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faye) the whole trrlye of the commune wealth fhal
floryfhe therafter. If the yonge tree growe croked, when
it is oulde, a man fhal rather breake it than flreyght it.
And I thinke there is no one thinge yat crokes youth
more then fuche vnlefull games. Nor let no man
fay, if they be honeftly vfed they do no harme. For
how can that paflyme whiche neither exercifeth the
bodye with any honeft labour, nor yet the minde with
any honeft thinking, haue any honeftie ioyned with it.
Nor let no man allure hym felfe that he can vfe it
honefllye: for if he flande therein, he may fortune
haue a faule, the thing is more flipperye then he
knoweth of, A man maye (I graunt) fyt on a brante
hyll fyde, but if he gyue neuer fo lytle forward e, he
can not ftoppe though he woulde neuer fo fayne, but
he mufl nedes runne needling, he knoweth not how
farre. What honeft pretences, vayne pleafure layeth
dayly (as it were entifements or baytes, to pull men
forwarde withall) Homer doeth well fhewe, by the
Sirenes, and Circes. And amonges all in that fhyp
there was but one Vlyffes, and yet he hadde done to
as the other dyd, yf a goddeffe had not taught hym :
And fo lykewyfe I thinke, they be eafye to numbre,
whiche paffe by playing honeillye, excepte the grace
of God faue and kepe them. Therfore they that
wyll not go to farre in playing, let them folowe this
counfell of the Poete.

Stoppe the begynninges.

pfjflala. Well, or you go any further, I pray you
tell me*this one thing: Doo ye fpeake agaynfte meane
mennes playinge onlye, or agaynile greate mennes
playinge to, or put you anye difference betwixte them?

Sfliopfjf, If I ftiulde excufe my felfe herein, and
faye that I fpake of the one, and not of the other, I
feare leafte I Ihoulde as fondlye excufe my felfe, as a
certayne preacher dyd, whome I hearde vpon a tyme
fpeake agaynfte manye abufes, (as he fayde) and at
laft he fpake agaynft candelles? and then he fearynge.