113.
Reading edition
¶ Of the Authors linked Verses departing from Court to the Country.[1]
1
Muse not my friend to finde me here,For fortunes looke,[E488]
Contented with this meane estate:Hath changed hew:
And séeme to doo with willing chéere, And I my booke,
That courtier doth so deadly hate.Must learne anew.
2
And yet of force, to learne anew,But where a spight,
Would much abash the dulled braine:Of force must bée:
I craue to iudge if this be trew,What is that wight,
The truant child that knowth the paine.May disagrée?
3
No, no, God wot, to disagrée,For lordlie bent,
Is ventring all to make or mar:Must learne to spare:
If fortune frowne we dailie sée,And be content
It is not best to striue too far.With countrie fare.
4
From daintie Court to countrie fare,Where néede yet can,
Too daintie fed[E489] is diet strange:None other skill:
From cities ioy, to countrie care,Somtime poore man
To skillesse folke is homelie change.Must breake his will.
5
If courtlie change so breaketh willIf court with cart
That countrie life must serue the turne:Must be content,[E490]
What profit then in striuing still,What ease to hart,
Against the prick to séeme to spurne?Though mind repent?
6
What gaine I though I doo repent,As néede doth make
My crotches[2] all are broke and gon:Old age to trot:
My woonted friends are careles bent,So must I take,
They feare no chance I chance vpon.In woorth my lot.
7
Now if I take in woorth my lot,Behold the horse
That fatall chance doth force me to,Must trudge for pelfe,
If ye be friends embraid[3] me not,And yet of forse,
But vse a friend as friends should do.Content it selfe.