Part 26 (2/2)

I dare be bolde myne owne vyce to repreue

Howe be it I knowe my wordes shall suche greue As them selfe knoweth fawty and culpable But if they be wroth: take they me by the sleue For they shall bere the hode and I wyll the bable: But firste ye studentis that ar of mynde vnstable Ye wasters and getters by nyght in felde or towne Within my Nauy wolde I set you to a cable If I not fered lyst ye your selfe wolde drowne

Also I fere lyst my shyp sholde synke for syn If that Cupido and Uenus seruytours On the vnsure se my shyp entred within Or all the folys promotyd to honours I none receyue can of hye progenytours My shyp is nat dressyd for them conuenyent And to I fere lyst theyr cruell rygours: Sholde rayse to my shyp some tempest or tourment

THENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

Fy studentis clens your myndes of this cryme Gyue ones your hertis to parfyte dylygence Howe longe in Idelnes, wyll ye lese your tyme In pryde and ryot, with all other offence Alas what profyte get ye by neglygence But spende your goodes in all iniquyte And where your frendes thynke, ye labour for scyence: Ye lese your tyme bryngynge them to pouertee

Leue of suche stody as is vnprofytable Without fruyte outher G.o.dly discyplyne And gyue your myndes to scyences lawdable Where ye may your herte set and inclyne: To Arystotyls or Platoys doctryne And nat alway on logyke or Sophestry I wyll nat say but it is a thynge dyuyne And moche worth to knowe Phylosophy

Of them that folysshly speke agaynst the workes of G.o.d.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Here note we fowlys whiche can nat be content With G.o.ddes worke, and ordynaunce dyuyne Thynkynge theyr owne wyll moche more expedyent Nat wyllynge theyr myndes to his wyll to enclyne But suche folys often sholde come to ruyne And wo with sorowe and losse sholde they fynde If G.o.d sholde conforme his workes to theyr mynde]

He is a fole and laboreth in vayne: Whiche with small brondes of fyre flamynge bryght Entendyth with laboure besynes and payne Of the shynynge sonne for to encrease the lyght Suche one a.s.sayeth a thynge pa.s.synge his myght And is a fole to set thought or delyte To mende that thynge whiche G.o.d hath made perfyte

But yet is he a moche gretter fole truely Whiche wyll correct that thynge whiche G.o.d hath done And doth nat his herte his wyll and mynde aply To G.o.ddes workes and deuyne prouysyon Of all other maddest is his condycion And more frantyfe forsoth I may hym call Than they that ar vext with furyes infernall:

(Thou fole) the myght of G.o.d omnipotent In vertue and wysdome so largely doth extende His maiesty, and power is so excellent His glorious G.o.dhede his workes doth defende So that no mortall man can them amende Wenest thou mad fole that thou amende cannest ought That he hath done: whiche made all thynge of nought

He that hath made the heuen and firmament The londe, the se, and euery other thynge Is so discrete, so wyse, and prouydent Before his presence parfytely seynge All thynge to come that neuer hath had beynge His workes and dedys ar so perfyte and ryght That none can increas nor yet decreas his myght

He doth all thynge dispose moderate and dispence Knowynge our mynde, and what is to vs most mete All thynge is open and playne in his presence Our inwarde thought must he nedes knowe and wete And euery fortune is playne before his fete He hath all thynge by lawe and order drest And doth no thynge but it is for the best

Therfore whether he gyue thunder snowe or rayne Wynde or wether, tempest or tourment Frost lyghtnynge, fayre wether, outher storme sodayne Mystes or clowdes, yet man sholde be content And nat with worde nouther inwarde intent Agaynst G.o.d grutche, but euery day and houre Magnyfye the dedys of G.o.d his creatoure

It were moche better thou fole that thou were dome Than to cast lewde wordes agaynst thy lorde in vayne Thou fole he worketh no thynge but by wysedome And yet art thou nat content but dost complayne Thou sekest vengeaunce (for thy synne) and payne In h.e.l.l for euer, thynkynge thy selfe so wyse To teche thy G.o.d, and his warke to dispyse

It is nat lawfull for any, hye nor lowe To be so bolde so blynde or so cruell Grutchynge wordes agaynst his G.o.d to throwe Thughe to theyr plaseour a thynge nat fortune well Take example by the children of Israell Whiche oft for this synne suffred great payne and wo Slayne and distroyed, so haue ben many mo

Many a lewde body without wysdome or rede Grutche in theyr myndes, and openly do blame Almyghy G.o.d, whan theyr children ar dede Where rather they ought to enioye of the same For it myght fortune that great rebuke and shame Myght to theyr frendes haue come by theyr synne and cryme Soone after: if they had nat dyed at that tyme

Wherfore this one clause is my conclusyon That G.o.d our maker is wyse and prouydent Blame nat his workes by thyne abusyon For all that he doth is for the best intent But if that G.o.d sholde alwaye a.s.sent To our desyres and euer perfourme our wyll Our owne requestis sholde tourne vs to great yll

ALEXANDER BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

O ye mad myndes that no thynge vnderstonde O man presumptuous and vn.o.bedyent Howe darest thou be so bolde to take on honde To repreue the workes of G.o.d omnipotent Wylt thou hym teche, as more wyse and prouydent Than he is (whiche made all thynge of nought) Leue of this thy foly, and holde thy selfe content For thou art a fole to set theron thy thought

Of them that gyue jugement on other.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Who that reputyth hym selfe iust and fawtles Of maners G.o.de, and of lyuynge commendable.

And iugeth other (parchaunce that ar gyltles) To be of a condicion reprouable Hymselfe nat notynge, thoughe that he were culpable He is a fole, and onys shall haue a fall Syns he wyll other iuge, hym selfe yet worst of all.]

Many fallyth in great peryll and damage And greuous deth by the vyce of folysshnes Perseuerantly bydynge in theyr outrage Theyr soule infect with synne and viciousnes And though that deth hym alway to them addres Yet hope they in longe lyfe and prosperyte And neuer a.s.swageth theyr blynde iniquyte

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