And whome they douted openly to name They darkely tearmed or by some letter ment, For so they thought, how euer the world did frame, Preserue themselues from shame, or being shent: For, howsoeuer contrary it went, They might expound their meaning otherwise, As haps in things should newely still arise. 36. And thus there grewe of a mistaken truth, An art so false as made the true suspect: Whereof hath come much mischiefe, more the ruth That errours should our mindes so much infect, True prophets[1197] haue fowly beene reiect: The false, which breede both murder, warre, and strife, Beleeued to the losse[1198] of many a good man’s life. 37. And therefore, _Baldwine_, teach men to discerne, Which prophecies be false and which bee true: And for a ground this lesson let them learne, That all bee false which are deuised newe: The age of thinges are iudged by the hue: All riddels made by letters, names or armes, Are yong and false, far worse then witche’s charmes. 38. I knowe thou musest at this lore of mine, How I, no studient, should haue learned it: And dost impute it to the fume of wine That stirs the tongue, and sharpneth vp the wit: But harke, a friend did teach mee euery whit, A man of mine, in all good knowledge rife, For which hee guiltlesse lost his learned life. 39. This man abode my seruaunt many a day, And still in study set his whole delight: Which taught mee more then I could beare away Of euery arte: and by his searching sight Of thinges to come hee would foreshew as right, As I rehearse the pageants that were past: Such perfectnes God gaue him at the last. 40. He knew my brother _Richard_ was the bore, Whose tuskes should teare my brother’s boyes and me, And gaue me warning therof long before: But wyt nor warning can in no degree Let thinges to hap, which are ordainde to bee: Witnesse the painted lionesse, which slue A prince imprisoned, lyons to eschewe. 41. He told me eke[1199] my yoke fellow should dy, (Wherin would God he had bene no deuyne) And after her death I[1200] should woo earnestly A spouse, wherat my brother would repine, And finde the meanes she should be none of[1201] mine: For which such malice should among vs ryse, As saue my death no treaty should decise. 42.