The fable of Ovid treting of Narcissus, translated out of Latin into English mitre, with a moral there unto, very pleasant to read. M.D.LX God resisteth the proud in every place But unto the humble he giveth his grace. Therefore trust not to riches beuti nor strength All these be vain, & shall consume at length. Imprinted at London by Thomas Hackette, and are to be sold at his shop in Canning street, over against the three Cranes. ¶ The prenter to the Book. GO Little Book do thy endeavour to all estates, that vice doth refuse, In the may be learned how to perceiver sin to abhor virtue to use. The wise the author will excuse by cause he inveigheth, against sin and pride, Who causeth many a one, parilously to slide. In the may the wise learn virtue in deed In the may the strong man, of himself know In the may the rich man, of himself read how to gather his riches, or them to bestow with most worthy matter in the doth flow who seeketh in the for profit and gain, Of excellent matter soon shall attain. The Argument of the fable. LIreope had a Son by Cephicious named Narcissius, whose continuance of life Tyricias a prophet, affirmed to be long, if the knowledge of himself, procuryd not the contrary, whose sentence here now Echo the calling Imp, from whom juno had bereft the right use of speech, so loved this Narcyssus, that through the thought and care that she sustained, for the getting his good will that ever despised her, she consumed the relics, of which consumed Carcase were turned into Stones. The great disdain of Narcyssus, herein Ramusia Strangely revenged, for he heated through hunting by the drinking of a well, supposing to quence his thrust espied therein the shadow, of his face, wherewith he was so ravished that having no power to leave his blind desire for the attaining of an impose belytye, there he starved. For the preparation, whose burial the Nymphs, had ordained souch furnituer as there unto appertained & had. returned to the Solemn, Erthing and burial of such a carcase, they found in stead of the dead Corpis a yellow flower which with us beareth the name of a daffadylly. The end of the Argument. LIreope whom once Ciphicious, did embrace, and raushe in his crokid floods where she was shut from gracs Did travel and bring forth, when time of birth befell a child even than whom love had liked well, And him Narcissus named of whom the lot to learn, if he should number many years, and perfect age discern The reder of his fate Tiricious yea did say If that the knowledge of himself, his life did not decay, Full long a vain pronounce, this seemed till his death, By fury quaynte did make it good, & unseen lose of breath For twenty years and one, Narcissus death escaped what time no child was seen so fair, nor young man better shapyd, A number both of men and maids, did him desire, But beauty bent with proud disdain, had set him so on fire That neither those whom youth in years, had made his make Nor pleasant damsels fresh of have, could with him pleasure take This man the fearful hearts, enforcing to his nets The cauling nymph one day, beheld that neither ever lets To talk to those that spoke, nor yet hath power of speech Before by Echo this I mean, the dobbeler of skreeche A body and no voice, was Echo yet but how The blab had then none other use of speech, than she hath now The later end to give of every sense or clause, whereof the wife of jupiter, was first and chief the cause For that when she did seek, the syllye Imphes to take that oft she knew within the hills, had lodged with her make This Echo with a tale, the gods kept so long that well the Imphes might her escape, but when she saw this wrong This tongue quoth she where with, so oft thou diddest deceive the goddess juno lyttyll use of speech, shall erst receive And so her thretininges prove, yet Echo endeth speech with dobling sound the words she heareth, & sendeth a gain with screch Thus when Cyphicious Son, the deserts walking fast with wand'ring pace she had espied, her love and on him cast With stealing steps, she followeth fast her hot desire and still the nearer that she comes, the hotter is her fire None other wise then as the nearer fire doth lie to brimstone matters meet to borne to flayme doth more apply, How oft ohs would she feign, with pleasant words him glad and faun on him with prayers sweet, but nature it forbade, And letteth her to begin, but that she doth permit full pressed is Echo to perform according to her wit, In listing for to hear, some sound his mouth escape whereto her words she might apply, & him an answer shape. By chance Narcissus, led from company alone did say is any here to whom, she answereth her a none, He musyth and amassed, doth look on every side and cauling loud come near he saith, whom she bids yeke abide, Again he looketh about, and saying none that came, whystlyst thou me quoth he, who hard her answer even the same He stayeth and not knowing, whose this sound should be come hither let us meet he said, and let us meet quod she Then with so good a will, as though she never hard a sound that liked her half so well, to answer afterward And to perform her words, the woods she soon forsook and to embrace that she desired, about the neck him took He flieth fast away, her folded arms that spread about his neck he cast away, and ever as he fled Death would I choose, ere thou hast power of me quoth he whom she none other answer made, but thou hast power of me and after that with leaves, she hide her shamefast face within the woods in hollow caves, maketh her dwelling place, Yet love doth no whit more decrease, but with her smart agmentith still and watching cares, consumyth her wretched heart, By lenenes eke her skin is dried, and to ear her blood consumeth, so hath she nought, but voice & bones to spare, Whereof is nothing left, but voice for all her bones they say as to her lykeste shape, were turned into stones, And sense the woods hath been, her home herself to hide from every hill and nought, but sound in her doth none abide, Thus here they other nymphs, of woods and waters borne had he deceived, and young men eke, a number had in scorn, At last with hands lift up, soon to the gods did plain that so his hap might be, to love and not be loved again, Whereto it seemed well, Ramusya gave ear and sought to grant this just request, it after did appear A spring there was so fair, that streams like silver had which neither shepherds hap to find, nor goats that upward gad Upon the rocky hills, nor other kind of best, with flashing feet to foul the same, or trouble at the lest, Wherein themselves to bathe, no birds had made repair, nor leffe had fallen from any tree, the water to appear, About the which the ground had made some herbs to grow and eke the trees had kept the sun, from coming down so low Narcyssus there through heat, and weary hunter's game glad to take rest did lie him down, and fast beheld the same, And as he thought to drink, his fervent thirst to slake A drier far desire him took, by looking in the lake For saying as he drank, the image of his grace therewith he rapt, fell straight in love, with shadow of his face And museth at himself, with which astonied cheer, as image made of marble white, his countenance did appear, Like stars he saith his eyes, and bacchus fyngeres sweet he thought he had on golden hears, for Phoebus' not unmeet A neck like ivory white, a mouth with savour good a face with skin as white as snow, well coleryd with blood All which he wonders at, and that he liketh well is even himself that wonder makes, with small advice to dwell He sees that he doth ask, again doth him desire together he doth burn himself, and kindle eke the fire The well that him deceived, how oft kyst he in vain how oft there in his arms he drowned, in hope for to attain The neck, that he desired so much to embrace, and yet himself he could not catch, in that unhappy place Not knowing what he seeth, therewith he is in love and those same eyes that, error blinds, to error doth him move Ah fool, why dost thou seek, the shape that will not bide nor being hath, for turn thy face, away and it will slide The shadow of thyself, it is that thou dost see and hath no substance of itself, but comes and bides with thee If thou canst go away, with thee it will depart yet neither care for meat or sleep, could make him thus astart But in that shadow place, beside the well he lies where he beheld his feigned shape, with uncontented eyes And lifting up those eyes, that his, destruction made unto the trees that stood about, he reached his arms and said Hath ever love, oh woods dealt crueler with man you know that hiding place, hath been to lovers now and than Now can you call to mind, you that such worlds have last that ever any pined so, by love in age's paste. I see and like it well, but that I like and see yet find I not such error lo, this love doth bring to me And to increase my grief, no say nor irksome way no hills nor valleys, with closed, gates, doth say our meeting nay A little water here, doth sever us in twain, he seeketh I see, that I desire, to be embraced as feign, For look how oft my lips, I move to kiss the lake so oft he showeth his mouth, content, full well the same to take To touch thee, might full well, a man would think be dime it is the lest of other things, that lovers ought to shine What so thou be come forth, why dost thou me deceive why fliest thou him, that the so much, desireth to receive My beauty and mine age, truly me thinks I see it is not that thou dost mislike, for nymphs have loved me Thou promyste to me a hope, I wots not how with friendly cheer, and to mine arms the same thou dost unbowe Thou smylest when I laugh, and eke thy trekeling tears when I do weep I oft espy, with sins thy countenance steers By moving of thy lips, and as I ge I learn thou speakest words, the sense whereof, mine ears can not deserve Even this I am I see, my proper shape I know with loving of myself, I borne I moan, & bear the glove What shall I do, and if I ask what shall I crave abundance brings me want, with me, it is that I would crave Oh would to God I might, depart my body fro in him loves this that wish is strange, his liking to for go But now my strength, through pain is fled, and my years full soon or like to end, thus death away my youth it bears Yet death that endeth my woes, to me it is not so sure He whom I love right fain, I would might live alenger hour Now to one quod he, together let us die In evil estate and to his shape, returneth by and by And with his gushing tears, so up the water start his shape that there by darkened was, which when he saw depart Now whether dost thou go, abide he cried fast forsake not him so cruelly, his love that on the cast Though thee I may not touch, my sorrows to assuage yet may I look, relief to give unto my wretrhed rage And whilst he thus torments, he barred all his chest before the well with stony fists, and beats his naked breast With a carnation hue, by strokes thereon did leave none other wise than apples white, with ruddy sides receive. Or as the growing grapes, on sundry clusters strepe a purple collar as we see, or ever they be ripe, Which as he did espy, within the water clear no longer could he duere the pain, he saw he suffered there. But as by fire, to wax amelting doth ensue and as by heat the rising sun, consumeth the morning due, So feebled by love, to waste he doth begin at length and quite consumeth, by heat of hiding fire within, And neither hath he now, hear of red and white no liveliness nor lusty strength, that erst did eyes delight Nor yet the corpies remains, that Echo once had loved which tho with angry mind she viewed, to sorrow she was moved, And look how oft alas, out of his mouth did pass so oft again with bounding words, she cried alas alas, And when that he his sides, with reckless hands did strike she also then was hard to make, a sound lamenting like Thus looking in the well, the last he spoke was this alas thou lad to much in vain, beloved of me a miss, Which self same words again, this Echo straight did yell and as Narcissus took his leave, she bade him eke fair well His head that him abused, under the grass he thraste and death shut up those eyes, that on there master mused fast And when he was received, into that hyllye place he yeke within the ogly steep, beheld his wretched face The wood and wattrye nymphs, that all his susterne were bewails his lot as is there wont, with cutting of their hear Whose wailing Eccoes' sound did mourning like declare for grave pomp, a bayre with lights and fire they did prepare Then body was there none, but growing on the ground a yellow flower with lily leaves, in stead thereof they found. FINIS. FABULE. ¶ The moralization of the Fable. in Ovid of Narcissus. A Tale wherein some wisdom may be found May be allowed, of such as lies refuse, Hereon I mean not, that my wit can ground A matter fit for all men to use, The praise hereof I utterly refuse, And humbly them beseech to read the same, Me to excuse or by their judgement blame. For neither I presume, by youthful years, The umbelues of the author. To claim the skill that elder folks, do want, Nor undertake that wiser often fears, To venture on my spites, than would pant Right well I know, my wits be all to scant But I by your correction, mean to try, If that my head to reason can apply. I mean to show, according to my wit That ovid by this tale no folly mente To such as inbrase not knowledge. But sought to show, the doings far unfit Of sundry folk, whom natuer gifts hath lente, In divers wise to use, with good in tent And how the bownty turneth to their pain That lack the knowledge, of so good a gain Which Ovid now this Poet sure divine Doth colour in so wonderful a sort Profitable counsel That such as twice, refuse to read a line With good advice, to make there wit resort To reasons school, their Lessons to report Shall never gather Ovid's meaning strange That wisdom hideth, with some pleasant change. His tales do join, in such a godly wise, That one doth hang upon another's end, As who should say, a man should not despise, To look before which way his work will bends And after how he may the same amend Thus Ovid bides his readers for to know The things above as well as those below The fable that he tretyd of before Is how that juno fell in argument With jupiter, which after leasuer more To write at large, than time convenient For such a cause have in defferente But to be short, Tericious was their judge Whose sentence juno seemed for to grudge For she because he said not as she would Bereft him of his eyes and made him blind As one unfit to view the world that could No better judge unto a woman's mind Redress where of none jupiter cold find But with some honour to relieve his woe Each thing to come he made him surely know. The for meste proof, where of in this same tale Lireope, the nymph received now That did demand an answer not to fail If that her Child, to home her liking vow Even at the first was given him to allow should not perfect years, and many grow Yea yea quod, he himself if he not know. Here as I said, appearith that the end Desserne the truth of every thing. Of every tale another doth begin Here likewise may we see the poette, bend To bid us look his meaning here with in Supposing that, their wits be very thin That will be hold the scabbard of the blade And not the knife wherefore the sheathe was made. For if that Ovid's meaning was to wright But how Narcissus, drinking of a well With shade of himself did so delight That there till death he thought to starve and dwell Both him a fool, a lie in verse to tell The wise might think, & those that read the same To be unwise and merit greatier blame. The torninge of Lycaon to a, God punisheth for sin. beast Doth well declare that to the wicked sort Full heneous plagis preparid be at least Of god that to their doings will resort With justice hand at home they cannot sport But if they seek for to withstand his will They find to work themselves a way to spill. By saying eke, of Pirha, God preserveth the just. & her make Dengalyon from the consuming flood What else is mente but god a 'bove doth take An order ever to preserve the good From peril still, in timis that they be wood That few or none but such as god doth choose Can happy live, or them from harm excuse. And Daphus changing to the laurer green A praise of verginite. whose leaves in winter never lost there hue Doth well to us betokin as I ween That such as to virgynitie be true Mortal glory ever shall ensue And as the laurer lines in winter's rage So shall there praise though death devour there age. Of Pheton eke Appolles' wretched son That would presume his father's cart to guide Of courage more, A good warning to young people. than counsel well begun what may be thought, but such as will a bide with small advice not from there will to slide And do refuse their father's council sure There helpless harmis, unto themselves procure. What needeth me examples to rehearse Sith I do take an other thing in hand These show that poetties' colour under verse Souch wisdom as they can not understand The heed wisdom of the poets. That lightly list to look on lernynges' land But such as with advice, will view the same Shall lessons find thereby, their lives to frame And now to turn unto the tale I mean To treat upon when that the doom was read, Of this Cephicious son, by one that clean Had lost the sight of all that nature breed A vain pronounce, it seemed that he spread Whose sentence himself, did not know To perfyght age his life he shall bestow. Tericias hear whom may we like unto Happy are they that do so. Even such a man, as hath no mind to gain With ryghteus lips, that seek no wrong to do That yield to riches, for no manner of pain Ne yet the truth in any thing will lain Which shall as he was blind for justice sake Be quite bereft of all that he can make. For he that will not junose servant be I mean not now the pleasing of the stout And mighty dames that would have all agree Truth is often shent. Unto their fancees that they go about But he I say, and proof doth put no doubt That will not seek the rich foulke to please Through hate and wrong, hath often little ease. Yet when they lack this use of worldly sight That little have they left on earth to see And that by wrong another hath their right Because to will, their wits would not agree By loss hereof they got a greater fee For god of good doth give the knowledge more Than all the gain of earth could the restore. For where their eyes be cast from worldly wealth And have respect to things that be a 'bove In moche more perfect wise the certain health Shall they discern, The cars of the world letteth virtue. then such as have a love To vain desires that rise for to remove And further be they a bill to a vow Of hidden things then worldly folk alawe. But as Teryssus judgement seemed vain In the forereding of Narcyssus fate The foolish people regard no virtue nor good counsel. So foolish folk, from credit will refrain Of wisdom's voice, that seldom comes to late They only mark, the present earthly state Without regard of any thing at all What in this life or after may befaule And eke again regard how Ovid hear Of prophecies doth show the doughtefulnes Profecies be doughtful to meddle with all. Whose meaning never plainly doth appear In doughtefull words that hath a hid pretence whereon we guess, but great experience Full oft we find and proving of the same Doth well declare our judgements be by ame Wherefore we neither ought to make to light we must refer those things the passeth our knowledge. By the depining of a skilful voice Nor yet presume so far above our might As of the certain scanning to rejoice Of hedden things that reach beyond our choice For who can surely say it will be so Or dyssalove the thing they do not know Tericyas' voice did Pentheus despise In counting false the things that he foresaw Yet of his death they guess did seem to wise Which he for told by his devininge law And Pirechus judgement yeke appeared vain That would presume of doubtful speech to make A certain sense the meaning to mistake. People to take on them that that passeth there knowledge. So that hereby right well we may regard what hap they have that work by doughteful guess To skorninge folk, & eke the evil reward That often falleth the poet doth express Thus two extremes he teachiss to redress And by Narcissus warnith us to be ware Of the mishap, that pride doth still repair For well Narcissus may betoken here such one as hath that other members want Pride marreth al. As strength and power a cause of weakers fear A passing wit above the ingnoraunte Of beughtie ffayer in riches nothing scant And to conclude from chief of natuers pack That hath the choice that other thousands lack. Who being decked with so goodly gifts shall have a number that will moche require Of the acquaintance, for the divers dreftes Which fancy craveth to content desire But if he have the same a busyd fire That this Cephicious son did her receive Exampile take himself he shall deceive. A proud heart cometh to confusion. The man that thinks himself to have no make Each offered friendship, straight, will quite refuse For so narcissus carid not to take The fellowship of souch as sought to choose His company a 'bove the rest to use But as by pride he grwe in great disdain So for reward his end was full of pain. Whose strength is such that it can much prevail Yet cannot say, I am the most of right Whose heapis of gold, be of foul high a veil That rich is and beauty be vain. Yet need not brag, to be the richest wight Whose bewghtie yeke full pleasant is in sight Yet hath no cause to say a 'bove the rest I all dyspice for natuer made me best. No Cretuer hath ever yet been such That can justly say, I most excel God thought here of the pride was very moche A notabill exsampell for proud people. When lucifer he cast from heaven to hell In showing where presuming folks should dwell None ought to trust to riches or to strength To power or beauty, all consumeth at length. The Rich, and proud, To the rich or dysdainfull man. dysdaynefull wealthy man That Lazarus forbade, the crumbs to eat Which from his board should fall might after ban His mouche aboundaunce and his dentye meat Which was the cause of all his torment great Yet if he could have used well his gain He little should have had of all his pain. Now Croesus' yeke, Mark this the wealthy king of Lide Whose soms of gold were passing to be told Did see at last his riches would not bide As Solon said his end that did be hold Wherefore we prove, who potteth their trust in gold Or slipper wealth are seen in care to dwell And lose at last, the good they like so well. Of strength again, No man ought to trust in his own strength. who will himself advance shall see that conquest goes not all by might This David made the Phelystians, to grant That slew there giaunte Golyas their knight Against the which noman the thought to wight For all his pride yet saw they at the last Him over throw and ded by david's cast. Now Sampsons' strength that caused all this woo A notabell exsampell for the hy minded. I over pass & Miloes' might so strange That could induer a forlonge well to go And on his back an ox to bear the range▪ For all his might to week estate did change When that his strength did bring his latter our To show the end of might and mortal power Senacharyb the strong assyryan king Did put his whole affiance in his power God is the giver of victory. Yet Ezechias, prayers good did bring His sore destruction in a sudden ower By night the Angel, did his host devour With death where by Senacharib, might know That God full soon, his might could make full low. Darius' flight, which Ferres over throw many profitable examples. And Terus slaughter, by the Sicicthian Queen Be fyttexamples, for to let us know, That who to power, will put their trust and ween By only might to vanquish, all beseen Of this their purpose oftentimes to feel When fortune list to turn her happy wheel. Pride is the destroyer of many good gifts. That beauties babes, must bide the hard prepare That oft is sent, to bate their jolly cheer among the rest, doth Absalon declare When not wythstanding, all his beauty clear And eke his fair and yellow golden hear Between the bows did hang, till that his foes With deaths despatche, did rid him of his woes. The transitory things of this world are not to be trusted. The sorrows great, of Menelawes' wife Whose beauty fair, so far to see was sought The wretched end, of Cleopatres life Whose rich array, was all to dearly bought Doth plainly show, that all was vain and nought Thus riches strength and power, confess we must With beauty eke, to slipper be to trust. Again we see, each mortal thing decay A damage by displeasure, hath the rich And beauties blomis, full soon are blown away The strong by sickness, feels a feeble stitch From weal to woe, thus by promise pitch Our time is toast, with such unsuerties change As to behold, advice may think full strange. Yet some there be so pouffed up with pride And as Narcissus, disdain fullness and orabell vice. drowned in disdain That light regard they have what will abide So far unware of there in suing pain Of other folk unreakinge they remain As though they thought, who worthy were to be A mate fulmete, & fellow fit for me. To whom it haps as to Cephicious son It chanced her which Echo did despise The caulinge nymph which ernist love begun In hasty sort did end in woeful wise Not much unlike the vain desires that rise By fruitless thoughts to get some foolish thing Which harm, or else repentance far will bring. But by this fable some there be suppose That ovid mente to show the favinge sort A flaterar is not to be trusted. Of flattringe folk whose usage is to gloze With prayers sweet, the men of gretiest, port And most of wealth to whom the still resort In hope to get, refusing nought to lie The end of speech as Echo they apply. For if the men by whom they ween to gain No man shall learn the truth of a flaterar. shall say me thinketh that this is very well Even very well they answer straight again As though advice had bid them so to tell When very nought they same might, reason spell The end of every fortunes darlings voice Thus they repeat with out a further choice. Now if a tyrant say it shall be so None other thing but so they have to speak Although it turn a thousand unto woo The conditions of a flaterar. The strong may soup to wrack may go the week So they the rich, may please they nothing rack The same, they say, they answer after ward As though it twice were worthy to be herd. And lest I seem to overskip the sense Bocas a writer of this same Of any wryghter worthy to be known Whereby the poettes wise and hid pretence With other wits by travel great, great hath sown To show what good of Ouides seed, is grown Through my default may scanned be a miss Upon this fable, Bocase wryghtethe this. By Echo which doth, spoken words replete And else is doom, I feign do understand That mortaule folk doth love with fervent heat And followeth fast, in every please and land As things whereon, her being all doth stand And yet the same a number will forsake And light esteem for foolish pleasures sake. Within whose well of shining, gay delights That we may like unto a water could That sliding is some time as Bocase, wryghtes Themselves that is, their glory, they be hold And are so sure in lust and pleasure could That rapt therewith not abil to astart From thence they be or from their madness part. And there at last, they die which shame forsook Fame other good or evil. That them so much desired to embrace Whose life so lost, for little praise did look Of vertuse voice, that bides in every place And biddeth fame to every cost to chase There praises great that cause well deserve Not with there Corpis to let, there name to starve. But such as, will make light the love, of fame For Liquorous lust, that liketh them so well By good desarties, and rekes for no good name How much in wit, or beughtie they excel How strong or rich so ever they shall dwell There dainty joys, there body name and all They lose at ones, which death their life, doth call. And if pair haps, that natuer did bestow More good of them in life then of the rest And that there by there some remembrance grow Of natuers bounty, given them for the best Even like a fading flower, this flytinge geste I may recimbell, which is fresh to day And yet or night is wetherid clean away. What Bocas mente thus somewhat have I told The skanninge to of others ges herein Of youthful time ill spent. I have and will at last at large unfold But where I left, now first I will begin To show how moche the hasty sort shall win By there disdain, the which Narcissus here Doth represent to me as doth appear. For first who was his beauty and his shape There with and notes of others his disdain And then shall mark of his end and his myshape Who blinded was with his to good a gain As in a glass shall see the picture plain Of a full proud and over weninge wight That nature's gifts disdain to use aright. And sith I have declared here before What little trust, of right we ought to have To that, which we receive, for to restore To him that first our pleasing treasures gave To sure to joy but when he list to crave The good he sent the same he taketh a way Or we be ware, our hap so soon decay. Now will I show that erst I said I would Of this same talk in some Comparing sort What I conceive, the which not as I should If I declare, and that my wits resort Without the reach of wisdoms sober port Now of the learned I do crave And of my judgement here the sense you have I fain a man, to have a godly wit The self same years that this Narcissus had With like disdain of others far unfit And then immagin one that would be glade With counsel good to cause him for to know To make his wit both sober wise and sade That pride's reward is to be made full low And this same one I, Echo presuppose By whom I guess that good advice is mente Which is full loath a godly wit to lose And sorry moche to see the same ylspente She followeth him therefore for this intent To make him mark and well regard the end Of every thing that he doth once intend. Her nature is not to be full of talk To such as speak with out ad vise mente. Not to device, but to advice full well wordyes' the springe from youthefull thoughts at walk Not greinge still to reasons sober spelle The ending sense whereof she aye doth yell As who should say we ought to regard the cause And end of speech oft spoke with little, pause. For sith each words and doing ought of right To be refarred unto some reason's end With out respect, whereof little might Our doings rest which to no purpose bend To sharpiste wits, advice, her love doth send As fyttiste folks, to gain her great good will If they receive the good, she proffers stil. Now how she waves this man, that hath this wit I need not tell, sith ovid doth declare But him she followeth as she thinks it fit Tell that she see him, void, of wanton care To shape an answer than she doth prepare To every cencethat he shall speak or sound To cause him mark thereof the certain ground. The end of every sense she repetis Where by for what he spoke he may deserve To such as give them selves over to pleasure of vanities But he that on the veins of pleasuer beatis His wanton ship without astedye starne Of good advice shall nothing rack to learn But her refuse when she would him inbrace Affection so a way doth reason chase. So this same man whom nature wit hath lente A virtue great to them that use it well Advice, Wit well used most needs be profitabell. perhaps can be content To hear and listen what her words can spell But when he once espies she thinketh to dwell Contenually with him to be his make Here offered frendeshipe straight he doth forsake. To live by loss his good he doth refuse Unbrydelyd will oh whether wilt thou train This wandering wit that hath no power to choose The ready way to such a perfit gain But as the blind to passage right, doth pain Himself no more then when he goeth amiss To win thy woys asmouche thy travail is. But why accause I will that may be charmed By good advice if thou hadst not disdain Pride is a vain thing. Thy pride, thy pride, hath worst of all the harmed That poufes the up upon presumtions vain Which maketh those, continue, that would be fain Of thy good will to make thy wits full wise Whose love thou haste, the profit to despise. This wit refusing good advice love And wandering fast to wills uncertain reach To such as dysdaynes good counsel. Doth let her starne, that sought a way to move Then happy end that proof doth plainly teach Is full prepared, dysdaynefull folk to appeach Whose pride is such as puts a way the sight Of counsel good and every judgement right. And so advice I leave forsaken quite As Echo was for all her great good will And will declare, wits rash and mad despite Of such a friend neglect for lack of skill Whereby he fast procures himself to spill As one unware, of all his woes to come Whose reckless life receiveth a wretched doom. Acareles life thus led in youthful years A wilful way be seemeth well to take So this same wit as wild desire him steres Unconstantely, for lust and pleasures sake From this to that his vain invenciones wake Aresteles time in needles work doth spend Till that hereof he finds the foolish, end. Then weary quite of all this wanton sport And trusting moche to taste a more stable drink To praise well because he doth resort Whereby mishap, he rather comes I think Whose pleasant fare, and sweet delyghtinge drink Who shall approach will think a thousand year Till they have seen there, in the water clear. Which hath in it no foul nor oglye sight Nor loathsome lokiing there abate to stand The silver streams so shining be and bright As can delight the greatest lord in land The Ladies yeke full fair with hand in hand Will fast repair unto this pleasant well Wherewith advice, I wish them all to dwell. Which for because that wit did quite despise Now mark his harm, and hard predestenid woe This well he fast behouldes in musing wise And lies to drink where more his thirst doth grow A lass for that himself he doth not know For there he seeth the image of his grace His shape and eke proportion of his face. His wits his strength and every other gift That may be thought a virtue any way Appeareth therewith every sundry shift That nature sendeth to make the carks gay And eke that Fortune lends for each assay There nought is hid that is worthy praise to pike Nor aught is seen, that men might well mislike. Where on they faster that his eyes be cast There at the more his marvel doth increase And eke the more his marvel thus doth last The less he seeks his blind desire to cease Which for sith love to put himself in press To like the thing that better ware to lack Then by souche love to bring himself to wrack. For who so Covettes that he cannot catch And moste alloweth that needeth most antendes With so good will, and still desires to watch Such wretched joys a corsid, life that spendeth As proof doth teach unto destruction bends delighted so with that he should refuse And quite for sakinge that he ought to choose. But of his love such is the blind, respect And such the sweet, delightinge wretched plight That his a vail he blyndelye doth neglect To help himself as one that hath no might So ravished is he with the pleasing sight Of that to him which little pleasure gains Unless we count the winning good of pains. For in this well to well he views the form Of every gift, and grace that nature gave To him for that he chiefly should perform With good, moche good, his good thereby to save Yet be his good, as sure is evil to have He gaynis the loss that other never feel Which have not ween such wealth by fortunes wheel. And why because he demes not as he ought Each virtue liketh value of the same There be to many such. His face, the best that ever was wrought And shape he thinks deserveth no manner blame By wit he wens full wyunderus things to frame And what he hath he thinks all the best Besyds himself dispicinge all the rest. All though in deed, he neither be so fair So well proporsmid, nor so surely wise Ne yet in strength, be abil to compayre With half the number that he did despise A 'bove them all he thinks himself to prize, Which over weninge, wins him all his woo A simpyll gain I count, that hurts me so. For rapt so fast, through his abused eyes To such as flatter themselves Even on himself, whereof he doth delight With in this well no faults he ever spies Whereby himself he any way might spite But as each face appearithe, fair & quite Though it be foul with in the flatringe glass This lying lake, shows every gift to pass. Whereto he straight consenteth by judgement blind And grants to have as much as seemeth, and more So easy lo, self love is now to kind So some is had, so sweet agrevous sore So glade he is to keep his harmis in store So moche desirous for to abide his woe And eke so loath his mischief to for go. Which causeth this, because of natuere all Be pleased well, well of themselves to here And yet the wise, with good advice will call Unto themselves if they, deserve to bear The praysies great which seem so true & clear By others mouths which ever talk the best Of them they see, in good estate to rest. Now wit that wants all that wisdom wills The wise to have is void of this respect For what he hath he thinks it greatly skills But what he is, the whilst he doth neglect Thus joy to have, so mouche doth him infect That care to be, so good as he appears He quite forsaketh, so blindly love him bleres. Through which he losythe every virtuous strength And lacks the skill, so godly gifts to use So every good doth turn to bade at length And he consumeth, himself that doth abuse This lot is sent to him that will refuse Advices love, to light on praiseth well Where till he starve he still delights to dwell. To starve I mean, the good he hath to lose To which I think himself he sure doth bind That of himself more good doth presuppose By looking in this present well so blind Them in himself a wiser man can find For who doth covet himself of wiser skole Than deeds him show, doth prove himself a fool. Who thinks he hath more than he doth possess In this not only is dysseved quite But hath so moche of that he hath the less Of wit I mean, wherein who shall delight More than he ought himself doth this despite Un witting clean, the more he thinks he hath Even by so much, hath less as Plato saith. So he that demes, Such as thinks them selves wise and yet are foolish. his wit a 'bove the rest So much the less, than others, hath here by And he that thinks, his one of all the best The worst of all it reason will reply All though the same he never can espy Because he trusteth the lying well of praise Whereby his wit and all he hath decays. For sith, the well of praise, aswell concistes Upon the springs of unadvised talk As of the voice of wisdom, that resistes The speeches of fools, whose tongues a wry will walk Besides the path, of reasons, gidinge baulk It may welbe that such themselves dysseave As of untruth, a certain truths conseve. Thus what hath made, this wit to starve we see We must not trust our own wits best. Self love the very hid consuming sore Of godly wits, that else could well agree To every sense of wisdoms present lore And now to show the very cause wherefore They lose the strength of this so good a gain And leave advice, forsooth it is disdain. This enuius hear, disdain, this dainty, thing When it gins to harbour, in thy breast Of any man this harm it first doth bring Contempt of those in better state, that rest Than he is in, that counteth to be best So that his faults, who fain would have him know And by his friend he counts him as his foe. Then of contempts procedyth, haughty pride The contempts of virtue cometh by pride. The which who gets shall never lightly leave So great an evil so fast as seen to bide Even to the best when it beginneth to cleave That honour, wit, or any gift receive This of disdain, contempt, whereof proceeds The poison pride, this same self love that bredes. All disdain full folks are compared unto Narcyssus. Wherefore hereby I may conclude, a right That as contempt, did cause Narcissus quail So by disdain each wight, doth lose his might And every virtue through thissame, doth fail As well Narcissus proveth in this same tale Who lost through love each thing he most did like For his dysdayn who worse revenge could pike. Can greater woe to any man betid Then that to lose wherein he most delights No sure and yet to syrcuyte and pride This is the just revenge, that still requites There great disdain, and all there old despites To lack of that, at last they like so well Which want abundance, makes with them to dwell. This sense is strange, This is worthy to be marked. & yet as true as quaint That plenty should be cause of greater, lack A man in health can never, lightly faint The haypye man no missery doth smack The rich, by riches, feels no needy, wrack Again who sits in honour's shyningchare Is far enough from wretched people's share. And what can hap, thus harm the happy man Or can such wealth, A true saying. their master bring to woe Can honours, force their honours them to ban Can all this good so grieve us thus what no Yes yes alas it proveth often so Of agis passed exaumpils never ground Of these our days to many may be found. Be therefore all these godly gifts to blame Because they come to wrack that them possess Honour & riches by gods good gifts. Na to be rich it is no manner shame Ne honour hurtis that helps to redress The wronged foulke whom rigour doth oppress Nor ought is evil whereof the rightful use Who shall observe may have a just excuse. But this abundance who shall evil abuse And quite forget from whence these virtues flow Be ware of a busing honour and riches. The good they have thereby they quite refuse And every gift unto agrefe shall grow misuse of good thus them shall over throw Even as Minarnais pipis that Marcias' found Misused him harmed with sweetness of the sound. This Marcias', was a boisterous country man The pleasant pipes of palace once he found The which to blow assoon as he began Even of themselves did give so sweet a sound That better thought he not a 'bove the ground Where in he straight did take so great a pride As though his mouth did all, this music guide. Through which the musies with their harmony He thought could not so sweet a sound prepare And eke Apollo god of melody He may dies 〈…〉 de down from his shining char Also with him presuming to compare Full well content to lose his life if he Made not his pipes more sweetly to agree. Then musics god who seeing all his pride Him first did far excel in cunning play And then to make him by his covenant, bide He made the skin, of all his body flay An evil reward for this his vain assay Un happy gift that gives no better gain Nay foolish man, that guides it to thy pain. Good gifts miss used. So that heareby I gather every gift Misusyde may harm the honours of the same And though to some, that nature's bounty lift A grace where of another shall be lame This godly gefte, is not a white to blame Although their honours through the same shall quail The rightful use, that lack, of such a veil. For if so be, that Marcias' had known That of himself, not all his cunning came He neither would have striven to have blown Ne yet presumed to venture for the game With him that was the aucther of the same If he had known how, well to use this gain He it might well have kept & not been slain. But who can know, that will disdain to learn And who can learn that recks not to be taught So well to use his wealth who can deserve That desdain is the destroyer of the wisdom. That this disdain, this vename, great, hath caught This same made Marcias', that he never reached To know of whom his melody did rise This made Narcissus, Echo yeke despise. And to conclude this causyde, wit forsake Advice whose lack, did lose him all his gain For look even as Narcissus by the lake His beughtie lost by bewtyes sore disdain And that his profit purcheste, all his pain So wit, that hath disdain, shall so presume That through his wit, his wit shall clean consume. Wherefore, this vice, that every vartue mars That private weal, A good wish of the Aucther. converts to prevate woe That each degree, there rightful duty bears Who redyth, this tale, I wish, so well might know That in their hearts, no seed thereof might grow Where of each, wight devoid, by good advise May rightly use there gifts of greatiste prize. Thus have you hard the simpill sense That I have gathered by my simple wit Of Ouides tale, whose wise & hid pretence Though as I should perhaps I have not hirre Yet as I could and as I thought it fit I have declared, what I can conseve Full glade to learn, what wiser folk perceive And now to keep my covenant & proceed Fysius a writer of the same. Of others judgements, to declare the foot Of this same tale, Ficius writeth in deed A wise opinion not to be neglect Of such asseme, to be of reason's sect The which I would not skip among the rest least his Invention, some may think the best. A rash man's mind, that hath no skill saith he By this Narcissus very well is mente His proper shape, that hath no power to see That is the proper, office which is sent Unto the mind, by no mean can convente To se and mark, as each man ought of right And to perform according to their might. But as Narcissus, only did desire His shadow in the water to embrace So this same mind doth nothing else require Of brittil beauty, but to mark the case That in the body hath the bydinge place Which only is the shadow of the mind As it might know in case it were not blind. Thus mind, thus nought desiring, but his shade That is the beauty in the carcase frail Not being abyl to deserve the trade The which it ought of right for to assail Hereby forsaketh, quite the one a veil And losyth both his proper shape herein And eke his shadow hath no power to win. For every mind, becomes the bodies man In so loving it, itself, doth quite despise The boddys' use, and yet it no way can Enjoy and have according to the guise And order due that natuer doth device But thus doth both the bodies use mistake And of itself the office true forsake. Better it is to have the mind garnished with vertu then a foolish body bewtyful The office of the mind, is to have power Upon the body, and to order well The bodies office eke in every hour It is of the mind to learn the perfit skill The vain desires that rise, him by to kill Whereby the mind doth keep his perfit strength And eke the body vanquish lost at length. Now where the mind is drowned with desire Of such delyghtis as to the body long The boddye then most needs consume with fire Of raging lusts a bout the same that throng So that the mind, is cause of both their wrong To put itself, out of the proper place And bring the body, to so evil a case. For thus the mind, that ought of right, The mind being replenished with evil bringeth body & soul to confusion to be The teacher of the body to do well Doth make the same to every evil agre procuring that it should of right expel Whereby in both, a moving blind doth dwell Even as within Narcyssus did remain That through his shadow to be such again. And as Narcissus, never could attain The reward of such as give themselves to vain pleasures. His shadow which he wished for so fast And that his love did lead him to his pain Even so this mind that reasons bonds hath passed Itself and from, the proper place hath casts Shall never gain that it doth most desire such is to folly still the following hire. For though it Covet moche, a safe estate And seek itself to plant in perfit plight Yet this desire, prosedyth all to late When will is bent, to love vain delight Whose rash regard descerns not black from white Who would be well, worketh other wise Of being well, the surety doth despise. And when this mind, hath wrought so much amiss Thus blindly from his perfect, place to fall We moste needs grant a kind of death it is A thing divine, and perfect, to be thrall Unto the carcase most corrupt of all When this immortal mind, shall seek to serve Each mortal thing, his virtue needs must starve. This is the meaning of Ficius sense That in this wise one Plato doth wright And now to show, the learned men's pretence With Ouides tale the readers to delight Two there were that somewhat did indits Of this same fable, which I will declare least any writer I may seem to spare. The one hereof, asence divine, doth make No fool he seemeth, that walls hath to name And english man, which thus doth undertake For souls behoove, to deskant on this same There by saith he a number moche to blame That as Narcissus, lettes there beauty quale Because they quite misuse there good avail. For divers which in beauty, much excel Either inshape that in the bodies gift In knowledge else which in the mind, doth dwell Or to conclude in riches, which is life To sundry men by fortunes hiding shift Before the same so puffed up with pride That all, to base, they think with them to bide. What then, to this what is the due reward Forsooth these darlings with their great disdain within the well of worldly wealth, regard This same appearance of their blissful gain Which lastith not, but as the shadow, vain Doth pass a way, even so doth come to go Each thing we have the use affirmeth so. Now in this well the appearance of their state Doth them so please and eke so well content That saying it they nothing else await The nought can low they nothing can consent To praise or like but all to this intent Themselves, full far above the rest advance And still to glory of here happy chance Thus through this glory of their life to much The chief life, the life of souls the lose There blind desire and fond regard is such Themselves in all this danger, for to close This english writer hear of doth thus suppose The other now whom italy did breed As followeth writeth, to them that shall yet read. In Grece there was a passing fair young man A Learnyd man of italy a writer of the same Whose beauty brought him unto such a pride That through thessame unto such disdain he ran As but himself he none could well a bide But counted other all as vile beside Through which his end was wretchedly to die With in the woods to starve and there to lie. And whereas Oued, doth hereof affirm That this Narcissus, Man's life is like a flower. was traunsformed at last Into a flower, he only doth confirm That youth and bewghte, come and soon be paste Even as the flower, that wetherithe full fast And for by cause, in woods the nymphs do dwell His death bewaylyd of them doth Ovid tell. Again where the poet doth a vow That this Narcissus died by a lake It may well be, by cause he did a low None fet or worthy to become his make But every man despising, did for sake That some of hatrid and of malice fell For his disdain did drown him in a well. Thus much this same italian writer here Doth find as true, his wryghtinge do proofs So it may well be all that wrote appear Of this same fable other more or less That still disdain doth cause the greater distress Of every good that natuers bounty gives To each estate, upon the earth that lives. Wherefore who hath, no sparckel of this vice Are like to kendel in themselves no flame Of any evil but still by good advice Shall so themselves and all there doings frame As shall at all deserve no manner blame Who wants this vice thereby shall chiefly stay To every evil the very ready way. Thus have you hard what hath been thought By sundry foulke, of this same Ouides tale Where by I prove that all herein have sought To show that Ovid writ for good a vale declaring how they likest are to quail That greatyst store of any good receive The rightful use thereof and least perceive. To much possesses so that it is no praise But things possessed, rightfully to use For each possestion, by and by decays And such as by possescinge shall abuse All they possess, with shame, shall soon refuse Wherefore the most, are worthy to possess Whose spotless deeds, the richest use express. And thus my simpel travail I commend Unto every one, praying you to take The same in worth and when more years shall send More wit and eke more knowledge shall a wake Such labours like I mean not to forsake As knoweth god who keep us alway Save and defend us from all decay. Quod. TH. FINIS. Imprinted at London by Thomas Hackette, and are to be sold at his shop in Canning street over against the three Cranes.