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Emblems Divine, Moral, Natural and Historical

Expressed in Sculpture, and Applied to the several Ages, Occasions, and Conditions of the Life of Man. By a person of Quality

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EMBLEM XXVI. Try before ye trust.
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51

EMBLEM XXVI. Try before ye trust.

To the Treacherous.
An evil man seeketh onely Rebellion. prov. 17. 11.
Gifts blinde the eyes, as Solomon doth say,
And that as divers others, so this way;
When we make presents onely to beguile,
Concealing mischief we intend the while.
An instance of the same we here present
In these two Great-ones, who with bad intent
Did gifts of friendship to each other send,
When no such matter either did intend.
Hector on Ajax doth a Sword bestow,
(A grateful gift to warlike men, we know)
Ajax the other's kindness to requite,
Presents him with a Girdle, as they write.
The Sword which Hector unto Ajax gave,
Did bring to pass what Ajax sought to have;
Hector in Ajax Girdle being girt,
He was by it (when slain) drag'd through the dirt.
With a known foe be not too intimate,
Though he pretend all kindness, and no hate:
When he speaks fair, speak fair to him again;
But have a care th'art not by's fairness slain.
The gifts of enemies are to ensnare;
All wise men therefore of them will beware:
Their kisses being cruel, friendship fained,
And their pretences to be all disdained.