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Beware the cat

This little book Bevvare the Cat
moste pleasantly compil'd:
In time obscured was and so,
siince that hath been exilde.

Exilde, because perchaunce at first,
it shewed the toyes and drifts:
Of such as then by wiles and willes,
maintained Popish shifts.

Shifts, such as those in such a time,
delighted for to vse:
Wherby ful many simple soules,
they did ful sore abuse.

Abuse? yea sure and that with spight
when as the Cat gan tel:
Of many pranks of popish preests,
bothe foolish mad and fel.

Fel sure & vaine, if iudgement right
appeere to be in place:
And so as fel in pleasant wise,
this fixion shewes their grace.

Grace? nay sure vngratiousnes,
of such and many mo:
which may be tolde in these our daies
to make vs laugh also.

Also to laugh? nay rather weep,
to see such shifts now vsed:
And that in euery sorte of men,
true vertue is abused.

Abused? yea, and quite downe cast,
let vs be sure of that:
And therfore now as hath been said,
I say beware the Cat.

The Cat ful pleasantly wil shew,
some sleights that now are wrought
And make some laugh, which vnto mirth
to be constrainde are loght.

Lothe? yea, for ouer passing greef,
that much bereues their minde:
For such disorder as in states,
of euery sorte they finde.

Finde? yea, who can now boste but that
the Cat wil him disclose?
Therfore in midst of mirth (I say)
beware the Cat to those.

poem by William Baldwin
Added by Poetry Lover
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