Amonge the people of euery regyon And ouer the worlde, south north eest and west Soundeth godly doctryne in plenty and foyson Wherin the grounde of vertue and wysdome doth rest Rede gode and bad, and kepe the to the best Was neuer more plenty of holsome doctryne Nor fewer people that doth therto enclyne We haue the Bybyll whiche godly doth expresse Of the olde testament the lawes mysticall And also of the newe our erour to redresse Of phylosophy and other artes liberall With other bokes of vertues morall But thoughe suche bokes vs godly wayes shewe We all ar blynde no man wyll them ensue Banysshed is doctryne, we wander in derknes Throughe all the worlde: our selfe we wyll not knowe Wysdome is exyled, alas blynde folysshenes Mysgydeth the myndes of people hye and lowe Grace is decayed, yll governaunce doth growe Both prudent Pallas and Minerua are slayne Or els to heuyn retourned are they agayne Knowledge of trouth, Prudence, and iust Symplicite Hath vs clene left: For we set of them no store. Our Fayth is defyled loue, goodnes, and Pyte: Honest maners nowe ar reputed of: no more. Lawyers ar lordes: but Justice is rent and tore. Or closed lyke a Monster within dores thre. For without mede: or money no man can hyr se. Al is disordred: Vertue hathe no rewarde. Alas, Compassion: and Mercy bothe ar slayne. Alas, the stony hartys of pepyl ar so harde That nought can constrayne theyr folyes to refrayne But styl they procede: and eche other meyntayne. So wander these foles: incresinge without nomber. That al the worlde they vtterly encomber. Blasphemers of Chryst; Hostlers; and Tauerners: Crakars and bosters with Courters auenterous, Bawdes and Pollers with comon extorcioners Ar taken nowe adayes in the worlde moste glorious. But the gyftes of grace and al wayes gracious We haue excluded. Thus lyue we carnally: Utterly subdued to al lewdnes and Foly. Thus is of Foles a sorte almost innumerable. Defilynge the worlde with syn and Vylany. Some thynkinge them self moche wyse and commendable Thoughe al theyr dayes they lyue vnthryftely. No goodnes they perceyue nor to no goode aplye. But if he haue a great wombe, and his Cofers ful Than is none holde wyser bytwene London and Hul. But to assemble these Foles in one bonde. And theyr demerites worthely to note. Fayne shal I Shyppes of euery maner londe. None shalbe left: Barke, Galay, Shyp, nor Bote. One vessel can nat brynge them al aflote. For yf al these Foles were brought into one Barge The bote shulde synke so sore shulde be the charge. The sayles ar hawsed, a pleasant cole dothe blowe. The Foles assembleth as fast as they may dryue. Some swymmeth after: other as thycke doth rowe In theyr small botes, as Bees about a hyue The nomber is great, and eche one doth stryue For to be chefe as Purser and Capytayne Quarter mayster, Lodesman or els Boteswayne.