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3

PASQVILS Passe, and passeth not

SET DOWNE IN THREE PEES His Passe Precesion, and Prognostication.

4

To my very louing and vndeserued good friend M GRIFFIN PEN, vpon his heart's true worthinesse shine the Sunne of highest happinesse.
5

PASQVILS Passe.

He that desires from danger safe to passe
Along the world, his wofull wretched daies,
And would behold (as in a looking glasse)
The blocks and stops, and such vnhappy staies,
As crosse a thousand in their very waies:
Let him but creepe as I haue learnd to go,
And tell me if it do him good or no.
He that will passe neere to a Princes Court,
Let him take heede his tongue breake not his necke;
Nor mate himselfe among the Noble sort,
Lest prowde presumption haue too sore a checke,
Nor bend his will, to euery wanton's becke:
But watch good fortunes, when they kindly fall,
And then passe on, and haue no feare at all.
But, if a face of brasse will be too bold,
Or like a sheepes head shunne good company,
Or of complexion be too chilling cold,
Or fiery hot vpon an agony,
Or much inclined to any villany,
Or for his wit, ioyne issue with an asse,
He hath no warrant neere the Court to passe.
He that will passe before a Iudgement seate,
Let him take heede his case be good and cleere,
Lest, when that Trueth doth of the matter treate
A heedlesse will do buy repentance deere:
While cost ill lost doth breed but heauy cheere:
But let him chiefly carry a good purse,
And then be sure to passe on ne're the worse.
But, if he come with an vncertainety,
And thinke a curtsie will excuse a fee,
In hope that Law in Pitties charity,
Wil alwayes giue the right where it should be,
Let him learne this probatum rule of me,
That Trueth and Wealth do very much in law,
While beggar Falshoode is not worth a straw.
He that wil passe into a warlike field,
Let him not be too rash, nor yet too slow,
Not franticke fight, nor like a coward yeeld,
But with discretion so his valour show,
That fame may grace him where e're he goe:
Lest heedlesse will do shew when he is slaine,
He may passe hither, but not backe againe.
He that will passe into a Merchants booke,
Let him take heede how to discharge the debt,
Lest when that Kindnesse doth for Patience looke.
He be so tangled in a Statute net,
That he be so with cunning trickes beset
That to the Counter he do passe so fast,
As he can scarce passe backe againe in haste.
He that wil passe into a Ladies eies,
And in her hands wil leaue his little heart,
And yet with all his wit, is not so wise,
As to discerne the sleight of Venus Art;
In giuing of the Fooles-Cap by desart:
Let him go better set his wittes to schoole,
Or else be sure to passe for a good foole.
He that will passe into the Holy land,
Let him be grounded in the rules of grace,
And be assurde that he doth vnderstand,
What is the trueth that falshoode may deface;
Lest when that Wisedome Follie doth displace
And Learnings Court breake vp, and all are gone,
He passe but for a simple blind sir Ihon.
He that will passe into a Clownes conceit,
Let him take heede he know a clouted shooe,
Lest him be cousoned with a close deceit:
When seely Fooles know not what Knaues can doe,
With, Yea, and Nay, to bring an Ideot to:
But if he kindly know Clim of the Clough,
Then let him passe, he shall doe well enough.
6

He that will passe into an Ordinary,
Let him take heede to deale with cardes and dice;
Lest whatsoeuer mony in he carry,
Ere he beware he loose it with a trice,
And, all too late repentance, learne the price,
To know how he that passeth in purse-full,
And goes out empty, passeth for a Gull.
He that desires to passe vnto the seas,
Let him take heede his ship be good and tight,
Let him prouide for all things for his ease,
And to withstand both wind and weathers spight,
And by his Compas keepe his course aright:
Be wary of the shelfes, the rocks, and sands,
And fall not rashly into pyrats hands.
But if he passe within a leaking ship,
Ill victualld, and worse furnisht for defence,
And thinke a thousand leagues is but a skip,
And by the want of wits experience,
Prouide for nothing that may shunne offence:
Such one may happen well to passe from shore,
But once at sea may passe to lande no more.
But he that seekes to passe by sea or land,
To Court, or Country, for his best auaile,
Let him thus much for certaine vnderstand,
That if his purse the better not preuaile,
His fortune will in many courses faile:
For a good purse will make a man to passe
To many places where he neuer was.
But if (alas) he be passe purse pennilesse,
In this vile world he shall haue little grace,
But with a heauy heart all comfortlesse,
Among the Beggars take a sory place:
Oh this same Gold hath such a glorious face,
That in false Angells, he that heedes not well,
Will headlong passe his wicked soule to hell.
But, he that faine would passe to Paradise.
Must learne to passe from all these worldly pleasures;
For vnto heau'n what heart can passe his eies,
That is intangled in this worlds treasure?
No, where the World hath on the Soule made seisure,
As hardly it can passe to heau'n on hie,
As can a Camell through a Needles eie.
Then do not passe the boundes of honestie,
Of wit, of reason, nor of amitie,
Of law, of iustice, nor of equitie,
Nor the true grounds of Trueths diuinitie;
But in the worship of the Trinitie,
Humble thy soule vnto the Deitie,
And passe vnto heau'ns felicitie.
7

PASQVILS Precession.

A Logger headed asse that hath no wit,
A rascall knaue that hath no honesty,
A foule ilfauour'd filthie baggage Tit,
A wicked Iudge that hath no equity,
And a rich man that hath no charity,
A faithlesse friend, and from a fruitlesse tree:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A gracelesse child, and an vnquiet wife,
An idle seruant, and a priuy theefe,
A long delay, and an vngodly life,
A helplesse care, and a consuming griefe,
And from despaire that neuer finds reliefe,
And from the drone that robbes the hony be:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A prowd companion, and a prating iacke,
A cogging marchant, and a carelesse debter,
A queasie stomacke, and a broken sacke,
A filthy hand, and an ill-fauourd letter,
And an ill-mind that meanes to be no better,
And from a bribe insteede of a due fee:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A blind phisition, and a sluttish cooke,
Vnholsome porridge, and vnsauory bread,
A babish story, and a foolish booke,
A baggige humor, and a beetle head,
A smoaky chamber, and a lowsie bed,
And from such neighbours as cannot agree:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A Tyrant prince, and a rebellious subiect,
A bloody soldiour, and a coward leader,
An Owles eie-sight, and an vgly obiect,
An obscure line, and an vnlearnèd Reader,
A sergeant, iailour, hangman, and beheader,
And from the fruit of the three cornerd tree:
Good Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A resty hackney, and a durtie way,
A stormy tempest, and a leaking ship,
An idle quarrell, and a drunken fray,
A doggèd queane that euer hangs the lip,
A iade that will not stirre without a whip,
A blinded eie that can nor will not see:
From these the Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
A lazie huswife, and a hackney Gill,
A crooked finger, and a cramped foote,
A hasty wit, and an vnbrideled will,
A broken shooe, and an ill fauourd boote,
A poisning weede, and an vnwholesome roote,
An from the buzzing of the humble Bees:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
A mouth that slauers, and a stinking breath,
A craftie cripple, and a sullen queane,
A stinking puddle, and moorish heath,
A dogge that is too fatte, a horse too leane,
A maide that will not keepe her dairie cleane,
A blow vpon the elbow, and the knee:
From each of these the Lord deliuer me.
A fleering laughter, and a faithlesse heart,
A creeping curtsie, and a cankred mind,
An idle study, and a needlesse art,
A Northerne tempest, and an Easterne wind,
And from a Curre, that bites a man behind,
And from a glasse of an il-fauour'd blee:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
To keepe too long among vngodly people,
To fit mine humor vnto euery fashion,
To seeke to build a house vpon Paules Steeple,
To dwell too long vpon a peeuish fashion,
To follow ill, and hate a reformation,
To learne the rules where such ill lessons be:
From all such trifles, the Lord deliuer me.
To make an idoll of a painted face,
And to attend vpon a golden asse,
To seeke to do the honest mind disgrace
And bring a kind of wicked world to passe,
Or seeke to braue it with a face of brasse,
To leape the Tems, or clime a rotten tree:
From all such trifles, the Lord deliuer me.
8

From standing too much in mine owne conceit,
And giuing credite vnto euery tale,
From being caught with euery foolish baite,
From setting of my credite all to sale,
From leauing of a nut to take a shale,
From the poore line of the fooles petegree:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
From fury, franzie, and imprisonment,
From fine Maid Marian and her Morris dance,
From the deseruing of due punishment,
From bond, from statute, and recognisance,
From trusting too much vnto fickle chance,
From vnkind brothers that cannot agree:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
From taking pleasure in a villanie,
From carelesse hearing of a sound aduise,
From sorting with the wicked companie,
From setting vertue at too low a price,
From loosing too much coine at cardes and dice,
From being bound till folly makes me free:
The Lord of heau'n and earth deliuer me.
From laying plottes for to abuse a friend,
From being by a cunning knaue beguild,
From working humors to a wicked end,
From getting of a filthy whore with child,
From dwelling in a house that is vntilde,
From surfeting within a cherrie tree:
From all such toies, good Lord deliuer me.
From a conspiracie of wicked knaues,
A flight of buzzards, and a denne of theeues,
A knot of villaines, and a crue of slaues,
And from the patches on the beggars sleeues,
And from the spoile that gratious spirits greeues,
And from the foole can neither thriue nor thee:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From the illusions of a filthy diuell,
From too much hunting after worldly pleasure,
And from delighting in an inward euill,
And too much louing of this worldly treasure,
And from taking leuell by vnlawfull measure,
And from the babies foolish A, B, C:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
To thinke to wash an Ethiopan white,
To loue too long, and not be loued againe,
To do him wrong that alwaies doth me right,
To play the knaue with him that meaneth plaine,
And to continue in so vile a vaine,
From all such notes where such instructions be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
An old blind cat that cannot catch a mouse,
A flinging curtoll, and a kicking mare,
A wife that neuer loues to keepe her house,
A lazy hound that will not hunt a hare,
The shame that falles out with the beggars share,
And from the foole that will good fortune flee:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From all infections both of soule and body,
And from the curelesse crosses of the mind,
From being too much inward with a noddy,
Or to a brother or a friend vnkind,
Or changing humors hourely with the wind,
From an ill fruit of an accursed tree:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From making bargaines till I liue by losse,
And hoording come to eate into my heart,
To walke the Woodcocke to the Beggars crosse,
Or to be scholler at the diuells art,
To hurt my soule with such infernall smart,
From all such humors where such errors be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From beating of my braines about a bable,
From thinking of no end ere I beginne,
From giuing eare vnto an idle fable,
And poasting iournies for a puddings skinne,
And loosing all while other men do winne,
From eating apples vpon Adams tree:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
A rainy euening, and a foggy morne,
A barren ground, and an vnkindly yeere,
A nittie haire, a garment ouer worne,
A market towne where all things are too deere,
A churles bare table without bread or beere,
The wofull issue of a Judas fee:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From restie bacon, and ill salted beefe,
From raw sodde cunger, and ill rosted eeles,
From a quicke witte, that hath his tongue too briefe,
And from the blaines and kibes vpon my heeles,
And from a madding wit that runnes on wheeles,
From all such rules as out of order be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From a delight in hunting after newes,
Or louing idle tales of Robin Hood,
And from too much frequenting of the stewes,
Or ventring farre but for a little good,
And take a puddle for a princely flood,
From such blind iests as best with fooles agree:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
To slander Honor, Vertue to disgrace,
Offend Discretion, Learning to abuse,
Good labours enuy, and their worth deface,
To follow follie, wisedome to refuse,
To leaue the best, and all the worst to chuse,
To euery Asse to giue the cappe and knee:
From all such errors Lord deliuer me.
From writing libells against men of state,
And medling with matters aboue my selfe,
Where I am lou'd, to giue iust cause of hate,
Or to be busie with a monkie elfe,
Or carelesse runne my ship vpon a shelfe,
From such ill courses where no good I see:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
9

From loosing too much time in making loue,
From trusting to an idle humour'd dreame,
From spending too much mony how to proue,
To make a boate to ouergo the streame,
To kill my selfe to purge a little fleame:
From such odde vaines where such deuises be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From a prowd woodcocke, and a peeuish wife,
A sleepy maiden, and a wanton hagge,
A poyntlesse needle, and a broken knife,
A house vnfurnisht, and an emptie bagge,
A fidling baggige and a wicked wagge,
And from the woods where wolues and foxes be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
The French Verola, and the English feuer,
The Irish ague, and the Spanish pippe,
The lungs consumption, and the rotten liuer,
The cursed fall into a fellons trippe,
And from the ladder by the rope to skippe,
Where execution makes the fatall tree:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
To diue into a pocket for a purse,
Or steal a horse out of a pasture field,
To loue to swear and lie, and ban and curse,
And stubbornely to no good counsell yeeld,
But vnder fortune all my forces shield:
From all such rules where reasons ruines be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From cousoning of my selfe with too much kindnes,
From slipping fortune when it doth befall me,
From being led by wilfull reasons blindnes,
And keeping backe when fortune seems to call me;
From all such passions as may so apall me,
Where blinded eies cannot their blessings see,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
To be commanded by a currish minde,
And to be flattred by a foolish knaue,
And to be crossèd by a wicked winde,
And to be followed with a filthy slaue,
And to be harbourd in a hellish caue:
From such ill courses where such crosses be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From thriftlesse spending, and from fruitlesse paines,
From sencelesse studies, and from gracelesse deedes,
From helplesse torments, and from witlesse vaines,
And from all those follies, that such humors feedes,
And from the sinne that endlesse sorrow breedes,
And from all spots in my fowle soule to see:
Oh blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
A moath that eates into the finest cloth,
A wicked worme that hath a deadly sting,
A poysned potion with a sugred froth,
A wicked charme, within a Diuels Ring,
And from the Syrenes when they fall to sing:
From such ill creatures as so cursèd be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
A mowse within a daintie peece of cheese,
A nest of rattes within a linnen chest,
A snake within a hiue of hony Bees,
A woolfe that eates into a wounded breast,
And from his curse that neuer can be blest:
From all such ill, wherein no good can be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From an olde kow that kicketh downe her milke,
And a yong colt, that will his rider cast,
From a thiefes halter though it be of silke,
And from a diall that doth goe too fast,
And from a pardon when the paine is past,
And from confession vnder Tiborne tree:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From too long hoping after dead mens shooes,
And from betraying of an honest trust,
From lacke of care, either to gaine or loose,
And from a conscience that may prove vniust,
And from a wicked and vnlawfull lust:
From all such courses where no comforts be,
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From a stale peece of flesh that is twice sodden,
And from a bloud-raw rosted peece of beefe,
And from a crauen henne that is crow trodden,
And from a bawd, a whore, a rogue, a thiefe,
And from home-taking and hearts inward griefe,
And from the ill wherein no good can be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From blindnes, lamenesse, deafnes, cramps and stitches,
And from the gowt, the chollicke and the stone,
And from inchanting charmes of wicked witches,
From coughes, and rhewmes, and aches in the bone,
And from the griefe of loue to liue alone,
And from all agues whatsoe're they be:
The blessed Lord of heau'n deliuer me.
From the forsaking of the word of God,
To follow idle humour'd fopperies,
To scorne the scourging of the heau'nly rod,
From doing of my selfe such iniuries,
To bring my soule into such miseries,
And from all sinne within my soule to see;
The gratious God of heau'n deliuer me.
When I am olde, and sicke, and lame and poore,
And crucified a thousand sundry wayes,
And death beginnes to ope my fatall doore,
To call me home from my vnhappy dayes,
And all my passions then must end their playes.
Then from all euill, and both now and then:
The Lord of heau'n deliuer me, Amen.
10

PASQVILS Prognostication.

When that a churle doth grow so prodigal,
He cares not how he throw away his coyne,
And a wise man growes so fantasticall,
As with a foole will for his counsell ioyne,
And that a Fencer layes away his foyne,
And a yong spend-thrift falles to purchase land:
I feare that Doomes day will be hard at hand.
When that a Lawyer leaues to take a fee,
And that a trades man will not sell for gaine,
When euery Iudge will so indifferent be,
Euen as he sees to shew the matter plaine,
When that the world is growne to such a vaine:
My muse doth feare in her best ayming markes,
The skie will fall, and then we shall haue Larkes.
When humblenesse is praisde, and pride abated,
Vertue is honourd, and foule vice defaced,
Goodnesse beloued, wickednesse is hated,
Wisedome aduanced, folly is displaced,
Truth is esteem'd and falshood is disgraced,
The rich men giue their treasure to the poore:
I feare me Doomes day will be at the doore.
When filthy Dowdes will leaue to paint their faces,
And Iacke an Apes leaue ietting like a man,
And Brokers debters feare no Sergeants maces
Nor Geese will take the riuer with the Swan,
Nor greedie turne-spittes licke the dripping pan,
Nor that a knaue will giue a foole the scoffe:
I feare me doomes day will be not farre off.
When giddie heads lay by their idle humors,
And wicked wittes will leaue their villanie,
And gracelesse tongues will cease vnciuill Rumors,
And yong men follow no il companie,
Nor maides be sicke of the sweete Timpanie,
But constant hearts for very loue will die:
I feare me doomes day will be then too nie.
When idle louers leaue for to dissemble,
And faithfull friends are worthily regarded,
And Vertue's beautie doth the sunne resemble,
While clowdie mistes are vtterly disswaded,
And carefull seruice kindly is rewarded,
While honor liues, where loue can neuer die:
I feare me doomes day will be very nigh.
When old men liue til they be yong againe,
And yong men fal in age before their time,
When Poets Muses leaue to frump and faine,
And blossomes loose the beautie of their prime,
And no man falls that takes in hand to clime,
And he that may be rich will needes be poore:
I feare me Doomes day then is at the doore.
When that a beggar braues it with a King,
And that a coward puts a souldier downe,
And that a Waspe is bred without a sting,
And that a Knight must creepe vnto a Clowne,
And heart sicke Honor falls into a swowne,
And careful hearts for lacke of comfort die:
I feare me doomes day wil be then too nie.
When cankred coine a Kingdom may command,
And many thousands die for one mans ease,
And that a poore man may not right demand,
And honest hearts must wicked humors please,
Til sorrow too much on the soule do ceaze:
When thus the world with woe is ouergone,
I feare that Doomes day will be coming on.
When Cockes of game begin to leaue their fight,
And old fooles will not with yong bables play,
The stately Eagle loose her lofty height,
And wise men fall to keepe fooles holiday.
When that the world doth grow to such a stay,
It makes me feare that much about that yeere,
The day of Doome wil sure be very neere.
When that the Lion doth begin to roare,
The wolfe to houle, the snarling curre to barke,
The buzzard Kite too neere the Sunne to soare,
The Bunting striue to mount aboue the Larke:
My Muse doth find in her best aiming marke,
That neere vpon that yeare she feares to see,
The comming of the day of Doome wil be.
When that a flie vpon a galde horse backe,
Can make fooles laugh to see how he can sit,
And when a pedler in a beggars packe,
Can carrie ware, for his poore trade vnfit,
And with his purse can go away with it,
And Epicures will leaue their belly-cheere:
I feare me then the day of Doome is neere.
11

When Iohn a Noddes will be a Gentleman
Because his worship weares a velvet coate,
And euery Piper, a Musitian,
Because he hits vpon an idle noate,
And Beggars care not for the King a groate,
When that the foole will giue himselfe the scoffe:
I feare me Doomes day cannot be farre off.
When children teach their parents how to speake,
And seruants learne their masters to command,
When strong men will be guided by the weake,
And Rascall driue the male Deere downe the lawnde,
And Beggars fill the misers emptie Mawnd,
And dead men rise aliue out of the Beere:
I feare me Doomes day wil be very neere.
When conies hunt the dogges out of the warren,
And partridges beate hawkes out of the field,
And deinty faulcons feede on filthy carren,
And souldiers take the penne, and leaue the field,
And that a prince will to his subiects yeeld:
Then by some rules my Muse doth vnderstand,
She biddes me feare that doomes day is at hand.
When such as loue their eies will needes be blind,
And such as heare will seeme to stoppe their eares,
And fathers to their children are vnkind,
Because they thinke that they are none of theirs,
When they haue wiues, and other make their heires:
When such hard pointes the world doth stand vpon,
I feare me doomes day will be comming on.
When that the world is set vpon a will,
And purses carie matters as they list,
When all the grace is in the golden skill,
And few or none that cares for had I wist,
And each one thinkes he walketh in a mist:
When all these courses fall out in a yeere,
I feare me Doomes day will be very neere.
When idle quarrels breede vngodly warres,
And subtil peace deceiues a simple heart,
When men do shoote their arrowes at the starres
And neuer thinke of death his sodaine dart:
When thus the world doth take the foolish part,
When all good thoughts are flung vpon the floore,
I feare me Doomes day will be at the doore.
When he that puts himselfe into good ragges,
Thinkes himselfe halfe a prince for his apparrell,
When he that hath the chest of golden bagges
Beleeues he hath the world within a barrell:
When folly thus with better wit will quarrell
While wisedome in the world hath much disgrace,
I feare me Doomes day will come on apace.
When lands and bagges do marry wealth to wealth,
And want and vertue must go downe the wind,
When few or none regard the spirites health,
While wicked humors leade away the mind:
When the poore world is in this pitteous kind,
While hellish spirits in their pride do stand,
I feare me Doomes day will be hard at hand.
When Charing crosse and Paules do meete,
And breake their fast in Friday streete,
And Ware and Waltam go to Kent,
To purchase lands and gather rent,
And Easter falles afore the Lent:
Then if my Table doe not lie,
The day of doome will sure be nie.
When woodcockes build in dawcockes nestes,
And Robin Hood is rise againe,
And misers churles make merry feasts,
And merchants loose that they may gaine:
When once the world is in that vaine,
Then do not thinke but nigh that yeere,
The day of doome is very neere.
When euery child his father knowes,
And euery man will loue his wife,
And women sweare to be no shrowes,
But husbands leade a quiet life,
While kindnesse cuts off euery strife:
Then without doubt this build vpon,
The day of doome is comming on.
When Newgate is without a knaue,
And Bridewell found without a whoore,
A galley found without a slaue,
A Farmers barne without a floore,
And not a beggar at the doore:
Then let both time and reson trie,
And if that doomes day be not nie.
When theeues begin to leaue to steale,
And Iades will leaue their kicking trickes,
And fooles their secrets will conceale,
And maides will vse no setting stickes,
Nor blacke thorne carrie pointed prickes:
Then do not thinke but in that yeere,
The day of doome will sure be neere.
When old men care not for their health,
And faire yong women wish to die,
And rich men throw away their wealth,
And Rascalls leaue their beggarie,
And Knaues will leaue their knauerie:
Then thinke as I haue said before,
The day of Doome is at the doore.
When wanton eies breede wicked minds,
And wilfull heads breede wofull hearts,
While indiscretion nature blinds,
To scorne the rules of Reasons Artes,
And headlong fall into foule partes,
Til had-I-wist make folly crie:
Then thinke the day of Doome is nie.
When women will no malice shew
And men are free from envies fault,
Who may be high, wil be below,
And beefe keepe sweete that hath no salt,
And Beere is brewed with musty Malt:
Then do beleeue that truth will trie,
The day of Doome will sure be nie.
12

When Gamsters at Primero rests,
Will put out all their purses eie,
And warres do grow to be but iests,
Where many fight, and few do die,
A spider will not eate a flie:
Then by my rule I vnderstand,
The day of Doome will be at hand.
When Souldiers led into a field,
Do see their leaders runne at a stay,
The valiant to the coward yeeld,
That doth his honour steale away:
When the world is at such a fray,
I say but as I said before,
Thinke Doomes day will be at the doore.
When that a Cocke wil craue his hen,
Because shee is not of his breede,
And boies will be as good as men,
When schollers teach their Masters reade,
An hearb is spoilèd by a weede:
Then by my rules experience,
That day of Doome is not farre hence.
When no good nature can amend ill manners,
Nor daily preaching draw the world to God,
But sinne and shame display their open banners,
While he on earth begins to make abode,
When holy thoughts are wholy ouertrode,
While faith and troth do feare to shew their face:
I feare me Doomes day will come on apace.
When that a man must seeke to please his wife,
For feare the cuckoe sing vpon his head,
A women will be wearie of her life,
Because she cannot bring a foole to bed,
When siluer thus must be exchangde for led:
By such true rules as I haue rightly scand,
I feare me Doomes day will be hard at hand,
When wicked minds will in their humors dwell,
And sinne is not ashamde to shew her face,
And Atheists are resolude to go to hell,
Because they haue no feeling thought of Grace:
When that the world is in this wofull case,
And death and sorrow do begin their song,
I feare the day of Doome will not be long.
When men and women gree like dogges and cats,
Because the world is full of wicked natures,
And euery towne is full of mice and rattes,
That do deuoure the foode of better creatures,
While fooles make idolls of ill-fauoured features:
When we are thus poore, people to beg on vs,
I feare me doomes day will come stealing on vs.
When that a cat will eate no milke,
And that a fox the goose forsakes,
And courtiers leaue their wearing silke,
And snow doth leaue to fall in flakes,
And one man marres that other makes:
Then doth my Table say that yeere,
The day of Doome will sure be neere.
When fishes leaue to play with baites,
And buzzards leaue to beate the wind,
And knaues will leaue with cunning sleights,
For to deceiue a simple mind:
When that the world is in this kind,
Be sure this note to build vpon,
The day of Doome is comming on.
When morrice dancers leaue their bells,
The foole his bable by will lay,
And oisters breede without their shells,
And that the mice with cattes will play,
While wise men make fooles holy day:
Then tell me if my table lie,
That saies that doomes day will be nie.
When that a Kite the Chicken feares,
The wolfe will not come neere the Lamb,
The frogs will be as big as Beares,
The Ewe will not abide the Ramme,
A Calfe wil leaue to sucke the Damme:
Then do I by my table find,
That doomes day is not farre behind.
When youth will not the wantons play,
And age hath sworne he will not dote,
And wil and wit are at a fray,
While beggarie is not worth a groate:
It is a certaine rule to note,
That very much upon that yeere,
The day of doome approcheth neere.
When that a beggar braues a King,
And fishes swimme without their finnes,
An Owle wil teach a Larke to sing,
And fishers leaue to lay their ginnes,
When puddings creepe out of their skinnes:
Then thinke as I haue said before,
The day of doome is at the doore.
When Swallowes leaue to feede on Flies,
And Asses looke into the ayre,
And Mowles begin to ope their eies,
And two fooles do not make a paire,
And Basenesse sits in Honors chaire,
And the Lord be seruant to a Groome:
Then thinke vpon the day of doome.
When fire begins to leaue his heate,
No coolenesse in the water is,
The hungry will refuse their meate,
And louers leaue to coll and kisse,
And all is well that was amisse:
Then doth my perfect rule descrie,
The day of doome wil sure be nigh.
When couetousnesse can infect a King,
And pride is set vpon a beggars heart,
And too much want the honest mind doth wring,
While helplesse sorrow breedes the spirits smart:
When thus the diuell ginnes to play his part,
To fill the world with such unhappy fare,
I feare doomes day before we be aware.
When furies flie like sparkles in the ayre,
With fire and sword, to fil the world with bloud,
And feareful soules are neere vnto despaire,
While gracelesse hearts can see no hope of good,
But endlesse sorrow is the sinners food:
When thus the diuell in the world doth sit,
Doomes day wil come, although it be not yet.
FINIS.
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