University of Virginia Library

SATYRVLA IN PLEBEM.

Experience, long, and deare, hath made mee finde,
Nothing is more vnsure than Vulgare Minde.
All Commons are (Quicke-Silver-lyke) vnstable,
Fawning, and frowning, at each franticke Fable.
For Loue to day They'll crowne a Man a King,
Dethrone to morrow, for a naughtie thing.
Iust Aristides, who rul'd Athens long,
Was ostracism'd, for being good: strange wrong.
Themistocles from Grece made Xerxes flie,
Who in exyle, amongst his Foes, must die.
To crowne Seianvs Cæsar now they'r bent;
But in an houre hee is to Prison sent.
Antiochvs in one day was saluted
A gracious Prince: a Tyrant straight reputed.
As blinde as Homer was, in Iest and Scorne,
Hee could compare the Commons to the Corne:
Heere comes a puffe of Winde, on this side blowes it:
There comes another Blast, contrarelie throwes it.
To raging Billoes of the Waues vnruelie,
The Peoples nature is compared truelie.
Those Mouthes at first which did OSANNA crie,
Cryde, Crucifie, and let Barabbas free.
The Mariner may as well wrap the Winde,
And in his Sayles, till his next Voyage binde,
As can a King, in anie modest Measure,
The Multitude command, and rule at pleasure.
It is the LORD, who onlie May, Can, Will,
The Windes, the Waues, and Peoples madnesse still.