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John Donne - Satire V
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Thou shalt not laugh in this leafe, Muse, nor they 
Whom any pity warmes; He which did lay 
Rules to make Courtiers, (hee being understood 
May make good Courtiers, but who Courtiers good?) 
Frees from the sting of jests all who`in extreme 
Are wrech`d or wicked: of these two a theame 
Charity and liberty give me. What is hee 
Who Officers rage, and Suiters misery  
Can write, and jest? If all things be in all, 
As I thinke, since all, which were, are, and shall 
Bee, be made of the same elements: 
Each thing, each thing implyes or represents. 
Then man is a world; in which, Officers 
Are the vast ravishing seas; and Suiters, 
Springs; now full, now shallow, now drye; which, to 
That which drownes them, run: These selfe reasons do 
Prove the world a man, in which, officers 
Are the devouring stomacke, and Suiters 
Th`excrements, which they voyd. All men are dust; 
How much worse are Suiters, who to mens lust 
Are made preyes? O worse then dust, or wormes meat, 
For they do`eate you now, whose selves wormes shall eate. 
They are the mills which grinde you, yet you are 
The winde which drives them; and a wastfull warre 
Is fought against you, and you fight it; they 
Adulterate lawe, and you prepare their way 
Like wittals; th`issue your owne ruine is. 
Greatest and fairest Empresse, know you this? 
Alas, no more then Thames calme head doth know 
Whose meades her armes drowne, or whose corne o`rflow: 
You Sir, whose righteousnes she loves, whom I 
By having leave to serve, am most richly 
For service paid, authoriz`d, now beginne 
To know and weed out this enormous sinne. 
O Age of rusty iron! some better wit 
Call it some worse name, if ought equall it; 
Th`iron Age _that_ was, when justice was sold; now 
Injustice is sold dearer farre. Allow 
All demands, fees, and duties; gamsters, anon 
The mony which you sweat, and sweare for, is gon 
Into`other hands: So controverted lands 
Scape, like Angelica, the strivers hands. 
If Law be in the Judges heart, and hee 
Have no heart to resist letter, or fee, 
Where wilt thou`appeale? Powre of the Courts below 
Flow from the first maine head, and these can throw 
Thee, if they sucke thee in, to misery, 
To fetters, halters; But if th`injury 
Steele thee to dare complaine, Alas, thou go`st 
Against the stream, when upwards: when thou`art most  
Heavy`and most faint; and in these labours they, 
`Gainst whom thou should`st complaine, will in the way 
Become great seas, o`r which, when thou shalt bee 
Forc`d to make golden bridges, thou shalt see 
That all thy gold was drown`d in them before; 
All things follow their like, only who have may`have more. 
Judges are Gods; he who made and said them so, 
Meant not that men should be forc`d to them to goe, 
By meanes of Angels; When supplications 
We send to God, to Dominations, 
Powers, Cherubins, and all heavens Courts, if wee 
Should pay fees as here, daily bread would be 
Scarce to Kings; so `tis. Would it not anger 
A Stoicke, a coward, yea a Martyr, 
To see a Pursivant come in, and call 
All his cloathes, Copes; Bookes, Primers; and all 
His Plate, Challices; and mistake them away, 
And aske a fee for comming? Oh, ne`r may 
Faire lawes white reverend name be strumpeted, 
To warrant thefts: she is established 
Recorder to Destiny, on earth, and shee 
Speakes Fates words, and but tells us who must bee 
Rich, who poore, who in chaires, who in jayles: 
Shee is all faire, but yet hath foule long nailes, 
With which she scracheth Suiters; In bodies 
Of men, so`in law, nailes are th`extremities, 
So Officers stretch to more then Law can doe, 
As our nailes reach what no else part comes to. 
Why bar`st thou to yon Officer? Foole, Hath hee 
Got those goods, for which erst men bar`d to thee? 
Foole, twice, thrice, thou`hast bought wrong,`and now hungerly 
Beg`st right; But that dole comes not till these dye. 
Thou`had`st much, and lawes Urim and Thummim trie 
Thou wouldst for more; and for all hast paper 
Enough to cloath all the great Carricks Pepper. 
Sell that, and by that thou much more shalt leese, 
Then Haman, when he sold his Antiquities.
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