Many haue begon with purpose dilygent To bylde great houses and pleasaunt mansyons Them thynkynge to finysshe after theyr intent But nede disceyuyd hath theyr opynyons Their purpose nat worth a cowpyll of onyons But whan they se that they it ende nat can They curse the tyme that euer they it began Of Nabugodosor that worthy man. What shall I wryte or the story to the tell Syth that the Bybyll to the expresse it can In the fourth chapter of the prophete Danyell Was he nat punysshed in paynes cruell For his great pryde and his presumpcion Whiche he toke it in the byldynge of Babylon His golde and treasoure he spendyd hole theron Enioynge hym in his Cyte excellent Right so Nemroth by his inuencion The towre of Babylon began for this intent To saue hym, if the worlde agayne were drent But the hye god consyderynge his blynde rage His purpose let by confusyon of langage His towre vnperfyte to his losse and domage His people punysshed, hymselfe specyally Thus it apereth what great disauauntage On theyr hede falleth that byldeth in foly Thus he is folysshe that wolde edefy Any great worke without ryches in excesse For great byldynges requyreth great rychesse But many folys ar in suche a blyndnesse That hereon nought they set their mynde ne thought Wherfore to them oft commyth great distresse And to great pouerty often ar they brought Laughed to scorne, their purpose cometh to nought And truely I fynde in bokes wryten playne That our olde faders haue neuer set theyr brayne On great byldynge, ne yet of them ben fayne: It longeth to a lorde a Prynce or a Kynge That lacke no treasoure theyr werkes to mayntayne To set theyr myndes on excellent buyldynge Therfore who so euer wyll meddle with this thynge Or any other, before let hym be wyse That his myght and ryches therto may suffyse. Lyst all men do mocke and scorne his interpryse For if he ought begyn without prouysyon And haue nat wherby his byldynge may up ryse All that is lost that is made and begon And better it is sothly in myn intencion Nought to begyn, and spare laboure and payne Than to begyn and than, leue of agayne Who euer he be that so doth certayne He shall haue mockis mengled with his damage Therfore let suche folys sharpe theyr brayne And better intende to theyr owne auauntage Consyderynge that processe of tyme and age Theyr curyous byldynges shall at the lest confounde And Roufe and wallys make egall with the grounde. BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS. Ye folys blyndyd with curyosyte Whiche on great byldynge set so sore your mynde Remember ye nat that doutles ye shall dye And your gay byldynges and howses leue behynde Thynke ye your conforte alway in them to fynde Or whan ye dye, them hens with you to haue Nay nay the laste hous gyuen to mankynde Is the course grounde and walles of his graue. * * * * * Of glotons and dronkardes.