Grandsire graybeard. Or Machiauell displayed.

Precept 1.

IF thou wilt be a man of much esteeme, Be not the same what euer so thou seeme.

Speake faire to all, be courteous, gentle, kiad, But let the world know nothing of thy minde.

Let slip no time, may be for th••n e••uai••e, But trust no friend for Faith beginnes to faile,

Refuse no gifts to fill thy coffers full, The wisest poore man passeth for a Gull.

Be temperate in affect, no quarrels moue, And if thou loue thy selfe, f••ll not in loue.

Haue care for all men, but confer with few, And count faire words to be but as a dew.

Follow the time, finde humors, flatter pride, And praise the Groom, but only please the Bride.

Str••ue not with great ones, meddle not with small, ••or trifles trouble not thy selfe at all.

Frequent the Church, make shew of great deuo∣tion And be not bashfull to receiue promotion.

Looke big at beggers, weare thy cloathes neat, And spen•• not to much money at thy meat. Saue thy horse-meat at thy couzins stable, And take thy trencher at anothers table.

Breake iests on cowards, but take heede of knaues, And loue no bawds for they are beastly slaues.

Be perfect in Arithmeticks close Art, In all accompts to make a sauing part.

Obserue the Lyon, doe not stirre the Beare, And loue the Woolfe but only for the haire. Learne of the Asse to beare, the Dogge to wait. And of the Ape to counterfet conceit.

Catch not at flies, they are but swallowes food, But loue the meat that nourisheth the blood. Feed like a Woolfe on blood whilst it is warme. He is a foole that feeles anothers harme. Yet scome as kinde as he that seemes to crie, To see him sicke, whom he would wish to die.

Take heed of interest, sell nor gage no land, And from assurance euer keepe thy hand.

Take no mans word, for coine is hard to get, And t'is a custome (now) to pay no debt.

Stand not to looke vpon a Peacocks taile, Who (if he see his leggs) will stoope his sailer When Iack-Dawes chatter, let the language go, Better be silent then to prattle so. Come not within the verdict of a Iury, And come not neare a Tyrant in his fury: Commit no secrets to thy second Selfe, For neuer yet was Ape but plaid the Elfe. Kill not a flie, and let a flea alone, That sucks the blood, and neuer hurts the bone. File not thy finger's with a filthy Slut, And ride not often on a gauld-backt cut. Feare not a shadow, but auoid a danger, And doe not keepe a Iade at rack and manger, Remember nothing that thou doest not write, Lest danger doe thy fearefull heart affright. Be sociable in each company, But haue no hand in any villany. Be conuersant with strangers, learne languages, Sound their estate, marke their carriages, Know their diuersities of wares, their worths and prises, But trouble not thy selfe with vain deuices. Learn to know kingdoms, nations & their natures Their lawes their iudgements male & female crea∣tures; And how their wealth doth rise, by war or peace, And how their states begin, and how they cease; How they may be offended or defended, And how their quarrels grow and which way en∣ded. But of all Notes, note chiefely this of all, How thou maist rise, who euer hap to fall.

Suspect thy wit, be wary of thy will, And learne to spare, but neuer learne to spill. Thinke no man wise but he that gathers wealth, And keepe the diet that preserues thy health. Sit not vp late, vnlesse it be for gaine, For lack of sleepe is hurtfull for the braine. Goe not to Sea, whilst thou maist liue on land, Lest scaping rockes thou fall vpon the Sand. Trauell with ease, take beed of taking cold, And (next to God) take comfort in thy gold. Get all contentment that the world can giue, For (after death) who knoweth how we liue? Strange things are spoken, but beleeue the best, And leaue the worst. I leaue thee to the rest.

Promise enough, but not performe too much: Yet with thy betters euermore keepe touch.

Weare not thy shooes too short, nor cloake too long Vse thy friends well, but doe thy selfe no wrong.

Abandon foo••es, make much of cunning wits, But fauour most that most thy profit fits.

Worke all the weeke for profit euery way, And keepe thy Conscience for the Holy day.

First if thou be a Courtier, know thy place, And doe not serue for only shew of grace; But let thy profit answerthy expence, Lest want do proue a wofull patience, And thou doe proue the prouerbe often told, A carelesse Courtier young, a begger old.

And if thou beest a Scholler and canst preach And knowest rightly how thy flocke to teach;

Let neuer conscience at thy profit knocke, But sheare thy sheepe, and fleece anothers flockes For be thou poore what ere thy preaching be, Thy parish will not passe a pin for thee.

If that thou be a Souldier, serue for fame But let thy golden pay maintaine the same; For he that spends more then he gets in sight, Will be a begger, though he be a knight. And if thou be a Lawyer, know the right, But keepe thy client in a cunning plight.

For how canst thou a cunning pleading hold, If that thy tongue be not well tipt with gold? And rich attir'd, thou shalt haue roome to stand, And plead thy cause whatere thou hast in hand. But barely clad, and in a poore array, Thou maist (perhaps) haue hearing at dooms-day: For though the Law be right and iudge be iust, Yet with the rich the begger may not thrust. If that thou be a Merchant marke thy trade, And of thy wares what reckning will be made▪

And be not lauish in a lewd expence, Lest banqu'rout proue a bad experience. And if thou be a crafts man weigh thy paines, And let no Alehouse eat out all thy gaines;

For if thy charge aboue thy getting goe Thou wilt be quickly in the beggers Roe. What saith the crafty clowne in clowted shooes? Time was ordain'd to get, and not to loose. What though the poore lie staruing in the ditch? It is the dearth of corne makes farmers rich.

Aime still at profit howsoere it growes, Make the wind serue thee wheresoere it blowes, For tis this wealth, this profit, and this gaine, That dies the coulour euer more in graine.

Learne the Physitian and the Lawyers fee, And (for thy profit) speake as faire as hee. Promise the one good speed, the other health, In any course tis good to gather wealth. Learne all diseases and their seuerall cures, And care not what the patient heart endures; But giue him one day griefe, another case, Not as his patience but his purse doth please.

Learne Cards and Dice, and any cheating play That may bring in thy profit any way. Learne how to stop a Card and cogge a Die, But shift it cleanely from the Gamesters eye: At Ruffe and Trumpe note how the dealer rubs, There is no packe without the Knaue of clubs.

Learne all Religions, be of eu'ry Sect, And (chiefely) to thy profit haue respect. For this same (conscience) is so bare a thing, As it will make a begger of a King. Learne to get riches by the beggers purse, The Fox fares best when geese begin to curse. Learne eu'ry trade and traffique, traine and tricke, And liue not by the dead but by the quicke. In summe, of what estate soere thou be, Learne to be rich, for that will hold with thee; Be rich I say my Boy, be rich and wise, Gold is a precious mettall for the eyes.

Why? rich men (they) haue money and gay geere, And goodly houses, and most dainty cheefe: Faire wiues, fine pictures, plaies & courtly dances And many cheats that come by many chances: Braue Siuer boxes, sweet perfumes and waters, And twenty other moe such kinde of matters. Whiles the poor man that pines for want offriends May sit and sigh and picke his fingers ends. And eu'ry morning wash his face with teares, And wipe his blubbred eyes with sheu'led heares; And walke abroad for forrowes recreation, Or starue himselfe, or feed on contemplation. Make curtsie to the shadow of a Lord. And glad to get a looke, and halfe a word; Blush and fal•• back when gay folke come in place, And start to looke a Lady in the face. Talke to the aire where no man lists to heare him, And plod alone, where no man will come neer him. And thus recording of a heauy care, He feeds (perhaps) vpon a hungry fare; Till some good Knight or learned Gentleman, (That is a prudent Polititian And can make vses of afflicted braines, And gather profit from their toiling paines) May hap to grace him with a countenance, Giue him a blew coat with a cognizance, An old cast doublet, or a paire of boots, Feed him with brown bread, smal beere, hearbs & roots And now and then (perhaps) a peece of meat, That scarce a man would giue a dogg to eat;

Or after (haply) some good seruice done, Make him a Tutor to his youngest Sonne. Laugh at those beggers, speake in scorne at pelse Care thou for nothing but t'enrich thy selfe. For Truth reports that doth of thrift intreat, If thou be rich thou quickly writ be great. Plot for a pudding, or a peece of souse, The Cat would neuer watch (but for a Mouse,) The Fox would neuer hunt (but for his prey.) And workmen (but for gaine) would play all day▪ It is this Wealth, this Profit, and this Gaine, That makes the Labourer sing away his paine. Set snares for Wod cocks, pit-falls for small birds, And catch a foole with nothing but faire words. Dandle the Child, grow inward with the Nurse, And thinke no beggry base that fills the purse. Laugh with the Lecher at Maides bash fulnes, And with the Chaste at fleshly filthinesse, And with the spend-thrift at the misers buggs, And with the Miser at the beggers raggs. Diss wade no Princes from their choice of pleasure, Nor a rich Miser from his loue of treasure. If he be rich, what euer so he be, Seeme in thy humour to be iust as he. If he be poore, then let him beg alone, It is a trade that few grow rich vpon. Perswade a slaue he is a gentleman, Although he drop out of a dripping pan: It is no matter, if his purse can beare it; His rascall pride wih neuer blush to heare it.

Perswade a Clowne, that he is halfe a Knight, And that his wealth deserues that place aright, And his Maid-Marian with her winscot face, Might be a Lady (but for licke of grace.) And make her thinke that she is halfe a Queene, And scarce on earth is such another seene, For vertue, beauty, wit, for shape and feature: Though God (he) knowes, that she is no such crea∣ture. But if she doe applaud it, tis no matter; He is a foole (for profit) cannot flatter. Commend a Souldier when he is in crownes, And sweare a Knight must gouerne ouer Clownes. In many a campe how be his caske did beare, Although (poore Coward!) he came neuer there: But yet be sure thy flattery so to frame That thine may be the gaine, though his the fame. Commend the Lawyer, and his studious reading, Admi••e his iudgement, and extoll his pleading•• But flatter so, that if thou get a fee, Thou mai'st haue out a share as well as he. Follow a Bishop with a world of praise, And make him as the Loadstarre of thy dayes; Admi••e him, and extoll him to the skies, But so, that thou maist get a Benefice, A Vicridge, Cure, a Clarkeship or some such, As will returne thee profit small or much. Commend the A••c••ant, honour his aduenture, Who gets his wealth by danger, not Indenture; Commend his ••ade his craffique, and his truth, The honor of his age, and toyle of youth;

But yet (with all) be sure to flatter so, That to thy purse some peece of money grow, Or on his boord thy trencher may be laid, Or borrowed money neuer to be paid, And tell (What-lacke yee) that he lackes no wit, And (for his head) that he deserues to sit On higher seates then the Church-wardens stooles For he hath more wit then a world of fooles. But yet in feeding of his idle vaine, Be sure to pick-out some odd priuate gaine A rapier, dagger, stockings, boots, or shoes, Some-what doth well, though beggers may not chose. Tell Mistr••s-minks (coy she) that keepes the shop, She is a Ship that beares a gallant top; She is a Lady for her louely face, And for her countenance halfe a Princesse grace; Then bite the lippe and winke, and hang the head, And giue a figh as if thy heart were dead. And shew strange passions of affections sence, That she may pittie loue (Sr.) reuerence. But let the issue of this comming be, That from her purse some profit come to thee. A peece of sattin, fustian, or some stuffe, A falling band, or a three double-ruffe, A hat, a shirt, a cloak-cloth, or a ring, Kniues, purses, gloues, or some such pretty thing, For (somewhat hath some sauour) t'is this gaine, That to muention giues the sweetest vaine. Why? tell a Cobler he is halfe a King, When ore his patches he can sit and sing,

And knocke his Last, and whet his cutting knife, There is no kingdome to a merry life. But yet in telling of this idle tale, Be sure (at least) to get a pot of ale. For this same (nothing) brings no world about, Better play small games then be cleane shut out.

If that thy Wife be faire, and thou be poore, Let her stand like a picture at thy doore, Where (though she doe put picke her fingers ends) Faire eies, fond looks will gaine a world of friends, Play at bo-peepe, see me, and see me not, It comes off well that is so closely got. And euermore (say I) well fare the vent, That paies the charges of the house and rent.

If that thy Wife be old, thy daughter young, And faire of face, or of a fluent tongue; If by her Sutours siluer may be had, Beare with small faults, the good wil help the bad.

If thy Maid-seruants be kind hearted wenches, And closely make kinde bargains on thy benches, If by their pleasure may thy profit grow, Winke at a wanton; who hath not beene so?

If that thy friend doe lacke a little wit, And in his humor haue an idle fit, To take a Wife, and vse thee for his wooing, Speake for thy friend, but for thy selfe be doing, For euery friend is to his friend a debter, To loue him as himselfe, (but yet no better.)

But for thy selfe if thou hast got a Wife, Make shew to loue her dearely (as thy life)

Though (for thy quiet) ••hou couldst be content, A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 charge were at her buriall spent. An•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••hat (charge) be of thy griefe he ground, For many Wiues are better lost then found. 〈…〉〈…〉 come vnto the second matching, 〈…〉〈…〉 for feare of cunny catching, M〈…〉〈…〉 to twenty wenche, in a day, But let no •…•…sid••es lead thy heart away. But where thou find'st good store of land, or gold, There lay in close to purchase a tree-hold. And be not squ••mish at a nice conceit, That may disswade thee from a pleasing bait.

If thou be rich and ha'st anothers pride, (That he may goe on foote while thou dost ride) Finde meanes to feede his swelling humor so, That high conceit may aboue compasse go, Till Fortunes frownes his folly so do checke, That male▪ content do after breake his necke; Then lay in for his lands, his goods, his place, But still bee sure to keepe thy selfe in grace. But if thou be not vp, and seek'st to rise, Step by degrees, and in thy steps be wise. Creepe, crouch, and kneele, vntill thou be aloft, But then sit fast, for feare, thou fall not soft. Refuse no seruice, be it nere so base, By any meanes may bring thee into grace. And make no conscience to attend on sin, To keepe the doore where Diuels dance within. Find a rich Heire, and note his disposition, How he is giu'n to basenesse or ambition,

And with thy lending lay his land aboord, That he may be thy slaue and thou his Lord. Who in the whole will vndermine so fast, Hee'le leaue his Lordship like the land of wast.

If that thou hast a Partner in thy stocke, And both your wealths lie all vnder one locke; And if thy Partner ride abroade for pleasure, And put thy faith in trust with all thy treasure; At his returne do vpon quarrels stand, When thou hast got his wealth into thy hand. Say, in accounts he hath deceiued thee, (Although thou knowest no such matter be:) When, if he will not take what thou wilt giue him To course of law (for his best comfort) driue him: Where, while he railes on thy ill conscience, Thy patience closely shall put vp his pence. And whatsoeuer honest mindes surmise, Wealth (with the wealthy) make the wealthy wise.

Be rich therefore, I say, be rich my Sonne, For wealth will sway the world when all is done.