Bel-vedére, or, The Garden of the muses

Of Follie.

Follie is both rewarded and respected, When wit is often scorned and reiected.

WHat folly can pretend, wisdome preuents. A greater signe of follie i•• not knowne, Than trusting others force, distrust our owne. Repentance, youthfull follie quite expells. Who hazards his estate, to remedie A curelesse mischiefe, may be tearm'd a foole. Wishes are vaine, where will is follies guide. Fooles may not play with swords, nor maids with loue, Least follie crye, and wantonnes repent.

Fooles many times, to dignities arise. A foole such pastime with his pleasure maketh, As in the end his ruine he awaketh. Fooles wanting knowledge, doe cont••mne the wise. He is a foole that doth prepare a ginne, To be him selfe the first man t•••••••• therein. Vnlettered fooles, at learning doe repine. Who with a rasour thinkes to c••t the Flint, But vnder-takes a foolish fruit lesse ta••ke. Follies oft leaue a memorie of shame. Learning doth liue in pen••orie and bare, When fooles grow rich, and feed on daint••st fare▪ Wisdome doth frowne when follie is in place. Fooles are set vp in offices full gay, When wiser men come downe, and sit below. It's better be a foole, than prooue a Foxe. Follie is iudg'd in silence to ••e wise, For too much babbling, wisdome doth despise. Follie flings forth, if counsell touch him neere. For childrens hands, a rasour is vnfit, And fooles vnmeet in wisdomes seat to sit. What greater scourge than follie, is to wit? Foolish that science is, held ne're so deare, Which fore-shewes perils ••••nre, not daungers neere. Silence is still best answere to a foole. Promote a foole, his follie strait appeares, And prooues a shame to them which caus'd him climbe. All's prouender to Asses, but the aire. Mount vp a foole, his wit is quickely heard: Then keepe such downe, let wise men be preferr'd. Instructions giuen to fooles, encreaseth follie. A leaden sword clad in a golden sheath, Is like a foole of natures finest mould. Follies are sooner thought on, than redrest.

For man, it is great follie to delight In fading smoake, and loose the heauenly light. Follie, to saue a part, and loose the whole. A very foole I doe him firmely hold, That loues his fetters, though they be of gold. A Lyons skinne hides not the Asses eares. So much doth follie thrust men into blame, That euen to leaue off shame, they count a shame. Follie, though ouer-guilt, at length appeares. Prosperitie oft maketh fooles starke mad.

Similies on the same subiect.

AS foolish questions merit silence best, So kind demaunds require as kind replyes. As no mishap can mooue a carelesse mind, So no instructions can reforme a foole. As wise men not esteem'd by outward shewes, So any semblaunce satisfieth fooles. As snow in Summer no man doth commend, So none deemes honour requisite for fooles. As spots disfigure any beauteous face, So follie is the blemish of the mind. As smoake at highest, soonest vanisheth, So follie praised, quickliest perisheth.

Examples likewise on the same.

BY follie Nicias was ta'ne aliue, Dismayed onely with the Moones ecclipse. Oemilius tearmed Perses but a foole, To be dismay'd because of vanquishing. Cleander, who would needs betray his lord, Lost all his hopes, and proou'd him selfe a foole. Torquatu•• foolishly shunn'd dignitie, Because himselfe was pained with sore eyes.

Be neither simple, nor yet ouer subtill, Such counsell gaue the wise and learned Bias. Follie, saith Cicero, pollutes the sou••e, But wisdome is a glorious o••••a••••••t.