A short discourse of the life of seruingmen plainly expressing the way that is best to be followed, and the meanes wherby they may lawfully challenge a name and title in that vocation and fellowship. With certeine letters verie necessarie for seruingmen, and other persons to peruse. With diuerse pretie inuentions in English verse. Hereunto is also annexed a treatise, concerning manners and behauiours.

Certeine inuentions in verse, deuised at sundrie idle times.

W. D. to his friends, exhorting them to beware in time.

MY secrete griefes bewray my minde, I sigh to thinke on passed youth, Bent so to pleasures of the worlde, Respecting profit vaine forsooth. I serude in hope of Courtly gift, No whitt estéeming crooked age: Gréene youth did hedlong runne so swift, I lamde my selfe in fansies barge. No care I tooke, I sailde on still, (God wott) to hauen of vaine delight: Untill that reason sett vpp saile, Prouoking will to banishe quight. Hence slowly sailde my broken Barke, And waiteth time till Fortune please. The Tackels torne, the Maste ••emaind, Halfe spoyled in the furging Seas. By Mermaides singing past shée foorth, Inuirond rounde with gaping iawes, Nowe Neptune King helpe thou (quoth witt,) I fall into their gaping iawes. Nowe like to shippe on boyling Seas, * 1.1 Compare I youth and gadding yeares, On daungers tost a thousand wayes, Unlesse the helme good counsell steares. Regarding sporte, I speilde my youth, Time wild me thinke on withered age: When pinching colde shall nippe thy limmes, Howe wilt thou shunne his angrie rage? Eschewe to drinke on wanton cuppe, Remember yeares do waste away: Eschewe eche mate of Uenus troope, * 1.2 Ne care thou for such wanton play.

And quite detest all fansies fonde, Unfolde the tables of thy life: Giue vp thy right of childish yeares, Haue care to gett for wedded wife. To turne in time is wisedome greate, In wishing when it is too late, Shall cause thée fall in déepe decaye, And bring thy ende to wretched state. Where wealth doeth want, there friendship colde: Example séene by daily proofe, Bought witt is deare, (the Prouerbe sayes:) Unstayed heads will soare aloofe. Trust not thy foe once reconcilde, Unlesse thou séeke thine owne decay, And credite not eche glosing stile, In trust is treason oft (men saye.) Nowe farewell youth and wanton will, Detesting Follir traine, I yeld my selfe to Wisedomes skill, Supposing pleasures to be vaine. Proofe willes mée yelde my selfe with spéede, Once caught in snare to shunne the trappe, Respecting profite wisedome brings, Then shall I sléepe in vertues lappe.

W. D.

Of one, who thinking to haue wedded a riche widowe, purchased an vnquiet lyfe.

I Likt where no loue was, I matcht in hope to gaine, I sought for swéete, and tasted sowre, And wedded proude disdaine. I leade a loathed life, Exild from present ioy.

The yoke of bondage weare I on, Which threatens mine annoy. I sayld in seas of griefe, And washt with waues of woe, I must abide appointed course, My fate ordeines it so. I nowe must weaue the web, Which canckard care hath spun, And réele vp that against my will, Which youth would gladly shun. I sowe my séedes in vaine, I plant on barren stocke, * 1.3 And nought I get but blossome flowres, For wealth is vnder locke. For this by proofe I finde, Not well he often spéedes, * 1.4 That sowes his corne in such a soyle, Where nothing growes but wéedes. Thus liue I voyde of ioy, And spoyle my youth with age, My life is worser then the birde, Which fast is pent in cage. I leade a sparing life, The daintie fare I shunne, And yet I waste, I know not how: As snowe against the sunne. A iust reuenge (no doubt,) To me for passed life, For that I liue, as I do now, With such a dogged wife. Perforce must be content, * 1.5 Though fate on me do frowne, I must content me with my lot, Since fortune kéepes me downe.

W. D.

Of one which commended diligence, and despised brauerie.

I Serue in hope of that to come, * 1.6 I passe not for no slauerie, I sée a number are vndone, And all for painted brauerie. I know a number lustie laddes, Which had possessions plentie, And begin streates with pitious mones, And finde rewardes but scantie. Wherefore Ile yelde my scepter vp, And hold my selfe contented, And labour like the busie Ant, For feare my pursse be emptie.

W. D.

W. D. to his vnconstant friend.

AT age of twentie yeares and two, Dame Uenus tolde me on, To fixe my fansie vppon a maide, whose person nowe is gone. I likte her well, shée loude mée deare, I wooed her daye and night: Ill happe was mine to loue her well, And yet to lose her quite. For mischiefe made such meanes, And woorked such debate, That I of force was made to yelde, And loue was turnd to hate. Then right and reasen durst not speake. For might withstoode the same, Her faith they counted but a iest, And termd it Uenus game. For my good will thus haue I gott. * 1.7 Most bitter brall and strife, For shée whome I did fansie best, is nowe a wedded wife.

Nowe lye I drenchte in deadly lake, No mercie may I craue, Her friends for spight haue forste her quite, No comfort I can haue. Nowe doe I wallowe in the woes of Cupide blinded boy: My pleasures all are turnd to paine, My deareling lookes so coy. The great good will betwixt vs twaine, is nowe abandond quite, Shée nought regardes my iourneis cold, nor riding night by night. Perforce must be content, For mourning is but vaine, To like or loue where loue is lost, * 1.8 increaseth double paine. And thus I ende, fare well, fare well. Farewell, againe I say: I would be sorrie at my heart, to sée thée cast away.

W. D.

Certeine verses written to a maide, to be cir∣cumspect in her choyce.

WIsedome doeth warne all maides that be wise, a héede for to haue, in hearing euery winde, * 1.9 Lest lessons lewde, of such as can deuise, Trim tempered talk, to allure the simple minde: Else may shée through secrete griefe, Repent too late their rashe and lewde beliefe. Delight not in wordes, for they are but winde: Approue him well that shall be thy mate, Remember in shewes is harbourd deceit, Eschewe it in time, lest it be too late. Loue him therefore that loues thée againe, Long else shalt thou loue in dolour and paine. * 1.10

W. D.

An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Edward Darell, Clarke of Catrie of the Queenes Maiesties most honora∣ble housholde.

IF euer cause constrained man, with shrikes to fill the Skie, If euer woe did will a wight, with teares his tunes to trye: Then cause haue I poore sillie man, to waile with watred eyes, The death of Darell dead and gone, which colde in earth nowe lyes. Whose deth a thousand thousand times I do lament full sore: And whilest my brething ghost remains, I shall do euermore. If plaints or wofull cries at all, Could raise him vp from graue, Then would I wayle in yearnfull sort, The life of him to haue. So godly was his life on earth, * 1.11 Euen to the latter end, So patient eke in troubles still, And faithfull to his friend. In court so carefull for his prince, So cleare of iudgement sure, In all his dealings iust of word, Of conscience very pure. So well reported all abroad, So courteous and so milde, Most dearely loued euery where, Of woman man and childe. A Gentleman in euery point, His life declarde the same, Who for his vertues manifold, Hath won immortall fame.

W. D.

Of the Deare intoyled in a progresse.

THe Deare pursued, him selfe sore turmoyles, Ouer bramble and bryers his bodies rebounds, Good luck yet may chance him, to pas throgh y^e toiles, And frée with his life to scape from the hounds.

W. D.

A dittie of hunting:

to the tune of Light of loue, &c.

OF all the pleasures in countrie and court, * 1.12 Hunting with hounds is the gallantest sport, Though painfull it séemeth, yet health it doth bring: It is a pastime for a Duke or a King.

Merily chaunts the hounds in the wood, Most men it delightes, the noyse is so good.

Hunting expelleth the wanton delight, * 1.13 Which often enchaunteth each kind of delight, The pleasures of Uenus with other vaine sport, Hunting preuenteth all such kinde of sport.

Merily, &c.

If youthes would delight in hunting with hound, * 1.14 Unthrifts so many would scarcely be found, House kéeping would neuer so souden decay: Nor gentle would iet it in going so gay.

Merily, &c.

In hunting is harbourde most pretie conceits, * 1.15 As writers at large moste trimly intreates: Manhood is prooued, cunning is learnde, Mindes are reuiued, sleightes be discerned.

Merily, &c.

A King in Newe forest by chasing the Harte, * 1.16 By Fortuue was slaine of a fethered darte: Diuerse besides in huntiug the Boare, Haue ended their dayes being wounded full sors.

Merily, &c.

Hunting resembles a battell in field. * 1.17 And pretie conceits of warre it doth yelde:

A pastime truely well worthie of fame, And all that loues it deserueth the same.

Merily, &c.

The hounds be the battell pitcht very square, The grehounds the wings to followe the hare, * 1.18 The hornes blows chace and sound the retire, To courage the dogges where game doth appeare.

Merily, &c.

When game to the couert spéedeth apace, The horsemen giue charge to followe the chace, * 1.19 Their spurres imbrued, their horse they do strike, Which makes them rebound ouer hedge and dike

Merily, &c.

Yet some there be certein which hunting do scorne, * 1.20 Bicause of their hedges and spoyle of their corte: What pleasure (say they) to heare a dog ball? A labour they count it, no pleasure at all.

Merily, &c.

In hunting (say they) great charges arise, * 1.21 In filling their mawes, to stop their outcries, Stenches most filthie vnséemely to views, In kéeping of dogges besides doth insue.

Merily, &c.

The dronkard detests it, and hunts for good ale, The leacher doth loath it, and hunts for his taile, * 1.22 The gamster doth shun it, and curseth the same: And hunts after dice and other lewd game.

Merily, &c.

But those that be honest such pastime will fly, * 1.23 For mischiefes full many ariseth thereby: But hunting with hounds doth carrie such fame, That nobles and Gentles doth honour that game.

Merily chaunts the hounds in the wood, Most men it delights, the noyse is so good.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Youth compa¦red to a ship sayling at vn¦certeintie.
• * 1.2

  Exhortations full of good counsell.
• * 1.3

  Pretie and pi∣thie.
• * 1.4

  A proper allu¦sion.
• * 1.5

  Patience per∣force.
• * 1.6

  Short and sweete.
• * 1.7

  Whilest one beats the bush another takes the birdes.
• * 1.8

  To loue wher•• loue is lost is double griefe.
• * 1.9

  A lesson for maides to learne that are wise.
• * 1.10

  Loue and be¦loued.
• * 1.11

  Properties praise worthy
• * 1.12

  Hunting is healthfull.
• * 1.13

  Hunting ta¦meth the flesh
• * 1.14

  Hunting main∣teineth thrifti¦nesse.
• * 1.15

  Hunting ma¦kes men ac¦tiue & expert.
• * 1.16

  Daunger in hunttig.
• * 1.17

  Hunting com¦pared to a bat¦tell.
• * 1.18

  Proofe of the premisses.
• * 1.19

  The proofe continued.
• * 1.20

  Hunting foūd faultie.
• * 1.21

  Discommodi∣ties in hun∣ting.
• * 1.22

  What maner of men abhor hunting.
• * 1.23

  Hunting high¦ly esteemed a¦mong the ho¦nourable.