O, who would live turmoiled in the court, It is great sin to swear unto a sin, Didst thou never hear That things ill got had ever bad success? Alas! methinks it were a happy life My crown is in my heart, not on my head; Ceremony Was but devised at first to set a gloss On false hearts, hollow welcomes; But where there is true friendship there needs none. I am not of that feather, to shake off I do love My country's good, with a respect more tender, More holy and profound, than my own life. Where is your ancient courage? You were us'd With precepts, that would make invincible What is it that you would impart to me? Thou art noble, yet I see Thy honourable metal may be wrought When I tell him, he hates flatterers, Cowards die many times before their deaths; We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling.-Ever note, When love begins to sicken and decay, It useth an enforced ceremony. powers There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. You are yoked with a lamb, That carries anger, as the flint bears fire, Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows, and in miseries. O hateful Error, Melancholy's child, Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men The things that are not ? His life was gentle, and the elements So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up, He, that can endure To follow with allegiance a fallen lord, Does conquer him that did his master conquer, 'Tis Slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue Against self-slaughter There is a prohibition so divine, That cravens my weak hand. I think grave, Foundations fly the wretched; such at least Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told me I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie, That have afflictions on them ?-Yet, no wonder, Our stomachs Will make what's homely, savoury. Weariness Can snore upon the flint, when native sloth Finds the down pillow hard. Are we not brothers?-So man and man should be; But clay and clay differs in dignity, Whose dust is both alike. Those that I reverence, those I fear;-the wise. At fools I laugh, not fear them. Kneel not to me. The power that I have on you, is to spare you; The malice towards you, to forgive you.-Live, And deal with others better. In peace and honour rest you here, my sons; Lose not a noble friend on vain suppose, How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is Infirmity doth still neglect all office Whereto our health is bound; we are not ourselves, When nature, being oppress'd, commands the mind To suffer with the body. |