| |
| GOE, soule, the bodie’s guest, | |
| Upon a thanklesse arrant; | |
| Feare not to touche the best— | |
| The truth shall be thy warrant; | |
| Goe, since I needs must dye, | 5 |
| And give the world the lye. | |
| |
| Goe tell the court it glowes | |
| And shines like rotten wood; | |
| Goe tell the church it showes | |
| What ’s good, and doth no good; | 10 |
| If church and court reply, | |
| Then give them both the lye. | |
| |
| Tell potentates they live | |
| Acting by others’ actions— | |
| Not loved unlesse they give, | 15 |
| Not strong but by their factions; | |
| If potentates reply, | |
| Give potentates the lye. | |
| |
| Tell men of high condition, | |
| That rule affairs of state, | 20 |
| Their purpose is ambition, | |
| Their practice only hate; | |
| And if they once reply, | |
| Then give them all the lye. | |
| |
| Tell them that brave it most | 25 |
| They beg for more by spending, | |
| Who in their greatest cost | |
| Seek nothing but commending; | |
| And if they make reply, | |
| Spare not to give the lye. | 30 |
| |
| Tell zeale it lacks devotion; | |
| Tell love it is but lust; | |
| Tell time it is but motion; | |
| Tell flesh it is but dust; | |
| And wish them not reply, | 35 |
| For thou must give the lye. | |
| |
| Tell age it daily wasteth; | |
| Tell honor how it alters; | |
| Tell beauty how she blasteth; | |
| Tell favor how she falters; | 40 |
| And as they then reply, | |
| Give each of them the lye. | |
| |
| Tell wit how much it wrangles | |
| In tickle points of nicenesse; | |
| Tell wisedome she entangles | 45 |
| Herselfe in over wisenesse; | |
| And if they doe reply, | |
| Straight give them both the lye. | |
| |
| Tell physicke of her boldnesse; | |
| Tell skill it is pretension; | 50 |
| Tell charity of coldnesse; | |
| Tell law it is contention; | |
| And as they yield reply, | |
| So give them still the lye. | |
| |
| Tell fortune of her blindnesse; | 55 |
| Tell nature of decay; | |
| Tell friendship of unkindnesse; | |
| Tell justice of delay; | |
| And if they dare reply, | |
| Then give them all the lye. | 60 |
| |
| Tell arts they have no soundnesse, | |
| But vary by esteeming; | |
| Tell schooles they want profoundnesse, | |
| And stand too much on seeming; | |
| If arts and schooles reply, | 65 |
| Give arts and schooles the lye. | |
| |
| Tell faith it ’s fled the citie; | |
| Tell how the country erreth; | |
| Tell, manhood shakes off pitie; | |
| Tell, vertue least preferreth; | 70 |
| And if they doe reply, | |
| Spare not to give the lye. | |
| |
| So, when thou hast, as I | |
| Commanded thee, done blabbing— | |
| Although to give the lye | 75 |
| Deserves no less then stabbing— | |
| Yet stab at thee who will, | |
| No stab the soule can kill. | |
| |
