But if it fortune that any lernyd men Within my house fall to disputacion I drawe the curtyns to shewe my bokes then That they of my cunnynge sholde make probacion I kepe nat to fall in altercacion And whyle they comon my bokes I turne and wynde For all is in them, and no thynge in my mynde. Tholomeus the riche causyd longe agone Ouer all the worlde good bokes to be sought Done was his commaundement anone These bokes he had and in his stody brought Whiche passyd all erthly treasoure as he thought But neuertheles he dyd hym nat aply Unto theyr doctryne, but lyued unhappely. Lo in lyke wyse of bokys I haue store But fewe I rede, and fewer understande I folowe nat theyr doctryne nor theyr lore It is ynoughe to bere a boke in hande It were to moche to be it suche a bande For to be bounde to loke within the boke I am content on the fayre couerynge to loke Why sholde I stody to hurt my wyt therby Or trouble my mynde with stody excessyue Sythe many ar whiche stody right besely And yet therby shall they neuer thryue The fruyt of wysdom can they nat contryue And many to stody so moche are inclynde That utterly they fall out of theyr mynde Eche is nat lettred that nowe is made a lorde Nor eche a clerke that hath a benefyce They are nat all lawyers that plees doth recorde All that are promotyd are nat fully wyse On suche chaunce nowe fortune throwys hir dyce That thoughe one knowe but the yresshe game Yet wolde he haue a gentyllmannys name So in lyke wyse I am in suche case Thoughe I nought can I wolde be callyd wyse Also I may set another in my place Whiche may for me my bokes excercyse Or else I shall ensue the comon gyse And say concedo to euery argument Lyst by moche speche my latyn sholde be spent I am lyke other Clerkes whiche so frowardly them gyde. That after they ar onys come vnto promocion They gyue them to plesour theyr stody set asyde. Theyr Auaryce couerynge with fayned deuocion. Yet dayly they preche: and haue great derysyon Against the rude Laymen: and al for Couetyse. Though theyr owne Conscience be blynded w^t that vyce. But if I durst trouth playnely vtter and expresse. This is the special cause of this Inconuenyence. That greatest foles, and fullest of lewdnes Hauynge least wyt: and symplest Science Ar fyrst promoted: and haue greatest reuerence For if one can flater, and bere a hawke on his Fyst He shalbe made Person of Honyngton or of Clyst. But he that is in Stody ay ferme and diligent. And without al fauour prechyth Chrystys lore Of al the Comontye nowe adayes is sore shent. And by Estates thretened to Pryson oft therfore. Thus what auayle is it, to vs to Stody more: To knowe outher scripture, trouth, wysedom, or vertue Syns fewe, or none without fauour dare them shewe.