The poems of John Marston Edited by Arnold Davenport |
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Proemium in librum tertium.
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 | The poems of John Marston |  |
149
Proemium in librum tertium.
In serious iest, and iesting seriousnesI striue to scourge poluting beastlines.
I invocate no Delian Deitie,
Nor sacred of-spring of Mnemosyne:
I pray in ayde of no Castalian Muse,
No Nimph, no femall Angell to infuse
A sprightly wit to raise my flagging wings,
And teach me tune these harsh discordant strings:
I craue no Syrens of our Halcion times,
To grace the accents of my rough-hew'd rimes;
But grim Reproofe, stearne Hate of villanie,
Inspire and guide a Satyres poesie.
Faire Detestation of foule odious sinne,
In which our swinish times lye wallowing,
Be thou my conduct and my Genius,
My wits inciting sweet breath'd Zephirus.
O that a Satyres hand had force to pluck
Some fludgate vp, to purge the world from muck:
Would God I could turne Alpheus riuer in
To purge this Augean oxstaule from foule sin.
Well, I will try, awake impuritie,
And view the vaile drawne from thy villanie.
| The poems of John Marston | |