The scholer forth of schoole
may boldlier take his mind,
The fields haue eyes, the bushes eares,
false birds can fetch the wind.[E405]
The further from the gone
the safer may ye skippe,
The nerer to the carters hand
the nerer to the whippe.
The neerer to the whippe
the sooner comes the [jerke],
The sooner that poore beast is strucke
the sooner doth he [yerke].
Some loueth for to whippe,
to see how ierkes will smart,
In wofull taking is that horse
that nedes must drawe in cart.
Such fellow is the Deuell,
that doth euen what he list,
Yet thinketh he what ere he doth
none ought dare say, but [whist].
Take therefore heed, my sonne,
and marke full well this song,
Learne thus with craft to claw the deuell,
else liue in rest not long.
[65.]
¶ A sonet against a slanderous tongue.[E406]
¶ Chap. 54.
Doth [darnell] good, among the flowrie wheat?
Doo thistles good, so thick in fallow spide?
Doo [taint wormes] good, that lurke where ox should eat
Or sucking drones, in hiue where bees abide?
Doo hornets good, or these same biting gnats?
Foule swelling toades, what good by them is seene?
In house well deckt, what good doth gnawing rats?
Or [casting] mowles, among the meadowes greene?
Doth heauie newes make glad the hart of man?
Or noisome smels, what good doth that to health?
Now once for all, what good (shew who so can?)
Doo stinging[1] snakes, to this our Commonwealth?
No more doth good a peeuish slanderous toung,
But hurts it selfe, and noies both old and young.[E407]
[1] stinking. 1577.