Never so many masters any knew,

And so few gentlemen in such a crew,

Never so many houses, so small spending,

Never such store of coin, so little lending.

Never so many cousins, so few kind.

Goodmorrows plenty, good wills hard to find,

Never so many clerks, ne’er learning less,

Many religions, but least godliness.

Justice is banished, law breeds such strife,

And truth: and why? for swearing is so rife.

Thus in her strength of causes virtue dies,

And vice without a cause still multiplies.