A tell-tale in their company They never could endure, And whoso kept not secretly Their mirth was punished sure; It was a just and Christian deed To pinch such black and blue: Oh how the commonwealth doth need Such justices as you! Bishop Corbet’s epigram on Beaumont’s early death is well known: He that hath such acuteness and such wit, As would ask ten good heads to husband it; He, that can write so well that no man dare Refuse it for the best, let him beware: Beaumont is dead, by whose sole death appears, Wit’s a disease consumes men in few years. Sir Walter Raleigh, the graceful and brilliant courtier, is thought by most students of the subject to have written _The Lie_. Though it has been attributed to various authors the weight of evidence is in favor of Raleigh. _THE LIE_ Go, Soul, the body’s guest, Upon a thankless errand; Fear not to touch the best; The truth shall be thy warrant. Go, since I needs must die, And give them all the lie. Go tell the Court it glows And shines like rotten wood; Go tell the Church it shows What’s good, but does no good. If Court and Church reply, Give Court and Church the lie. Tell Potentates they live Acting, but oh! their actions; Not loved, unless they give, Not strong but by their factions. If Potentates reply, Give Potentates the lie. Tell men of high condition, That rule affairs of state, Their purpose is ambition; Their practice only hate; And if they do reply, Then give them all the lie. Tell those that brave it most, 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 lie. Tell zeal it wants devotion; Tell love it is but lust; Tell time it is but motion; Tell flesh it is but dust: And wish them not reply, For thou must give the lie. Tell age it daily wasteth; Tell honor how it alters; Tell beauty how she blasteth; Tell favor how it falters: And as they shall reply, Give every one the lie. Tell wit how much it wrangles In tickle points of niceness; Tell wisdom she entangles Herself in over-wiseness: And when they do reply, Straight give them both the lie. Tell physic of her boldness; Tell skill it is pretension; Tell charity of coldness; Tell law it is contention: And as they do reply, So give them still the lie. Tell fortune of her blindness; Tell nature of decay; Tell friendship of unkindness; Tell justice of delay: And if they will reply, Then give them all the lie.