4
His counsell had I vsed,
and Ceres art refused,
I neede not thus haue mused,
nor droope as now I do:
But I must plaie the farmer,
and yet no [whit] the warmer,
although I had his [armer],
and other comfort to.
Æsops fable.
5
The Foxe doth make me minde him,
whose glorie so did blinde him,
till taile cut off behinde him,
no [fare] could him content:
Euen so must I be proouing,
such glorie I had in loouing,
of things to plough [behoouing],
that makes me now repent.
Salust.
6
[Loiterers] I kept so [meanie],
both Philip, Hob, and [Cheanie],
that, that waie nothing [geanie],
was thought to make me thriue:
Like Iugurth, Prince of Numid,[E11]
my gold awaie consumid,
with losses so perfumid,[E12]
was neuer none aliue.
7
Great fines so neere did [pare] me,
great rent so much did [skare] me,
great charge so long did [dare] me,
that made me at length crie creake:[E13]
Much more[2] of all such fleeces,[E14]
as oft I lost by [peeces],
among such wilie geeces
I list no longer speake.
8
Though countrie health long [staid] me,
yet [lesse][3] expiring [fraid] me,
and ([ictus sapit][E15]) praid me
to seeke more steadie staie:
New lessons then I noted,
and some of them I [coted],[4]
least some should think I [doted],
by bringing naught awaie.
Pallas, Goddesse of wisdome and cunning.
9
Though Pallas hath denide me,
hir learned pen to guide me,
for that she dailie [spide] me,
with countrie how I stood:
Yet Ceres so did [bold] me,
with hir good lessons told me,
that [rudenes] cannot hold me,
from dooing countrie good.
10
By practise and ill [speeding],
these lessons had their [breeding],
and not by [hearesaie], or [reeding],
as some abrode haue [blowne]:
Who will not thus beleeue me,
so much the more they greeue me,
because they grudge to geeue me,
that is of right mine owne.