University of Virginia Library

THE AUCTOURS NAME IN VERDYT.

Saye well some wyll
by this my labour
Euery man yet
Wyll not say the same
Amonge the good
I doubt not fauour
God them forgeue
For it me blame
Eche man I wyshe
It shall offende
Reade and then iudge
Where faulte is amende.

The schoole of vertue.

First in the mornynge
when thou dost awake
To God for his grace
thy peticion then make;
This prayer folowynge
vse dayly to say,
Thy harte lyftynge vp;
Thus begyn to pray:

The mornynge prayer.

“O God, from whom
al good gifts procede!
To thee we repayre
in tyme of our nede,
That with thy grace
thou wouldst vs endue
Vertue to folowe
and vyce to exchue:
Heare this our request,
and graunt our desyre,
O lorde! moste humbly
we do the requyre!
This day vs defende,
that we walkynge aryght
May do the thynge
acceptable in thy syght,
That as we in yeares
And body do growe,
So in good vertues
we may lykewyse flowe
To thy honour,
and ioy of our parentes,
Learninge to lyue well,
and kepe thy commaundmentes;
In flyinge from all
Vice, synne, and cryme,
Applyinge our bookes,
not losynge our tyme,
May fructifye and go forwarde
here in good doynge
In this vale of miserie
vnto oure lyuees endynge,
That after this lyfe
here transitory
We may attayne
to greater glory.”
The Lordes prayer then
se thou recyte,
So vsynge to do
at mornynge and nyght.

Howe to order thy selfe when thou rysest, and in apparelynge thy body.

Capitulo .i.

Flye euer slouthe
and ouer much slepe;
In health the body
therby thou shalte kepe.
Muche slepe ingendereth
diseases and payne,
It dulles the the wyt
and hurteth the brayne.
Early in the mornynge
thy bed then forsake,
Thy rayment put on,
thy selfe redy make.
To cast vp thy bed
It shalbe thy parte,
Els may they say
that beastly thou art;
So to departe
and let the same lye,
It is not semynge
nor yet manerly.
Downe from thy chamber
when thou shalte go,
Thy parentes salute thou,
and the famely also;
Thy handes se thou washe,
and thy hed keame,
And of thy rayment
se torne be no seame;
Thy cappe fayre brusht,
thy hed couer than,
Takynge it of
In speakynge to any man.
Cato doth councel thee
thyne elders to reuerence
Declarynge therby
thy dutye and obedience.
Thy shyrte coler fast
to thy necke knyt;
Comely thy rayment
loke on thy body syt.
Thy gyrdell about
thy wast then fasten,
Thy hose fayre rubd
thy showes se be cleane.
A napkyn se that
thou haue in redines
Thy nose to clense
from all fylthynes.
Thy nayles, yf nede be,
se that thou payre;
Thyne eares kepe cleane,
thy teath washe thou fayre.
If ought about thee
chaunce to be torne,
Thy frendes therof shewe
howe it is worne,
And they wyll newe
for thee prouyde,
Or the olde mende,
In tyme beinge spyde,
This done, thy setchell
and thy bokes take,
And to the scole
haste see thou make.
But ere thou go,
with thy selfe forthynke.
That thou take with thee
pen, paper, and ynke;
For these are thynges
for thy study necessary,
Forget not then
with thee them to cary.
The souldiar preparynge
hym selfe to the fielde
Leaues not at home
his sworde and his shielde,
No more shulde a scoler
forget then truly
what he at scole
shulde nede to occupy.
These thynges thus had,
Take strayght thy way
Vnto the schole
without any stay.

Howe to behaue thy selfe in going by the streate and in the schoole

[Capitulo] .ii.

In goynge by the way
and passynge the strete,
Thy cappe put of,
Salute those ye mete;
In geuynge the way
to suche as passe by,
It is a poynte
of siuilitie.
And thy way fortune
so for to fall,
Let it not greue thee
thy felowes to call.
when to the schole
thou shalte resort,
This rule note well
I do the exhort:
Thy master there beynge,
Salute with all reuerence,
Declarynge thereby
thy dutye and obedience;
Thy felowes salute
In token of loue,
Lest of inhumanitie
they shall thee reproue.
Vnto thy place
appoynted for to syt,
Streight go thou to,
and thy setchel vnknyt,
Thy bokes take out,
thy lesson then learne
Humbly thy selfe
Behaue and gouerne.
Therein takynge payne,
with all thyne industry
Learnynge to get
thy boke well applye:
All thynges seme harde
when we do begyn,
But labour and diligence
yet both them wyn;
we ought not to recken
and coumpt the thyng harde
That bryngeth ioye
and pleasure afterwarde;
Leaue of then laboure,
and the lacke rue,
Lament and repent
when age doth insue.
Deades that deserued
Fame and greate prayse,
Buried had ben,
we se in olde dayes;
If letters had not then
brought them to lyght
The truth of suche thynges
who coulde nowe resyght?
Applye thy minde
to learnynge and scyence,
For learnynge in nede
wyll be thy defence.
Nothinge to science
compare we may well,
The swetenes wherof
all thynges doth excell.
And Cato the wyse
this worthy sayinge hath,
That man wantinge learnynge
is as the image of death.
The rootes of learnynge
most bytter we deme;
The fruites at last
Moste pleasaunt doth seme.
Then labour for learnynge
whyle here thou shalt lyue,
The ignoraunt to teache,
and good example geue;
So shalte thou be thought
A membre most worthy
The common welth to serue
In tyme of necessitie.
Experience doth teache
And shewe to thee playne
That many to honour
By learninge attayne
That were of byrthe
But symple and bace,—
Suche is the goodnes
Of Gods speciall grace,—
For he that to honour
by vertue doth ryse,
Is double happy,
and counted most wyse.
If doubte thou doest,
Desyre to be toulde,
No shame is to learne,
Beinge neuer so oulde;
Ignoraunce doth cause
Great errors in vs
For wantynge of knowledge
Doubts to discusse;
Then learne to discerne
the good from the yll,
And suche as thee warne,
Bere them good will.
when from the schoole
ye shall take your waye,
Or orderly then go ye,
twoo in aray,
your selues matchynge
So equall as ye may,
That men it seynge
May well of you saye
In commendynge this
your laudable wayes,
whiche must nedes sounde
to your great prayse,
Not runnynge on heapes
as a swarme of bees,
As at this day
Euery man it nowe sees;
Not vsynge, but refusynge,
Suche foolyshe toyes
As commonly are vsed
In these dayes of boyes,
As hoopynge and halowynge
as in huntynge the foxe,
That men it hearynge
Deryde them with mockes.
This foolyshnes forsake,
this folly exchewynge,
And learne to followe
this order insuynge.
In goynge by the way
Neyther talke nor iangle,
Gape not nor gase not
at euery newe fangle,
But soberly go ye
with countinaunce graue;
Humblye your selues
towarde all men behaue;
Be free of cappe
and full of curtesye;
Greate loue of al men
you shall wyn therby.
Be lowly and gentyll
and of meke moode;
Then men con not
but of you say good.
In passynge the strete
Do no man no harme;
Vse thou fewe wordes,
and thy tounge charme,
Then men shal see
that grace in the groweth
From whom vertues
So aboundantly floweth.
when thou arte come
where thy parentes do dwell,
Thy leaue then takynge
Byd thy felowes farewell;
The house then entrynge,
In thy parence presence
Humbly salute them
with all reuerence.

Howe to behaue thi selfe in seruynge the table.

Cap. iii.

Howe to order thy selfe syttynge at the table.

Capitulo .iiii.

O chyldren! geue eare
your duties to learne,
Howe at the table
you may your selues gouerne.
Presume not to hyghe,
I say, in no case;
In syttynge downe,
to thy betters geue place.
Suffer eche man
Fyrste serued to be,
For that is a poynte
Of good curtesie.
when they are serued,
then pause a space,
For that is a sygne
of nourture and grace.
Saulte with thy knyfe
then reache and take,
The breade cut fayre,
And do not it breake.
Thy spone with pottage
to full do not fyll,
For fylynge the cloth,
If thou fortune to spyll,
For rudnes it is
thy pottage to sup,
Or speake to any,
his head in the cup.
Thy knyfe se be sharpe
to cut fayre thy meate;
Thy mouth not to full
when thou dost eate;
Not smackynge thy lyppes,
As comonly do hogges,
Nor gnawynge the bones
As it were dogges;
Suche rudenes abhorre,
Suche beastlynes flie,
At the table behaue
thy selfe manerly.
Thy fyngers se cleane
that thou euer kepe,
Hauynge a Napkyn
thereon them to wype;
Thy mouth therwith
Cleane do thou make,
The cup to drynke
In hande yf thou take,
Let not thy tongue
At the table walke,
And of no matter
Neyther reason nor talke.
Temper thy tongue
and belly alway,
For “measure is treasure,”
the prouerbe doth say,
And measure in althynges
Is to be vsed;
what is without measure
Ought to be refused.
For silence kepynge
thou shalt not be shent,
where as thy speache
May cause thee repent.
Bothe speache and silence
are commendable,
But sylence is metest
In a chylde at the table.
And Cato doth saye,
that “in olde and yonge
The fyrste of vertue
Is to kepe thy tonge.”
Pyke not thy teethe
at the table syttynge,
Nor vse at thy meate
Ouer muche spytynge;
this rudnes of youth
Is to be abhorde;
thy selfe manerly
Behaue at the borde.
If occasion of laughter
at the table thou se,
Beware that thou vse
the same moderately.
Of good maners learne
So muche as thou can;
It wyll thee preferre
when thou art a man.
Aristotle the Philosopher
this worthy sayinge writ,
That “maners in a chylde
are more requisit
then playnge on instrumentes
and other vayne pleasure;
For vertuous maners
Is a most precious treasure.”
Let not this saynge
In no wyse thee offende,
For playnge of instrumentes
He doth not discommende,
But doth graunt them
for a chylde necessary,
Yet maners muche more
see here he doth vary.
Refuse not his councell,
Nor his wordes dispise;
To vertue and knowledge
By them mayste thou ryse.

Howe to order thy selfe in the Churche.

Cap. .v.

VVhen to the Churche
thou shalt repayer,
Knelynge or standynge,
to God make thy prayer;
All worldely matters
From thy mynde set apart,
Earnestly prayinge,
to God lyfte vp thy hart.
A contrite harte
He wyll not dispyse,
whiche he doth coumpt
A sweete sacrifice.
To hym thy sinnes
shewe and confesse,
Askynge for them
Grace and forgyuenes;
He is the Phisition
that knoweth thy sore,
And can to health
A-gayne thee restore.
Aske then in fayth,
Not doubtynge to haue;
The thynges ye desyre
ye shall then receaue;
So they be lawfull
Of God to requyre,
He wyll the heare
and graunt thy desyre;
More mercifull he is
then pen can expresse,
The aucthor and geuer
here of all goodnesse.
“All ye that laboure
and burdened be,
I wyll you refreshe
In commynge to me.”
These are Chrystes wordes,
the scripture is playne,
Spoken to all suche
as here suffre payne;
Our wylles to his worde
then let vs frame,
The heauenly habytacion
therby we may clame.
In the churche comly
thy selfe do behaue,
In vsage sober,
thy countinaunce graue.
whyle you be there,
taulke of no matter,
Nor one with an other
whisper nor chatter.
Reuerently thy selfe
Order alwaye
when to the Churche
thou shalt come to pray:
Eche thynge hath his tyme,
Consyder the place,
For that is a token
of vertue and grace,
The Lorde doth call it
the house of prayer
And not to be vsed
As is a fayer.

The fruites of gamynge, vertue and learnynge.

Capitulo .vi.

O lytle chylde,
Eschewe thou euer game,—
For that hath brought
Many one to shame,—
As dysynge, and cardynge,
And suche other playes,
which many vndoeth
as we se nowe a dayes.
But yf thou delyght
In any earthly thynge,
Delyght in knowledge,
Vertue, and learnynge,
For learnynge wyll leade thee
to the schoole of vertue,
And vertue wyll teache thee
Vice to subdue.
Vice beynge subdued,
thou canst not but floryshe;
Happy is the man
that vertue doth norysh.
By knowledge lykewyse
thou shalt doubtes discerne,
By vertue agayne
thy lyfe well gouerne.
These be the frutes
By them we do take,
Cursed is he then
that doth them forsake.
But we erre in wyt
In folowynge our wyll,
In iudgynge that good
which playnly is yll.
Let reason thee rule,
and not will thee leade
To folowe thy fansie,
A wronge trace to treade.
But subdue thy luste,
and conqeur thy wyll
If it shall moue thee
to doe that is yll;
For what hurte by game
to many doth growe,
No wyse man I thynke
but doth it well knowe.
Experience doth shewe
and make it manifeste
That all good men
can it but deteste,
As strife and debate,
murder and thefte,
whiche amonge christians,
wolde god were lefte,
with cursynge and bannynge,
with swearyng and tearyng,
That no honest harte
can abyde the hearyng:
These be the fruites
that of them doth sprynge,
with many more as euill
that cometh of gamynge.

How to behaue thy selfe in taulkynge with any man.

Capitulo .vii.

If a man demaunde
a question of thee,
In thine aunswere makynge
be not to hastie;
waie well his wordes,
the case vnderstande
Eare an answere to make
thou take in hande,
Els may he iudge
in thee little wit,
To answere to a thynge
and not heare it.
Suffer his tale
whole out to be toulde,
Then speake thou mayst,
and not be controulde;
Low obeisaunce makyng,
lokinge him in the face,
Tretably speaking,
thy wordes see thou place.
with countinaunce sober
thy bodie vprighte
Thy fete iuste to-gether,
thy handes in lyke plight;
Caste not thyne eies
on neither syde.
when thou arte praised,
therin take no pryde.
In tellynge thy tale,
neither laugh nor smyle,
Such folly forsake thou,
banish and exyle;
In audible voice
thy wordes do thou vtter,
Not hie nor lowe,
but vsynge a measure.
Thy wordes se that
thou pronounce plaine,
And that they spoken
Be not in vayne;
In vttryng wherof
Kepe thou an order,
Thy matter therby
thou shalte much forder;
whiche order yf thou
Do not obserue,
From the purpose
nedes must thou swarue,
And hastines of speche
wyll cause thee to erre,
Or wyll thee teache
to stut or stammer.
To stut or stammer
is a foule crime,
Learne then to leaue it,
take warnyng in tyme;
How euyll a chylde
it doth become,
Thy selfe beynge iudge,
hauinge wisedome;
And sure it is taken
by custome and vre,
whyle yonge you be
there is helpe and cure.
This generall rule
yet take with the,
In speakynge to any man
Thy head vn-couered be.
The common prouerbe
remember ye oughte,
“Better vnfedde
then vn-taughte.”

How to order thy selfe being sente of message.

Cap. viii.

If of message
forthe thou be sente,
Take hede to the same,
Geue eare diligente;
Depart not awaye
and beyng in doute,
Know wel thy message
before thou passe out;
with possible spede
then hast thee right sone;
If nede shall requirr it
so to be done.
After humble obeisaunce,
the message forth shewe
Thy wordes well placinge
in vttringe but fewe
As shall thy matter
serue to declare.
Thine answere made,
then home againe repare,
And to thy master
therof make relacion
As then the answere
shall geue thee occasion.
Neither adde nor deminish
any thynge to the same,
Lest after it proue
to thy rebuke and shame,
But the same vtter
so nere as thou can;
No faulte they shall fynde
to charge thee with than,
In most humble wyse
loke done that it be,
As shall become beste
a seruantes degre.

A-gainste Anger, Enuie, and malice.

Cap. ix.

If thou be subiecte
and to anger thrall,
And reason thee rule not,
nedes must thou fall.
Conquer thy wyll
and subdue thy luste,
Thy fansy not folowing,
thy cause though be iuste;
For anger and furie
wyll thee so chaunge
That thy doynges to wise men
wyll appeare straunge.
Thine anger and wrath
seke then to appeace,
For wrath, saith Plato,
Leades shame in a leace.
The hastie man
wantes neuer trouble,
His mad moody mynde
his care doth double.
And malyce thee moue
to reuenge thy cause,
Dread euer god,
and daunger of the lawes.
Do not reuenge,
though in thy power it be,
Forgeue the offender
being thine enemie.
He is perfectely pacient,
we may repute plaine,
[That] From wrath and furye
himselfe can refrayne.
Disdayne nor enuie
The state of thy brother,
In worde nor dede
not hurtyng one an other.
Debate and disceate,
contencion and enuie,
Are the chiefe frutes
of an euyll bodie.
And Salomon saithe
“The harte full of enuie,
Of him selfe hath
no pleasure nor commoditie.”

The fruites of charitie, loue, and pacience.

Cap. x.

Charitie seketh not
that to her doth belonge,
But paciently a-bydinge,
sustainynge rather wronge;
Not enuiynge, but bearinge
with loue and pacience,—
So noble is her nature,—
forgeuing all ofence.
And loue doth moue
the mynde to mercie,
But malice againe
doth worke the contrarie.
whiche in the wicked
wyll euer beare stroke,
Pacience thee teacheth
therof to beare the yoke.
where pacience and loue
to-gether do dwell
All hate and debate,
with malice, they expell.
Loue constant and faithfull,
Pithagoras doth call
To be a vertue
most principall.
Plato doth speake
almoste in effecte
‘where loue is not,
no vertue is perfecte.’
Desire then god
to assiste thee with his grace
Charitie to vse
and pacience to imbrace;
These three folowinge
will thee instructe,
That to vertues schoole
they wyll thee conducte,
And from vertues schoole
to eternall blisse
where incessaunt ioie
continually is.

A-gainge (so) the horrible vice of swearynge.

Cap. xi.

In vaine take not
the name of god;
Swere not at all
for feare of his rod.
The house with plagues
he threteneth to visit
where othes are vsed:
they shall not escape it.
Iuste are his iudgementes,
and true is his worde,
And sharper then is
a two edged sworde;
wherfore beware thou
his heauy indignacion,
And learne to lyue well
in thy vocacion
wherin that god
shall thee set or call;
Rysinge againe—
if it fortune to fall—
By prayer and repentance,
whiche is the onely waie.
Christ wolde not the death
of a sinner, I saye,
But rather he turne
From his wickednesse,
And so to lyue
in vertue and goodnesse.
what better art thou
for this thy swearyng
Blasfamouslye,
the name of god tearyng?
Prouokynge his yre
and kyndlinge his wrath
Thee for to plauge,
that geuinge the hath
Knowlage and reason
thy selfe for to rule,
And for to flee
the thynge that is euyl.
Senica doth councell thee
all swerynge to refrayne,
Although great profite
by it thou mighte gaine:
Pericles, whose wordes
are manifeste and playne,
From sweryng admonisheth
thee to obstaine;
The lawe of god,
and commaundement he gaue,
Swearynge amongst vs
in no wyse wolde haue.
The councell of philosoph[ers]
I haue here expreste,
Amongest whom sweryng
was vtterly deteste;
Much lesse amongest christians
ought it to be vsed,
But vtterly of them
cleane to be refused.

A-gainste the vice of filthy talkynge.

Cap. xii.

No filthy taulke
in no wise vse,
Thy tonge therby
for to abuse.
Of euery idell worde
an accumpte we shall render;—
All men I woulde
this sayinge to remember;—
To god for it
at the generall daie
In earnest or sporte
we shall speake or saie;
whiche daye to the iuste
shalbe most ioyfull,
And to the wicked
againe as wofull.
As we here doe,
so shall we receaue,
Vnles we repente
and mercy of god craue.
If god wyll deale
with vs so straight
For thinges that be
of so small waight,
Then haue we cause
to feare and dreade,
Our lyues lewdly
if we haue leade.
Thy tonge take hede
thou doe refrayne
From speakyng wordes
that are moste vayne;
Thy wyll and witte
to goodnes applie,
Thy mynde exercise
in vertuous studie.

A-gainste the vice of lyinge.

Capitulo .xiii.

To forge, to fayne,
to flater and lye,
Requiere diuers collours
with wordes fayre and slye,
But the vtteraunce of truthe
is so simple and playne
That it nedeth no studie
to forge or to fayne;
wherfore saye truth,
how euer stand the case,
So shalte thou fynde
more fauour and grace.
Vse truthe, and say truth,
in that thou goest aboute,
For tyme of althinges
the truthe wyll bringe out.
Shame is the rewarde
For lying dewe;
Then auoyde shame,
and vtter wordes trewe.
A lyar by his lying
this profet doth get,
That whan he saith truth
no man wyll him credet;
Then let thy talke
with the truth agree,
And blamed for it
thou shalte neuer bee.
Howe maie a man
a lyer ought truste?
But doubte his dedes,
his woordes being vniuste.
In tellyng of truth
there lougeth no shame,
Where vttring of lyes
deserueth much blame;
And though a lye
from stripes ye once saue,
Thrise for that once
it wyll the desceue;
Truste then to truth,
and neither forge nor fayne,
And followe these preceptes:
from liyng do refraine.

A praier to be saide when thou goest to bedde.

O mercifull god!
heare this our requeste,
And graunte vnto vs
this nighte quiet reste.
Into thy tuicoin,
oh lorde, do vs take!
Our bodies slepynge,
our myndes yet maie wake.
Forgeue the offences
this daye we haue wroughte
A-gainste thee and our neighbour
in worde, dede, and thoughte!
And graunte vs thy grace
hense forth to flie sinne,
And that a newe lyfe
we maie nowe beginne!
Deliuer and defende vs
this night from all euell,
And from the daunger
of our enemie, the diuell,
whiche goeth a-boute
sekyng his praie,
And by his crafte
whom we maie betraie.
Assiste vs, oh lorde,
with thy holy sprite,
That valiantly against him
we maie euer fighte;
And winning the victorie,
maie lifte vp our voice,
And in his strength
faithfully reioice,
Saying, “to the lorde
be all honour and praise
For his defence
bothe now and alwaies!”

the dutie of eche degred. (so) brefely declared.