LOOK about you: OR, A Groatsworth of good council for a penny: BEING Variety of counsels, Cautions, Caveats, and Directions: Which, as they are necessary for youngmen; so they are not to be rejected by Old-men.  
He that refuseth now to buy good council at a cheap rate,  
Shall not fail to purchase Repentance dear either soon or late.  
V wlnere VERITAS   depiction of Truth 
FIrst, Make not an envious man a drunkard, a woman, nor a man in subjection to a woman of thy council: for it is impossible for them to keep close thy secrets.  
2 Be not over-prodigal in gifts, or chargeable courtesies, for thanks wax old ●o soon as ever gifts are in possession.  
3 Begin no great Enterprise before thou know how to accomplish it.  
4 Mock no man in his misery, but rather by him take heed how to avoid the like misfortune.  
5 Labour not to inform him that is without Reason, for so shalt thou not only lose thy labour, but also make him thine enemy.  
6 Desire not that of another, that thou thyself being asked wouldst deny, for therein it is ridiculous.  
7 Attempt not two things at one time, but accomplish one first, so shall not the one hinder the other.  
8 choose rarher to live solitary, for it is better to live alone in the corner of an house top, then in a spacious Palace with a brawling and contentious woman.  
9 Let not thy liberality exceed thine ability, nor thy hand go beyond thy purse.  
10 Bewars of pride in prosperity, for it will make thee impatient in adversity  
11 Speak no more to a stranger in private, than thou wouldst have publicly known.  
12 If thou doubt in any thing, ask council of wise men, and be not angry if they reprove thee.  
13 Do to all men as thou wouldst be done unto.  
14 Boast not of thy good deeds, lest also the bad be laid to thy charge: however do good to all men, although in doing good to an ill disposed person it happen to thee as to those that feed other men's Dogs, which bark at their feeder as well as at any other stranger.  
15 If thou givest aught give it at the first asking: for that is not freely given which is craved with importunity.  
16 When thou givest a gift to thy friend, let it be of the best: yet be not like a Boulter, that in bolting the meal casteth out the fine flower, and retaineth only the bran.  
17 Be courteous, and show a good countenance to all: yet enter not into familiarity with any, but only such whose Conversations are honest, and whose truth by trial is made trusty.  
18 Instruct Youth in good and commendable qualities: for as a Vessel savoureth always of the same liquor wherewith it was first seasoned, so the mind doth retain those qualities in age in which it was trained up in youth.  
19 Be not over profuse either in gifts or expenses: for it is better to be envied for thy provident sparing, then pitied for thy prodigal spending.  
20 Beware of envy, the most ancient pride the most great: and women the most dangerous & excess the most foul evil,  
21 Women in their wills are peremptory, and in their answers sharp: yet like falcons they will stoop to a gaudy lure, and as they are apt to weep, so are they to deceive: for thou knowest whether her tears be of sorrow, or of dissimulation, for she can shed both: and indeed women's sorrows are either too extreme, not to be relieved; or else picled up with dissimulation, not to be believed: it is natural for a woman to despise the thing that is offered her, and yet it is death to be denied the thing she demands. women's hearts are said to be full of holes, apt to receive, but not to retain: so that if love creeps in at one hole, it steps out at 3 or 4. The Closets of women's thoughts are ever open, and the depth of their hearts hath a string that stretcheth to their tongues. Women are like to the pictures of Fortune standing upon a Globe winged with the feathers of fickleness: and as for little goodness they look for great praise; so for much evil they look for no chastisement: and as there is no Creature that more desires honour, so there is no Creature that worse keeps it then a woman. And finally, he that can abide a cursed wife and her conditions, need not care what company he keeps.  
22 Nevertheless, if thou be'st wed to a curse wife, refrain both thy tongue and hands, and make a virtue of Necessity, placing that with patience thou canst not remove with ease: and consider, that it is thou that defervest to be beaten either for making choice of at all, or at best for making thy choice no better.  
23 Wine and strong Beer are crafty Wrestlers, and overthroweth the Wit, weakeneth the feet, and overcometh the vital Spirits: and therefore it may be truly said, that Drunkenness doth metamorphize a man into a beast, a strong man into a weak, and a wise man into a fool: A drunken man like an old man is twice a child. Drunkenness is a Monster with many heads; as abominable discourse, fornication, wrath, murder, swearing, cursing: and Wine is said to have destroyed more men than the Sea hath drowned: and to say no more, Drunkenness is a voluntary Madness.  
24 Pride eateth Gold, and drinketh blood, and climbeth so high by other men's heads, that it often breaks its own neck: it chanceth often to proud men, that in their greatest jollity, and when they think their Honour to be spun and weaved, that then the Web of their lives in a moment are cut and broken. Pride causeth that Work to become wicked, which in itself would be good: so that humble submission is better than proud boasting of our deeds, which often cause a proud man to fall into more detestable vices then before. A proud heart in a poor man, is like a great fire in a small Cottage, which not only warmeth the house, but burneth all that is in it. Advance one of low estate to high degree, and none alive aan reap more pride than he: and when ambition and pride is in the saddle, than mischief and shame is on the Crupper.  
25 Envy is the Daughter of Pride, the Author of murder and Revenge, the beginner of secret Seditions, and ever waits at virtue's Elbow. Envy is the slime and impostume of the soul, a perpetual torment to him in whom it abideth, as well as to virtuous persons, and actions; a venom, a poison, or quicksilver, which consumeth the flesh, and drieth the very marrow of the bones. An envious man waxeth lean at the fatness of his neighbour, and ever accounteth his neighbour's losses his gains, and his Neighbours gains his losses. Envy is said of the Poets to dwell in a dark Cave, being pale and lean, looking asquint, abounding with gall, her teeth black, never rejoicing but at other men's harms ever unquiet and always careful of doing mischief. And in this, one only point may be distinguished from Hatred: the one is secret: the other open: And in this alone is the envious man's meat above others (to him) he continually gnaweth upon his own heart.   

GEntle Reader, Be pleased to accept of this as an Introduction to some other things to follow, wherein he that collected these Sentences, intends variety of counsels, Caveats, Cautions, and Directions, which as they be hurtful to none, so if they may be useful to any, he shall think his time and pains well bestowed.   

LONDON: Printed for G. HORTON, 1654.