And some I vysyte to[850] batayle, warre, and murther, And make eche man to sle other; To drowne or to sle themselfe with a knyfe; 1940 And all is for theyr vngracyous lyfe. Yet somtyme I stryke where is none offence, Bycause I wolde proue men of theyr pacyence. But, nowe a dayes, to stryke I haue grete cause, Lydderyns so lytell set by Goddes lawes. Faders and moders, that be neclygent, And suffre theyr chyldren to haue theyr entent, To gyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre, Them or theyr chyldren ofte tymes I dysmembre; Theyr chyldren, bycause that they haue no mekenesse; 1950 I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse; And yf I se therby they wyll not amende, Then myschefe sodaynly I them sende; For there is nothynge that more dyspleaseth God Than from theyr chyldren to spare the rod Of correccyon, but let them haue theyr wyll; Some I make lame, and some I do kyll; And some[851] I stryke with a franesy; Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye; And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne, 1960 I sende ofte tymes a fole to his sonne. Wherfore of Aduersyte loke ye be ware, For when I come, comyth sorowe and care: For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys, That rule not by mesure that they haue in theyr handys, That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men; I am Goddys preposytour, I prynt them with a pen; Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys, I vysyte them and stryke them with many sore plagys. To take, syrs, example of that I you tell, 1970 And beware of aduersyte by my counsell, Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde; Beholde, howe Fortune of[852] hym hath frounde! For though we shewe you this in game and play, Yet it proueth eyrnest, ye may se, euery day. For nowe wyll I from this caytyfe go, And take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other mo, That hath deseruyd it as well as he. Howe, where art thou? come hether, Pouerte; Take this caytyfe to thy lore. 1980 _Here cometh in POUERTE._[853] _Pouer._ A, my bonys ake, my lymmys be sore; Alasse, I haue the cyatyca full euyll in my hyppe! Alasse, where is youth that was wont for to skyppe? I am lowsy, and vnlykynge, and full of scurffe, My colour is tawny, colouryd as a turffe: I am Pouerte, that all men doth hate, I am baytyd with doggys at euery mannys gate; I am raggyd and rent, as ye may se; Full fewe but they haue enuy at me. Nowe must I this carcasse lyft vp: 1990 He dynyd with delyte, with Pouerte he must sup. Ryse vp, syr, and welcom vnto me. _Hic accedat ad levandum MAGNYFYCENCE, et locabit eum super locum stratum._ _Magn._ Alasse, where is nowe my golde and fe? Alasse, I say, where to am I brought? Alasse, alasse, alasse, I dye for thought!