Shunne delayes, they breede remorse;
Take thy time while time doth serve thee;
Creepinge snayles have weakest force,
Fly their fault lest thou repent thee.
Good is best when soonest wroughte,
Lingred labours come to noughte.

Hoyse upp sale while gale doth last,
Tyde and winde stay no man's pleasure;
Seeke not tyme when tyme is paste,
Sober speede is wisdom's leysure.
After-wittes are deerely boughte,
Lett thy forewytt-guide thy thoughte.

Tyme weares all his lockes before,
Take thy hould upon his forehead;
When he flyes he turnes no more,
And behinde his scalpe is naked.
Workes adjourn'd have many staies,
Long demurres breede new delayes.

Seeke thy salve while sore is grene,
Festred woundes aske deeper launcing;
After-cures are seldome seene,
Often sought scarse ever chancinge.
Tyme and place give best advice,
Out of season, out of price.

Crush the serpent in the head,
Breake ill egges ere they be hatched;
Kill bad chekins in the tredd,
Fligg, they hardly can be catched.
In the risinge stifle ill,
Lest it growe against thy will.

Droppes do perce the stubborne flynte,
Not by force but often fallinge;
Custome kills with feeble dinte,
More by use then strength prevayling.
Single sandes have little weighte,
Many make a drowninge freighte.

Tender twigges are bent with ease,
Agèd trees do breake with bending;
Younge desires make little prease,
Grouth doth make them past amendinge.
Happy man, that soone doth knocke
Babell babes againste the rocke!