And in cannon, or in decretals, I can not read a

lyne.

If I begge and borowe ought, but if it be tayled,

I forget it as yerne, and' if men me it afke

Syxe fythes or feven, I forfake it wyth othes,
And thus tene I true men' ten hundred tymes. 435
And my fervauntes fomtymes their salary is be-
hind,

Ruth is to here the rekning, whan we shal make

accounts:

So with wicked wil and with wrath mi workemen I

pay.

If any do me a benifite, or helpe me at nede,

I am unkind against his curtesy, and can not un

derstand it;

440

For I have and have had fome deale haukes ma

ners,

I am not lured with love, but [if] ought be under the thombe.

That kindnes that mine evenchriften kyd me ferther

Syxe fythes, I Slouth have forgotten it fyth.

In fpence, and in fparing of fpence, I spilt many a

time,

Both fleshe and fyfhe, and many other vitailes.

445

Both breade and ale, butter, mylke and chefe,
For flouthed in my fervice, tyll it myght serve no

man.

I ranne aboute in youth, and gave me not to ler

ning,

And ever fith have ben [in] beggery for my foule

flouth.

INDUCTION

ΤΟ

THE COMPLAYNT OF HENRYE DUKE OR

BUCKINGHAM,

IN

THE SECONDE PARTE OF THE MIRROUR
FOR MAGISTRATES."

THE wrathfull winter, prochinge on apace;
With bluftring blaftes had al ybared the treen,
And olde Saturnus, with his frofty face,
With chilling colde had pearit the tender green,
The mantels rent wherein enwrapped been
The gladfom groves, that nowe laye overthrowen,
The tapets torne, and every tree downe blowen.

5

* Born 1536; dyed 1608. The "Myrrour for magiftrates" is a collection of legends from the English chronicles of fuch eminent or remarkable chiracters as have come to a miferable or unfortunate end, in the manner and by way of continuation of Boccace (De cafu principum), who had been translated by Lydgate. The principal writers are William Baldwyn, George Ferrars, Tho. Churchyard, and this earl of Dorfet, (then "Mayfter Sackville," who intended his“ Induction" as a general preface to a series of hiftories from the

The foyle that earit fo feemely was to feen
Was all defpoyled of her beauties hewe;

And foot freshe flowers (wherwith the fommers

queen

3

10

Had clad the earth) now Boreas blaftes downe

blewe :

And fmall fowles, flocking, in theyr fong did rewe
The winters wrath, wherwith eche thing defafte
In woful wife bewayld the fommer paft.

Hawthorne had loft his motley lyverye,

15

The naked twigges were shivering all for colde :
And dropping downe the teares abundantly,
Eche thing (me thought) with weping eye me tolde
The cruell season, bidding me withholde
Myfelfe within, for I was gotten out

Into the feldes, whereas I walkte about.

20

duke of Buckingham back to the conquest, to be perfected by bimfelf; a defign which was never carried into execution. The first part of the work was published in 1559, the fecond (along with it) in 1563. The author was created lord Buckhurst in 1567, and earl of Dorfet in 1604. This induction is printed by Mr. Capel in his " Prolufions," a pub. lication profefed to be "compil'd with great care... and offer'd as fpecimens of the integrity that should be found in the editions of worthy authors". The reverfe of this, bowever, is the cafe: the editor (except, perhaps, in a fingle inStance) being equally licentious and conceited; and indebted chiefly to his printers merit for preservation from oblivion or contempt. In line 7 be makes the edition of 1563 read every bloom, which, if the prefent editor may credit bis eyes is true of no edition whatever.

When loe the night with miftie mantels fpred
Gan darke the daye, and dim the azure skyes;
And Venus in her meffage Hermes sped
To bluddy Mars, to wyl him not to ryfe,
While the her felfe approcht in fpeedy wife;
And Virgo, hiding her difdaineful brest,
With Thetis nowe had layd her downe to reft.

25

And Phaeton nowe neare reaching to his race, With gliftering beames, gold ftreamynge where they bent,

Was preft to enter in his refting place;
Erythius that in the cart fyrfte went
Had even nowe attaynde his journeyes stent,
And faft declining hid away his head,
While Titan couched him in his purple bed.

39

35

And pale Cinthèa with her borowed light
Beginning to fupply her brothers place,
Was past the noonesteede fyxe degrees in fight,
When sparklyng starres amyd the heavens face
With twinkling light fhoen on the earth apace, 40
That whyle they brought about the nightes chare,
The darke had dimmed the daye ear I was ware.

And forowing I to fee the fommer flowers,
The lively greene, the lufty leas forlorne,
The sturdy trees so shattered with the showers, 45
The fieldes fo fade that floorifht fo beforne,
It taught me wel all earthly thinges be borne