ad haec aliquis de ponte negabit:  a beggar’s brat taken from the bridge where he sits a begging, if he knew the inconvenience, had cause to refuse it.”  This being thus, have not we fished fair all this while, that are initiate divines, to find no better fruits of our labours, [2030] hoc est cur palles, cur quis non prandeat hoc est? do we macerate ourselves for this?  Is it for this we rise so early all the year long? [2031]"Leaping” (as he saith) “out of our beds, when we hear the bell ring, as if we had heard a thunderclap.”  If this be all the respect, reward and honour we shall have, [2032]_frange leves calamos, et scinde Thalia libellos_:  let us give over our books, and betake ourselves to some other course of life; to what end should we study? [2033]_Quid me litterulas stulti docuere parentes_, what did our parents mean to make us scholars, to be as far to seek of preferment after twenty years’ study, as we were at first:  why do we take such pains? Quid tantum insanis juvat impallescere chartis?  If there be no more hope of reward, no better encouragement, I say again, Frange leves calamos, et scinde Thalia libellos; let’s turn soldiers, sell our books, and buy swords, guns, and pikes, or stop bottles with them, turn our philosopher’s gowns, as Cleanthes once did, into millers’ coats, leave all and rather betake ourselves to any other course of life, than to continue longer in this misery. [2034]_Praestat dentiscalpia radere, quam literariis monumentis magnatum favorem emendicare_.

Yea, but methinks I hear some man except at these words, that though this be true which I have said of the estate of scholars, and especially of divines, that it is miserable and distressed at this time, that the church suffers shipwreck of her goods, and that they have just cause to complain; there is a fault, but whence proceeds it?  If the cause were justly examined, it would be retorted upon ourselves, if we were cited at that tribunal of truth, we should be found guilty, and not able to excuse it That there is a fault among us, I confess, and were there not a buyer, there would not be a seller; but to him that will consider better of it, it will more than manifestly appear, that the fountain of these miseries proceeds from these griping patrons.  In accusing them, I do not altogether excuse us; both are faulty, they and we:  yet in my judgment, theirs is the greater fault, more apparent causes and much to be condemned.  For my part, if it be not with me as I would, or as it should, I do ascribe the cause, as [2035]Cardan did in the like case; meo infortunio potius quam illorum sceleri, to [2036]mine own infelicity rather than their naughtiness:  although I have been baffled in my time by some of them, and have as just cause to complain as another:  or rather indeed to mine own negligence; for I was ever like that Alexander in [2037]Plutarch, Crassus his tutor in philosophy, who, though he lived many years familiarly