The House of Shame, wherein Dishonor Lives

1

Dishonor in the house of shame doth dwell;
The way is broad, and open is as2 Hell.
The porter’s he whom Baseness we3 do call,
And Idleness is4 usher of the hall.
The house with dark forgetfulness is hung,                                5
And round about ingratitude is flung,
Boldness for windows,5 which outface the light;
The curtains are dissembling,6 drawn with spite.
With covetousness all gilded are the rooves;7
The weathercock inconstancy still moves.8                              10
Instead of pillars, obstinacy9 stands,
Carved with perjury by cunning hands,
And Lust on beds of luxury doth10 lie,
Where chamberlains of jealousies out-spy.11
Gardens of riot, where the wanton walks,                                15
Lascivious arbors where Obsceneness talks,
Storehouses of12 theft ill-gotten goods lie13 in,
A secret door14 bolted with a false pin.
The bakehouse doth ill consciences15 make;
False hearts, as ovens16 hot, those hard do17 bake.                  20
The brewhouse yields designs of wicked brains,18
With corrupt measures and deceitful grains;19
Drunkness the cellar, stomachs for barrels go;20
Mouths are the taps, whence spew for drink doth flow.21
Kitchens of slander, where good names are burned,22           25
Spits of revenge, on which ill deeds are turned;23
The slaughter-house24 of horrid murder’s25 built,
A knife of cruelty, by which blood is spilt.26
In matrimonial bonds Dishonor’s linked27
With Infamy, which is as black as ink.                                        30

  1. The House of Shame, wherein Dishonor Lives] Between Shame and Dishonour. 1653
  2. is as] like the 1664, 1668
  3. The porter’s he whom Baseness we] Yet Porter have, which Basenesse some 1653
  4. is] as 1653
  5. Boldness for windows,] Windows of Boldness 1664; Windows of Boldness, 1668
  6. The curtains are dissembling,] Dissembling as Curtaines 1653
  7. With covetousness all gilded are the rooves;] Covetousness hath Gilded all the Roof, 1664; Covetousness hath Gilded all the Roof: 1668
  8. still moves.] doth move: 1664; doth move. 1668
  9. Instead of pillars, obstinacy] Pillars of Obstinacies as firmly 1653
  10. doth] doe 1653
  11. Where chamberlains of jealousies out-spy.] The Chamberlain, that Waits, is Jealousie. 1664; The Chamberlain, that waits, is Jealousie. 1668
  12. Storehouses of] The Store-hous’s 1664; The Store-house’s 1668
  13. lie] lyes 1653
  14. door] Door’s 1664, 1668
  15. The bakehouse doth ill consciences] Bake-house ill Consciences mould, and 1653
  16. ovens] Oven 1653
  17. those hard do] them hard do 1664; them hard to 1668
  18. The brewhouse yields designs of wicked brains,] Brew-houses, where ill designes are tunned up, 1653
  19. With corrupt measures and deceitful grains;] With their light Graines, false Measures, and corrupt: 1653
  20. Drunkness the cellar, stomachs for barrels go;] Cellars of Drunkennesse, barrels, stomacks made, 1653
  21. Mouths are the taps, whence spew for drink doth flow.] And mouthes for Taps, where spue for drink out-wades: 1653
  22. are burned,] they burne, 1653
  23. are turned;] doe turne: 1653
  24. slaughter-house] Slaughter-roome 1653
  25. murder’s] Murder 1653
  26. blood is spilt.] Blood’s Spilt; 1664; Blood’s spilt. 1668
  27. In matrimonial bonds Dishonor’s linked] The Matrimonial Bands Dishonour link 1664; The Matrimonial Bands, Dishonour link 1668