Cocker's morals, or, The muses spring-garden adorned with many sententious disticks & poems in alphabetical order : fitted for the use of all publick and private grammar and writing schools, for the scholars of the first to turn into Latin, and for those of the other to transcribe into all their various and curious hands / by Edward Cocker.

Y

YOu Parents, who your hopes on Children place, Teach them betimes to run in Virtues Race.

Your pretious Time wisely to day imploy, Who knows what he to morrow may enjoy?

You want what you desire, but let this serve, That you enjoy far more than you deserve.

Your Tallent came from a Celestial Donor: Endeavour to improve it to his Honour.

Your want of high-flown Ingenuity, By constant Care, and Industry supply.

You'l find, when you their Vizor-Masks remove, Such as are shameless, seldom blameless prove.

Yield not to sleeps intoxicating Charms; Rowze up, and vanquish him by force of arms.

Your Conscience, keep serene, and fear not then, The most Calumnious, Envious Tongues of men.

Your Tongue command, to the command of Reason: Know when to speak, and when to spare, in Season.

Your Memory store with Philology, And all the various sorts of History.

You Mammonists, in what plight shall we find you, When Death says, Come, & leave your Bags behind you,

You Parents, who a happy Crop would Mow; Betimes, in Children, Virtues Seeds must Sow.

Your Friend, at first to Concil deaf; do you That worthy Office, to perswade, renew.

Yet Providence presents fair Opportunities, Which you may take & Live, & Thrive, if you be wise.

Your Memory with choicest Treasures Store: Thieves cannot make the Rich in knowledge, poor.

You that lye wind-bound in the port of Sorrow, May be set free, by a fresh Gale, to morrow,

Young Impudence, suffer'd to run to Seed, Will spoyle the Stock, and poyson all the Breed.

You must accompt for't, 'tis to be presum'd, VVho have in pass-time you time past consum'd.

Your Arts, your Parts, your VVisdom and your worth, Are out of Fashion; Coyne's the God o'th' Earth.

Your Body, Feed, Cloath, Comfort, and supply; Yet let your Soul maintain the Soveraignty.

Youthful Discretion is a true presage, In most, of Learned, honourable Age.

Young men, have ever more a special Care, That Feminine Inchantments prove no Snare.

You here, our choicest Monograms may scan, VVhere man is fairly pictur'd forth to Man.

Yesterdays Loss, strive to repair to day; Let your swift VVill run equal to your power: A Traveller that rides out of his way, Loses two hours, in riding but one hour. And if he turns not, by Directions force, He may lose more, and tyre himself and Horse.

Your prudent providence let Ants engage: In Summer, mind the VVinter of your Age.