A Hundred Godly Lessons.  
That a Mother on her Deathbed gave to her Children, whereby they may know how to guide themselves towards God and Man, to the benefit of the Commonwealth, joy of their Parents, and good of themselves.  
Tune is, Wigmores' Galliard.  
 

MY children dear mark well my words,  
and keep my Precepts well,  
Consider daily in your minds  
the words which ● shall tell:  
The gain is great which shall ensue,  
good counsel doth direct,  
Their ways and actions for the best,  
that do it not neglect.   

First Worship God above all things,  
vas●… swearing see you shun:  
Hear much, but see you little say,  
thereby much good is won;  
Speak thou no ill of any man,  
tend well thine own affairs,  
Br●●le thy wrath and anger so,  
that thereof come no cares.   

Be mild and gentle in thy speech,  
both unto Man and Child,  
Refuse not good and lawful gains,  
with words be not beguiled:  
Forget not any good turn done,  
and help thy Neighbours need,  
Commit no ill in any case,  
the hungry see thou feed.   

Cast no man in the teeth with that  
which thou for him hast done;  
Remember flesh is fond and frail,  
and hatred see thou shun.  
Leave wicked things, than no mishap  
shall thee to trouble bring,  
Crave no preferment of the Lord,  
nor honour of the King.   

Boast not thyself before God's sight,  
who knows thy heart always:  
Offend not thou the multitude,  
faint not when thou dost pray:  
Scorn not a man in misery,  
esteem not tattling tales,  
Consider reason is exiled,  
when as a Drunkard rails:   

Use not thy lips to loathsome lies,  
by craft increase not wealth,  
And strive not with a mighty man,  
with temperance nourish health;  
Look that thou order well thy words,  
leave not thy friend for gold;  
Trust not too much before thou try,  
in venturing be not bold.   

In God repose thy strength and stay,  
with tongue extol his praise:  
Honour thy Parents, and the Lord  
he will prolong thy days:  
He that his Father honour doth,  
God will forgive his sin;  
He that his Mother loves, is like  
one that doth favour win.   

A child obedient to the Lord,  
his Mother comfort shall,  
The Father's blessing stays the house,  
his curse doth make it fall:  
A wise child makes the Father glad,  
Fools do their Mothers grieve:  
And shame shall come to such as do  
their Parents not relieve,   

He that his Mother doth defy,  
shall come to naught and worse,  
The Ravens shall pick out their eyes,  
that do their Parents curse:  
From needy men turn not thy face,  
let not thy right hand know,  
What thou dost with thy left hand give,  
or on the poor bestow.   

They that upon the poor bestow,  
unto the Lord do lend,  
And God unto such men again,  
a thousand fold will send:  
As water doth the fire quench▪  
whose fury great doth grow,  
Even so shall mercy quench their sins,  
the which do mercy show.   

Hear thou God's word with earnest ear,  
with wisdom answer make,  
Be thou not moved with every wind,  
such course do sinners take;  
Thy talk will show thy fame or shame▪  
fools oft themselves annoy,  
Trust not thy own will overmuch,  
for that may thee destroy.   

They that the living God do fear,  
a faithful friend shall find:  
A true friend is a jewel rare,  
and comfort to the mind.  
Hear Sermons that good sentences  
thou mayst conceive aright,  
In God's commandments exercise,  
thyself both day and night.   
 

THink on the pain thy mother had,  
〈◊〉 bringing thee to life;  
Fear God who knows thy secret thoughts,  
and look thou make no strife.  
Visit the sick with carefulness,  
the Prisoners grief consider,  
Show pity to the fatherless,  
and God will thee deliver.   

Help still to right the widow's wrong,  
remember still thine end,  
So thou shalt never do amiss,  
nor wilfully offend:  
Trust not a reconciled friend,  
more than an open foe,  
Who toucheth pitch, shall be defiled,  
take heed thou do not so.   

Take not a wife that wanton is,  
and full of shameful words,  
The flattering of an horlot is,  
at length more sharp than Swords.  
Cast not thy love on such a one,  
whose looks can thee allure,  
In every face where beauty is,  
the heart's not always pure.   

A woman fair and undiscreet  
is like a Ring of Gold,  
The which in a swine's snout is set,  
unseemly to behold:  
The malice of lewd women shun,  
for they will thee destroy,  
Hate her that doth on every man,  
set her delight and joy.   

From others let thy praise proceed,  
boast not thyself in aught:  
And do not hear a flattering tongue,  
thereby much ill is wrought:  
The child that doth his Parents rob,  
and counteth it no sin,  
A vile destroyer he is deemed,  
and shall no favour win.   

Correction bringeth wisdom sound,  
fools hate good counsel still,  
That child doth shame his mother much,  
that's let to have his will:  
The good man's path shines as the light,  
that beautifies the day,  
The wicked know not where they walk,  
for darkness is their way.   

Put far from thee a froward Mouth,  
a slanderous tongue is ill,  
And do not thou an envious mind,  
in any wise fulfil.  
A Harlot brings a man to beg,  
in her is found no truth,  
An gladness therefore live and die,  
with the wife of thy youth.   

Much babbling breedeth great offence,  
he that speaks lest is wise,  
God's blessing only makes men rich,  
from thence all joys arise.  
Better is little fearing God,  
than bags of gold got ill,  
And better is one bit of bread,  
than a fat Ox with ill will.   

Who brooks no warning hates his soul,  
true age worship aright,  
A patiented man far better is  
then one endued with might.  
Man's credit comes by doing good,  
an humble mind indeed  
Is better than a Liar proud,  
from whence vain brags proceed.   

By this dear children you may learn,  
how to direct your ways,  
To God, to Prince, to Commonwealth,  
whereon your welfare stays.  
Print well in your remembrance,  
the Lessons I have shown,  
Then shall you live in happy state,  
when I am dead and gone.    

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke.