Alas man remembre heuens blyssednes

And though the way be harde that lyeth therto

Forsoke it nat for all that great sharpnes

For at the ende is lyfe and rest also

Euerlastynge glory with other ioyes mo

But who that taketh the other way certayne

Shall fynde at the ende eternall payne and wo

Thoughe the way thether be easy streyght and playne

Ye aged men rotyd in folysshnes

And folysshe parentis lewde of your langage

Vnto our shyp swyftly your selfe addres

Syns ye be worthy therin to haue a stage

Nowe cast I repreues agaynst your outrage

Whiche boldly bost you of your vnthryfty lyues

Before your maydes, your doughters and your wyues

Alas the folys of this mad company

By theyr example cause great inconuenyence

Before theyr children recountynge rybaudry

Of suche as they haue had experyence.

So gyue they to them example of offence

And in that synne wheron they bost and vant

They make them perfyte whiche erst were ignorant

Theyr wordes ar voyde of shame and honestye

Theyr lyfe is without mesure and reuerence

But yet they thynke that they moste worthy be

That moste can tell of this greuous offence

Thus all the youth that is in theyr presence

Or that doth here theyr vyce and rybawdry

Vnto the same with theyr full mynde aply

Thus theyr yonge children maners lernyth none

The wyfe hath occasyon to breke hir chastyte

So is the lyfe defyled of them echone

And to be playne, we often tymes se

That of what maners the folysshe husbondes be

Such ar theyr wyues, children and housholde

The yonge Cok lerneth to crowe hye of the olde

A folysshe Father, full hardly shall ensyne

His sone to good lyfe or to good gouernaunce

For if the father to foly doth enclyne

The sone wyll folowe his father in that daunce

And if the father vse hasarde or the chaunce

Or any prohybyt and vnlawfull game

Most comonly the sone wyll do the same

If that the husbonde be vycious of his lyfe

Wastfull or dronken, or vyle in his langage

His sonnes doughters, his seruauntes and his wyfe

Wyll lerne of hym to passe the same passage

And if the husbonde breke his maryage

If the wyfe knowe, in mynde she wyll be wroth

Without he haue a hode of the same cloth

An olde prouerbe hath longe agone be sayde

That oft the sone in maners lyke wyll be

Vnto the Father, and in lyke wyse the mayde

Or doughter, vnto the mother wyll agre

So if the elders vse enormyte

And before theyr children bost them of the same

The sone and doughter shall folowe syre and dame

The monkes thynke it lawfull for to play

Whan that the Abbot bryngeth them the dyce

Right so the Father, can nought or lytell say

Agaynst the sone, nor hym blame or chastyce

If he hym selfe be taken in that same vyce

Thus lyues the Father in synne withouten shame

And after his deth the sone shall do the same

O wretchyd maners o tyme full of furour

And full of foly without all hope to stent

Howe longe shall god our lorde and sauyour

This synne suffer without greuous punysshement

Alas it nowe apereth euydent

That the fathers foly synne and great outrage

Is left to the sonne as it were herytage

And no meruayle, for it hath neuer ben seen

That of a wolfe a shepe hath be forth brought

Or that a calfe or lambe gendred hath been

Of a fell tygre: right so if it were sought

Ouer all the worlde. a Father that is nought

Sholde scant be founde, whiche coude brynge vp his childe

With his synne in no maner poynt defylyd

The yonge crab bacwarde doth crepe or go

As doth the olde, none can hir cours redres

These yonge children for the moste part also

Foloweth theyr fathers synne and his lewdnes

But they that lyue in maners of mekenes

In honest lyfe, goodnes grace and chastyte

May brynge forth children of maners as they be

I rede howe the Phylosopher Diogenes

Sayde by a childe whiche dronken was with wyne

That his Father was in that case doutles

Whan he it gate, so his hye wyt dyuyne

Knewe that the childes maners dyd inclyne

Vnto his Fathers, and so was it founde trewe

By them whiche well that childes fader knewe

But though the Father and mother also be nought

Without dout this one thynge apereth playne

That the childe is suche as it is vp brought

And nat lyghtly chaungyd without great charge or payne

Therfore let euery man hym selfe refrayne

Within his hous from all thynge worthy blame

Than shall his children and seruautes do the same

Ye that haue children or other great housholde

Subdued to your seruyce, and your obedyence

Kepe vertuous lyfe, for that is worth great golde

And great example to youth to auoyde offence

But if ye boost you of synne and neglygence

In rybawde wordes, gyue credence to this clause

If the herers fall into incouenyence

Your lewde example is the chefe grounde and cause

Drawe nere ye folys to you I crye and call

Whiche ar of grace clene destytute and bare

Folowynge your lust and pleasour corporall

But for your soule ye take no thought ne care

To whome may I this shamefull lust compare

Saue to a harlat faynynge, fals and couetous.

Of whome comyth shame and bytes venemous

She syttyth in the strete as past both shame and fere

Hir brestes bare to tempt them that passe by

Hir face anoyntyd blasynge abrode hir here

Or els on hir folysshe front enlaced hye

Hir smocke to garnysshyd so hir dysceytfull iye

To shamfull lust a thousande doth attyce

Of youth whiche erst perchuance knewe nought of vyce

Hir chamber full of flatery and disceyte

Anone is opened the blynde fole entreth in

The hoke of deth is hyd vnder the bayte

Of folysshe lust pleasour and mortall syn

Hir soule she sellyth ryches therby to wyne

And what riches: a rewarde sothly full vyle

The soules damneth and bodyes doth defyle

The one departyth, another comys in agayne

Without all shame dare she them boldly pray

To hir fals pleasours, Thus by hir gyle and trayne

This folysshe youth to hir wyll nat denay

But vnto hir some lepe both nyght and day

Without mesure, rennynge to lese theyr lyfe

As ox or shepe vnto the bochers knyfe

The symple lambe his necke doth out extende

Vnto the Bocher his mortall ennemy

So doth these folys, sekynge a shamefull ende

And theyr owne deth, though they myght fynde remedy

O blynde fole I requyre the to aply

Vnto my wordes and thou shalt here and se.

Howe moche thou oughtest this folysshe lust to fle

The soule it damneth, and drowneth depe in hell

The wyt it wastyth, and confoundeth the mynde

It causeth man his londe and good to sell

And if that he none other mene can fynde

To rob and stele he oft tyme is inclyned

Besyde all these this fowle lust is so vyle

That with fowle sauour it shall thy body fele

Thoughe of lewde lust the ioy be short and small

And thoughe the pleasour therof be soon ouer past

The payne that foloweth it, is eternall

With wofull dolour menglyd, that euer shall last

Therfore leue of: do nat thy pleasour cast

On worldly welth, delyte ioy and pleasour

For soon they pas and chaunge at euery hour

Who that in this wretchyd worlde wyll auoyde

Of voluptuousnes the ioyes frayle and vayne

And suffre nat hym with them to be acloyde

Infect or drownyd, shall for the same certayne

Euerlastynge lyfe, and endles ioy obtayne

And for his hye tryumphe and dyuyne prudence

Haue the fruycyon of goddes hye presence

But who that wyll his carnall lust ensue

Shall here haue shame, and after payne cruell

I coude hereof dyuers examples shewe

But of right many this one I shall you tell

One Sardanapalus all other dyd excell.

In carnall lust and so his mynde dyd cast

On loue prohybyte, that grace was fro hym past

The loue of vertue was full out of his mynde

So he concludyd to sue dilyciousnes

Thynkynge after deth no welth nor ioy to fynde

For this is the sentence of the prynce of derknes

But good almyghty seynge his vycyousnes

His body and soule deuydyd soon in twayne

From worldly pleasour vnto infernall payne

By this hystory to vs it apereth playne

That from worldly pleasour and voluptuosyte

With all our myght we ought vs to refrayne

For thoughe the first of them delycious be

Theyr ende is poyson, and of sournes plente

Sue wyse men vertue, and set suche lust asyde

For they ar folys that in it lyue and byde

Amende mad men your blynde mysgouernaunce

Subdue nat your necke to the captyuyte

Of flysshely lust and corporall pleasaunce

Nor to blynde Venus with hir lasciuyte

(If ye it note) ye dayly here and se

The mysfortune of them that it ensue

And certaynly no man can saued be

By carnall lust, but by godly vertue

He is a naturall fole and vndiscrete

And to hym selfe ingendryth oft great stryfe

Whiche can nat hyde his counsell and secrete

But by his foly it sheweth to his wyfe

And all that he hath done in his hole lyfe

Or that to do here after he doth purpose

To euery man suche a fole wyll disclose

The noble Sampson moste excellent of myght

And strongest man that euer was get or borne

Were nat this foly: sholde nat haue lost his syght

Nor had his here, by gyle from his hede ofshorne

And of his ennemyes ben laughyd vnto scorne

And at the last with herte wrethfull and wo

His ennemyes murdred and hym selfe also

Where as he myght haue lyued in honour

If he had kept his secretes in his mynde

With his owne wyll he dyed in great dolour.

By the fals treason of his lemman vnkynde

We may in dyuers mo examples fynde

Howe many thousandes haue suffred paynes smart

And all for shewynge the secretes of theyr hart

Amphiaraus a Prynce moste excellent

Shortened the dayes of his pore doutfull lyfe

For shewynge the preuetees of his intent

By his owne foly to his disceytfull wyfe

And thoughe he longe escaped had the stryfe

And war of Thebes whiche he dyd longe defende

Yet at the leest his tunge was his owne ende

Thus olde storyes doth oft recorde and tell

By theyr examples whiche they vnto vs gyue

That wymen ar no kepars of councell

It goeth through them as water trough a syue

Wherfore let them that quyetly wolde lyue

No more of theyr counsell to any woman showe

Than that they wolde that euery man dyd knowe

Let euery man that is discrete and sage

Of suche folys with all wysdome be ware

Whiche shewe theyr counsell by theyr hasty langage.

To euery man without all thought and care

For they of wysdome and reason ar but bare

And who that his owne secrete wyll forth tell

Howe sholde he hyde another mannes counsell

Yet other be whiche by theyr flaterynge trayne

Labour to knowe euery mannys pryuete

And by and by to shewe it forth agayne

Of them be ware for they disceyfull be.

Some other bost them of theyr felycyte

Bablynge that they haue theyr wyll in euery thynge

As prosperous welth loue, ryches and cunnynge

And of great dedes done both on see and londe

Some by theyr falshode, some by strength and vertue

But if one laboured the trouth to vnderstonde

Suche folysshe wordes sholde all be founde vntrewe

Let neuer man to suche his counsell shewe

For of one worde these folys makyth twayne

Whiche tourneth many to losse rebuke and payne

Wherfore if thou wylt that thy pryuete

Be kept secrete and nat come out at large

Be nat so folysshe to showe it unto me

Or any other if it be thynge of charge

And if thou do thou shalt be in this barge

For howe wylt thou thynke that another man

Can kepe thy counsell syns thou thy selfe ne can

If the kynge Achab had nat vttred and tolde

Vnto his wyfe his wyll and mynde so playne

By hir fals treason, and dysceyt manyfolde

Vnrightwysly Nabot had nat ben slayne

But for the same, Achab suffred great payne

By deth in batayle, and for a punysshment

His wyfe with houndes was all to torne and rent

Thus it apereth that he is wyse and ware

Whiche can his counsell kepe within his hart

For by that mean may he escape great care

And suerly lyue without yll wyllys dart

The Prophete seynge what dyuers paynes smart

Comyth oft to them whiche doth theyr secret tell

Eche man exortyth to kepe close his counsell.

Thou man that hast thy secret in thy brest

Holde it styll there suffer it nat out to go

Who that so doth, therby shall fynde great rest

Ne to thy frende shewe nat thy mynde also

For if that he after become thy fo

As often hapneth, than myght he the bewry

So sholde thy foly tourne vnto thy great wo

Howe be it suche thynges are prouyd comonly.

Under the Asse tayle thoughe it be no thynge pure

Yet many seke and grope for the vyle fatnes

Gatherynge togyther the fowle dunge and ordure

Suche ar they that for treasour and ryches

Whyle they ar yonge in theyr chefe lustynes

An agyd woman taketh to theyr wyfe

Lesynge theyr youth, and shortynge so theyr lyfe

They that so do hath neyther rest nor peas

But besy brawlynge and stryfe contynuall

They have no pleasour, but thought and great dyseas

Rebuke out braydynge, and strypes whan they fall

But theyr owne foly is grounde and cause of all

For they be maryd unto the vyle treasour

And precious bagges, but nat for godly pleasour

They haue no hope of children nor lynage

Loue is there none, and durynge theyr wretchyd lyfe

Is nat one day in suche mad maryage

Auoyde of brawlynge, of hatered and of stryfe

But that pore man that weddeth a ryche wyfe

Cast in his nose shall styll hir bagges fynde

For whose cause he made was made and blynde

They that ar weddyd nat for loue but rychesse

Of moryage despysynge the pleasour and profyte

Suche seldome sauour fortunes happynes

But oft mysfortune them greuously doth byte

Thus gone is theyr pleasour theyr ioy and delyte

And for vayne treasoure suche ar so glad and fayne

That for the same they them subdue to payne

They wyllyngly to payne them selfe subdue

The whiche ar weddyd for wretchyd couetyse

They take no hede to maners and vertue

To honeste nor wysdome but lyue ay in malyce

For if a woman be fowle and full of vice

And lewde of maners, nought both to man and lad

Yet good shall hir mary be she neuer so bad

If that a man of hye or lowe degre

Wolde spouse his doughter vnto a strange man

He nought inquyreth of his honestye

Of his behauour, nor if he norture can

But if he be ryche in londes and good: than

He shall be prayed his doughter for to haue

Thoughe be but a bonde man or a knaue

The firste enquyrynge and speciall questyon

Is of the money, that thynge namely they moue

And last of all aske they the condicion

So whan they mete they neuer haue perfyte loue

Wherfore it were better to suche for theyr behoue

To byde alone in deserte and wyldernes

Than in wedloke in payne for frayle ryches

Forsoth it is an vnmete maryage

And disagreynge and moche agaynst the lawe

Bytwene fresshe youth, and lame vnlusty age

The loue bytwene them is scantly worth a strawe

So doth the one styll on the other gnawe

And oft the man in mynde doth sore complayne.

His sede to sowe vpon a grounde barayne

Than muste he haue another prymme or twayne

With them to slake his wanton yonge cowrage

But in that space must he endure great payne

With hir that he hath tane in maryage

Hir bablynge tunge whiche no man can asswage

With wrathfull wordes shall sle hym at the laste

His other prymes his good shall spende and waste

Thus who that selleth his youthes lustynes

For frayle ryches and this mundayne vanyte

He byeth stryfe, gyle and falshode endlesse

Suche force nat for fayth true loue nor honestye

And thoughe that he discende of hye degre

For hope of money he shall an olde fole wed

By whose foly he to euery yll is led.

And so these folys subdue them to bondage

And worthely endure suche payne and punysshement

They hope therby to come to auantage

But that they lese and lyue in sore tourment

They wast theyr good, and so whan that is spent

And nought remayneth theyr bodyes to relefe

Theyr disputacion is nought but hore and thefe

But if I sholde wryte all the vnhappynes

The wrath discorde and the great deuysyon

Wherin they lyue, that mary for ryches

And nat for loue. I neuer sholde haue done

Wherfore this say I for a conclusyon

That he shall neuer thryue ne come to his behoue

That weddyth a wyfe for gode and nat for loue

Alas man myndles what is thyne intent

To wed for ryches, that weddynge I defy

Maryage was ordeyned by god omnypotent

In goddes lawes the worlde to multyply

Wherfore that man that wyll therto aply

And wolde haue the profyte of faythfull maryage

This worldly ryches ought no thynge to set by

But wed for loue and hope to haue lynage

Remember ryches is no thynge comparable

To mekenes vertue and discrete gouernaunce

And other maners whiche ar more commendable

Than worldly treasour or suche vnsure substaunce

Wherfore consyder and call to thy remembraunce

That better is to haue some woman pore and bare

And lyue in eas: Than one with habundaunce

Of great ryches: and euer to lyue in care

Wastynge enuy oft styreth to malyce

Folys nat a fewe whiche ar therto enclynyd

Pryckynge theyr frowarde hertes vnto vyce

Of others damage reioysynge in theyr mynde

Enuyes darte doth his begynnynge fynde

In wrathfull hertes, it wastyth his owne nest

Nat suffrynge other to lyue in eas and rest

If one haue plenty of treasour and ryches

Or by his merytis obteyne great dignyte

These folys enuyous that of the same haue les

Enuy by malyce, the others hye degre

And if another of honour haue plente

They it enuy and wysshe that they myght sterue

Howe be it suche folys can nat the same deserue

These folys desyre agaynst both lawe and right

Anoters good if they may get the same

If they may nat by flaterynge nor by myght

Than by fals malyce they hym enuy and blame

Outher if one by his vertue hath good name

By fals enuy these foles hym reproue

Their wrath them blyndeth so that they none can loue

The wounde of this malycious, fals enuy

So dedely is, and of so great cruelte

That it is incurable and voyde of remedy

A man enuyous hath suche a properte

That if he purpose of one vengyd to be

Or do some mysche, whiche he reputyth best

Tyll it be done, he neuer hath eas nor rest

No slepe, no rest nor pleasour can they fynde

To them so swete, pleasaunt and delectable

That may expell this malyce from theyr mynde

So is enuy a vyce abhomynable

And vnto helth so frowarde and damnable

That if it onys be rotyd in a man

It maketh hym lene. his colour pale and wan.

Enuy is pale of loke and countenaunce

His body lene of colour pale and blewe

His loke frowarde, his face without pleasaunce

Pyllynge lyke scalys, his wordes ay vntrue

His iyen sparklynge with fyre ay fresshe and newe

It neuer lokyth on man with iyen full

But euer his herte by furious wrath is dull

Thou mayst example fynde of this enuy

By Joseph whome his bretherne dyd neuer beholde

With louynge loke, but sharpe and cruelly

So that they hym haue murdred gladly wolde

I myght recount examples manyfolde

Howe many by enuy lost hath theyr degre

But that I leue bycause of breuyte

Enuyous folys ar stuffed with yll wyll

In them no myrth nor solace can be founde

They neuer laughe but if it be for yll

As for gode lost or whan some shyp is drounde

Or whan some hous is brent vnto the grounde

But whyle these folys on other byte and gnawe

Theyr enuy wastyth theyr owne herte and theyr mawe

The mount of Ethnay though it brent euer styll

Yet (saue itselfe) it brenneth none other thynge

So these enuyous Folys by theyr yll wyll

Wast theyr owne herte, thoughe they be ay musynge

Another man to shame and losse or hurt to brynge

Upon them sellfe Thus tournyth this yll agayne

To theyr destruccion both shame great losse and payne

This fals enuy by his malycious yre

Doth often, bretherne so cursedly inflame

That by the same the one of them conspyre

Agaynst the other without all fere and shame

As Romulus and Remus excellent of fame

Whiche byldyd Rome, but after: enuy so grewe

Bytwene them that the one the other slewe

What shall I wryte of Cayme and of Abell

Howe Cayme for murder suffred great payne and wo

Atreus story and Theseus cruell.

Ar vnto vs example hereof also

Ethyocles with his brother: and many mo

Lyke as the storyes declareth openly

The one the other murdred by enuy

Wherfore let hym that is discrete and wyse

This wrathfull vyce exyle out of his mynde

And yll on none by malyce to surmyse

Let charyte in perfyte loue the bynde

Sue hir preceptis than shalt thou consort fynde

Loue in this lyfe, and ioy whan thou art past

Where as enuy thy conscyence shall blynde

And both they blode and body mar and wast

The grettest synners that man may se or fynde

In myserable Folys theyr foly to expres

Is whan they wyll by no mean gyue theyr mynde

To frendly wordes, to grace or to goodnes

Suche folys so set theyr mynde on frowardnes

That though one gyue them counsell sad and wyse

They it disdayne and vtterly despyse

But he that is discrete sad and prudent

Aplyeth his mynde right gladly to doctryne

He hereth wyse men, his wysdome to augment

He them doth folowe and to theyr wordes enclyne

But that fole whiche ay goeth to ruyne.

And mortall myschefe had leuer be dede or slayne

Than byde correccyon or for his profyte payne

Suche haue suche pleasour in theyr mad folysshe pype

That they dispyse all other melody.

They leuer wolde dye folys than: byde a strype

For theyr correccyon and specyall remedy

And without dout none other Armony

To suche folys is halfe so delectable

As is their folysshe bagpype and theyr babyll

These frantyke folys wyll byde no punysshement

Nor smale correccion, for theyr synne and offence

No frendly warnynge can chaunge theyr yll intent

For to abyde it, they haue no pacyence.

They here no wysdome but fle from hir presence

And so it hapnyth that in the worlde be

Mo folys than men of wyt and grauyte

O mortall fole remember well what thou art

Thou art a man of erth made and of clay

Thy dayes ar short and nede thou must depart

Out of this lyfe, that canst thou nat denay

Yet hast thou reason and wyt wherby thou may

Thy selfe here gyde by wysdome ferme and stable

Wherby thou passest all bestis vnreasonable

Thou art made lorde of euery creature

All thynge erthly vnto thyne obedyence

God hath the creat vnto his owne fygure

Lo is nat here a great preemynence

God hath also gyuyn vnto the intellygence

And reason and wyt all foly to refuse.

Than art thou a fole that reason to abuse

He that is fre outher in subieccion.

If by his foly he fall into offence

And than submyt hym vnto correccyon.

All men shall laude his great obedyence

But if that one by pryde and insolence

Supporte his faute and so bere out his vyce

The hell tourmentis hym after shall chastyce

Correccyon shall the vnto wysdome brynge

Whiche is more precious than all erthly ryches

Than londes rentis or any other thynge

Why dost thou bost the of byrth or noblenes

Of ryches, strength beauty or fayrnes

These often ar cause of inconuenyence.

Where as all good comyth by wysdome and prudence

A wyse man onely as we often fynde

Is to be named moste ryche and of most myght

Here thou his wordes and plant them in thy mynde

And folowe the same for they ar sure and right.

Better is to endure, thoughe it be nat lyght

To suffer a wyse man the sharply to repreue

Than a flaterynge fole to clawe the by the sleue

Thoughe sharpe correccyon at the first the greue

Thou shalt the ende therof fynde profytable

It oft apereth, therfore I it byleue

That man also forsoth is fortunable

Whiche here in fere lyueth sure and stable

And in this lyfe is clene of his intent

Ferynge the sharpe payne of hellys punysshement

He may hym selfe right happy call also

Whiche is correct in his first tender age

And so lernyth in goodes law to go

And in his yocke, whiche doth all yll asswage

But these folys bydynge in theyr outrage

Whiche of correccyon in this lyfe hath dysdayne

May fere to be correct in hell with endles payne

Ye obstynate folys that often fall in vyce

Howe longe shall ye kepe this frowarde ignoraunce

Submyt your myndes, and so from synne aryse

Let mekenes slake your mad mysgouernaunce

Remember that worldly payne it greuaunce

To be compared to hell whiche hath no pere

There is styll payne, this is a short penaunce

Wherfore correct thy selfe whyle thou art here.

Yet be mo folys vpon the grounde and londe

Whiche in our Shyp may clayme a rowme and place

Suche be Phesycians that no thynge vnderstonde

Wandrynge about in euery towne and place

Uysytynge the seke whiche lyue in heuy case

But nought they relefe of those paynes harde

But gape alway after some great rewarde

Suche that haue practyse and nought of speculatyfe

Whan they go vysyte some paynfull pacyent

Whan they hym note sure to forgo his lyfe

Without all hope of any amendement

Yet say they other than is in theyr intent

That his diseas is no thynge incurable

So that the pacyent to hym be agreable

Sayth the Phesycyan whan he hath his rewarde

Abyde a whyle tyll I my bokes ouer se

Wherby I may relyue thy paynes harde

Than from the pacyent homewarde departyth he

To se his bokes but if the pacyent dye

In that meane space the medycyne is to late

So may he lay it to his owne folysshe pate

The speculacion sholde he before haue sene

For that in Phesyke is chefe and pryncypall,

Yet many ar that vse the craft I wene

Whiche of the cunnynge knowe lytell or nought at all

A herbe or wede that groweth vpon a wall

Beryth in it these folys medycyne.

None other bokes haue they nor doctryne

Nor none they rede to haue the true scyence

Or perfyte knowlege and grounde of medycyne

They rede no volumes of the experyence

Of Podalirius nor Mesues doctryne

Suche folys disdayne theyr myndes to enclyne

Unto the doctryne of bokes of Auycen

Of ypocras and parfyte galyen

But all the substance of theyr blynde faculte

They take in bokes that speke of herbes only

Without respect had to theyr properte

Or operacion so often they them aply

To fals doctrynes, but first and specyally

These olde wyues therwith wyll haue to do

Thoughe they nought knowe that doth belonge therto

They dare be bolde to take on them the cure

Of them diseasyd howe be it that they nat can

Suche thynge descerne as longyth to nature

What is for woman good, and what for man

So oft they ende moche wors than they began

That the pore pacyent is so brought to his graue

Yet dyuers suters suche folysshe wytches haue

Suche wytches boldly dare afferme and say

That with one herbe they hele can euery sore

Under euery syne plenete, houre and day

Yet besyde this they boldly dare say more

That it that helyth a man aged and hore

Shall helpe also a woman or a childe

Thus many thousandes oft ar by them begyled

They say also in this our charge or cure

What nedes it note the synes or fyrmament

The cause of thynges, or the strength of nature

Whether that the seke be stronge or impotent

They gyue one medesyn to euery pacyent

And if it fortune it be to colde or warme

The faythles wytche in hande goth with hir scharme

Say folysshe Surgyan by what experyence

Or whose Doctryne discyplyne or lore

Takest thou on the, nought knowynge of scyence

With one Salue or plaster, to heale euery sore

Yet so thou thynkest, I the compare therfore

Unto a lawyer that of his craft nought can

And yet presumeth to counsell euery man

A lawer and a Phesician ar both lyke

Of theyr condicion and both insue one trayne

The one begylyth the pacyent and seke

Takynge his god for to encreas his payne

The other labours and cauteles oft doth fayne

To clawe the coyne by craft from his clyent

Castynge hym of whan all his good is spent

Thus thryues the lawer by anothers good

Iniustly gotten, disceyuynge his clyent

Also some other ar callyd Phesicians good

Whiche vtterly disceyue the pacyent

If he haue money than hath he his intent

And if the seke haue store ynough to pay

Than shall the cure be dryuen from day to day

So if the lawer may any auauntage wyn

He shall the cause from terme to terme defarre

The playntyf for a player is holde in.

With the defendaunt kepynge open warre

So laweyers and Phesicians thousandes do marre

And whan they no more can of theyr suers haue

The playntyf beggyth, the seke is borne to graue

But of these lawyers bycause I spoke before

Of folysshe Phesicians here onely I intende.

Somwhat to say: And of lawers no more

On you Phesicians shall I conclude and ende

I say no man may hym so well defende

That he for murder may auoyde punysshement

Yet may Phesicians, sleynge the pacient

Thus thou that of Phesycian hast the name

If thou nought knowe of perfyte medycyne

It is forsoth to thy rebuke and shame

To boste the scyence: nat hauynge the doctryne

Therfore I counsell that thou thy mynde inclyne

To haue the cunnynge, els certaynly thou shall

Haue thy blynde craft and lyue a fole with all.

Thou blynde Phesician that of thy craft nought can

Leue of thy lewdnes and bolde audacyte

To take on the: the cure of chylde or man

For by thy foly the wors myght they be

And ye that suerly perceyue your faculte

Be true therin, and auaryce from you cast

Shame is to brynge a man to pouertye

And than in paynes to leue hym at the last

O creatures of myndes mad and blynde

I wonder of your hertis proude and eleuate

Whiche on vayne power set so sore your mynde

And trust so moche to your vnsure estate

As of your lyfe were neyther yere nor date

To worldly worshyp ye stedfastly intende

As if your lyfe sholde neuer more come to ende

Alway ye labour to come to dignyte

And oft by falshode your power to augment

Alas fewe ar content with theyr degre

But by extorcion spoyle the pore innocent

On worldly treasour so set is theyr intent

And styll to honour as besely to ascende

As if theyr lyfe sholde neuer more come to ende

Take thou example by Julius cesar

That of the worlde durynge a whyle was sure

And many kynges subduyd by myght of warre

And of the Empyre had lordshyp charge cure

But this his myght great space dyd nat endure

And whyle he trustyd yet hyer to ascende

By cruell deth he soon came to his ende

Right in lyke wyse the myghty Darius

Was kynge of Persy a realme moche excellent

Yet was his mynde so greatly couetus

That with the same helde he hym nat content

But warred on other Royalmes adiacent

So whan his myght coude nat therto extende

His owne Royalme he loste and so came to his ende

And also Xerxes in ryches abundant

Was longe in peas and great tranquyllyte

And in his Royalme was hye and tryumphant

As longe as he was content with his degre

Than had he pleasour and great felycyte.

To assay by warre his kyngdome to amende

But all he lost and so came to his ende

Whyle Nabugodonosor kynge of Babylone

In vnsure fortune set to great confydence

Commaundynge honour vnto hym to be done

As vnto god: with all humble reuerence,

God by his power and hye magnyfycence

Made hym a beste, for that he dyd offende

And so in proces of tyme came to his ende

Alexander the great and myghty conquerour

To whome all the worlde scantly myght suffyse

Of Grece was the origynall lorde and Emperour

And all the worlde subdued as I surmyse

Yet hath he done as is the comon gyse

Left all behynde, for nought coude hym defende

But as a symple man at the last came to his ende

The myghty Cresus with his kyngdomes and store

Of golde and ryches hym selfe coude nat content

But whyle he trustyd and laboured for more

Fortune hym fayled: So lost he his intent.

What shall I wryte of Cyrus excellent

Drynkynge his blode by deth whiche fortune sende

To here of states the comon deth and ende

All kyngdomes dekay and all estate mundayne

Example of Rome Cartago and Mycene

Of Solyme Tyre grace and Troy moste souerayne

None of these places ar nowe as they haue ben

Nor none other ouer the worlde as I wene

Thus shortly to speke and all to comprehende

All worldly thynges at last shall haue an ende.