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] |
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The Gentilmans lesson |
 | The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel |  |
The Gentilmans lesson
Thou
that arte borne to lande and rente,
And art clipped a gētilman:
Geue eare to me, for mine entent
Is to do the good if I can.
And art clipped a gētilman:
Geue eare to me, for mine entent
Is to do the good if I can.
Thou art a man that God hath sette
To rule the route in thy contrey,
Wherfore thou hadst nede for to get
Good knowledge rather then money.
To rule the route in thy contrey,
Wherfore thou hadst nede for to get
Good knowledge rather then money.
For ignoraunce shall not excuse
When all men shall geue a rekeninge.
And the iudge will money refuse
And iudge after ech mans doynge.
When all men shall geue a rekeninge.
And the iudge will money refuse
And iudge after ech mans doynge.
Fyrst I aduertise the therfore,
And require the in Christes name:
That of knowledge thou get the store,
And frame thy liuynge to the same
And require the in Christes name:
That of knowledge thou get the store,
And frame thy liuynge to the same
Get the knowledge I say and then
Thou shalt perceyue thyne owne degre:
To be suche that amonge all men,
Thou hast most nede learned to be.
Thou shalt perceyue thyne owne degre:
To be suche that amonge all men,
Thou hast most nede learned to be.
Thou shalt perceyue yu hast no time
To spare and spende in banketyng
For though thou watche til it be prime,
Thou shalt haue inough to doynge.
To spare and spende in banketyng
For though thou watche til it be prime,
Thou shalt haue inough to doynge.
Thou shalt not finde any leasure
To dice, to carde, or to reuell:
If thou do once take a pleasure
In vsynge thyne owne callyng wel.
To dice, to carde, or to reuell:
If thou do once take a pleasure
In vsynge thyne owne callyng wel.
For parckes of Deere thou shalte not care
Neither for costuous buildyng:
For apparel, or for fyne fare
Or any other worldly thynge.
Neither for costuous buildyng:
For apparel, or for fyne fare
Or any other worldly thynge.
Thy mynde shall be styll rauished
With the desyre to walke vpright.
And to se all vyce punished,
So muche as shall lye in thy myght.
With the desyre to walke vpright.
And to se all vyce punished,
So muche as shall lye in thy myght.
Thou shalt delite for to defende
The pore man that is innocent:
And cause the wicked to emende,
And the oppressour to repent.
The pore man that is innocent:
And cause the wicked to emende,
And the oppressour to repent.
Thou shalt haue delite in nothyng
Sauynge in doynge thy duty:
Whych is vnder God and thy kyng
To rule them that thou doest dwel by.
Sauynge in doynge thy duty:
Whych is vnder God and thy kyng
To rule them that thou doest dwel by.
Thou shalte not thinke yt thou mayste take
Thy rent to spend it at thy wyl
As one that shoulde no recknyug make,
For ought that he doth well or yll.
Thy rent to spend it at thy wyl
For ought that he doth well or yll.
But thou shalt fynde yt thou art boūd
And shalt answer much more straightly
Then the pore men that tyll the ground
If thou regard not thy duty.
And shalt answer much more straightly
Then the pore men that tyll the ground
If thou regard not thy duty.
Thou shalt not fynde that thou maist reise
Thy rent or leauy a great fyne
More then hath bene vsed alwayes
For that only is called thyne.
Thy rent or leauy a great fyne
More then hath bene vsed alwayes
For that only is called thyne.
For as thou doest hold of thy kynge
So doeth thy tenaūt holde of the
And is allowed a lyueynge
As wel as thou in his degre.
So doeth thy tenaūt holde of the
And is allowed a lyueynge
As wel as thou in his degre.
If thou therfore wouldst not thy king
Should take of the more then hys due
Whye wylt thou debate the lyuyng
Of thy tenaunt and cause him rue.
Should take of the more then hys due
Whye wylt thou debate the lyuyng
Of thy tenaunt and cause him rue.
For knoweledge wil tel the that thou
Muste do as thou wouldest be done by
And ryght so wyll she tell the howe
Thou maiste discharge all thy dutie
Muste do as thou wouldest be done by
And ryght so wyll she tell the howe
Thou maiste discharge all thy dutie
She wyl teach the to be content
Wyth that thou haste by heritage
And eke to lyue after thy rente
And not to falle into outrage.
Wyth that thou haste by heritage
And eke to lyue after thy rente
And not to falle into outrage.
If thou maye dispende .xl li,
Thou maieste not lyue after .lx.
Neyther maist thou enclose thy ground
That thou maist make it yerly more.
Thou maieste not lyue after .lx.
Neyther maist thou enclose thy ground
That thou maist make it yerly more.
For knowledge will teach the to seke
Other mens health more thē thine own
And rather to fede on a leke
Then one house should be ouerthrowen:
Other mens health more thē thine own
And rather to fede on a leke
Then one house should be ouerthrowen:
Then shalte by hit learne that yu arte
A father ouer thy contrey
And that thou oughtest to play the part
Of a father both nyght and day.
A father ouer thy contrey
And that thou oughtest to play the part
Of a father both nyght and day.
Thou shalt by knoweledge vnderstād
That thou must succour the neady,
And in their cause such men wtstand,
As suche them selues ouer gready.
That thou must succour the neady,
And in their cause such men wtstand,
As suche them selues ouer gready.
In fine knowlege that is Godly
Wil teach the all that thou shalt do
Belongynge to thyne owne duty
And other mens duty also.
Wil teach the all that thou shalt do
Belongynge to thyne owne duty
And other mens duty also.
Get the knowledge I say therfore
That thou maist be worthy thy name:
For without hir thou maist no more
Be calde a Gētilman for shame.
That thou maist be worthy thy name:
For without hir thou maist no more
Be calde a Gētilman for shame.
For without knowledge thou shalt be
Of all other most out of frame:
Bicause there is nothinge in the
That may thy luste chastice or tame.
Of all other most out of frame:
Bicause there is nothinge in the
That may thy luste chastice or tame.
Without knowledge, yu wylt folowe
Thy freshe and fleshly appetite:
And in the lustes therof wallowe
Setting therin thyne whole delite
Thy freshe and fleshly appetite:
And in the lustes therof wallowe
Setting therin thyne whole delite
Without knowledge yu wilt oppresse
Al men that shalbe in thy power.
And when they shall be in distresse
Thou wylt them cruelly deuoure
Al men that shalbe in thy power.
Thou wylt them cruelly deuoure
Without knowledge thou wilt araie
Both the and thine past thy degre
And eke maintaine outragiouse play
Til thou haue spent both land and see.
Both the and thine past thy degre
And eke maintaine outragiouse play
Til thou haue spent both land and see.
To make an end, vnlesse thou haue
Knowledge remayninge in thy breste
Thou shalt be worsse then a vile slaue
That doth al honesty detest.
Knowledge remayninge in thy breste
Thou shalt be worsse then a vile slaue
That doth al honesty detest.
Get the knowledge therfore I say,
And eke the feare of God aboue:
And let thy study be alwaye
To knowe what thing doth the behoue.
And eke the feare of God aboue:
And let thy study be alwaye
To knowe what thing doth the behoue.
But fyrst before all other thynges
Sette the Lordes feare before thy face:
To guide the in all thy doynges
That thou delite not in trespace.
Sette the Lordes feare before thy face:
To guide the in all thy doynges
That thou delite not in trespace.
For he that doth delite in synne,
Shal neuer gouerne his life wel:
Nor any Godly knoweledge wyn,
For wisedome wil not with hym dwell.
Shal neuer gouerne his life wel:
Nor any Godly knoweledge wyn,
For wisedome wil not with hym dwell.
Then seke for knowledge busily
And leaue not of tyll she be found
And whē thou hast hir perfectly
To the Lordes feare let hir be bound
And leaue not of tyll she be found
And whē thou hast hir perfectly
To the Lordes feare let hir be bound
And let theim two beare al the swea,
In thy doynges early and late:
Let them agre and ende their plea
Before thou do appoint the state.
In thy doynges early and late:
Let them agre and ende their plea
Before thou do appoint the state.
By their aduise suruey thy Lande
And kepe thy courtes boeth farre & nere
And se they do faste by the stande,
In thyne housekepynge & thy chere
And kepe thy courtes boeth farre & nere
And se they do faste by the stande,
In thyne housekepynge & thy chere
Haue them present before thine eyes,
In all thy dedes what so they be:
In cessions and eke in assise,
Let them not be absent from the.
In all thy dedes what so they be:
In cessions and eke in assise,
Let them not be absent from the.
Let them rule al thy familye
And eke enstructe thy children yonge:
That they may thyne office supply
When wt his dart death hath the stonge
And eke enstructe thy children yonge:
That they may thyne office supply
When wt his dart death hath the stonge
And last of al, leaue them to guide
Thy chyldren and theyr families:
That thine house and stocke may abide,
And rule the route in godly wyse.
Thy chyldren and theyr families:
That thine house and stocke may abide,
And rule the route in godly wyse.
No more to the haue I to say,
But that thou kepe Gods feare in sight
And make it the guyde of thy way
As wel by bright day as by nyght.
But that thou kepe Gods feare in sight
And make it the guyde of thy way
As wel by bright day as by nyght.
So doynge I dare the assure
That in the ende thou shalt obtayne:
The blysse that shal euer endure
Wyth Christe our maister for to raigne.
That in the ende thou shalt obtayne:
The blysse that shal euer endure
Wyth Christe our maister for to raigne.
| The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel | |