Category: MORAL DISCOURSES

¹

Man is a creature like² himself alone;
In him all qualities do join³ as one.
When man⁴ is injured, and his honor stung,⁵
He seems a lion, furious, fierce, and strong.
With greedy covetousness, like to⁶ wolves and bears,           5
Right he devours,⁷ and truth in pieces tears.
Or like as crafty foxes lie in wait
To catch young novice kids⁸ by their deceit,
So subtle knaves do watch who errors⁹ make,
That they thereby advantages might¹⁰ take,                             10
Not for examples them to rectify,
But that much mischief they can make thereby.
Others, like crouching spaniels, close will set,
Creeping about the partridge to in-net.
Some humble seem, and lowly bend the knee                        15
To men of¹¹ power and authority,
Not out of love to honor and¹² renown,
But to ensnare, and so to pull them down.
For¹³ as a mastiff flies at every throat,
So spite will fly at all that are¹⁴ of note.                                    20
With slanderous words, as teeth, good deeds they¹⁵ tear,
No power, strength, nor greatness do they spare,¹⁶
And are so mischievous,¹⁷ love not to see
Any to live without an infamy.
Most do like¹⁸ ravenous beasts in blood delight,                     25
And only to do mischief, love to fight.
But some are like to horses, strong and free,
Will gallop over wrong, and injury,
Who¹⁹ fear no foe, nor enemies do dread,²⁰
Will²¹ fight in battles till they fall down dead.                         30
Their heart with noble rage so hot will grow,
That²² from their nostrils clouds of smoke do blow.
And with their hooves the firm hard ground will strike²³
In²⁴ anger, that they cannot go to fight.
Their eyes, like flints,²⁵ will shoot²⁶ out sparks of fire;          35
They’ll²⁷ neigh out loud when combats they desire.
So valiant men their foe aloud will call,
To try their strength, and grapple arms withal.
And in their eyes such courage doth appear,
As if god²⁸ Mars did rule that hemisphere.                               40
Some, like to slow, dull asses, full of fear,
Contented are heavy burdens to²⁹ bear,
And every clown doth beat his back and side
Because he’s slow, and faster³⁰ he would³¹ ride.
Then will he bray out loud, but dare not bite,                          45
For why he hath not courage for³² to fight.
Base minds will yield their heads under the yoke,
Offer their backs to every tyrant’s stroke.
Like fools they’ll³³ grumble, but they³⁴ dare not speak,
Nor strive for liberty, their bonds to break.                              50
So dull will those that live in slav’ry³⁵ grow;
Dejected spirits make the body slow.
Others as swine lie groveling in the mire,
Have no heroic thoughts to rise up higher;
They³⁶ from their birth do never sport nor play,                     55
But eat and drink, and grunting run away,
Of grumbling natures, never doing good,³⁷
And cruel are, as of a boorish brood.³⁸
So gluttons, sluggards care for nought but ease,
In conversations seek no man to³⁹ please,                                60
Ambition none,⁴⁰ to make their name to⁴¹ live,
Nor have they generosity to give,
And⁴² are so churlish, that if any pray
To help their wants, they’ll⁴³ cursing go away.
So cruel are,⁴⁴ so far from death to save,                                  65
That they will take away the life they⁴⁵ have.
Some, as the⁴⁶ fearful hart, or frighted hare,
Shun every noise, and their own shadows fear.
So cowards, that are⁴⁷ sent in wars to fight,
Think not to beat, but how to make their flight.                      70
The trumpet, when⁴⁸ to charge the foe it calls,
Then with that sound⁴⁹ the heart o’th’coward⁵⁰ falls.
Others, as harmless sheep, in peace do live,
Contented are, no injury will give,
But on the tender grass they⁵¹ gently feed,                               75
And neither⁵² spite nor rankled malice breed.
They⁵³ never in the ways of mischief stood,
To set their teeth in flesh or drink up blood.
They⁵⁴ grieve to walk alone, and⁵⁵ pine away,
Grow fat in flocks, and⁵⁶ with each other play.                        80
The naked they do⁵⁷ clothe with their soft wool;
The ewes do feed the hungry stomach full.
So gentle natures and sweet dispositions⁵⁸
Contented live, and shun foolish ambitions,⁵⁹
Full of compassion, pitying the distressed,                               85
And with their bounty help they⁶⁰ the oppressed.
They swell not with the pride of self-conceit,
Nor for their neighbor’s life do lie in wait,
Nor innocence by their extortions tear,
Nor fill the widow’s heart with grief or care,                           90
Nor any bribes do take with cov’tous⁶¹ hands,
Nor set they back the mark of th’owners’ lands,
But gratefully all courtesies requite,⁶²
Free from all envy, malice, spleen and spite,⁶³
And in⁶⁴ their conversation,⁶⁵ meek and mild,                        95
Without lascivious words or actions wild.
Those men⁶⁶ are fathers to a commonwealth
Where justice lives,⁶⁷ and truth may show herself.⁶⁸
Others, as apes, do imitate the rest,
And when they mischief do, seem but to jest.                          100
So are buffoons, which⁶⁹ seem for mirth to sport,
Whose liberty makes⁷⁰ factions in a court.
Those that delight in fools must in good part
Take what they say, although their⁷¹ words are smart.
And⁷² many times they⁷³ rankled thoughts beget                   105
In hearts of princes, and much envy set
By praising rivals, or else do reveal
Those faults they should with privacy conceal.⁷⁴
For when⁷⁵ a fool unpleasing truth doth tell—⁷⁶
Or be it false, if like a⁷⁷ truth it smell—⁷⁸                                  110
It gets such hold, e’en⁷⁹ in a wise man’s brain,
That hardly it will ever out again.
Some are⁸⁰ like worms, upon which others tread,⁸¹
And some like ven’mous vipers do sting dead.⁸²
Some like to⁸³ subtle serpents wind about,                               115
To compass their designs crawl in and out,
And never leave until some nest they find,
Suck out the eggs, and leave the shells behind.
So flatterers with praises wind about
A noble mind, to get a secret out,                                                120
For⁸⁴ flattery through every ear will glide
Down to the heart, and there some time abide,
And in the breast with feignèd friendship lie,
Till to the death it⁸⁵ stings it⁸⁶ cruelly.
Thus some like beasts, and some like worms⁸⁷ are such,      125
But some do flying birds⁸⁸ resemble much.
Some, like a⁸⁹ soaring eagle, mount up high;
Wings of ambition bear them to the sky.
And some, like⁹⁰ hawks, fly round to catch their prey;
Some,⁹¹ like to puttocks, bear the chick away;                        130
Some, are like⁹² ravens, which on carrion feed,
Feeding on spite, which spite doth⁹³ slanders breed.
And like as peacocks proud their tails do⁹⁴ show,
So men⁹⁵ that followers have will haughty grow.
Some melancholy owls that hate the light,                               135
And like as bats fly⁹⁶ in the shades of night;
So envious men their neighbor⁹⁷ hate to see,
When that he shines⁹⁸ in great prosperity,
Keep home in discontent, repine at all,
Until some mischief on the good do fall.                                   140
Others, like⁹⁹ cheerful larks, sing as they fly,
So they¹⁰⁰ are merry and¹⁰¹ have no envy,
And some, like¹⁰² nightingales, do sweetly sing,
As messengers when they good news do bring.
Thus men, beasts, birds,¹⁰³ in humours much agree,             145
But several properties in these there¹⁰⁴ be.
’Tis proper for a lively horse to neigh,
And for a slow, dull, foolish ass to bray.
For dogs to bark, bulls roar, wolves howl, pigs squeak,
For men to frown, to weep, to laugh, to speak.                        150
Proper for flies to buzz, birds sing and chatter,
Only for men¹⁰⁵ to promise, swear, and flatter.
Thus can man’s shape their properties express,¹⁰⁶
Yet they have some which all his skill surpass.¹⁰⁷
For men want¹⁰⁸ wings to fly up to the sky,                             155
Nor can they like to¹⁰⁹ fish in waters lie.
What¹¹⁰ man like roes can run so swift, and long?¹¹¹
Nor are they like to horse, or lions strong.
Nor have they scent like dogs, a hare to find,
Nor¹¹² sight like swine, to see the subtle wind.                       160
Thus several creatures, by their¹¹³ several sense,
Have better far (than man)¹¹⁴ intelligence.

These¹¹⁵ several creatures several arts know¹¹⁶ well,¹¹⁷
But man in gen’ral¹¹⁸ doth them far excel.
For arts in men as well did nature¹¹⁹ give,                               165
As other qualities to beasts¹²⁰ to live.
And from men’s¹²¹ brains such fine inventions flow,
As in his head all other heads do grow.
What creature builds like man such¹²² stately towers,¹²³
And makes¹²⁴ such things as time cannot devour?                 170
What creature makes such engines as man’s hand,¹²⁵
To traffic and to use, at sea and land,¹²⁶
To kill, or¹²⁷ spoil, or else alive to take,
Destroying all that other creatures make?
This makes man seem of all the world a king,                         175
Because he power hath of everything.
He’ll teach birds words, in measure beasts¹²⁸ to go,
Makes passions in the mind to ebb and flow.
And though he cannot fly as birds, with wings,
Yet he can take the height and breadth of things.                   180
He knows the course and number of the stars,
But¹²⁹ birds and beasts are no astrologers.
And though he cannot like to fishes swim,¹³⁰
Yet nets he makes to catch those fishes in.¹³¹
And with his ships the world he’ll circle¹³² round;                 185
What beast or bird that doth so is yet¹³³ found?
He’ll fell down woods; with axes sharp he’ll¹³⁴ strike;
Whole herds of beasts can never do the like.
What beast can plead to save another’s life,
Or by his eloquence can end a strife?                                        190
Or counsels give, great dangers for to¹³⁵ shun,
Or tell the cause of the eclipsèd sun?¹³⁶
He’ll turn the current of the waters¹³⁷ clear,
And make that they do like new seas¹³⁸ appear;
Where fish do¹³⁹ only in old waters glide,                                195
Can¹⁴⁰ cut new rivers out on any side.
He’ll mountains make, which clouds almost do¹⁴¹ touch,
Mountains¹⁴² of moles or ants scarce do so much.
What creature like to man can reasons show,
Which makes him know¹⁴³ that he thereby doth know?       200
And who but man makes use of everything?¹⁴⁴
For¹⁴⁵ goodness out of poison he can bring.¹⁴⁶
’Tis only man that’s fill’d¹⁴⁷ with strong desire,
And by his rhet’rick¹⁴⁸ sets the soul on fire.
Beasts no ambition have to get a fame,                                      205
Nor build they tombs t’eternalize¹⁴⁹ their name.
They never war, high honor for¹⁵⁰ to get,
But to secure themselves, or¹⁵¹ meat to eat.
But men are like to gods; they live¹⁵² for ever shall;
And beasts are¹⁵³ like themselves, to dust shall¹⁵⁴ fall.          210

In gardens sweet, each flower mark did⁴³ I,
How they⁵⁶ did spring, bud, blow, wither, and die.
With that, contemplating¹⁰² of man’s short stay,
Saw man like to those flowers¹⁵⁵ pass away.
Yet build they¹⁵⁶ houses thick, and strong, and high,        5
As if they¹⁵⁷ should live to eternity,
Hoards¹⁵⁸ up a mass of wealth, yet cannot fill
His empty mind, but covet he will still.
To gain and¹⁵⁹ keep, such falsehood men do use
’Gainst right and truth, no base ways they¹⁶⁰ refuse.        10
I would not blame them, could they death out keep,
Or ease their pains, or cause a quiet sleep,
Or purchase Heav’n, there like the gods to live,¹⁶¹
And to the sun, moon, stars, could orders give,¹⁶²
Command the winds to blow, seas to obey,                       15
And level all their waves, cause¹⁶³ winds to stay—
But they no power have, unless to die,
And care in life is a great misery.
This care’s but¹⁶⁴ for a word, an empty sound,
In which is¹⁶⁵ neither soul nor substance found,¹⁶⁶           20
Yet as their heir, they make it to inherit,
And all they have they leave unto this spirit.
To get this child of fame, and this bare word,
They fear no dangers, neither fire nor sword.
All horrid pains and deaths¹⁶⁷ they will endure,               25
Or anything, can it¹⁶⁸ but fame procure.
O man, O man!¹⁶⁹ What high ambition grows
Within his brain,¹⁷⁰ and yet how low he goes!
To be contented only with¹⁷¹ a sound,
Where neither life nor body can be found.¹⁷²                    30

That mind which would in peace and quiet be
Must cast off cares and foolish vanity.
With honest desires a¹⁵⁹ house’t¹⁷³ must build
Upon the ground of honor, and be¹⁷⁴ sealed
With constant resolutions, to¹⁷⁵ last long,                              5
If it on pillars stands¹⁷⁶ of justice strong.
Let nothing dwell there but thoughts right¹⁷⁷ holy;
Turn out ignorance¹⁷⁸ and rude rash folly.
There will the mind enjoy itself in pleasure,
For to itself it is the greatest treasure.                                 10
For they are poor, whose mind is discontent;
What joy they have, it is but to them¹⁷⁹ lent.
The world is like unto a troubled sea,
Life like¹⁸⁰ a bark made of a rotten tree,
Where every wave endangers it to split,                             15
And drowned it is, if ’gainst a rock it hit.
But if this bark be made with temp’rance¹⁸¹ strong,
It mounts the waves, and travels far and¹⁸² long;
If Prudence it doth as a¹⁸³ pilot guide,
It scapes all rocks, and¹⁸⁴ goes with wind and tide.            20
There¹⁸⁵ Love, as¹⁸⁶ merchant, traffics up to Heav’n,¹⁸⁷
And, for his prayers, mercies him hath¹⁸⁸ given.
Conscience, as factor, sets the price of things;
Tranquillity, as buyer,¹⁸⁹ money brings.

My dwelling is a low thatched house,¹⁸⁰ my cell
Not¹⁹⁰ big enough for pride’s great heart to dwell.
My rooms are not of¹⁹¹ stately cedars built,
No marble chimney-piece, nor¹⁹² wainscot gilt,
No statues cut, or carved, or¹⁹³ cast in brass,                           5
Which, had they life, would Nature’s art surpass,
Nor¹⁹⁴ painted pictures which Appelles drew;
There’s nought but lime and hair homely¹⁹⁵ to view.
No agate table with a tortoise frame,
Nor stools stuffed with birds’ feathers, wild or tame,         10
But a stump of an old decayèd tree,
And stools that have¹⁹⁶ three legs, and half lame be,¹⁹⁷
Cut with a hatchet from some broken boughs,
And this is all which poverty allows.
Yet it is¹⁹⁸ free from cares, no thieves doth¹⁹⁹ fear;                15
The door stands²⁰⁰ open; all are²⁰¹ welcome there.
Not like the rich, who guests do²⁰² entertain
With cruelty, when birds and beasts²⁰³ are slain,
Who oil their bodies with their melted grease,
And by their flesh their body’s fat increase.                          20
We need no cook, nor skill to dress our meat,
For Nature dresses most of what we eat,
As roots and herbs, not such as art doth sow,
But which²⁰⁴ in fields do²⁰⁵ naturally grow.
Our wooden cups we from the spring do fill,                        25
Which is the wine-press of great Nature still.
Rich men, when²⁰⁶ they for to delight their taste
Suck out the juice from th’Earth,²⁰⁷ her strength do²⁰⁸ waste—
For, bearing oft, she’ll²⁰⁹ grow so lean and bare,²¹⁰
That like a skeleton she will appear—²¹¹                                 30
And for²¹² their drink, the subtle spirits take²¹³
Both from the²¹⁴ barley and the full-ripe grape.²¹⁵
Thus by their luxury their life they waste;
All²¹⁶ their delight is still to please their taste.
This heats the mind with an ambitious fire;                          35
None happy is, but in a low desire.
Their longings do run out, and fix²¹⁷ nowhere;
For what they have, or can have, nought they²¹⁸ care,
But long for what they have not, this th’admire,²¹⁹
Sick for that²²⁰ want; so restless is desire.                               40
When we from labors come, we²²¹ quiet sleep;
No restless thoughts our sense awake doth keep.
All’s still and silent in our house and mind;
Our thoughts are cheerful, and our hearts are kind.
And though that life in motion still doth²²² dwell,                 45
Yet rest in life a poor man loveth well.

What will not riches in abundance do,
And²⁰¹ make the mind of man submit unto?
They bribe²²³ out virtue from her strongest hold,
And make²²⁴ the coward valorous and bold.
They corrupt²²⁵ chastity, melt²²⁶ thoughts of ice,               5
And bashful modesty they do²²⁷ entice.
They make²²⁸ the humble, proud, and meek to swell,
Destroy²²⁹ all loyalty, make²³⁰ hearts rebel.
They do²³¹ untie the knots of friendship fast;
All natural²³² affections forth they²³³ cast.                       10
They cut th’innocent’s throat, and²³⁴ hearts divide,
Buy conscience out, and every²³⁵ cause decide.
They make that man doth venture life and health,²³⁶
So much desired and dear to him is wealth.²³⁷
They buy out Heav’n, and do cast²³⁸ souls to Hell,        15
For man to get this muck²³⁹ his God will sell.

When with returning thoughts I do²⁴⁰ behold
Myself, I find all creatures²⁴¹ of that mould,
And for the mind, which some say is like gods,
I do not find ’twixt man and beast such odds.
Only the shape of man²⁴² is fit for use,                                    5
Which makes him seem much wiser than a goose.
For had a goose (which seems of simple kind)²⁴³
A shape to form and fit things to her²⁴⁴ mind,
To make such creatures as her would²⁴⁵ obey,
Could hunt and shoot those that would ’scape away,        10
As wise would²⁴⁶ seem as man, be as much feared,
As²⁴⁷ when the goose comes near the man be scared.
Who knows but beasts may wiser than men be?
We no such errors or mistakes can see.
Like quiet men they do enjoy their²⁴⁸ rest;                             15
To eat and drink in peace, they think it best.
Their food is all they seek, the rest think vain
If not unto²⁴⁹ eternity remain.
Despise not beasts,²⁵⁰ nor yet be proud of art,
But Nature thank for forming so each part.                        20
And since all knowledge by your form you gain,²⁵¹
Then let not pride above your reason reign.²⁵²
For if that²⁵³ motion in your brain works best,
Despise not beast ’cause motion is²⁵⁴ depressed.
Nor boast²⁵⁵ of speech ’cause reason it²⁵⁶ can show,            25
For beasts²⁵⁷ hath reason too for aught²⁵⁸ we know.
Shape doth inform the mind of what we²⁵⁹ find,
Which being taught, man’s²⁶⁰ wiser than beast-kind.²⁶¹

²⁵⁷

Ten thousand pounds a year will make me live;
A kingdom Fortune then to me must²⁶² give.
I’ll conquer all, like Alexander Great,
And, like to Caesar, my opposers beat.
Give me a fame that with the world may last;              5
Let all tongues tell of my great actions past.
Let every child, when first ’tis taught to speak,²⁶³
Repeat my name, my memory for to keep.²⁶⁴
And then, great Fortune, give to me thy power
To ruin man, and raise him in an hour.                         10
Let me command the Fates, and spin their thread,
And Death to stay his scythe when I forbid,
And, Destiny, give me your chains to tie,
Effects from causes to produce thereby.
And let me like the gods on high become,²⁶⁵                    15
That nothing can²⁶⁶ but by my will be done.

²⁶⁷
What creature’s²⁶⁸ in the world, besides mankind,
That can such arts and new inventions find?
Or has such fancies²⁶⁹ as to similize,
Or can so rule and²⁷⁰ govern as the wise?
Or that can by his wit²⁷¹ his mind indite,                                      5
Can²⁷² numbers set, and subtle letters write?²⁷³
What creature else but man can speak true sense?²⁷⁴
At distance give, and take intelligence?
What creature else, by reason can abate
All passions, can raise²⁷⁵ doubts, hopes, love, and hate?           10
And can so many countenances show,²⁷⁶
Which²⁷⁷ are the ground by which affections grow?²⁷⁸
They’re several dresses which the mind puts on;
Some serve as veils, which over it are²⁷⁹ thrown.
What creature is’t, that has²⁸⁰ such piercing eyes,                    15
That mingles souls, and in fast friendship ties?²⁸¹
What creature else but man has²⁸² such delights,
So various, and such strong, odd appetites?
Man can distill, and is a chymist rare,
Divides and sep’rates²⁸³ water, fire, and air.                              20
He can divide, and doth asunder take,²⁸⁴
All Nature’s works, whatever she doth make,²⁸⁵
Can take the breadth, depth, length, and height²⁸⁶ of things,
And know the virtue of each plant²⁸⁷ that springs,
Make²⁸⁸ creatures all submit unto his will,                                 25
And live by fame,²⁸⁹ though death his body kill.
What else but man can Nature imitate,
With pen and pencil²⁹⁰ can new worlds create?
There’s none like man, for like the²⁹¹ gods is he.
Then let the world his slave and vassal be.                               30

²⁷⁹

Love is the cause, and hate is the effect
Which is produced when love doth find neglect.
For love, as²⁹² fire, doth²⁹³ on fuel burn,
And grief, as coals when²⁹⁴ quenched, to blackness turn.
Thence²⁹⁵ pale and melancholy ashes grow,                          5
Which every wind, though weak, dispersing²⁹⁶ blow.
For life and strength from thence²⁹⁷ is gone and past
With th’species, which did cause²⁹⁸ the form to last,
Which ne’er regain the form it had at first;²⁹⁹
So love is lost in melancholy dust.³⁰⁰                                     10

³⁰¹

No mind can think, nor³⁰² understanding know,
To what a height and vastness Love can grow.
Love, as a god, all passions doth create,
Besides itself, and those determinate.
To Love bows down and prays devoutly³⁰³ Fear;                  5
Sadness and Grief Love’s heavy burdens bear.
Anger makes rage, and³⁰⁴ envy, spleen, and spite,
Like thunder roars,³⁰⁵ and in Love’s quarrels fight.
Th’informing spy of Love is Jealousy,³⁰⁶
And Doubt its guide, to search where th’foes do³⁰⁷ lie.       10
Pity, Love’s child, whose eyes with tears do flow,³⁰⁸
On every object misery doth³⁰⁹ show.
Hate is Love’s champion, which opposeth all
Love’s enemies, their ruin and their fall.