Paradise sig. Biiiir

[sig. Biiiir]

13. Who myndes to bryng his Shippe to happy shore,
Must care to know the lawes of wisedomes lore
. +

M Y frend, if thou wilt credite me in ought, To whom the truth, by triall well appeares: Nought worth is wit, till it be dearely bought, +There is no wisedome, but in hoarie heares: +(5) Yet if I may, of wisedome oft define, As well as others haue of happinesse: Then to my wordes, my frend thy eare encline, The thinges that make thee wise, are these I gesse.
Feare God, + and know thy selfe in ech degree, (10) Be frend to all, familiar but to few: +To light of credite, see thou neuer bee, +For triall ought, in trust doth treason shew: To others faultes, cast not to much thy eye, Accuse no man of guilt, amende thy owne: +(15) Of medling much, doth mischief ought arise, +And oft debate, by tickle tongue is sowne.
What thing thou wilt haue hid, to none declare, In word or deede, beware of had I wist: +So spend thy good, that some thou euer spare, +(20) For frendes like Haukes, do soare from emptie fist: +Cut out thy coate, according to thy cloth, +Suspected persons, see thou alwayes flee: Beleeue not him, that once hath broke his troth, Nor yet of gift, without desert be free. +
(25) Time quickly slippes, beware how thou it spend, +Of wanton youth, repentes a painfull age: +Begin nothing, without an eye to th’end, Nor bow thine eare, from counsaile of the sage: If thou to farre, let out thy fancie slip, (30) And witlesse will, from reasons rule outstart: Thy folly shall at length be made thy whip, And sore the stripes of shame shall cause thee smart.