Abuses stript, and whipt. Or Satirical essayes. By George Wyther. Diuided into two bookes

OF ENVY.

SATYR. 4

THen some enuenom'd with an enuious touch, Think eu'ry thing their neighbor hath to much▪ O Lord say they (if in the field they be) What goodly corne, and wel-fed beasts hath he? (If in the house) they neuer in their liues, Saw fairer women then their neighbours wiues: Tis pitty shee that puts so many downe, Should be embraced by so rude a clowne: That house is too well furnisht, or doth stand, Better then his, or it hath finer land: This farme hath profits more then his by much, For wood and water he had neuer such. Yea so he grudges inwardly and frets At euery good thing that his neighbour gets: Of these besides there are that when they see, Any beloued, or in fauour be, Especially in Courts, and great mens houses, Then the heart swelleth, and the Enuious rouses, Ne're resting till that like a spightfull elfe, He doe displace them or disgrace himselfe. Now some are in the minde that hate and This, Still goe together and one Passion is; Indeed, they soule iniurious Humors be, So like, they seeme to haue Affinitee:

But if 'twere so, me thinks betwixt them both, There should arise more wrangling them there doth, So tis with kinsmen, they enuy the good Of those that are the same in flesh and bloud. But here may be the difference, and it shall Hate doth extend to some, and this ••o all: Yet enuious men doe least spight such as be Of ill report, or of a low degree: But rather they doe take their ayme at such, Who either wel-be-loued are, or rich: And therefore some doe fitly liken these, Vnto those flies we terme Cantharides: Cause for the most part they alight on none, But on the flowers that are fairest blowne: Or to the boisterous winde which sooner grubs The stately Cedar then the humble shrubs: But yet that sometimes shakes the bush below, And moues the leafe that's Wither'd long agoe: As if he had not showne sufficient spight, Vnlesse it also could orewhelme him quite And bury it in earth; So I haue found, The blast of enuy flies as low's the ground. And though it hath already brought a man Euen vnto the meanest state it can, Yet tis not satisfi'd, but still deuising, VVhich way it also may disturbe his rising, This I know true; or else it could not be That any man should hate or enuy me, Being a creature, (one would thinke) that's plast Too low for to be toucht with enuies blast,

And yet I am; I see men haue espi'd, Some-thing in me too, that may be enui'd; But I haue found it now: and know the matter. The reason, they are rich and ile not flatter: Yes and because they see that I doe scorne, To be their slaue whose equall I am borne, I heard (although 'twere spoken in a cloud) They censure that my knowledge makes me proud, And that I reach so farre beyond my calling, They euery hower doe expect my falling: With many a prayer, and prognostication To shew their loue not worthy Reuelation, But what care I; to quit their good surmising, I doe desire my fall may be their rising. Which say should once be, as I hope twill neuer, I trust to God it shall not be for euer; And for because I know it cannot be, Much lower then it is, it greeues not me, And where they say my wit augments my pride, My conscience tels me that I am belide: For knowledge of my wants doth greeue me so, I haue small ioy to boast of that I know. But let them scandall as I heare they doe, And see whose lot the shame will fall vnto; The shafts are aim'd at me, but Ile reiect them, And on the shooters too, perhaps reflect them, I care not for their enuy, since they show it; Nor doe I feare their mallice, now I know it: For to preuent the venome of their throat, Ile of this poyson make an Antidote:

And their presaging (though it be abuse) I hope wil serue me to an excellent vse; For where before I should haue tooke no heed, Their wordes shall make me circumspect indeed. Yea I wil be more careful to do wel, Which were a plague as bad for them as hel. Some I do know, yea too too well I know them, And in this place do a remembrance owe them, These; when that through their enuy they intend, To bring one out of fauour with his friend arrow_forward , Wil make as though they some great vices knew, That he is guilty of, and not a few: Theile shake their heads, as if they did detest The course he followes; and that not in iest. If to the Father they dispraise the sonne, It shall be slily, indirectly done: And thus (I hope) there's some wil vnderstand, He liues I tel you at a s••cond hand. Should I say al I know, 'twould much offend you, But more such children I pray God neu'r send you, With other words of doubt to breed suspition, But dare not (being of a base condition) To name them any fault: And good cause why, It may be prou'd vnto their shames a ly; Now tis a quality I do dispise, As such a one doth him whom he enuies, If therefore any do that loue professe me, Lord from their friendship I beseech thee blesse me, Some crafty ones wil honor to their face, Those whom they dare not openly disgrace:

Yet vnder-hand, their fames they'l vndermine, As lately did a seeming arrow_back friend of mine; They'l sowe their slanders as if they with griefe, Were forc't to speake it: or that their vnbeliefe Were loth to credit it, when 'tis well knowne, The damn'd inuention was at first their owne: Some doe not care how grosly they dispraise, Or how vnlikely a report they raise; Because they know if 't be so false an ill, That one beleeues it not, another will; And so their enuy very seldome failes, But one way or another, still preuailes: Oh villanous conceit! an engin bent To ouerthrow the truest innocent; For well they know, when onee a slander's sowne, And that a false report abroad is blowne, Though they would wipe it out; yet they can neuer, Because some scar will stick behind for euer. But what is this, that men are so inclind And subiect to it? how may't be defin'd? Sure if the same be rightly vnderstood, It is a griefe that springs from others good. And vexes them if they doe but heare tell, That other mens endeauors prosper well, It makes them grieue when any man is friended, Or in their hearing praised, or commended, Contrariwise againe, such is their spight: In other mens misfortunes they delight; Yea, notwithstanding it be not a whit Vnto their profit, not their benefit,

Others prosperity doth make them leane, Yea it deuoureth and consumes them cleane: But if they see them in much greefe, why that Doth only make them iocund, full and fat; Of Kingdomes ruine they best loue to heare, And tragicall reports do only cheere Their hellish thoughts: And then their bleared eies Can looke on nothing but black infamies, Reprochful actions, and the foulest deeds, Of shame, that mans corrupted nature breeds: But they must winke when Vertue shineth bright, For feare her lustre mar their weakned sight. They do not loue Encomiastick stories. Or for to read their predecessors glories; For good report to all men they deny, And both the liuing and the dead enuy: Yea many of them▪ I do thinke had rather Loose all good fame then share't with their owne father. The biting Satyr they do only like, And that at some particulars must strike, Or al's worth norhing: if they can apply Some part of this to him they do enuy, As well perhaps they may, then theil commend it, And spite of their ill natures, I that pend it, Shall haue some thank, but why? not cause they deem Me, or my writing either worth esteem: No, heere's the reason they thy labour like. They think I meane him, then suppose I strike: Now whose endeauors thinke you prosper should, If the euent of thinges were as these would?

(No man can answere that, for it's vnknowne) Nor parents, no nor childrens, scarce their owne: (I say) their owne hand-works are seldome free, But subiect to their proper enuies be: 'Witnesse a certaine rich-man, who of late 'Much pittying a Neighbours wofull state, 'Put to his helping hand, and set him cleare 'From all his former misery and feare: 'But when he saw that through his thrift, and heed, 'He had well cur'd againe his former need, 'And grew to pretty meanes, though he no whit 'Vnthankfull was for this his benefit: 'Yet, being of a nature that did long, 'And ioy, to see anothers case goe wrong, 'Hauing no second cause; much grieued now, 'That he once helpt him; all his study's how, 'To ruinate the poore mans state againe, 'And make through Enuy his owne labour vaine. I wonder men should so from reason range, Or entertaine a humor that's so strange And so vnprofitable, tell me why, Should we the honors, or the wealth enuy Of other men? if we delight to see, Our brethren when in euill case they be, Lets wish them Riches, Titles, and promotion, Twill make them greedy, proud, & choke deuotion, Twill plunge them in a flood of misery, In the respect of which, the beggery We thinke so vile, is heauen, Yea I know, It is a thousand more mens ouerthrow

Then Pouertie can be. That if we hate, Or would enuy who are in happy state, In my opinion they must not be such That titles haue attaind, or to be ritch; No, poore men rather, who are combred lesse, And haue indeed the truest happinesse. But be they rich or no, I passe not whether, For my part, I am sure, I enuy neither, So I but reach the glorie I desire, I doe not care how many mount vp higher; And if I want not, what hurt is'•• to me, If I the poorest in the kingdome be? Yet from this Passion, I beleeue not many Can be exempted, if there may be any: But sure more mischiefe alway doth betide Th' enuious then to him that is enuide; And they haue often, (who would then bemone?) Lost both their eyes to lose their neighbour one: Yea there is many a periur'd enuious Noddy; Damnes his owne soule to hurt his neighbours body. But now such men may best by this be knowne, They'le speake in no mans praise but in their owne, And in their presence but commend a man, They'l from his worth detract eu'n all they can: So do the foule mouth'd Zoili, spightfull Momes, VVhose eyes on euery new pen'd treatise romes. Not for their owne auaile or benefit; To feed their humors by disgracing it, They rather seeke: and that they'l disallow Which they would mend themselues, if they knew how:

But what are they that keep this censuring court, None Ile assure you of the wisest sort; None of the wisest said I: yet content ye, They are a great way past Ass in presenti; And think themselues, (but thought somtime is free) A great deale wiser then indeed they bee, For howsoeuer their insinuation Hath gain'd a little vulgar reputation, They are but glow-wormes that are briske by might, And neuer can be seen when sunne giues light; Ill tong'd and enuious, ignorant of shame, And vile detractors of anothers fame; But let them carp on, what need any care; Simce they are knowne for fooles without compare; But fellow Christians, thinke vpon this euill, Know 'tis an instigation of the Diuell, Remember 'tis a knowne apparant foe To Charitie; and friendships ouerthrow. A vicious humor, that with Hell acquaints, And hinders the communion of Saints: Consider that, and how it makes vnable, To be partaker of the holy Table. And so I trust you'l root it from the heart, And, as th'Apostle counsels, lay apart Dissembling, Enuie, Slander, Malice, Guile; And Euil-speaking as most bad and vile. Chiefely in those men, whose Religion saith, Her mainest piller, is True-loue, next Faith.