 | Andromeda Liberata |  |
Upon the Monster red Rhamnusia rode,
The Sauage leapt beneath his bloody load
Mad of his prey, giu'n ouer now by all:
When any high, haue any meanes to fall,
Their greatest louers proue false props to proue it
And for the mischiefe onely, praise and loue it.
There is no good they will not then commend,
Nor no Religion but they will pretend
A mighty title to, when both are vs'd,
To warrant Innouation, or see brus'd
The friendlesse Reed, that vnder all feet lies:
The sound parts euermore, they passe like flies,
And dwell vpon the sores, ill in themselues,
They clearely saile with ouer rockes and shelues,
But good in others shipwracke in the Deepes:
Much more vniust is he that truely keepes
Lawes for more shew, his owne ends vnderstood
Then he that breakes them for anothers good.
And 'tis the height of all malignity,
To tender good so, that yee ill implie:
To treade on Pride but with a greater pride.
VVhen where no ill, but in ill thoughts is tri'd,
To speake well is a charity diuine:
The rest retaine the poyson serpentine
Vnder their lips, that sacred liues condemne,
And wee may worthily apply to them,
This tragicke execration: perish hee
That sifts too far humane infirmity.
The Sauage leapt beneath his bloody load
When any high, haue any meanes to fall,
Their greatest louers proue false props to proue it
And for the mischiefe onely, praise and loue it.
There is no good they will not then commend,
Nor no Religion but they will pretend
A mighty title to, when both are vs'd,
To warrant Innouation, or see brus'd
The friendlesse Reed, that vnder all feet lies:
The sound parts euermore, they passe like flies,
And dwell vpon the sores, ill in themselues,
They clearely saile with ouer rockes and shelues,
But good in others shipwracke in the Deepes:
Much more vniust is he that truely keepes
Lawes for more shew, his owne ends vnderstood
Then he that breakes them for anothers good.
And 'tis the height of all malignity,
To tender good so, that yee ill implie:
To treade on Pride but with a greater pride.
VVhen where no ill, but in ill thoughts is tri'd,
The rest retaine the poyson serpentine
Vnder their lips, that sacred liues condemne,
And wee may worthily apply to them,
This tragicke execration: perish hee
That sifts too far humane infirmity.
| Andromeda Liberata | |