Classic Poem

He that desires from danger safe to passe
Along the world, his wofull wretched daies,
And would behold (as in a looking glasse)
The blocks and stops, and such vnhappy staies,
As crosse a thousand in their very waies:
Let him but creepe as I haue learnd to go,
And tell me if it do him good or no.

He that will passe neere to a Princes Court,
Let him take heede his tongue breake not his necke;
Nor mate himselfe among the Noble sort,
Lest prowde presumption haue too sore a checke,
Nor bend his will, to euery wanton's becke:
But watch good fortunes, when they kindly fall,
And then passe on, and haue no feare at all.

But, if a face of brasse will be too bold,
Or like a sheepes head shunne good company,
Or of complexion be too chilling cold,
Or fiery hot vpon an agony.
Or much inclined to any villany,
Or for his wit, ioyne issue with an asse,
He hath no warrant neere the Court to passe.

He that will passe before a Iudgement seate,
Let him take heede his case be good and cleere,
Lest, when that Trueth doth of the matter treate
A heedlesse will do buy repentance deere:
While cost ill lost doth breed but heauy cheere:
But let him chiefly carry a good purse,
And then be sure to passe on ne're the worse.

But, if he come with an vncertainety,
And thinke a curtsie will excuse a fee,
In hope that Law in Pitties charity,
Wil alwayes giue the right where it should be,
Let him learne this probatum rule of me,
That Trueth and Wealth do very much in law,
While beggar Falshoode is not worth a straw.

He that wil passe into a warlike field,
Let him not be too rash, nor yet too slow,
Not franticke fight, nor like a coward yeeld,
But with discretion so his valour show,
That fame may grace him where e're he goe:
Lest heedlesse will do shew when he is slaine.
He may passe hither, but not backe againe.

He that will passe into a Merchants booke,
Let him take heede how to discharge the debt,
Lest when that Kindnesse doth for Patience looke.
He be so tangled in a Statute net,
That he be so with cunning trickes beset
That to the Counter he do passe so fast.
As he can scarce passe backe againe in haste.

He that wil passe into a Ladies eies,
And in her hands wil leaue his little heart,
And yet with all his wit, is not so wise,
As to discerne the sleight of Venus Art;
In giuing of the Fooles-Cap by desart:
Let him go better set his wittes to schoole,
Or else be sure to passe for a good foole.

He that will passe into the Holy land,
Let him be grounded in the rules of grace,
And be assurde that he doth vnderstand,
What is the trueth that falshoode may deface;
Lest when that Wisedome Follie doth displace
And Learnings Court breake vp, and all are gone.
He passe but for a simple blind sir Ihon.

He that will passe into a Clownes conceit,
Let him take heede he know a clouted shooe,
Lest him be cousoned with a close deceit:
When seely Fooles know not what Knaues can doe,
With, Yea, and Nay, to bring an Ideot to:
But if he kindly know Clim of the Clough,
Then let him passe, he shall doe well enough.

He that will passe into an Ordinary,
Let him take heede to deale with cardes and dice;
Lest whatsoeuer mony in he carry,
Ere he beware he loose it with a trice,
And, all too late repentance, learne the price,
To know how he that passeth in purse-full,
And goes out empty, passeth for a Gull.

He that desires to passe vnto the seas,
Let him take heede his ship be good and tight,
Let him prouide for all things for his ease,
And to withstand both wind and weathers spight,
And by his Compas keepe his course aright:
Be wary of the shelfes, the rocks, and sands,
And fall not rashly into pyrats hands.

But if he passe within a leaking ship,
Ill victualld, and worse furnisht for defence,
And thinke a thousand leagues is but a skip,
And by the want of wits experience,
Prouide for nothing that may shunne offence:
Such one may happen well to passe from shore,
But once at sea may passe to lande no more.

But he that seekes to passe by sea or land,
To Court, or Country, for his best auaile,
Let him thus much for certaine vnderstand,
That if his purse the better not preuaile,
His fortune will in many courses faile:
For a good purse will make a man to passe
To many places where he neuer was.

But if (alas) he be passe purse pennilesse,
In this vile world he shall haue little grace,
But with a heauy heart all comfortlesse,
Among the Beggars take a sory place:
Oh this same Gold hath such a glorious face,
That in false Angells, he that heedes not well,
Will headlong passe his wicked soule to hell.

But, he that faine would passe to Paradise,
Must learne to passe from all these worldly pleasures;
For vnto heau'n what heart can passe his eies,
That is intangled in this worlds treasure?
No, where the World hath on the Soule made seisure,
As hardly it can passe to heau'n on hie,
As can a Camell through a Needles eie.

Then do not passe the boundes of honestie,
Of wit, of reason, nor of amitie,
Of law, of iustice, nor of equitie,
Nor the true grounds of Trueths diuinitie;
But in the worship of the Trinitie,
Humble thy soule vnto the Deitie,
And passe vnto heau'ns felicitie.