Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

jo6 XXV, ROGER A senAM.eate, drinke, be merie, or sad, be sowyng, plaiyng, dauncing,or doing anie thing els, I must do it, as it were, in soch 30weight, mcsure, and number, euen so perfitelie as God madethe world, or els I am so sharplie taunted, so cruellie threatened,yea presentlie some tymes, with pinches, nippes, andbobbes, and other waies, which I will not name for thehonor I beare them, so without mesure misordered, that I 35thinke my-selfe in hell, till tyme cum that I must go toJ/. Ebner, who teacheth me so ientlie, so pleasantlie, withsoch faire allurements to learning, that I thinke all the tymenothing, whiles I am with him. And when I am called fromhim, I fall on weeping, because, what soever I do els, but 40learning, is ful of grief, trouble, feare, and whole mislikingvnto me : And thus my booke hath bene so moch my pleasure,& bringeth dayly to me more pleasure & more, thatin respect of it, all other pleasures, in very deede, be buttrifles and troubles vnto me.' I remember this talke gladly, 45both bicause it is so worthy of memorie, & bicause also,it was the last talke that euer I had, and the last tyme thateuer Isaw that noble and worthie Ladie[Leaf 14.]For wisedom and vertue, there be manie faire examplesin this Court, for yong lentlemen to folow. But they scbe like faire markes in the feild, out of a mans reach, tofar of to shote at well. The best and worthiest men, indeede, be sometimes seen, but seldom taulked withall : Ayong lentleman may sometime knele to their person, [but]smallie vse their companie, for their better instruction. 55But yong lentlemen ar faine commonHe to do in theill comr-inieCourt, ab youg Archers do in the feild : that is,.nancth youth,^^j.^ ^^^j^ markes as be nie them, although theybe neuer so foule to shote at. I meene, they be driuen to