How to a benefice he might aspire.
"Marie, there," said the priest, "is arte indeed:
Much good deep learning one thereout may reed;
For that the ground-worke is, and end of all, 485
How to obtaine a beneficiall.
First, therefore, when ye have in handsome wise
Your selfe attyred, as you can devise,
Then to some nobleman your selfe applye,
Or other great one in the worldës eye, 490
That hath a zealous disposition
To God, and so to his religion.
There must thou fashion eke a godly zeale,
Such as no carpers may contrayre reveale:
For each thing fained ought more warie bee. 495
There thou must walke in sober gravitee,
And seeme as saintlike as Saint Radegund:
Fast much, pray oft, looke lowly on the ground,
And unto everie one doo curtesie meeke:
These lookes (nought saying) doo a benefice seeke,
And be thou sure one not to lacke or long. 501
[_Or_, ere.]
But if thee list unto the Court to throng,
And there to hunt after the hoped pray,
Then must thou thee dispose another way
For there thou needs must learne to laugh, to lie, 505
To face, to forge, to scoffe, to companie,
To crouche, to please, to be a beetle-stock
Of thy great masters will, to scorne, or mock:
So maist thou chaunce mock out a benefice,
Unlesse thou canst one coniure by device, 510