at be all, said I, thy reasons slight
Can never move my well establishd mind.
Full well I wote alwayes the present sprite,
Or life that doth possesse the soul, doth blind,
Shutting the windows 'gainst broad open day
Lest fairer sights its uglinesse bewray.

The soul then loves that disposition best
Because no better comes unto her view.
The drunkard drunkennesse, the sluggard rest,
Th' Ambitious honour and obeisance due.
So all the rest do love their vices base
'Cause virtues beauty comes not into place.

And looser love 'gainst Chastitie divine
Would shut the door that he might sit alone.
Then wholly should my mind to him incline:
And woxen strait, (since larger love was gone)
That paultrie sprite of low contracting lust
Would fit my soul as if 't were made for 't just.

Then should I with my fellow bird or brute
So strangely metamorphis'd, either ney
Or bellow loud: or if 't may better sute
Chirp out my joy pearch'd upon higher spray.
My passions fond with impudence rehearse,
Immortalize my madnesse in a verse.

This is the summe of thy deceiving boast
That I vain ludenesse highly should admire,
When I the sense of better things have lost
And chang'd my heavenly heat for hellish fire,
Passion is blind, but virtues piercing eye
Approching danger can from farre espie.

And what thou dost Pedantickly object
Concerning my rude rugged uncouth style,
As childish toy I manfully neglect,
And at thy hidden snares do inly smile.
How ill alas! with wisdome it accords
To sell my living sense for livelesse words.

My thought 's the fittest measure of my tongue,
Wherefore I'll use what's most significant,
And rather then my inward meaning wrong
Or my full-shining notion trimly scant,
I'll conjure up old words out of their grave,
Or call fresh forrein force in if need crave.

And these attending on my moving mind
Shall duly usher in the fitting sense.
As oft as meet occasion I find.
Unusuall words oft used give lesse offence;
Nor will the old contexture dim or marre,
For often us'd they're next to old, thred-bare.

And if the old seem in too rustie hew,
Then frequent rubbing makes them shine like gold,
And glister all with colour gayly new.
Wherefore to use them both we will be bold.
Thus lists me fondly with fond folk to toy,
And answer fools with equall foolerie.