Let all spousys in theyr myndes comprehende The lawys and decrees of the olde testament Howe they that in auoutry dyd offende Were outher stonyd or els openly brent Wherfore syns goddes son omnypotent. Confermed hath the olde testament with the newe Auoutrers nowe deserue that same punysshement But well is to them, that stedfast ar and trewe * * * * * Of hym that nought can and nought wyll lerne, and seyth moche, lytell berynge away, I mene nat theuys. [Illustration: He is a fole, and so shall he dye and lyue That thynketh hym wyse, and yet can he no thynge And though he myght he wyll nat set nor gyue His mynde to good maners, vertue nor cunnynge. So is he a fole that doth to market brynge His Gese fast bounde, and game or sporte to se Lowsyth theyr fete, and suffreth them to fle] Saynt George to borowe our Nauy is aflote Forth shall we sayle, thoughe that it be a payne And moche laboure to forge a pryuate bote For euery faute: yet shall I nat refrayne My hande nor penne: thoughe vnsure be my gayne My laboure sure: my wyt and reason thynne Than leue a thynge vnendyd better nat begynne But in this place shall I a Shyp ordayne For that fole: that heryth great doctryne Wherby good maners and vertue aperyth playne He seth all goodnes, stody, and disciplyne And yet wyll nat his mynde therto enclyne But though he knowe what thynge is godlyest Ouer all the worlde, yet is he styll a beest. Many of this sort wander and compase All studies, the wonders of the worlde to se With vnstabyll wynges fleynge from place to place Some seyth lawe and some dyuynyte But for all this byde they in one degre And if they were Asses and folys blynde before After all these syghtes yet ar they moche more They se moche nought lernynge, and hauynge no delyte In wysdome nor maners vertue nor goodnes Theyr tyme is loste, without wysdome or profyte Without grace, or other holynes But whyle they labour thus with besynes If they se ought newe, or any folysshe toy That lyghtly they lerne, and set theron theyr ioy. By this desyre folys may knowen be For wytles men of fleynge mynde and brayne Ar best pleasyd with thynges of neweltye And them to haue, they spare no cost nor payne To dyuers londes to ren but all in vayne And so they labour alway from londe to londe To se all wonders, but nought they vnderstonde Some fle to se the wonders of englonde Some to the court to se the maners there Some to Wallys, Holonde, to Fraunce or Irlonde To Lybye, afryke, and besyly enquere. Of all marueyles, and skantly worth a here Some vnto Fraunce and some to Flaunders ren To so the wayes, and workes of cunnynge men