 | Foure Paradoxes |  |
Juris iniuria.
What thing is that so huge? so richly clad?
So borne on great mens shoulders? kneeld vnto?
So graue in countenance? so sober sad?
To which so many Potentates do bowe?
And with submission yeeld themselues and lands,
Into hir powerfull and imperious hands.
So borne on great mens shoulders? kneeld vnto?
So graue in countenance? so sober sad?
To which so many Potentates do bowe?
And with submission yeeld themselues and lands,
Into hir powerfull and imperious hands.
Shee's holy, for Diuinitie attends hir,
Shee hath hir Chaplaines, and she goes to church:
Shee's well beloued, for euery man defends hir,
Shee's rich, for see how fast she gold doth lurch.
Shee's great, for she keepes house in Rufus hall,
And makes all men downe at hir feete to fall.
Shee hath hir Chaplaines, and she goes to church:
Shee's well beloued, for euery man defends hir,
Shee's rich, for see how fast she gold doth lurch.
Shee's great, for she keepes house in Rufus hall,
And makes all men downe at hir feete to fall.
See see, what troopes of people hourely post,
To pay her tribute, all the streetes are full,
Of hir base bond-men, who with care and cost,
Inrich hir seruants, and themselues do gull.
Sure I will be hir follower out of dout,
I may find clients amongst such a rout.
To pay her tribute, all the streetes are full,
Of hir base bond-men, who with care and cost,
Inrich hir seruants, and themselues do gull.
Sure I will be hir follower out of dout,
I may find clients amongst such a rout.
I loue her, for she helpes to end debate,
Desciding quarrells, and expounding doubts:
Shee's not too prowde, for oft she leaues hir state,
To question and conferre with country louts.
She is impartiall, for she takes of all,
And plagues a publike sinne in generall.
Desciding quarrells, and expounding doubts:
Shee's not too prowde, for oft she leaues hir state,
To question and conferre with country louts.
She is impartiall, for she takes of all,
And plagues a publike sinne in generall.
All this is good, I like hir yet: yet better,
For she reuengeth bloud, maintaineth peace,
Shee sets at one the Creditor and Debtor,
Making apparant iniuries surcease.
She doth all right, she recompenceth wrong,
Shee helpes the weake, she weakeneth the strong.
For she reuengeth bloud, maintaineth peace,
Shee sets at one the Creditor and Debtor,
Making apparant iniuries surcease.
She doth all right, she recompenceth wrong,
Shee helpes the weake, she weakeneth the strong.
Besides, how many graue and ciuill groomes
Doth she maintaine, in wealth, in peace, in ease,
Giuing them seuerall Liueries, seuerall Roomes,
And all that may theit daintiest sences please.
Some runne about, some speake, and others iudge,
Some write, some reade, and euery one do drudge.
Doth she maintaine, in wealth, in peace, in ease,
Giuing them seuerall Liueries, seuerall Roomes,
And all that may theit daintiest sences please.
Some runne about, some speake, and others iudge,
Some write, some reade, and euery one do drudge.
But see, all's marde, a pooreman doth complaine,
Of open wrong, doone by a treacherous slaue:
The poore mans cause she gladly would maintaine
But see, the villaine shal the sentence haue.
Hir Officers, new-brib'd, do stop hir eare,
And will not suffer her the cause to heare.
Of open wrong, doone by a treacherous slaue:
The poore mans cause she gladly would maintaine
But see, the villaine shal the sentence haue.
Hir Officers, new-brib'd, do stop hir eare,
And will not suffer her the cause to heare.
So sits she like the vertuous Emperor,
Old Galba, whom all men approued iust,
But that about him, vniust Officers
Abused his geratnes, to their priuate lust.
Their wickednesse was counted his: his good,
Was counted theirs, so valulesse he stood.
Old Galba, whom all men approued iust,
But that about him, vniust Officers
Abused his geratnes, to their priuate lust.
Their wickednesse was counted his: his good,
Was counted theirs, so valulesse he stood.
Such doth she seeme, good in hirselfe, and kinde,
But that bad Officers abuse their trust,
And too and fro hir mightie power do winde,
For greedy lucre, and gold-getting lust.
The honest man oft begges, or worser, starues,
But he gaines most, that most from vertue swarues.
But that bad Officers abuse their trust,
And too and fro hir mightie power do winde,
For greedy lucre, and gold-getting lust.
The honest man oft begges, or worser, starues,
But he gaines most, that most from vertue swarues.
Better it were farre for the Common-wealth,
Her selfe were wicked, and hir seruants true,
Then for hir officers to liue by stealth,
Vnder the colour, to giue all their due.
So haue I seene the Lion part his pray
And from the weaker beast beare all away.
Her selfe were wicked, and hir seruants true,
Then for hir officers to liue by stealth,
Vnder the colour, to giue all their due.
So haue I seene the Lion part his pray
And from the weaker beast beare all away.
So haue I seene a paire of catch-poule theeues,
Leade a poore wretch to Luds vnlucky gate,
Like greedy bandogs hanging at his sleeues,
Without remorse, or feeling of his state:
So haue I seene a villaine hang-man be,
To many other honester then he.
Leade a poore wretch to Luds vnlucky gate,
Like greedy bandogs hanging at his sleeues,
Without remorse, or feeling of his state:
So haue I seene a villaine hang-man be,
To many other honester then he.
This warranted great Alexanders theft,
When he did al men wrong, throgh force, not right
But this the weaker Pirate helpelesse left,
Because he rob'd but few for want of might.
O fie for shame, when that which should rule all,
Is growne the Lord of misse-rule in the hall.
When he did al men wrong, throgh force, not right
But this the weaker Pirate helpelesse left,
Because he rob'd but few for want of might.
O fie for shame, when that which should rule all,
Is growne the Lord of misse-rule in the hall.
O Law! thou cobweb, wherein little flies
Are dayly caught, whilst greater breake away:
Thou deere Experience, which so many bies,
With losse of time, wealth, friends, and long delay.
Thou endlesse Laborinth of care and sorrow,
Neere hand to day, and farre remoou'd to morow.
Are dayly caught, whilst greater breake away:
Thou deere Experience, which so many bies,
With losse of time, wealth, friends, and long delay.
Thou endlesse Laborinth of care and sorrow,
Neere hand to day, and farre remoou'd to morow.
Thou sweete reuenge of crauen-harted hindes,
Who neuer relish lou'd society,
Nor barbour kindenesse in their currish mindes,
But harbarous beastly inciuility.
Thou nurse of discord, instrument of hatred,
Whose power with vice hath al the earth or'e-skattred.
Who neuer relish lou'd society,
Nor barbour kindenesse in their currish mindes,
But harbarous beastly inciuility.
Thou nurse of discord, instrument of hatred,
Whose power with vice hath al the earth or'e-skattred.
Why should we not be good, without thy aide?
And feare thy force lesse than deserued blame?
Shall man forbeare to sin, being afraide
Of punishment? not of reproch and shame?
So Children learne their lessons, kept from meate,
So Asses mend their paces, being beate.
And feare thy force lesse than deserued blame?
Shall man forbeare to sin, being afraide
Of punishment? not of reproch and shame?
So Children learne their lessons, kept from meate,
So Asses mend their paces, being beate.
But man should beare a free vnforced spirit,
Vncapable of seruile feare and awe,
The guilty soule doth punishment demerrit,
Because he is not to himselfe a Lawe.
Let men, like men, loue Virtue and imbrace her,
Let men, like men, hate Vice, the soules defacer.
Vncapable of seruile feare and awe,
The guilty soule doth punishment demerrit,
Because he is not to himselfe a Lawe.
Let men, like men, loue Virtue and imbrace her,
Let men, like men, hate Vice, the soules defacer.
In olde time, Iustice was pourtrayed blinde,
To signifie her strait impartiall doome.
And in her hand she held a scale, to finde,
By weight, which case did most remoue the Loome.
She still is blinde, and deafe, yet feeles apace,
Her scales now weyes her fees, and not the case.
To signifie her strait impartiall doome.
And in her hand she held a scale, to finde,
By weight, which case did most remoue the Loome.
She still is blinde, and deafe, yet feeles apace,
Her scales now weyes her fees, and not the case.
Then farewell Law, thou power to make or marre,
I dare not trust my selfe for doing wrong:
Few rich do cleerely stand before the barre,
For Bribes haue rulde, do rule, and will rule long.
Farewell both Arte and Lawe, I will go finde,
Some better thing, to please my troubled minde.
I dare not trust my selfe for doing wrong:
Few rich do cleerely stand before the barre,
For Bribes haue rulde, do rule, and will rule long.
Farewell both Arte and Lawe, I will go finde,
Some better thing, to please my troubled minde.
Finis.
Ueri iuris germanæque iustitiæ solidam & expressam imaginem nullam tenemus, vmbra & imaginibus vtimur.
| Foure Paradoxes | |