Classic Poem

My sonne, my sonne, my best beloued sonne
Hear my deare son what careful charge I leaue thee:
Take hold of Time the glasse is quickly run,
Trust not to Fortune , for she will deceiue thee:
What ere thou art, let not the world perceiue thee,
Know God, loue him, be gouern'd by his will
And haue no doubt of good nor feare of ill.

Weane laizie Will, from thriftlesse Idlenes:
Beware the wanton, to abuse thy wit:
Vnbridled Will breeds but vnhappines,
How euer sorrowes Care would couer it:
Who buyes Repentance must pay deare for it.
Time, Truth and Triall will in one agree:
The fruits of sin Death, shame and sorrow bee

Loue not vpon the first delightfull looke:
Nor hate, vpon the first conceiued harme:
Let not the care of Conscience be mistooke
And feare the force of the Almightie arme:
Feare not mischance, nor harken to a charme
By graceles meanes, deuise not to enrich thee,
And let no worlds vnworthy loue betwitch thee.

If that thou serue a Thatcher, do him due:
But if thou canst subscribe not to the Clowne:
Lest all too late thou find'st it all too true,
When thou hast thatcht the house, he throw thee downe
But neuer fret, how euer Fortune frowne.
For what the higher powers of heau'n decree
There is no asking why it should so bee

Breake not thy word that well thou maist performe
For words are waide by men of worthy minde:
Take heed of those, that falshoods do enforme
And strike not saile for euery blast of winde:
Nor do thy spirit to thy body binde
Giue not a Misers liberalitie,
And feare the fruite of prodigalitie

Heare all men speake but harken to the wise
Learne of the learned, and the vertuous loue;
And let no pride thy blessed soule surprise,
That may discretion from thy minde remoue:
Humilitie is grac't with God aboue
And Courtesie, with honors cariage,
Twixt Loue and, Beautie make a mariage.

Be kinde to those, that kindly do deserue
Cruell to none, a Tyrant is a Deuill:
Haue speciall care, thy health for to preserue
And keep thee from the Epicurian euill,
Loue not the eye that squints, nor lips that dreuill
Beware the Pander, and the Parasite,
And do not leaue a Faulcon for a Kite.

Giue not thine eare to euery Idle tale,
And trust no more, then what of needs thou must:
Set not the secrets of thy heart to sale,
For feare, they throw thine honor in the dust
And do not loue the treasure that will rust.
Make it thy day, but when the Sun doth shine
And ioy in soule but in the loue diuine

Place not thy learning in a Library,
Yet reede, and marke, remember, and apply:
And till thou art a perfect Antiquary,
Stand not too much vpon antiquitie:
Let vertue note the best Nobilitie.
Be wise in all things, that thou doest intend
A good beginning makes a blessed end

Stand not on termes with persons of estate
Be truly loyall in thy life and loue:
Know what belongs vnto a Magistrate,
Who hath his office from the heau'ns aboue:
Nor make a Gaunlet of a hedging gloue
Let Bountie euer be the fruite of thrift,
For borrowing is too neere the Beggers shift

Looke into Nature with Discretions eye,
And sort thy selfe with vnderstanding spirits:
Build not thy Castle of conceit too high,
Nor let thy hopes be grounded but on Merits,
While heedles Connies feare the hunters Ferits
Giue none abuse, nor basely take disgrace,
Nor loue that minde that hath a brazen face

A blessed Colour is a maiden blush,
And setled Countenance is a comely sight:
Stand not too long in beating of a bush:
For feare the Bird beguile thee with her flight
In idle follies neuer take delight
Trauaile, but toile not, painfull is the pleasure,
Where lacke of care in labour hath no measure.

If God haue blest thee with an inward good
Be ioyfull of his blessing, but not proud:
For, be the Phaenix nere so rare a Brood,
Nature doth wonders in her worke-house shroud:
The Sunne it selfe, sometime is in a cloud
Concealed comforts are the kindest sweets,
Where loue and honour with discretion meets.

A boasting tongue is like a heard-mans horne,
Which makes a noyse, but nothing worth the hearing:
And bragging Rascalls are not to be borne
Thogh fooles of choise, sometime are worth the chering
Yet in the points of wisdoms true appearing
Presumptuous fooles, and irreligious Iewes,
Emong the Nobler sort should neuer vse.

Know how to Ioue, but know not how to hate:
T' one halfe a heau'n, the tother halfe a hell:
Learne what belongs to Fortune, and to Fate
And trust not all, that Idle stories tell:
And do not reede, before you learne to spell
But keep thy spirit with that speciall care,
That Truth may shew thee, where her honors are

Offend not God, with figuring the faire,
In higher substance then may fit their sexe:
And looke not after humors in the aire,
That hurt the heart, or may the spirit vexe
And let no passion so thy soule perplexe,
But that thou maist all discontents remoue
That may be hurtfull to thy happie loue.

Regard thy followers in a kind, as friends,
But make a difference in thine eyes affect:
And vse their seruice in such carefull kinds,
That wisedomes fame may speake of thy respect
And well deseru'd rewards do not neglect.
For tis the hand, that doth the seruice binde,
Although the spirit doth commaund the minde

Examine Reason by the rules of Grace.
And cherish valour, but in vertues choise:
In Natures Musique, dwell not on the Base
And let thine eare be pleased in the voyce
That sounds the song, that makes the soule reioyce
Auoyd all substance of the soules annoy:
And only Iesus be thy spirits ioy

If honor fall vpon thee vnawares,
Note how it comes, and how it may be gone:
And guide thy courses with such inward cares
Thy ground may still be sure to build vpon
But needles humors neuer studie on.
For Time is pretious to perfections eies
And brings the blessed soule to Paradise.

Follow the warres but in a worthy cause
And Court it but for affabilitie,
Be not a Rebell vnto honors lawes:
For tis a maime to true Gentilitie
In all the notes of true Nobilitie
So vse thy sword in field, at home thy pen
Thou maist be both belou'd and fear'd of men

Let not a Shaft, a Bowle, a Carde, nor Die
Take vp thy Rent a yeare before the day:
A Parats feather, nor a Faulcons eie,
Make thee too fast, to throw thy wealth away,
Lest had I wist do keepe fooles holly day
Esteeme a horse, according to his pace,
But loose no wagers on a wilde goose chase.

Teare not thy throat with hollowing to hounds
Nor ride thy horse to death, to seeke a Hawke:
Spoile not thine eyes with leuelling of grounds
Nor barre thine honest neighbour of his walke
But take no pleasure with a foole to talke.
But harken to the shepheards what they saine
Both of the Sun shine, and a showre of raine.

Feed not too grosse, and drinke not ouer much
The sparing diet is the spirits feast:
The Pitch and Tarre, are dangerous to tuch
And want of reason makes a man a beast:
Of forced euils euer chuse the least.
Be warned by a little, from the more,
And take heed of an inward breeding sore.

Wound not the conscience of a wofull hart
Nor take delight in doing iniury:
But ease the sicke of his consuming smart.
And helpe the poore man in his misery:
So liue, so die, so liue, and neuer die.
Relieue thy friend, but not with all thou hast.
Lest thou be driuen to seeke to him as fast

Importune not a Prince in any sute
Nor to a sutor long delaie his hope:
In cause of Iustice, be not ouer mute
But in a malice, do no secrets ope:
But keepe thy eare within discretions scope
Smile at the bird, whose bill is ouerlong
But neuer listen to the Cuckoes song

Loose not thy paines, to teach an Owle to speake
Nor striue to wash an Ethiopian white:
Make it no tryumph to subdue the weake,
But vse thy force, to put the proud to flight
And in renowme, giue euery man his right,
Begin no more, then so thou mean'st to finish
As of thine honor may no sparke diminish.

Trauaile to learne diuersitie of Natures,
But keep at home, the care of thy content:
And euer haue respect vnto those creatures,
That haue their talents in thy seruice spent:
And loue the soule that is to vertue bent
For euer keep this point of nobleues,
Let no man note thee of vnthankfulnes.

Depraue not any that do well deserue
Nor magnifie an idle headed wit:
Nor let thy will from wisedomes order swarue
How euer humors disalow of it:
Manage affections with discretions bit.
For time will teach thee in true reasons creature.
A foole is but the weake effect of nature

In Princes Courts, do neuer presse too fast,
Nor shrinke a foote from thy desert of fame:
And slip no time, for once the humor past
A pleasing fansie may be out of frame:
Shun all occasions of deserued blame.
But if vnwares, thou happen to offend
Let witts excuse the care of will commend.

Grow not too great, for feare of Enuies figge
Yet ioy in all that vertue may aduance:
Make not thy musique of a country Iigge,
But leaue the Lout, to tread the Morris-daunce:
And keep thy sences from Narcissus traunce
And follow not Acteon to the wood,
For feare Diana , do thee little good.

Studie the lawe, but to maintaine thy state,
Diuinitie to keep thy soule in peace:
Logicke, but only questions to debate,
Arithmeticke, but knowledge to encrease:
How numbers may both multiply and cease
Philosophy, to iudge of Natures best,
And Phisicke, but grosse humors to digest

And Rethoricke to speake in tune and sence
Musique, but to remoue melancholy:
Astrology, to know circumference;
For Architecture, learne Geometry,
And for thy trauaile, learne Cosmography
For recreation, scorne not Poetry:
But for discourses, study History.

To haue a kinde of superficiall sight,
In hawkes and hounds, and horse, and fowle and fish:
Is not amisse, but let thy harts delight
Be neuer setled in an idle dish,
Nor shew thy folly in a wanton wish.
Be silent to thy selfe, what ere thou thinkest,
And take good heed with who, and where thou drinkest

Learne for instruction, Reede for exercise;
Practise for knowledge, and for gaine remember:
In worldly pleasures make no paradise;
Know that thou art of Christ his church a member
And do not make thine Aprill in Septenber
Vnto thy God, in youth direct thy waies,
And he will blesse thee in thine aged daies.

Let Conscience know the title of a crowne;
Yet know withall there is a king of kings:
Who hoisteth vp, and headlong tumbleth downe;
And all the world doth couer with his wings,
While heauen and earth but of his glory sings
To whom discharge the loue thou daily owest,
And he will blesse thee where so ere thou goest

Winke at the world as though thou saw'st it not
And all earths treasure, but as trash despise:
Let not thy folly lose that wit hath got
Nor lose an Art, by lacke of exercise:
Yet let no labour honor preiudice,
Be wisely sparing, but not miserable,
And rather die, then be dishonorable.

Feare not a Giant for his monstrous shape
The diuell cannot goe beyond his bounds:
Nor learne to play the Monkie with an Ape,
But keep thy selfe within discretions bounds,
And keep thee fro the worm the coscience wounds.
Thus in thy way, let wisedome euer guide thee
And be assur'd, no euill can betide thee

Do not awake the Lion in his denne,
Nor thinke the Foxe a foole before you trie him:
Nor put an Eagle in a Capons penne,
Nor trust a Wolfe, if that you come too nigh him;
But come not neare him, if you can goe by him.
For rauening beasts haue wonderfull wide Iawes,
And spoile whateuer comes within their clawes.

Beate not the aire with hammers in thy head,
Whose dreaming labours, will but dull thy wit:
And do not put thy siluer into lead,
Except thou make a double gaine of it
And euer do that may thine honor fit.
Know trades and traffique, merchants and their wares
But spend thy spirit in more noble cares.

Be not condemned for a common Louer,
I meane, loue maker, to a world of weemen:
For care can hardly credit lost recouer
And who are bound, can neuer well be free men:
Beautie hath cunning in her eyes to see men
For where she leads the heart vnto her eies
She leads it finely to fooles paradies.

Boast not vpon the brauery of youth,
Nor scorne the weaknesse of decripit age:
But hold this for a principle of truth
Death hath a part vpon this worldly stage,
Where none can scape the furie of his rage:
A Tragedie, where old and young are slaine,
But spight of death, the vertuous liue againe.

Spend not thy care vpon a selfe conceit
In grieuing for that neuer can be had:
Nor let thy wit and idle will await,
Where giddie humors are inclin'd to gad;
And let not melancholy make thee mad.
For better shut thine eyes from such a light,
Then haue thy heart tormented by the sight

Spare to discourse vpon experience,
And alwaies rather answere then demaund:
And let no passion shewe impatience.
But make entreatie where thou maist commaund:
And neuer be with flatterers ouerfawnd.
Nor stand too much vpon thine owne opinion
How euer Pallas marke thee for her minion.

Let not a Princesse fauour make thee proud,
Nor grieue too much vpon a small disgrace;
Beare not affection to a filthy dowd,
Nor make an Idoll of a painted face:
Nor loue a colt but of a coursers race.
Nor vow thy seruice to mistaken Saints,
Whose truest tytles are but honors Faints

Weare not a feather in a showre of raine
Nor swagger with a Swiser for his swill:
Put not thy spirit vnto too much paine,
In searching secrets farre aboue thy skill:
And know a halbert from a hedging bill
And euer note those noble points of nature
That truly make an honorable creature

Forbeare thy fury on a suddaine rage
Yet in thy right be euer resolute:
And let true patience choller so asswage
That honors quarrell may be absolute:
Lest rashnes too much reason ouershute
For carefull valor in a cause of strife,
Strengthens the hart, and giues the spirit life

Flie Machiuile his vile instructions,
Which are but poysons to a princely minde:
And noted well, are but destructions,
That do the world with wicked humors blinde:
And do the soule to hellish seruice binde.
Where nothing for gaine must be forbidden,
While diuels in the shape of men are hidden

Note what is done, by whom, and how, and when
And marke what issue growes of each euent:
If by the sword, the purse, or by the pen
And where the honor of the action went:
And how to take it for a president
For many things haue many times bene done,
That had bene better nere had bene begun

Know all the courses that thou canst attaine
But follow onely that may do thee good:
In questions alwaies make thy meaning plaine
Obscured thoughts are hardly vnderstood
But let not choller ouerheate thy bloud.
So shall thy feare of fortunes force be small
And thou shalt stand when other men do fall

Take heed my sonne, thy soule be not deceiued
With any straunge, or all too strong illusion:
For cares best wit cannot be misconceiued,
Which sees the force of follies close intrusion,
While heedlesse will brings wit vnto confusion.
Be wise my sonne, in heau'nly wisedomes booke
And thou shalt angle with no diucls hooke

Loue not a Lester, nor a hackney Lade,
Time is but lost in either of their triall:
Rather regard the mattocke and the spade
And take the sunne to be thy truest diall:
Where thou shalt see the foole a knauish spiall.
Shake off the Iowse that hangs vpon thy cloathes
And hate the swearer that is full of oathes.

The ruffian, ruds-by and the rascall flye,
But loue the vertuous, valiant, and the kinde:
Looke towards heauen, and let the world go bye
And make thy body subiect to thy minde:
How ere thou winkest be not wilfull blinde
But looke into the glory of that grace,
That makes the faithfull spit in sathans face.

Confound the diuell with the word of God
Looke to thy soule, it is the speciall part:
And loue the life that death hath ouertrod
And to thy Sauiour wholly giue thy hart:
Who saues his seruants from infernall smart.
And when thy greatest sorrow doth assaile thee
Trust in his mercie that will neuer faile thee

Mine owne deare sonne, I am no deepe diuine,
But what my God hath taught me, that I teach thee:
Beseeching him to blesse that soule of thine
That no illusion euer ouerreach thee;
Nor wilfull sinne of lacke of grace impeach thee
Nor faithlesse thought may euer so deface thee
But that his mercie euer will embrace thee.

But for my notes of natures obseruations,
By long experience to my paines reuealed:
Where truths costructios made those confirmatios
That too much proofe hath for assurance sealed:
Which priuate care hath from the world concealed
To thee my sonne, and for thy good I hope
I do this casket of my Iewels ope.

Esteeme them richer then a masse of gold,
And part not with them for a world of wealth:
For such a treasure is not to be sold,
As is both for the soule and bodies health;
Then Ieaue them not vnto vnworthy stealth:
But in thy bosome locke them as their louer
Till good occasion bid thee looke them ouer

And when thou findest that fitteth with thy minde
And leads thee to the groundworke of thy good:
Go forward still, and further seeke to finde,
How best the substance may be vnderstood;
That after purging breeds the liuely blood.
And thou shalt feele such pleasure in thy paine
As idle spirits haue no power to gaine

And ere I grow too fast vnto an end,
Let me a little furthermore aduise thee
Be carefull in affecting of a friend,
Least subtill kindnesse cunningly surprise thee:
And let thus much for such respect suffice thee
Let honour, valour, truth, and wit allure thee
Or neuer of a faithfull friend assure thee

For parentage affect equalitie,
For learning vertue ioind with eloquence:
For bountie, wisedomes liberalitie
For valour resolutions patience:
For profit, labour with experience
For honour, vertues inclination
For spirit graces inspiration

Thus chuse a friend, if thou wilt fauour any
For these are they that cannot alter nature
But fauour fewe, for if thou mak'st of many
Thou wilt be held a simple witted creature:
Take heed therefore of a dissembling feature
Sound the condition, and approue it sound
Before thy faith be to thy fauour bound

But if thou find'st a minde of that true worth
That is not matcht in all the brokers shops:
Whence thou canst draw, that true loues liquor forth
Which is not season'd with vnsauery hops:
While faiths strong pillars need no vnderprops.
All as a Phaenix do esteeme that friend,
With whom thy life with thy affection end

But if a smoothing tongue, a fleering face
A capping knee, with double diligence,
By close colloging creepe into thy grace
To make an vse of thy magnificence:
Know he will but abuse thy patience.
Away with such, and from thy care discard them,
They purchase but disgrace that [do] regard them

And if he seeke to vndermine thy thought
And go about thee with a bad inuention:
And do denie thy due desire in ought
That may performe the truth of his intention:
Or stand on termes in causes of contention;
Then do thus much for thy assurance know
A hollow friend is but a hellish foe

And now for knowing of thine enemy,
Let this suffice for reasons true direction:
Who doth intrude into thy company,
And make a shewe of too too much affection;
Such nimble wits haue euer in reiection.
And by a serpents hisse, and beare-whelpes eie
Mistrust the treason of an enemie

If he perswade thee to disloyall thought
Imagine him a villaine in the height;
If that he haue with wanton humor wrought
Know that an Idoll is the diuels baite:
And if he cheat thee with a gaming sleight
In cares discretions leaue his company
And hold him for a cunning enemy

If he importune thee with borrowing,
Or carelesse liue vpon thy purses spending:
Or daily put thee off with morrowing,
Till want do make thee wearie of thy lending,
Then in the care of better thrifts commending
Shake off a varlet in his villany,
And hold him for an inward enemy.

But leauing more of friends, or foes to speake
The one too fewe, the other all to many:
So many friends, their friendships daily breake
That fewe are faithfull, if that fewe be any:
The Sunne so soone, the painted face will tawny
That he that hath the world well ouergone,
Findes foes too many friends, but fewe or none

But when thou wilt a seruant fitly chuse
Haue great regard vnto his qualitie:
Lest lacke of care, thy kindnes do abuse:
Allow no counterfeit formalitie:
No prigging theft nor prodigalitie
No pot companion, nor no prating knaue
Nor lazie Rascall, nor vncomely slaue.

No slouen, sluggard, nor sheep-biter dogge,
Nor wencher, night-walker nor game player:
No leering copes-mate, nor no grunting hogge;
No Iyar, swearer brabbler no way layer:
No sawcie Iester nor [no] soothsayer.
No daintie tooth, nor double diligence;
Nor him that hath a world wide conscience

But sober, honest, wittie, thriftie, kinde,
Good shape good face, expert, and laborous
Good hand, good heart, good spirit, & good minde
Discreetly carefull, but not couetous:
Faithfull and firme, in perfect truths approuing
And think that seruant kindly worth the louing

Now if thy seruant vnawares offend
In secret giue him reprehension:
But if you see he care not to amend
Nor of aduice take better apprehension
Mistrust his spirit of some ill intention.
Away with him, and turne him to disgrace
And seeke to put a better in his place.

But last of all, and not the least in charge
I wish thee looke into thy loues consort:
For when the heart hath left the eye at large,
Venus commaunds where Cupid scales the fort:
As all too many, all too true report.
Be carefull therefore in thy thoughts affection
That they be gouern'd by a good direction

Beautie with vertue, honour ioynd with kindnesse
Wit with some wealth, and person without pride:
True noblenesse, without ambitious blindnesse,
Faire haird, straight bodied sweet countenance and cleare eide;
A spirit where no poison doth abide.
Where these sweet birds do all in one bush sing
Who would not spend his life in such a spring?

But if she be ilfauour'd blind and old
A prattle basket, or an idle slut:
A sleepie huswife, or a hatefull scold,
Or such a sparrow as will not keepe cut:
Spoile not thy teeth with cracking such a nut
For in the world there is no greater hell,
Then in a house with such a hagge to dwell

Or if complexion with condition meete,
A Croidon sanguine and a currish nature:
A minde that treads good manners vnder feete
A sorrell foretop, and a sowish feature:
God blesse thee sonne, from such a wicked creature
And let thee rather leade a single life,
Then kill thy selfe to liue with such a wife

Learne then to chuse the best, and leaue the worst
And chusing well, make much of such a choise:
And thou shalt see while other liue accurst
Thy heart and soule shall inwardly reioyce:
Oh heartie loue is such a heau'nly voyce
As he that know it, or doth kindly heare it,
Will finde no musicke in the world come neare it

But I will leaue thee to the heau'ns direction
Beseeching God of his high heauenly grace:
To settle so the care of thy affection,
It take no roote in an vnworthy place:
But that a virgins eye, and Angels face,
So make thee ioyfull of thy happie chaine,
That fancie bound would not be free againe

But that this course, and euerie other care
May purchase and continue thy content:
And that thy soule may liue, where vertues are
The happie soules eternall ornament:
To him that fram'd the highest firmament.
Thy heart and soule in loue all humbly bow
And to his will thy seruice truly vow

At morne, at noone at euening, day, and night
Vnto his mercie do confesse thy sin:
And begge of him, to cleare thy blinded sight
And teach thy spirit how it may begin
To finde the way that gracious loue may win.
Pray, weepe and cry, vntill thou hast obtained
Into his seruice to be entertained

And when thou feel'st the spirit of that grace
That rules the heau'ns, come downe into thy hart:
And so thy thoughts in order all to place
That vertue to dispose of euery part:
When thus thou feelest that thou blessed art
Pray for continuance of that comforts blisse
That keepes the soule it cannot go amisse

And when thou feel st the loathing of that sinne,
That long misled, that mournfull soule of thine:
And the true way of grace art entred in,
That doth the soule to sacred loue encline
And doth assure thee of the loue diuine,
Then let thy heart, thy minde, and spirit sing
An Halleluiah to thy heauenly King.

Begin with glory to his maiestie,
Proceed with glorie to his holy name:
Continue glorie to his Deitie,
And end with glorie to his worthy fame:
And endlesse be the glorie of the same.
Begin, proceed, continue, end his story
With beginning neuer ending glory.

O highest glory, in the heau'ns aboue,
O brightest glory, of the heau'ns behoue:
O purest glory, before heau'ns to proue
O blessed glory, aboue heau'ns to loue:
O louely glory, that all loue doth moue.
O gracious glory that all grace beginneth
O glorious glory that all glory winneth.

Thus my deare sonne, sing vnto God thy Lord,
And sing in tune that heau'ns may ioy to heare:
And let thy tongue, thy heart, and soule accord
To chaunt it out with such a ioyfull cheare,
That heau'ns may see, thou hold'st their master deare
And thy true faith may in thy spirit proue
The liuing comfort of thy heau'nly loue.

But if thou doost not serue thy God aright
And humbly feare his holy maiestie;
Thy clearest day will turne to darksome night
Thy wealth to want thy wit to vanitie:
Thine ease to paine, loy to calamitie.
Thy sweetest musicke to a mournfull quell,
Thy life to death, thy hope of heauen to hell

For though a while he suffer thee to thriue
And finde on earth a fayned paradies:
Yet death will come, who quickly will depriue
The sences of the pleasures of thine eies:
Wherein th' illusion of thy spirit lies.
And thou wilt be within thy soule so torne,
As thou wouldst wish thou neuer hadst bin borne

A world of woes will ouerwhelme thy heart,
And fearefull dreames affright thee in the night;
A thousand torments will encrease thy smart;
And dreadfull visions will thy soule affright:
Thou shalt be bard from the eternall light.
And in the darknesse, where all horrors dwell
Thy soule shall burne in euerlasting hell

Where thou shalt see the mizer-minded-dogge
Frie in the furnace of his molten gold:
The glutton monster and the drunken hogge,
Gnawing their bones, with hunger thirst and cold:
The murtherer in paines not to be told
The leacher so bedight in beastlinesse
As kills his soule to see his filthinesse

The tyrant tortur'd with those vgly spirits,
That fed his humor with the thirst of blood:
The traitor follow'd with those hungry ferits.
That only fed vpon the poysned food
Of damned soules, that neuer did man good.
The theefe tormented with the shamelesse lyer
The swearers mouth all in a flame of fyer

The pander and the wicked parasite,
Shall sup the broath of hellish beastlinesse:
The heretike in wilfull ouersight,
Shall feed vpon the froth of foolishnesse:
Boyld in the fire of all vnfaithfulnesse.
The Atheist so shall feele Gods vengeance on him
That all the plagues of hell shall fall vpon him

The vniust Iudge, at least if there be any
The bribing client of ill conscience:
The periur'd witnesse whereof are too many
The plotting pate of sinfull pestilence;
The wrothfull spirit of impatience:
All these shall iustly all their torments beare,
But God blesse thee from seeing of them there
But if thou rightly serue thy Lord and God

And day and houre do sue to him for grace:
When faithfull Truth this world hath ouertrod
Thy soule shall flye vnto a fairer place;
Where thou shalt see thy Sauiour in the face;
And in that face, that euerlasting blis,
In which the brightnesse of all glory is.

There shalt thou see fro hie the day-light springing,
Which darksome night hath neuer power to shade:
There shalt thou heare the Saints and Angels singing
And all their ditties to his glory made;
There shalt thou feele the ioyes that neuer fade.
There shall thy soule more perfect ioyes possesse
Then tongue or heart or spirit can expresse

There shalt thou see the bounteous richly crowned
The gratious Prince in Angels armes embraced:
The vertuous souldiers with the Saints renowmed;
The Iudge of Iustice, in high honor placed:
The faithful witnes, in Truthes fauour graced
The virgins singing, in the Angels quier,
How patient hopes vnto their heau'n aspire.

There shalt thou feele the blessed ioy of peace
Wherein the life of holy loue doth rest:
There shalt thou heare the Musicke neuer cease
Where Angels voyces euer are adrest,
In their best tunes, to sound his glory best.
Where euery one a blessed part doth beare,
God blesse thee sonne to set them euer there.