_Satyre I._
Away thou fondling motley humorist,
Leave mee, and in this standing woodden chest,
Consorted with these few bookes, let me lye
In prison, and here be coffin'd, when I dye;
Here are Gods conduits, grave Divines; and here 5
Natures Secretary, the Philosopher;
And jolly Statesmen, which teach how to tie
The sinewes of a cities mistique bodie;
Here gathering Chroniclers, and by them stand
Giddie fantastique Poëts of each land. 10
Shall I leave all this constant company,
And follow headlong, wild uncertaine thee?
First sweare by thy best love in earnest
(If thou which lov'st all, canst love any best)
Thou wilt not leave mee in the middle street, 15
Though some more spruce companion thou dost meet,
Not though a Captaine do come in thy way
Bright parcell gilt, with forty dead mens pay,
Not though a briske perfum'd piert Courtier
Deigne with a nod, thy courtesie to answer. 20
Nor come a velvet Justice with a long
Great traine of blew coats, twelve, or fourteen strong,
Wilt thou grin or fawne on him, or prepare
A speech to Court his beautious sonne and heire!
For better or worse take mee, or leave mee: 25
To take, and leave mee is adultery.
Oh monstrous, superstitious puritan,
Of refin'd manners, yet ceremoniall man,
That when thou meet'st one, with enquiring eyes
Dost search, and like a needy broker prize 30
The silke, and gold he weares, and to that rate
So high or low, dost raise thy formall hat:
That wilt consort none, untill thou have knowne
What lands hee hath in hope, or of his owne,
As though all thy companions should make thee 35
Jointures, and marry thy deare company.
Why should'st thou (that dost not onely approve,
But in ranke itchie lust, desire, and love
The nakednesse and barenesse to enjoy,
Of thy plumpe muddy whore, or prostitute boy) 40
Hate vertue, though shee be naked, and bare?
At birth, and death, our bodies naked are;
And till our Soules be unapparrelled
Of bodies, they from blisse are banished.
Mans first blest state was naked, when by sinne 45
Hee lost that, yet hee was cloath'd but in beasts skin,
And in this course attire, which I now weare,
With God, and with the Muses I conferre.
But since thou like a contrite penitent,
Charitably warn'd of thy sinnes, dost repent 50
These vanities, and giddinesses, loe
I shut my chamber doore, and come, lets goe.
But sooner may a cheape whore, who hath beene
Worne by as many severall men in sinne,
As are black feathers, or musk-colour hose, 55
Name her childs right true father, 'mongst all those:
Sooner may one guesse, who shall beare away
The Infanta of London, Heire to an India;
And sooner may a gulling weather Spie
By drawing forth heavens Scheme tell certainly 60
What fashioned hats, or ruffes, or suits next yeare
Our subtile-witted antique youths will weare;
Then thou, when thou depart'st from mee, canst show
Whither, why, when, or with whom thou wouldst go.
But how shall I be pardon'd my offence 65
That thus have sinn'd against my conscience?
Now we are in the street; He first of all
Improvidently proud, creepes to the wall,
And so imprisoned, and hem'd in by mee
Sells for a little state his libertie; 70
Yet though he cannot skip forth now to greet
Every fine silken painted foole we meet,
He them to him with amorous smiles allures,
And grins, smacks, shrugs, and such an itch endures,
As prentises, or schoole-boyes which doe know 75
Of some gay sport abroad, yet dare not goe.
And as fidlers stop lowest, at highest sound,
So to the most brave, stoops hee nigh'st the ground.
But to a grave man, he doth move no more
Then the wise politique horse would heretofore, 80
Or thou O Elephant or Ape wilt doe,
When any names the King of Spaine to you.
Now leaps he upright, Joggs me, & cryes, Do you see
Yonder well favoured youth? Which? Oh, 'tis hee
That dances so divinely; Oh, said I, 85
Stand still, must you dance here for company?
Hee droopt, wee went, till one (which did excell
Th'Indians, in drinking his Tobacco well)
Met us; they talk'd; I whispered, let'us goe,
'T may be you smell him not, truely I doe; 90
He heares not mee, but, on the other side
A many-coloured Peacock having spide,
Leaves him and mee; I for my lost sheep stay;
He followes, overtakes, goes on the way,
Saying, him whom I last left, all repute 95
For his device, in hansoming a sute,
To judge of lace, pinke, panes, print, cut, and plight,
Of all the Court, to have the best conceit;
Our dull Comedians want him, let him goe;
But Oh, God strengthen thee, why stoop'st thou so? 100
Why? he hath travayld; Long? No; but to me
(Which understand none,) he doth seeme to be
Perfect French, and Italian; I replyed,
So is the Poxe; He answered not, but spy'd
More men of fort, of parts, and qualities; 105
At last his Love he in a windowe spies,
And like light dew exhal'd, he flings from mee
Violently ravish'd to his lechery.
Many were there, he could command no more;
Hee quarrell'd fought, bled; and turn'd out of dore 110
Directly came to mee hanging the head,
And constantly a while must keepe his bed.
[Satyre I. _1633-69_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _P_, _Q_, _S_,
_W:_ Satyre the Second. _or_ Satyre 2. _A25_, _B_, _O'F:_
Satyre. _or_ A Satyre of Mr. John Donnes. _Cy_, _L74_, _S96:_
_no title_ (_but placed first_), _H51_, _N_, _TCD_]
[1 fondling _1633_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _TCD:_ changeling
_1635-69_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_, _O'F_,
_P_, _Q_, _S96_, _W_]
[5 conduits, ... Divines; _1650-69_, _Q:_ conduits; ...
Divines, _1633-39_]
[6 Is Natures Secretary, _1669_, _S96_
Philosopher; _Ed:_ Philosopher. _1633-39:_ Philosopher:
_1659-69_]
[7 jolly _1633_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_,
_L74_, _N_, _Q_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W:_ wily _1635-69_,
_O'F:_ with _P_]
[12 headlong, wild uncertaine thee? _1633:_ _om. comma 1635-69
and Grolier_]
[13 love in earnest _1633_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_,
_H51_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _P_, _Q_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_,
_W:_ love, here, in earnest _1635-69_, _O'F_]
[16 dost. meet,] doe meet. _H51_, _Q_, _W_]
[19 Not _1633-69_, _A25_, _Lec_, _P_, _Q:_ Nor _Cy_, _D_,
_H49_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W_
piert] neat _Q_]
[23 Wilt _1633-69_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _TCD:_ Shalt _A25_,
_B_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_, _O'F_, _P_, _Q_, _S_, _S96_,
_W_]
[24 heire! _Ed:_ heire? _1633-69_]
[25 or worse _1633-69_, _Cy_, _D_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_,
_Q_, _TCD:_ and worse _A25_, _B_, _H49_, _H51_, _S96_, _W:_ or
for worse _P:_ and for worse _JC_]
[27 Oh monstrous,] A (_i.e._ Ah) _or_ O Monster, _B_, _D_,
_H49_, _H51_, _JC_, _W_]
[29 eyes _1635-69:_ eyes; _1633_]
[32 raise _1633-69_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_,
_TCD:_ vaile _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _JC_, _O'F_, _P_, _Q_, _S_, _W_
hat:] hate: _1633_]
[33 consort none,] consort with none, _Cy_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_,
_S96_
untill] till _1669_]
[37-40 _brackets_ _1650-69_, _Q:_ that ... boy _1633:_ that
... boy; _1635-39_]
[39 barenesse _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_, _O'F_,
_Q_, _W:_ barrennesse _1633-69_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _P_, _S_,
_TCD_]
[40 Of] of _1633:_ or _1633_, _1669:_ _om. 1635-54_]
[41 bare? _1635-69:_ bare, _1633_]
[45 first blest _1633-69_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_,
_N_, _TCD_, _W:_ first best _A25_, _B_, _H51_, _JC_, _O'F_,
_P_, _Q_, _S_]
[46 yet _1633_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_, _L74_,
_Lec_, _N_, _Q_, _S_, _TCD:_ _om. 1635-69_, _Cy_, _O'F_, _P_]
[47 weare, _1650-69:_ weare _1633-39_]
[50 warn'd] warm'd _1633_]
[52 goe. _1635-69:_ goe, _1633_]
[54 Worne by] Worne out by _1650-69_]
[55 musk-colour _1633-35_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_,
_TCD_, _W:_ musk-coloured _1639-69_, _A25_, _P_, _Q_]
[58 The Infanta ... India; _Ed:_ The Infanta ... India,
_A25_, _O'F_, _Q:_ The infant ... India, _1633-54 and MSS.
generally:_ The Infantry of London, hence to India: _1669_]
[60 Scheme _1635-69_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _JC_,
_Q:_ schemes _L74_, _S:_ sceames _N:_ Sceanes _1633_, _Cy_,
_Lec_, _TCD:_ scene _P_]
[62 subtile-witted _D_, _H49:_ subtile wittied _1633-54_,
_L74_, _N_, _TCD:_ supple-witted _A25_, _JC_ (_altered to_
subtle), _H51_, _O'F_, _P_, _Q_, _S_, _W:_ giddy-headed _1669_
youths] youth _1669_]
[63 depart'st from mee] depart'st from hence _Cy_, _D_, _H49_,
_H51_, _O'F_, _S_, _W:_ departest hence _A25_, _Q_, _S96_
canst _JC, Q:_ can _1633-69 and many MSS._]
[66 conscience?] conscience. _1633_]
[70 state] room _H51_
his _1635-69 and all MSS.:_ high _1633_, _Chambers_
libertie;] libertie, _1633_]
[73 them] then _1633_]
[78 stoops _1635-69_, _A25_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _H51_, _O'F_,
_Q:_ stoopeth _B_, _P:_ stoopt _1633_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_,
_TCD_
nigh'st the ground.] nighest ground. _D_, _H49_, _P_, _Q_,
_W_]
[81-2 _om. 1633_]
[84 youth? _1635-69:_ youth; _1633_