The Prologe To The Maske Of Myndes Poem by Nicholas Bacon

This worldes madde maskerye I intende to disgrace
Pluckeinge of the viser and the disguiseinge gere
From this merye maskers soe as their open face
Maye to the beholders euidentelye appeare,
Whereby vyce and vertue all naked as it weare
Shall singeleye and simpelye be open to thyne eye,
Whiche disguiseinge hadd hydd in this madde maskerye.

The maskerye of bodyes deuised for delighte
Dothe the beholders eye but oute of knoweledge bringe,
But this slye maske of myndes wherof I meane to wryte
Bothe bleres and blyndes the beholders vnderstandeinge,
Whiche breedes blynde error the moste pestilente thinge,
For soe shall vice for vertue and vertue for vice
Haue the beholders estymacion and pryce.

Agayne the maske of bodyes hathe his game place smale,
His maskers but fewe, his beholders somewhat moe:
But for the maske of myndes the worlde vniuersalle
Semes game place smale inowe and with the leaste alsoe
The maskers are soe manye, and yet agayne loe
The beholders but fewe that vnderstandes theis artes,
With suche shrewde slilye wyles they vse to playe their partes.

But manye blynde beholders of this maske there bee,
Whoe seethe but perceyues not the maskers fyne sectes:
Eache masker a beholder, soe maye you ofte see:
And all this at one tyme to seuerall respectes
Of error and ignorance, suche are the effectes
Whiche beinge cleane banisshed oute of eache manns mynde
Woulde make eache thinge appeare accordinge to his kynde.

This error in decerninge growethe moste of this,
That some vice and vertue in semblance are soe nere
That the one for the other full ofte taken is,
And to this tryme masker the more like the more dere:
For hereof he shapes all his disguiseinge gere
Soe fynelye soe craftelye that he that takes noe hede
Shall quickelye amongeste theis spynne a folishe threde.

When the prodigall liberall and the wylye wyse
Thippocryte religious and the rashe semes corageous,
When couetousnes is colored with frugalityes vyce,
When the slothefull quyette and the playne outerageous,
When licence for libertye is daylye taken by vs,
Is it anye wonder trowe ye thoughe theis maskers excell,
When suche madde maskeinge aparell becomes them soe well?

Theis thinges well to decerne deuide and discouer,
Althoughe it be hardd and will muche prouoke offence,
Yet will I it assaye thereby to moue other
My wante full to supplye bothe in worke and in sence:
Of a maske strayte waye to make is not my pretence,
But yet to guide the goer I will doe my beste,
And in bonis you knowe voluisse sat est.