PASQVILS Pass, and passeth not. Set down in three Pees. His 

Pass,  
Precession, and  
Prognostication.    
LONDON Printed by V.S. for john Smithicke, and are to be sold at his shop within Temple Bar. 1600.   

To my very loving and undeserved good friend M. Griffin Pen, upon his hearts true worthiness shine the Sun of highest happiness.  
THe countenance of a Landlord, makes a poor Tenant half a King, and simple men are no fools, that follow the shadow of a little honour: for myself, I am of none of these Sects: for I esteem more of the kindness of a good spirit, than of fair words, that bewitch Ignorance; yet I reverence Honour, and love Virtue, but finding myself unworthy the favour of great ones, and yet not willing to look among the too little, I will love where I find cause, & deserve where I find love: in which sense, entreating you, in the fore rank of my affection, to march with your kind friend M. Conquest: I commend to the good leisure of of your patience, the perusing of this little pamphlet, divided into three pees: a Pass, a Precession, and a Prognostication: Pasquil gave them to me, to deliver unto you, which with his further service shall be further at your commandment: and for myself how well I love you I will not tell you, till your commandment make me happy in your employment, & so wishing both in the work, & my will, a more worthiness of your kindness, I rest:  
Yours affectionately to command, N. B.   

To the Reader.  
PAsquill commends him to all that love him, to whom he gives to understand, that after his pains taken in his Madcappe, and his Fooles-cappe, laying them both aside, thinking to take a little rest, got him his Nightcap, under which, in steed of sleep, many idle humours came in his head, which troubling his little stayed brain, would not let him be at quiet, till he had committed them to the custody of pen, and ink, and paper, which having set down somewhat to his own contentment, he hath in divers Copies sent abroad to all such as will pay for the writing, or else, I should rather say, for the printing which I think be better cheap: to tell you what he doth entreat of, were needless, when it followeth near at hand: and therefore only thus much I will tell you, having passed through many strange courses, and finding little or nothing so pleasing, but tasted like a bitter sweet, upon a sudden fell upon, Good Lord deliver us, and so continuing of his Precession as long as he thought good, growing weary of his life, fell to dream of Doomsday: but lest I prove tedious, I will turn you to that you shall read if it shall please you, and consider of it as it shall like you, and so for this time I leave you.  
Your friend Pasquil.   

Pasquil to Morphorius.  
MOrphorius, I promised thee a Pass, which here I have sent thee, hoping in the like kindness ere long to hear from thee: in the mean time, let me tell thee, that for our parts, we have little joy to look for in this world: fools do not understand us, and knaves do but abuse us, the wealthy love us not, and the poor can do us no good: honesty is ill for thriving; and yet the wisdom of the world being foolishness before God, I know not what to say: but for that the time of our life is short in this world; let us leave vanity, and fall to some virtuous courses and yet, because I will not at this time trouble thee too much with the Scripture, I will leave thee to read what I have scribbled: and so end in some haste.  
Thine, Pasquil.   

PASQVILS Pass  

HE that desires from danger safe to pass  
Along the world, his woeful wretched days,  
And would behold (as in a looking glass)  
The blocks and stops, and such unhappy stays,  
As cross a thousand in their very ways:  
Let him but creep as I have learned to go,  
And tell me if it do him good or no.   

He that will pass near to a Prince's Court,  
Let him take heed his tongue break not his neck,  
Nor mate himself among the Noble sort,  
Lest proud presumption have too sore a check,  
Nor bend his will, to every wantoness beck:  
But watch good fortunes, when they kindly fall,  
And then pass on, and have no fear at all.   

But, if a f●ce of brass will be too bold,  
Or like a sheeps head shun good company,  
Or of complexion be too chilling cold,  
Or fiery hot upon an agony,  
Or much inclined to any villainy,  
Or for his wit, join issue with an ass,  
He hath no warrant near the Court to pass.   

He that will pass before a judgement seat,  
Let him take heed his case be good and clear,  
Lest, when that Truth doth of the matter treat,  
A heedless will do buy repentance dear:  
While cost ill lost doth breed but heavy cheer:  
But let him chiefly carry a good purse,  
And then be sure to pass on ne'er the worse.   

But if he come with an uncertainty,  
And think a curtsy will excuse a fee,  
In hope that Law in Pities charity,  
Will always give the right where it should be,  
Let him learn this probatum rule of me,  
That Truth and Wealth do very much in law,  
While beggar Falsehood is not worth a straw.   

He that will pass into a warlike field,  
Let him not be too rash, nor yet too slow,  
Not frantic fight, nor like a coward yield,  
But with discretion so his valour show,  
That fame may grace him where e'er he go:  
Lest heedless will do show when he is slain,  
He may pass thither, but not back again.   

He that will pass into a Merchant's book,  
Let him take heed how to discharge the debt,  
Lest when that Kindness doth for Patience look,  
He be so tangled in a Statute net,  
That he be so with cunning tricks beset,  
That to the Counter he do pass so fast,  
As he can scarce pass back again in haste.   

He that will pass into a Lady's eyes,  
And in her hands will leave his little heart,  
And yet with all his wit, is not so wise,  
As to discern the sleight of Venus' Art,  
In giving of the Fooles-Cap by desert:  
Let him go better set his wits to school,  
Or else be sure to pass for a good fool.   

He that will pass into the Holy land,  
Let him be grounded in the rules of grace,  
And be assured that he doth understand,  
What is the truth that falsehood may deface,  
Lest when that Wisdom Follie doth displace,  
And Learning's Court break up, and all are gone,  
He pass but for a simple blind sir Ihon.   

He that will pass into a Clowns conceit,  
Let him take heed● be know a clouted shoe,  
Lest he be cozened with a close deceit:  
When silly Fools know not what Knaves can do,  
With, Yea, and Nay, to bring an Idiot to:  
But if he kindly know Clim of the Clough,  
Then let him pass, he shall do well enough.   

He that will pass into an Ordinary,  
Let him take heed to deal with cards and dice,  
Lest whatsoever money in he carry,  
Ere he beware he lose it with a trice,  
And all too late repentance learn the price,  
To know how he that passeth in purse-full,  
And goes out empty, passeth for a Gull.   

He that desires to pass unto the seas,  
Let him take heed his ship be good and tied,  
Let him provide for all things for his ease,  
And to withstand both wind and weathers spite,  
And by his Compass keep his course aright:  
Be wary of the shelves, the rocks, and sands,  
And fall not rashly into pirates hands.   

But if he pass within a leaking ship,  
Ill victualld, and worse furnished for defence,  
And think a thousand leagues is but a skip,  
And by the want of wits experience,  
Provide for nothing that may shun offence:  
Such one may happen well to pass from shore▪  
But once at sea, may pass to land no more.   

But he that seeks to pass by sea or land,  
To Court, or Country, for his best avail,  
Let him thus much for certain understand,  
That if his purse the better not prevail,  
His fortune will in many courses fail:  
For a good purse will make a man to pass,  
To many places where he never was.   

But if (alas) he he pass purse penniless,  
In this vile world he shall have little grace,  
But with a heavy heart all comfortless,  
Among the Beggars take a sorry place:  
Oh this same Gold hath such a glorious face,  
That in false Angels, he that heeds not well,  
Will headlong pass his wicked soul to hell.   

But, he that fain would pass to Paradise,  
Must learn to pass from all these worldly pleasures,  
For unto heaven what heart can pass his eyes,  
That is entangled in this world's treasure?  
No, where the World hath on the Soul made seizure,  
As hardly it can pass to heaven on high,  
As can a Camel through a Needle's eye.   

Then do not pass the bounds of honesty,  
Of wit, of reason, nor of amity.  
Of law, of justice nor of equity,  
Nor the true grounds of truths divinity:  
But in the worship of the Trinity,  
Humble thy soul unto the Deity,  
And pass unto the heavens felicity.    

PASQVILS Precession.  

A Loggerheaded ass that hath no wit,  
A rascal knave that hath no honesty,  
A foul il favoured filthy baggage Tit,  
A wicked judge that hath no equity,  
And a rich man that hath no charity,  
A faithless friend, and from a fruitless tree,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A graceless child, and an unquiet wife,  
An idle servant, and a privy thief,  
A long delay, and an ungodly life,  
A helpless care, and a consuming grief,  
And from despair that never finds relief,  
And from the drone that robs the honey be,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A proud companion, and a prating jack;  
A cogging merchant and a careless debtor,  
A queasy stomach, and a broken sack,  
A filthy hand, and an ill-favoured letter,  
And an ill mind that means to be no better,  
And from a bribe instead of a due fee,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A blind physician, and a sluttish cook,  
Unwholesome porridge, and unsavoury bread,  
A babish story, and a foolish book,  
A baggige humour, and a beetle head,  
A smoky chamber, and a lousy bed:  
And from such neighbours as cannot agree,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A Tyrant prince, and a rebellious subject,  
A bloody soldier, and a coward leader,  
An Owls eyesight and an ugly object,  
An obscure line, and an unlearned Reader,  
A sergeant, iailour, hangman, and beheader,  
And from the fruit of the three cornered tree,  
Good Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A resty hackney, and a dirty way,  
A stormy tempest, and a leaking ship,  
An idle quarrel, and a drunken f●ay,  
A dogged quean that ever hangs the lip,  
A jade that will not stir without a whip,  
A blinded eye that can nor will not see,  
From these the Lord of heau●n deliver me.   

A lazy housewife and a hatkney Gill,  
A crooked finger, and a cramped foot,  
A hasty wit, and an unbridled will,  
A broken shoe, and an ill favoured boot,  
A poisoning weed, and an unwholesome root,  
And from the buzzing of the humble Bees,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

A mouth that slavers, and a stinking breath,  
A crafty cripple, and a sullen quean,  
A stinking puddle, and a moorish heath,  
A dog that is too fat, a horse too lean,  
A maid that will not keep her dairy clean,  
A blow upon the elbow, and the knee,  
From each of these the Lord deliver me.   

A fleering laughter, and a faithless heart,  
A creeping curtsy, and a cankered mind,  
An idle study, and a needless art,  
A Northern tempest, and an Eastern wind,  
And from a Curte, that bites a man behind.  
And from a Glass of an ilfavoured blee,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

To keep too long among ungodly people,  
To fit mine humour unto every fashion▪  
To seek to build a house upon Paul's Steeple,  
To dwell too long upon a peevish fashion,  
To follow ill, and hate a reformation,  
To learn the rules where such ill lessons be,  
From all such trifles, the Lord deliver me.   

To make an idol of a painted face,  
And to attend upon a golden ass,  
To seek to do the honest mind disgrace,  
And bring a kind of wicked world to pass,  
Or seek to brave it with a face of brass:  
To leap the Thames, or climb a rotten tree,  
From all such trifles, the Lord deliver me.   

From standing too much in mine own conceit▪  
And giving credit unto every tale,  
From being caught with every foolish bait,  
From setting of my credit all to sale,  
From leaving of a nut to take a shalt,  
From the poor line of the fools pedigree,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

From fury, franzie, and imprisonment,  
From fine Maid Marian and her Morris dance,  
From the deserving of due punishment,  
From bond, from statute, and recognizance,  
From trusting too much unto fickle chance,  
From unkind brothers that cannot agree,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

From taking pleasure in a villainy,  
From careless hearing of a sound advise,  
From sorting with the wicked company,  
From setting virtue at too low a price,  
From losing too much coin at cards and dice,  
From being bound till folly make me free,  
The Lord of heaven and earth deliver me.   

From laying plots for to abuse a friend,  
From being by a cunning knave beguiled,  
From working humours to a wicked end,  
From getting of a filthy whore with child,  
From dwelling in a house that is untilde,  
From surfeiting within a cherry tree,  
From all such toys, good Lord deliver me.   

From a conspiracy of wicked knaves,  
A flight of buzzards, and a den of thieves,  
A knot of villains, and a crew of slaves,  
And from the patches on the beggar's sleeves,  
And from the spoil that gracious spirits grieves,  
And from the fool can neither thrive nor thee,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From the illusions of the filthy devil,  
From too much hunting after worldly pleasure,  
And from delighting in an inward evil,  
And too much loving of this worldly treasure,  
And from taking level by unlawful measure▪  
And from the babies foolish A, B, C,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

To think to wash an Ethiopan white,  
To love too long, and not be loved again,  
To do him wrong that always doth me right,  
To play the knave with him that meaneth plain,  
And to continue in so v●le a vain,  
From all such notes where such instructions be.  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

An old blind cat that cannot catch a mouse,  
A flinging curtal, and a kicking mare,  
A wife that never loves to keep her house,  
A lazy hound that will not hunt a hare,  
The shame that falls out with the beggar's share,  
And from the fool that will good fortune flee,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From all infections both of soul and body,  
And from the cureless crosses of the mind,  
From being too much inward with a noddy:  
Or to a brother or a friend unkind,  
Or changing humours hourly with the wind,  
From an ill fruit of an accursed tree,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From making bargains till I live by loss,  
And hoarding come to eat into my heart,  
To walk the Woodcock to the Beggars cross,  
Or to be scholar at the devils art,  
To hurt my soul with an infernal smart:  
From all such humours where such errors be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From beating of my brains about a babble,  
From thinking of no end ere I begin,  
From giving ear unto an idle fable:  
And posting journeys for a pudding's skin,  
And losing all while other men do win:  
From eating apples upon A dams tree,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

A rainy evening, and a foggy morn,  
A barren ground, and an unkindly year,  
A nitty hair, a garment over worn,  
A market town where all things are too dear,  
A churls bare table without bread or beer,  
The woeful issue of a judas fee,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From resty bacon, and ill salted beef,  
From raw sodde cunger, and ill roasted eels,  
From a quick wit, that hath his tongue too brief,  
And from the blains, and kibes upon my heels,  
And from a madding wit, that runs on wheels,  
From all such rules as out of order be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From a delight in hunting after news,  
Or loving idle tales of Robin Hood,  
And from too much frequenting of the stews,  
Or venturing far but for a little good,  
And take a puddle for a princely flood,  
From such blind jests as best with fools agree,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

To slander Honour, Virtue to disgrace,  
Offend Discretion, Learning to abuse,  
Good labours envy, and their worth deface:  
To follow folly, wisdom to refuse:  
To leave the best, and all the worst to choose,  
To every Ass to give the cap and knee,  
From all such errors Lord deliver me.   

From writing libels against men of state,  
And medlnig with matters above myself,  
Where I am loved, to give just cause of hate,  
Or to be busy with a monkey elf,  
Or careless run my ship upon a shelf:  
From such ill courses, where no good I see,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From losing too much time in making love,  
From trusting to an idle humoured dream:  
From spending too much money how to prove,  
To make a boat to overgo the stream,  
To kill myself to purge a little phlegm:  
From such odd veins where such devices be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From a proud woodcock, and a peevish wife,  
A sleepy maiden, and a wanton hag,  
A pointless needle, and a broken knife:  
A house unfurnished, and an empty bag,  
A fiddling baggige, and a wicked wag:  
And from the woods where wolves and foxes be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

The French Verola, and the English fever,  
The Irish ague, and the Spanish pip,  
The lungs consumption, and the rotten liver,  
The cursed fall into a felons trip,  
And from the ladder by the rope to skip,  
Where execution makes the fatal tree,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

To dive into a pocket for a purse,  
Or steal a horse out of a pasture field,  
To love to swear and lie, and ban and curse,  
And stubbornly to no good counsel yield:  
But under fortune all my forces shield,  
From all such rules where reasons ruins be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From cozening of myself with too much kindness,  
From slipping fortune when it doth befall me,  
From being led by wilful reasons blindness,  
And keeping back when fortune seems to call me,  
From all such passions as may so appall me,  
Where blinded eyes cannot their blessings see,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

To be commanded by a currish mind,  
And to, be flattered by a foolish knave:  
And to be crossed by a wicked wind,  
And to be followed with a filthy slave,  
And to be harboured in a hellish cave:  
From such ill courses▪ where such crosses be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From thriftless spending, and from fruitless pains,  
From senseless studies, and from graceless deeds,  
From helpless torments, and from witless veins,  
And from all those follies, that such humours feeds,  
And from the sin that endless sorrow breeds,  
And from all spots in my fowl soul to see,  
Oh blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

A moth that eats into the finest cloth,  
A wicked worm that hath a deadly sting,  
A poisoned potion, with a sugared froth,  
A wicked charm, within a devils Ring:  
And from the sirens when they fall to sing:  
From such ill creatures as so cursed be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

A mouse within a dainty piece of cheese,  
A nest of rats within a linen chest,  
A snake within a hive of honey Bees,  
A wolf that eats into a wounded breast,  
And from his curse that never can be blest:  
From all such ill, wherein no good can be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From an old kow that kicketh down her milk,  
And a young colt, that will his rider cast,  
From a thieves halter, though it be of silk:  
And from a dial that doth go too fast,  
And from a pardon when the pain is past,  
And from confession under Tyburn tree,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From too long hoping after dead men's shoes,  
And from betraying of an honest trust,  
From lack of care, either to gain or lose,  
And from a conscience that may prove unjust,  
And from a wicked and unlawful lust:  
From all such courses where no comforts be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From a stale piece of flesh that is twice sodden,  
And from a blood raw roasted piece of beef,  
And from a craven hen that is crow trodden,  
And from a bawd, a whore, a rogue, a thief,  
And from home-taking an hearts inward grief,  
And from the ill wherein no good can be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From blindness, lameness, deafness, cramps, and stitches,  
And from the gout, the colic and the stone,  
And from enchanting charms of wicked witches,  
From coughs, and rheums, and aches in the bone,  
And from the grief of love to live alone:  
And from all agues whatsoe'er they be,  
The blessed Lord of heaven deliver me.   

From the forsaking of the word of God,  
To follow idle humoured fopperies,  
To scorn the scourging of the heavenly rod,  
From doing of myself such injuries,  
To bring my soul into such miseries,  
And from all sin within my soul to see,  
The gracious God of heaven deliver me.   

When I am old, and sick, and lame and poor,  
And crucified a thousand sundry ways,  
And death begins to open my fatal door,  
To call me home from my unhappy days,  
And all my passions then must end their plays,  
Then from all evil, and both now and then,  
The Lord of heaven deliver me, Amen.    

PASQVILS Prognostication  

WHen that a churl doth grow so prodigal,  
He cares not how he throw away his coin,  
And a wise man grows so fantastical,  
As with a fool will for his counsel join,  
And that a Fencer lays away his foin,  
And a young spendthrift falls to purchase land,  
I fear that dooms day will be hard at hand.   

When that a Lawyer leaves to take a fee.  
And that a trades man will not sell for gain,  
When every judge will so indifferent be,  
Even as he sees to show the matter plain,  
When that the world is grown to such a vain,  
My Muse doth fear in her best aiming marks,  
The sky will fall, and then we shall have Larks.   

When humbleness is praised, and pride abated,  
Virtue is honoured, and foul vice defaced,  
Goodness beloved, wickedness is hated,  
Wisdom advanced, folly is displaced,  
Truth is esteemed and falsehood is disgraced,  
The rich men give their treasure to the poor,  
I fear me dooms day will be at the door.   

When filthy Dowdes will leave to paint their faces,  
And lack an Apes leave jetting like a man,  
And Broker's debtor fear no Sergeants maces,  
Nor Geese will take the river with the Swan,  
Nor greedy turne-spittes lick the dripping pan:  
Nor that a knave will give a fool the scoff,  
I fear me dooms day will not be far off.   

When giddy heads lay by their idle humours,  
And wicked wits will leave their villainy,  
And graceless tongues will cease uncivil Rumours,  
And young men follow no ill company,  
Nor maids be sick of the sweet Tympany:  
But constant hearts for very love will die,  
I fear me dooms day then will be too nigh.   

When idle lovers leave for to dissemble,  
And faithful friends are worthily regarded,  
And virtues beauty doth the sun resemble,  
While cloudy mists are utterly dissuaded,  
And careful service kindly is rewarded,  
While honour lives, where love can never die,  
I fear me dooms day will be very nigh.   

When old men live till they be young again,  
And young men fall in age before their time,  
When Poets Muses leave to frump and feign,  
And blossoms lose the beauty of their prime,  
And no man falls that takes in hand to climb,  
And he that may be rich will needs be poor,  
I fear me dooms day than is at the door.   

When that a beggar braves it with a King,  
And that a coward puts a soldier down,  
And that a Wasp is bred without a sting,  
And that a Knight must creep unto a Clown,  
And heart sick Honour falls into a swoon,  
And careful hearts for lack of comfort die,  
I fear me dooms day will be then too nigh.   

When cankered coin a Kingdom may command,  
And many thousands die for one man's ease,  
And that a poor man may not right demand,  
And honest hearts must wicked humours please,  
Till sorrow too much on the soul do cease,  
When thus the world with woe is overgone,  
I fear that dooms day will be coming on.   

When Cocks of game begin to leave their fight,  
And old fools will not with young babbles play,  
The stately Eagle lose her lofty height,  
And wise men fall to keep fools holiday,  
When that the world doth grow to such a stay,  
It makes me fear that much about that year,  
The day of Doom will sure be very near.   

When that the Lion doth begin to roar,  
The wolf to howl, the snarling cur to bark,  
The buzzard Kite too near the sun to soar,  
The Bunting strive to mount above the Lark,  
My Muse doth find in her best aiming mark,  
That near upon that year she fears to see,  
The coming of the day of Doom will be.   

When that a fly upon a galled horse back,  
Can make fools laugh to see how he can sit,  
And when a peddler in a beggar's pack,  
Can carry ware, for his poor trade unfit,  
And with his purse can go away with it,  
And Epicures will leave their belly-cheer,  
I fear me then the day of Doom is near.   

When john a Nods will be a Gentleman,  
Because his worship wears a velvet coat,  
And every Piper, a physician,  
Because he hits upon an idle note,  
And Beggars care not for the King a groat.  
When that the fool will give himself the scoff,  
I fear me dooms day cannot be far off.   

When children teach their parents how to speak,  
And servants learn their masters to command,  
When strong men will be guided by the weak,  
And Rascal drive the male Deer down the lawnde,  
And Beggars fill the miser's empty Mawnd,  
And dead men rise alive out of the Beer,  
I fear me dooms day will be very near.   

When coneys hunt the dogs out of the warren,  
And partridges beat hawks out of the field,  
And dainty falcons feed on filthy carrion,  
And soldiers take the pen, and leave the field,  
And that a prince will to his subjects yield:  
Then by some rules my Muse doth understand,  
She bids me fear, that dooms day is at hand.   

When such as love their eyes will needs be blind,  
And such as hear will seem to stop their ears,  
And fathers to their children are unkind,  
Because they think that they are none of theirs,  
When they have wives, and other make their heirs,  
When such hard points the world doth stand upon,  
I fear me dooms day will be coming on.   

When that the world is set upon a will,  
And purses carry matters as they list,  
When all the grace is in the golden skill,  
And few or none that cares for had I wist,  
And each one thinks he walketh in a mist,  
When all these courses fall out in a year,  
I fear me dooms day will be very near.   

When idle quarrels breed ungodly wars,  
And subtle peace deceives a simple heart,  
When men do shoot their arrows at the stars,  
And never think of death his sudden dart,  
When thus the world doth take the foolish part,  
When all good thoughts are flung upon the floor,  
I fear me dooms day will be at the door.   

When he that puts himself into good rags,  
Thinks himself half a prince for his apparel,  
When he that hath the chest of golden bags,  
Believes he hath the world within a barrel,  
When folly thus with better wit will quarrel,  
While wisdom in the world hath much disgrace,  
I fear me dooms day will come on apace.   

When lands and bags do marry wealth to wealth,  
And want and virtue must go down the wind,  
When few or none regard the spirits health,  
While wicked humours lead away the mind,  
When the poor world is in this piteous kind:  
While hellish spirits in their pride do stand,  
I fear me dooms day will be hard at hand.   

When Charing cross and Paul's do meet,  
And break their fast in Friday street,  
And Ware and Waltam go to Kent,  
To purchase lands and gather rend,  
And Easter falls afore the Lent:  
Then, if my Table do not lie,  
The day of doom will sure be nigh.   

When woodcocks build in dawcockes' nests,  
And Robin Hood is rise again,  
And miser's churls make merry feasts,  
And merchants lose that they may gain,  
When once the world is in that vain,  
Then do not think but nigh that year,  
The day of doom is very near.   

When every child his father knows,  
And every man will love his wife,  
And women swear to be no shrew's,  
But husbands lead a quiet life,  
While kindness cuts off every strife:  
Then without doubt this build upon,  
The day of doom is coming on.   

When Newgate is without a knave,  
And Bridewell found without a whore,  
A galley found without a slave,  
A Farmer's barn without a floor,  
And not a beggar at the door:  
Then let both time and reason try▪  
And if that dooms day be not nigh.   

When thieves begin to leave to steal,  
And jades will leave their kicking tricks,  
And fools their secrets will conceal,  
And maids will use no setting sticks,  
Nor black thorn carry pointed pricks,  
Then do not think but in that year,  
The day of doom will sure be near.   

When old men care not for their health,  
And fair young women wish to die,  
And rich men throw away their wealth,  
And Rascals leave their beggary,  
And knaves will leave their knavery,  
Then think as I have said before,  
The day of Doom is at the door.   

When wanton eyes breed wicked minds,  
And wilful heads breed woeful hearts,  
While indiscretion nature blinds,  
To scorn the rules of Reason's Arts,  
And headlong fall into foul parts,  
Till had-I-wist make folly cry,  
Then think the day of Doom is nigh.   

When women will no malice show,  
And men are free from envies fault,  
Who may be high, will be below,  
And beef keep sweet that hath no salt,  
And Beer is brewed with musty Malt,  
Then do believe that truth will try,  
The day of Doom will sure be nigh.   

When Gamesters at Primero rests,  
Will put out all their purses eye,  
And wars do grow to be but jests,  
Where many fight, and few do die,  
A spider will not eat a fly,  
Then by my rule I understand,  
The day of Doom will be at hand.   

When Soldiers led into a field,  
Do see their leaders run at a stay,  
The valiant to the coward yield,  
That doth his honour steal away,  
When the world is at such a fray:  
I say but as I said before,  
Think dooms day will be at the door.   

When that a Cock will crave his hen,  
Because she is not of his breed,  
And boys will be as good as men,  
When scholars teach their Masters read,  
An herb is spoiled by a weed,  
Then by my rules experience,  
The day of Doom is not far hence.   

When no good nurture can amend ill manners,  
Nor daily preaching draw the world to God,  
But sin and shame display their open banners,  
While he on earth begins to make abode,  
When holy thoughts are wholly overtrode,  
While faith and troth do fear to show their face,  
I fear me dooms day will come on apace.   

When that a man must seek to please his wife,  
For fear the cuckoo sing upon his head,  
A woman will be weary of her life,  
Because she cannot bring a fool to bed,  
When silver thus must be exchangde for led,  
By such true rules as I have rightly scanned,  
I fear me dooms day will be hard at hand.   

When wicked minds will in their humours dwell,  
And sin is not ashamed to show her face,  
And Atheists are resolved to go to hell,  
Because they have no feeling thought of Grace,  
When that the world is in this woeful case,  
And death and sorrow do begin their song,  
I fear the day of Doom will not be long.   

When men and women 'gree like dogs and cats,  
Because the world is full of wicked natures,  
And every town is full of mice and rats,  
That do devour the food of better creatures,  
While fools make idols of ill-favoured features,  
When we are thus poor, people to beg on us,  
I fear me dooms day will come stealing on us.   

When that a cat will eat no milk,  
And that a fox the goose forsakes,  
And courtiers leave their wearing silk,  
And snow doth leave to fall in flakes,  
And one man mars that other makes.  
Then doth my Table say that year,  
The day of Doom will sure be near.   

When fishes leave to play with baits,  
And buzzards leave to beat the wind,  
And knaves will leave with cunning sleights,  
For to deceive a simple mind,  
When that the world is in this kind,  
Be sure this note to build upon,  
The day of Doom is coming on.   

When morris dancers leave their bells,  
The fool his babble by will lay,  
And oysters breed without their shells,  
And that the mice with cats will play,  
While wise men make fools holy day:  
Then tell me if my table lie,  
That says that dooms day will be nigh.   

When that a Kite the Chicken fears,  
The wolf will not come near the Lamb,  
The frogs will be as big as Bears,  
The Ewe will not abide the Ram,  
A Calf will leave to suck the Dam.  
Then do I by my table find,  
That dooms day is not far behind.   

When youth will not the wantoness play,  
And age hath sworn he will not dote,  
And will and wit are at a fray,  
While beggary is not worth a groat,  
It is a certain rule to note,  
That very much upon that year,  
The day of doom approacheth near.   

When that a beggar braves a King,  
And fishes swim without their sins,  
An Owl will teach a Lark to sing,  
And fishers leave to lay their gins,  
When puddings creep out of their skins,  
Then think as I have said before,  
The day of doom is at the door.   

When Swallows leave to feed on Flies,  
And Asses look into the air,  
And Moles begin to open their eyes,  
And two fools do not make a pair,  
And Baseness sits in honours chair,  
And the Lord be servant to a Groom,  
Then think upon the day of doom.   

When fire begins to leave his heat,  
No coolness in the water is,  
The hungry will refuse their meat,  
And lovers leave to college and kiss,  
And all is well that was amiss:  
Then doth my perfect rule descry,  
The day of doom will sure be nigh.   

When covetousness can infect a King,  
And pride is set upon a beggar's heart,  
And too much want the honest mind doth wring,  
While helpless sorrow breeds the spirits smart,  
When thus the devil gins to play his part,  
To fill the world with such unhappy fare,  
I fear dooms day before we be aware.   

When furies fly like sparkles in the air,  
With fire and sword, to fill the world with blood,  
And fearful souls are near unto despair,  
While graceless hearts can see no hope of good,  
But endless sorrow is the sinner's food:  
When thus the devil in the world doth sit,  
dooms day will come, although it be not yet.   
FINIS.