He doth all thynge dispose moderate and dispence Knowynge our mynde, and what is to vs most mete All thynge is open and playne in his presence Our inwarde thought must he nedes knowe and wete And euery fortune is playne before his fete He hath all thynge by lawe and order drest And doth no thynge but it is for the best Therfore whether he gyue thunder snowe or rayne Wynde or wether, tempest or tourment Frost lyghtnynge, fayre wether, outher storme sodayne Mystes or clowdes, yet man sholde be content And nat with worde nouther inwarde intent Agaynst god grutche, but euery day and houre Magnyfye the dedys of god his creatoure It were moche better thou fole that thou were dome Than to cast lewde wordes agaynst thy lorde in vayne Thou fole he worketh no thynge but by wysedome And yet art thou nat content but dost complayne Thou sekest vengeaunce (for thy synne) and payne In hell for euer, thynkynge thy selfe so wyse To teche thy god, and his warke to dispyse It is nat lawfull for any, hye nor lowe To be so bolde so blynde or so cruell Grutchynge wordes agaynst his god to throwe Thughe to theyr plaseour a thynge nat fortune well Take example by the children of Israell Whiche oft for this synne suffred great payne and wo Slayne and distroyed, so haue ben many mo Many a lewde body without wysdome or rede Grutche in theyr myndes, and openly do blame Almyghy god, whan theyr children ar dede Where rather they ought to enioye of the same For it myght fortune that great rebuke and shame Myght to theyr frendes haue come by theyr synne and cryme Soone after: if they had nat dyed at that tyme Wherfore this one clause is my conclusyon That god our maker is wyse and prouydent Blame nat his workes by thyne abusyon For all that he doth is for the best intent But if that god sholde alwaye assent To our desyres and euer perfourme our wyll Our owne requestis sholde tourne vs to great yll ALEXANDER BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS. O ye mad myndes that no thynge vnderstonde O man presumptuous and vnobedyent Howe darest thou be so bolde to take on honde To repreue the workes of god omnipotent Wylt thou hym teche, as more wyse and prouydent Than he is (whiche made all thynge of nought) Leue of this thy foly, and holde thy selfe content For thou art a fole to set theron thy thought * * * * * Of them that gyue jugement on other. [Illustration: Who that reputyth hym selfe iust and fawtles Of maners gode, and of lyuynge commendable. And iugeth other (parchaunce that ar gyltles) To be of a condicion reprouable Hymselfe nat notynge, thoughe that he were culpable He is a fole, and onys shall haue a fall Syns he wyll other iuge, hym selfe yet worst of all.]