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The Scourge of Folly

Consisting of satyricall Epigrams, And others in honour of many noble Persons and worthy friends, together, with a pleasant (though discordant) Descant upon most English Proverbs and others [by John Davies]
Davies, John (1565?-1618)

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[section]
  
TO THE MOST Noble Theophilvs Lord WALDEN.
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Passages before the Booke.
  
To the Printer.
  
Of the Printer.
  
Of Alchymists and Satyrists.
  
To the World.
  
To the Reader.
  
To the censorious precise.
  
Of Iesting and Iibing.
  
Of Mirth.
  
Of the Booke.
  
Againe.
  
Of Poetry.
  
Of Good and Ill.
  
Vpon the making of one friends face on the Bord where anothers was made; the first being put out with coulor, for the second thereon to bee painted.
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[subsection]
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Vpon English Prouerbs.
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[To worthy Persons.]

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Of Iesting and Iibing.

A iest or Iibe, at first sight, haue their proofe
Whether the same be strong, or meane, or weake:
Then let the speaker marke (for his behoofe)
The motions of their lookes that heare him speake:
For, if the lest haue Sap, or Iibe haue pith,
The hearers laughing, will bewray their liking:
Applauding Wits facete conceit forthwith:
For Spleene is tickled by Wits subtill striking.
But, if their lookes be setled, cease to rest;
Thy fault it is (not theirs) that they are sad;
For, if the Iest be good and well exprest,
They'l (ulens volens) laugh as they were mad.
From whome (as from our lawfull Iudges) wee
May not vnto our partiall selues appeale;
Or if they laugh as t'were of curtesy,
Which each quicke wit (obseruing them) may feele,
Then think the Iest as gracelesse; or if good,
Their Wits are weake, or els in froward moode.
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