EPIGRAMS and sentences spirituall in vers, of GREGORI NAZANZEN, an auncient & famous Bishop in the Greke churche: Englished by Tho. Drant.
Imprinted at London in fletestreate, neare vnto S. Dunstones church by Thomas Marshe. 1568.
To the righte honorable, the right reuerent father in God Edmonde Bishoppe of London, his very good Lorde and Maister, Tho. Drant wisheth grace and peace with long and ioyful life, in the euerliuing God through Christe our Sauiour.
PErusing (right honorable) some of the Germaine wryters, and delighting in their pretie & wittie verses, which to the texts and common places of holy scriptures they fitly haue applied: I founde no sayinges in them of a more quicke and godly sence, then those whiche they bringe oute of Gregorie Nazanzen, a Doctour of the Gréeke churche very wel learned, and very eloquent. Basil the great hath called him the Uessell of election, the profounde fountaine, the mouthe of Christe. Baptist Mantuan thus wryteth in his commendation.
Nunc Maximus ille
Gregorius, cui dat diuina scientia tantum
[Page]Nomen, adest, hodie sacros habiturus honores
Praesule patre satus (nam tunc id iura sinebant)
Pastorale pedum gessit post funera patris
By Zantina tulit faustos in menia gressus.
Fama viri traxit varijs ex gentibus agmen
Discipulorum ingens, illic Academica fecit
Gymnasia, & veteres illuc traduxit Athenas
Nam quot erant toto orbe viri, qui scire profundos
Scripturarum aditus vellent, & mistica sensa,
Et Cabilistarum latebras, ea littora adibant,
Hieronymum fama est illuc veuisse trilinguem
Et legis didicisse sub hoc arcana magistro.
Amongest the reste his woorkes those sentences, and Epigrams which are called spiritual, are so in dede as they are called. They moue the spirite, in mouinge delight it, & that with an excellent and choise kinde of delectation. Beinge thus brought into a booke, the booke is small: and, a pearle is smal likewise, but if it were much bigger or better, it would make me the gladder. That these fewe sayinges of Gregorie Nazanzen should be to your L. addressed (as the doinges of a learned father to a learned father) that is of congruitie: that from me to your L. that is of my dutie. [Page] Neither doe I recke, or recken howe great it is, but howe great, and good I would haue it to be. Neither is it as a thinge in it selfe able to showe my good wyll: be it therefore as an argument that if I had better wherewith, I would haue ben right willing to haue shewed it. This humbly crauing I cease to trouble you. The .x. of Aprill.
Your Lordships to be commaunded
Tho. Drant.
[...].
[...],
[...],
[...],
[...],
[...].
[...],
[...],
[...],
[...].
[...],
[...].
[...]
[...].
[...]
[...]
[...].
[...]
[...].
[...]
[...].
[...],
[...].
De Gregorio ad Lectores.
GRegorius sanctus pulchri preceptor honesti
Haec cecinit Graia carmina sancta lyra,
Gregorius rectè, non ille Gregarius, ergo
Hunc summè summi sic coluere sophi.
Graecia magna suū magnū nunc versat alumnū,
Si populo pietas, religio
(que) siet,
Orator, Doctor, Vates, facundior alter
Haud fuit, haud nūc est, credo nec esse potest.
Vix vidit
quidq praeclarius auricomus sol,
Ingenio plenus, plenus & ille deo.
Credite Gregorium (Lectores) versibus istis
Paucis, & paruis plurima magna loqui.
Spectetis numeros, numeris vel numen in ipsis,
Omne tulit punctum, iudicium
(que) bonum.
Ad Gregorium
Dulces docta modos loqui
Dum Christum celebrat Calliope tua:
Dum tristis querulo temporis, & loci
Defles carmine crimina:
Praestans dum quatitur Chelis:
Dum certas fidibus non triuialibus:
Dum fundis numeros nobilis (O) bonos:
Vincis maxime Gregori.
Primae vos superas viros,
Et Maya genitus, Linus, & Orpheus,
Alcaei taceat barbiton optimum:
Vincis barbiton Alcaei.
Dum pascis domini gregem,
(Est
[...] tua sic cignia
[...])
Dulcis, dulcior es mellibus Atticis:
Claris clarior omnibus.
Agros flumine dum rigas:
Dum cogis pecudes montibus Israel:
Et dum manna fluit faucibus inclytis:
Fauces mella stipant tuum.
Viuis maxime Gregori,
Laetis, at
(que) bonis aedite saeculis.
Acris, melli fluus, doctiloquus, pius,
Vincis maxime Gregori.
W. C. Doctor, to the translation.
SOme venture farre with litle skill
On matters great of weyght,
Whose stuffe is good, but working ill,
They reache aboue their height.
Some goodly giftes on matters grosse
Bestowe with busie paine:
Whose metall base the workemen staynes,
Lost is their labour vaine.
Sometyme fine workemen of the best
Doe worke in metall puer,
They frame a worke of great renowme
Which euer shall enduer.
Such is this booke: her golden gifte
Doth worke in finest golde,
A worthy worke, and workeman fyne
Here both in one beholde.
Tvvo kindes of life, Actiue, and Contemplatiue.
Whiche lyfe of twayne doth better seame to thee,
That whiche is bent to outwarde exercise:
Or that which still contemplatiue would be?
The one loue mo, the other the more wyse.
[Page]Both this, and that are pleasaunt like and fit,
But what is fit for the, best like thou it.
Trie thy selfe, before thou intermedle with holy matters.
A ghostly question one of me did aske,
Hast thou examined well thy selfe (quod I)
Els doest thou but attempt a sinful taske,
I am cleane purified (quod he) pardy.
For who is he that hath not lost his witte,
Newe oyle to vessels olde that wyl committe?
Truste not lightly nor cauill muche.
All manner wordes, or promis doe not truste,
Against eache speache, in no wyse maist thou mell,
But as through tyme, and place thou rightly must,
Obey thou God, whom thou canst not excell.
With mouthe all men most egrely doe striue:
With manners neuer one that is aliue.
A shame for a teacher to be reprouable.
Or neuer teache thou any any worde at all,
Or els with manners doe the same expresse:
Least one hande buylde, the other make to fall.
The better lyfe, of wordes it neades the lesse:
We iudge a Painter so to be of skyll,
Euen as his workemanship is good, or ill.
Let Bishops, and Prelates geue light.
O you that Lordlike rule so sterne, and stoute,
Whose wealth, and worship stretcheth farre, and wyde:
Take hede your lyncks, and lanterns go not out,
Least wycked Prelates you at last be tryde,
If light be darke, that was so bright, and trimme,
What wylbe darkenes of it selfe so dimme?
VVel doing is better then wel saying.
A speacheles deede doth passe a deedeles worde.
Without good deedes fewe haue ben caught vp hie,
But those whiche finest phrase could not aforde,
Doe naithelesse alday skale vp to the skie,
[Page]Not of the babling speaker god hath neade,
But of the soule, that workes his will in deade.
An acceptable offring vnto God.
Most welcome gift to God is manners pure,
Though thou to him couldst all the world present,
The gift is not so good, thy selfe assure,
Before all giftes good life doth him content.
Geue him thy harte, as doe the meake, that quake,
Thy coyne (an horishe bribe) God wyl not take.
Make no vowe to God.
Make thou no vowe not in the smalest thing,
Thou guyles thy selfe to crake that that is thyne
Which was gods owne, before thou diddes it bring.
That from indebted vs we should decline,
May warne vs well in this our mortall life,
The death of Ananias and his wyfe.
Mans life a market.
Beleue this life to be a very marte,
Great gaine there is if thou wilt plie a whyle,
Eternall thinges for vayne thou maist by arte
Exchaunge: and dearest ware for chaffer vile:
But if thou slougge, and loiter liuing here,
No other tyme, hereafter wyl appeare.
The race of Christian life.
Farre must we runne in this our drery race,
But more shalbe our guardon great in tyme,
Take hede thou hast not so the whole timbrace
That of the whole thou mis with note of cryme.
The deuill that would vs all from ioye exempt▪
On both handes thus doth vse the good to tempte.
Nor presume, nor dispaire.
Truste not to muche, ne yet to much dispayre,
The one doth make vs dissolutely to bolde,
That other leades to euerlasting care,
Correcte the last, and firme the former holde,
Arighte: and freely fare vpon thy waye
[Page]Not enuie pale, not malice neade thee staie.
Kepe on thy course in vertue.
Proceade in thinges with good aduise begonne,
To moue at first makes not a good mans state,
But still to moue vntill the thing be done,
For we doe counte him curste, and worthy hate,
Not who a litil downwarde slippes awry,
But he that falles exalted once on hie.
All occasion of euill is to be shunned.
A prety sparke doth rayse a mightie flame,
A Uipers seade doth pestilently kyll,
Instructed well, and warned by this same,
Eschewe the smalest blot of any ill:
For being soylde with blemishe very small,
It draweth daungers manifolde with all.
Knowe thy selfe. Good deedes better then golde.
Thine owne affaires looke rather thou applie
Then to thy neighbours busily attende:
Thy neighbour he may some thing get thereby,
The other would thine owne estate amende.
Good deedes are better muche then fee, or golde,
The one decaye, the other stande, and holde.
Study godlines: Charme thy tongue.
To sacred reade thy mynde deuout dispose,
And to the rules deuine of blessed life,
Thy tatling tongue let it not glide, or glose,
In bablarie, or blablarie too rife,
Whiche if at randome thou permit to walke,
I warrant thee no wynner by thy talke.
Temptation by thy eies.
Our sight would gladly carie vs away.
But by resisting tho it is represt,
We are not booteys for syr Cupides pay,
No idole myndes to him we haue Idrest:
The baite was faire disguist, but we are gonne,
[Page]Of Satans snares, this certainly was one▪
Temptation by the eares.
Gainst wanton talke thyne eares with waxe doe shitte,
And against all sonneites delicate, and softe,
But what so for an honest man is fitte,
That thou respectiuly must very ofte
Both marke with diligent, and hedie care,
And in thy saws and deedes the same declare:
Temptation by the other senses.
To odours womannishe, and fragrant smell,
Thy selfe to tender touchinges doe not yealde,
If these doe maister thee, what wilt thou well
Deserue with hande in battayle champion fielde?
The man hath his peculiar proper prayse:
The woman hirs by other diffring wayes.
Be not to liberal to thy belly.
Still geue me, geue me, crithe the gredy paunche,
And haue thou shalt, if well thou canst it saue,
But if in dunge it passeth by the haunche
Eftsones, what bootes it thee so much to haue?
If thou dost kepe it long to make it more:
Of dunge thou dost but treasure greater store.
Laughter must be laughed at.
Uaine laughter would be laughed at againe,
And wanton laughter wyttely controlde,
Immodest laughter oft insueth payne,
To laughe whyles down thy chekes the teares at rolde,
And better is a sadde, and pewly face,
Then that which smileth smugge with smirking grace.
Fauour and deformitie.
True beautie doth adorne a godly mynde,
And is to it a furniture, (no doubte)
No furniture which tyme can chaunge from kynde,
Nor such as crafte of hande can braue set out,
The mynde not practisde doth deformed lye,
As spieth he which hath an inwarde eye.
Contempte of vanities.
Pensiuenesse, pleasure, shame, and penurie,
Ryches, honoure, authoritie of throne,
Fearcenesse, and feare, let them both flitte, and flye,
Without regarde to where they would begonne:
Such thinges so tickle, fickle, vile, and vayne,
Doe nothing moue a suerly setled brayne.
The highnesse and humblenesse of good vvorkes.
Be hie, not in thyne owne conceite at all,
For that with sodayne swaye wyll cast the downe,
If els thou buylst to hie, loke for a fall,
Be hie in vpright lyfe, that wyl thee crowne:
The more that thou exalted art on hie,
The lesse stande thou on thy maioritie.
Against vayne glorie and dissimulation.
Nor thou eche prayse, nor too much prayse persue,
Its wurst to be accompted then to bee,
Flie praise which sprynges by gaie fonde facions newe
(In case thou knowest not measure in degree)
An Ape is he not still a very Ape,
Though all men iudge he hath a Lions shape?
Take not pryde in prayse, Prayse not rashly.
If others praysing vardit make thee proude,
Thou shalt be thought a prayser for to want,
And rynging out an others prayses loude,
His manners hauing yet seruaid skant,
If his demenour be perceyued ill:
Thy credit that will quyte destroy, and spyll.
Pleasure not in deriding an other.
Its better much to beare a scoffe, or scorne:
Then thee thy selfe to skorne, and scoffe,
If that vncyuilly thou byst not torne,
[Page]Thy vantage is with bourde to beare it of.
So shall this mery mockyng kynde of glee,
Unto the mocker moste vnpleasaunt bee.
Triumphe ouer no man.
Eere that thou commes to port, boast not thy gayle,
For many men vpon the very shore,
Haue wrecke their shippe, and sunke adown their sayle:
And many midst thicke wrastling waues Ibore
Haue safe aryvde vpon the sedicke coast,
To laughe at no mans chaunce is wysdome most.
Better clere conscience in aduersitie, then feare of iudgement in vvelth.
So that thou lyvst in righteous manner here,
Though vndersoote, and subiect vnto throws
Prostrat to God in prayre, and conscience clere,
If that thou byst, and him sincerely knowes:
Its better then berest of grace to smart,
Though all the worlde were framed to thy harte.
Almesse measure.
Whatsoeuer goodes thou hast the same disburse,
That thou the lorde of life maist thyne possesse,
That is not thyne which now is in thy purse,
If that thou givst not all giue litle lesse,
If so to giue doe cast thee into care:
Be free of that which safely thou maist spare.
Almesse dealing.
From mouthes, and malice to the neady poore,
If thou at any tyme doste ought withhould,
Christe is thy debter it for to restore
Who doth his heauenly kyngdome (more then goulde)
Giue for a curste of bread: and all thy who
Doe cladde the poore, doe cladde our sauiour (lo)
As vve are affected to the poore, so is Christe to vs.
A poore man came to me in miserable case,
And emptie went away nought hauing gotte,
[Page]O Christe I wretched man deuoire of grace,
Doe feare lest by the very selfe same lote
I part from thee, he that doth small dispence,
Receiueth small agayne departed hence.
Godly pouertie is to be relieued.
The substance smale doth make the harte full light,
The poore man sighes, and sories much his case,
But vpon God he bendes his total sight,
This poore man thou deare in thyne armes imbrace:
The Egle in her neast (we reade it oft)
A litle straunger byrde wyll harboure softe.
Pouertie better then ill gotten riches.
Its better styll to lyue in hardest neede
Then ryche to waxe by trecherie, and guyle,
So sicknesse better is then health with speade
That daungerous coms, and flittes within a whyle.
With hunger no man sodenly doth die::
Sinne kylleth, and condemneth by and by.
A seruaunt is a felovve seruaunt.
Maister and man, why doe we vse to saye?
One head, one lawe we haue, and eke one iudge,
Thy seruaunt thou thy felowe seruaunt aye
To call and count doe then in no wyse grudge:
So thou thy selfe a maister franke, and free,
Of freedome thine shall worthy counted be.
No shame to be a seruaunt.
Seruauntes? why not? chiefly gods seruauntes tho
Unto their maisters let them truly meane.
A freman, or a seruaunt, ye, or no
By that we knowe as he doth hym demeane:
Our sauiour Christe that did infranch is all,
To humble seruice did him selfe inthrall.
True nobilitie.
A shame it is not to be base, but badde,
From those whose sithens longe are lodged in claye
The glorie of thy gentrie thou hast had.
[Page]To helpe thy stocke not hurt it, is the waye.
Its better thee to bee a godly brode,
Then childe to those whiche godly be, and good.
Christe thrists to be thristed after.
Thou only God, and godly thinges desire,
Who more will giue, the more that thou wilt take,
Full of all giftes what so thou wilt require,
And thrists for to be thristed for thy sake,
In other thinges if happely thou doest misse,
That doe, and kepe which iust, and measure is.
Cast not alwaies to ouercome.
Not alwayes looke to ouercome thy foe,
Nor there about doe beate, and bruse thy brayne,
He wynnes sometime that lettes the maistrie goe,
And gettes at lenght more full, and noble gaine.
The champion oft is daunted dead from hie:
And he doth lyne that lurking lowe doth lye.
Some losse bringes vantage.
It vantage thinke to suffer any losse,
That tree wilbe more fruitfull then before,
That hath lost both his thicket bowes, and mosse:
To goodes ill gotte who styll doth heape vp more,
Let him adde fyer to tymber tunder drie,
Or to his body adde a malady.
Forget and forgiue.
If vnto God thou byst indebted nought,
Thy debter then in no wyse doe thou spare.
But if thy debtes by hunderds be in brought,
First to forgiue let be thy spedie care.
So God in suche a charitable case
Will recompence thee plentie grace for grace.
In iniuries call to minde Christe his passion.
If wrong receyvde doe wrast thy mynde to yre,
Then call to mynde his woundes ibroched kene,
What wrong had he vniustly for his hire
[Page]That once our maister must aloft be sene?
His bleding woundes, and moisture of the same
Will moist, and quenche the fearcenesse of thy flame.
The chastning of thy body is a medicine for vice.
Wyne, lust, enuie, and Satan are all one,
Whom they possesse, the same they doe oppresse▪
Teares, hunger, prayers, are deemed fit alone▪
And meadsons meete the same for to redresse.
So I those griefes doe vse for to asswage,
So staye I them, and rule them in their rage.
Sweare not.
Sweare not, how then? how should I then perswade?
With wordes, and deades which testimony cleare
Doe bring vnto the wordes whiche thou hast saide:
He God denies, which doth him selfe forsweare
What neadst thou God prophane in mouth so rife?
Make vs beleue thee by thyne vpright life.
The summe of the lawe is charitie, and Christe his passion.
What rule of loue haue we most short and true?
As thou wouldes wyshe thy neighbours be to thee
Suche one thy selfe vnto thy neighbours shewe,
And such a one looke plainly that thou bee.
Christes passion wayed well doe this conteyne
In full effecte, compendious, and playne.
A deare frende is a deare treasure.
Thinke nothing dearer then a faithfull frende,
Not suche as thou hast wonne to thee in wyne.
But suche as trothe in troubles long did lende,
The other will not seke for thee, but thine.
A bridge thyne ire, and sone it ouer sende.
Of frendly loue seke not to make an ende.
Counsailers are necessary.
The eye that all thinges spies, it selfe not spies,
If it be blynde, then spies it not in deede
[Page]It selfe, nor ought, but blynde, and bluntishe lies:
Of counsaylers we then doe stande in neade,
For so the hande doth (pardie) neade the hande,
And of the foote, the foote in neede doth stande.
Backbiting, shamefastnesse.
If thou the good, and godly doest obay,
And listned hast, and leande to their behest,
Let the vngodly say what they can say,
Blushe not to heare them boldly gibe, and ieste
If any filthie acte thou haste in mynde,
Thinke thousandes stande before thee, and behinde.
Good companie.
Preferre the good before the wicked sort,
The godly eke before thee godlesse route,
Ill shalt thou be to ill if thou resorte.
A wicked man no good can bring aboute.
Suche one as gettes his goodes by wicked wayes.
And by expending them doth gape for prayse.
Frutes of fooes.
Some profite I can take, yea by my foe,
By shunning him, and dreading him eche where,
I beare my selfe more wary where I goe.
A bitter medson much we ought to teare,
Yet of the sweate that makes the pallate faine,
More cause we haue ofttymes for to complaine.
Pacience breakes enuie.
Honour the good, contempne the lawlesse lewde,
For that they be inormouse lyvde in cryme,
Whom prayse thou not whilst still they be so shrewde
But them conuert in pacience, and time,
This is the bountie most, the gift most franke,
That thou canst giue, and worthy most of thanke.
The measure of bounty.
Be liberal to the vtmoste of thy power
In tyme, and place so farre as store wil strech,
Unto thy neyghbour do thy kind deuoure
Ther of the reason is not farre to fetche,
[Page]To straungers who will thinke that thou art kinde,
When to thyne owne vngratefull they thee finde?
Blame our selues, not the deuill.
Why doe we blame the Deuill? why doe we so?
Why doe we morne, that he doth make vs sinne?
Our liues at randone louse why let we go?
The fault or hoallie we, or chiefe are in.
In this our fleshe the fier we beare aboute:
The feende doth blowe to make the flame flashe out.
Dreames vaine.
Beleue not dreames, let them not thee deceiue,
Nor let eche fearfull fansie the agriese,
If that thou happe some vision gladde to haue,
Be thou not proude therof in any wyse,
Suche folishe fraude, and fonde delightfull pelfe
From Satan comes, euen from his very selfe.
Hope the beste.
To all thy deedes a prosprous ende propounde,
For if that God to doinges whiche be ill
No hinderer, but a suffrer oft be founde:
The acte thats good (no doubt) he furder will:
Though ill thee good doe seame for to appall
Yet ill at length shall finde, and feele the fall.
Learning and vvisedome.
Wisedome is safer thing then prosprous lucke,
Fortune doth faune, and sclender stroke doth yealde,
But witte, and wysedome giue the stronger plucke,
And only they doe rule in towne and fielde.
Learning doth passe the brightest gift of mynde,
A surer treasure shal we neuer finde.
Stoutenesse, and courage.
Be stoute, and sterne, but not in deades iniust,
If thou wilt be gods dearling deare, and childe,
But when thy case is good, and needes thou must,
Let dastarde feare, and dreede be quite exilde,
Theirs manye ils thats causers of decaye,
[Page]The hemlocke, and the Scorpion poyson paie.
An olde man vvithout vvitte, a younge vvithout courage.
A yonge man lesse of courage then an olde,
An olde man then a yonge man lesse of witte,
Unsitting and vnsemely both we holde,
The age doth make the vertue kyndly fitte.
Let him be wyse as sone as he is olde,
And him before his age of courage bolde.
VVorke and vvatche.
Eche man in feare, must worke his sauing health,
So muche the more the nearer death doth stande,
Olde age wyl eftsones steppe on vs by stealth,
The trumpet soundes our ende to be at hande:
Be ready therefore all both more, and some,
Be ready (O) the dreadfull iudge doth come.
VVisedome better then riches.
A droppe of lucke before a tunne of skill
Giue me (so sayde a bolde curmogine chuffe)
Phy (quoth the learned man) thou pratest ill,
And harke how litle I esteme thy stuffe▪
One droppe of skyll my harte wolde better please,
Then of good lucke an hundred hudgie seas.
VVe deny God tvvo vvayes.
In worde and deede, our God we deny,
(So shetteth vp my litle pamflet booke)
The Deuill doth daungerous lurke vnto thee nye,
Not farre from thee, but rounde about the looke.
Thy soule to saue in present longe distresse
Giue euer thankes to God, and blith him blesse.
FINIS.
Against the Arians, Hipocrites, and disceuers.
O Preistes that vnto God
Hould sacred signes in handes,
On whom commission great
And charge of people standes:
Betwixe whose onlye armes
Godes workmanshippe doth swaye,
You which both God, and man
In one partakynge laye,
Ye groundselles of the worlde,
Of lyfe yelept the light,
Ye workers of the worde,
You blest to all mens sight,
Christbearers that shoulde be.
Now Lordes you set aloaft,
With Pantackles, and moilles
Your fete are feanced softe,
To pageanes, and to plaies,
Ye sawnter vp, and downe,
On Theaters ye shine,
The freshest in the towne
Pretensed outward shape
Ye conterféete, and steale
But in Religion true,
Pure inwardly to deale,
[Page]You are from that as farre,
As miserable stockes,
As most infected shéepe
Of all your scabye flockes.
Playe on thou carelesse crue,
As founde thou hast begunne,
With countenance graue pronounce.
Whiche lightly thou hast dunne.
How so euer thou me calles,
A person lewd, and lyght,
And bids me get me farre,
Exiled from thy syght,
And dost with arrowes thicke
Of opprobrie me smyte,
Wherin as well I sée,
Thou highlie dost delighte,
Yeat what my mynde me giues,
That bouldely will I saye,
To the a folke vnkinde,
My hart I will outlaye▪
Euen as the water streames,
If sterne the whether blowe,
Compelled kepe beneath,
And downe ther swellinge throwe,
Then brymme again do rise
With murmure, and with heate,
And hie with spreadyng floode
Orwart the feildes do beate:
[Page]So I can not inhoulde
This dolore in my brest,
But out it forcing flyes
Impacient of rest.
Geue good leue for to speake,
Forgiue what I auouche,
If I your galled▪ myndes
With wordes do chaunce to touche
True pleadges of my téene
Are wordes, and of my care,
And though they bootlesse flye,
And bussinge beate the ayre,
Yet practyse proues it playne,
We tell it as we finde,
Talke presentlie doth ease,
The payned pensyue mynde:
Christs bodye, and renowne,
(His flocke spreade farre abroad)
Was quyet, whilst it voyde
Of right Relligion boade,
Nowe gods possession due,
Addicted vnto him,
It sperplith here and ther,
As waues amydde the brymme.
Or as the Pynetre frame
With wanton Eastwinde strength:
From skyes abatinge power
To his Christ came at lenght,
[Page]To humanekynde I knytte
He God, and man was heare,
And on his body bould
A dreadfull death did beare,
For our outragiouse synnes,
Forth lardge his bloude did streame,
That with suche pension proude,
Our synnes he might redeme.
Then readye shéepe to dye,
His ministers he sent,
Who throughe out many realmes
His worde vpbearinge wente.
And sweet accompted death
That came from cruell hande,
For with godes honoure highe
It seamed well to stande,
That all his seruantes true
Attendant to his state,
On his worde with their worde,
On bloude with bloude should waite.
But who our body shakes?
Whence springs this mischeifes load?
Howe commes the mone so darke,
That once so brigome boade?
Howe coulde that brockishe Boare
Our Haruest so destroye?
Who ardent angrye séekes
Our kindred to annoye.
[Page]Since first he Adame wrought
From euerlastyng blysse,
A forcye ferce assault
To giue he doth not misse.
Yet totally our kynd
(Nathlesse his wilye pate)
He compasse not with craft,
Nor stirde them from their state.
The sperklynge worde of God,
That candle blasyng bright
Throughe landes, and countryes farre
Upheaued by his light.
The eager martires hartes
Wer boulned more to die,
The more that they the rage
Of Tirantes dire did spie.
Then Satan slye that spied.
Our souldyers victores still
Amongste their vnderguides
Dissentious séede did spill.
The cheiftane tayne awaye
The armye can not bide,
The shippe that fletyng gaie
Uppon the surge doth ride
(The Pylott yf he mysse)
With winde his warped lowe,
Or wrekyng all her wares
Her self on rockes doth throwe.
[Page]So Cyties, houses, flockes,
Ther absent guides do rewe:
The waganers not skilde
Their wagons ouerthrew:
Whoseuer heares mongst vs
What myscheifes craule and crepe,
Will therfore blame, and banne
The shepard, not the shepe.
For manquellers were once
Appoynted romes to lurcke,
And romes assigned weare
For Pagans Sabott worke.
For seruyce of the Iues
Erected was a place,
Whiche kinges, and Rulers stoute
Made euen with grounde in space.
Howe well I will not saye:
Nor do I honoure those
That in suche wicked actes
Their likinges do repose.
The Lorde him selfe I knowe
Their Temples doth detest,
Those therfore layde it downe:
So now the worst and best,
The gentill, and the Iue,
The Turke with vs is prest.
In one Chrucheyarde we lye,
Our Cophins cople neare,
[Page]And in the Churche of Christ
Our seruice now they heare.
This venerable seat,
This Temple for the wise,
Where in ther whilome dwelt
Most perfitt pure precyse,
This pulpet wherin prechde
Right angelles of the ayre,
This chauncel, and this churche,
So durable, and fayer.
To wher God, and good men
Were wonted to repayer,
This once was very so:
But now it is not rare.
To se howe in they rushe.
The doore standes open wyde,
To intralles all they runne,
Not one with out doth bide.
I thinke some blast of trompe.
Hath breathed vp alowde,
A blast of the world to disorder the Churche.
And calld in such likewise
The multitude to crowde.
Come hether lesse, and more
That ride on vices backe,
Put spurres vnto your horse
Beware you be not slacke:
Ye filthe, ye bellyes bigge,
That lardge abroade do stroute,
[Page]Ye facelesse shamelesse beastes
In browes, and forehead stoute,
Ye tiplinge vagaboundes,
Ye trouncers with your tounge,
Ye valyant beggers bragge,
With wrangling that do wronge:
Ye concyences slye
Addressed to forsweare,
Ye suytts of Sattens soft
So solemply that weare,
Ye that with gréedy iawes
The people grate, and grind
Ye that do steale the shares
To other men assynde,
Ye iarrers in your house,
Ye breakers of your faith,
Ye wily slylye pates
That loue to take no skath,
Ye that to noble men
Can ducke adowne so lawe,
And ouer loke the poore
As you would eate them rawe,
Ye tickle turnecottes, you,
That ligtly wilbe gonne,
And like the Lopster frame
Your hewe to euery stone,
Ye rouers in the fylde,
Ye romers in the towne:
[Page]Ye womens men aright.
To squire them vp and downe.
Ye mynions freshe, and shene,
Of oders sweat that smell,
In whom all manner synne
Doth principally dwell:
Come, come ye bouldly neare,
Whatséeuer sort you be
All places in our churche
For euery man is frée.
Take ease with heade on hande
And sturre not from your stall,
All thinges that heare we haue,
Are common vnto all.
Ye shall not neade to doubte
God streight will séende a showre,
And now for your swete sakes,
He Manna downe will powre,
Eche man may fill his lappe
And beare at will awaye,
He more, he lesse, and yf
You thinke it for your paye,
On Hoolydayes make bould
The sacred breade to take,
And let it rote at home
And light the matter make:
The ayre a common thinge,
The earth a common thinge,
[Page]The skye, and starres from hye
Their common lyght do bringe.
The Sea a common thinge,
Our seates are common all▪
Amonge the Prophettes sage
Ther is a place for Saule.
Wherfore come plowghmen rude,
Come wrightes, and cobbers roughe,
Come neat makers, and ye
That strike on stithes toughe,
Let no man haue a guide
Let none to pastours harke,
Who hath on them in chardge
A sprituall care, and carke.
Its better for to teache
Then euer to be taught,
And he lyues beast at ease
That suffrantie hath wrought.
Let him cast downe at once,
The plowgh all from his handes,
And let him cast awaye
His hatchett wher he standes,
The skynner let him caste
A waye his felles and skynnes
The Hunter let him cast
Awaye his huntyng gins
The blacksmith let him leaue
His hammer, and his styth
[Page]And nowe no more theron
Imploye his paynes with pithe,
Come take you romes vp all
About our hooly table,
Let eche man place him best,
As he by force is able,
Come thrust, and eke be thrust,
Maintayne a myghtie thronge,
The stronger to the wéeke,
The great to lesse do wronge,
Come to our preysthoode fast,
Forsake it not for heate,
Thrust whilles the stalles go downe,
Thrust hardly whilst you sweate,
The best Preyst that is founde,
The most deseruinge prayse,"
The cheife in all respectes,"
Most holy in his wayes,"
Afflicted is in fleshe:"
Suche one as loues the skyes,"
Desyrs the worlde to come,"
This present doth despise.
A seruant true to Christ,
Who thoughe he be in steade
Of liuinge creature here,
Yet he in synne is deade.
This is the portrayt first,
This is the portrayt true,
[Page]And so in tables ould
His lynyamentes they drue:
But he that lookes on you,
Shoulde thinke an other thinge,
Thexample of your deades
An other thought would bringe,
To paynt you in your kyndes,
And fitlye in degrée
Your synnes, and vices rancke
Right profitable be.
Thus did the Trumpett sounde.
Example agaynste rashnes.
But Moyses makes me carcke,Who he alone did sée,
Christ in a figure darke,
And badde all others els
Of great, and lesse accompte
So highe not to presume,
But bide beneath the mounte▪
To washe their vestures pure,
And tremblyng tarry still,
To herken to Godes word,
And listen to his will.
Nor mell with flocke, except
They would yeald vp ther bones,
To dartes, to cragges, to rockes,
To dashe vpon the stones.
So Arons childerns endes
For feare do make me quake,
[Page]Who incens for to burne
Did proudly vndertake
At hoolye aulters pure:
They felt ther dreadfull bayne,
The sacred plott of blysse
Became their place of payne.
Thoughe they were Arons sonnes,
And pleadges to him deare,
Yet destnyes sharpe they founde,
Presumynge foule so neare:
So Helyes case his straunge,
And heauie to behould,
For likwyse on his sonnes
Gods iudgementes iust are rould.
Both for ther saucye myndes
And beastly longinge luste:
Whilst to the hoolye pottes
Their handes vnpure they thrust.
On Ely also selfe
Was wrought Gods wrekfull ire,
Of that vnworthy séed
The worthy praised syre.
For belly of his sonnes
He had like bitter smart,
Thoughe bitterly he warnd
Them oftens to conuert.
If suche offences smale
Haue suche a soory méede,
[Page]Howe ought outragouse crymes
To quake, and stande in dread
He also myser dyd
That woulde with handes prophane
The fallyng Aicke of God
(Uncalde ther to) sustayne.
God would no ryott rude,
No dealyng so confuse,
And therfore temples cloase
For purpose he did chuse,
O Christ, I wéepe, I morne
Flat prostrat on my face,
And almost is (me thinkes)
Uncurable my case,
In that I did forsake
Still in my charge to toyle,
Thoughe greuouse were (God wote)
Myne agonye, and broyle:
I fought with rampinge wolfes,
I sought a drery tyme,
With eatars of their flockes,
With Pastours puffd with cryme.
My mynde doth leaue the corpes,
And hie it heuinge vauntes:
Dyseasd with open wrongs
And tost with raylinge tauntes.
Christ ministers should be
Most simple, myld, and mecke,
[Page]But now with huffe and snuffe
The prymate seates they séeke
They brable, and they braule,
They take outtakynge paynes,
They do, and suffer all
For griplenesse of gaines.
As in a champion fild
They warrelyke marshe, and men
Right seruitors of Mars
In bickeringes bragge, and fell,
Their glory is in bludde,
Their glosyng is of peace,
Would god that Getteys plagues
Uppon their pates would cease,
Would God they guardon had.
A nother sort dysease,
With sectes, and frantike scysmes
The east and weasterne seas,
God is not now their God,
But Paule, Apollo, Peter:
Or he is eche mans God
To him that semeth meter.
For men, and not for Christ
Good iudged must we be,
So that our Christ in vayne
Displayed was on tre,
And nayled was in vayne,
Forth whose thrise blessed bludde,
[Page]Issued all our name,
And all our worshippe good.
Now Lust before our eyes
A clottered cloude hath rould,
And in vs Christian lyfe
Hath caught a crasie could,
Now auarice doth raygne,
By stelth she clekes, and glenes,
Nowe pride doth proule for prayse
By lewde apparant meanes,
Nowe enuie clappes her handes
An others hurt to spie:
Althoughe therby the worthe
She wynne not of a flye.
To what so they do preache
They God protest before
Yet they apertly partes
Mayntayne, and factions sore:
They speake not as they thinke,
Ther saynges, and ther mynde
Or selde, or neuer in one.
Contunynge shalt thou finde.
The woulfe in shepishe tyre
A simple soule doth loke,
They couer for the fyshe
A mortall hidden hoke,
Both those whiche haue no guides,
And those which haue suche guides,
[Page]Without, or with suche guids
All into mischeife slids.
Life hooly, or prophane,
Life dissolute, or strayte,
Gods word, and mans deuice
Are déemed by one rate.
One custome still we haue,
And still is like to stande,
That he that is the worst
Best prosperse in the lande.
The Lord confounde that soule
That errors did inuent,
That hatefull head that first
Into the world them sent.
To them the world giues place,
To them gods selfe giues place,
The wills, and féese of men
They purchase thicke in space,
Rewards are all their owne.
Which shalbe ours at length
Thoughe now we toile in vayne.
Ormatchde with stéere, and strength.
Our Iudges iudge it so,
It ruleth what they say,
Dame iustice from our coasts
An outlawe is awaye,
Alls one, Christ, man, the starrs,
The sunne, the darke, the lyght,
[Page]Proude Lusifer the blacke
And heuenly angells bright.
The Trayter Iudas hath
With Peter one rewarde,
Samaria is to
Ierusalem comparde.
Gould, siluer, stone, and brasse
An ownce, and dramme are one.
A like the puddles vile
And fountaines clere in stone.
All thinges are nowe alike,
All thinges are now confusde,
As matter with out forme
Which first (they sayd) was vsde
In buildyng of the world.
The
Amonittes of yore,
Nor
Moabittes might treade
With in the Temple doore:
Bicause they hurt Gods folke:
And they which with their mockes
Disquyeted Gods churche
God signd for hewynge blocks.
And tancards for to beare:
Thus did the wicked spéede
At Gods indifferent hands
They had no better méede.
But Leues ofspringe aye
Prehemynence had great
With in the temple they
[Page]Were ministers in seate,
The seruice they sustaynde
The cuers on them did bide
All offices of chardge
Mongst them they did deuide
Within and out the churche:
Thus they did practise well
In hooly deades deuout
As then they did excell.
We, we, (O death) to synne
Do honoure muche present:
What planctiue Pooet can
These dayes enoughe lament.
A wake from vyce (O world)
Tyme now for to repent
And God with hartie praier
Is likly to relent.
You shall haue happie helthe,
You shall haue present ayde,
If warned by my wordes
In tyme you wilbe staide.
But yf my whightlie heares
And sawes you do dispies,
If younkers Rashe and bould
Yée iudge for to be wise,
If some with deathfull noyse
And foolyshe perlouse dynne,
Do sott your sensles hart
And of me conquest wynne.
[Page]Our light I do protest
To darknesse that doth turne,
And Gods fyre puysant hande
That shall make all to burne:
I will not take their parte,
I dare not be their mate,
Nor of their rede peruerse
Once will I knowe the state.
We come not in one shippe,
We sayle not in one Bardge,
I will not walke their waye
Nor sincke with them for chardge.
Let them post out the race
Which rashly they haue runne,
And speadely dispatche,
Whiche lightly they begonne.
The helthfull arcke of Noys
I laboure to assende,
To skape that is to come
Their doolefull dreadfull ende.
I will steppe from their pathe,
And voide the shenfull showre,
That grysely hydeous plague
On Sodome that did powre,
In this our yearthly corps
That Sodome hath a place,
The visage of the wise
With duste it doth deface,
[Page]It rangeth vp and downe,
It doth seduce the harte,
And is the motiue cause
From path to make vs starte.
I hope to take suche hede
To purge this Sodome out.
That safely I maye smyle
At stormes which lowdly route.
With fixt intentiue mynde,
And heaunly meanyng will
Purposinge godly thinges,
Not common with the ill,
Unto the persons thrée
(One godheade) I will fare,
And to my sauior Christ
Which sitts in iudgement chare.
Wheare alle thinges shalbe ope,
And euident in sight
In Gods eauen wayinge hande
The skole shall payse aright.
And vprightlie and iuste
Shall all be donne in sighte.
The othe of Nazensen being made Bishoppe.
BY Christ I swere aboue.
With God coeternall,
[Page]Begot before all worldes
And not begonne at all:
His Fathers image true
Most like vnto the same,
Which once for mans great loue
From skyes dissendyng came,
I swere, and swere againe,
By Gods allmightful grace,
That I no errors false,
Nor fickle will imbrace,
Nor that in other sence
The sentence of the lorde,
Ile chaunge, or with my wordes
Make worse his precious worde.
If of the trynall powre
The honoure I deuide,
Or if I fréet in neade,
And from thy seruice slide,
If I for vpmost romes,
Do euer throng, or thrust,
Or if me captyue drawe
With corde suche longing luste,
If I on mortall man,
My confidence do laye,
And on so weke a helpe
My flotyue shippe shal staye,
If that in waues of welth,
My mynde be pufte with pride,
[Page]Or if to soft delights
My wanton hart shall slyde:
If I a iudge assignde
Right iudgment shall renye,
Or if the higher rome
Do make me loke more hie,
If I treade not aright,
Or cease from doinge well,
If I delight to se
The wicked beare the bell:
If malice fréete my fleshe,
If I do gibe, or skorne
At any mans myschaunce,
Or at my fooes forlorne,
If fansie make me madde,
If that my breast be blinde,
If that my tonge doth talke,
And tattle out of kinde,
If rashlye I do hate,
Or seke reuenge on fooe,
If emptie from my house
I let a poore man gooe.
If I féede not those brestes
That thrist for Christ his worde:
Then other men regarde
And loke on them (O Lorde)
The labours ould, and great
Which me haue ouer loode
[Page]Comitt them to the wynds,
To carry them abroade,
This is my lawe of lyfe,
The which if I imbrace,
Nor thought, nor deade is myne,
(O Christ) it is they grace.
A spirituall dompe.
In heuie hard affayres,
The comfort of my greife,
My keper trustie true,
The prope of my beleife
Was aye the Godheade bright
Releude in these our coasts
Ariude at our rude cares,
Whose word amongst vs hoasts.
This blessed godhead now
Eche wicked wight doth teare,
The laye man the fayre,
The Churchman in the quéere.
Now baudye bable raygnes,
The leachers none do slaye,
Scarce Phinees with his sword
(Alas) their méede could paye.
In name, and courage great.
Who shall Iudea ayde,
With Statut lawes vniust
So reuouse ouer laide?
[Page]Will Moyses cumme, and tell
Thegiptians lawes are naught?
Amonst the people great
Shall great his praise be wrought?
Before kynge Pharao
A God shall he vp stande
To taunt this godles age,
And Loosells of this lande?
The godhead in his hart
Who rightly doth conceyue?
And doth not from the hole
Some deale, or grace bereue?
Who doth the furious wordes
Of enmyes so refell,
That in his hart, and mouthe
Still loue, and wit doth dwell?
Who in this publicke breche,
For God this eger strife,
Dothe kepe inbroken faith
Mongst children of this lyfe?
Who doth not like the waues
Of Euripus the fludde,
From this bancke vnto that
From that to this reskudde.
O godhead beare with me
Whom they with weapons beate,
And of their rampinge rage
Delaye the risinge heate,
[Page]Giue boate to these our broyles,
Releue our ruthe with rest,
Let all our sorrowes sleape,
And blesse vs with the best.
A praier against Iulianus.
WHatseuer fooe externall threts
I way it not a rushe,
Thoughe it be blacke and bluddy to,
I feare no outwarde pushe.
That fleshborne beast in vgly synne
That fearre our churche doth chase,
The deuls triumphant lustly lymme,
That plieth in eche place,
That toppe, and tippe of mischeifes all,
Can neuer make me quake.
Nor all his blades bright brandishing
Can pale my visage make.
Thoughe sword: though fier, though bests,
Do minace headlong fal,
To drowne in deapes, thoughe he alone though he,
In outrage vanquishe all
Ould tyrannes fell, which beare them brag
Of torments persant kéene,
Deuisinge freshe and nouel plagus,
To those which earst hath béene,
Of this we haue to force the lesse:
Our pacience may be more,
[Page]A only meadson we do knowe
And proper for this sore.
One mery victory we haue,
Which can not misse the game
Our Christ who so shall dye for him
Wil glorifie the same.
But inward brech, and cyuill broyle
Do make me to astarte,
And quyt excludeth all my force,
And vigor from my hart:
My self know not my selfe in trothe,
I wote not what to make.
Ne wote I what confections good
For soores vnknowen to take.
No wyt, no reason, no good gift
Of spirit nowe is left,
No manner armoure gainst the deuill
That thus inuads by theft,
And wynnes by craft, and treachery.
Who shall him now subdue,
Shall Moyses preachynge on the mounte
A broad his hands that threwe?
Who leuing them vppon the rocke
In shadowe figurde Christ,
And proude the man of God in god
Of naught to be agrist.
So
Almileke confounded was
And all his couraige Layde
[Page]Who alwayes gainst the sayntes of God
An enemies part had plaide.
Who shall this Moyses next succeade
What Iosua? what he
That of Iesus in name and deade
A figure thought shalbe?
He ioyninge host with god aboue
Got ensignes great in warre,
And throughe the name of Iesus he
Was victour neare, and farre.
With outwhose helpe we trust in vaine:
Then Dauid he succeads,
Or wright he verse, or cast with slinge
An happy man he speads.
Him god to battayle troubles fell
In armoure did attyre,
And exercisd his hooly handes
In bloudy banquetts dyre.
Some Samuell we wishe for next
At nead to serue our turne,
Upon the alter for the folke
Freishe incence franke to burne.
To knele, and pray vpon his knées,
Gods maiestie to please,
A kynge to noynte a conquerer
Thungodly to disease.
Who worthelie with bitter teares
Our dolours can lament?
[Page]Sad Ieremye wold stand in steade
With sorrowes througly spent,
Who writ for Iuishe folke his Threnes
A lamentable verse,
Who prayers for our pardon can
With voyce on hie reherce.
O spare vs God of heauen thrise blest,
And graciouse marke our case,
Spare vs that feare▪ spare vs thy flocke
Replenishd with they grace.
Our wicked proud disdaynfull fooe
Let hym not se our shame,
And let no stranger nation vs
(Thy chosen people) tame.
Who ells for vs alyue might praye
Iob, Daniel, and Noe?
In prayer one, in mynde all one
These thre as one maye gooe.
And pray that all this hooly strife
At lenght might pause, and cease,
That we our selfes, might know our selfs,
And ioye our owne in peace:
That one an other frindly knowe,
And to an other speake,
And that one lynked people we
Our frindship do not breake.
If Israell we haue bine one,
And one in saith did bide,
[Page]To Israel, and Iudas nowe
Our selfs lets not deuide.
Roboam and
Ieroboam
Mongst vs No more let be,
Ierusalem and Samary
No further let vs se,
For he will visit vengfully
Our detestable strife,
We all accuse, but he discerns
Which party syns in life.
Mariage, Redemption, [...]eape iudgments of God.
THe knittinge best of two in one
Of all that we can find
Is weadlocke, which ingendreth flockes
And longe conserueth kinde.
The death of some, and birth of some
Upholdes makind in one,
A ryuer stands by that that commes,
And fades in that thats gonne.
But after that all coastes of the yearth
And bonds out streched wide
Whence winds from East, weast, North, & Sowth
Procead with puffing pride
The sonnes of men had ouer spred:
Our fleshe beganne to frye,
[Page]With heat of sin, then plangs cam one
And men their skourge did trye.
Toungs sundry were distributed,
Then raynd downe firy showers,
Then cam the tables, and their texts
The Prophettes shryle out powres.
But all this chast not synne awaye,
It to the fleshe was tyde
Idolatry, wyne, Lechery
Their pampringe did abide.
At lengh an other benyfit
To them from hie was sent,
From God the father, and the sonne
Purposed by intent.
For God which did mens bodyes vew
And se their heauenly mynds,
Orechargde with yearthly dreggs & drosse,
Corruptyng from their kindes,
That man was seruant to the féende:
To coule so ferce a fitt
To other nowe the cuers therof,
No more he wold comitt.
Great soores, great salues. him selfe came downe,
(His honour then forlorne)
Of heauenly syer, an heauenly prynce
Mongst men man was he borne.
In sinne not man: (which some thinke not,
A maruaile to be spoke)
[Page]Ye came flesh forth the virgins wombe
Her chastitye not broke.
Both God he came, and man he came,
Both Natures ioynd in oue,
This spied, that hid: a carnall man
For mortal man alone.
One God, one Christ, one man of God,
(A straungy mixture new)
The first we did despise in him
That first vs ouer threwe.
I onc receyud this heauenly soule:
Christ toke both corps, and ghost
First Adame had his wil to chose,
Whilst Serpent can to bost
The aplefruyte, for which (alas)
(O harde and sharpe rewarde)
Eternall death for him, and vs
Remayned still prepard.
For him that should haue better sene
With pure, and ayrie light,
And was for holy things a Préest
Appointed in gods light.
Him to redeme our God was glad
In mortall body playne,
The slaughter of the mansleer
To rescue with his bane.
With gall he vanquisht gulteny,
With nayles the hands iniust,
[Page]Exalted hie the vanquisht yearth
And Adams fruyttre dust.
Ould Adame to reuiue againe
So he to quarters fower
His armes out strechd and vnto hym
Drewe all men with that power
In that one man, and with his bludde
The coastes of syne skower.
And vnto vs set open heauen
By conquest great of sinne▪
That to that hooly vpright hill
We might haue passage in:
O kynge who can seke out thy sence,
And sentence so profounde?
That knowes the windes, the droppes of showers
And sands of al the ground.
Who can thy secret steppes bewray
Of thy so close aduise?
Almightie that dost all thinges se,
And rule in dreadfull wise,
Whiche is in all the world so wide.
Our féeble beames se the
Unperfectly as we the bulke
Of flashing lightnynge se
Whiche forthwith flitteth in the ayre:
Yet this we certayne hould
That those which certayne here to fore
To death and synne were soulde
[Page]By the, and by thy preciouse death
Haue wonne a better houlde
The world vs wronge and wrapt in toyle
In heauy seasons past
The earth obaide their earthlie prince
Blowne prostrate with his blast
And fannynge fawning flattering puffs.
Now vs this heauenly kinge
In mariage knyt from yearthly soyle
To heauenly world will bringe,
Of his busye and wordly affayers.
WHilst that with cares opprest
My parents deare in extreame age,
I tender and looke to,
And dolors deape with presence swage,
Me confortinge in that
I excecute myne office due,
And as me Nature binds
Performe my seruice loyall true.
I se me snaard in sinne
For which lyes ope the pitt of hell
And that drawes me from god
Which I do thinke of dutye well.
My corps and pensyue ghost
Continuall carcking ouergoose,
And pulls me downe to earth
[Page]Who earst in soule to heauen vproose.
My seruants dissolute
Are hartbreake greater then I wist,
They maisters hate seuere,
They hooly vse eauen as them list,
To maisters shape vnkinde,
To gentle maisters theues iniuste,
Still stéeringe vp our wrathe,
And to reuenge excesse of lust.
Our Fathers goods at home,
Our Ke
[...]rs burdens great abroade,
For taxes, and for toules
We pricked are as néete with goade.
With mercments hard exacte,
The richemans fredome from him flyes,
In thraldome lyes his tounge,
A bout his stocke the chatchpole plyes.
The iudges kepe aloaft
Fatt placed soft one benches hie,
Of comynalls a worlde
For speady iustyce houle, and crye.
To counteriarring pleas,
Our casis tiede, as ruled lawe,
The simple they inlincke,
Wide nettes they weue, & far them throw.
For this they swéet, and swelt,
For this they taulke, for this they toile,
To treade downe truth for gayne.
[Page]By skules they skudde, and rownyng rolle,
The seriaunt sittes at barre
To ether part he wil be soulde,
The worst man is the beast
If most he haue to giue of goulde.
Who can go by these trapps?
Who from their snares by sleight can slide,
In these so peruest tymes,
Onlesse that god become his guide?
Or to the wicked sort
He must leaue welth, and wicked gayne:
Or with the soile of synne
His soule, and selfe must totall stayne.
As if thou stand at fyer
Which fast hath spread forth pitchy smoke.
Or therof thou shalt smell
Or stifled sent wil make the choke.
From Egipt and Babilon to the holie Lande.
FLye blacke
Egiptus lande,
Fly
Pharo, and his godlesse prankes:
A contry seake aboue,
Leue captyue fieldes, and Babills banks,
Delight not neare the fludde
In shady places to he founde,
Loue not that warblinge harpe
[Page]Ne yet their Musickes doolefull sounde.
Thy dame
Assiriase yoake,
Abandon bouldly forth of hande.
Make hast with swift exployte
To retche the bands of hooly land.
A plot at last suruey
When longe thy temple firme may stand▪
That lande I whilom lost,
Whilst longe I seke it mornyng soore,
About my head poore wretche
A bushe of heare hanges whitly hoore.
From Sodome to the mounte,
WHo runnes his race forth right
Thrise happie man of all is he,
Nor
Sodome brent to dust
For vggly synne lookes backe to se
But cuntry soile forgettes,
And postinge hies to mountayne rocke,
Lest he a blocke of salt
Be made, and to the world a mocke.
Conflict of fleshe and spirit
AYe me who vnto heauen and saintes
So glad, and fayne would go
But bide in wouen wrethed still
Within this corps of woe.
[Page]So diuerse is this daungrous life,
So raging ruffles synne,
I knowe of saftye harbowre none
To shrowde my body in.
So soden coursinge cares come on,
With suche posthast they speade,
My ioye, my comfort and my hart
They eat vp as they feade.
But lose my God, and set me frée
From these my earthly bonds,
And place me prest amonge thy sainctes
Amide thy heauenly stronds▪
A brething to God.
LOoke vp my soule, contemne
That earth which doth the so impound,
Least that with payes of synne
My carkasse plowng the grouffe to ground
Short is this blisse of life,
As that which dreame a sunder knapps.
Tyme as it tumbles on
Brings heauy heaps of hurtfull haps,
A puerer world ther is,
Which aye shalbe, and euer was,
A liuly life to lyue,
A place of pleasance swete to passe▪
The world vyolent.
[Page]DEare world, not truly deare▪
Why roulst thou me arownde so fast,
As thoughe against my will
I whurled were with whurlewind blast.
Muche like the litle Ante,
Who thoughe it doth with stande it stoute
By force of greater strength.
Is easy drawen, and dragd aboute.
My soule comes from aboue
Compact I was of earth and ayre,
My corps comes from beneath,
My ghost from gods mouth yssude fayre.
With daungers great I stryue
Which partly harme me through my fooes,
And this rebelliouse fleshe
Doth partly eke increase my wooes.
O world I ende my dayes,
Preserue my flocke from ieopardy,
As delphin fysh in lande,
So in the ayre behould I dye.
Better to dye, or to lyue.
AS in the ayre the foules,
As in the sea the shipp,
So runne I out my race,
So tyme awaye doth trippe,
Nothing doth certayne bide,
But that which we do sinne,
[Page]Suche is the heauie hap
That we are lapped in,
I like it not to liue,
As ill I like to dye,
In both respects I quake.
If thou demande me, why?
My synnes are growen so great
They ouerlode my heade
And worse they would me plague
Alas if I were deade.
This life is suche a lumpe,
So massye to sustayne,
And when thou goost from hence,
Thou goost to further payne.
Of both sides feare is great,
The beast that I can finde,
Is Christ to fly to the
To try thy mercye kynde.
Vnlodge the deuill.
AWaye from me all findes
Al spirittes that worke my smart,
For God is dinted deape,
And grayled in my hart,
Begonne lest I forgooe
Of mynd the stedy staye,
Yee maisters of the yearth
[Page]Be trudginge hence awaye,
Mortifying.
With care, with fastings, prayers,
With watching much and liuelonge toile
These our dysloyall lymmes
We ought to tame and put to foyle.
Art thou an honest man?
Thy selfe to passe contende thou still
Unhonest art thou yet?
Content therfore to be lesse ill:
But Hypocrites do rayne
Those after god will cutt awaye
And for ther glosinge life
With payne he will them sharply pay.
The strouted streched fleshe
And heauy belly agrauate
Will scarcely get to heauen
So strayt, and narrowe is the gate:
The felicitie of a Christian is Christ.
LEt others gape for gould
And followe banquet huffinge cheare,
Which in short life is short,
So gliding, sliding, outworne gear?
For pastures, and for paks,
[Page]For grownd, and grayne let others prodd,
And let them eke commaunde
Their Satten suytes and silkes at nodde.
Let me haue only Christ,
Whom I in soule may perfitt se,
What seuer elles their is
I pray the take it world to the.
The life miserable, and synne vnquyet.
WHy sends thou me o Christ
Within this fleshe my soule to tyre,
Into this gastfull life,
And dongeon drent in deadly myre?
If that man be a god
As in some points he is (they saye)
Then, god, I am thy lote,
And sole on the my life doth staye.
My knees haue lost their strength,
Unpuysant are my members all,
Mée age, and great disease,
And carcke, and heauy frinds make fall,
Yet sinne doth not abate
But me it fast pursues apase,
As when to eat theyr fleshe
The dogge, the Hare, or hart doth chase.
Or gentle stay this gréefe,
[Page]Or me a man forworne sustayne,
From warfare me vnwinde,
And sone acquyt from present payne,
Let darknesse good induce
Forgetfulnesse vnto my brayne,
The vanitie of this lyef A passage vnto God.
WHy bore my Mother me,
Why bore she me into this wooe.
Into this thorny daye
Alas the day, why did she so?
If that she felt no care,
Nor euer in hir fleshe felt fraye,
An happie one was she,
Begotten in a lucky daye.
But if hir stormes were stearne,
If many tymes, and soore she fought,
Against hir will it was
(I thinke) that me to world she brought.
All men haue now their trades
And sundry liues they thick pursue,
He shreds the earth with share,
And he with shipp, the waters blue,
He hunteth, and he haukes,
And he in cheualry delights,
He learns the muses art
[Page]And vaunting verses fresh indites.
And he by plays and prancks
By seafold scornes by termes, and trickes
Aduances him for price,
And fast the fées of men he lickes:
But Christ is my rewarde,
My fée is longe corosyue care,
And soiorning disease
That maks my carkasse lancke, and spare.
Care cruche me for a tyme
Me cruche and crouse, nor on me rue,
In tyme I shalbe well,
And bidd all care and carke adue.
The knovvlege of the Trynitie is blesfulnesse:
WHy bore my mother me
That god I can not fully knowe,
Nor eauen so as I would
His prayse I can not full out blowe?
The brightsome leamynge light
Of Godhead daseleth quyte my brest,
Thee smalest parte therof
Not fully in my skil doeth reast,
The light conuayes it selfe
I morne, nor can it perfit fele,
No more then leuen I knowe
[Page]Which downe from heauen doth headlong réele.
But if aboue (o Lord)
I face to face shall loke on the
I will not blame my dame,
O happie then, and well is me.
O sonne of god me saue
And take me from this bitter myre,
And make me happie with
Of latter life the happy hire:
Wher I shall se the plaine
And seing plaine tryumphe aloude
And not in parcill wise
Thus still suruay the in a cloud.
A prayer for quiet death.
KInge Christ the light of men,
And pilloure bright of
Gregory,
To me that stragling straye
And wilsom wander farre, and nye
Staye tyrante
Pharao,
Do by his hand (o Christ) I praye
Staye those exactinge deuills
Whiche on vs tasks so felly laye.
And from this Egipt yoake
And from this mud, that doth vs soyle,
Kidd vs, and from this plague,
[Page]So full of death, and trudginge toile.
Geue vs a passage good,
And quyet saffe addresse our waye,
If that our fooe arise,
And giue assault to make vs staie,
Then to vs fearefull folke
In hast the read sea swift deuide,
That on the sands dryshodde
Twixt walles of waues we glade may glyde.
Forth to the holy lande,
And cuntry coasts that longe shall duer,
Which thou Christ gauste to vs
To haue, and houlde saffe standyng suer.
That true maye be thy worde,
Wherin we only put our trust,
Then which nothing we thinke
To be more stable, and more iust.
The straungers fountaynes swéete,
And brokes of pleasance them imbarre,
Put by their threatning braggs
And dolefull warre set from them farre.
So when the sacred soile
We shal inioy reposd at ease,
With carrouls goodly swete
We euer will the praise, and pléese.
Finall repentaunce All is vanitie.
[Page]MY ende of life is come
A shipman I the mayne hath past,
For me doth now remayne▪
Due for my sinnes a bitter blast.
The vggly shade of hell,
Fercefyers, & darksome profound night,
Now all my crymes must come
And be detected bare in light.
But in this latest acte
Rue on me Christ, and stand me nye,
And now my neadfull wante
(O Sauiour deare) do thou supplye.
I suffer in my soule,
And troblouse feares do me agrize
That anger thine on me
Should fall in wrekful woofull wise.
Fayne would I passe from paynes,
That so my hart consume and eate
And carry hence with me,
My busy destnyes dreadfull great.
But dying vnto you
Which after me suruiue behinde
I do protest with faith,
And tell you truly as I finde,
Beleue me (deare my frinds)
There is no profit of this lyfe,
The death ther of doth bring
A lasting life deuoide of strife.
A repulse to the deuill A passage to heauen A Farewell to the worlde
DEpart thou from my breast
A waye thou subtile deuil, and slye
Depart thou from my lyfe,
And from my body by and by,
Thefe, Serpent, Bellyall, Fyer,
Beast, gaper Dragon, death, and vice,
Thou Frensy, darknesse, night
That into guile dost all intyce.
Inchaunter, full of spite,
That dost in murder pleasure much,
Our parents that vndost
With sinne, and death and pestlence such.
Go get the to the seas
Christs so commaunds, or to the rockes
As did the legion once,
Take vp thy rome in swinishe flockes.
Forlorne, be faringe hence,
The death of Christ will ells the paye,
That death in all my partes
That death in all my hart doth staye,
Christs death before my fete,
The death of Christ is all my ioye,
Thou crafty wilt thou not
Surceasse to worke me mor annoye?
Wilt thou not go aside?
[Page]Wilt thou not fling the headlong downe
On
Sodome set thine eys
That now for sinne dispeopled towne,
To lewd blasphemouse flokes
The Godhead great that proude dispise
Begonne, and do not vexe
My hoary head in tempting wise.
With thy malignaunt thought
Thou makst my mynde both blacke & bloe,
Wilt nether thou for me,
Nor yet for God wilt thou hence gooe?
Gods will doth the discharge
No more thou canst be gonne thou pelfe,
Thy lycence is exspirde,
Thynke not to make me lyke thy selfe.
Nowe must I marche to heauen,
Up to the Threshoulds pure, and fine
With fresh, and gloriouse lyght
My nouell lyfe must shewe, and shine.
To god aloft in skyes.
Aduaunce I do my heaued hand,
Receyue my god my soule
Mongst troups of thine where bright thou stands.
I dyinge leue a flocke,
And praye that (world) thou wouldst them spare
Fare well to the (o worlde)
World Fare the well, full freyght with care:
A good beginning, a good endir
That eche good acte thats well begonne
Doth luckely fall out,
That doth the ende aduertise the,
When it is brought aboute.
Constancy is crowned.
A life that had beginning good,
And ends as it beganne,
Doth endid bringe an endlesse life,
And deifye a man,
Hie speakinge.
Be furnisht well to speake, or ells▪
In speach mount not to hie:
The bird wil haue hir feathers first,
Ere she assaye to flye.
Vse and Abuse.
The greatest ornament to lyfe
Is knowledge vsed right.
Abused knowledge is againe
Most yrcksome vnto sight.
Vaine glorie.
Let not vayne glory moue the ought
Or winde the in with wyle
The simplest man the soner she
Gyues onsett to beguil.
Continuaunce.
In workynge well contynnue still,
And neuer loke thou backe,
[Page]The course lyes easy vnto sinne,
If once thou ginne to slacke.
Laughter, anger, babling
Laughe not, controule thyne anger swift,
To anger be thou slowe,
An ydle, and vnthriftie worde
Thy lipps let them not knowe.
Dutie to God, parents, preists▪ and Elders.
Feare god, and to thy parents kinde
An humble dutie paie,
The preists, and elders reuerence
Whose heads with hoare do swaye.
Parentes and Children.
The sonne with syer to be at lawe,
And brablinge to contende,
That wrightings, and that Natures laws
For bidde, and discommende.
Suche like.
What thou in no wise canst abide
To suffer in an other.
That thou in no wise worke, or wishe
Unto thy Christian Brother.
Proportion.
Great tortour is not great to him,
That greatly doth offend:
The lawes do leuye lyke to lyke,
And like to like do lende.
The tounge.
A Tounge well spoken vttereth out
Of hoony wordes a fludde,
The foolyshe mouth doth vtter muche.
But vttereth litle good.
Language.
Forth out the wise mans wittie mouth,
Procedeth language swete,
Forth bitter chaps full brabling words,
Do inshue matched mete.
Haples frindles.
The riche mans house knowes no poore frinde,
Nor frindeth any such.
The rich mans house is frindly aye
To him that hath as muche.
Drunkennes.
Smale single drinke doth not insoft
The vigor of the mynde,
But bely fat▪ and drunken noule
Doth chaunge the from their kynde.
VVynde.
Who doth suppose vnruly windes
To kepe a measure iust
Whiche taken eftsons do vprayse
A soft vngodly lust?
A fat belly, a leane vvitt.
A gorrell paunche, and godly mynde
In one maye hardly lye,
[Page]Thinges contrary we playnly so
Dryue out the contrary
Thriftye dyet.
A dyet thinne doth profit more
Then that, thou dost deuise
Uppon they Beade, contriuinge it
In coastly daintie wyse.
Fooles wise,
The frantike foole, for dreames doth thinke
Him selfe more wiser man,
Then he which thousandes many one
His owne distribute can.
Baronnes.
A baron wombe, then children had
I rather wishe in will,
Thus am I sole, but so should I
Haue company of ill.
A milking sheparde.
The hungrie pastor let him milke
(Yea) goots to fill his mawe,
But for swéet milke in strayning harde
Méere bloud he shall out drawe.
Order.
The hogge when he at trowighe doth spye
His drafe approchyng neare,
Betakes him selfe vnto his rome
And keps no further stéere.
Order.
[Page]The dissolute, and obstinate
By force of lawe compell.
That they the lawes do right obserue,
And what becomes them well.
Order.
Mongst beasts which grouling féede on grounde,
Uppon theyr forage rude,
Mongst kenell vile of houling dogges
And order their is shewde.
Man, death.
To mortall men cutt of by death
The earth is comen graue.
First earth he was, now earth he is,
And him the earth must haue.
The good feare not.
Obseruing lawe thou mayst at ease
Set feare of lawe aside:
For he that bideth in the lawe,
In feare neads not to bide.
VVisdome vanquisheth.
The practisd
Pilote can eschue
Both wracke of waue and winde
Gainst haples happe the happie wise
Best present helpe can finde.
Perseueraunce.
Those means eschue whyche leade not to
The right, and perfit waye:
[Page]For errour easy bendes to vyce.
And speady workes decaye.
VVisdome is stronge.
Not heauie thumpes, or hamers harde
Do moue at all a stithe,
To beare all bruntes a steadfast mynde
Hath puisance strong, and pithe.
Bugges fraye fooles.
Eche crackeling lefe the Leueret skars,
And some suche fooles we fynde,
That euery bushe, and euery blast
Doth skarre them from their mynde.
The poore giuing.
Those poore I hate to noble men
Which giue their presentes gaye.
Who wordes againe, and many wordes,
And only wordes repaye.
The lavvyer
The wicked Lawyer with his lawe
The law, and realme doth mayme,
The vpright Lawier with his lawe
Doth rule and saue the same.
The Tutour of the Fatherles.
The neadles chuffe that laugheth at
The Orphans tricklyng teares,
Doth laugh at Gods owne vengfull ire,
An God his laughter heares.
The sentence not the vvordes.
He goose the redyest way of all
The lawe for to distroye,
Who doth the meanyng of the lawe
And sentence trewe annoye.
Diuersitie.
The poore man hath to mynde his meate.
His stomacke for to plye,
The riche hath muche, and forceth not
But still to more dothe hye.
Instruction of fooles.
Instruct a fole perseuer still,
Nor euer him forsake,
Thoughe hope be smale, suche hap may be
Thou shalt him wiser make
Chastninge.
By stroke of stele the hardest flynte
Is forcd to flynge out fyer,
A stony breast throughe discipline
To vertue will aspire.
An othe
If thou dost sweare, or if throughe the
An other man doth sweare,
Both thou dost ill, and he doth ill,
And both the lawe do teare.
Treasure.
[Page]Hurde treasure fast, but treasure suche
Which end shall neuer tast,
All worldly treasure in the ende
Shall suffer wracke, and wast.
Short pleysure.
Easteme not that, nor compte of it
Which time to the hath brought,
For that which time erected hath,
That time will bringe to nought
Pleasure chaungable.
Pleasure is pretye for a tyme
Dilightfull vnto all.
But as she came she ouercasts▪
As whurlyng as a bal.
Shamefastnesse in vvomen.
A womans corps, nor mannishe moade
Nor mannishe trickes besitt,
Ther modesties a sober moade,
And shamefastnes doth fit.
Helth.
In sicknesse nought more wishd then helth,
That haply Nature spies
And therfore hunteth after helth,
And after helth she hies.
Bablinge.
A madd mans wordes are veary like
The seas roughe raginge roore,
[Page]Which still doth beat vpon the banckes
But nothing moist the shore.
Bribes.
That wyse men arre thats monies worke.
Bribes hath their hart in hould,
A bird is caught with twisted hempe,
A man is caught with gould.
A sadd spirit.
Care bringeth age before his tyme,
And that whiche age doth bryng
Before the time, no tract of time
The same awaye can wringe.
Riches.
The seruant swift of vice is welthe,
All powers with headye swaye,
To mischiues auckward do decline,
And leades to losse awaye.
Frendeshyp.
A trustie frinde is treasure best
In honoure, and distrese,
No person lewde for any cause
In frendshippe do possesse.
Care.
The carefull breast deuoures the bones,
A mery pleasaunt mynde
Doth kepe the body fat, and fayer
Conserued in his kynde.
Temperance in aboundance.
Aboundance can not shunne excesse,
The meane it can not kepe.
For fyer inflamd, and full in course
A way doth swiftly swepe.
VVyne.
The mynde, and wyt is feabled sore
By to much beluyng wyne,
For fyer the more that it is fedde
More fully it doth shyne.
Feare of iudgement.
He that of iudgment stands in awe
His wrath doth better tame.
For those that iudge of wrath it selfe,
In wrathe will iudge the same.
Affliction to affliction.
Hard case it is to adde more ill
To him whom ills oppresse
Yet one ille oft by profe we trye
An other doth redresse.
Lastinge glorie.
Eternall glory, lastynge fame
To conquere let vs cast,
For that which heare we scrambling k
Ore casteth as a blaste.
Anger an il counsailer.
That counsaile practise not wher to
Thy wrath doth the inthrall
[Page]For that which wrathe doth counsaile the
No counsaile is at all.
Ill vvomen.
The dragon hath his noysome ill,
The Adder hath his smarte,
The Adders smart, the Dragons ill,
Doth dwell in womans harte.
Marke the ende.
The skulles of dead, the heades of quicke
Apparant bald and bare,
Do proue that that will vs forsake.
For which we carcke, and care.
Suche father suche child.
A yonge crabbe if he crepe awrye
With foule vntoward pace,
Did not the Breader so likwise
What iudge you in this case?
Like of like.
When Nature shall reuelt from kynde
And bridle glad hir moade,
Then shall the scholmaister thats badde,
Bring forth his scholers good.
Beauty and Pittie.
With diuerse godly ornamentes
Thy corps, and mynd imbroyde,
Dispise not thou the fatherles,
Nor let them be distroide
Gods blessyng.
[Page]If God do lardgly giue increase▪
No enuy can preuaile,
If god withdrawe his rich increase,
No trauaile can auaile.
Order and povver.
Set more by order then by power,
For order that aright
Uphouldeth power, hath in it selfe,
A greater power, and might.
Dreading, and melling,
They that in other matters mell,
And others chaunces dreade
In dreadinge daungers not ther owne,
Their proper dread do speade.
The lavve of like.
Why dost thou viper payne abhorre
In bringing forth thy yonge?
Assay what throwes had once the wombe
Wherof thy selfe art spronge.
The stout are gloriouse.
None euer yet in any world
Renowmed was for feare
For conquests stout, and bargings stoute
Do strike vp glory cleare
Dreames.
The want of sleape ingenders dreames,
Then slepe that can not spie.
[Page]A thinge it self, in vision sées
A broken fantasie.
Handling of rebelles.
Force only rebells can perswade,
Force rebells doth restrayne,
Force can subdue, and rule prescribe
To hugie Giaunts mayne
The people a beast of many heads.
The headles people bearyng swaye
Some skilles prince doth rayne,
The people is of all good thinges
Confusion platt, and plaine.
An ydle worke.
An Idle worke to be a worke
Who could or can deuise,
Which eche wiseman by better right
As foolishe will despise?
Gould a Rethorician.
If gould come once to speake in place
Mans Rethorique pleadeth mumme,
For gould can pithily perswade
Thoughe it in speache be dumme.
VVorldly peace.
Heare they may liue at their harts ease.
And take a worldly rest,
Which dote vpon the wicked world,
And like hir chaffer best.
Frinde and fooe.
A frind by all possible meanes
His frind will gladly pleasure.
The fooe is he, that hurts his fooe
Without iust cause, and measure.
Light shipping.
Swyme balauncd lightly in the sea,
Not ouer full of freight,
Lest thou an ouerloden barcke
Do sinke, or brast for weighte
Musing of death.
Remember euer death at hande
Thinke still vppon thy graue
So thou of death, when she shall strike
The lesse of dread shalt haue.
The mynd a Temple.
Reare vp to God within thy mynde
A Temple builded well,
So God the Lord, of Heauen, and earth
At home with the will dwell.
Knowe thy selfe.
Knowe well thy selfe, and what thou art,
And howe thou first beganne
So shalt thou knowe the ofspringe fyrst
And brittle state of man.
The steadfast mynde.
The dayes turmoyle vs swift in vayne,
From lyght to nouell lyght
[Page]The man of God theternall lighte
Hath placed in his sight.
Vanyties.
On thinges whiche swiftly come and gooe
If thou thy trust repose,
So mayst thou trust the bubbes of fluddes,
Which swiftly comes, and gooes.
Deades and woordes.
Like errour count it to offende
In liuing and in talke:
When once thy tounge hath troade awrye
Thy life awry will walke.
Hooly orders, reliques.
Its wickednesse that wicked men
Should hooly orders take:
Of reliques, and relligiouse bones
The worshippe formde forsake.
The path of vertue.
Tread out the tract of lyfe well leade,
Sincke not but stande vp still,
If thou woulds stande stande not within
Their threshoulds who be ill.
Of sevnge: The stepps of the deuill.
He seeth not, who séeth not that
That sinne bread smart in space,
We knowe the deuill not by his face,
But note him by hys trace▪
The sicke man feleth not.
The pacient sicke his daunger deape
If that he will not tell:
Him vrgent force of present death
From life will sone expell.
VVordes and vvorkes.
Let wordes be thyne, and workes be mine,
The cursed lyuer vyle
Standes neade of praising blasing words,
And pledars pleasaunt guyle.
Idlenes.
Slouth breadeth lust, and therfore thou
Haue euer what to doe,
Lest that thy light vnconstant mynde
Doe wauer to and fro.
Treasure standing.
Be ryche in God, those riches vayne
Whiche in this world we finde,
Are very like the cobwebbes which
The spiders weake haue twinde.
Vertue passing.
This world hath naught that worthy is
Why longer we should lyue,
Except those graces we respect,
Whiche vertue sole doth giue.
Faith.
Let vs kepe close our faith in hart,
Nor vauntingly it sell,
[Page]The one is easy washd away,
The other long doth dwell.
The meane.
Be not to iust, be not to wyse,
Extreames of all thinges flye,
Shunne both extreames, and that persue
Which twixt the twayne doth lye.
Bouldnesse vvith discretion.
Except thou rule thy stomacke ferce
It neuer wilbe stoute:
The discret wyse most worthy things
Most bouldly bring aboute.
Lavve and Lavvyer.
The lawes of God peruse in brest
So shalt thou be in fee:
Retainde of him whose lawes and sawes
Of heauenly vertue bee.
Please and displease.
Be good thy selfe, and whom thou oughst
Those franckly doe contempne,
And for to please the godles crue
As shamefull that condemne.
VVary in praysing.
Thy selfe well lyvde, the wicked sort
Thou canst not well commende
For all wyl thinke that thyne owne life
To path vncleane wyll bende.
Duresse trieth.
Aduersitie doth trie the good
As golde is tride by flames
The well disposed persons hurtes
Doe neuer turne to shame.
Denying of Father.
He that his father doth deny
Denieth not him alone,
For by the father God did worke
As causes ioynde in one.
A good name a good possession.
Mothes eate vp all: thy goodes with thee
In tumbe shall not be cladde,
At death thyne only honour is
A good name to haue had.
Spare straungers, and the dead.
Spare straūgers much, but more thē spare
Whiche hence are gone away,
And left behinde them what they had,
Them selfes inclosde in clay.
An other life.
In Gods name, leaue and quite forsake
The worlde and worldly vayles,
And vp to skyes with course direct
And courage speade thy sayles.
The Trinitie, the fountaine.
The ishue of all honest actes
From God must haue their course,
[Page]The thrise and most blest trinitie
Of goodnesse well, and source.
Mans life.
This course of guilfull life
Whiche flitteth forth of hande
A toppe is litle suer,
And litle like to stande,
It rouleth vp side downe,
It runnes without redresse,
When moste it semes to staye
It so muche stayes the lesse,
We holde it but in flight,
It fadeth when it bides,
It skipping sone is paste,
Yeat hard at last it slides,
It drawes, and eke redrawes
With it a stackring state,
We may discriue it thus,
Which realeth in this rate,
This raging reastles life,
So chaunging eury hower,
A dreame, a smother light,
Of grasse a fleting flower.
A christian life.
Eche Christian man becomes
Teares, watching, toyll▪ and payne
And rage of strong affectes
[Page]In glouing hart do strayne,
His belly to imbarre
To Christe him to inthrall,
To mynde the latter daie,
And trembling quake withall.
FINIS.