For men be now tratlers and tellers of tales; What tidings at Totnam,[577] what newis in Wales, What shippis are sailing to Scalis Mails? And all is not worth a couple of nut shalis: But lering and lurking here and there like spies; The deuil tere their tunges and pike out their ies! Then ren they with lesinges and blow them about, With, He wrate suche a bil withouten dout; With, I can tel you what such a man said; And you knew all, ye would be ill apayd. 10 _De more vulpino, gannientes ad aurem, fictas fabellas fabricant._ li. ille. _Inauspicatum, male ominatum, infortunatum se fateatur habuisse horoscopum, quicunque maledixerit vati Pierio, S[keltonidi] L[aureato], &c._ But if that I knewe what his name hight, For clatering of me I would him sone quight; For his false lying, of that I spake neuer, I could make him shortly repent him for euer: Although he made it neuer so tough, He might be sure to haue shame ynough. _Cerberus horrendo barathri latrando sub antro_ _Te rodatque voret, lingua dolosa, precor._ A fals double tunge is more fiers and fell Then Cerberus the cur couching in the kenel of hel; Wherof hereafter I thinke for to write, Of fals double tunges in the dispite. _Recipit se scripturum opus sanctum,[578] laudabile, acceptabile, memorabileque, et nimis honorificandum._ _Disperdat Dominus universa labia dolosa et linguam magniloquam!_ [571] _Tertius_] A misprint: qy. “Versus?” [572] _Against venemous tongues, &c._] From Marshe’s ed. of Skelton’s _Workes_, 1568. [573] _comice_] Ed. “comite.” [574] _post ambulonum_] The Rev. J. Mitford would read “_ambulonum post_.” [575] _manibus_] Ed. “mantibus.” [576] _novacula_] Ed. “nouocla.” [577] _Totnam_] Ed. “Totmā.” [578] _sanctum_] Ed. “sancte.” Ye may here now,[579] in this ryme, How euery thing must haue a tyme. Tyme is a thing that no man may resyst; Tyme is trancytory and irreuocable;[580] Who sayeth the contrary, tyme passeth as hym lyst; Tyme must be taken in season couenable; Take tyme when tyme is, for tyme is ay mutable; All thynge hath tyme, who can for it prouyde; Byde for tyme who wyll, for tyme wyll no man byde.[581] Tyme to be sad, and tyme to play and sporte; 10 Tyme to take rest by way of recreacion;[582] Tyme to study, and tyme to use comfort; Tyme of pleasure, and tyme of consolation: Thus tyme hath his tyme of diuers maner facion: Tyme for to eate and drynke for thy repast; Tyme to be lyberall, and tyme to make no wast; Tyme to trauell, and tyme for to rest; Tyme for to speake, and tyme to[583] holde thy pease; Tyme would be vsed when tyme is best; Tyme to begyn, and tyme for to cease; 20 And when tyme is, [to] put thyselfe in prease, And when tyme is, to holde thyselfe abacke; For tyme well spent can neuer haue lacke.