Wittes Pilgrimage (by Poeticall Essaies): Through a VVorld of amorous Sonnets, Soule-passions, and other Passages, Diuine, Philosophicall, Morall, Poeticall, and Politicall. By Iohn Davies |
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In vindicando criminosa est celeritas.
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 | Wittes Pilgrimage |  |
In vindicando criminosa est celeritas.
Whhat gaine gets witlesse Courage but the losseOf Life, or Limb, Lands, Contry, Goods, or fame,
Or to the Gallowes goes by weeping Crosse,
And, desprate, dies to his Soules death, and shame.
Would any that had Courage, Wit, and Grace
(As point to part this life) Mans life bereaue
To make a crying Sin his Soule to chase,
And neuer, till she dies, the Chase to leaue?
None would that would be wise and valiant:
Then so we ought to liue, as dying stil,
Sith of our death our life is ignorant
Then who (but Fiends) would liue in Hel, to kil?
Admit in priuate Quarrels (fist to fist)
Thou hast slaine al that durst thy powr oppose:
Nay say that no man durst the same resist
Sith like a God, thou couldst of life dispose,
Were it humane? much lesse were it diuine
To glory but in bathing but in bloud?
Were it not sauage, and too Leonyne
For any that would faine be great, and good?
Can make a wise, and valiant man to fight?
What staine takes honest reputation
By taking wrong, to make it selfe more right?
Can but the Lye (one silly Sillable)
(By Time made much more hainous then by Truth)
Make great men make their Humors sutable,
To Horsleaches, that haue, by bloud, their growth?
Or can the Loue but of an hateful Queane
[For such no better be, though Queens they are]
Broche pretious bloud, as if that were the meane
To measure out sound Loue for such crackt Ware?
Can but an od Looke, or a simple Smile
(Which may be taken wel as wel as ill)
Make men their Harts and Hands with bloud defile:
So, bloud (like water) for but Looks to spil?
Then Men are Monsters, Monsters! al too good
Is eu'ry name that is too monstrous
For such as liue, alone, but to suck bloud,
Which al do hate, that are magnanimous:
For all great Minds desire such things to do
That are as good, as great; els, scorne the same
For Valor theyl be prais'd, and Vertue too,
Els Valor they esteem the price of Shame.
And no where can the same so wel be showne
As with offensiue Armes in Contries right:
And with defensiue, guard the ouerthrowne
From the Oppressors mercilesse despight.
Els Fights vnciuil, sauage, and too bad
For Beasts, much more for Men, whom Angels serue,
All Quarrels els, are monstrous, moody, mad,
And mortal hate of God and man deserue.
Yet by such sucking bloud we see some swel
Vnto that Greatnesse that they scarce can hold;
On Gore they ground great Howses where they dwel
VVhich often sink, in bloud, as Reason vvould,
Many that haue nought els but daring Harts
And leafe their Liues, for Nothing to Dispaire
On this Worlds Stage, do oft play Princes parts,
To which they climb by Bloud, a slppry Staire,
And desprate Resolution so is held
(By Greatnesse, of smal worth) that it doth weld,
The world at wil, and seld, if ere, withstood.
Yea, oft it makes Authority to shake
Sith they owe others liues that loath their owne;
And so it doth his owne Conditions make
As if it could at wil put vp and downe.
This Ladies loue; for, this doth Ladies win,
(Faint Hart they say, (Ile ow the rest for shame)
This is a VVorld-commanding gracefull sin
In the Conceit of each conceited Dame!
He that dares ioule together highest Heades
(Though he may faile in that too high attempt)
The High his haughty Resolution dreads,
VVhile he, as Crauens, holds them in Contempt.
Lo thus may Reason reason gainst a Wrong
That Passion doth approue, and vse, as right:
I vs'd [the more my vice] this vertue long
If it be Vertue vitiously to fight.
VVhat now! vaunts VVit, and vailes the same with skil?
Would it be knowne it was to Courage knit?
Do I condemn, yet glory in mine ill?
So, crack of Courage with, and without Wit?
Here lie I open to Wits priuy Nips,
Or open Thumps, lay on, Wit spare me not:
And Ile oreturne as thou shalt offer Trips
Sith through my weaknesse thou the best hast got.
Yet stay thy Wisedome, wit, and hold thy hand,
Vse thou the Conquest like a Conqueror:
That is, foile thou the ill which thee withstand;
But, let the faultlesse neuer feel thy powr,
For tis not simply ill a truth to tell,
(Though it perhaps be told for scarce good end)
And doubtful words, with Letters Loue doth spel
That alwaies only, doth the best intend.
But sith al those that know me, knew me such
As once I was, my Lines are of lesse force
(Vnlesse my hate, of what I was, I touch)
To dravv Sword-dravvers to a quiet Course.
For stealst thou Theefe, and yet exhorst to Truth?
Or Kilst thou Butcher, yet dehortst from Bloud?
That mercy is the best reuenging mood?
I am turnd Crauen, and am held therein
By Loue, which holds for true diuinity,
That Faiths Deuotion is but deadly sin
If it be not deuout in Charity.
Then he that makes his life a lasting Brall
And seems to feed on nought but Wounds, and Gore
May pray for grace, to change his life withall,
But, other praiers make his sins the more,
And they that loue their sins to multiply
Stil let them pray in Hate, and thirst of Bloud:
So shal they liue (while they make others die)
To dy the death of Dogs, in damned moode.
Now, if this Charme of Words want violence
To make these brauing Spirits lesse bloudy-bold
And bring them into Loues Circumference,
Sufficeth me I Coniur'd as I could:
But, if thereby they wax more turbulent
I can but rue, but they shall more repent!
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