An Hundred Godly Lessons,
That a Mother on her Death-Bed gave to her Children; whereby they may know how to guide themselves towards God and
Man, to the benefit of the Common-Wealth, joy of their Parents, and good to themselves.
To the Tune of, Dying Christians Exhortation.
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MY children dear mark well my words,
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and keep my Precepts well,
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Consider daily in your minds
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the words which I shall tell:
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The gain is great which shall ensue,
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good counsel doth direct,
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Their ways and actions for the best,
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that do not it neglect.
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First Worship God above all things,
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vain swearing see you shun:
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Hear much, but see you little say,
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thereby much good is won;
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Speak thou no ill of any man,
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tend well thine own affairs,
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Bridle thy wrath and anger so,
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that thereof comes no cares.
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Be mild and gentle in thy speech,
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both unto Man and Child,
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Refuse not good and lawful gains,
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with words be not beguil'd:
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Forget not any good turn done,
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and help thy Neighbours need,
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Commit no ill in any case,
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the hungry see thou feed.
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Cast no man in the teeth with that
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which thou for him hast done;
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Remember flesh is fond and frail,
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and hatred see thou shun.
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Leave wicked things, then no mishap
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shall thee to trouble bring,
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Crave no preferment of the Lord,
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nor honour of the King.
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Boast not thy self before God's sight,
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who knows thy heart alway:
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Offend not thou the multitude,
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faint not when thou dost pray:
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Scorn not a man in misery,
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esteem not tatling tales,
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Consider reason is exil'd,
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when as a Drunkard rails:
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Use not thy Lips to loathsome lyes,
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by craft increase no wealth,
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And strive not with a mighty Man,
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with temperance nourish health.
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Look that thou order well thy words,
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leave not thy Friend for Gold,
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Trust not too much before thou try,
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in venturing be not bold.
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In God Repose thy strength and stay,
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with tongue extol his praise,
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Honour thy Parents, and the Lord
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he will prolong thy days.
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He that his Father honour doth,
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God will forgive his sin,
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He that his Mother loves, is like
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one that doth favour win.
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A Child obedient to the Lord,
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his Mother comfort shall,
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The Fathers Blessing stays the house,
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his curse doth make it fall.
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A wise Child makes the Father glad,
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Fools do their Mother grieve,
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And shame shall come to such as do
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their Parents not Relieve.
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He that his Mother doth defie,
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shall come to naught and worse,
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The Ravens shall pick out their eyes,
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that do their Parents curse:
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From needy men turn not thy face,
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let not thy right hand know,
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What thou dost with thy left hand give,
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or on the poor bestow.
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They that upon the poor bestow,
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unto the Lord do lend,
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And God unto such men again,
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a thousandfold will send:
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As water doth the fire quench,
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whose fury great doth grow,
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Even so shall mercy quench their sins,
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the which do mercy show.
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Hear thou God's word with earnest care,
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with wisdom answer make,
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Be thou not mov'd with every wind,
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such course do sinners take;
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Thy talk will shew thy fame or shame,
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fools oft themselves annoy,
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Trust not thy own will overmuch,
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for that may thee destroy.
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They that the living God do fear,
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a faithful friend shall find:
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A true friend is a jewel rare,
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and comfort to the mind.
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Hear Sermons that good sentences
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thou maist conceive aright,
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In Gods commandments exercise,
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thy self both day and night.
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Think on the pain thy mother had,
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in bringing thee to life;
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Fear God who knows thy secret thoughts
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and look thou make no strife.
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Visit the sick with carefulness,
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the Prisoners grief consider,
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Shew pitty to the fatherless,
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and God will thee deliver.
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Help still to right the widdows wrong,
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remember still thine end,
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So thou shalt never do amiss,
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nor wilfully offend:
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Trust not a reconciled friend,
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more then an open foe,
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Who toucheth pitch, shall be defil'd,
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take heed thou do not so.
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Take not a Wife that wanton is,
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and full of shameful words,
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The flattering of an Harlot is
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at length more sharp than Swords.
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Cast not thy love on such a one,
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whose looks can thee allure,
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In every face where beauty is,
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the heart's not always pure.
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A Woman fair and undiscreet
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is like a Ring of Gold
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The which in a Swines Snout is set,
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unseemly to behold:
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The malice of lewd women shun,
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for they will thee destroy,
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Hate her that doth on every Man
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set her Delight and joy.
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From others let thy praise proceed,
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boast not thy self in ought,
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Nor do not hear a flattering tongue,
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thereby much ill is wrought:
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The Child that doth his Parents rob,
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and counteth it no sin,
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A vile destroyer he is deem'd,
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and shall no favour win.
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Correction bringeth wisdom sound,
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fools hate good counsel still,
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That child doth shame his mother much,
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that's let to have his will:
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The good mans path shines as the light
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that beautifies the day,
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The wicked know not where they walk
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for darkness is their way.
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Put far from thee a froward Mouth,
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a slanderous tongue is ill,
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And do not thou an envious mind,
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in any wise fulfill.
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A Harlot brings a man to beg,
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in her is found no truth,
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In gladness therefore live and dye,
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with the wife of thy youth.
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Much babling breedeth great offence,
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he that speaks least is wise,
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Gods blessing only makes men rich,
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from thence all joys arise.
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Better is little fearing God,
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then bags of gold got ill,
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And better is one bit of bread,
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then a fat Ox with ill will.
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Who brooks no warning hates his lot,
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true age worship aright,
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A patient man far better is
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than one indued with might.
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Mans credit comes by doing good,
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an humble mind indeed
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Is better then a Lyar proud,
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from whence vain brags proceed.
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By this dear children you may learn
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how to direct your ways,
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To God, to Prince, to Common-wea[lth]
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whereon your welfare stays.
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Print well in your remembrance,
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the Lessons I have shown,
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Then shall you live in happy state,
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when I am dead and gone.
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