The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel (as is me[n]tioned in the eleuenth of the Apocalips) callynge al the estates of menne to the right path of their vocation, wherin are contayned xii lessons to twelue seueral estates of menne, whych if they learne and folowe, al shal be well and nothynge amise [by Robert Crowley] |
 |
The Marchauntes lesson. |
 | The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel |  |
The Marchauntes lesson.
Nowe
marcke my wordes thou Marchaunte man,
Thou yt dost vse to bye and sel,
I wyl enstruct the if I can,
How thou maiest vse thy callynge wel.
Thou yt dost vse to bye and sel,
I wyl enstruct the if I can,
How thou maiest vse thy callynge wel.
Fyrst se thou cal to memory
The ende wherfore al men are made
And then endeuour busily
To the same ende to vse thy trade.
The ende wherfore al men are made
And then endeuour busily
To the same ende to vse thy trade.
The ende why all men be create
As men of wisdome do agre
Is to maintayne the publike state
In the contrey where they shal be.
As men of wisdome do agre
Is to maintayne the publike state
In the contrey where they shal be.
Apply thy trade therfore I say
To profit thy contrey wythal:
And let conscience be thy staye
That to pollynge thou do not fal.
To profit thy contrey wythal:
And let conscience be thy staye
That to pollynge thou do not fal.
If thou venter into straunge landes,
And brynge home thinges profitable:
Let pore mē haue them at thine handes.
Upon a price reasonable.
And brynge home thinges profitable:
Let pore mē haue them at thine handes.
Upon a price reasonable.
Though yu maist thy money forbeare
Til other mens store be quite spente
Yet if thou do so that thy ware
May beare high price, yu shalt be shente
Til other mens store be quite spente
Yet if thou do so that thy ware
May beare high price, yu shalt be shente
Thou shalt be shent of him I say
That on the seas did prospere the
And was thy guide in al the way
That thou wentest in great ieopardye.
That on the seas did prospere the
And was thy guide in al the way
That thou wentest in great ieopardye.
For he gaue the not thy richesse,
To hurt thy contrey with all,
Neither gaue he the good successe
That thou sholdst therbi make mē thral
Neither gaue he the good successe
That thou sholdst therbi make mē thral
But thy richesse was geuen to the
That thou mightest make prouision:
In farre contreys for thinges that be
Nedefull for thine owne nation.
That thou mightest make prouision:
In farre contreys for thinges that be
Nedefull for thine owne nation.
And whē by Gods helpe yu hast brought
Home to thy cōrty ani good thing
Thē shouldst yu thāke him that al wrought
For thy prosperouse returnyng.
Home to thy cōrty ani good thing
Thē shouldst yu thāke him that al wrought
For thy prosperouse returnyng.
Which thing thou cāst not do in dede,
Unles thou walke in thy callyng
And for his sake that was thy spede
Content thy selfe with a liuynge
Unles thou walke in thy callyng
And for his sake that was thy spede
Content thy selfe with a liuynge
But oh me thinke I write in vayne,
To marchaunte men of this our time
For they wil take no maner paine.
But onely vpon hope to clime.
To marchaunte men of this our time
For they wil take no maner paine.
But onely vpon hope to clime.
So sone as they haue ought to spare,
Beside their stocke that must remaine:
To purchase landes is all theyr care
And all the studye of their braine.
Beside their stocke that must remaine:
To purchase landes is all theyr care
And all the studye of their braine.
Ther can be none vnthrifty heyre
Whō they wil not smel out anon
And handle him wt wordes ful faire
Til at his landes is from him gone
Whō they wil not smel out anon
And handle him wt wordes ful faire
Til at his landes is from him gone
The fermes, the woddes, and pasture groūds
That do lye roūd about Lōdon
Are hedged in within their mowndes,
Or else shall be ere they haue done
That do lye roūd about Lōdon
Are hedged in within their mowndes,
They haue their spyes vpon eche side
To se when ought is lyke to fall:
And as sone as ought can be spied,
They are ready at the fyrst call.
To se when ought is lyke to fall:
And as sone as ought can be spied,
They are ready at the fyrst call.
I can not tell what it doeth meane
But white meate beareth a greate price
Which some mē thinke is by the meane
That fermes be found such marchādice
But white meate beareth a greate price
Which some mē thinke is by the meane
That fermes be found such marchādice
For what is it when the pore man
That erste was wont to pay but lite
Must now nedes learne (do what he cā)
To playe eyther double or quite?
That erste was wont to pay but lite
Must now nedes learne (do what he cā)
To playe eyther double or quite?
If ye aske of the coliar
Why he selleth hys coles so dere:
And ryght so of the wodmongar
They say marchaūtes haue all in fete.
Why he selleth hys coles so dere:
And ryght so of the wodmongar
They say marchaūtes haue all in fete.
The wod (far they) yt we haue bought
In tymes past for a crowne of golde
We can not haue if it be ought:
Under ten shyllynges ready told
In tymes past for a crowne of golde
We can not haue if it be ought:
Under ten shyllynges ready told
I am ashamed for to tell,
Halfe the abuse that all men see:
In such men as do by and sell,
They be so bad in eche degre.
Halfe the abuse that all men see:
In such men as do by and sell,
They be so bad in eche degre.
I wyll therfore do what I can
To make plaine declaration
How thou that arte a marchaunt man,
Maist walke in thy vocation,
To make plaine declaration
How thou that arte a marchaunt man,
Maist walke in thy vocation,
Apply thy trade as I haue tolde,
To the profit of thy contrey
And then thou maist euer be bolde,
That thy Lord God wil guide thy way
And then thou maist euer be bolde,
That thy Lord God wil guide thy way
Thou shalt not nede to purchase lāds
Neither to take leases in groundes
That whē thou hast thē in thine handes
Thou maist for shyllinges gather poundes
Neither to take leases in groundes
That whē thou hast thē in thine handes
Thou maist for shyllinges gather poundes
Thou shalt not nede to bye or sel
Benefices which should be fre:
To true preachers of Gods gospel
To helpe thē wyth that helples be.
Benefices which should be fre:
To true preachers of Gods gospel
To helpe thē wyth that helples be.
No more shalt thou nede for to lende,
Thy goodes out for vnlawfull gayne
In suche sorte that by the yeres ende,
Thou maist of one shilling make twain
Thy goodes out for vnlawfull gayne
In suche sorte that by the yeres ende,
Thou maist of one shilling make twain
Thou shalt aye haue inough in store
For the and thine in thy degree:
And what shouldest thou desire more,
Or of hygher estate to be?
For the and thine in thy degree:
And what shouldest thou desire more,
Or of hygher estate to be?
Let it suffice the to marye
Thy daughter to one of thy trade:
Why shouldst thou make hir a Lady
Or bye for hyr a noble warde?
Thy daughter to one of thy trade:
Why shouldst thou make hir a Lady
Or bye for hyr a noble warde?
And let thy sonnes euerychone
Be bounde prentise yeres nine or ten
To learne some art to liue vpon
For why sholde they be gentilmen?
Be bounde prentise yeres nine or ten
To learne some art to liue vpon
For why sholde they be gentilmen?
There be already men inowe
That beare the name of gentil bloude
Tel thou me then, what nede hast thou,
So vainely to bestowe thy good?
That beare the name of gentil bloude
Tel thou me then, what nede hast thou,
For thou canst not promote thy sōne,
But thou must bye him lande & rent
Wherby some muste neades be vndone
To bring to passe thy fonde entent.
But thou must bye him lande & rent
Wherby some muste neades be vndone
To bring to passe thy fonde entent.
Some man perchaunce nede doth cōpell
To morgage hys land for money
And wilt thou cause him for to sell,
The liuelode of his progenie?
To morgage hys land for money
And wilt thou cause him for to sell,
The liuelode of his progenie?
Tel me if yu wouldst haue thy sonne,
(If haply he should stande in nede)
To be so serued when thou art gone
Of marchauntes that shal the succed?
(If haply he should stande in nede)
To be so serued when thou art gone
Of marchauntes that shal the succed?
Do thou as thou wouldst be done by
As very nature doeth the teach
And let thy loue and charitye
Unto all the Lordes creatures reache.
As very nature doeth the teach
And let thy loue and charitye
Unto all the Lordes creatures reache.
And if any man stande in nede
Lende him frely that thou maiste spare
And doubtles god wil be thy mede
And recompence the in thy ware
Lende him frely that thou maiste spare
And doubtles god wil be thy mede
And recompence the in thy ware
Be iust, plaine, and not deceitfull,
And shew mercy vnto the pore:
And God that is most merciful
Shal euermore encrease thy store.
And shew mercy vnto the pore:
And God that is most merciful
Shal euermore encrease thy store.
And in the ende when nature shall,
Ende thy peregrination:
Thou shalt haue Ioye emong them all,
That walke in their vocation.
Ende thy peregrination:
Thou shalt haue Ioye emong them all,
That walke in their vocation.
But if thou do refuse to walke,
In thy callynge as I haue tolde
Thy wysdome shalbe but vayne talke,
Though thou be boeth auncient & olde
Thy wysdome shalbe but vayne talke,
Though thou be boeth auncient & olde
Say what thou wylt for to defende
Thy walkynge inordinately:
Thou shalt be certayne in the end
To be damned eternally.
Thy walkynge inordinately:
Thou shalt be certayne in the end
To be damned eternally.
For in the worlde there can not be
More greate abhomination
To thy Lord God, then is in the
Forsakynge thy vocation.
More greate abhomination
To thy Lord God, then is in the
Forsakynge thy vocation.
| The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel | |