2.

1 My Lord, your father looued me, and you my Lord haue prooued me, and both your loues haue mooued me, to write as here is donne: Since God hath hence your father, such flowers as I gather, I dedicate now rather, to you my Lord his sonne. 2 Your father was my founder, till death became his wounder, no subiect euer sounder, whome Prince aduancement gaue: As God did here defend him, and honour here did send him, so will I here commend him, as long as life I haue. 3 His neighbours then did blisse him, his seruants now doe misse him, the poore would gladlie kisse him, aliue againe to be: But God hath wrought his pleasure, and blest him, out of measure, with heauen and earthlie treasure, so good a God is he. Ceres the Goddesse of husbandrie. 4 His counsell had I vsed, and Ceres art refused, I neede not thus haue mused, nor droope as now I do: But I must plaie the farmer, and yet no whit the warmer, although I had his armer, and other comfort to. Æsops fable. 5 The Foxe doth make me minde him, whose glorie so did blinde him, till taile cut off behinde him, no fare could him content: Euen so must I be proouing, such glorie I had in loouing, of things to plough behoouing, that makes me now repent. Salust. 6 Loiterers I kept so meanie, both Philip, Hob, and Cheanie, that, that waie nothing geanie, was thought to make me thriue: Like Iugurth, Prince of Numid,[E11] my gold awaie consumid, with losses so perfumid,[E12] was neuer none aliue. 7 Great fines so neere did pare me, great rent so much did skare me, great charge so long did dare me, that made me at length crie creake:[E13] Much more[2] of all such fleeces,[E14] as oft I lost by peeces, among such wilie geeces I list no longer speake. 8 Though countrie health long staid me, yet lesse[3] expiring fraid me, and (ictus sapit[E15]) praid me to seeke more steadie staie: New lessons then I noted, and some of them I coted,[4] least some should think I doted, by bringing naught awaie. Pallas, Goddesse of wisdome and cunning. 9 Though Pallas hath denide me, hir learned pen to guide me, for that she dailie spide me, with countrie how I stood: Yet Ceres so did bold me, with hir good lessons told me, that rudenes cannot hold me, from dooing countrie good. 10 By practise and ill speeding, these lessons had their breeding, and not by hearesaie, or reeding, as some abrode haue blowne: Who will not thus beleeue me, so much the more they greeue me, because they grudge to geeue me, that is of right mine owne. 11 At first for want of teaching, at first for trifles breaching, at first for ouer reaching,[5] and lacke of taking hid,[6] was cause that toile so tost me, that practise so much cost me, that rashnes so much lost me, or hindred as it did. 12 Yet will I not despaier thorough Gods good gift so faier through friendship, gold, and praier, in countrie againe to dwell: Where rent so shall not paine me, but paines shall helpe to gaine me, and gaines shall helpe maintaine me, New lessons mo to tell. 13 For citie seemes a wringer, the penie for to finger, from such as there doe linger, or for their pleasure lie: Though countrie be more painfull, and not so greedie gainfull, yet is it not so vainfull, in following fansies eie. 14 I haue no labour wanted to prune this tree thus planted, whose fruite to none is scanted, in house or yet in feeld: Which fruite, the more ye taste of, the more to eate, ye haste of, the lesse this fruite ye waste of,[7] such fruite this tree doth yeeld. 15 My[8] tree or booke thus framed, with title alreadie named, I trust goes forth vnblamed, in your good Lordships name: As my good Lord I take you, and neuer will forsake you, so now I craue to make you defender of the same. Your seruant Thomas Tusser.