Here's no more newes, then vertue,'I may as well
Tell you Cales, or S^t Michaels tale for newes, as tell
That vice doth here habitually dwell.
Yet, as to'get stomachs, we walke up and downe,
And toyle to sweeten rest, so, may God frowne,
If, but to loth both, I haunt Court, or Towne.
For here no one is from the'extremitie
Of vice, by any other reason free,
But that the next to'him, still, is worse then hee.
In this worlds warfare, they whom rugged Fate,
(Gods Commissary,) doth so throughly hate,
As in'the Courts Squadron to marshall their state:
If they stand arm'd with seely honesty,
With wishing prayers, and neat integritie,
Like Indians'gainst Spanish hosts they bee.
Suspitious boldnesse to this place belongs,
And to'have as many eares as all have tongues;
Tender to know, tough to acknowledge wrongs.
Beleeve mee Sir, in my youths giddiest dayes,
When to be like the Court, was a playes praise,
Playes were not so like Courts, as Courts'are like playes.
Then let us at these mimicke antiques jeast,
Whose deepest projects, and egregious gests
Are but dull Moralls of a game at Chests.
But now'tis incongruity to smile,
Therefore I end; and bid farewell a while,
At Court; though From Court, were the better stile.
[To S^r Henry Wootton. 1633-69: do. or A Letter to &c.
B, Cy, D, H49, L74, Lec, S, S96 (of these Cy
and S add From Court and From y^e Court): From Court. P:
To M^r H. W. 20 Jul. 1598 at Court. HN: To M^r H. W. 20 July
15098 (sic) At Court. W: Jo: D: to M^r H: W: A18, N,
TC: Another Letter. JC]
[1 newes] new 1669]
[2 Tell you Cales, (Calis, 1633) or S^t Michaels tale
for newes, as tell 1633, A18, B (tales), Cy (and S^t
Michaels tales), D, H49, JC, L74, N, O'F
(tales), P, S, S96 (tales), TC, W (MSS. waver in
spelling—but Cales Cy, HN, P:) Tell you Calis,
or Saint Michaels tales, as tell 1635-54, Chambers
(Calais): Tell Calis, or Saint Michaels Mount, as tell
1669: Tell you Calais, or Saint Michaels Mount as tell
1719: All modern editions read Calais]
[6 or] and 1669]
[9 to'him, still, 1633: to him, still, 1635-69: to him is
still A18, L74, N, O'F, TC]
[12 state: 1635-69: state 1633]
[14 wishing prayers, 1633, A18, D, H49, JC, L74,
Lec, N, S, S96, TC, W: wishing, prayers, 1669,
HN: wishes, prayers, 1635-54, B, Cy, O'F, P,
Chambers]
[20 playes] players 1639-69]
[21 are like 1633, A18, D, H49, L74, Lec, N,
S, S96 (are now like), TC, W: are om. (metri causa)
1635-69, B, Cy, JC, O'F]
[23-4
are egregeous guests,
And but dull Morals at a game of Chests.