Aye mee (distressed Wight) what shall I doe?
Where shall I rest? Or whither shall I goe?
Vnto the rich? (woes mee) they, doe abhor me:
Vnto the poore? (alas) they, care not for me:
Vnto the Olde-man? hee; hath mee forgot:
Vnto the Young-man? yet hee, knowes me not:
Vnto the Prince? hee; can dispence with me:
Vnto the Magistrate? that, may not bee:
Vnto the Court? for it, I am too base:
Vnto the Countrey? there, I haue no place:
Vnto the Citty? thence; I am exilde:
Vnto the Village? there; I am reuilde:
Vnto the Barre? the Lawyer there, is bribed?
Vnto the Warre? there, _Conscience_ is derided:
Vnto the Temple? there, I am disguised:
Vnto the Market? there, I am dispised:
Thus both the young and olde, the rich and poore,
Against mee (silly Creature) shut their doore.
Then, sith each one seekes my rebuke and shame,
Ile goe againe to Heauen (from whence I came.)
This saide (me thought) making exceeding mone,
She went her way, and left the Carle alone,
Who vaunting of his late-got victorie,
Aduanc'd himselfe in pompe and Maiestie:
Much like a Cocke, who hauing kild his foe,
Brisks vp himselfe, and then begins to crow.
So _Couetise_, when _Conscience_ was departed,
Gan to be proud in minde, and hauty harted:
And in a stately Chayre of state he set him,
(For _Conscience_ banisht) there are none to let him.
And being but one entrie, to this Plaine,
(Whereof as king and Lord, he did remaine)
_Repentance_ cald, he causd that to be kept,
Lest _Conscience_ should returne, whilst as he slept:
Wherefore he causd it, to be watcht and warded
Both night and Day, and to be strongly guarded:
To keepe it safe, these three he did intreat,
_Hardnesse of hart_, with _Falshood_ and _Deceat:_
And if at any time, she chaunc'd to venter,
_Hardnesse of hart_, denide her still to enter.
When _Conscience_ was exilde the minde of Man,
Then _Couetise_, his gouernment began.
This once being seene, what I had seene before,
(Being onely seene in sleepe) was seene no more;
For with the sorrowe, which my Soule did take
At sight hereof, foorthwith I did awake.
_FINIS._
[Illustration]
Poems:
In diuers humors.
_Trahit sua quemque voluptas._ Virgil.
[Illustration]
LONDON,
Printed by G. S. for Iohn Iaggard, and are to be solde at his
shoppe neere Temple-barre, at the Signe of the Hand and starre.
1598.
[Illustration]
To the learned, and accomplisht Gentleman,
Maister _Nicholas Blackleech_, of Grayes Inne.
[Illustration]
To you, that know the tuch of true Conceat;
(Whose many gifts I neede not to repeat)
I vvrite these Lines; fruits of vnriper yeares;
Wherein my Muse no harder censure feares:
Hoping in gentle Worth, you will them take;
Not for the gift, but for the giuers sake.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_SONNET._ I.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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