One and Thyrtye Epigrammes :: :: University of Virginia Library

The beggars whome nede
compelleth to craue
Ought at our handis
some reliefe to haue,
But such as do counterfayt
haueynge theyr strength
To labour if they luste,
beyng knowne at the length
Ought to be constrayned
to worcke what they can,

And lyue on theyr laboures
as besemeth a christyan,
And if they refuse
to worcke for theyr meate,

Tim. 3.

Then ought they to faste
as not worthy to eate
And such as be sore
and wyll not be healed,
Oughte not in any case
to be charished,

Of twoe beggars.

I heard of two beggars
that vnder an hedge sate
Who dyd wyth longe talke
theyr matters debate,
They had boeth sore legges
most lothsome to se,
Al rawe from the fote
welmost to the knee
My legge quod the one
I thank god is fayre
So is myne (quod the other)
in a colde ayre,
For then it loketh rawe
and as redde as any bloud

I woulde not haue it healed
for any worldis good,
For were it once whole
my lyuinge were gone,
And for a sturdye begger
I shoulde be take anone.
No manne woulde pittye me
but for my sore legge,
Wherfore if it were whole
I might in vaine begge.
I shoulde be constrained
to laboure and sweate,
And perhaps sometime
wyth schourges be beate,
Well (sayde the tother)
lette vs take hede therefore,
That we let them not heale
but kepe them styll sore.
An other thynge I hearde
of a begger that was lame,
Muche like one of these
if it were not the same,
Who syttinge by the fire
wyth the cuppe in his hande,

Began to wonder whan
he shoulde be a good husbande.
I shall neuer thriue
(quod this begar) I wene
For I gate but .xvi.d. to daye
and haue spente eyghtene
Well let the worlde wagge
we muste neades haue drynke
Go fyll me thys quarte pot.
full to the brynke,
The tonge muste haue bastynge
it wyll the better wagge,
To pull a goddes penye
out of a churles bagge.
Yet cesse not to gyue to all
wythoute anye regarde,
Thoughe the beggers be wicked
thou shalte haue thy rewarde,