A BRIEF DISCOVR● wherein is declared of the travails an● miseries of this painful life, & that death is t●● dissolver of man's misery. Gathered out of divers good writers, by Leonard Staveley. Wh● unto is annexed the Authors muse of this life/ in English Verse and his praise likewise of Virtue/ Felicity and true Gentility.  Cicero. 1. Tuscul. Moriendum est omnibus: estque finis Miseriae in morte. 
Death draweth on  
We must be gone,  
From Bed to Béer:  
In time repent,  
Thy life ill spent,  
While thou art here.  
For after death  
Hath stopped our Breath,  
We shall be sure:  
In Heaven to dwell  
Or else in Hell  
Where pains endure.  
Imprinted at London at the long shop adjoining unto Saint Mildred's Church in the Pultrie by john Allde.   

To the Right Worshipful Ancient and grave Knight, Sir Robert Wingfeeld of Letheringham Leonard Staveley wisheth increase of worship, Virtue and Godly sluing, with Nestor's years, Croesus' wealth, and Galliens happy health.  
FOr as much (Right worshipful) as I find in sundry histories of antiquity, of the thankfulness of divers kinds of beasts (which want reason and understanding) showed unto their Benefactors, and for that I were very loath to be included in the number of unthankful Creatures: I have therefore presumed by this little trifle, upon the courteous inclination of your gentle nature which to all men is apparent, to show myself to be an other poor Sinatas whose good will and thankfulness in heart and mind, I trust you will way aswell in a drop of sweet running water as if it were a gift of some precious or more greater value. For as I remember Erasmus in his witty Appothegmes saith that, Donum quodcunque dat aliquis, proba: & Munerum animus est optimus.  
But peradventure your worship will marvel why I (being one of small or no understanding) have attempted to put my Pen to the paper to write of a more waightyer matter than my wits or learning are able to attain unto. The truth is though I never went further than a little in the Grammar School (yet by common experience, reading of books, and mine own industry and travel) I have conceived some thing. For when I consider the sundry mischances of fickle Fortune (if any such thing there be:) the miserable estate of mankind, now puffed up in Pomp of all Pleasures, now thrown down into the dungeon of all dolours, anon cometh a flowing flood, by and by a low ebb water: so that the uncertainty of this vain fleeting life may be well compared to a violent flood, which is quick in rising, swift and troublesome to passover, enduring but for a while in one condition and certainty. Wherefore these (as the first fruits of my good will what soever they be) I have dedicated to your woorships' Patronage, under whose Shield of defence a number of afflicted members have sure safeguard, and gentle refuge, amongst whom I am one, who am bound by double duty & will be priest (if service by hand or heart may do any thing) to you and yours for ever.  
But for as much as the hugeness of the head defaseth a little slender body, and a tedious tale may breed some offence, & jest in lengthening mine Epistle I should disgrace that small thing which followeth, here in brief I will end, remembering that a little Music to the heavy heart is often found more delightful and pleasant than a great deal of untunable melody.  
Your woorships' most humbly to command during life, Leonard Staveley.   

¶ Verses Written upon the name of the Right worshipful Sir Robert Wingfeeld Knight.  

Regarding right, way well in mind,  
Of life and death the end of all.  
Beware of friends that are unkind.  
And seek to kill by courteous call.  
Recoil from him which lays a net:  
Thy silly Soul in sin to get.   

With hearty love like well that friend  
Yn whom great wisdom doth remain  
Neglecting vice, so in the end  
Great gifts of God thou sure shalt gain.  
Flee swift with (Wing) and win the (Field)  
Extolling Gods word still on buy  
Live well, live ever, to Virtue yield,  
Dred God and Prince, most carefully.   

Keep Conscience pure, and pa●y to God  
Not living like an Epicure,  
If that thou dost his heavy rod,  
Great plagues and woes thou shalt endure  
Heavens bless the race being gody run  
The guerdon is when life is done.   
Stand steadfast, L. S.   

¶ To the courteous and friendly Reader.  
AS I have seen by divers and learned works (most gentle Reader) that there was never yet any matter so handled/ but some fault hath escaped, so for want of skill (in mine own doings, Lacking the benefit of exact knowledge) I have run a Roving without any order in my writings. But such as it is I present to thy friendly reading, wherein I have declared some part of man's intolerable passions & frailty, for redress whereof I say that death is the disoluer of his miserable misery.  
If I gain thy good word I have my desire, but if I reap thy reproach: thou showest but thy noisome nature wherefore (hoping the best) I wish thee use this till time afford better, & as I here of thy friendly report: so will I writ of other matters to thy contentation, profit and pleasure. et sic Vale.  
Sauwel.   

The Book to the Reader.  

I Rashly penned, do spring from barren brain,  
A simple mean, in prose for to declare:  
what sorrows sower, what griefs & pinching pain  
This life doth bring, whereby we may prepare,  
With death to Christ away from hence to far,  
Wherefore in gree accept what here is said:  
Since mere goodwill was cause that he it made   

I show in brief how Virtue winneth Fame  
How she alone brings true Felicity:  
How all that is on earth is naught but vain,  
And how we aught esteem Gentility.  
Misconstrue nothing that thou spiest in me,  
So by that means thou win'st his heart and all:  
In promptest wise to pleasure thee at call.   

Blame not his skill,  
for of good wil●  
From him I came:  
as only mean,  
To purge him clean  
of thankless name.   

As doth behove,  
let him thy love,  
And good word gain▪  
abandon Spite,  
So mayest thou quite  
his little pain.   
love is a solace.   

Ba. Herald to the Reader.  

Sweet is the smell, which pleaseth all men's scent,  
Well can he write, which feedeth every vain  
If this smell sweet to those who hath it sent,  
The Author hath his hire for his pain.   

To show and prove wise Solon's saying true,  
Till Death, that none can be a happy man:  
Good Staveley shows by that which doth ensue,  
And with his pen it proves, as best he can.   

If pain for other's gain, deserve but well,  
If toil for common weal be worthy praise:  
Commend the Author then, who shows his skill,  
To profit thee, and others, with his phrase.   

His willing mind to writ, do not reprieve,  
All spiteful terms for envious men reserve:  
Let Staveley for his pain, obtain thy love,  
And wish him well, as well he doth deserve.   
FINIS.  
T. F.   

William Brogdon in praise of the Author's travail.  
Muse you that list from whence I came,  
or what good Stavely meant:  
Whose care was such to work the way,  
for which his time was spent.  
Read you what he hath careful writ,  
and follow you his lore:  
So death thou shalt learn to contemn,  
that dreaded death before.  
It's folly for to fear that thing,  
which no man can eschew:  
Live then to day as thou wouldst die.  
so Staveley wills thee do.  
He tells thee what thy life it is,  
And what thine end must be:  
To day a man, tomorrow none,  
by proof we know and see.  
What troubles are in wretched life,  
and what hangs over head:  
Thou mayst behold and here for see,  
which often thou dost not dread.  
Which may thee teach for to be wise,  
how thou hereafter lives:  
Eschew the evil, embrace the good,  
as Staveley Counsel gives.  
And so farewell and him do thank,  
which for thee took such pains:  
His study is not for himself,  
but thou the profit gains.  
If thou this platform follow will,  
which friendly he bestows:  
Then shalt thou surely die to live,  
as he in sequel shows.  
Finis.  
W. B.   

Oswald Speed to the Reder.  

AS many men, so many wits,  
Some loath that which other love:  
And one thing never all men fits,  
As this my friend shall prove.  
What's some man's meat, doth poison some:  
And this man's bliss is that man's doom.  
In reading some condemneth those,  
That in the plainest sort:  
His meaning to them doth disclose,  
And some again report  
Him blest, that hath the loftiest vain:  
And déem the rest of barren brain.  
Another sort doth him commend,  
That igmys in middle mean:  
Not much affecting, to offend,  
Nor yet without it clean.  
So one for this, and some for that do call:  
That one man cannot please them all.  
So he my friend that writ this Book,  
Would willingly delight  
All those, that on the same do look,  
If possibly he might.  
He seeketh nothing for his pain:  
But Readers liking for to gain.   

And thus far you well,  
The best is soon said,  
Aswell as the worst:  
This all men can tell,  
It is not best made:  
That's done at the first.   
Finis.  
qd Oswold Speed.   

A Brief Discourse  
Having tasted of the insatiable sea of sousing sorrows, and drunk of the careful cup of perverce perturbations aswell of mind as of body: I find by proof that dreadful Death (at the naming whereof we tremble, is the dissolver of our continual cares, troublesome cogitations & man's most miserable misery, which to approve & verify, let us first call unto remembrance the grievous groanings of our painful Parents in the time of our nativity and education.  
For with what weeping, wailing, sobing and sighing at our first entrance into this vale of misery are we beyond all measure most grievously afflicted?  
The weary watchings the cold and long winter nights, the rising, the rocking the lulling, the lamenting & all to assuage our passions intolerable (which we then scarcely know although we most sharply feel) might be a mean to daunt our haughty hearts, & to a bandon our lewd lives, living in these careful calamities oppressed with sorrows innumerable. But (alas) the first Act being finished: we enter into another kind of life (severe and strict, as yunglings do think it) which is going to school to learn the precepts of Philosophy, & ways to virtue, whereby we become of monsters: men, of senseless souls: learned lights, (notwithstanding indeed some for the attaining thereof bide many a sharp shower, with careful and grievous correction) which in my mind might often be won sooner with mildness of the Master, then with much severity. When we have got learning, by reason whereof we are called in the Commonwealth, to some public Office, and are the meeter to deal in our private affairs, wherein our studies are incessant, our cares continual, & our service most painful to perfoorme our pretended purposes and the discharge of our desired duties. Here, here beginneth the tragical discourse of our grievous groanings & unfortunate troubles, at which time we think to reap some solace for our late sustained sorrows, but even then a thousand of troubles, nay a hell of miseries upon our heads, when we think ourselves in greatest safety and most security. For Matrimony so presseth us divers ways as scarcely can we bend our studies to any good perfection, it taketh away our liked liberty and bringeth these encumbrances, a jangling wife, unquiet Children, brawling (& sometimes) untrusty servants, with innumerable such like torments, therefore all these being well weighed, it may seem to the virtuous and honest mind, such a warfare of woes, and such a tempest of troubles as he might think (and justly say) that Death is the loser of man's most lamentable living, and the dissolver of this wretched state & cares incomparable. moreover there is such Envy in many, such Pride in general, and such seeking for gain: as the unquietness of this life is rather to be loathed, than the pleasuers thereof to be wished or desired. Do we not see, what privy detracting, what Envious maligning, what cruel conspiring, and all for offices, liberty and lordly living. The husbandman not content with his estate, seeketh to live like a Lord rather than an inferior person and would become of worse than a yeoman: a gentleman and so forwards. But mark the unquietness of their minds, for though no delay may daunt them, no calamities control them: yet the supernal powers perceiving their ambitious intention in a moment (by Death) throweth down headlong that they vainly pretended and develishly attempted.  
O if we which bear the names of men, would but once remember the end of all which is Death, assuredly, assuredly, then would burning hatred be cold, secret matire lie dead and be quite quenched in the ashes. But care to maintain this life with abundance, ambition, pomp, pleasures, riches, riot, Liberty, same, good fortune, favour, Friendship and goodly countenance is so super abundant, as neither can we take our desired rest quietly, eat or drink merrily, nor do any moderate action to the contentation of our afflicted minds, so grievously are we turned on the whéel of carking care continually. I have read in the ancient annuals of the renowned Romans of the civil wars betwixt the puissant Pompey and the courageous Caesar, only for Ambition and desire of a sole Regiment, whose cares were continual, the one seeking the overthrow of the other, which Death first using the Tutors of young Ptolemy as his instrument sléew pompeius and sent his head unto Cesar, who seeing it: (as writers report) wept. But by the hands of Brutus and Cassius, Caesar's life was shortly after finished, for they in the stately Senate house of Room gave three and twenty wounds with Penknives or bodkins most cruelly bereaving Caesar of his lofty life. O detestable desire of glory, O devilish device for honour, O vanquisher of Virtue, couldst thou not be satisfied until thou haddest the life of goodly Caesar, who (as Ignatius saith) was most wise in counsel, full of eloquence, profound in wisdom, valiant in strength of body, expert in marshall affairs, and finally in him no excellent quality lacked that was requisite for any noble man? I could tell you likewise how Tiberius was dispatched by the hands of Caligula for the government and domination of the Empire of the Romans, and how Caligula had his deadly wound of Tiberius Drusus, who governed a short time, the Regiment of that kingdom with infinite such like. Thus may you see here that Death hath ended their covetous conceits and ambitious desires, bridled their wilful wills, and restrained their wicked intents. Death is fearful, yea but the loss of eternal life is more to be feared, death depriveth us of honours, worldly renown, riches, Friends, Parents and children: yea but if we forego the Crown of immortal glory, the heavenly Richeses, the company of our dear friends Moses and the Prophets, and the society of our first Parents Adam & Eve, and their children; Seth, Enos, Kenam, Mchalael, Iered Henoch, and Methuselah, who lived in this Pilgrimage nine hundredth threescore & nine years, this is a greater loss & much more to be feared. Death abandoneth our delicate delights, our pleasant Pastimes, our worldly solace, & taketh from us all our bags gold of & silver, our treasures, our famous buildings with all the rest of our joys. Yea but in steed of them it restoreth us to a celestial place fol of blessedness & unspeakable felicities which no eye hath seen, 
● Cor 2.9.  no ear hath herd, no heart can conceive, nor no tongue able to utter. In this place is a heavenvly jeruzalem where all joys incomporable are to be found, and sorrows utterly exiled. But peradventure some one will say, I live a quiet life, I have the good gifts of Fortune, she never frowneth on me, my neighbours enuey not my estate of worldly felicity nor my happy proceedings, and I have mountains of wealth and no man hateth me but I have many Friends by reason of my gold, and therefore by this means I can procure my estate, pleasure, health, life and liberty to my liking. O vain man, dost thou not know that thy state is so much the more miserable, by how much the more thou esteemest of thyself and those transitory things? For I assure thee most wretched is he that never hath tasted any misfortune, and he is hated of the Gods that never feeleth any troubles Demetrius calleth a quiet life without adversity Mare mortuum, a dead Sea. Pollicrates a tyrant of the Samians, whose good Fortune was such as he never felt any mischance in all his life time saving towards his death, who being weary of his continual joy and gladness, towing in a vessel for his pleasure into the depth of the Channel and meaning to turn his present good hap to changeable & futer ill fortune, wilfully cast a precious Ring of gold having 〈◊〉 Pearl in it of inestimable value into the waves thereof, which a hungry fish snapped up the same in stead of other feeding, which being presently taken with Fishermen & presented into the Kichin of Pollicrates for her singular rareness: the Cook ●●pping the belly unawares found this Ring, took it and delivered it to his master. Although Pollicrates did now ride on the top of Fortune's whéel, yet at the last the whéel turned and he had a great fall, for in the wars which were between him and Darius King of the Pertians, Orantes the chief Captain or Lieutenant of Darius took him prisoner, & after most painful and terrible torments: caused him to be hung upon a gibbet upon the top of a stéep hill, or mighty mountain. O blind & unstable fortune. Had it not been better for Pollicrates now and then to have tasted some of thy sour sops of sorrow, and sometimes to have drunk of the bitter drink of Adversity then altogether in his bravest jollity not only to loose his kingdom but also his dear life in most shameful manner? As thou then deltst with him: so since thou hast used others thy guests in like sort.  
But yet you think that gold can redéem you from greet, Silver from sorrow, and deeds from Death, not I tell you they are rather means to hasten your dispatch, then to linger your delay. For (as Bion reporteth) Arristippus a very wise Philosopher had a Servant who was over charged with the weight and charge of his masters money, therefore bidden by his master to cast away the overplus and carry that which he might with his ease, which done: Aristippus happening to be on the Sea with Pirates threw all his Gold and Silver into the waves thereof, saying: better it were that all this gear be thrown away by Aristippus then Aristippus by them: meaning that the keeping of the money might procure him a dismal day he being in the company of such false and feigned friends.  
Not much unlike to this I find (as the worthy Poets record in their most sacred Verses,) how Arion the excellent and cunning Musician, who for to increase his knowledge in foreign countries, and to augment his estate in gathering gold, for sook Lesbos his own native soil and Country, and sailing into Scicile remained there a season, from thence he traveled into Italy, where having got his wished desire of gain, and pretending to pass to Corinth being a Ship board in most safety as he thought with his own country men, they understanding what riches he had: sought by all means privily how to slay him: but he perceiving their intent: desired of them to take his gold and other treasures and save his life, which they would not agree unto, but granted him that he should throw himself into the waves of the Sea headlong and so stop his breath for that he should not bewray their mischievous Act of Robbery, wherefore with abundance of tears: he requested the Mariners, nay rather. thieves and Pirates (for no other term can I better give than) to grant him his lamentable Lute and eke his mourning Robe, which being obtained, he sung to his solemn Lute a sorry song, and so amidst the surging Sea did see the face of Death yet being alive. But for all that he was delivered by the help of a Dolphin fish who presently received him on her back and most safely conveyed him a shore when he least looked for any such matter.  
I remember that the renowned Poet Maro in his Eneidos of the destruction of the famous City of Troy writeth how the ancient and wise King Priamus fearing jest the mighty Greeks should overthrow and utterly destroy all the regal blood and Issue there: sent his yungest son Pollidorus to his cozen Pollimnestor being a King, having a great some of Gold with him to minister unto the Infant necessaries. Polimnestor made much of Pollidorus so long as his Father Priamus lived, but he being dead: the cruel Tyrant for the greediness of his gold, slew him most unnaturally to his shame, dishonour, reproach, and perpetual infamy. Wherein we may perceive what little save guard is in golden riches, & how unstable fortune is, sometimes fawning, sometimes frowning, sometime content, sometimes displeased, and lastly the little love of feigned friends & unkind kinsmen for their private profit how it is soon forgotten and ended, so that we may well think, it is better to rest from our Labours then with pain continually to toil against nature, the common misery, the unknown pains, the pinching penury, the sobbings, the sorowing the travelings, the toilings, the sour Bread of heaviness, the bitter drink of carefulness, the afflictions, as imprisonment, dearth, Fire and sword, which before our eyes we ruefully do behold, the innocent oppressed, the poor man persecuted, the rich man regarded, Falsehood favoured, Truth neglected & all goodness quite devoured, doth or may drive us to think the happy and thrice happy is he that hath passed this laboursome Labyrinth in the paths of Virtue, goodness & honesty, and come to the happy Haven of rest & quietness which is through Death the disoluere of man's misery. For what other thing means the Poets when they paint out Ulysses, tedious troubles, his perilous passages, sometimes lighting on Poliphemus a terrible Giant ready to devour him, sometimes on the wanton Dame Calypso ready to allure him, otherwhiles passing by the shores where the subtle Sirens were ready to drown his Bark by the enchantment of their marvelous Melody, for the resisting whereof (being governed by the grave advice of prudent Pallas) he was feign to stop his ears with wax, to bind himself to the Mast of the ship & to feed of the sweet herb Molie which was given him by Mercury to avoid all the incantations of Circe, with the rest of like treachery? Nothing I say but to paint out unto us (as in a glass) that Man is a mirror of misery, subject to many hard adventures, and in danger of many perils: Satan our old Enemy ready to pray on us if our own mighty captain Christ were not (in our distresses) ready to defend us against his subtle assaults, without all doubt we should soon become Bondslaves to all sin and iniquity, the wanton Allurements and wicked enticements of Dame Pleasures with her mincing mates are so dressed up in gallant bravery as hardly can we save our Barks and bodies from drowning in the waves and works of wicked vanity, were it not that our great God jehovah the heavenly wisdom by his good Counsel doth give us Virtuous Precepts of good living to the contrary. I cannot forget the notable misfortunes and evil chances of Oedipus (written by Euripides) in slaying his Father Laius marrying his own Mother jocasta of whom he begat his two infortunate sons Polynices and Eteocles, who after the Citizens of Thebes had exiled their Father: fell in contention one with another for the seat of government. For the grief of these former wickedness Oedipus plucked out his own eyes and become an exile, and would often if his Daughter Antigone had not hindered him with glistering blade wrought his own final destruction, but he often wished to die in vain, yet at the last he was with a flame of lightning from heaven suddenly strooken to death. The meaning as we may partly gather by sense & reason is, that the wickedness of our desires in Venus devilish delights are so great that (for the attaining thereof) we will not let to murder our Parents, kinsmen & friends yea & then to marry in our own blood and consanguinity, whereupon it comes to pass that our offspring, our children or sun of them througth the sin of the Parents violently and with all rigour seek by all means to percecute one another, yea even to Death. All which detestable dealings being seen of the thundering jupiter: he of his mercy striketh us unawares with his Rod of correction and whippeth us with his scourge of Vengeance by lightnings, thunderings, earthquakes, Tempests, strange noises, rumours of wars, visions, inundations of waters, Pestilences, new and strange diseases called Gentle warnings, and sometime sudden Death to the'nd we might repent us of our sin and be the more readier when awful Atropos shall with her deadly dart summon us before the great and terrible judge, either to our salvation if we repent and amend: or else to our condemnation if we live and die without repentance. Now what is the life of man whereof he so much boasteth? I will answer partly with Arristotle, the pray of Time, the play of Fortune, the image of unconstancy, the slave of Envy, the sea of worldly calamity: a fading flower, a bubble of water, a blast of wind, a fleeting shadow, a smothering smoke, a peevish pilgrimage: a slumbering sleep (which as grave Homer termeth it) is the brother of Death, a Stage play the Acts whereof are uncertain and the length before we come to the Catastrop or end of our Comical action is enforced with infinite mischiefs, the relefer where of is doleful Death that invincible Champion. For even as he which saileth on the Sea by wind, time, and tides whether he be sitting or standing, lying or going, sleeping or waking at last (all perils passed:) entereth the wished port of safety. So the life of man by course of age and years will he nil he (how soever he spend his tickled time:) continually is carried to the end of his painful days, and to the finishing of his careful course to the happy harborough of eternal life, for as life flieth a way with the wings of time: so Death draweth on with the feet of age. But forasmuch (as Enius thinketh) that that Death is not to be lamented the which immortal Fame followeth. Therefore he which hath sung much is not the best Musician, nor he that hath governed the Ship longest is the perfetest Pilot, nor he that hath been longest at the University is the best student: but he which hath done it the soon, quickliest, and perfectest. So to knit up in brief (if already I have not been to tedious) I will end saying that not he which liveth longest is most blessedest because of his silver heres and long time: but he which hath lived well and soonst trod his footsteps in the path of Virtue, and died an honourable Death, is the man that may be accounted most hapyest.  
Death dissolveth Dollars.  

The Authors muse upon this life in manner of a Ditty.  
I Musing in my mestive mind,  
of this vain fleeting life:  
By perfect proof this do I find,  
'tis nothing else but strife.  
Which when I see the pinching, pain  
wherewith poor men are priest:  
I deem him happiest that hath this gain,  
by Christ eternal rest.  
For here I see our cares abound,  
and sorrows still increase:  
And never lin till under ground,  
our corpse do lie at ease.  
Our labour then is ended sure,  
and blessedst is that wight.  
That greatest griefs did here endure,  
and led a life most right.  
For here such spitefulness doth rain,  
such swelling Pride aloft:  
Such seeking all for worldly gain.  
such sin so dearly bought.  
Such carking cares to keep this life,  
in bravest port and Fame:  
Such seeking still for pleasures rife,  
such follies fond and vain.  
Such breaking sleeps, such tugging toil,  
such watchings and such wiles:  
Such seeking one of other's foil,  
such tears of Crocodiles.  
Such laying traps for th'innocent,  
such seeking of his blood:  
Such subtlety, when truth is meant,  
such ill, such little good.  
Such working woe to harmless hearts,  
such cloaking Vice and sin:  
Such playing of most cruel parts,  
such lusts our lives are in.  
Such framing of sweet hunnyed talk,  
such luring of the wicked will:  
Such going wrong, that few right walk,  
such sights the soul to spill.  
Such jealous fits, such frantic parts,  
such anger all for naught:  
Such close deseits in hollow hearts,  
such secret mischiefs wrought.  
Such facing of fine forged tales,  
such swearing all for pence:  
Such falsehood both in weights and scales,  
such saving of expense.  
Such little hospitality used,  
such pinching of the poor:  
Such forcing them to be abused,  
such Vice done every ower.  
Such haunting of vile Venus' trulls,  
such brawling for their cause:  
Such cutting, slashing, knocking skulls,  
such breaking of the laws.  
Such Avarice in every man,  
such Usury out of measure:  
Such tossing of Liaeus Can,  
such spending of their treasure.  
Such biting with malicious tongues,  
such scoffing at the wise:  
Such slothfulness, such open wrongs,  
such storms do still arise.  
As when I think upon this life,  
which nothing is (I say:)  
But only cares and mortal strife,  
and smoke that flies away.  
Then happy ten times blest is he,  
whose ruthful race is run:  
And doth enjoy Felicity,  
when all his cares are done.  
Which mighty jove grant us I pray  
The true Felicity:  
That we may at our ending day,  
Receive his great glory.  
And that likewise here in this vale,  
of sorrows and of moan:  
We may enjoy without ten fail,  
heavens bliss when life is gone.  
Our gracious Queen Elizabeth,  
do keep O Lord we pray:  
In glorious pomp, and after Death,  
in joys that rest she may.  
Amen.  
Life is strife.   

His praise of Virtue, Felicity, and jentillytie. To the courteous and gentle Reder.  
THese simple lines which here I written have  
Declare the force of virtues good effect:  
(Good Reader) bear with rudeness mine I crave,  
For here thereby no man I will detect.  
Uprightly judge and then I need not fear:  
But thou with it in friendly sort wilt bear.  
judge justly,   

In praise of Virtue. Virtue only bringeth Felicity.  
ALthough Apollo's filled phrase,  
and Pallas learned skill:  
Within my breast took never place,  
to feed my muse at wil  
Yet I like Pan in rural rhythm,  
for good will that I bear:  
Unto the race of Gentlemen,  
will wright as shall appear.  
It is not Fame ne flattering force,  
ne hoards of heaped gold:  
But only Virtue forceth me,  
this sentence to unfold.  
Dame Virtue she that heavenly Queen,  
and Perragon of price:  
Is only 'cause that silly souls,  
to honour do arise.  
She bringeth true felicity,  
and Vice she doth expel:  
She teacheth how to fear the Lord,  
and save thy soul from hell.  
I read a wise Philosopher,  
which Aristotle height:  
In stately style, hath left her force,  
apparent to our sight.  
Saying: that Virtue aptest is,  
to those of youthful race:  
A pleasant thing to ancient men,  
to Rich a goodly grace.  
And to the poor she profit brings,  
advancing him full high:  
For Virtue only is the cause,  
of true Felicity.  
Unnoble men she noble makes,  
and glory is their hap:  
Whose chance is such to take their ease,  
in virtues lulling lap.  
A solace she to woeful wights,  
whom carking cares oppress:  
She brings them perfect Patience,  
and makes their grief seem less.  
Who sows the seeds of Virtue sweet,  
shall reap eternal Fame:  
And true Fame overcometh Death,  
through Virtue this we gain.  
A Sage of Gréece was asked once,  
what thing to man was best:  
Even Virtue (answered he) because,  
in her consists great rest.  
Without the which no good thing may  
once wrought or spoken be:  
For she alone brings perfect bliss,  
and true Felicity.  
Wise Solon told rich Croesus' King,  
it was not flowing wealth:  
Ne strength of men, ne Tagus' sands,  
Ne Galen'S merry health.  
Ne Lordships great, ne honours high,  
ne Pleasures hunnyed bait:  
That happy made his stiffing days,  
his frail and brittle state.  
But if he made a godly end,  
and virtuously did die:  
He, he, it is that knows the use,  
Of true Felicity.  
But now who virtue doth frequent?  
who seeks this virgin pure?  
Even men of basest Parents born,  
whom Honours do allure.  
Minerva joined with Diligence,  
makes many worthy be:  
Because that Virtue gives the light,  
of true Felicity.  
The ancient race of Gentlemen,  
have won their shields of Arms:  
Through Virtue and through valiancy,  
defending Prince from harms.  
But now a days some Gentlemen,  
do give both spear and shield:  
Although indeed they never came,  
in any foughten field.  
Nor yet by Counsel grave at home,  
did profit Common wealth:  
But sought their own utility  
and eke their private health.  
Gold makes the Heralds paint such forth,  
as liketh best their haps:  
Yet Apes are Apes though golden Robes,  
often times be on their backs.  
True Gentlemen of worthy race,  
through Armour, Spear and shield.  
Have won their Arms by dint of sword,  
and push of Pikes in field.  
But now (alas) I must lament,  
that Gentlemen of Fame:  
Let pass their ancient Gentery,  
forgetting clean the same.  
Some scrape up goods by crafty means,  
Some royatly all spend:  
Some through excess of pounsing pride,  
are brought to baleful end.  
By thousand means good Gentlemen,  
are brought to dire decay:  
The reason is, that virtues loare,  
in them doth bear small sway.  
Upstarts contrarily, attend,  
on virtues rayall train:  
From step to step, from grace to grace,  
till honours step they gain.  
'tis better far a mean man born,  
in Virtue to exséed:  
Then one who Vice doth still frequent,  
though Gentle man indeed.  
For nobleness begins in him,  
and in the other die:  
Which doth appear that Virtue brings  
the true Felicity.  
Who now is the true Gentleman?  
even be (as Seneca said)  
Whom Nature with Minerva's skill,  
to virtues lore hath made.  
If any man to praise thou chance,  
because he Gentle is:  
His Parents and his Ancestors,  
thou praisest them iwis.  
It is not Parents progeny,  
(As Ovid doth us tell:)  
But Virtue maketh Gentlemen,  
alone for to excel.  
Wherefore to Gentle men I writ,  
your ancient bloods renew:  
With Virtuous Arts and Gentleness,  
bid filthy Vice adieu.  
And as the names of Gentlemen,  
deservedly you have:  
So frame your lives that you may pass,  
with Virtue hence to grave,  
Let justice mixed with Mercies meed,  
And Wisdom be your guide:  
Richeses contemn, and Pleasures hate,  
from Faith do never slide.  
Pride, Covetousness, Ambition,  
unreverentness likewise:  
Vain glory, Discord, Envy eke,  
at any hand despise.  
Be humble to inferiors,  
and have a lowly heart:  
Then will the common people say,  
a Gentle man thou art.  
Seek learnings deep Philosophy,  
and peace do thou ensue:  
Hate ireful rage and tyranny,  
and Backus bliss eschew.  
So in the end this glorious Gem,  
Dame Virtue will thee give:  
A Garland of Immortal Fame,  
whereby thou ay mayst live.  
For after Death our virtues rains,  
whereby we never die:  
But find that she alone it is,  
brings true Felicity.  Virtue winneth Worship.  

A pretty pamphlet of faithful Friendship.  
THe truthless trust of feigned friends,  
the wayward wily ways:  
The deep deceits of hollow hearts,  
which hap in these our days.  
The silly soul so soon betrayed,  
the Poor man so oppressed:  
That scarce Rich Dives will him give,  
a crumb to be refreshed.  
These things do move my mestive Muse,  
of Friendship to declare:  
That it a Virtue is wherewith,  
no jewel may compare.  
The Spring whereby our life is fed,  
the jewel of our joy:  
The very mean which helps the heart,  
all sorrows to destroy.  
In time of great prosperity,  
a pleasure to the mind:  
A solace in Adversity,  
a faithful Friend we find.  
Fine Tully termed a faithful friend  
to be another I:  
As who should say like to myself,  
in every property.  
A faithful friend is such a one,  
as makes thy sore his smart:  
The pricking of thy finger eke,  
the piercing of his heart.  
Thy misery his mestive move,  
thy pain his present grief:  
Thy sorrow sour his hateful hap,  
thy health his sole relief.  
In doubtful dangers thou shalt find,  
that he will do thee good:  
And for thy sake not stint at all,  
to spend both life and blood.  
He sticketh fast at all assays,  
mischances him approve:  
To be of trusty Troilus kind,  
in friendship and in love.  
It's he who absent seems to be,  
in presence every hour:  
Yea dead, alive and all this springs,  
through this most fragrant flower.  
The very mean whereof doth move,  
the fierce Barbarians mind:  
In misery above all wealth,  
a faithful friend we find.  
It is not flashing flames of fire,  
his friendship may restrain:  
Ne Midas muck, no Irus grief,  
ne bliss ne pinching pain.  
But like the purest Frankincense,  
which yieldeth forth a smell:  
●ore sweeter in the flame then out  
experience this doth tell.  
●r as the golden Glass worm shines,  
most brightest in the night:  
●e misery tries faithful friend,  
to be a trusty wight.  
●r not unlike the redolent Rose,  
of dulsed Dammask kind:  
Which sweeter is in still then stalk,  
as we by proof do find.  
●●thagoras did once pronounce,  
that Friendship love doth bind  
●nd in two bodies fast conjoin,  
an equallnesse of mind.  
●he Poet Empedocles said,  
that all things firm did stand:  
●ea all the world and all therein,  
uphold by friendship's hand,  
●●gratitude neglecting love,  
and Friendship put to flight:  
●his follows then an end of all,  
life is dissolved quite.  
virtue begets this jewel rare,  
and it conserves always:  
〈◊〉 very friendship Virtue is,  
(as Aristotle says.)  
〈◊〉 such a League as neither time,  
●y péecemele may divide:  
Nor Fancies fond affects nor fraud,  
infringe at any tide.  
A Friend will hazard life and limbs,  
yea goods yea wealth and all:  
Ere that he see his friend take harm,  
in danger dire to fall.  
Of Damon's love to Pythias,  
example is lose to us:  
Of Nisus and Euriolus love,  
the Poet doth discuss.  
To Gysippus his friend did prove.  
a trusty Titus true:  
And Theseus to Pirotheus,  
like friendship did ensue.  
Wise Scipio and Lelius,  
in friendship did excel:  
And Palemon with Crates eke,  
for friendship bore the bell.  
The love of friendly Lincius,  
(josephus writeth plain:)  
Unto his dear Artorius,  
to their eternal fame.  
And jonathas saved David's life,  
in sacred writ we find:  
So that no jewel here on earth,  
is like a friendly mind.  
It is not strength of mighty men,  
that friendship doth obtain:  
●●e heaps of Gold, but faithfulness,  
and kindness it doth gain.  
kindness annexed with Gentle deeds,  
true friendship doth inflame:  
●nd loyal loves fidelity,  
doth still increase the same.  
The likeliness of manners makes,  
conjunction of the mind:  
●nd Virtue joined with honesty,  
true friendship firm doth bind.  
●ike will to like (the Proverb saith,)  
the Turtle loves her make:  
●nd mourns till death for want of féehr,  
and all for friendship's sake.  
But hot love soon is could (some say,)  
the sequel is too true:  
●nd fair words makes fools feign,  
which always doth ensue.  
The purest wine makes Vinagre,  
to be of sharpest kind:  
●nd deepest love to deadliest hate,  
is often changed we find.  
True trial proveth trustiness,  
in trust is treason found:  
Who climbs upon a rotten bough,  
may catch a fatal wound.  
For in adversity we see,  
the flattering faithless fiend:  
To start a side and here us make,  
in misery our end.  
As Swallows comes in summer time,  
when pleasures grow full green:  
But when the winter's rage comes on,  
are no where to be seen.  
So feigned friends when wealth a bounds  
will speak what we do say:  
But when as Fortune frowns on us,  
they quite do flee away.  
Then are they like the be which hath,  
the honey sweet by kind:  
Within her mouth, but yet she bears,  
a smarting sting be hind.  
For as they erst with sugared words,  
did promise' golden grapes:  
So now their Tippets clean they turn,  
and leave us in the brakes.  
In fellowship lies falsehood hid,  
and fraud in friendly looks:  
And under sweet and hunnied baits,  
do lurk the harmful hooks.  
An painted pots sweet poison is,  
whereby our bane doth rise:  
In clearest stream the ugliest Toad,  
in grass the Serpent lies.  
The filthy rotten bones some time,  
in curious grave we find:  
●nd in a judas kiss there lies,  
a privy galling mind.  
Like Siren with her silver songs,  
whose notes do often allure:  
The silly ship man to the sands,  
his death for to procure.  
Or as the Crocodile who yields,  
a sorry solemn sound:  
Till she have brought the wailing wight,  
lie sprawling on the ground.  
The Spider weaves a curious web,  
the silly Fly to wile:  
The wolf doth wear a smiling face,  
the Lamb for to beguile.  
The Panther's breath doth sweetest smell,  
when pray she doth ensue:  
I friendly face means falsest faith,  
experience is to true.  
In friendship all that seems to shine,  
it is not purest Gold:  
Nor every word is Gospel sure,  
which Friars have us told.  
〈◊〉 Leaden Dagger often is found,  
with in a golden sheath:  
And sure a flattering faithless friend,  
doth bring us present death.  
●n extreme need when Fortune faites,  
few friends a man shall find:  
But then like to the Réed they shake,  
with every blast of wind.  
In Prison if thou chance to lie,  
when worldly wealth doth fail:  
My Skin is nearer than my Shirt,  
this sure will be their tale.  
Wherefore if I may Counsel give,  
I wish thee to take heed:  
Of him who bears a knife to kill,  
yet wears a fréednly weed.  
Let no fair words dim perfect sight,  
but carefully beware:  
Full sweetly doth the Fouler sing,  
to catch the Bird in snare.  
Be sure whom as thou mindst to make,  
to be thy faithful friend:  
Thou eat a peck of salt with him,  
and thus I make an end.  
No fraud to feigned friendship. qd. Leonard Staveley.   

¶ The censure of a friend concerning the former Verses.  

SIth friendships lore you do commend,  
accounting it a jewel rare:  
And that so highly you extend,  
such praise as nothing may compare.  
Unto the same (so much of price:)  
and trust me, I like your device.   

Indeed firm friendship now a days,  
is very geason I speak plain:  
For sycophants devise still ways,  
falsely to flatter, fleer and feign.  
For deep dissembling now doth rest:  
doubtless almost in every breast.   

But what mean I to speak so blunt,  
as to condemn in general?  
Although some faithless friends be wunt,  
to have disembling at their call.  
Yet some do hap on such a friend:  
as faithful bides until the end.   
Praise after proof. Quoth james Yates.