| |
| PERHAPS 1 you thinke me bolde | |
| That dare presume to teach, | |
| As one that runs beyonde his race, | |
| And rowes beyond his reach. | |
| Sometime the blinde doo goe | 5 |
| Where perfect sights do fall; | |
| The simple may sometimes instruct | |
| The wisest heads of all. | |
| |
| If needfull notes I giue | |
| That vnto vertue tend, | 10 |
| Methinkes you should of right vouchsafe | |
| Your listning eares to lend. | |
| A whetstone cannot cut, | |
| Yet sharpes it wel, we see; | |
| And I, though blunt, may whet your wit, | 15 |
| If you attentiue be. | |
| |
| First, these among the rest, | |
| I wish you warely heede, | |
| That God be serued, your prince obayed, | |
| And freendes releeu’d at neede: | 20 |
| Then looke to honest thrift, | |
| Both what and how to haue: | |
| At night examine so the day, | |
| That bed be thought a graue. | |
| |
| Seeke not for other’s goods, | 25 |
| Be iust in woord and deede; | |
| For “got with shifts” are spent with shame— | |
| Beleeue this as thy creede. | |
| Boast not of nature’s gifts, | |
| Nor yet of parent’s name; | 30 |
| For vertue is the onely meane | |
| To win a woorthie fame. | |
| |
| Ere thou doost promise make, | |
| Consider well the end; | |
| But promise past be sure thou keepe | 35 |
| Both with thy foe and freende. | |
| Threat nor reuenge too much— | |
| It shewes a crauen’s kinde; | |
| But to preuaile, and then forgiue, | |
| Declares a noble minde. | 40 |
| |
| Forget not friendship’s debt; | |
| Wish to requite at least; | |
| For God and man, yea, all the world, | |
| Condemnes the vngratefull beast. | |
| Beare not a friendly face | 45 |
| With harte of Judas kisse: | |
| It shewes a base and vile conceit, | |
| And not where valure is. * * * * * * * | |
| The motions of the flesh | |
| And choler’s heate restraine; | 50 |
| For heapes of harmes doo daily hap, | |
| Where lust or rage dooth raigne. | |
| In diet, deed, and wordes, | |
| A modest meane is best: | |
| Enough sufficeth for a feast, | 55 |
| But riot findes no rest. | |
