John Harington of Stepney

At least withdraw your creweltie
or force the tyme to worke your will
Yt is to moche extreamytie
to kepe me pent in pryson styll
free from all fawte voyd of all cawse
without all right agaynst all lawse
how can you use more crewell spight
than offre wrong and promes right
yet can not accuse nor will acquyght

A Leven months full and longer space
I have endured your deavellishe dryftes
whylest you have sought bothe man and place
and sett your snares with all your shyftes
the fawtlesse foote to wrapp with wyle
in any guylt by any guyle
and now you see it will not be
how can you thus for shame agree
to kepe hym bownd you ought sett free

Your chaunce was once as myne is now
to kepe this hold agaynst your will
and than you sware you know well how
though now you swarve I know how yll
but thus the world his course doth passe
the priest forgeates that Clerk he was
and you that then cryed Justyce styll
and now have Justyce att your will
Wrest Justyce wrong agaynst all skill

But whye do I thus coldly playne
as thoughe it were my cawse alone
whan cawse doth eache man so constrayne
as Englond through hath cawse to mone
to see your blooddy searche of suche
as all the earth can no way towche
and better weare that all your kynd
Lyke hownds in hell with shame were shrynd
then you had might unto your mynd

But as the Stone that strykes the wall
Somtyme bownds back on th'urlers hedd
so your fowle fetche to your fowle fall
may tourne and noye the brest it bredd
and than suche measure as you gave
of right and Justice looke to have
yf good or yll, yf short or longe
yf falce or trew, yf right or wronge
And thus tyll than I end my songe

University of Virginia Library

II A 7

[At least withdraw your creweltie]