---

“His Caveat to secure Courtiers”

I speake to such if any such there bee

whoe are possessed through their Princes grace

with swellinge pride and scornefull insolencye

haughty disdaining and abuse of place

To such I say if any such there bee

5

come see theise vices punished in mee

For I that am now as you see abjected

by just desert of former life ill spent

was somtime of my Prince as well respected

as any now in this new government

10

But for I then my favour misymploied

I now with punishment am much annoyed

I then did hold Religion but a Jest1

farre more esteeminge my owne pollicie

whereby I framde my Actions as a Beast

15

moved by beastlike sensualitie

For what my fleshly humor did delight

that held I lawfull were it wronge or right

My whole endevour was to please my sence

with greedy Avarice and fowle oppression

20

divelish disdaine filthie incontinence

and false invention were my cheife profession

Theise vices were by me still excercised

as those have caused me to be despised

And well he doth deserve despisde to bee

25

whose minde with such corruption is infected

Wherefore twere good you should their natures see

that so they may the sooner be rejected

For any one of them sufficient is

the soule and body to deprive of Blisse

30

First looke on Avarice that sencelesse beast

and you shall see no end of greedy scraping

for though her Paunch bee stuft at Middayes feast

her still devouringe mouth continues gapinge

Most wise was he who did her nature fitt

35

comparinge her to the infernall pitt

If you her reason should desier to know

why beyond reason shee doth Riches love

surelie no other reason could shee showe

but covetous desier which doth her move

40

The which enforceth her so loud to cry

For Riches Riches most incessantly

Then Riches come and with her shee doth bringe

her God her Daughters and her Servants three

her Enemies doe alsoe after flinge

45

who doth her much molest and terrifie

For Riches never doth approache alone

but is by furies force attended on

Plutus2 her God doth guide her by the hand

and doth dispose her where shee best doth please

50

her daughter Pride doth swellinge by her stand

who with sharpe pricking doth her much disease

Filthy Excesse for More More More still cries

and Ignorance doth blinde her mothers eies

Blinde Chance her Servante somtime doth availe her

55

and somtimes he by losses sore doth wronge her

but fraud and usurie doth never faile her

but like good servaunts still doth profitt bringe her

suspition feare and greife her enimies

doth wayte advantages her to surprise

60

Now when vile Avarice is full possessed

of Riches and this train which doth attend

shee doth account herselfe not meanelie blest

and then to gaine a heaven shee will not spend

but still doth seeke her to increase with gaine

65

by all meanes possible with busie paine

For then Oppression must his Cunninge use

in Monopolyes and in Transportacions

whereby he many thousands doth abuse

by sendinge that away to other Nations

70

which should be dealt for Gods sake to the poore

who wantinge aske the same from doore to doore3

But Avarice for Riches still doth Cry

so strongely that the poore cannot be heard

for shee had rather they should starve & dye

75

then shee from gettinge Riches should be barrd

such is the nature of the Damned Spright

that Riches onely is her whole delight

To please her then Oppression with his power

of all the meaner sort doth make his prey

80

like to a wide mouthd Pike which doth devoure

the smaller fish which cannot get away

and when the Foxes skinn will take no place

then doth Oppression use the Lions case4

If he by strength of place doth rule the Lawe

85

and suites decrees upon longe pleaded Cases

then if a matter have a cracke or flawe

Argentum5 must annoynt those crazie6 places

whereby in time it growes sufficient stronge

to passe for currant be it right or wronge7

90

And if he bee in state of government

havinge of meaner places oversight

then such as doe bribes unto him present

are either pentiond or discharged quite

For Avarice doth still cry out for gaine

95

and the Oppressor doth no wronge refraine

When these vilde vices had my Coffers filld

my minde likewise was then filld with disdaine

by whose approach all virtues quite were spild

which doth in minde of any man remaine

100

Yet in my minde shee founde but few to spill

for since it was a minde the same was ill

This hellbred Monster of foule Divelish kinde

was gotten by proud scorne of scornefull pride

nurst upp by Envy in a Cankerd minde

105

which could no other but it selfe abide

deformitie her nature doth expresse

her nature poysons where it doth possesse

Of this her nature was my minde possest

and with her poyson was I all infected

110

the which by me her furie was exprest

when any but my selfe I saw respected

For were he farr my better in degree

yet I disdainde he should my equall bee

This hatefull vice made me so odious seeme

115

that for the same I hated was of all

For as none but my selfe I did esteeme

so none there was that did not wish my fall

Wherefore if this in any of you bee

come see the same now punished in mee

120

I likewise like a Beast much time did spend

in that most beastlike sinne of fleshly pleasure

to which with filthie minde I much did bend

makinge no spare of Body, soule, nor Treasure

For as a Beast is moved still by sence

125

so was I movd by foule incontinence

And for I would be exquisite herein

I used supernaturall devises

Pouders Perfumes Payntings for filthie skynnes

extractions distillations Spiritt of Spices

130

with theise and such like tricks I still was able

To trimme a hakney for the Divells stable8

And as younge Apes doe learne by imitacion

of elder apes their frisking apish toyes

so many apes and monkeys usde my fashion

135

and in the same doe place their cheifest joyes

never was beast to Nature soe unjust

as man & woman given to beastly lust

This sinne was my familiar recreacion

wherin I gloried much with shamelesse pride

140

boastinge my selfe of easie acceptacion

protestinge that I never was denide

Ah, but if this in any of you bee

come see the same now justly plagued in mee

In false invention likewise I excelde

145

with which my Princes9 eares I much abusde

whereby plaine Truth was often time refelde10

and such as did present her were refusde

This sinne is onely proper to the Divell

then I which usde the same must needes be evill

150

Noe Tooth of Beaste or subtle serpents stinge

is halfe so hurtfull as a Liars Tounge

For those but paine to outward parts doe bringe

which may be cured well with Medicines stronge

But if a Liars Tounge doe make a wounde

155

noe salve can heale the same or make it sounde

When smooth toungd Flattery with Falshood joyne

as seldome shall you see them goe aparte

Then what the one in her false hart doth coyne

the other publisheth by subtle Arte

160

And such a Tincture of the same shee setts

that of the greatest it acceptance getts

Surelie if Princes rightlie would conceave

what daunger lies in fawninge Flattery

how of their Sences shee doth them bereave

165

and how shee doth impaire their royaltie

No doubt they would then hold it for good reason

To punish her as they would punish Treason

For if it be offence deservinge death

to sett the Princes shadow on base coyne11

170

sure he much more offendes whoe with base breath

unto the Princes substance vice doth joyne

And thus doth he whoe makes an occupacion

his Prince to honnor with base adulation

These two united sinnes did first advance mee

175

and by thesie two I still my state sustainde

and theise in sinne so highly did inhance mee

that for the same this mischeife I have gainde

wherefore if this in any of you bee

come see this and the rest now plagued in mee

180

But doe not come as Idle gazers use

whoe make noe use of that they doe behold

but come & see how God doth me refuse

because my selfe to vice I wholly solde

soe come & see behold these plagude in mee

185

and fly my sinnes least soe you plagued bee

And doe not thinke that earthlie Princes graces

can give protection to a life ill spent

nor doe not thinke Authoritie of places

can (for one hower) reverse due punishment

190

for neither favour nor Authoritie

can stay Gods hand from just severitie

Wherefore all you that know your selves infected

with those foule synnes which I have now confessed

see that in time your prayers be directed

195

and that your wronges committed be redressed

For if you doe not speedily repent

be sure you shall receave just punishment

Be not deceavde by vaine imagination

of Gods remisse forgetfullnesse of wronge

200

For though he somtimes use procrastinacion

yet will he not deferre his comminge longe

For when mans sinfull measures overfroth

then powres he forth his measures fild with wrath

Soe measure just for measure shall you have

205

if still without remorse you doe offend

and therefore if you hope your selves to save

leave off in time and seeke your lives to mend

But if you still continue in your sinninge

then shall your endes be worse then your begininge

210

And doe not hold this my advise for vayne

because you know mee vaine that doth advise you

but rather doe thereby your vice refraine

least for the same both God and Man despise you

For though my owne Confession prove me evill

215

yet truth hath somtymes come even from the Divell

And therefore since with truth you now be warnde

though from a mouth that truth hath seldome usde

yet speaking truth lett not the same be scornde

but lett the cause therof be well perusde

220

And you shall finde that God doth soe ordaine it

for your beehoofe12 if you can entertaine it

But if you wilfully advice refuse

and like as I did grow from bad to worse

Then looke what paiment God to mee doth use

225

such or the like he will to thee disburse

For if my warninge cannott now advise you

My punishment shall shortlie then surprise you

---

Source. Bodleian MS Ashmole 36-37, fols. 14r-16r

Other known sources. BL Add. MS 15266, fol. 11v

B8

Quick links to other poems within this section

Select page here B0. Introduction B1. Nevil for the protestant B2. The Great Archpapist B3. Come all you Farmers B4. Watt I wot well B5. Wilye watt, wilie B6. Water thy plaints B7. To whome shall cursed B8. I speake to such B9. As Cats over houses B10. Who doubts of Providence B11. The prelats Pope B12. A Romane right B13. The Divell men say B14. Here lyes the Lady B15. Heere lye’s a Lord B16. Immodest death B17. Here Lyes Dick B18. Here lieth one who B19. Heer lye’s my Lord’s B20. Bancroft Was for Playes B21. Seventh Henryes

¹   I then did hold Religion...Jest: reference to Ralegh’s alleged atheism, a charge investigated in the 1590s and revived during his treason trial. <back>

²   Plutus: god of wealth. <back>

³   For then Oppression...doore to doore: this stanza adds specificity to the general charge of avarice, alluding to Ralegh’s accumulation of several patents and monopolies from the Crown: a monopoly on the export of broadcloths; a monopoly on the licensing of wine-sellers and wine imports; and, as Warden of the Stanneries, a monopolistic control on English tin production. <back>

⁴   and when the Foxes...Lions case: the fox is an emblem of cunning, the lion of brute force. <back>

⁵   Argentum: silver. <back>

⁶   crazie: unsound. <back>

⁷   If he by strength...right or wronge: this stanza concerns the taking of bribes in judicial cases. <back>

⁸   To trimme a hakney...Divells stable: to make ready a horse for the devil’s stable. The meaning here is a little obscure, but the stanza seems to argue that Ralegh used magical love potions to pursue his bestial sexual desires. The potions allowed him to seduce his targets, making them fit for the devil. <back>

⁹   my Princes: i.e. Elizabeth I’s. <back>

¹⁰   refelde: refuted, rejected. <back>

¹¹   To sett the Princes...base coyne: i.e. to counterfeit money. <back>

¹²   beehoofe: benefit. <back>