To The Enuious Poem by John Andrewes

Bvt that I know thy face, I must confesse
I should haue trembled; for an Obiect lesse
Fearefull, were able without Physicks Art
To make a Costiue man play a loose part.
I cannot thinke the worst of Pharaoes kine
Look't halfe so bare, as this poore trunke of thine;
Which like Sir Cranion, or a starv'ling Capon
Staukes here and there, proportionably shapen
To thy leane spirit, whose repining hate
Hath brought thy Carcasse to this pining state.
I see there are more waies to th'wood then one.
Not age, or wedlocke, bring'th a man alone
Vnto a Night-cap; for a wretched minde
Gaue thine to thee; O had it been so kinde
T'haue put a Nose-gaie too into thy hand;
And in thy Ruffes roome plac'd a falling band,
Many had look't t'haue seene thee turne, and Hope
Would haue presum'd that next had come a Roape:
Whereto thy hanging ominous lookes presage
Thou must do homage; in th'meane time, ingage
That little hope thy wretched soule enioyes
Of Heauen, to him who thy best good destroyes,
In feeding thy insatiable spleene;
Which, (had not helpe from hell transported been)
Could not haue been so diuelish as't hath proov'd,
But it in thee infernall powers haue mou'd:
Scarce Hell it selfe, could conster that for ill;
VVhich (damned) thou (to satisfie thy will)
Hast vrg'd (I know) as an extreame offence,
Against vnguiltie, harmelesse Innocence.
VVhich hiath by some (too credulous weake men)
(Out of their wisdomes) been found faulty; when
Had they been masters but of so much sight,
As to distinguish betweene day and night,
They had beene lesse iniurious, or more iust;
But to such Iudges must the guilty trust,
VVhil'st Innocence must suffer; yet not so
But it may liue to see their ouerthrow
VVho moale-like heaue vnseene, till at the last
Their working be discouer'd, and they cast
Out of their hollow trenches, and withall
Trod on by them, whom they desir'd might fall;
Then shall your sable Cacodæmon be
Hang'd with a twigge vpon some willow tree;
To all which Enuious vndermining slaues,
I wish no fairer Ends, no better graues.