Of dymades what shall I lawde or wryte. And Pythias his felawe amyable Whiche in eche other suche loue had and delyte That whan Denys a tyrant detestable And of his men some to hym agreable Wolde one of them haue mordred cruelly Echone for other offred for to dye Ualerius wrytyth a story longe and ample Of Lelius and of worthy Cipio. Whiche of trewe loue hath left vs great example For they neuer left in doloure wele nor wo I rede in thystory of Theseus also: Howe he (as the Poetes fables doth tell) Folowyd his felawe perothus in to hell. And serchynge hym dyd wander and compas Those lothsome flodys and wayes tenebrous Ferynge no paynes of that dysordred place Nor obscure mystes or ayres odyous Tyll at the laste by his wayes cautelous And Hercules valyaunt dedes of boldnesse He gat Perothus out of that wretchydnesse. Alas where ar suche frendes nowe a dayes Suerly in the worlde none suche can be founde All folowe theyr owne profyte and lewde wayes None vnto other coueytys to be bounde Brekers of frendshyp ynough ar on the grounde Whiche set nought by frendshyp so they may haue good All suche in my shyp shall haue a folys hode THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS. Ye cruell folys full of ingratitude. Aryse be asshamyd of your iniquyte Mollyfy your hertes vnkynde stuberne and rude Graffynge in them true loue and amyte Consyder this prouerbe of antyquyte And your vnkyndnes weray ban and curse For whether thou be of hy or lowe degre Better is a frende in courte than a peny in purse * * * * * Of contempt, or dispisynge of holy scripture. [Illustration: He that gyueth his erys or credence To euery folys talys or talkynge Thynkynge more wysdome and fruytfull sentence In theyr vayne talys than is in the redynge Of bokes whiche shewe vs the way of godly lyuynge And soulys helth: forsoth suche one is blynde And in this shyp the anker shall vp wynde.] Suche as dispyseth auncyent scripture Whiche prouyd is of great auctoryte And hath no pleasoure felycyte or cure Of godly Prophetis whiche wrote of veryte A fole he is for his moste felycyte Is to byleue the tales of an olde wyfe Rather than the doctryne of eternall lyfe The holy Bybyll grounde of trouth and of lawe Is nowe of many abiect and nought set by Nor godly scripture is nat worth an hawe But talys ar louyd grounde of rybawdry And many blynddyd ar so with theyr foly That no scripture thynke they so true nor gode As is a folysshe yest of Robyn hode. He that to scripture wyll not gyue credence Wherin ar the armys of our tuycion And of our fayth foundacion and defence Suche one ensueth nat the condycion Of man resonable, but by abusyon Lyuyth as a best of conscyence cruell As saue this worlde were neyther heuen nor hell.