University of Virginia Library

Bvt here's another beares us further wide,
(If we embrace it) on the other side.
And therefore whilst we seek how to beware
Of foolish Pitty; we must have a care,
But this do over-run us: 'tis a thing
Whose very name doth seem enough to bring
All men in their opinion to confesse,
Tis an inhumane hellish wickednesse.
A monstrous Passion, so unfit to rest,
Or harbour in a reasonable brest,
That beasts, in whom it rather should remain,
Do, for the greatest part, the same refrain.

And yet as odious as it doth appeare,
Vnlesse men look to their affections neare,
'Twill steal upon them, and they shall begin
Not onely to be quickly snar'd therein:
But (though at first they do abhorre it much)
The nature of this Passion still is such,
It will become delightfuller, and make
So deep impression in the heart, and take
So sure a root, 'twill hardly be displac'd,
Whilst that the body by the soule is grac'd.

Though many doe suppose it may with ease
Be left or taken as each man shall please:
Such men are wide; and they are over-bold
And too much trusting to themselves that hold
We need not this same Passion discommend;
Since nature of her selfe doth reprehend
So vile a fault. For thus, say they,
Our Reason never can so much decay
To make us our humanity defile
With any Passion that is known so vile.

Indeed, it is a monstrous villany,
And most, I think, can rail at Cruelty:
Yet let none be secure for this is true,
Those odious vices we do most eschew,
Grow pleasing by degrees. When Hazael
Was told what he should do to Israel,
Full little thought he then his gentle heart
Should ever give consent to act a part
Of such a Tragick Scene; and yet we finde
He be came after of another minde,
For mans intents and best affections be
Exceeding subject to uncertainty
What least we think to doe (unlesse each hower
We have remembrances) such state is our,
We often minde not. For which cause the Sire
Of that bold Grecian King, who did aspire
To be the worlds third Monarch; knowing well
Himselfe to be a man, mistrusted still
To what he might through humane frailty fall,
And therefore still appointed one to call
Thus at his window (e'er the day began)
Philip, Remember that thou art a man.

And sure as hatefull as this Passion is,
To have some caveat is not much amisse.
For though no such things in our selves we spie,
In secret oftentimes 'twill lurking lie.
And when it breakes forth into any act,
With colour of some vertue hides the fact,
As justice, or the like: and then it will
So harden by degrees the heart in ill,
As that we shall not think we do amisse,
When as our Cruelty extreamest is.
He deemes himselfe no such that without shame
Doth rob another of his honest name
By raising false reports; nor that hard lord,
Who to his tenant grudges to afford
What law and conscience gives: nor he that takes
The common profit to himselfe, and makes
His own good of it, when he knows thereby
Many a poore man's brought to beggery.
These think with cruelty they do not deal,
What wrongs soe'er they do the Common-weal,
This vice so hardens them. The damn'd Vsurers,
And cut-throat Brokers, Mammons Treasurers
(Who by the small use they of riches make,
Do for another seem their care to take)
Though not content with Statute-vsury,
A thousand other polling tricks they trie;
Increasing their lewd gains by bribes and gifts,
And many viler or more lawlesse shifts:
Though they do make no conscience what they doe
So they may act it, and scape justice too,
Pinching poore Debtors, till their greedy hands
Have got possession both of goods and lands,
Would not be cruell thought, although that this
Be as true Cruelty as any is.

And what are Lawyers that can brook to see
Christians like beasts that still at variance be;
And when it lieth in their power to part them,
Do, for their own gain, unto discord hart them?
Or nourish still the strife by adding fuell
To discords flame? Trust me, I think them cruell:
What-e're they deem themselves: and not alone
The mercilesse offender; but each one,
Who when he doth perceive that there is need,
Is slack to do a charitable deed.
What may be thought of them whose chiefest care
Is pampering the flesh with curious fare;
Largely providing for the bodies good,
Whilst the poore soule is hunger-starv'd for food?
Are not they cruell? Is it like that such
Who can neglect their dearest souls so much,
Are mercifull to others? You well say
Murder is cruelty. Then what are they
That by false doctrine, fraught with errours foule,
Do murder, or do worse than kill the soule?
Them to be guilty none can will deny.

But you will say, 'Tis not that Cruelty
You understood: As if you did suppose
None through this Passion did offend but those
That seek for bloud. Indeed, that is the worst,
And of all cruelty the most accurst;
Which for no other purpos'd end is us'd,
But a meere longing to see things abus'd.
Then 'tis at highest when men use to see
Or act some deed that's full of Crueltie;
Onely for that 'tis so; or 'cause their will
Findes devillish contentments in their ill.

Such was his humour, who (out of desire
To see how Troy burnt when it was on fire)
Caus'd Rome in many a place at once to flame;
And longing to behold from whence he came,
Ript up his mothers wombe. So in the height
Was also his that took so much delight
In seeing men extreamly tortured,
That he out of his bounty promised
A large reward to him that could invent
The cruell'st and unusuall'st punishment.
Which Phalaris demanding, was therefore
The first that made his brazen Bull to roare.

Such is theirs also whose unmanly natures
Can be the needlesse death of any creatures,
Or torture, or behold them pleasingly,
Whilst they abused and tormented die.
Trust me; bee't but a dog, nature denies,,
And God forbids that we should tyrannize.
Much more on man: yet there is many a one
That to this hellish Passion is so prone,
With boasts he glories in his mischiefes too,
And uncompell'd would make no more adoe
To murder till a Countrey were unman'd,
Than doth a School-boy with a walking wand
To lop down Thistles. But all such men be
Extreamly cruell in the high'st degree.

And though the first rehearsed be not so,
Yet thereto they may very quickly grow;
(Vnlesse they have oft warning to beware)
Sith they already halfe-way entred are.
Especially the greedy hungry Elfe,
That would for profit gladly damne himselfe.
For Avarice doth harden so the heart,
In any mischiefe he may beare a part:
No cruelty the Covetous refrains,
Murther nor Treason so he may have gains.

More I could say against this Passion yet:
But would men of themselves well ponder it,
A little meditation of their own
Might profit more than all that I have shown.
And therefore I will here conclude with this,
As he is blessed that meek-hearted is:
So on the Cruell lightly doth attend,
A heavy curse, and a most fearfull end.