of Phisick, who
should haue the vpper hande
In each assembly where they met
to walke, to syt or stande.
The Lawyer layed for him selfe
and sayde well to the case,
Phisition dyd full wisely to
and with a goodly grace:
Alledging well (euen both of them)
lyke handsome learned men.
But nought could be agreed vpon.
So fell the matter then,
That they vnto the Pretor would
for to decyde the same.
They made relation of the case
and finely gan it frame.
The Pretor when he heard the dolts
contend about a Straw,
Was soone content to iudge the same,
and askte the man of Law
Who went vnto the Gallowes first,
the Hangman or the Thiefe?
Who formost was of both them two
and which was there the chiefe?
The Hangman quoth the Lawyer tho,
for he doth kyll the man:
The Hangman he must go before,
the Theefe must follow. Than
Quoth Pretor harke. This is my minde
and iudgement in the case.
Phisition he must go before,
and Lawy

Bertulph.
Why then (quoth Bertulph) by your tale
Phisitions men doo kyll.
And Lawyers liue by robbing men,
and so their Cofers fyll.
Whereby with pride emboste they swell,
and whereby (raging) they
T'aduaunce themselues to honors type
vnlawfull meanes assay.

Paule.
Yea sure (quoth Paule) and so they doo
a number of them now.
But as for our Phisitions,
their cunning knoweth how

Such are the euyll sort.

As well to kyll, as to purloyne:
they are expert in all.
And force not (so that Nummus come)
which way their staffe doo fall.

A Potion to cure all kinde of diseases and griefes.

One hath a Potion for to serue
and cure eche kinde of griefe,
Heele sell a quart for fortie pence.
This fellow is the chiefe
And finest chylde in casting of
mens waters when they neede.
Heele byd the healthy get him home
and make his Wyll with speede.
Although he liue from that tyme long,
without all kinde of paine.
Heele make him doubt and dread his life,
and all for filthy gaine.

Carnific{is} potius Medici quàm nomine dignus.

He wyll perswade that men haue lyu'de
in whordome and excesse,
Where neuer raigned fond affect,
and whoredome much the lesse.
Another is so Doltlyke seene
and learnedly beguylde,
That when he seeth your vrine, he
wyll say you be with childe
Although you be a man: for sure
but hittie missie he
And so full many of them play,
so Bussardlike they be.
O Paule, quoth Bertulph, giue mee leaue
to interrupt you here.
For by your patience, yle requite
the tale you tolde whyle ere.
Content quoth Paule (and with good wyll)
I am right well apayde
To heare thy tale: my talke shall cease
tyll thou thy minde haue sayde.
There dwelt (somtime) where I was born Bertulph.
a perfite cunning man,
A good Phisition well beseene:
and so it happed than,
That he should ryde abroade to see
a Patient of his.
He had a man that roade with him
(a ioly Knaue ywis.)
The Doctor draue his Horse apace
and roade with mery cheere.
He longed sore to see the place
where Nummus should appeere.
But as he pricked forth in haste,
by chaunce he did espie
A sort of Felons in a Carte
adiudged there to die.
And musing what ye prease should meane,
he sent his man with speede,
To knowe the cause of all the crowde:
his man performde the deede.
And posting, soone he did perceyue
the Theeues to hanging prest.
He turnd his Horse at sight thereof:
To flye, he thought it best.
And so he dyd with sturdie pace,
He gallopt on his way.
And as a man halfe skarde, he fled
as nought might make him stay.
His Maister lowdly askte the cause
why he dyd ryde so fast.
O Maister saue your selfe (quoth he)
I vize you make good haste.
The Doctor swallowde vp with feare,
spurde Cut and made away.
And tyll he came within a myle,
his Horse did neuer stay.
But when hee came vnto himselfe,
he called backe his man
And him demaunding cause of griefe,
the fellowe thus began.
O Maister, thanke we God (quoth he)
for this our good escape:
Else surely had we swinged both
within an hempen Tape.
For yonder, where the prease was so,
I sawe three handsome men
Which for the death of only one,
were to be hanged then.
But when I sawe that they (for one)
were all adiudgde to dye,
No neede to byd mee haste me thence,
no neede to byd mee flye:
For well I wyst, if you were seene
which haue a number slaine,
You should haue bene trust vp in haste
and neare returnde againe.
The Doctor being thus informde,
knew not what best to say.
He thought as chyldish him to take
and lightly him to way.
Wyse man you are no doubt, (quoth he)
the Uicar of saint Fooles
Go shriue you: for you haue bene taught
in some well learned schooles.

Paule.
Shrewde foole quoth Paule, I warrāt you,
but fooles and chyldren oft
Doo tell the truth: for all men know
their tongues are very soft.
But well, no doubte, yet some there be
in London (whome I know)
That both do gette syr Nummus well,
and well the same bestowe.
That leade no doubt a vertuous lyfe,
and lyue in Godly feare:
That goodes to get by meanes peruerse
at all times wyll forbeare.
Of those I haue not talcked here,
nor of the honest sort.
But such as (galled) seeme to kicke,
herein I doo exhort
To keepe their patience when they see
their faults reproued heere.
For sure I am that in my tale
gainst good doth nought appeere.
And so I leaue them to the Lorde,
and bid them all adue.
My tongue in order must recorde
such things as do ensue.

The fourth Satyr.

[Thapothecarie here I leaue]

Paule.
Thapothecarie here I leaue,

Apothecaries & Surgeons.

which so for Nummus tugges,
That he ye people noyes with pelfe,
and filthy stincking drugges.
So let I passe the Surgeon,
who with his fowle deceyte,
Doth hooke syr Nummus to his handes
and takes him at receyte.
The pelting patches will presume
to practise Phisick, and
Will minister lyke learned men
in places of the Land.
Let go such Squibs: I know them not.
Yet people do complaine:
And well I wote, they vse such wayes
for meare intent to gaine.
A rablement of raskall Roges
as if weeld harrow hell,
I thinke we should not finde the lyke
in Plutoes house to dwell.
But let them packe, Ile passe them ore.
Perhaps there many be
Both honest, good, and expert men,
they shall goe by for me.
And now yle turne me to my tale,
and (as my course doth tende)

Marchant men.

To euyll sort of Marchaunt men
the sequele wyll I bende.
Lets see (I praye) howe they turmoyle
and fixe their whole intent
To catche syr Nummus by the coate.
Let's see how they be bent
And sole addicted vnto gaine.
One runnes me to the Indes,

Not the deede but the intent is to be misliked.

To Gynnie, Spaine, and Calecut:
where he such chaffare findes,
As (there although it cost him small)
wyll bring him here a pounde:
Yea, ten perhaps, or else they lye
which in such welth abounde.
Another skuds me ore the Seas,
and fully fraught with toyes,
He brings them into London, where
at length he welth enioyes.
The people are so fondly bent,
theyle chaunge their Cheese for chalck.
And for such pelting pieuish trashe,
theyle let good chaffare walck.

Pueros puerilia decent.

O foolishe, fonde and doltishe momes,
oh men deuoyde of wit,
O Capons cramde with barly corne:
howe farre are stones vnfit
For such pyld palting pieuish Cockes?
howe yll bestowde is welth

A Foole wyll not giue his bable for the Tower of London.

On such new fangled fondish foltes
which chaunge the same for pelth?
One bringes mee ore a painted Priest,
another bringes a Nunne,
And shops are fraught with toyes, wherewith
are English people wonne.
Another grounded well in wealth,
(acquainted with the guyse)
Doth bring vs in such daynties, as
the man can best deuise.
Some else there be, and many such
(chiefe Marchaunts in the Towne)
That for our Peacocks plumes doo bring
and sylcks the streame adowne:
They knowe the Lawes doo lymit where,
and what such should be worne,
And they such Lawes to execute,
haue eftsoones office borne.
And yet for that their gaine is such
and wealth so great therby,
They must forbeare, and wincking walk.
The Lawes must lawlesse lye:
And Uarlets vaunt about the streate,
lyke men of high estate:
Their Hosen strowting forth with silcke,
and plumes vpon their pate.
The Raskalles now must roame abroade
lyke men of honest port:
And Strumpets stately in attire
lyke Ladies mint resort
To places where them selues thinke best
without all kinde of doubt:
They customde are about the Towne
and shall be borne out.
It seemeth so vndoubtedly:
for nothing is amended.
Although the Lawes haue sharply see
and punishment extended.
Nowe, other some vagaries fetch
abroade I wote ner where,

Such as bring them in for intent aforesayde are to be blamed.

And they bring in most pleasaunt spice
with Hops and other geare:
These make fine mouthed Gentlemen.
For who but Marchaunts now?
Who wallow more in wealth than they
lyke peeres I wote ner how?

I speake not of the trade but of the corruption of the trade & abuse of the same.

Yea, who are they but Marchauntmen
that haue the costly fare?
Who now in banquets with these men
are able to compare?
For such straunge store of diuers meates
and dishes finely wrought?
Who hath the lyke? no man besides.
Welnigh it costes them nought.
They sell so deare and take such gaine,
that well they may afoorde
To set fine Marchpanes and such lyke
vpon their seruaunts boorde.
Thus may we see these kinde of men
how they for Nummus prodde:
A man would thinke that soothly they
take Nummus for a Godde.
They labor so with might and maine,

Although they haue money in such price, yet euyll gotten goodes shall be ill spent.

they so besturre their stumpes.
They exercise such ackward wayes
to bring it in by lumps.
They scratch, they scrape, they mise, they muse
at night when they should rest.
They searche their senses and bethinke
howe to obteyne it best.
And ah alas, some do deuise
to let it out for gaine:
Such gaine as at the length will bring
to them infernall paine.
And (not content with fowle deceyt
that they in sale do vse)
Some of them do in lone alas
their countrymen abuse.
Let Preachers crye and tell them ont,
but nothing will preuayle:
They flocke, they floute, and iest at it.
They bid them kisse their tayle.
They haue no shame, but (brasen fasde)

A lamentable cal[illeg.].

they stick not it to call
A gainesome Occupation.
And so the people fall
From honest state, to plaine banckrowte
through such their Wooluish wayes.
The Commons neare were so opprest
as in these wofull dayes.
They hooke, they hawke for Nummus so,
they cogge, they foyst and powle,
They lay such snares by broking meanes,
that thus they Nummus towle.
A thousande meanes sinistre, they
account and call exchaunge,
Although thereby be men vndone:
the case is verie straunge.
And wofull tys no doubt to see
how lightly they do way
Th'account which must be made by them
to God another day.
They are right wise in worldly wytte:
surpassing is their braine.
But oh, they do applie the same
to nothing else but gaine.
And when they haat, how is it spent?
Attende a whyle, and you
Shall haue it layde before your eyes
and set vnto the vew.
This day, my Lorde his speciall friende
must dyne with him (no naye)
His Partners, Friendes and Aldermen:
wherefore he must puruaye
Both Capon, Swan, and Hernshoe good,
fat Bitture, Larcke and Quayle:
Right Plouer, Snype, and Woodcock fine
with Curlew, Wype and Rayle:
Stonetiuets, Teale, and Pecteales good,
with Busterd fat and plum,
Fat Pheasaunt Powt, and Plouer base
for them that after come.
Stent, Stockard, Stampine, Tāterueale,
and Wigeon of the best:
Puyt, Partrich, Blackbirde and
fat Shoueler with the rest.
Two Warrants eke he must prouide
to haue some Uenson fat.
And meanes heele make for red Deere too,
(there is no nay of that.)
And needefully he must prouide
(although we speake not ont)
Both Peacock, Crane, and Turkicock,
and (as such men are wont.)
He must foresee that he ne lacke
colde bakemeates in the ende:
With Custards, Tarts, and Florentines,
the bancquet to amende.
And (to be short and knit it vp)
he must not wanting see
Straunge kindes of fysh at second course
to come in their degree.
As Porpesse, Seale and Salmond good
with Sturgeon of the best
And Turbot, Lobster, with the lyke
to furnish out the feast.
All this theyle haue, and else much more,
sydes Marchpane and greene Cheese,
Stewde wardens, Prunes, & sweete conserues
with spiced Wine like Lees.
Greeneginger, Sucket, Suger Plate,
and Marmaladie fine:
Blauncht Almonds, Peares and Ginger bread.
But Peares should we assigne
And place before (as meete it is)
at great mens boordes: for why,
Rawe fruites are first in seruice styll,
Else Seruing men doo lye.
But now me thinkes, one quips me vp
and spurs a question heere.
He sayes (forsooth) that I mislike
to haue men keepe good cheere.
In deede, the stomack ouerchardgde
and man full gorgde with meate,
Doth make the minde and inwarde man
vnfit for reasons seate.
For chaunge no doubt annoyes the man,
and meate not well indewde,
Doth make the same scant halfe a man
if reason be renewde.
And what of this? shoulde this reformde,
house keeping now depell?
No sure, for hospitalitie
becomth them very well.
But that this cheere is alway such,
I plainely do deny.
Some feast great men for frendship sake,
and let the poore go by.
They rather doot to oppresse the poore,
and by such friendship got,
The poore haue nought within their hands
which they get to them not.
For what through frendship welth & force
no one enioyes the thing,
That (if they lyke) some will not soone
into their clouches bring.
But goods yll gote, are euyll spent.
And howe can they bestowe
Their welth on poore and Preachers true
Which through deceyt did growe?
No fie, t'were shame and fowle reproche
t'aue beggers at their borde:
An't seemes (some think) all yll bestowde
that's spent t'encrease Gods worde.
For (worse then this) some cannot byde
t'aue beggers at their gate,
Nor not repine when Preachers lyue
in meane and simple state.
O Labirinths of lothsome lust,
O hellish humane harts,
O beastly belching bely gods
that thus their store conuarts:
O lumpishe Luskes, that lieffer had
to haue of Uiands store:
To winne the Rytchman, then to feede
the begger at their dore.
O stony harts, that more esteeme
a Monckey tyde with chaine,
Then their poore brother, for whose sake
Christe Iesus sufferde paine.
O wicked Wights of wooluish kinde,
which so the Lambes deuowre,
And crāckly cram themselues with spoyle
of needy soules each howre.
And (more then this:) for how doth walck
Sir Nummus day by daye?
How trudgeth it to buy the Wife
and Daughter fine arraye?
They must not go as other doo.
Wherefore, they must deuise
To haue them knowne from cōmon sort
by some newfangled guise.
T'is meete therefore, as they do not
with courtlyke Dames compare,
Euen so they should from townish wiues
their garments new repaire.
And so (forsooth) his wife must haue
prepared out of hand,
Gaye garments of the finest stuffe
that is within the land.
She must haue Partlet, Square & Lace,
with Chaine about hir neck:
She must haue costly kinde of chaunge,
and all thinges at hir beck.
Hir Daughter also must be clad
well lyke a Ladies feere,
And all to walcke about the streate
with hir true Louer deere.
What tho? Forsooth, she must not wed
but with some wealthie man,
And one that must be grounded rych,
though honest when he can.
And thus I say (aswell t'is seene)
fayre Parnell must be pranckt
And walcke at wyll: whereby it haps
oft tymes that she is banckte.
And all through meanes euen of hir Sire
which so consumes his good,
And ioyes therein, more then to giue
the hungrie wretch his foode.
Chaunce some men see good deedes they do.
But in good sooth not I
(Though many naught) can vnderstand.
T'were sinne on them to lye.
And nowe, as some you see to scrape
by vyle sinistre wayes:
So may you see them spend as yll
in these our later dayes.
I meane for so much as they spend.
But well haue we to weete,
Their hoording and their Chesting vp
is all as farre vnmeete
As this their spence and filthy trade,
as this their prowling guise,
As this their building all for gaine
and profite to aryse:
As this their hatefull vyle contempt
of poore and needy Wights:
As this their robbing and their stealth.
As these their sinfull slights.
The poore complaine and wanting, crye
through hunger halfe forepinde:
And some through want, about them haue
their fainting breath resignd.
And yet their Cofers farced lye.
Their Bags are filde at full.
But wote you what? it is reseru'de
For Tib his pretie Trull,
And Dick his Boy that dappart ladde:
which for his sake, perchaunce
Euen both of them, when he is gone,
wyll make syr Nummus daunce.
But alwayes this is not the cause
of such their spitefull hoord.
For certs I thinke they neuer looke
at all to come aboord
In crooked Charons vgly Boate:
Or else perhaps they thinke
(As long they haue) the Pope shall purge
and saue them all for chinke.
And in the meane time weene they best
to couer't close and fine,
And bring more toot, t'encrease the heape.
This iudgement is of mine.
Else thinges amisse, before exprest,
should nere so yll remaine,
But soone they would reforme them well
and make them streight againe.
Which so to do, God graunt them grace.
And clense their fylthie mindes:
That Auarice maye once decay
which so their body bindes,
And subiect makes to vyle deuise,
to Usurie and deceate,
That naught they are, and wyll persist
tyll grace do blow retreate.
I ende with them: protesting styll
I touch no good man heere,
But such as through these words of mine
shall wrathfull bent appeere.
For sure I am that many iust,
and men vpright remaine,
Exempted from this talke of mine.
Who neuer yet with staine
Or spot of beastly Usurie
or vile notorious vice,
Were once corrupted or infect.
which are discrete and wise.
And (truth it is) they nill disdaine
at this troth telling tale.
And for the rest, let them adue,
my tongue must further vale.

The fift Satyr.

[Tis straūge to see what small account]

Tis straūge to see what small account
men nowe a dayes do make:
How slightly they let slip the paine
of Brimstone burning lake.
How fondly they perswade them selues
(at least how they suppose)
That griesly death shall neuer strike.
That eyne shall neuer close.
O sottish sinfull brittle age.
O mad and blockish Mome.
O doltish foole, and wilfull wretch
that here dost hope for home
And dwelling aye vnto thy selfe.
Howe art thou wilfull blinde?
I tell thee, I, thou hence shalt flit
lyke dust blowne forth with winde.
Let wearish wimpled age growe on:
let head be hoarie white,
And olde be thou: yet at the last
blackwinged death shall smite.
But what is he can promise heere
him selfe to liue a day?
No doubt not one. Death vnawares
shall take our life away.
And when we thinke vs surest, then
most often doth he strike.
O then why do we lyngre on
to sleepie sluggerds lyke?
O, why should men thus mucker vp
such falsely gotten gaine?
Or why should they by wicked wayes
seeke wealth for to obtaine?

Banckrowtes.

But soft a while, what neede these words?
as good to holde my peace:
For loe how Banckrowts ginne for gaine
to put them selues in prease.
Shall fraude lye hid vnfriended now?
Shall fowle Deceyt be gon?
Shall Wylie want? No, harcke a while,
and you shall heare anon.
Some men there be that beare a porte,
and liue lyke to the best.
That feast, ye flow, that chop, that chaūge,
and practise with the rest.

I haue made a dyfference betweene the wilfull and the cōtrarie.

That Office beare, and worthy seeme
through welth to weelde the charge.
That saue, that spende, & bargaines make,
that keepe their trade at large.
That war{t}e worste, and winde to them
good credite in the ende.
That get such friendes as wyll not stick
a thousand pound to lende.
Oft more oft lesse: almost as much
as they can well demaunde.
For why, their credite now is such,
that they may men commaunde.
But what of this? Euen this forsooth.
Theyle shut vp doore anon,
Theyle giue vp office, trade and all:
farewell, they will be gone.
When they haue gote the most they can,
they wyll become banckrowte,
They wyll no longer styfeled be
amongst the honest rowte.
They can no longer byde the trade
which honest men do vse.
They keepe at home amongst their bags,
Theyle honesty refuse.
Theyle lurking lye lyke Theefe in denne,
lyke Drane vpon the spoyle.
Theyle grease their lips, & fat their paūch,
with honest Marchaunts toyle.
O dreyrie dregges of dampishe caue,
O fowle infernall fiendes,
O tryple stinged Uipers broode,
O hagges of hellishe mindes.
O Cyclops such as styll deuoure
the sheepe of forreine foldes,
O brockish beastes with rauine gorgde:
that lurcke within their holdes.
Shall duskie drosse of Dytis caue
denie infecting death?
Shall Oreus spare with skalding skortch
to noye their vitall breath?
No sure, the pitchie burning pit,
and Limboes flaming Lake
Shall yolpe them vp, except they yeelde
the goodes which they did take.
Or else to powre requite the same.
But this they neuer thinck:
For marck how they do still bestowe
this beastly gotten chinck.
And here I must aduertise you
that some besides there bee
Which oft by meanes becom banckrowte
(as dayly we may see.)
For some exceede and so abounde
in Epicureous fare,
That so at length they banckrowte be
and bring them selues full bare.
And othersome through great excesse
and prowde surpassing charge.
In braue arraye do bring them selues
into Cock lorrels Barge.
When ere sawe you their Dames so nice,
and wiues so richly clad?
When wist yon Women ere so proude,
or Husbandes ere so mad?
O where are Matrones now become?
O where are Husbands graue?
Where are ye Wiues that tooke such care
their honesty to saue?
Woulde Matrones walcke or Wiues discreet
with syluer shining browes
From streat to streat? no, rather they
would keepe within their howse.
Would Matrons skud to common games
and prancke in earie prease?
No, tys to vyle, I loath to tell.
Ile therefore holde my peace.
Tys this, tys this, ye Banckrowts breede.
This brings the wife yll name.
The husband thus is bare through spence,
and wife naught by the same.
And nowe you see a difference
tweene him that banckrowte is
Of vyle intent, and him that falles
through great excesse of his.
But both of these perhaps a lyke
by fraude haue Nummus gote,
Though both in care and wanting pine
syng not lyke dolefull note.
And nowe, (as to my promise made
at fyrst when I began)

Fooles and Roysters.

Ile place syr Nummus caught by Fooles
and Roysters now and than.
A wise man dyes, and welthy leaues
his sonne in goodes and lands.
The young man (when he is of age)
takes all into his handes.
And streight to Court, or Innes of Court,
he goes to leade his lyfe)
Where franck he is, and youthfull bent
for why, haas Nummus ryfe.
Or else, if not: So he han lande
or ought that's Money worth,
He shall not want of Marchauntmen
fine silcks to set him forth.
Nor Money will they stick at all
to lende him at his neede.
As long as ought he doth possesse,
theyle neuer cease to feede
My yonker and yong Maister so.
And he (when once he sees
The bridle layde vpon his necke)
is loath much time to leese.
For why, he wisht it long before:
And sith he doth espie
The matter wholy in his handes,
why should he longer lye
Lyke blunt Iohn Whoball all at home?
No fie, heele haste him now.
Both lybertie and Chinck ynough
himselfe he will allow.
And streightway (else the world is hard)
He meetes with Copesmates, such
As to exalt and set him forth,
at all will nothing grutch.
And hee forsooth must foremost be
in euery braue attempt.
Who eare be one, yong Maister must
at no time be exempt.
Heele be the chiefe within the Maske
and chiefe in bancquet: hee
Shall syt exalted to the Sunne,
Euen to the tenth degree.
And now and then (else scapes he well)
heele haue a spyrt at Dice.
He wantes no mates to bring him too't
by slight and fine deuice.
He must haue walkinges in the night:
he must be braue and fine.
He must be of the hoygh no doubt.
He neuer must repine
Although it be to sit it oute
all night in costly game.
And (more then this) he must not stick
to paye for all the same.
And when he seemely seemeth once,
and thinks well of himselfe,
Then, then no doubt he is stird vp
to spende this noysome pelfe.
And then (I saye) with posting speede
he must be gaylie dect
In colours of his Ladie, and
therein not ought neglect
That's incident to euery sute:
Of chaunge he must haue store,
And frame himselfe full scatly then
to euery lusty lore.
And doubtlesse then he is so drownde
in pleasure and in pride,
That nought at all may him withdrawe:
It hath bene often tride.
Yea, though at length he feele great smart
through that he made away:
Yet is his minde so hawtie then,
that he can make no stay.
For wote you what, vse custome brings,
and yongker thus doth say:
Shall I make spare whyle ought is left
and so lyue wanting? Naye,
It were a shame and great reproche,
if I that euer haue
As yet lyu'de lyke a Gentleman,
should now lyue like a slaue.
And so my chylde no chaungling is,
tyll all be spent and gone:
And till his mates him needie leaue
and comfortlesse alone.
From which time forth if ought he haue,
whereof may Nummus ryse:
He will lyue shifting til't be gone.
Then forth of Towne he flyes
And keepes the high way side (perchaunce)
to lyue by theft and spoyle:
Till Tyborne twitch him by the neck
and Hangman giue the foyle.
So that's the ende of all his wealth
and ending of the man.
But goods perhaps were euill gote:
and who can maruaile than
Though that the same were all consumde
in filthy vaine exspence?
And who will doubt that gallowes should
such Dingthrifts recompence?
But one thing I do here lament
and tys most wicked sure,
Tys noysome, vyle and beastly trade,
yet most of all in vre.
A Gentleman his childe doth sende
t'apply his studies here,
With hope to haue him do the same
as daylie doth appere.
The youth oft tymes declyneth streight
as apt to youthly guise:
And sets his minde to make him braue
with all he may deuise.
The Citizen when that he sees
the bruite so brauely bent,
Doth closely search the yong mans state,
and learnes the whole extent
Of all his possibilitie,
which knowne, he will not spare
For friendship sake vnto the same
of loane to let his ware.
The yong man hauing welth at wyll
and all thinges at request,
Byds booke adue, and cuts it out
as brauelie as the best.
How vyle this is, let all men iudge.
how oft it comes to passe,
The yongmen brought to naught therby,
are witnesses alas.
Oh, where is loue or feare of God?
Wher's faith for to be found?
Wher's friendship, truth and honestie?
Where doth not Fame resound
The beastly pranckes of wicked men?
Wher's one that thinks of God?
Wher's one that doubts or feareth ought
the sharpnesse of his rod?
How few be there that tread the pathes
or trace Dame vertues steps?
How many rather be there now
that quite from vertue leps?
O wofull case: the best almost
do much account it now
If they from vile notorious faultes
at any time do bow.
How talke our tatlers of the truth
and Scripture still discusse?
How lyue they quite contrarie yet
for all their talking thus?
How earnest bent are men as now
to heare the worde of God?
(I meane professors of the trueth.)
How farre yet liue they od?
They crie Lord Lord, and God be praysde:
but streight within an howre,
That heate of theirs is colde as stone.
Such heate hath made them sowre.
O thou good God and Father kinde:
were not thy mercies great,
Thou wouldst destroy these men with fire
from thy supernall seat.
O heauenlie Prince of glorie: and
O thou alone Iehoue,
Thou God of grace, oh louing Christ,
yond whome we can not roaue
Or raunge aright: yond whome no man
can perfite blisse attaine:
Thou only one, and all in one,
yond whome doth nought remaine:
Giue grace vnto thy wandring sheepe.
Fetch home the same againe,
Sith blood of thine hath them redeemde
from sharpe infernall paine.
Graunt graunt (O God) thy holy spreete
to guide, defend and keepe
All such as in most lothsome sinne,
are yet not falne a sleepe.
Saue thine elect from noysome trade
of worldly minded men:
Let not the custome of the worlde
their lyfe with vices blen.
From place to place, from streat to streat,
from house to house, alas:
Yea, and well nigh from man to man
doth sinfull lyuing passe.
Not words preuaile, nor preaching ought,
can turne the peoples harts:
No kinde of thing can moue their minds.
O, death is their desarts,
O, Hell their hire, and burning flame,
is guerdon of their deedes:
No one almost in hart doth beare
the true repentaunt seedes.
O, horror doth possesse my heade,
And whyle through towne I trace,
Deepe cutting cares annoy my hart.
to see such want of grace.
No sparckle, iote or small remaine,
no signe of godly feare,
No badge at all of christen men
doth any person weare
Or keepe almost throughout the Towne,
O, what a case is this,
Not one to finde that feareth God,
but all to do amisse?
And all to wander from good lyfe
(full few alas exempt)
And all to worke that wicked is
and beastly vile attempt?
O God, howe often do I wishe
to be deuided cleane
From all the dealings in the worlde,
and to God only leane?
How often do I seeke some trade,
and solitarie lyfe.
How fayne would I depart the place
where sinnes be now so ryfe.
The world doth tempt, & nought remains
in his due practise now:
Eche kinde of trade corrupted is,
alas, I know not how.
Nothing almost is exercisde
without some vile deceyt:
Fraude, falsehood, theft and pilfring, oft
in matters are of weyght.
The worldlings weene & thinke no doubt
there is none other place
But ground and graue, and so they runne
and keepe their woonted race.
What helpen teares or wayling griefe?
what ought at all preuayles
Gods worde sincere? They keepe theyr course:
they haue set vp theyr sayles
Of deadly sinnes and hatefull hellish lyfe.
They runne and will not stay.
They keepe themselues in darksom holes.
They hate to see the day.
Looke looke throughout their dealings all,
and you shall nothing finde
But couen, craft, and fylthy lore.
They haue good lyfe resignde.
Lets sift & searche our selues throughout.
Lets rippe our inwarde man:
Let's way our selues euē with our selues.
And we shall see vs than,
And finde our selues but drosse and death
and fowle infected Swine.
Most vgsome shapes, and creatures, such
as I can not define.
What faith in bargaines can be found?
What store of othes must bee
In eche compact? And yet in ende
what falsehod do we see?
Not Marchaunt vseth onely fraude:
nor men of greatest meede.
But eche one now that bargaine makes,
hath falsehod in his deede.
How oft and daylie haps it now
that chyldren do begin
Where Parents ended, and do ende
where Parents did begin?
The parents beggers first began,
They ende great men of wealth.
The sonne begins a welthy man:
and endes his lyfe by stealth,
Or wofull wanting simple state.
How oft comes this to passe?
Tys daylie seene of common course.
it happeth still alas.
Shall welth that's woonne by fraude, be kept?
shall riches such descende
From heire to heire? No no, such welth
shall quickly haue an ende.
It cannot bide, nor prosper well.
But who doth that regarde?
Who yet for welth most vyle deceyt
at any tyme hath sparde?
No one well nighe: (the world is such.)
And here doth come to minde
The passing pride in common sort
which now eche where we finde.
Such is their rage, and fowle affect,
that though their bellies want:
Their backs must brauely clothed be:
apparell nothing scant.
For what cause else they do reserue
eche where the Saboth day,
But for to iette about the streates
in passing braue array?
The welthy sort exceede their state,
and meane degree the same:
The common sort wyll do the lyke.
So all goes out of frame:
And Roysters ruffle all about
and tosse the Bylbow blade,
And to maintaine such vyle excesse,
beholde what shifts be made?
Such cogging, foysting, cossening:
such fylching, theft and guile:
Such pelting, pylfring, pieuish drifts,
as are almost to vyle
And beastly to be named once.
Ile therefore silent bee:
For sure I am such lyfe of theirs
all men may plainly see.
Ther's brothel baytes, & whoring dēnes:
Ther's lurcking strumpets lodge:
Ther's stuffe eche where for lusty Swash
for Simkin, Dick, and Hodge.
Looke looke the Lanes about the Towne,
and search eche corner through:
And you shall finde I doubt not I
of broken ware ynough:
Corrupt at least much seemes to be:
so brightly shine the browes,
So prickt & pranckt, so lyckt and trimde
is Banckrowtes pretie spowse.
Search Tauernes through, and typling bowres,
eche Saboth day at morne:
And you shall thinke this geare to be
ene too too much forborne.
Take care a whyle to vew the Skowtes,
and wanton walking trulles:
And you shall see howe suffraunce nowe
good lyfe awayward pulles.
What should I saye? Marke eche where well,
and you shall vnderstande
And plainely see how sinne is sparde
and cloked vnder hande.

Beare bayting on the Saboth day.

What else but gaine and Money gote
maintaines each Saboth day
The bayting of the Beare and Bull?
What brings this brutish play?
What is the cause that it is borne,
and not controlled ought,
Although the same of custome be,
on holy Saboth wrought?
Now sure I thinke tys gaine or spite,
gainst good and godly lyfe:
It seemes it is t'ynuegle men,
whyles Gods worde is so ryfe:
I cannot any where perceyue
where gaine is gotten well:
I can not see where well tys spent.
I thinke no man can tell
Or iustlie saye, here goeth one
(for most part now I meane)
That iustly lyues and leades his lyfe:
that doth to vertue leane.
But well, to God I leaue this geare,
I haue bene somewhat long:
Ile turne my tale to other talke:
Ile sing some other song.

The syxt Satyr.

[What think you (Bertulph) of this place]

Bertulph.
Of truth, to shew my minde therin
(at least what I haue seene)
The tyme (as now) wyll not permit:
tys to farre spent I weene.
Againe, sith you haue well begonne
of Nummus to intreate,
T'were pitie (sure) that want of tyme
should let you to repeate
Such things againe with briefe discourse,
of well proposed Theame:
Returne therfore, and make some ende
of this thy faithfull dreame.
And I at else appointed time
(for time it doth demaunde)
Will nothing fayle, in eche respect,
wherein you shall commaunde.

Paule.
Well, well (quoth Paule) so shall it be.
Ile ende my tale begonne.
Ile not be long: giue silent eare,
the same shall soone be donne.
And now, besides the great abuse
that I whileare did name,
Here in this Temple (day by daye)
themselues do likewise frame

Gentlemē.

A number of our forraine Feeres
and men of grounded welth,
Our cawtie countrey Gentlemen
to wyn this noysome pelth.
The fertile soyle that foyson bringes
of goodly sheaued graine,
The Medow ground that plenty yeeldes
of Haye through little paine,
And ranckly springing pasture, which
doth fat the fleesed sheepe,
Will not suffice their greedy mindes,
nor them contented keepe.
Not gaine inough by gainsome trade,
to them will now arise,
Nor welth inough can quench their thirst:
too much will not suffise
Or stay their lust: styll lust they more.
Not highly raysed rents
Not lofty fines can humors purge,
nor extreame whole extents
Can fyll their hungrie gaping gulles,
nor staunch their fowle desire.
They are so fell, that more they haue,
the more they do require.
Their Graūdsires great, of lōg time since,
their Auncestors of yore,
With sole reuenewes of their lands,
haue maintainde euermore
Right worthy portes, forgetting nought
the stay of their good name:
Well gote they welth, in bountie, and
well spent they still the same.
They neuer (most of them I meane)
encrocht on neighbors ground,
Nor ere inclosde vniustly ought,
They lyu'd within the bound
Of Charitie and reasons lawe,
contented with their owne.
They fedde within their Tedure still:
fowle fraude was then vnknowne.
At least the fraude that's nowe in vre.
They neare enhaunst their rentes,
Nor found such beastly practises
as this vyle age inuents.
Their own suffisde: they sought no more,
they lyu'de well of the same:
Yet lyu'de they not vnto themselues,
as their successors frame.
They well could byde that beggers should
haue comfort at their gate:
They were cōtent, though that they dwelt
by men of meane estate.
But now not so. That Age is spent,
and Charitie withall:
These men are not contented now:
to spoyle eche one doth fall.
They racking stretch their liuing so:
such wooluish wayes they frame,
That through fine force, & pilfring shifts,
twise doubled are the same.
And double twise decayed yet
howsekeping is no doubt.
They liue lyke Misers to them selues.
Their neighbours rounde about
Of poore estate may not approche
nor come within their gates:
Sometimes perhaps for fashion sake
they doe inuite their Mates,
And such as doe the lyke to them:
or else by whome dooth ryse
Some hope of gayne or getting ought.
And thus their bountie lyes.
But this not all: for wote you what?
They shame not now to say
That beggers doe so eate them vp,
that they no longer maye
Be able to keepe ope their doores,
nor howsekeping maintaine.
Perhaps they see some other trade
where lyes some greater gaine.
And soe they doe, for when they haue
once gotten to their handes
By purchase, fraude, and subtile meane
their needy neighbours landes
About them rounde (whereby of trueth
they come to great decaye)
Then shut they doores & howsehold breake
they turne their men away.
And hither come they tag and ragge:
here must the gaine be had:
Here be their charges verie slight:
yet pelting twise as bad
As eare it was. The Countrie house
is broken vp through charge,
The lands are let, and fines are raysde:
whereby comes in at large

Userers are Caterpillers in a comon wealth

Graund sūmes of Coine: which gottē once
is straight to London brought
To bring increase. (O hellish trade)
and thus the meanes are wrought.
In bancke is layde the mightie Masses
the gaine whereof may bee
Enough to maintaine them at ease,
Nay thalfe thereof we see
Doth well suffice: for but one man
or two at most they haue.
And they themselues doe Tables haunt,
and so sir Nummus saue.
And at a meane and slender price,
themselues, their men and all,
Haue meate and drinke euen of the best
well serued at their call:
And with reuenewes of the stock,
right richly are they clad.
And so from thence their brauing state
and all the rest is had.
The sterke as whole reserued still.
and oft (such is the trade)
That frō the graund stock flowes so much
as petie stockes are made.
And here the caterpillers haunt.
In Powles forsooth they vse
To spende the day to make their mart
and hearken after newes.
Was euer seene such state confusde,
such monstrous kinde of men,
Such vomite, reffize, Dunghill drosse?
what man can tell me when
such watch, such ward, such winking wiles
were euer put in vre
In time to fore, or such foule fraude
sir Nummus to procure?
In faith, and by my sauing health,
full hardly can I finde
A man amongst a number now
of vncorrupted minde,
And such a one as hope of gaine
will not procure to sinne.
I think full fewe be lyuing now
whome meede may nothing winne:
Or whome that wealth may neuer winde
from Gods prescribed lawe.
O earth, O sinne, Oh Sathans thralles:
Howe doe we still withdrawe
The grace and loue of God from vs?
O how doe we regarde
More, noysome coyne, then helth of soule
or hope of good rewarde?
I thinke if I could perseuers
one Month in this my tale,
I scantly should the halfe discrie
Of fraude, (for why) in sale
And eche compact, the sole regarde
of gaine is alway had:
And thirst of score, eache where almost
doth make the people mad.
O where are bits to bring them in,
and lawes to lay their rage?
O where is faith, or feare of God
in this presumptuous age?
Eache one dooth liue as lykes him best,
the lawes doe lye for gayne.
Besides deceit and vile deuise,
dooth nothing now remaine
Within the harts of English men,
farre fled is all remorse:
All loue of God, all feare of plague,
and Keysers mightie force.

Papistes.

How prodde our Papistes priuily?
How doe these men puruaye?
How prowle the Caytiues now about,
for Nummus day by daye?
Here, in this Church a walck there is

The Papistes walke in Powles.

where Papistes doe frequent
To talke of newes among themselues:
and oft the time is spent
In glad recounting of their state:
which though not at the best,
Yet ioy they still to see how men
in ayde thereof be prest.

The walke is in the south Ile.

And now comes one and cheeres them vp,
he telles them with great ioy,
That Pope and Spaniard ioyned be,
Gods people to annoy.
By solempne protestation comes
an other by and by
He tels how that in Flaunders still,
the Gospellers doe dye
For sole professing of the truth:
and with a cheerefull face,
He shewes how fast the Sheepe are slaine,
abroade in eary place.
And what great townes are now besiegde
and Cities rounde about.
And how Gods worde decayes apace,
euen all the worlde throughout.
Another new fonde fellow comes,
and he beginnes to tell
How Popishe Champions landed are,
and Irish men rebell.
How holye fathers blessing brought
in Bishops sacred breste,
Hath made the lande before profane,
nowe holy as the reste.
And how that Stukeley lost his life,
among Barbariens late,
A Marquesse of the Romish marke,
O too vntimely fate:
His part (alas) was yet to play
in places neerer hande.
He ment and bent his forces he,
against the Irish lande,
But what this Marquesse left vndone,
Mack Morice he contryu'd:
And hotly gan pursue the charge,
But ah, it neuer thryu'd.
For Martyrlyke he lost his head,
a losse (in deede) to wayle:
Sithe holy Father, through this losie,

Haue you not seene the knacke to knowe knaues by. compiled by many knaues?

of his intent dooth fayle.
Great Sacks of newes are poured forth
in that same worthy walke.
And knauish knackes are there deuisde
whilst that they stately stalck
About the place lyke honest men,
and subiects true of hart.
From that same place doe rumors rise
Gods truth to ouerthwart.
From that same place doe slaunders come
and vile reprochful lyes
Against Gods word and Preachers true.
From that same corner flyes
Lewde skoffing iestes and taunting tales:
there doe these Rebels coyne
Their suttle drifts and noysome tales.
Yea, there doe they conioyne,
And cleaue like burres with solemne vow
the truth for to resist.
And doubt thers none, for why? I thinke
that they will so persist.
Untill that Sathan snatch them hence,
the Graundsire great of lyes:
And till through want of vitall breath,
they may no more deuise.

Bertulph.
What kinde of men be these (I praye)
that thus themselues in vre?
What, are they open foes profest
that by these meanes procure
The slaunder of the certaine truth
and teachers of the same,
Or Ipocrites that couertly
the Ghospell doe diffame?

Paule.
Once, Bertulph, tys well knowne to thee
that small restraint there is
For papistes tongues that proudly prate,
(how ere they gabbe amisse.)
They talke from feare of check at large.
But yet of them there bee
That prease amongst professors true,
and well with them agree.
For why, their lyuings so doe lye,
that but they seemed such,
They neuer coulde aspire so high,
nor yet obtaine so much
As now they doe. O Ianus Iacks
and double faced Dogs?
O wylie wincking wyzard Woolues,
O grunting groyning Hogs?
These men (I say) forsweare them selues
(As periurde Papistes do.)
They graunt the Queene is supreme head
and murmure at it to.
But what of that, fine filed heads
well fraught with trim deuise
And ciuile sleights, without remorse,
suche scruples count vnwise.
And so through sharpe and wylie wits,
And through farre fetching braines,
They mount aloft to honors tipe,
and come by greatest gaines.
And these be they that vnder hande
the trueth do still annoy,
And let the working of the worde
in such as might enioy
The sweetest salue of sauing health.
Such lay the lothsome snares,
And when good seede is sowne, forthwith
such men sowe noysome tares.
Yea, such I say (as to my tale)
lay waite by wylie wayes
For Nummus: and to get the same,
are prest at all assayes.
These be supporting purueyors
for Papistes nowe supprest
These ranckly feede the pamperd Swyne
vpstalled in their nest.
These foyson bring, and brokers set
through bend of popishe crew,
And these men foster Balamites
To whome reuenge is dew.
These men are sole abettors of
the cursed Priests of Baall:
And these men shauelings doe suffulse,
which else wolde haue a fall.
Ist meruaile though they cranckly crowe
well lodged in their cage?
With prouen prickt, yst meruaile now,
That thus the Tigars rage?
What neede haue they to yelde thēselues
vnto their lawfull Queene?
For what intent should subiectes they
at any time be seene?
They want nothing, no pleasant lodge:
of viands they abounde,
Both Uenson, Wine, and finest cates.
almoste that may be founde
They doe enioy: yea, and such store
as true report doth saye,
That (rather than the poore shoulde haat)
they cast their scraps awaye.
And in good sooth, their welth is such
and dainty fare so ryfe,
That worldlings wil not blame their wit
to leade such captiue lyfe.
And fooles they were if they woulde not
be persecuted so:
Yea some of them so sore be hurt
that broade they ryde and go.
They walke and wallow at their will:
they hawke and hunt yfeere
With such as haue the charge of them:
they quaffe and make good cheere,
Set Cock on hoope, with hoape that once,
a daye shall paye for all:
Meane time they wil not die through care
nor from their treason fall.

Bertulph.
Why Pawle (quoth Bertulph) mercy will
perhaps so pierce their hart,
That through the mercye of the Prince
they will to trueth conuart.

Paule.
Nay Bertulph, tys so farre that they
with mercye shoulde be wonne,
That vauntingly they bragge and saye
bounde dutie will haue done
All that is done: and (thus) they crake
that if the Queene by lawe
Or conscience coulde them gyltie dampne,
she woulde not stande in awe
To send them to their doome: nor to
restraine their tongues so loose.
Thus bleate the Popish Balamites,
thus creakes the Romishe goose.
And what, should merrie here be shewde,
or can the same preuaile?
No no, as long as mercy is,
their tongues shall neuer quaile,
Nor harte obdured once relent:
nor common state be sounde.
For how can gentle salue doe good
or cure the festred wounde?
How can the body be in health,

I meane those of thē only that haue bene distained with the bloude of the Lordes Saintes.

that is with Biles infect?
Or Tree sprīg well that hath dead spraies
vnlesse you doe resect
The braunches of? What man so mad
will shewe himselfe to bee,
As ought to hope for leaues or fruite
to come from rotten Tree?
How can the state of Christ his flock,
be fenced from decay:
Unlesse the higher powers doe cast
the stumbling stocks away?
How can the Lord of truth be pleasde,
when such false Prophets liue?
How will he like to haue them kept
his siely Lambes to grieue?
And doubt the Tiraunts now to say
that time shall come againe
Wherein the blessed Saints of God
by them shall suffer paine?
No no, they feare not to protest,
that where they put to death
Of late but few, for earye such
shall twentie loose their breath
In time to come. O bloudie beastes
and foule infected Swine?
But these be they for whom (no doubt)
men scrape and so purloine:
For whome these factors haue such care
and passing great regard:
For whom they powle the Preachers true
these Monsters to reward.
And hate of theirs so haynous is,
their rancor hath such force
Against the Ghospell of the Lorde,
that (voyde of all remorse)
They eft procure Pluralities
For vile disguised Iacks.
They glad and ioy, to see the Church
sustaine such wofull lacks.
And they againe, a Priesting sort,
attyred in theyr kinde:
Doe creepe into Cathedrall Celles.
theyr charge they haue assignde,
To be dischargde per auters mains,
themselues will liue at ease,
They force not what become of flock,
so they sir Nummus sease.
And Nummus do they seise in deede,
which seised buyldes no Schooles:
Nor makes no stockes for men decayde,
no Bertulph so playes fooles.
But here you may not take me so
as if I did defase
Without respect, the good with badde
in eache Cathedrall place.
Much lesse that I depraued haue
all Preachers so attyrde
In Priestish weedes, as Popelings were,
and as theyr state requyrde.
No: farre and farre, be this from me,
for why I knowe right well:
That in these Priestish weedes there are,
full many that excell.
Naye Bertulph naye, then blame haue I
if so my wordes be meante:
For some of these attyred thus,
in peacefull wise are bent:
And brawle not with their brethren, who
neglecte or cleane refuse:
And therefore great vniustice t'were,
such Preachers to accuse.
Although I wishe (that's all I maye,)
that Preachers might be knowne
From Popish Iacks in weedes and words
a thing confused growne.
But husht, Ile haste me to the shore:
Ile shonne such mounting waues.
Ile leaue this Sea for to be swomme
of tryple tongued Naues.

The seauenth Satyr.

[Now harken Bertulph to the ende]

Paule.
Now harken Bertulph to the ende
of this my present tale.
I am enforst my floting Boate
to shore from course to hale.
The time runnes on, the day is spent,
The night awayward pulles,
And endlesse scope of my pretence,
downe pressed pallate dulles.
O endlesse powre, O welspring, whence
all wisedome wisely flowes:
O God, whose grace doeth guide the good,
in whome all bounty growes:
Thou knowst the harts, & seest the raynes
yea, thinwarde thoughts of men
Doe open lye before thy face:
Thou knowst how, where and when
Ech thing hath, is, or shall be done
or else committed: thou
Haste perfite vewe and insight good
which waye mans hart doth bow.
Thou, thou, I say, sole God of might,
beholdst the harts of men,
What they pretend, what yll they worke:
so iustly iudge me then,
And shut thy mercy from my soule,
if slaundrously my lyps
Doe ope at all: or if my tongue
of vaine presumption skyps
From this to that, or rashly run
more then the truth doth vrge,
Or more then that through extreame rage
and force of sinfull surge
I am constrainde with deepe remorse
and moaning plaint to tell.
O, oh, how many brothell Bawdes
within the towne doe dwell?
How many filthy scudding scowtes,
besturre their crooked stumpes?
For gaine, for gaine, olde mother B
how shee still lymping lumps,
And proddes about with ackwarde pace
vnto her beastly haunt?
How doe these subtile groyning Sowes
poore siely girles enchaunt,
And oft abet the loued spouse
to start from husbands bed?
Beholde I saye, how by these Bawdes,
are women captiue led
And simple maydes vnto the spoyle.
Beholde and see their trade,
See, see, what wyly winking shiftes,
by cliffe browde beasts are made.
Of course and custome, common Innes
they watch with warie eye
If that at any tyme they may
(as oft they do) espye
The countrey maides that come from far,
as straungers to the towne:
Whome still the Trottes doe tittle so,
that straight all shame layde downe.
They yelde thē selues as captiue queanes,
vnto some whorish caue:
Where trotting Iade for filthye gaine
doth vrge them to behaue
Full soone themselues vile strumpet lyke
to lyue by whorishe trade:
And she hir selfe doth let them forth
that gaine by them be made.
But (out alas) the Maidens mindes
and comming was tobtaine
Some seruice where to spend their times
as seruaunts to remaine.
O ardent force of flaming sinne.
O rage, O riot, O
That euer such should be sustainde
or once on grounde should goe?
Beholde beholde how good mens wyues
Inuegled are by them?
Behold howe seruaunts they support?
Beholde how they doe hem
And hooke to them through crooked guile
And vndereating craft,
Great store of Truls? Beholde I say
how often is beraft
By them alas the fruitfull wife,
of her moste louing mate:
And husband bearing honest port,
of wife in that same rate.
Beholde also how honest Maides
and seruaunts they entyce
To whoredome, theft, and filching by
their diuilish vile deuice.
But wher are these? how should we know
where such lewde Lossels lodge?
Where is their haunt, & where are they
accustomde thus to dodge?
Rounde, round about the Citie walles.
Within and eke without.
The Alleys, Lanes, yea open streates,
and places all about
Are now replenisht with such stuffe,
and filthy broken ware.
And (wo begone) the Officers
thereof doe take no care.
For if they did, how durst the Drabs
and Callets be so bolde
As limpe about in lawlesse times
or take into theyr holde
Yong fillock Iylles, and bawdie Iacks
at inconuenient tides:
And still retaine for storeware some
within their house besydes?
How durst the Dunghils daunce about
with blinde vagaries so,
And with close colours leade their trulls
where that they list to go?
Behold, behold, how camoysed queane
and craftie crooked crib
Doth vnder vile and lewde pretence,
(most like a suttle gib)
Pretende to place in seruice still
yong maydens here and there.
And maidens hauing refuge such,
beholde how they ne feare.
To pilfer, filch, and to purloyne
from Maister and from Dame,
And in the ende to giue the slip
and serue no more the same.
Which all doth spring from wimpled B[illeg.]
and olde deceitfull Bawde,
And how to her the gaine doth rise,
which shee by theft so drawde
Besides reuenues of the taile,
and forreine filched good:
Beholde how thus lyke carrein Crow,
shee liues by filthy foode.
An other sorte of them aduert
some olde, some yong yfeere,
That walke about with Brushes, Pins,
with Tape and other geere.
But well, sith that the campes be wyde,
wherein as now I walck:
I leaue them here, entending once,
at large therein to stalck
And seuer places by themselues,
with styles and parting stakes:
And as I can, to my poore skill,
rescind the noysome brakes.
For treating now of broking Bawdes,
and filthie Panders, I
Haue cause therein full many such
vile persons to descrie.
For why the husband now is prest,
to put his wife for gaine
Unto hir choise to be an whore,
or honest still remaine.
And so it is: else how coulde they
thus strumpet like attyre
And set them out? tys too too true,
they let their wiues to hire.
O great excesse, how long could I
retaine your eares herein,
If I but briefely shoulde discourse?
(So great a scope hath sinne.)
But as I sayde, so shall it be:
I leaue it to my pen,
Which (graunting God) hereafter shall
at large dilate it: when
Both time shall yeelde hir selfe thereto
and minde (as onely bent
Upon the same) shall beate at full,
with perfite true intent.
Meane time, with one thing more, I en{d}
which (sith the day is past)
Ile comprehend in briefest wordes:
and this shall be the last.
Whereas before, of broking Bawdes
my former tale was tolde,

Brokers.

Of Brokers likewise now to tell
my Pen shall be so bolde.
For why, their deedes be damnable:
and they in number so
Doe still increase, that day by day
by them deceyts doe grow
In such aboundance, that (alas)
I feare, I feare as now,
All dread of plagues cleane set apart,
to fraude mens mindes doe bow:
Sequestred cleane from Godly loue,
and so from Godly feare,
That rich to poore, where gaine doth lye,
will rauine nought forbeare.
And (out alas) where heretofore,
(prickt forth by thirst of gaine)
Within the Towne, of Brokers, they
did thirtie such ordaine,
Or thereabouts, shrewde wylye Mates
and wittie wincking Colts
(Although in wisedome sure I think,
they showde them selues but dolts)
To vse the trade of broking, and
discreetly so the same,
That if the worlde should vewe the Act,
they might be voyde of blame:
Whereas (I say) of late this act
decreed was for intent,
That Broking trade might practizd be
by men so well ybent,
That reason ruling them therein,
(though Gods worde doth forbid,
And cleane condemne all loane for gaine)
their fact might so lye hid.

I speake of the intent as it hath falne out sithens such order made.

Now now alas, (O sinfull fact)
the Magistrates, herein,
Not so content for to dispence
with such an haynous sinne,
Doe altogither cleane neglect
by them such order made:
Whereby whole hundreds now doe liue
by beastly broking trade.
And in such sort doe they demeane
themselues, and so deuise,
That horrible it is to tell
which way their gaine doth rise.
Our gentlemen in these our dayes
(as soothly goes report)
In time of neede, to Marchantmen
are woonted to resort

Gentlemē, when they can get no Money of loane, are glad to take, wares whereof Money maye be made.

And take of loane such wares, as they
best like of: yeelding theare
Themselues to bandes, and suraunce good
to paye for all the ware,

Note the subtiltie of the Marchaunt which vttereth his wares in such sort, and that also for vsurie

Which whē they haue with thirsting hope
once taken to their handes,
For ware, scant halfe may they obtaine
for to discharge their bandes:
And so perforce constrained are
to sue for brokers ayde,
By whom they thinke to saue themselues:
And so the goodes are layde
In brokers handes: who handle them
so handsomly I trowe,
That all the gaine that may be had,
doth to the Broker growe.
For (at the least) one part thereof
he keepes vnto his share:
And yet vnto the gentleman
he yeeldeth for his ware
Perhaps muche more then he himselfe
coulde haue obtainde therefore.
He {n}icks him, and besides he takes
a crowne in earie score
For payment of his paines therein.
O execrable crime?
Were euer seene such subtile shifts
in any former time,
As are in this our present age?
what should I thinke therein?
No doubt, no doubt, that men as now
doe snorting sleepe in sinne.
The Lethargie or some such yll
doth rifely raigne abroad.
They are downe prest wt monstrous sins
and yet sustaine the loade.
What craft is coyned day by day?
what fraude affresh is founde?
What new deuise and straunge deceyte
doth in this age abounde?
I feare, I feare, true dealing now
deryded is with men.
I feare me they doe practise Faith
and Truth but now and then.
But (as vnto my former tale.)
Is this the worst they vse?
Will Broker vse this onely theft
and other fraude refuse?
No no, the varlet vengeablye
can coyne more noysome drifts:
He hath his bouget fraught with fraude,
and Foxie knauish shifts.
Well scapes the dettor, if he doe
three parts thereof obtaine.
Nay, oftentimes hees glad to take
one onely part againe.
For broker when he hath the goodes,
at laysure will repay
The same by peecemeale: and perhaps
for all his foule delay,
The detter shall be glad to take
on quarter of the same.
If this be well, (as true it is)
then nothing's out of frame:
And all may be right well forborne,
as it hath bene full long.
But hapt the same to Magistrates,
they would redresse the wrong,
And not set light by suche deceyt:
nor wincking, let it lye.
Had they such losse, they would I saye
redresse full soone espye.
But who cares ought, so gaine be had,
and wares be made away?
They vtter by such mealtes their wares.
Why then, what hurt haue they?
They shall be payde, who eare do leese,
and gaine shal they by lene.
Although the detter loose the halfe,
yet theyle take heede to one.
And oftentimes (such is the fayth
of these vile broaking knaues)
When they haue gotte the dettors goodes,
they wyll lyke roging slaues
Some of them shewe a payre of heeles:
the Rakehells wyll be gone.
Theyle runne away with goodes and all,
though lyfe lye thervpon.
And doubtlesse, many of them doe
so practize now a dayes,
That they come vp and rise to welth,
by such vngodly wayes.
Some of them vse such priuie shifts,
and such close couched wyles,
That they come vp and beare good port
And only liue by guyles.
And other some so slauishe be
and cutthroate cullion leeke,
That when they haue a bootie gote,
theyle streightwaye giue the gleeke,
And pack away. As, now and then
is brought into their handes
A Chaine of Golde, a Tablet or
some bracelet golden bandes
By Gentlemen to lay to pawne
For Nummus when they neede:
Which, whē they haue once in their hands,
theyle pack away with speede.
I tell you Bertulph, on my fayth,
if I should now dilate
The vile deceite of Brokers, and
so set to vew their state,
You scantly could abide to heer't,
so horrible it is.
But thus we must consider ont,
and so I ende with this.
Where that the state corrupted is
by them that beare the swaye,
There meaner people will peruert
and bring it to decaye.
If Maiestrate doe winne with fraude,
the commons will the same.
If Magistrate must winck for feare,
then all goes out of frame.
And so I ende till time renue
this tale of mine begonne.
I tell you trueth, there resteth yet
much more ere it be done.
But here you haue vnto my hest,
declared (as I can)
How Nummus is awayted for
by moste men now and than:
And how the same is put to vse
most wicked now a dayes:
And how it is by men abusde
in spending many wayes.
You eke haue hearde expressed here,
how often times it is
For hoorde kept close and cofferd vp.
I haue delated this.
Now resteth that I doe declare
how hee hath harmed mee.
But this (as I intende) hereaf-
ter shall dilated bee:
For (doubtlesse) herein doth consist
a thing importing wayte,
To shew how Nummus doth deceiue
by Sathans subtile sleight.
And sithe I doe entende at large
of this (God graunting grace)
To write hereafter, now I ende:
and (with erected face)
Unto my God great thankes I yeelde,
that so hath beene his will
To guide my tongue the thing to speake
wherein doth rest such ill.
And praye we hartily vnto him
to mitigate the paine
And plague which for our monstrous lyfe
as due doth now remaine.

The .viii. and last Satyr.

The Author.
Though Muse haue made his finall end,
and Penne haue runne his race,
Yet carefull custome causeth me
to waile the want of grace.
And quaking quill renewes the plaint
that lurckes in pensiue breast
Commixt with cares that flow from head
full fraught with great vnrest.
The time backe beates mine idle braine
that labour ginnes to leaue:
And rage of sinne returnes the griefe
my silent pawse to reaue.
How shall I safely seeke the shoare?
How may I shun the seas,
Untill that Triton blow retreate
and mounting waue appeas?
The dawning day doth keepe aloofe,
and Loades man loseth ayme:
The ryffie rock doth lye in wayte
my beaten barke to maime.
And yet when daye shall once discrye
the daunger of the surge,
Then shall my puppe due course obserue
and glide through crooked gurge.
Meane time betost with great turmoyle,
and tempests bitter flawe,
Ile keepe my selfe amid the streame:
and yet a while withdrawe
My Pen from port of quiet pawse.
For time doth vrge me so:
The time alas infect with sinne.
Yea time wherein doth grow
The rage of sinne and ryots force,
the raumping Serpents guile,
With all deceyt that maye be founde:
yea sinne almost to vile
To be exprest or set to vewe.
But such is Sathans force:
Such are the harts of vanquisht thralles,
cleane frustrate of remorce.
Call call to minde you carelesse crewe:
Lay custome now a side:
And let your fayth with faithlesse fruites
herein a while be tride.
Confirme the lyfe that you doe leade
And ratifie the same.
And then lets see how wilfully
you wander worthy blame.

The canker of couetousnes is cause of all euill.

First Auarice, what force it hath,
what cursed cancre tis,
What running rot and curelesse wounde,
to men apparaunt is.
What great enorm this sin hath wrought
what thirsting hath procurde,
The block, the tree, the beggers bagge
such sequeale hath inurde:
And yet how ryfely now it raignes,
how graft in greedy mindes,
How grounded tis in peoples harts,
a proofe our liuing findes.
No one abandons beastly trade,
nor maketh staye at all
To practise fraude and filching lore
so gaine therby may fall.
The rich doth laye his goods for gaine,
and gapeth still to gett
The substance of the needie soule
that gote the same by swett.
The needie (not vnlike) deuise
and seeke by subtile drifts
To scrape for coyne, and gaine to winne,
do seeke vngodly shifts.
So charitie excluded is:
and loue is kept aloofe.
And right is wronged through rewarde,
as falleth still in proofe:
And Userie about the Towne
is maintaind as a trade:
And equitie to ease the wrong,
in matters dares not wade.
But well, the Sinne shall not be hid
nor cloked from the vew.
I will explane the practise here
in wordes that doe ensew.
The Cormoraunt that coucheth vp
and crams his cankerd bags,
Doth giue to hoord his gotten coyne:
and bowte the towne he lags.
To Broker doth he bende his course:
or happly vnto him
The Broker bannes and weanes a mate
for purpose very trim.
And twene them two are craftes conueyd
and foxy falshode wrought.
Twene them are traps so framed, that
thereby is Nummus caught.
O God, what gaine doth guilefull gnuffe
by loane of Nummus raise?
How doth he nick the debter now
by hault exacting wayes?
Ten powndes in hundred, nothing is.
and twentie is but small.
For halfe in halfe full oftentimes
in loane among doth fall.
A siely man constraind of late
to borowe for his neede,
Repaird vnto a Marchant man
to borowe on his deede
The Marchant (as it is of course)
had Money none to lende:
But wares he proferd willingly.
and Dettor in the ende
The same became: and tooke to loane
as much as did amount
To thirty poundes of currant coyne
by Marchantmans account.
Which wares so taken vp to loane,
to Broker are they brought:
The Broker to the Marchaunt he
(of whome the same were bought)
Full falsely doth returne them streight:
who now twise gaynes thereby:
For fyrste he soulde and now eftsoones
the same agayne doth buye.
So that when this our siely soule
should rayse thereof the summe:
Aboue the price of twenty pounde,
the credit will not come.
For ten in thirty could vouchsafe,
the Creditor to haue
For recompence in Usurie.
O carelesse cankerd slaue,
O cawty cutthroate, cullion, wretch,
O Caterpyllers Feere,
O miserable Murtherer,
Canst thou abyde this geare?
The time is now at hande wherein
thou straight account shalt make:
Wherin thou shalt Hell fire gain
for gaine that thou didst take.
O Userer, thou Sathans thrall,
and Butcher of the Fiende,
Thy Golde shall be transformde to muck:
thy plagues shall neuer ende.
But as thou doost thy Ocker vse
t'oppresse thy neighbour heere:
Euen so the scorching flames of Hell
thy caytyfe corps shall deere.
Thy rusty hoorde ascendes the skie:
thy dettors harme doth mount
Unto the high supernall seate
to call thee to account.
Thou greedy Gleade, thou hūgry Hawke,
thou starueling Uultures mate,
How darste thou thus by rauine seeke
to maintaine thine estate?
I see how thou canst soare aloft
like hungry Hawke tespye
And catching Kite, when pray shal spring,
for beste game bent to flye.
I see thy subtile lagging pace,
and craftie colourde guile:
I see thy false dissembling sleight:
I see thy playted wile.
Thou hast deuised by the Month,
for gaine to let thy ware:
Thy money eke from month to month,
thou canst right well forbeare.
But for eche shilling (Caytife thou)
in surplysage wilt take
A penie: and of twentie shil-
lings, twentie pennies make:
And (in that rate) for fortie pounde,
so lent out: in a yeere,
Thou wilt receiue twise forty pounds
of lawfull Money cleere.
Thou weenst to welter here for aye,
and wallowe in thy welth:
Thou neuer thinkst to see the daye
to part from this thy pelth.
But I will tell thee Cormorant,
thou fell and egre droane:
Eche pennie shall accountaunt be
which thou hast let in loane.
And though as now the law be thine
to laye beneath thy foote:
Yet then the furyes by decree
shall rende thy hart at roote:
When as the libell of thy lust
and bayliwick abusde,
Shall thee condempne to Limboe pit
and scalding lake confusde.

The Aucthor vpon the Booke, in the defence of the gouernement of the Citie.