Ivvenilia :: :: University of Virginia Library

Bvt as the former Passion was abus'd,
So this that follows is but hardly us'd.
Yet it is known a kinde and tender Passion,
In it own nature worthy commendation:
And if discretion guide it, well may be
Of neere alliance unto Charitie.
If not; it with the rest from vertue swerves,
And so with them alike reproofe deserves.
Which some will wonder at; such as suppose
A man through pitty cannot erre: yet those,
If they have any judgment of their own,
Shall say, Compassion may amisse be shown.

Or if you put no confidence in me,
Come to our Courts of Iustice, and there see
How shee's abus'd: there mark and you shall finde,
It makes the Iuror many times so blinde,
They see, but stumbling by do tread,
Beside the way their Evidences lead
There you may spie the reverend Iudge compeld
Through an effeminate tendernesse, to yeeld
Vnto this melting Passion: Sometime by
A Personall respect tane by the eye;
Sometime because th' offender (it may be)
Already hath sustain'd much miserie.

And this think they is Charitie aright;
(Through ignorance indeed) forgetting quite,
Whil'st they an ill deserved life prolong,
Therein they do not onely justice wrong;
But by their indiscreet and fond Compassion,
Vnwisely hazard e'en their own discretion.

Some through this pitty (when they much implore)
Though they unjustly favour him that's poore,
Deeme they do not amisse, and why? they trust,
(Because their meaning's good, their doing's just.

Some there are also, who would fain be deem'd
Wise men, that have through weaknesse mis-esteem'd
Those orders which for wandring rogues are made,
As though that begging were a lawfull trade;
They pitty those that justly punish'd be:
And often erring in their Charitie,
They boldly have accus'd the laws therefore,
As if their rigour injured the poore.

But he I feare whose judgment is so slender,
Or hath a yeelding heart so fondly tender
To stoop unto this Passion; neither spares
The lawes of God nor man; but oft times dares
Pervert them both; supposing his intent
Shall free him from deserved punishment.
And though that God himselfe saies Kill, reply
With, No, alas, 'tis pitty he should die.
And for their weaknesse merit equall check
With him that spar'd the King of Amaleck,
For verily, as vertuous as it shows,
A foolish pitty quickly overthrows
In warre an Army, and in peace a State:
And this I'le stand to, 'Tis as bad as Hate:
For that and bribes to such a power is grown,
Iustice and conscience are quite overthrown.

Certain it is (and cannot be withstood)
That Pitty sometimes hurts the Common-good.
Yea, God himselfe it many waies offends,
And therefore that man who indeed intends
To beare himselfe uprightly, ought to see
How far this Passion may admitted be.
For seem how 'twill, all pitty is unfit,
Vnlesse Gods laws and mans do warrant it.

But I have seen a tender-hearted Asse
That's worth the laughing at, and doth surpasse
For foolish pitty (but he, he alone
Is hurtfull to himselfe, or else to none)
To such as he read but some Tragedie;
Or any peece of mournfull historie;
And if the matter which you do relate
Be sorrowfull or something passionate,
Though it were done a thousand yeares ago,
And in a Countrey he did never know,
Yet will he weep (kinde-heart) as if those men
Were of his friends, and the mischance but then
Before their eies in action: nay, unfold
Some new made tale that never yet was told,
So it be dolefull, and do represent
A strange and lamentable accident:
Although not onely (as I said before)
It be a matter meerly fein'd, but more,
Although he know it so, he cannot keep
His melting eyes from teares but he must weep
Which is a weaknesse whence more mischiefs grows
Than any at first thinking would suppose.

I might touch Parents also in the City
That marre their children by their cockring pitty,
If other Passions call'd me not away.
And yet before I leave, thus much I'le say;

Want of rebuke elsewhere, and rods in Schools,
Hath almost fill'd the land with knaves and fools.

Then you that think we need no pitty shun,
Forsake the errour whereinto you run,
With those Divines that admonitions spare,
Or in reproving over-easie are;
With many more of different degree,
But unto these I'le not o're-bitter be.
And you that are, or you that would at least
Be counted men, and beare within your breast
That vertue which befitting manhood is,
Shun such base humours as fond Pitty is.
For why should you be there-with over-born,
When 'tis a Passion that now women scorn?