A true description of vnthankfulnesse: or an enemie to ingratitude. Compiled by Nicholas Breton Gent Breton, Nicholas, 1545?-1626? 1602 Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A16801 STC 3703 ESTC S116188 99851405 99851405 16676 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A16801) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 16676) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1371:04) A true description of vnthankfulnesse: or an enemie to ingratitude. Compiled by Nicholas Breton Gent Breton, Nicholas, 1545?-1626? [16] p. Printed by Thomas Este, At London : 1602. In verse. Signatures: A-B⁴. Running title reads: An enemie to ingratitude. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng 2003-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-01 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2004-01 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A TRVE DESCRIPTION of vnthankfulnesse : Or an enemie to Ingratitude . Compiled by Nicholas Breton Gent. AT LONDON : Printed by Thomas Este. 1602. M. M MORE worth then Vertue , can no creature know , A A Phaenix in the world there is but one : R Rare is the Bird , and though there be no mo , Y Yet may you finde hir when you are alone . G. G GREAT is the Grace that in the spirit liueth , A And such a life is worthy honors loue : T The perfect good that heau'nly mercie giueth , E Elected Virgins in the heau'ns aboue . To the Right VVorshipfull , Vertuous , and Noble minded Gentlewoman , Mistris Mary Gate , Daughter to that true worthie Knight of Honorable remembraunce Sir Henry Gate of Semer. N. B. wisheth all happinesse on Earth and Heauen heereafter . A Vertuous minde can not bee without hir honor , nor , an vngratefull spirit without a burthen of Conscience : the first in your selfe is made manifest to many , the second , in my selfe , I wish not to liue to bee touched with , but yet , not able to requite those your Honourable fauours that I haue receiued yet vndeserued , giue mee leaue in this little fruit of my labour , to present you with this token of my thanckfulnesse , wherein treating onely of the vile Nature of Ingratitude , I hope not to bee found guiltie in that offence . And so , wishing you your desert of Honour , of the best mindes , and the vngratefull , the plague of an vnquiet Conscience , or amendement of their euill conditions , in continuall prayer for your harts euer Contentment , I rest . Yours bounden to command Nicholas Breton . To the Reader . HEE that is vnthankfull for a good turne , sheweth the venime of a vile Nature , and hee that is kindly gratefull , is worthie to bee beeloued : if you bee of the last condition , I commend you , if of the first , God amend you : What you are I know not , but I hope the best , the worst I desire not to heare off . And therefore , in briefe , the Treatise beeing short , I will not trouble you to long , but as I finde your kindnesse , will rest in thankfulnesse . Your friend Nicholas Breton . Ingratis seruire Nefas . OF all the sinnes that euer raign'd , Since wickednesse hir world began : That Natures beautie most hath stain'd , Within the wretched hart of Man : And neerest doth to hell allude , Is that of fowle Ingratitude . It kills the Eie of Reasons sight , With fowle obliuions foggy mists : And makes the spirit to delight , But in the harmes of had I wists : And mires the soule in sinnes fowle flud , While lack of grace , can see no good . It studies onely to destroie , A gentle spirit with despight : And knowes no part of Heauenly ioy , That pleads so in the Diuels right : It is a hagge , that heauens doe hate , And , dwels , but with the Reprobate . It bringeth foorth such shamefull Euill , Out of the shamelesse wicked minde : As by suggestion of the Diuell , Makes Nature goe against hir kinde : When Men that should bee Vertues friends , Become but Machauilian fiends . There is no thought can bee so vile , Nor word can sound so ill a worth : Nor cursed state , so ill a stile , As can Ingratitude set foorth : Which was the curse of Adams seede , And neuer since did better deede . VVhere it doth once infect the hart , The Sonne doth wish the Fathers death : The Wife doth seeke the Husbands mart , The Brother stops the Sisters breath : The Neighbour , and the neerest friend , Will plot each others speedy end . It makes the Seruant to forget , His duty to his Maisters loue : The Subiect all his wits to set , Rebellion to his Prince to proue : The Villaine for a Comfortlent , For to beetraie the Innocent . It maketh Man forget his God , In whom alone hee hath his beeing : His Comfort and his Mercies Rod , Whereof his Soule can haue no seeing : Vntill to late in hell he findes , How God doth hate vngratefull mindes . Oh what it doth , or doth it not ? That may agrieue an honest minde : To see the power that Sinne hath got , Vpon the curse of humane kinde : While Comfort , Kindnesse , Care , and Cost , Vpon vnthankfulnesse are lost . Oh Hellish Worme , that eates the wombe , Wherein it lay , to looke abroade : And plots the Meane to make his Tombe , Whose house had beene his chiefe aboade : While faithlesse friends make hellish fiends , God send all Iudasses such ends . A King that on a time ordain'd , A punishment for euery vice : Was asked , why hee did refraine ? On this to set downe his deuice : It is quod hee , beeyond my wit , I leaue to God to punish it . As who should say , the sinne were such , As did all other so exceede : That were the torment nere so much , It were no more then it did neede : That all the world might warning winne , To flie the thought of such a sinne . Oh , how much worse then any Beast , It makes the shape of Man to proue ? For shape is most , and Man is least , That so doth swarue from Natures loue : And in the hate of honours Nature , Becomes the worst of any creature . Fie , fie , vpon Ingratitude , The Sinne of Sinnes that euer was : That doth the soule to much delude , And brings the world to such a passe : That lack of loues Gratuitie , Hath almost worne out Charitie . Of Wormes , the Viper is the worst , That eates the Bowells that did breed him : Of Birds , the Cuckoe most accurst , That kils the Sparrow that did feed him : And is not Man more halfe a Diuell ? That so requiteth good with Euill ? A poore Man going to a wood , Within the Snow an Adder found : When , wishing how to doe it good , Did take it vp , from off the ground : And fearing of no future harme , Did in his bosome keepe it warme . But comming home vnto the fire , No sooner hee had loosde his Coate : But , to requite his kinde desire , The Adder bit him by the throate : Now whereto doth this tale alude ? But onely to Ingratitude : There was a Lyon as I reade , Who had a Thorne got in his foote : Which in his trauaile fore did bleede , While to his hart the payne did shoote : With which , vnto his Denne hee came , And fell to licking of the same . When , as hee stoode hee spied a Man , VVho had beene thether fled for feare : And in his hart , with griefe beegan , To mourne his haplesse beeing there : Yet , seeing how the Lyon stoode , Aduentured to doe him good . And feeling softly where it stucke , So cunningly did beate about : As with his mouth first fell to sucke , Then , with his Teeth , did get it out : And after did such help apply , That hee was eased by and by . And when the Lyon felt such ease , Hee reacht him out a Princely Pawe : As who should say to such as please , I carry comfort in my Clawe : And to requite his kindnesse then , Hee led him foorth out of his Den. And brought him through a wildernesse , Into a high way , neere a towne : When in a Princely gentlenesse , Before his face , hee sat him downe : And with his Pawe as Poets tell , Did giue a Kingly kinde farewell . Now shortly after it befell , This Lyon was by hunters caught : And as the story seemes to tell , Vnto an Emperour was brought : And with great Ioy and Iolitie , Presented to his Maiestie . VVhich Lyon kept , as others are , That so are caught , and so are brought : To seede vpon such hungry fare , As , tamnesse had his stomacke taught : Did liue such Trayterous harts to teare : As to such death condempned were . Whete Long this Lyon had not beene , But that the Man that heal'd his wound : Whose Eie had neuer Treason seene , Nor Spirit such a thought had found : Iniuriously was apprehended , And vnto such a death condempned . Who beeing brought vnto the Den , Whereas the Lyon fiercely stood : To teare in peeces , those ill men , That fed him with their poisoned blood : Before his face did kindelie stand , And pawde and lickt him on the hand . The lookers on amaz'd to see , The Lyon thus the Man entreate : Did wonder what the cause should bee , His loue to him should bee so great : And to the Emperour did tell , What all before their Eies beefell . Who comming thether to behold , The truth of that hee thus had heard : And seeing still the prisoner hold , His place with him : a great reward Did promise him , the cause to show , That made the Lyon vse him so . When , of the Lyon , taking leaue , VVith kissing of his Kingly foote : To make his Maiestie conceiue , The truth of all euen from the roote : Hee ript vp all that hee had done , VVhereby this Lyons loue beegunne . The Emperour well pleas'd to heare , How euery point and part did grow : Before his presence made appeere , The wretches that had wrong'd him so : And threw them in his wrathfull power , Vnto the Lyon to deuower . VVho spared none but slew them all , The Man was Royally rewarded : The Note to this effect did fall , That thanckfulnesse was much regarded : The Lyon still remain'd his friend , And so the story made an end . Oh Lord that euer Man should liue , In hate of loues forgetfulnesse : And that a Lions loue should giue , Such notes of Noble thanckfulnesse : VVhich all in one doe but conclude , The Princely grace of Gratitude . Then , shew no Vipers venum vile , To gnaw the bowells , that did breed thee : Nor Cucko like , doe loue beguile , To kill the Sparrow that did feede thee : But Lionlike doe thanckfull proue , To him that hath deseru'd thy loue . Remember what thou hast Receu'd , Of vvhom , why , how , and what , and where : And , let it bee , as well perceu'd , Thou doste retourne thy kindenesse there : That perfect thanckfulnesse may proue , The Nature of the Lions loue . If that thou finde thy Mistresse kinde , Dishonor not hir qualitie : If that a noble friend thou finde , Skoffe not his liberalitie : If meane men buie thy companie , Requit them not vvith villanie . If that thy Father doe commend thee , Bee thou not bad to shew his blindnesse : And if thy friend a saddell lend thee , Steale not his Horsse to quite his kindnesse : But chiefely doe not seeke his blood , Whose loue hath liu'd to doe thee good . Forget not God , that gaue thee life , Defame not him that is thy friend : Bee not vnfaithfull to thy wife , And hold on honest to the end : For when the Knaues bee all discarded , A poore small tromp may be regarded . Doe not with Connies vndermine , The Castle where thy Captaine liues : Nor Counterfet with a Diuine , To cheate the Charitie hee giues : Least when the world doth see thy shame , Both God and Man doe hate thy name . Leaue not a Man to seeke a beast , A Monster is nor flesh , nor fish , And where thou hast receu'd a feast , Returne not home a poisoned dish : Least they that finde thy hellish Nature , Doe hold thee for a hatefull Creature . In summe , for all let this suffice , To warne thee from Ingratitude : Beehold it with your inward Eies , And let it not your soule delude : For Truth doth write that Time may reede , It is a graft of Gracelesse seede . Which growes but in a wicked ground , And beares no fruit but Infamie : And many times is blasted round , With Hellish breath of Blasphemie : Yet with ill humours moystned so , As makes it wickedlie to grow . But from this wicked Hellish thing , That so infects the minde of Man : And with a most infernall sting , The wofull state of Life beegan : And doth abuse good Creatures thus , Good Lord of such deliuer vs. FINIS .