A Hundred Godly Lessons.
That a Mother on her Death-bed gave to her Children, whereby they may know how to guide themselves towards God and Man, to the benefit of the Common-wealth, joy of their Parents, and good of themselves.
Tune is,
Wigmores Galliard.
MY children dear mark well my words,
and keep my Precepts well,
Consider daily in your minds
the words which
[...] shall tell:
The gain is great which shall ensue,
good counsel doth direct,
Their ways and actions for the best,
that do it not neglect.
First Worship God above all things,
vas
[...] swearing see you shun:
Hear much, but see you little say,
thereby much good is won;
Speak thou no ill of any man,
tend well thine own affairs,
Br
[...]le thy wrath and anger so,
that thereof come no cares.
Be mild and gentle in thy speech,
both unto Man and Child,
Refuse not good and lawful gains,
with words be not beguil'd:
Forget not any good turn done,
and help thy Neighbours need,
Commit no ill in any case,
the hungry see thou feed.
Cast no man in the teeth with that
which thou for him hast done;
Remember flesh is fond and frail,
and hatred see thou shun.
Leave wicked things, then no mishap
shall thee to trouble bring,
Crave no preferment of the Lord,
nor honour of the King.
Boast not thy self before God's sight,
who knows thy heart alway:
Offend not thou the multitude,
faint not when thou dost pray:
Scorn not a man in misery,
esteem not tatling tales,
Consider reason is exil'd,
when as a Drunkard rails:
Vse not thy lips to loathsom lyes,
by craft increase not wealth,
And strive not with a mighty man,
with temperance nourish health;
Look that thou order well thy words,
leave not thy friend for gold;
Trust not too much before thou try,
in venturing be not bold.
In God repose thy strength and stay,
with tongue extol his praise:
Honour thy Parents, and the Lord
he will prolong thy days:
He that his Father honour doth,
God will forgive his sin;
He that his Mother loves, is like
one that doth favour win.
A child obedient to the Lord,
his Mother comfort shall,
The Fathers blessing stays the house,
his curse doth make it fall:
A wise child makes the Father glad,
Fools do their Mothers grieve:
And shame shall come to such as do
their Parents not relieve,
He that his Mother doth defie,
shall come to naught and worse,
The Ravens shall pick out their eyes,
that do their Parents curse:
From needy men turn not thy face,
let not thy right hand know,
What thou dost with thy left hand give,
or on the poor bestow.
They that upon the poor bestow,
unto the Lord do lend,
And God unto such men again,
a thousand fold will send:
As water doth the fire quench▪
whose fury great doth grow,
Even so shall mercy quench their sins,
the which do mercy show.
Hear thou God's word with earnest eare,
with wisdom answer make,
Be thou not mov'd with every wind,
such course do sinners take;
Thy talk will shew thy fame or shame▪
fools oft themselves annoy,
Trust not thy own will overmuch,
for that may thee destroy.
They that the living God do fear,
a faithful friend shall find:
A true friend is a jewel rare,
and comfort to the mind.
Hear Sermons that good sentences
thou maist conceive aright,
In Gods commandments exercise,
thy self both day and night.
THink on the pain thy mother had,
[...] bringing thee to life;
Fear God who knows thy secret thoughts,
and look thou make no strife.
Visit the sick with carefulness,
the Prisoners grief consider,
Shew pitty to the fatherless,
and God will thee deliver.
Help still to right the widdows wrong,
remember still thine end,
So thou shalt never do amiss,
nor wilfully offend:
Trust not a reconciled friend,
more then an open foe,
Who toucheth pitch, shall be defil'd,
take heed thou do not so.
Take not a wife that wanton is,
and full of shameful words,
The flattering of an horlot is,
at length more sharp then Swords.
Cast not thy love on such a one,
whose looks can thee allure,
In every face where beauty is,
the heart's not always pure.
A woman fair and undiscreet
is like a Ring of Gold,
The which in a swines snout is set,
unseemly to behold:
The malice of lewd women shun,
for they will thee destroy,
Hate her that doth on every man,
set her delight and joy.
From others let thy praise proceed,
boast not thy self in ought:
And do not hear a flattering tongue,
thereby much ill is wrought:
The child that doth his Parents rob,
and counteth it no sin,
A vile destroyer he is deem'd,
and shall no favour win.
Correction bringeth wisdom sound,
fools hate good counsel still,
That child doth shame his mother much,
that's let to have his will:
The good mans path shines as the light,
that beautifies the day,
The wicked know not where they walk,
for darkness is their way.
Put far from thee a froward Mouth,
a slanderous tongue is ill,
And do not thou an envious mind,
in any wise fulfill.
A Harlot brings a man to beg,
in her is found no truth,
An gladness therefore live and dye,
with the wife of thy youth.
Much babling breedeth great offence,
he that speaks least is wise,
Gods blessing only makes men rich,
from thence all joys arise.
Better is little fearing God,
then bags of gold got ill,
And better is one bit of bread,
then a fat Ox with ill will.
Who brooks no warning hates his soul,
true age worship aright,
A patient man far better is
then one indued with might.
Mans credit comes by doing good,
an humble mind indeed
Is better then a Lyar proud,
from whence vain brags proceed.
By this dear children you may learn,
how to direct your ways,
To God, to Prince, to Common-wealth,
whereon your welfare stays.
Print well in your remembrance,
the Lessons I have shown,
Then shall you live in happy state,
when I am dead and gone.
Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke.