¶ The voice of the last trumpet blown by the seventh Angel (as is mentioned in the eleventh of the apocalypse) calling all the estates of men to the right path of their vocation, wherein are contained x●i. lessons to twelve several estates of men, which if they learn and follow, all shall be well and nothing amiss.  
¶ The voice of one crying in the desert.  Luke. iii. 
¶ Make ready the lords way. Make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and little hill made low. And things that be crooked shall be made strait and hard passages shall be turned into plain ways, and all flesh shall see the health of God.  
Esa●. xl   

The contents of this book.  

i. The beggars lesson.  
two. The Servants lesson.  
iii. The Yeoman's lesson.  
iiii. The Lewd priests lesson.  
v. The Scholars lesson.  
vi. The Learned man's lesson.  
seven. The physicians lesson.  
viii. The lawyers lesson.  
ix. The merchants lesson  
x The gentleman's lesson.  
xi. The Magistrates lesson.  
xii. The Woman's lesson.    


The beggars lesson.  

WHo so would that all things were well,  
And would himself be without blame:  
Let him give ear, for I will tell,  
The way how to perform the same.   

first walk in thy vocation,  
And do not seek thy lot to change:  
For through wicked ambition,  
Mani mens fortune hath been strange    

¶ The beggars lesson.  

IF God have laid his hand on thee,  
And made the low in all men's sight:  
Content thyself with that degree,  
And see thou walk therein upright.   

If thou I say, be very poor,  
And lack thine health, or any limb:  
No doubt God hath enough in store.  
For the if thou wilt trust in him.   

If thou wilt trust in him I say, 
Esai. xl.   
And continue in patience:  
No doubt he will feed the alway,  
By his merciful providence.   

Call thou on him, and he will move,  
The hearts of them that dwell the buy:  
To give the such things for his love  
As serve for thy necessity.   

When Daniel was in the den  

Dani. xiiii.  Of Lions, having nought to eat:  
Abacuk was sent to him then,  
With a pot of pottage and meat.   


three Reg. xvii.  And when Elias fled away,  
From Ahab and queen jesabel:  
The Ravens fed him by the way,  
As the story of kings doth tell.   


Psal. cxlvii.  And as king David doth record,  
The ravens birds left in the nest:  
Are when they cry fed of the Lord  
Though they know not to make request   

Trust thou therefore in God above,  
And call on him with confidence:  

Psa. xxxii.  And doubtless he will men's hearts move  
To feed the of benevolence.   

But if at any time thou lack,  

Hebru. xii. Apoca. iii.  Things needful, yet do not despair:  
As though the Lord did the forsake,  
Or did to the displeasure beat.   

But in such case call to thy mind  
What plenty God hath to the scent  

Tob. xiii.  And thou shalt well perceive & find  
That thou shalt many things misspent.   

Then think God's justice could not leave  
The unplagued for that thou hast:  

Sapi. x  Mispente the gifts thou didst receive,  
To live upon and not to waste.   

Then must thou needs give god glory,  
For his upright and just judgement: 
Luke. xv.   
And be most earnestly sorry,  
For that thou hast his gifts misspent.   

But if thou find thy conscience clear  
As few men can I am right sure:  
Then let Job'S trouble be thy cheer,  
That thou mayst patiently endure,   

Yea though thou shouldest periche for food 
Luke. xiiii. Math. v. Psa ix.   
Yet be are thy cross patien●ely:  
For the end shall turn to thy good,  
Though thou lie in the streets & die.   

Poor Lazarus died at the gate,  
Of the rich man (as Luke doth tell) 
Luke. xvi.   
But afterward in rest he sat  
When the rich glutton was in hell.   

S●ay thou thyself therefore upon  
These examples comfortable: 
Mat. xi.   
And doubtless thy vocation  
Thou shal● not think miserable   

Neither shalt thou grudge or repine,  
That thy poverty is so great:  
But shalt thyself ever incline,  
To God's will who doth the viset.   

Thou shalt not grudge, when thou dost crave  
Of any man his charity:  
Though at his hand thou canst nought have  
But shalt pray for him heartily.   

That if he have this worldly riches,  
And yet hath not Godly pity.  
The spirit of God will him possess: 
i Iho. v.   

Math. xxii Luke. xx. Act x. Rom. two.  And teach him to know his duty.   

Thus doing thou dost walk upright  
In thy calling thou mayst be sure:  
And art more precious in God's sight,  
Then men that be rich paste measure.   

Thus leave I the in thy calling,  

two. Timo. two. Tob. iii.  Exhorting the therein to stand:  
And doubtless at thy last ending,  
Thou shalt be crowned at God's hand.    

¶ The Servants lesson.  

BRother come hither unto me,  
And learn some part of discipline:  
For I am sent to instruct the,  
And teach the some Godly doctrine.   

I am sent to call the I say,  
Back from thy stout & stubborn mind:  
Take heed therefore, and bear away  
Such lessons as thou shalt here ●inde.   

first consider that thy calling,  
Is to do service and obey:  

Luke. xvii.  All thy masters lawful bidding,  
Bearing that he shall on the lay.   

If he be cruel unto thee,  
And over charge the with labour:  
Call to the Lord, and thou shalt be,  
Shortly out of his cruel power.   

Remember thou jacobs' kindred,  
That in Egypt were sore oppressed:  
But when they were most hard bestead, 
Exod. i.   
The Lord brought them to quiet rest.   

They could not cry so soon but he,  
Had heard and granted their request: 
Exod. i. iii.   
And right so will he do by thee,  
And see all thy great wrongs redressed.   

He will I say deliver thee,  
Out of bondage and servitude.  
And bring to pass that thou shalt be, 
Math. xxv.   
Master of a great multitude.   

And because thou didst walk upright  
Showing thyself obedient:  
Thy servants shall have still in sight, 
Math. seven. and xiiii   
The fear of God omnipotent.   

And like service as thou hast done,  
Thou shalt have done to the again:  
For sense the world was first begun  
Never true servant lost his pain.   

jacob served full fourteen year,  
And dealt truly with his master:  
As in the Bible doth appear, 
Gene. xxi●.   
And was exceeding rich after.   

fourteen year he served Laban,  
Who was made rich by his labour:  
But afterward jacob began,  
To grove to much greater honour,   

Laban was never of such might  
As jacob was within short space:  
For his true service in God's sight,  
Had purchased him favour and grace.   

Thus seest thou how god doth regard  
The good service of servants true  
And how he doth in them reward  
The service that is but their due.   

It forceth not what manner man  

1 Petre. two.  Thy master is, so that thou be:  
In thy service a christian,  
Doing as Christ commandeth the.   

But if thy master be wicked,  
And would have the do wickedly:  
Then see that thy faith be pitched  
On thy Lord God most constantly   

Call to thy mind good Daniel,  
Who served his prince fayethf●lly  
notwithstanding he was cruel  
And eke his Lord God's enemy.   

Serve him truly I say, for why,  
God hath bade that thou shouldest do so:  
But do thou nothing wickedly,  
Neither for well nor yet for wo.   

See thou serve him as faithfully,  
As he were thy Lord, and thy God:  

●olo. iii. Ephe. vi.  Not with eye service feignedly,  
Neither for the fear of the rod.   

But for the conscience thou dost bear,  
To thy Lord God's commandment.  
That is for love, and not for fear,  
Of any worldly punishment.   

Do thus and then thou shalt be sure,  
Thy Lord will ever prosper thee:  
And at his good will and pleasure,  
Thou shalt not miss to be made fire.   

But if thou wilt be still sturdy,  
And do thy service with grudging:  
The Lord shall plague the worthily,  
With manifold kinds of scourging.   

Thou shall be put to drudgery,  
Many a day●, ma great thine head:  
A●d be kept still in slavery,  
All thy life days till thou be dead.   

And if thou chance to renew away,  
Either th●u shalt be brought again:  
Or else when thou dost chance to stay,  
A worse master shall the retain.   

Once thou ●halt be certain of this,  
Tha● if thou refuse thy calling:  
Of misery ●hou shalt not miss,  
Th●●gh thou escape sudden falling.   

Yea though thou do prosper a while  
And se●●e to have fortune thy friend:  
Yet thou dost but thyself beguile,  
For misery shall be thine end.   

For as thou diddest thy master serve,  
So shall all thy servants serve thee:  
And as thou didst his goods preserve  
So shall thy goods preserved be.   

And beside this God's wrath is bend,  
Toward the for disobedience:  
Wherefore unless thou do repent  
He will add thereto vehemence.   

He will plague the here wondrously,  
And at the end cast the in pain:  
Where thou shalt lie eternally,  
And wish to be a slave again.   

Repent therefore, I the advise,  
And seek thine own salvation:  
And then thou must in any wise  
Walk still in thy vocation.   

Do thy service diligently,  
And show no disobedience:  
Be thou not stout, but still apply,  
And do all things with reverence.   

Refuse nothing that must be done,  
But do it with all readiness:  
And when thou hast it once begun.  
Then set a side all slothfulness.   

Be true, trusty, and trifle not,  
Be gentle and obedient:  
And blessing shall light on thy lot,  
For doing God's commandment.   

To make an end have still in mind,  
Thine estate and condition:  
And let thine heart be still inclined,  
To walk in thy vocation.    

¶ The Yeoman's lesson.  

THou that art borne the ground to till,  
Or for to labour with thine hand:  
If thou wilt do nought that is ill,  
Desire not idle for to stand.   

But see thou do plough, plant, & sow,  
And do thy needful business:  
As one that doth his duty know  
And will not the Lords will traunsgres.   

For what dost thou if thou desire,  
To be a lord or gentleman:  
Other than heap on the God's ire,  
And show thyself no christian?   

For Christ's sheep do hear his voice  
Which biddeth the work busily: 
john. x. Exod. xx.   
Six days, and in the seventh rejoice  
And give somewhat to the needy.   

It doth also bid the beware,  
Of the desire to be aloft:  
For he that doth for honour care,  
Falleth in Satan's snares full oft.   

Have mind therefore thyself to hold  
With●● the bosides of thy degree:  
And then thou mayst ever be bold  
That God thy lord will prosper the.   

And though the Lord give the plenty  
Of corn, cattle, and other thing: 
Prou. xxiii. Psal. lxii.   
Be thou never the more greedy  
Nor set thy mind on gathering.   

But think the Lord doth these things send  
To the as to his steward true:  
That wilt not his goods waste & spend,  
But bestow them where they be due.   

And if with thy labour thou get  
Money much more than thou dost need:  
Do not thy mind on raiment set  
Neither on devity food to feed.   

Set not (I say) thy mind on pride,  
Neither upon delicious fare:  
Neither forget at any tide,  
To give the poor that thou mayst spare.   

But when thou hast sufficient,  

i Timo. vi.  Of food and honest apparel:  
Then hold thyself therewith content  
As with the wage of thy travail.   

The rest if ought remain unspent,  
Upon thine own necessity)  
Bestow as he that hath it sent,  
Hath in his word commanded the.   

And if thou find not written there,  
That thou mayst heap thy chest with gold  
To buy great livelihood for thine heir.  
Ho●e darest thou then be so bold.   

How darest thou be bold I say,  
To heap up so much goolde in store:  
Out of the due that thou shouldest pay,  
To them that be poor, sick and sore?   


Psal. v.  Woe be to them sareth Esai,  
That heap together ho●se and Land:  
As m●n that wo●lde never find stay,  
Till all the earth were in their hand.  
What, will ye dwell alone (sareth he)  
Upon the earth that is so wide?  
Will you leave no part thereof free  
From your unsacrable pride?   

Ye need not to be so greedy,  
For the Lord doth you plainly tell:  
That great houses shall stand empty,  
And no man left therein to dwell.   

And Moses saith that thou shalt build  
Houses and never dwell therein: 
Deu. xxviii.   
Thyself nor leave them to thy child.  
Nor any other of thy kin.   

And why? because thou hast no mind  
To keep the lords commandment.  
But seekest ever for to find.  
Ways to increase thine yearly rent.   

No manner threatening can the let.  
From purchasing the devil and all  
It is all fish that cometh ●oner.  
To ma●ntayne thy great pride with all   

Well turn again ● the advise.  
And I ●iue to walk in thine estate:  
And set gods fear before thine eyes.  
lest when thou wouldest it be to late.   

And have in thy mind evermore,  
This rule of thy profession: 
i Cor. seven.   
Which is in deed gods holy lore.  
To walk in thy vocation.   

But if the Lord do the not bless.  
In thy labours with great plenty  
Yet thank thou him never the less.  
Thou hast more than thou art worthy.   

If thy Landlord do raise thy rent  
See thou pay it with quietness:  
And pray to God omnipotent,  
To take from him his cruelness.   

So shalt thou heap coals on his head  
And purchase to thyself great rest.  
By the same man thou shalt be fed,  
By whom thou wast before oppressed   

For God who ruleth each man's heart,  
Shall turn thy Landlords heart I say:  
And shall all his whole life convert  
So that he shall be thy great stay.   

Or else if he be not worthy,  
To be called to repentance:  
No doubt thy Lord will him destroy,  
Or take from him his heritance.   

Sure thou shalt be he will the set  
Fre from thy Landlords tyranny:  
For he did never yet forget  
Any that walked orderly.   

But if thou wilt needs take in hand  
Th●ne own wrong for to remedy:  
The Lord himself will the withstand,  
And make thy Landlord more greedy.   

And where before thou paiedst great rent  
Thou shalt now lose thy house & all:  
Because thou couldst not be content  
With patience on him to call.   

In like sort, if thy prince will take,  
More tribute than thou canst well spare:  
See thou pay it him, for God's sake,  
Whose officers all princes are. 
Math. xii.    

For in his need both thou and thine,  
Are his to maintain his estate:  
It is not for the to define,  
What great charges thy king is at.   

Yea though thou see evidently,  
That he wasteth much more than need:  
Yet pay thy duty willyngely,  
And doubtless God shall be thy meed.   

Now touching thy religion,  
If thy prince do command the aught:  
Against God's Euangelion,  
Then pray for him still in thy thought.   

Pray for him still, I say that he  
May have Godly understanding:  
To teach God's word to such as be,  
Committed to his governing.   

And see thou do not him despise,  
But answer him with reverence:  
And though thou mightest, yet in no wise,  
Do thou forget obedience.   

Take not his sword out of his hand,  
But lay thy neck down under it: 
Rom. xiii.   
(Yea, ●hough thou mightest his force withstand)  
For so to do for the is fit. 
Math. xxvi.    

Thy master Christ hath taught thou well  
When he would no resistance make:  
Neither against ●he powers rebel  
When men were sent him for to take.   

Yet if the Lord have given to the  
Such knowledge that thou art certain  
Of thy faith knowing it to be  
Of the truth do therein remain.   

For though man may thy body kill  
Yet oughtest thou not him to fear:  

M●t x.  For he can do thy soul none ill.  
Wherefore be bold, do not despair.   

Behold I say Christ to confess  
Without fear of this worldly pain.  
For when thou shalt be in distress  

Mat. x.  Christ shall acknowledge the again.   

Christ shall acknowledge the I say  
If thou conquer by suffering:  

Luke. xxi.  And do thyself hereupon stay,  
That thou must walk in thy calling   

But if thou do lyf●e up thy sword  
Against thy king and sovereign:  

Math xxvi  Then art thou judged by God's word,  
As worthy therewith to be slain.   

Yea, thou mayst not grudge or repine  
Against thy king in any wise  
Though thou shouldst se●●laine with thine  
Tha● he were wicked past all size ●eyen   

For it is God tha● appointeth,  
Kings and rulers over the rout:  

●roue. viii.  And with ●is power he avoynteth  
Them for to be obeyed ●o doubt   


●●. x●x.  If they be evil, then think thy sin,  
Deserveth that plague at God's hand:  
And see thou do forth with begin  
Thine own wickedness to withstand.   

Corah and dathan did Rebel, 
Nom. xvi.   
And thought that they themselves could point  
A better priest in Israel,  
Then Aaron whom god did anoint   

But what came of their fantasy?  
Was not destruction their end?  
God did destroy them suddenly  
Because they would his works emend.   

Let this example suffice the.  
To keep them obedience  
To such as god shall set to be  
Over the in pre-eminence.   

If thou do th●s, thou shalt besure  
That god thy lord will ever see  
That though thy rulars be not pure  
Yet they shall ever defend the.   

Contrary wise, if thou Rebel.  
Be sure the lord will the destroy  
Which thing hath been declared well.  
Within this realm very lately.   

For notwithstanding that our king  
And eke our rulars everichone  
Be merciful in their doing  
Yet have the Rebels' cause to move.   

And why? because no rebels shall  
Escape god's hand unpunished  
For god himself doth princes call  
His Christ's and his anointed.   

Who so therefore doth them resist  

Roma. xiii.  The same resisteth God certain  
For god himself doth them assist  
Against them over whom they reign.   

If thou therefore find the grieved  
With men set in authority.  
Seek not thou to be avenged  

Eccle. xxviii.  But let God take vengeance for the.   

Let me take vengeance (saith the lord)  

Rom. xii.  And I will pay them all their hire  
Do thus, and scripture doth record  
That thou shalt have all thy desire.   

Thou shalt have thy desire, I say  
Upon the wicked magistrate  
If thou wilt keep thyself always  
Within the bounds of thine estate,   

Thus leave I thee, with threatening  
To the thy soul's damnation  
If thou misliking thy calling  
Wilt needs chaing thy vocation.    

The lewd or unlearnned priests lesson.  

THou that art lewd without learning  
Whom commonly men call sir john,  
give care for I will say something  
Concerning thy vocation.   

Thou art a man void of knowledge  
And eke of all good qualities  
Only meet for to ditch and hedge  
Or else to plant and gra●se mens tres.   

Thou art not as thou wouldst be called  
An offerar of sacrifice  
●or though thy crone were four times bald  
Yet canst thou not so bear our eyes.   

For it is plain in holy write  
That none can offer sacrifice 
Hebru. ●●   
For sin, either in flesh or spirit  
Though he be both learned and wise.   

For Christ was once offered for all  
To satisfy for all out sin  
And hath made free that erst were thrall  
The faithful flock of jacob's kin.   

To offer sacrifice therefore  
Thou art not called I tell the plain  
For Christ liveth for ever more 
Rom. vi.   
And can no more for us be slain.   

Thy state therefore and thy calling  
Is none other b●t for to wyrcke 
Gene. iii. ●oh. v.   
And not to live by forstalling.  
And name thyself one of the kyrcke   

If thou therefore wilt live for aye  
And reign with Christ for ever more  
Desire no more masses to say  
But get thy food with labour sore. 
Exh●. iiii.    

give over all thy typpillinge  
Thy tavern gates, and table play.  
Thy cards, thy dice and wine bibbling 
Eph●. ●.   
And learn to walk a sober way.   

And if thou have any living  

i. Timon iiii.  So that thou needest not to labour  
See thou apply the to learning  
With all diligent endeavour.   

But to this end see thou study  
That when thou hast the truth learned  
Thou mayst profit other thereby  
Whom in time passed thou hast harmed.   

And see thou go not Idly  
From house to house to seek a place  
To say men a Mass secretly  
Their favour thereby to purchase.   

Put not the ignorant in hope  
That they shall see all up again  
That hath been brought in by the Pope  
And all the preachars put to pain.   

But if thou canst do any good  
In teaching of an A. B. C.  
A primer or else Robinhede  
Let that be good pastime for thee▪   

Be ever doing what thou can  
Teaching or learning some good thing  
And then like a good Christian.  
Thou dost walk forth in thy calling.   

But if thou wilt knowledge reject  
And all honest labours refuse  
Then art thou none of gods elect  

Rom. ●vi.  But art worse than the cursed jews.   

Repent therefore I the advise  
And take wholesome counsel by time  
And take good heed in any wise  
That knowledge double not thy crime.   

Thus leave I thee, making promise  
To make for the petition  
That thou mayst leave the popishnes  
And walk in thy vocation.    

The Scholar's lesson.  

COme hither young man unto me  
Thou that art brought up in learning.  
give eare a while, I will teach the.  
How thou shalt walk in thy calling.   

First mark wherefore schools were erect  
And what the foundars did intend  
And then do thy study direct  
For to attain unto that end.   

Doubtless this was all their meaning  
To have their country furnished.  
With all kinds of honest learning,  
Whereof the public wealth had need.   

Call thou therefore to memory,  
What knowledge thy country doth:  
And apply the same earnestly,  
By all the means that thou canst make lack   

And when thou art determined  
What knowledge thou wilt most apply  
Then let it not be loitered,  
But seek to get it speedily.   

Spend not thy time in Idleness.  
Nor in vain occupation  
But do thyself wholly address  
To walk in thy vocation.   

See thou do not thy mind so set  
On any kind of exercise:  
That it be either stay or let  
To thy study in an wise.   

To fish, to foul, to hunt or halke  
Or on an instrument to play  
And some whiles to commune and talk  
No man is able to gain say.   

To shore, to bawl, or cast the bar  
To play revise or toss the ball  
Or to ●enne base like men of war  
Shall hurie thy study nought at al.   

For all those things do recreate  
The mind if thou canst hold the mean  
But if thou be affectionate  
Then dost thou lose thy study ●eane.   

And at the last thou shalt be found  
To occupy a place only  
As do in Ag●●me ziphras round.  
And to hinder learning greatly   

For if thou hadst not the living  
An other should that would apply  
Himself to some kind of learning  
To profit his country thereby.   

If thou therefore wilt not be found  
Worthy god's indignation  
Make thy study perfect and sound  
And walk in thy vocation.   

Let not time pass idly  
Lose not the fruit of any hour  
Or else suffer him to supply  
Thy place that will him endeavour   

Thou dost but rob the common wealth  
Of one that would be a treasure  
Better thou were to live by stealth  
Then for to work such displeasure,   

But haply thou wilt say again  
Shall I surrender my living?  
Shall I not thereupon remain  
After I have gotten learning?   

Yesse thou mayst keep thy living still  
Till thou be called otherwise  
But if thou wilt regard gods will 
Luke. nineteen.   
Thou must thyself still exercise.   

When thou art thoroughly learned  
Then see thou teach other thy skill  
If thou wilt not be reckoned  
For a servant wicked and Ill 
Luke. nineteen.    

Teach them, I say, that thou dost see  
Willing to learn thy discipline  
And unto them se thy life be  
A book to lay before their eine.   

Let them never see the Idle  
Nor hear the talk undiscreetly  
And by all the means possible  
Let all thy doings edify.   


Rom. ●iiii.  Th●s leave I thee, wishing that thou  
Mayst by this admonition  
Henceforth desire (as I do now)  
To walk in thy vocation.    

The learned man's lesson.  

THou learned man, do not disdain,  
To learn at me a simple might  
Thy great abuses to refrain  
And in thy calling to walk right.   

Thou art a man that sittest high  
In the simple men's conscience  
To live therefore dissolutely  
Thou shouldest be unto them offence.   

Offence, I say, for they should think  
All that thou dost to be godly  
Wherefore do not at this thing wink  
But do emend it speedily   

Emend thy wicked life I say  
And be (in deed) a perfect light  
As Christ our saviour doth say  

Math. v.  And let thy works shine in men's sight   

For it is thy vocation  

i. Corh. i●.  To lead other the ready way  
How great abomination  
Art thou then if thou go astray?   

But therein lieth the whole matter  
To know which way thou shouldest them lead  
Wherefore I will the not flatter  
But tell the truth withouten dread.   

Thou must thyself humiliate,  
And acknowledge thy wicked sin 
Math, seven.   
And strive to enter the strait gate  
Where few men do find away in   

This way thou canst not walk so long  
As thou wilt travail sea and land  
And frame all the words of thy tongue  
To get promotion at man's hand.   

Thou must humble thyself I say  
And not aye seek to be alost,  
For he that walketh in rough way  
And looketh high, stumbleth full oft.   

Thou must acknowledge that thou art  
Through sin unworthy thine estate  
And that thy discipline and art  
Can not bring them at that gate.   

Thou must, I say, strive to enter  
And not to get promotion  
Thy life thou must put in venture 
Ihon. x.   
For Christ's congregation.   

How dost thou walk in this calling  
When thy mind is earnestly bend:  
To gather up each man's falling,  
By all the ways thou canst invent?   

give ear I say, therefore thou fool,  
And learn thy first lesson again:  
Enter into God's holy school. 
Math seven   
And do not his docrtyne disdain.   

He willeth the first to apply  

uke. vi.  Thy mind to knowledge and to take  
The great beam out of thine own eye  
And thine abuses to forsake.   

And then he would that in no wise  
Thou shouldest be stack or negligent  
To pick the motes out of men's eyes  
Teaching them how they should repent   

If thou wilt that they do repent  

Tite. two.  Repent thou first, that they may see  
That the whole some of thine intent  
Is to make them like unto the.   

For if thou wilt them to refrain  
Murder, these, whoredom and Incest  
If they see thief things in the reign  
They will all thy doctrine detest.   

If thou forbid them gluttony  
And will them the flesh for to tame  
They mill defy the utterly  
If they see the not do the same.   

If thou tell them of apparel  
Or of aught wherein is excess.  
Then will they say, thou dost but rail  
Unless thou be therein faltnesse.   

What shouldest thou speak of usury,  
When thou dost take unlawful gain?  
Or rebuke men for Simony.  
When nothing else doth in the reign   

May not the lay man falsely say,  
I learned of the to by and sell,  
Benefices, which to this day  
Thou canst put in practice full well?   

Why should not I, as well as thou  
Have benefices two or three?  
Sense thou hast taught me the way how  
I may keep them and blameless be?   

I can set one to serve the cure  
That shall excel the in learning  
More than thou dost me I am sure  
And also in godly living:   

I can keep hospitality  
And give as much unto the poor  
In one year as thou dost in three  
And will perform it with the more   

Alas that ever we should see  
The flock of Christ thus bought & sold  
Of them that should the shepperdes be.  
To lead them falsely to the fold.   

Repent this thing I the advise  
And take the to one cure alone  
And see that in most faithful wise  
Thou walk in thy vocation.   

Then shall no lay man say by right  
That he learneth his miss of the  
For it is plain in each man's sight  
That thou dost walk in thy degree.   

More over, if thou chance to be  
Made a prelate of high estate  
To thine office lo●●e that thou see  
And lea●e not thy flock desolate.   

And first before all other things  

Timo. v.  Seek thou to find good ministers  
And appoint them honest lyveynges  
To be the people's enstructers.   

Let none have care within thy See  
In whom any great vice doth reign  

Timo. v.  For where mysslyveing curates be  
The people are not good certain.   


zach. xxxiii.  And for them all that do perish  
Through thy default, thou shalt answer  
Wherefore I do the admonish  
To look earnestly to this gear.   

Look unto it thyself I say  
And trust not to a trifellar  
That will allow all that will pay  
Son what unto the register.   

See that they do instruct the youth  
Of each parri he diligently  
And train them up in the lords ●ruth  
So much as in their power shall lie.   

Now if so be thou be called  
To be thy prince's councillor  
Be ware thou be not corrupted  
By the vain desire of honour.   

Be not careful how for to hold  
Thyself still in authority  
But to speak truth be ever bold  
According to god's verity.  
Wink not at faults that thou shalt see  
Though it be in thy sovereign  
But do as it becometh the  
Exhort him all vice to refrain.   

If thou perceive him ignorant  
In any point of his duty  
See thou do him not check or taunt  
But tell him with sobriety.   

Tell him his fault, I say, plainly.  
And yet with all submission,  
Lest thou do seem to speak vainly.  
For getting thy vocation.   

Thus have I told the as I would  
Be told if I were in thy place.  
To the intent that no man should  
Have cause to tell the to thy face.   

Thus do I leave the with wishing  
To the a will for to advance  
God's glory by godly learning  
And not thy living to enhance.    

¶ The physicians lesson.  

Give ear master Physician,  
And set a side thine urinal:  
And that with expedition  
For I, the last trumpet do call   

give care I say, and mark me well.  
And print all my words in thy mind:  
For each thing that I shall the tell  
Thou shalt both true and certain find.   

God made the to secure man's need.  
As jesus Sirach writeth plain  

●●●lt. xxxviii.  But by due proof we know indeed  
That many thousands thou hast slain.   

But now am I sent from the king  
Of power and domination  
To call the from thy murdering  
To walk in thy vocation.   

first, where thou didst her to fore use  
To have respect to the rich man  
I would not now thou shouldest refuse  
To help the poor man if thou can.   

Help him I say though it be poor  
And hath nothing wherewith to pay  
For his master hath yet in store  

jacob. two.  A crown for him at the last day.   

And if thou do on him thy cure  
For his sake that ga●e herbs their strength  
Thou shalt undoubtedly be sure  
He will reward the a● the length.   

This master of his doth regard  
Mercy so much that he hath told  
All his that they shall have reward  

Matt. ix.  For giving water thin and could.   

And thinkest thou that he will not  
Reward them that give medicine?  
Thou hast no such mistrust I woe  
In his promies that is divine.   

I say therefore, if thou canst cure  
The poor man's so●e or malady  
Of thy reward thou shalt be sure  
If thou wilt show on him mercy,   

But if thou suffer him to lack  
Thine help because he lacketh gold  
No doubt when thou shalt a count make  
Thy confidence shallbe full cold.   

Then show thy writing if thou can  
Whereon thou bearest the so bold.  
That thou wilt visor no sick man  
That canno● live thy purse with gold   

Bring forth thy writing then, I say  
If thou have any such in store  
Whereby thou mayst require each day  
A noble of gold, or else more.   

And show by what right thou mayst take  
Two pennies for the sight of water  
When thou knowest not thereby to make  
The sick man one farthing better.   

Yea if a man should try the well  
To prove what thy counting can do  
He should find that thou canst not tell  
Whether the man be sick or no.   

I grant the water showeth something  
But not so much as thou dost crack  
Neither is thy labour condyngue  
That thou shouldest money for it take.   

But if so be thou canst espy.  
By the water what is a miss  
Teach him how to seek remedy  
And worthy some reward, that is.   

But if thou do but guess, as doth  
The blind man that doth cast his staff  
Though thou by chance it one the soothe  
Thy labour is scrase worthy crafe.   

Thou dost burgess money to wine  
And with strange words make men aghast  
And yet thou thinkest it no sin  
To cause poor men their goods to waist.   

But no●e I say to thee, repent  
And do thyself henceforth employ  
To use the gift God hath the scent  
To the profit of thy contrere.   

Let not lucre make the profess  
Before thy knowledge be perfect  
For he that ministereth by guess  
Shall not so soon heal as infect.   

Apply the earnestly therefore  
To get physics perfection,  
That thou mayest ease the sick and sore  
And remedy infection.   

And shut not up thine help from such  
As stand in most need of the same:  
And certes thou shalt gain as much  
By them, as by men of great fame,   


Math. xxvi. Luk●. x.  For God himself hath promised  
To make for them a recompense:  
Wherefore doubt not to be paid,  
Both for thy labour and expense.   

But if thou wilt not take my read,  
But follow after lucre still:  
I will put the out of all dread,  
Thy last reward shallbe full ill.   

For when cruel death shall the sting,  
And thy life from the separate:  
Then shalt thou see thou hast nothing,  
Thy silly soul to recreate.   

Wherefore I must needs greatly fear  
That in that extreme Agony:  
Thou wilt of God's mercy despair  
And so perish eternally.   

Take heed therefore, take heed by time  
Let not slip this occasion:  
But speedily repent thy crime,  
And walk in thy vocation.    

¶ The Lawyer's lesson.  

NOw come hither thou man of law,  
And mark what I shall to the say:  
For I intend the for to draw,  
Out of thy most ungodly way.   

Thy calling is good and Godly,  
If thou wouldst walk therein aright.  
But thou art so passing greedy,  
That God's fear is out of thy sight.   

Thou climbest so to be aloft,  
That thy desire can have no stay:  
Thou hast forgotten to go soft  
Thou art so hasty on thy way.   

But now I call the to repent,  
And thy greediness to forsake  
For God's wrath is against the bent  
If thou wilt not my warning take.   

first call unto thy memory  
For what cause the laws were first made  
And then apply the busily,  
To the same end to use thy trade.   

The laws were made undoubtedly  
That all such men as are oppressed:  
Might in the same find remedy  
And lead their lives in quiet rest.   

Dost thou then walk in thy calling  
When for to vex the innocent:  
Thou wilt stand at a bar bawling  
With all the craft thou canst invent?   

I say bawling, for better name,  
To have it can not be worthy:  
when like a beast without all shame  
Thou wilt do wrong to get money   

Thine excuses are known to well  
Thou sayst thou knowest not the matter  
Wherefore thou sayest thou canst not tell.  
At the first whose cause is better.   

Thou knowest not at the first I grant,  
But why wilt thou be retained  
Of plaintiff or defendant  
Before thou hast their cause learned?   

For such a plea I blame the not,  
When neither parties right is known  
But when thou thyself dost well wots  
Thy client seeketh not her own   

It were a Godly way for thee,  
To know the end ere thou began  
But if that can by no means be  
To make short suit do what thou can   

If thou be a man's attorney  
In any court where so it be:  
Let him not wait and spend money  
If his dispatch do lie in thee,   

Apply his matter earnestly  
And set him going home again,  
And take no more than thy duty 
Luke. iii.   
For God shall recompense thy pain.   

If thou be called a counsellar.  
And many men do seek thy read:  
See thou be found no triffellar  
Either for money or for dread   

But weigh men's matters thoroughly,  
And see what may be done by right  
And further as well the needy  
As thou wo●ldest do the man of might   

See thou have no respect at all  
To the person but to the cause  
And suffer not such truth to fall, 
Levit. thirty   
As thou findest grounded on good laws   

If any man do th● desire  
Him to defend in do●nge wrong  
Though he wo●ld give the tri●le hire  
Yet give none ear unto his song.   

Fere not his power though he be king  
A duke, an earl, a Lord, or knight:  
But evermore in thy doing  

two. Par. xxii.  Have the Lords fear present in sight.   

If thou be judge in common place,  
In the kings bench, or Eschequier  
Or other court, let not thy face  
Be once turned to the briber.   

Beware that bribes blind not thy sight  

Deu. xvi. Eccle. xx.  And make the that thou canst not see:  
To judge the poor man's cause aright,  
When it is made open to the.   

Why shouldest thou still admit delays,  
In matters that be manifest,  
Why dost thou not seek all the ways.  
That may be, to rid the oppressed   

To thine office it doth belong,  

Leuiti. nineteen.  To judge as justice doth require:  
Though the party that is to strong  
Would give the house and land to hire.   

I have no more to say to thee,  
But warn the that thou be con●ente  
To live only upon thy fee  
Fearing the Lord omnipotent.   

And for to see that no man wrest,  
The laws to do any man wrong:  
And that no poor man be oppressed,  
Nor have his suit deferred long.   

Now if thou be Lord chancellor,  
As Censor over all the rest:  
See thou do thy best endeavour,  
To see all open wrongs redressed.   

And of this one thing take good heed  
That among them that do appeal:  
Thou do not for favour or meed  
Suffer any falsely to deal.   

Beware of them I say that use,  
first for to tempt the common laws  
And yet the judgement to refuse  
When they be like to loss their cause,   

Beware of them, and let them not  
Abuse the court in any wise:  
To weary such as by just lot  
To claim their right do enterprise.   

When they shall make petition,  
Examine them diligently:  
And grant not an Injunction  
To each false harlot by and by.   

Grant thou not an Injunction  
To him that doth nought else intend:  
But by subtile invention  
His own falsehood for to defend.   

I n●de not to tell any more,  
Of thy duty thou mayst it see:  
In God's sacred and holy sore  
If thou wilt thereto apply the.   

Thus leave I the thou man of law▪  
wishing the to be as willing:  
To follow as I am to draw  
The back again to thy calling.    

¶ The merchants lesson.  

Now mark my words thou  
Merchant man,  
Thou that dost use to buy and sell,  
I will instruct the if I can,  
How thou mayest use thy calling well.   

first se tho● call to memory  
The end wherefore all men are made  
And then endeavour busily  
To the same end to use thy trade.   

The end why all men be create  
As men of wisdom do agree  
Is to maintain the public state  
In the country where they shall be.   

Apply thy trade therefore I say  
To profit thy country withal:  
And let conscience be thy stay  
That to polling thou do not fall.   

If thou venture into strange lands,  
And bring home things profitable:  
Let poor men have them at thine hands.  
Upon a price reasonable.   

Though thou mayst thy money forbear  
Till other men's store be choir spent  
Yet if thou do so that thy ware  
May bear high price, thou shalt be shent   

Thou shalt be shent of him I say  
That on the seas did prosper the  
And was thy guide in all the way  
That thou goest in great jeopardy.   

For he gave the not thy richesse,  
To hurt thy country with all,  
Neither gave he the good success  
That thou shouldst therbi make men thrall   

But thy richesses was given to the  
That thou mightest make provision:  
In far countries for things that be  
Needful for thine own nation.   

And when by God's help thou hast brought  
Home to thy country am good thing  
Then shouldst thou thank him that all wrought  
For thy prosperous returning.   

Which thing thou canst not do in deed,  
Unless thou walk in thy calling  
And for his sake th●t was thy speed  
Content thyself with a living   

But oh me think I writ in vain,  
To merchant men of this our time  
For they will take no manner pain.  
But only upon hope to climb.   

So soon as they have aught to spare,  
Beside their stock that must remain:  
To purchase lands is all their care  
And all the study of their brain.   

There can be none unthrifty heir  
Whom they will not smell out anon  
And handle him with words full fair  
Till all his lands is from him gone   

The fermes, the woods, and pasture  
That do lie round about London  
Are hedged in within their mowndes, grounds  
Or else shall be ere they have done   

They have their spies upon each side  
To see when aught is like to fall:  
And as soon as aught can be spied,  
They are ready at the first call.   

I can not tell what it doth mean  
But white mea●e beareth a great price  
Which some men think is by the mean  
That fermes be found such ambergris   

For what is it when the poor man  
That erst was wont to pay but light  
Must now needs learn (do what he can)  
To play either double or quite?   

If ye ask of the collier  
Why he selleth his coals so dear:  
And right so of the wodmongar  
They say merchants have all in fere.   

The would (say they) that we have bought  
In times passed for a crown of gold  
We can not have if it be aught:  
Under ten shillings ready told   

I am ashamed for to tell,  
Half the abuse that all men see:  
In such men as do by and sell,  
They be so bad in each degree.   

I will therefore do what I can  
To make plain declaration  
How thou that art a merchant man,  
Mayst walk in thy vocation,   

Apply thy trade as I have told,  
To the profit of thy country  
And then thou mayst ever be bold,  
That thy Lord God will guide thy way   

Thou shalt not need to purchase lands  
Neither to take leases in grounds  
That when thou hast them in thine hands  
Thou mayst for shillings gather pounds   

Thou shalt nor need to buy or sell  
Benefices which should be free:  
To true preachers of God's gospel  
To help them with that helpless be.   

No more shalt thou need for to lend,  
Thy goods out fo● unlawful gain  
In such sort that by the years end,  
Thou mayst of one shilling make twain 
Luke. v●    

Thou shalt aye have enough in store  
For the and thine in thy degree:  
And what shouldest thou desire more,  
Or of higher estate to be?   

Let it suffice the to mary  
Thy daughter to one of thy trade:  
Why shouldst thou make her a Lady  
Or buy for her a noble ward?   

And let thy sons everichone  
Be bound prentice years nine or ten  
To learn some art to live upon  
For why should they be gentlemen?   

There be already men mow  
That bear the name of gentle blood  
Tell thou me then, what need hast thou,  
So vainly to bestow thy good?   

●or thou canst not promote thy son  
But thou m●st buy him land & rent  
Whereby some must needs be undone  
To bring to pass thy fond intent.   

Some man perchance, need doth compel  
To mortgage his land for money  
And wilt thou cause him for to sell,  
The livelihood of his progeny?   

Tell me if thou wouldst have thy son,  
(If haply he should stand in need)  
To be so served when thou art gone  
Of merchants that shall the succeed?   

Do thou as thou wouldst be done by  
As very nature doth the reach  

Math. seven.  And let thy love and charity  
Unto all the lords creatures reach.   

And if any man stand in need  
Lend him freely that thou mayst spare  

Luke. vi.  And doubtless god will be thy meed  
And recompense the in thy ware   


Math. v.  Be just, plain, and not deceitful,  
And show mercy unto the poor:  
And God that is most merciful  
Shall evermore increase thy store.   

And in the end when nature shall,  
End thy peregrination:  
Thou shalt have joy among them all,  
That walk in their vocation.   

But if thou do refuse to walk,  
In thy calling as I have told  
Thy wisdom shallbe but vain talk,  
Though thou be both ancient & old   

Say what thou wilt for to defend  
Thy walking inordinately:  
Thou shalt be certain in the end  
To be damned eternally. 
Mat. seven.    

For in the world there can not be  
More great abomination  
To thy Lord God, then is in the  
Forsaking thy vocation.    

¶ The gentleman's lesson  

THou that art borne to land and rent,  
And art clipped a gentleman:  
give eat to me, for mine curent  
Is to do the good if I can.   

Thou art a man that God hath set  
To r●le the rout in thy country,  
Wherefore thou hadst need for to get 
Eccle. seven.   
Good knowledge rather than money.   

For ignorance shall not excuse  
When all men shall give a reckoning.  
And the judge will money refuse 
Math. xvi. Rom. two.   
And judge after each man's doing.   

first I advertise the therefore,  
And require the in Christ's name:  
That of knowledge thou get the store,  
And frame thy living to the same   

Get the knowledge I say and then  
Thou shalt perceive thine own degree:  
To be such that among all men,  
Thou hast most need learned to be.   

Thou shalt perceive thou hast no time  
To spare and spend in banqueting  
For though thou watch till it be prime,  
Thou shalt have enough to doing.   

Thou shalt not find any leisure  

Math. xii  To dice, to card, or to revel:  
If thou do once take a pleasure  
In using thine own calling well.   

For parckes of Deer thou shalt not care  
Neither for costuous building:  
For apparel, or for fine fare  
Or any other worldly thing.   

Thy mind shall be still ravished  
With the desire to walk upright.  
And to see all vice punished,  
So much as shall lie in thy might.   

Thou shalt delight for to defen●e  
The poor man that is innocent:  
And cause the wicked to emend,  
And the oppressor to repent.   

Thou shalt have delight in nothing  
Saving in doing thy duty:  
Which is under God and thy king  
To rule them that thou dost dwell by.   

Thou shalt not think that thou mayst take  
Thy rent to spend it at thy will  
As one that should no reckoning make, 
Rom. xiiii   
For aught that he doth well or ill.   

But thou shalt find that thou art bound  
And shalt answer much more straightly 
Luke. xii.   
Than the poor men that till the ground  
If thou regard not thy duty.  
¶ Thou shalt not find that thou mayst raise  
Thy rent or levy a great fine  
More than hath been used always  
For that only is called thine.   

For as thou dost hold of thy king  
So doth thy tenant hold of the  
And is allowed a living  
As well as thou in his degree.   

If thou therefore wouldst not thy king  
Should take of the more than his due  
Why wilt thou debate the living  
Of thy tenant and cause him rue.   

For knowledge will tell the that thou  
Must● do as thou wouldst be done by 
Math. seven.   
And right so will she tell the how  
Thou mayst discharge all thy duty   

She will teach the to be content  
With that thou haste by heritage  
And eke to live after thy ren●e  
And not to fall into outrage.   

If thou may dispend. xl●li,  
Thou majesty not live after lx  
Neither mayst thou enclose thy ground  
That thou mayst make it yearly more.   

For knowledge will teach the to seek  
Other men's health more than thine own  
And rather to feed on a leek  
Then one house should be overthrown.   

Thou shalt by her learn that thou art  
A father over thy country  
And that thou oughtest to play the part  
Of a father both night and day.   

Thou shalt by knowledge understand  

Psal. lxxxii.  That thou must secure the needy,  
And in their cause s●ch men withstand,  
As show themselves over greedy.   

In fine knowledge that is Godly  
Will teach the all that thou shalt do  
Belonging to thine own duty  
And other men's duty also.   

Get the knowledge I say therefore  
That thou mayst be worthy thy name:  
For without her thou mayst no more  
Be called a Gentleman for shame.   

For without knowledge thou shalt be  
Of all other most out of frame:  
Because there is nothing in the  
That may thy lust chastise or tame.   

Without knowledge, thou wilt follow  
Thy flesh and fleshly appetite:  
And in the lusts thereof wallow  
Setting therein thine whole delight   

Without knowledge thou wilt oppress  
All men that shallbe in thy power.  
And when they shall be in distress  
Thou wilt them cruelly devour   

Without knowledge thou wilt array  
Both the and thine past thy degree  
And eke maintain outrageous play  
Till thou have spent both land and fee.   

To make an end, unless thou have  
Knowledge remaining in thy breast  
Thou shalt be worse than a vile slave  
That doth all honesty detest.   

Get the knowledge therefore I say,  
And eke the fear of God above:  
And let thy study be alway  
To know what thing doth the behove.   

But first before all other things  
Set the Lords fear before thy face: 
Psa. xxxiii.   
To guide them all thy doings  
That thou delight not in trespass.   

For he that doth delight in sin,  
Shall never govern his life well:  
Nor any Godly knowledge win,  
For wisdom will not with him dwell. 
Sapie. i.    

Then seek for knowledge busily  
And leave not of ty she be found  
And when thou hast her perfectly  
To the lords fear let her be bound   

And let them two bear all the swea,  
In thy doings early and late:  
Let them agree and end their plea  
Before thou do appoint the state.   

By their advise survey thy Land  
And keep thy courts doth far & near  
And see they do fast by the stand,  
In thine housekeping & thy cheer   

Gave them present before thine eyes,  
In all thy deeds what so they be:  
In cessions and eke in assize,  
Let them not be absent from the.   

Let them rule all thy family  
And eke instruct thy children young:  
That they may thine office supply  
When with his dart death hath the stung   

And last of all, leave them to guide  
Thy children and their families:  
That thine house and stock may abide,  
And r●le the rout in godly wise.   

No more to the have I to say,  
But that thou keep Gods fear in sight  
And make it the guide of thy way  
As well by bright day as by night.   

So doing I dare the assure  
That in the end thou shalt obtain:  
The bliss that shall ever endure  
With Christ our master for to reign.    

¶ The Magistrates lesson  

WHo so thou be that God doth call  
To bear the sword of punishment.  
Mark well my woo●des, & take them all  
accordingly as they be meant.   

When thou art in Authority  
And hast the bridle rain in hand  
Then be well aware that Tyranny  
Do not get the within her band.   

Look not upon thy sword alway  
But look some time on thy balance  
And see that neither do decay  
In the time of thy governance.   

For, to punish with equity  
Is and aye shall be byseming  
Where as to ●ewe extremity  
Is found rather a blood suckeing.   

If any man be accused  
See thou hear him indifferently  
And let him not be punished  
Till thou know his cause thorowli   

If he have wrought against the laws  
So that i●stice would have him die  
Then ●n thy balance lay his cause  
And judge him after equity   

If he did it of ignorance,  
Of need or by compulsion  
Or else by fortune and by chance  
Then must thou use discretion   

Consider what extreme need is  
And home force may the weak compel  
And how fortune doth hit and miss  
When the intent was to do well   

And though the evidence be plain  
And the accusares credible  
Yet call to mind the elders twain  

Dani. xiii.  That Daniel found reprovable   

And if thou find them false or vain  
Forged to work their brother ill  
Then let them suffer the same pain  
That he should have had by their will   

Much might be said in this matter  
Out of the works of writers old  
And for to prove it the better  
Many late stories might be told   

But I leave this to the study  
Of them that have had exercise  
In judgement, in whose memory  
It is as still before their eyes.   

I thought meet to touch it only  
That thou mightest have occasion  
To call to mind the chief duty  
Of thy state and vocation.   

Which is to scan the euide●ce  
And eke to try the accusers all  
Though they be men of good credence  
lest haply the just be made thrall.   

Moreover, it behoveth the  
If thou wilt walk in thy calling  
To see that all good statutes be  
Executed before all thing   

For to what end do statutes serve  
Or why should we hold parliament  
If men shall not such laws observe  
As in that court we shall invent?   

And what thing shall a realm decay  
So soon as when men do neglect  
The wholesome laws, as who should say  
They were in deed to none effect?   

For in that realm the mighty shall  
Work after their fancy and will  
For there the poor may cry and call  
For help and be oppressed still.   

See thou therefore to thy duttie  
In this behalf both day and night  
And let none break such laws f●ely  
But let them know that laws have might   

Let them all know I say that thou  
Art set to minister justice  
And that thou madest thereto a vow  
At the taking of thine office.   

Wink not at things that be to plain  
lest godly knowledge i'll the fro  
And thou flit into endless pain  
At such time as thou must hence g●.   

For if thou wilt not minister  
justice to them that do oppress  
What are the people the better  
For thee, when they be in distress?   

The heavenly husband man therefore  
Who planted the vice to suppress  
Shall dry thy ro●e for ever more  
And give the up to wickedness. 
Ihon. xvi    

Be ware of this vengeance betime  
lest it come on the suddenly  
When thou wouldst feign repent thy crime  
But shalt dispere of gods mercy:   

For what thing causeth men despair  
Of god's mercy at their last end  
But their conscience that saith they were  
Told of their fault & would not mend.   

If thou therefore dost see this thing  
And wilt wink at it willingly  
I say that when death shall the sting  
Thou shalt despair of god's mercy.   

Yet ha●e I more to say to the  
Concerning thy vocation  
Which if it grow still must needs be  
Double abomination.   

For he that buyeth, must needs sell  
Thou knowest already what I mean  
I need not with plain words to tell  
If sin have not blinded the cleave.   

See unto it I the advise  
And let not offices be sold  
For god will punish in strait wise  
Such as with him will be so bold.   

He will not aye suffer his flock  
Of wolves to be so devoured  
Neither shall they that would him mock  
Escape his hands unpunished.   


Exo. xiiii.  His arm is as strong it was  
When he plagued King Pharaoh  
In Egypt, and can bring to pass  
All that he listeth now also.   

He spent not all his power upon  
The ●ynge Nabuchodonozer  
He shall never be found such one 
Dani. iiii.   
That he should not have might in store.   

Take heed, take heed, I say therefore  
That thou fall not into his hand  
For if thou do thou art forlorn  
Thou canst not be able to stand. 
Hebru. x.    

Yet one thing more I must the tell  
Which in no wise thou mayst forget  
If thou wilt profess gods Gospel  
And thine affraunce therein set.   

Thou must not covet empery  
Nor seek to rule strange nations  
For it is charge enough perdie  
To answer for thine own commons.   

Let thy study therefore I say  
Be to rule thine own subjects well  
And not to maintain wars alway  
And make thy contrei like an hell.   

Let it suffice the to defend  
Thy limits from invasion  
And therein see thou do intend  
Thine own people's salvation.   

For, mark this. If thou do invade  
And get by force commodity  
The same shall certainly be made  
A scourge to thy posterity.   

This have I said, to call the back  

i Reg. xiii.  From the Philistines station  
trusting thou wilt my counsel ta●  
And walk in thy vocation.    

The woman's lesson.  

WWho so thou be of woman kind  
That lookest for salvation.  
Se thou have ever in thy mind.  
To walk in thy vocation   

If thy state be virginity  
And hast none husband for to please  
Then see thou do thyself apply  

i Cor. seven.  In christian manners to increase   

If thou be under a mesties  
See thou learn her good qualities  
And serve her with all readiness  
Having gods fear before thine eyes   

If thou see her wanton and wild  
Then see thou call upon god still  
That he will keep the undefiled  
And keep from the all manners ill   

Avoid idle and wanton talk  
Avoid nice looks and dalliance  
And when thou dost in the streets walk  
See thou show no light countenance.   

Let thine apparel be honest  
Be not decked passed thy degree  
Neither let thou thine heed be dressed  
Otherwise then beseemeth the 
i Timo. two    

Let thine hear bear the same colour  
That nature gave it to endure  
Say it not out as doth an whore  
That would men's fantasies allure   

Paint not thy face in any wise  
But make thy manners for to shine  
And thou shalt please all such men's eyes  
As do to godliness incline.   

Be thou modest, sober and wise  
And learn the points of houswyfry  
And men shall have the in such price  
That thou shalt not need a dowry   

Study to please the lord above  
Walking in thy calling upright  
And god will some good man's heart move  
To set on the his whole delight.   

Now when thou art become a wife  
And hast an husband to thy mind  
See thou provoke him not to strife  
Lest haply he do prove unkind   

Acknowledge that he is thine head 
i. Co●. xi.   
And hath of thee, the governance  
And that thou must of him be led  
According to god's ordinance   

Do all thy business quietly  
And delight not Idle to stand  
But do thyself ever apply  
To have some honest work in hand   

And in no case thou mayst suffer  
Thy servants or children to play  
For there is nought tha● may sooner  
Make them desire to ten away   

See thou keep them still occupied  
From morn till it be night again  
And if thou see they grow in pride  
Then lay hand on the bridle rain   

But be thou not to them bitter  
With words lacking discretion  
For thine husband it is fitter  
To give them due correction   

But if thou be of such degree  
That it is not for the seemly  
among thy maidens for to be  
Yet do thyself still occupy   

Do thyself occupy I say  
In reading or hearing some thing  
Or talking of the godly way  
Wherein is great edifying   

See thy children well nurtured  
See them brought up in the lords fear  
And if their manners be wicked  
In no case do thou with them bear.   

And if thine husband do outrage  
In any thing what so it be  
Admonish him of his last age  
With words mild as becometh the.   

And if he do refuse to hear  
Thy gentle admonition  
Yet see if thou can cause him fear  
Gods terrible punission   

Do what thou canst him to allure  
To seek god by godly living  
And certainly thou shalt be sure  
Of life that is everlasting   

For though the first woman did fall 
i Timo. two.   
And was the chief occasion  
That sin hath pierced through us all  
Yet shalt thou have salluation   

Thou shalt be false I say, if thou  
Keep thyself in obedience  
To thine husband, as thou didst vow  
And show to him d●e reverence   

But in faith must all this be done  
Or else it doth nothing avail  
For without faith nought can be won 
Hebr. xi.   
Take tho● never so great travail.   

Thou must believe and hope that he  
Tha● bade the be obedient  
Will be right well pleased with the  
Because thou holdest the content   

Now, if thine husband be godly  
And have knowledge be●ter then ●hou  
Then learn of him all thy duty  
And to his doctrine see thou bow   

See thou talk with him secretly  
Of such things as do the behove  
And see thou observe thoroughly  
All such things as he shall approve   

Seek to please him in thine array  
And let not new tricks delight the  
For that becometh the alway  
That with his mind doth best agree   

delight not in vain tattlers  
That do use false rumours to sow  
For such as be great babbelars  
Will in no case their duty know   

Their coming is alway to tell  
Some false lie by some honest man  
They are wrosse then the devil of hell  
If a man would them thoroughly scan   

They will find fault at thine array  
And say it is for the to base  
And haply ere they go away  
They will teach the to paint thy face   

Yea if all other talk do fail  
Before the idle time be spent  
They will teach the how to assail  
Thine husband with words vehement   

Thou mast swear by god's passion  
That long before thou sawest his head  
Thou haddest each gallant fashion  
And wilt again when he is dead   

Thou must tell him that he may hear  
With a loud voice & eke words plain  
That thou wilt some time make good cheer  
With right good fellows one or twain.   

I am ashamed for to write  
The talk that these gossepes do use  
Wherefore, if thou wilt walk upright  
Do their company quite refuse   

For they are the devels ministers  
Sent to destroy all honesty  
In such as will be their hearers  
And to their wicked read apply   

But thou that art Sarais daughter 
i Pet. iii.   
And lokeste for salvation  
See thou learn thy doctrine at her.  
And walk in thy vocation.   

She was alway obedient  
To her husband, and called him lord  
As the book of god's testament 
Gene. xviii.   
Doth in most open wise record.   

Follow her, and thou shalt be sure  
To have as she had in the end  
The life that shall ever endure  
Unto the which, the lord the send   
Amen.    

The Book to the Reader,  
☞ It pleased mine Author to give me to name  
The voice of the last trump (as Saint John doth write)  
Thinking thereby to avoid all the blame  
That commonly chanceth to such m●● write  
Plainly to such men as walk not upright  
For truth getteth hatred of such as be ill  
And will suffer nothing that bridleth their will  
I sought do displease you, let me bear the wire  
For I am the doer of that which is done  
I bark at your faults, but loath I am to bite  
If by this barking aught might be won  
And for this intent I was first begun  
That hearing your faults ye might them emend  
And reign with your master Christ at the end.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Crowley dwelling in Elie rents in Holborn. The year of our Lord God. M.D.XLIX. the xxix day of Novembre.  
☞ Auiore eodem Roberto Croleo  
¶ Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.