The father of heuen of infynyte goodnesse. Me comprehendyth within his deytee Of hym my firste begynnynge is doutles. And heuen and erth he create hath by me And euery creature bothe on londe and se The heuen imperyall all planetis and firmameut God neuer thynge made without my true assent Therfore mankynde set thy mynde and intent To me wysdome to be subiect and seruaunt To my preceptis be thou obedyent And heuenly ioy thou shalt nat lacke nor want For doutles they ar mad and ignoraunt And folys blyndyd who so euer they be That wyll nat gladly be seruauntes vnto me THE ENVOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS. Aryse folys of myndes darke and blynde. Receyue the gyftes of godly sapyence Here hir perceptis and plant them in your mynde And rote out the gaffys of your olde offence. Call to your myndes what inconuenyence Howe sodayne fallys, what sorowe and turment Hath come to many a myghty lorde and prynce For nat folowynge of hir commaundement. * * * * * Of bostynge or hauynge confydence in fortune. [Illustration: He is a fole whiche settyth confydence On frayle fortune vncertayne and mutable His mynde exaltynge in pryde and insolence Because that she somtyme is fauorable As if she wolde so be perdurable Suche folys oft whan they thynke them most sure All sodaynly great mysfortune endure] Amonge our folys he ought to haue a place And so he shall for it is resonable Whiche thynketh hymselfe greatly in fortunes grace Bostynge that she to hym is fauorable As if hyr maner were nat to be mutable In this vayne hope suche theyr lyfe doth lede Tyll at the laste theyr hous borne oure theyr hede He shakyth boost and oft doth hym auaunte Of fortunes fauoure and his prosperyte Whiche suffreth hym nought of his wyll to wante So that he knoweth nought of aduersyte Nor mysfortune nor what thynge is pouertee. O lawles fole, o man blyndyd of mynde Say what suretye in fortune canst thou fynde To what ende or vnto what conclusyon Shall fortune frayle vnrightwyse and vnsure Lede the blynde fole by hyr abusyon. Howe darest thou the in hir blyndnes assure. Syns she vnstable is and can nat longe endure Hir gyftis changith, she is blynde and sodayne Thoughe she firste lawghe hir ende is vncertayne. Thou shakest boste ofte of hir foly in vayne For he is most happy whiche can auoyde hir snare If she exalte some one vnto welth mundayne She bryngeth another to payne sorowe and care Whyle one is ladyd to the others backe is bare Whyle she a begger maketh in good abounde A lorde or state she throweth to the grounde But nat withstandynge hir mutabylyte. Thou bostest thy gode and to moche abundaunce Thou bostest thy welth and thy prosperyte Thy good auenturs, and plentyfull pleasaunce Alas blynde fole amende thy ygnoraunce And in thy welthe to this saynge intende That fortune euer hath an incertayne ende