Hee that preuailes, and to the towre can clyme, With trouble[1857] and care must needes abridge his dayes: And hee that slydes may curse the howre and tyme, Hee did attempt to geue so fond assayes, And all his lyfe to sorrowe[1858] and shame obayes: Thus slyde he downe, or to the top ascend, Assure himselfe repentaunce is the end. 67. Wherefore, good _Baldwine_, do[1859] thou record my name, To bee ensample to[1860] such as credit lyes, Or thrist to sucke the sugred cup of fame, Or doe attempt agaynst their prince to ryse: And charge them all to keepe within their syse: Who doth assay to wrest beyond his strength, Let him be sure hee shall repent at length. 68. [And] at my request admonishe thou all men, To spend well the talent[1861] which God [to them] hath lent, [And] hee that hath [but] one, let him not toile for ten, For one is[1862] too much, vnlesse it bee well spent: I haue had the proofe, therefore I now repent, And happy are those men, and blist and blist is hee, As can bee well content to serue in his degree.[1863] Maister Cauyll.[1864] [“It is pity,” quoth[1865] one, “that the meeter is no better, seeing the matter is so good: you may do very well to helpe it, and a lytle filing would make it formal.” “The author him selfe,” quoth[1866] I, “could haue done that, but hee would not, and hath desired me that it may passe in such rude sort as you haue heard it: for hee obserueth therein a double decorum both of the Smith, and of himselfe: for hee thinketh it not meete for the Smith to speake, nor for himselfe to write in any exact kinde of meeter.” “Well,” sayd another, “the matter is notable to teach al people, as well officers as subiects, to consider their estates, and to liue in loue and obedience to the highest powers, whatsoeuer they bee, whome God either by birth, law, succession, or vniuersall election, doth or shall aucthorise in his owne roume to execute his lawes and iustice among any people or nation. For by all these meanes God placeth his deputies. And in my iudgement there is no meane so good eyther for the common quiet of the people, or for God’s free choise, as the naturall order of enheritaunce by lineall discent: for so it is left in God’s handes, to creat in the wombe what prince hee thinketh meetest for his purposes: the people also knowe their princes, and therefore the more gladly and willingly receiue and obay them. And although some realmes, more carefull then wise, haue entailed theire crowne to the heire male, thinking it not meete for the feminine sexe to beare the royall office: yet if they consider all circumstaunces, and the chiefest vses of a prince in a realme, they shall see how they