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] |
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 | The Scourge of Folly |  |
To honest-game some Robin Armin, That tickles the spleene like an harmeles vermin
Armine what shall I say of thee, but this,Thou art a Foole and Knaue? Both? fie, I misse;
And wrong thee much: sith thou, in Deide art neither,
Although in Shew, thou playest both together.
Wee all (that's Kings and all) but Players are
Vpon this earthly Stage; and, should haue care
To play our Parts so properly, that wee
May, at the end, gaine an Applauditee.
But most men ouer-act, misse-act, or misse
The action which to them peculier is:
And, the more high the Part is, which they play,
The more they misse in what they Do, or Say,
So that, when off the Stage, by Death, they wend,
Men rather hisse at them, then them commend.
But (honest Robin) thou, with harmelesse mirth,
Dost please the World; and (so) enioyst the Earth
That others but possesse with care, that stings;
So, mak'st thy life more happy farre then Kings.
And so much more our loue should thee imbrace,
Sith still thou liu'st with some that dye to Grace.
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Which earnes more praise then forced-goodnesse gets.
So, play thy part, be honest still, with mirth;
Then, when th'art in the Tyring-house of Earth,
Thou being his Seruant whome all Kings do serue,
Maist, for thy part well playd like praise deserue:
For in that Tyring-house when either bee,
Y'are one mans men, and equall in degree.
So thou, in sport, the happiest men dost schoole
To do as thou dost; wisely play the foole.
| The Scourge of Folly | |