Ecclesiastes, othervvise called The preacher Containing Salomons sermons or commentaries (as it may probably be collected) vpon the 49. Psalme of Dauid his father. Compendiously abridged, and also paraphrastically dilated in English poesie, according to the analogie of Scripture, and consent of the most approued writer thereof. Composed by H.L. Gentleman. Whereunto are annexed sundrie sonets of Christian passions heretofore printed, and now corrected and augmented, with other affectionate sonets of a feeling conscience of the same authors.

Chap. 10.

[verse 1] Dead flies do sweetest oyles corrupt, so follies small the wise [verse 2] Disgrace: but wise men things feresee, though foole insnard he lies.

1.

Dead flies cause to stinke and putrifie the oyntment of the Apotheca∣rie: so doth a little folly him that is in esti∣mation for wis∣dome and for glory.

THou therefore, who art once reputed wise, Hadst need full warily thy selfe to guide, For looke how much more high thy fame doth rise, More sharper censure art thou like to bide, If in a slender matter thou shouldst slide.

For looke how soone thou seest the drowned flyes, In sweetest droogs Apothecaries make, Corrupt them so, that men it straight despise, Which they before, did for most precious take: So be thou sure one vice shall staine thee more, Then many vertuous deedes, thee praysd before.

2.

The heart of a wise man is as his right hand: but the hart of a foole is as his left hand.

Thou farther seest, that wisedome is the thing In all assayes, best worthy of esteeme, Who doth her followers vnto honour bring, And makes their actions alwayes gracious seeme, And men their words, like Oracles to deeme.

From all extremes she shields them with her wing, They find reliefe euen readie at their hand, When foolish folke (with euery trifle) wring, And like left-handed helpes amazed stand, Not knowing how to othe••s helpe to breed, Nor yet themselues to hel••e in time of need.

[verse 3] The foole to all men showes his wit, each thing doth him amaze, [verse 4] The wise (though Prince offended be) his fitter time he stayes.

3.

And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all, that he is a foole.

If they in iudgement, once do go astray, They headlong fall, and neuer see the same, If once they misse the vsuall common way, Vnto a better course they cannot frame, But lie and perish to their lasting shame.

Their downefals they haue not the wit to stay, Nor to conceale their fault from any one, Nay they will blase their shame (say who will nay) To euery one, though done a part alone, Yea they will boast thereof, and it defend, If that the standers by will hearing lend.

4.

If the spirit of him that ruleth rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenesse pa∣cifieth great sinnes.

Which if they should, and that their powre permit, Be not dismayd, but vse thou wisedome then, Giue them the honour, for their place is fit, And then remember that they are but men, And vse good words, as wisedome teacheth when.

For words well vsed, workes the grossest wits Vnto a plient patience, more to heare, And patience, fauour more in time begits; And time forgetfulnesse, if thou forbeare, And mild forbearance, makes thy fault the lesse, And him his fault (if grace he haue) confesse.

[verse 5] This euill on earth I oft haue seene, great rulers greatly fall, [verse 6] The foole aduanst, the rich and wise reiected most of all.

5.

There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an error that pro∣ceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.

But yet this rule I find not alwayes true, Nay rather often times it fayleth quight, (A thing I cannot mend, though it I rue, And is the thing I hold the greatest spight, That euer may to common wealth alight.)

To see that those to whom all rule is due, And should be guides to other men in good, Should all the vices of the world insue, And may not be by any meanes withstood; By whose examples, many others fall To ruine; as do shrubs with Cedar tall.

6.

Folly is set in great excellen∣cie, and the rich set in the low place.

How can it be in any other wise, If folly sit in seat of excellence, Like will to like, and as the bad arise, Downe goes the good, and vertue'is banisht thence, (For wicked ones in wicked seeke defence.)

Pure vertue naked in a beggers guise, May wander for protection and for ayde, For euery one her merits will despise, Because like gifts, their natures haue denayd, Thus topsie turuie euery thing will grow, As cart, the horse: the sterne, ships way should show.

[verse 7] Slaues by desart a cockhorse ride, right nobles lackie by, [verse 8] But who layes snares, himselfe may fall: and pricks in hedges try.

7.

I haue seene seruants on horses, & Prin∣ces walking as seruants on the ground.

For what obsurder thing can you suppose, Then what is oftentimes before your eye? When you on cockhorse see a prauncing those, Whose birth and qualities you may despise, Whilst wise and noble both contemned lies.

Nay lackie-like in trotting, time do loose, In seruing such as know not true desart, A worser life there could be no way chose, Or that could more torment an honest hart: For where shall they expect their paines reward, Which they to foole all readie see is shard.

8.

He that dig∣geth a pit, shall fall into it, and he that brea∣keth the hedge a Serpent shall bite him.

But for my part I can be well content, To yeeld all honor where God honor giues, But yet oppressors should in time repent, For God in heauen a iudge for euer liues, And to confusion wicked worldlings driues.

He doth preuent their fraudulent intent, And makes them fall into the pit they cast, Whilst they indeuour others to preuent, The Serpents sting to martyr them as fast: For fraud with fraud, is oftentimes repayd, And wicked snard, in grin for others layd.

[verse 9] Bounds changers, and wood stealers are, oft tane and punished: [verse 10] By slight & force men may do much, but blunt wits cut like lead.

9.

He that remo∣ueth stones, shall hurt him∣selfe thereby, and he that cutteth wood, shall be in dan∣ger thereby.

If lawes of kingdomes chastisement procure, For such as alter auncient bounds of land, If that poore pilfring hedge-breakers be sure To sit in stockes, if owners vnderstand, And euery crime is punisht out of hand.

Shall wrong, or shall oppression still assure The mightie ones, to tread the weaker downe, Nay God the king of kings will not endure, But in his wrath on them will fiercely frowne, For though his patient suffring doth excell, (Yet moued long) he striketh downe to hell.

10.

If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put too more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wise∣dome.

Let no man therefore so misuse his wit, To hurt of neighbour, or to proper shame, But let him do the thing he findeth fit, And let him wisely his intentions frame, So shall lesse toyle, more sweet insue the same.

For as the dulled toole craues force with it, Of doubled strength to make it pierce aright, Yet will (with all thy paines) scarce cut awhit, Vnlesse thou ioyne thy skill vnto thy might: So in all actions reason must be guide, Else no good issue will the same betide.

[verse 11] As serpents sting, if charmes do want; so babbling tongs do bight, [verse 12] Himselfe he doth deuour: whilst words of wise men do delight.

11.

If the Serpent bite when he is not charmed, no better is a babbler.

And as in deeds, euen so in words beware How thou dost guide thy tongue in any case, Wherein to find a wise man, it is rare, Licentious speech hath now so common place, And slanderous tongues, do find such speciall grace.

Yet not the Serpents which in Lybia are, Whilst they vncharmed lye in wait for man, More daungerously do sting: or do prepare More present poyson, then vile slander can, If it haue hearing once, and credit lent, It will destroy the saint most innocent.

12.

The words of the mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lips of a foole deuoure him∣selfe.

The lauish tatling tongue on prating set, Spares no man, nor regardeth what it sayth, It cuts like to a razor which is whet, And prickes himselfe which rashly with it playth, And him that so it vseth, fond bewrayth.

But wise men speake when matter good they get, With modestie, and vnto matter good, Out of their lips no vaine vntruths they let, They speake distinctly to be vnderstood, And words accompany'd with matter graue, For which of all they commendations haue.

[verse 13] His speech begins with foolish talke, with wicked madnesse ends, [verse 14] Increasing words of future things, strange questions he defends.

13.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter end of his mouth is wic∣kednesse.

Fooles if they once begin, can neuer end, And with their will they all the words will haue, They loue to heare themselues, and will defend Their follies, euen before the wise and graue, And thinke they (brauely) do themselues behaue.

They do begin their speech (if eare you lend) With vaine and foolish talkes, or lying toyes, But in the middle they to mischiefe bend, In fine with madnesse ends he, and annoyes The honest eare and soule, that heares him speake, And them compell his senslesse tale to breake.

14.

For the foole multiplyeth words, saying▪ man knoweth not what shall be, and who can tell him what shall be after him.

From table talke and childish toyes, he growes To highest points of learning and of skill, In deepe points of diuinitie he showes, That with best learned clarke compare he will, And all the world with paradoxes fill.

Gods secrets he by inspiration knowes, He prophecies of things yet long to come, With super-naturall skill he ouerflowes, And in each science seemeth to haue some, When silly wretch, his knowledge is but small, For in those points, the best knowe nought at all.

[verse 15] He tyres himselfe in highest points, yet knowes not common way, [verse 16] O wretched land, ruld by such child, whose peeres do feast by day.

15.

The labour of the foolish doth weary him: for he knoweth not to go into the citie.

Thus do the foolish vainely take in hand, To vexe their braines, with things for them to hie, They know that future things none vnderstand, Yet they their faculties therein will try, Such wise fooles (fondly wise) the world hath many.

It fares with them (if it be rightly scand) As with the blind that would the seeing guide, As if one wandring in an vncouth land, Would those instruct, the way dwell hard beside: They silly fooles, know not their next way home, And yet their wits would ouer all things rome.

16.

Wo to thee, ô land, when the king is a child; and thy Princes eat in the morning,

Wo be to such, that by such ruled are, But speciall wo be to thee land, where they Do beare the Scepter, least they all do marre, As ill as infants when they beare the sway, Who not themselues, much lesse thy state can stay.

And doubled is thy woe and mischiefe farre, If that thy Magistrates (who should aduise Their Prince in highest points of peace or warre) To banqueting and surfets early rise, Neglecting common good, which first of all With temperate braine, they should to counsell call.

[verse 17] But blest ô land, where honor rules, where Nobles feed to liue. [verse 18] By sloth the house decays, & rain through top of roofe doth driue.

17.

••lessed art thou •• land, when thy king is the sonne of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in time, for strength and not for drun∣kennesse.

And thou thrice happy soyle, whose Prince descends Of pedegree of Emp'rors and of Kings Of auncient honor, which to vertue bends; Whose rule both peace and plenty to thee brings, Where through thy fame, mōgst forrē regions rings.

And happy Prince, whom God a Councell sends Of noble Peeres and wise, whose watchfull eyes Thy subiects from all forren foes defends, And ciuill broyles that might at home arise, Such do in temperate wise their plentie vse, And feed for strength, and plenty not abuse.

18.

By slothfulnes the roofe of the house go∣eth to decay, & by the idlenes of the hand the house droppeth through.

They cause the Pesant, in sweet peace manure The land, the treasury of wealths encrease: Vnto the needy they do worke procure, And see the poore, with wealthy liue in peace, And all oppression in the land to cease.

Their waking eyes doth Princes state assure, Doth to the people courage giue to toyle, Gaines to themselues a fame shall aye indure, Giues to the foe the most disgracefull foyle; All this with paine and diligence is wonne, Slouth ruines all, makes all to hauock ronne.

[verse 19] Bread strēgthens hart, wine cheers the mind, but siluer al doth by, [verse 20] Curse not thy king or Peeres in thought, lest birds the same descry.

19.

They prepare bread for laugh¦ter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but sil∣uer answereth to all.

They giue the safetie, for to vse thy owne, And peace, of plentie that thou mayest feed, Thou feedst by them, of best on earth hath growne, Of fatlings, which thy flocks and heards do breed, To recreate thy soule at time of need.

And for by gold and siluer wealth is showne, They do inrich the land with purest quine, By which thy trafficke farre and neere is knowne, And Indian gems, and Arabian drugs are thine, Gold gayneth all, and Ophire gold thou hast, Then happie thou, if hap in wealth be plast.

20.

Curse not the king, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the heauen shall carry thy voice, and that which hath wings, shall de∣clare the mat∣ter.

Then slander not such Prince, that counsell graue, By whom so many benefits we find, Their many merits, many thankes do craue, Each honest hart to reuerent loue they bind, And base backbiters only are vnkind.

The lawes of God, and nature willed haue, The Magistrate should reuerenced bee, The lawes of man the bounds vnto thee gaue Of words and deeds, but God the thought doth see, In deed then, word, and thought them honor aye, Least flying fowles of ayre, thy guilt bewray.