Of nyght watchers and beters of the stretes playnge by nyght on instrumentes and vsynge lyke Folyes whan tyme is to rest.
He is a Fole that wandreth by nyght
In felde or towne, in company or alone
Playnge at his lemmans dore withouten lyght
Tyll all his body be colde as lede or stone
These folys knockynge tyll the nyght be gone
At that season thoughe that they fele no colde
Shall it repent and fele whan they be olde.
Nowe wolde I of my boke haue made an ende
And with my shyp drawen to some hauen or porte
Stryken my sayle, and all my folys sende
Vnto the londe, a whyle them selfe to sporte
But this my purpose is lettyd by a sorte
Of frantyke folys, wandrynge about by nyght
For often all yll doers hatyth the day lyght