But we, O Lorde, that be alyve,
Thy prayse wyll spreade and ramifye,
And in our hearts due thankes contryve
Unto thy name eternally.

AN HOLSOME WARNING

FOR ALL MEN THAT BEARE THE NAME OF CHRISTIANS TO LYVE CHRISTIANLY.

From the "Court of Vertue."

O HARKE a whyle vnto my style,
All ye that Christians be;

That beare that name, and doe not frame
Your liues accordingly.

Is fayth in syche as beying ryche,
Though thee doo Christ professe,
That euery houre doo Christ deuoure,
And his poore flocke oppresse?

For we are all, as sayth Saynt Paule,
Membres of one body

Of Christ Jesu, ground of vertue
And of all veritie:

When the poore man, as proue I can,

Is Christ his member true,

As well as he, what so he be,

That ryches so endue.

Why should ye then to symple men
Beare such despight and hate,
Syth they be all in Christ equall

With you in all estate?

Christ his kyngdome was neuer wonne
By wealth or hygh degree,

Allthough that here some doo appere
To reygne in dignitie.

Then let none thynke that Christ wyll shrynke,

When he shall iudge us all,

Of all your wealth, so got by stelthe,

You to accompt to call:

When yf he fynde ye were unkynde
To your poore brethern dere,

Then wyll he say, Goo from me aye
Into eternall fyre.

When I lackt meate, and fayne would eate,
In sycknes, thyrst, and colde,
In all my nede not one good dede
That you to me doo wold.

Then wyll ye say wythout delay,
Lord, when dyd we thee see
Lacke any foode to doo thee good,
And dyd it not to thee?

And he agayne shall answer playne,
I truely say to you,

Ye styll oppreste and muche detest
The poore, my members true.

When ye therfore did them abhorre

That are of lowe degree,

To me alone, and other none,

Ye did that iniury.

Saint John doth proue we cannot loue

God whom we doe not see,

If we doe hate our brethren that

Are present to our eye.

Nowe call for grace, whyle ye haue space;

Your wycked lyues amende;

And so procede in worde and dede

True Christians to the ende.

THE FAITHFULL SOULDIOUR OF CHRISTE
DESIRETH ASSISTANCE OF GOD AGAINST
HIS GHOSTLY ENEMIES.

HEREOUT, O Lorde, the right request
Of him, that faine would haue redrest
The wronges that are so sore increst
Within my soule, so sore opprest.
O Lorde, to thee with wofull crye
I call for grace and for mercy;
And if thou helpe not then truly,
In deadly wo remayn must I.

The world, the diuell, death, and hell,
With great assaultes against me swell:
Lorde, let thy grace in me excell
Against their fury fierce and fell.

O Lorde my God, to thee I praye,
Suffer me not to goe astraye,
And haue in mynde the pryce and day
Wherewith thou didste my ransome pay.
Oh haue in mynde thine own great cost,
And let not this thy payne be lost:
In thee, O Lorde, my trust is most
To dwell among thy holy host.

Thou knowst wherin my help doth stand,
Whereuer I be on sea or lande:

Good Lorde, put to thy helping hand,
Saue me from hell, that fierce fyrebrand.

XVI.

GEFFREY WHITNEY.

EMBLEME I.

Motto: Te stante virebo.

A MIGHTIE spyre, whose toppe dothe pierce the

skie,

An iuie greene imbraceth rounde about;

And while it standes, the same doth bloom on

highe,

But when it shrinkes, the iuie standes in dowt. The piller great our gratious princes is;

The braunche the churche, whoe speakes vnto hir this:

"I that of late with stormes was almoste spent, And brused sore with tirants' bluddie bloes, Whome fire and sworde with persecution rent, Am nowe sett free, and ouerlooke my foes;

And whiles thou raignst, oh most renowmed queene!

By thie supporte my blossome shall be greene.”

EMBLEME II.

Motto: Veritas temporis filia.

THREE furies fell, which turne the world to ruthe, Both Enuie, Strife, and Slaunder, heare appeare: In dungeon darke they longe inclosed Truthe; But Time at lengthe did loose his daughter deare, And setts alofte that sacred ladie brighte, Which things longe hidd reueales and bringes to lighte.

Thoughe Strife make fier, thoughe Enuie eate hir harte,

The innocent though Slaunder rente and spoile; Yet Time will comme, and take this ladie's parte, And breake her bandes, and bring her foes to foile.

Dispaire not then, thoughe Truthe be hidden ofte,

Bycause at lengthe shee shall bee sett alofte.

EMBLEME III.

Motto: Non tibi, sed religioni.

THE pastors good, that doe gladd tidinges preache, The godlie sorte with reuerence doo imbrace: Though they be men, yet since Godd's worde they teache,

Wee honor them, and giue them higheste place: Imbassadors of princes of the earthe

Haue royall seates, thoughe base they are by
birthe.

Yet if throwghe pride they doe themselves forgett,
And make accompte that honor to be theires,
And doe not marke within whose place they sett,
Let them behowlde the asse that Isis beares,

Whoe thowghte the men to honor him did kneele,

And staied therfore till he the staffe did feele.

For as he passd with Isis throughe the streete,
And bare on backe his holie rites about,
The Ægyptians downe fell prostrate at his feete,
Whereat the asse grew arrogante and stowte:

Then saide the guide, Oh foole! not vnto thee
Theise people bowe, but vnto that they see.