| |
| FOR 1 custome is not simply dangerous, | |
| Best actions may by custome waxe farre worse; | |
| Yet custome is not simply dangerous, | |
| Though in the worser part suspitious. | |
| Of slender sparke ariseth mighty flame, | 5 |
| But not vnless fit matter feed the same; | |
| So where as Custome sets its foote to rise | |
| In ill, subdue her, lest she tyrannize. | |
| While she is young she may be managed, | |
| But growing olde she will be strong in head; | 10 |
| But ever weakest is she found to bee, | |
| When she should worke the mindes of men to mee. | |
| And when she frames her will to aide my foe, | |
| She’s prest; the hag needs not constraine her goe; | |
| Yet not of her selfe-inclination, | 15 |
| But as men’s minds haue preparation. | |
| For though she seeme a princesse by her law, | |
| She is not absolute, but under awe; | |
| She doth command the mindes she can surprise, | |
| (The seeming so), but not the truly wise: | 20 |
| By nature men are proanest to doe ill, | |
| Without an outward prompter of the will; | |
| And where she finds the will prepared so, | |
| She feeds affection as fond fansies goe; | |
| She offers still occasion of her aide, | 25 |
| Stil building more upon the plot she laide. | |
| Thus custome alters, or begins anew, | |
| A nature which at first her self withdrew; | |
| Both good and ill she can transforme and make, | |
| As is the heart apt good or ill to take. | 30 |
| She’s agent both for that foule hag and me,— | |
| Regards not much whose instrument she bee; | |
| But that my foe hath her attendance most, | |
| She brings me only those that hag hath lost,— | |
| Decrepite, feeble, aged, impotent, | 35 |
| The wrong’d, oppressed, lowly, indigent, | |
| They that, by her despite and pleasing charmes, | |
| Have found her whichcraft, and doe feel their harmes, | |
| Not yet by nature, but b’ instinct of grace, | |
| That only light bewraies her vgly face. | 40 |
| Flie her, her pleasures and false instruments, | |
| And set thy heart right on my rudiments: | |
| I am delite, my wayes and workes delite, | |
| My pleasures please not carnall appetite. | |
| Heroicke acts, that make men honorable, | 45 |
| Are only sweet and most inestimable; | |
| The rest are false, found mere scurrilitie, | |
| By which some loose both fame and dignitie; | |
| But such as have me patronesse and guide | |
| Shall never fall, howso they seeme to slide: | 50 |
| They shall withstand, and get the victorie | |
| Ouer that hagge and hellish companie; | |
| Whose conquest farre exceedes the manli’st hand | |
| That swaies a sword, none stronger can withstand. | |
