Abuses Stripped and Whipped, Book · Satire 14
OF CRVELTY.
SATYR. 14.
BVt here's another beares vsus farther wide,
If we embrace it on the other side;
And therefore whilst we seeke for to beware
Of foolish Pitty, we must hauehave a care
Least this do ouer-run vsus: tis a thing,
Whose very name doth seeme enough to bring,
All men in the opinion to confesse,
Tis an inhuma…e hellish wickednes:
A monstrous Passion, so vnfit to rest
Or harbor in a reasonable brest
That beasts, in whom it rather should remaine,
Doe for the greatest part the same refraine:
And yet as odious as it doth appeare,
Vnlesse men looke to their affections neere,
'Twill steale vponupon them, and they shall begin,
Not only to be quickly snar'd therein,
Although at first they doe abhorre it much,
…ut more; the nature of this Passion's such,
It will begin delightfull; and it makes
So deepe impression in the heart, and takes
So sound a root, 'twill hardly be displac't,
Whilst that the body by the soule is grac't:
And yet some doe supposer i… may with ease,
Be left or tooke as eu'ry one shall please,
But they are wide, like them that ouer-bold,
And trusting to their proper strength, vphold,
We neede not this same Passion discommend,
Nature sufficient is to reprehend
That fault (they say.) And they detest it so,
Reason can neere hauehave such an ouerthrow,
That they should liue themselues for to defile,
With any passion that they know so vile:
Indeed it is a monstrous villany,
And most I thinke can raile at cruelty,
Yet let none be so carelesse, for 'tis true,
The odious vices we doe most eschew,
Grow pleasing by degrees: When Hasael
VVas told what he should doe to Israel,
Full little thought he then his gentle heart,
Should euer giuegive consent to act a part,
Of such a Tragick Scaene; and yet we find,
He became after of another mind:
For our intents and best affections, be
Exceeding subiect to vncertaintie:
Those we thinke surest; and vnlesse each hower,
We be remembred such a state is our
We should forget our selues. Philip, the Sire
Of that bold Grecian King that did aspire
To be the worlds third Monarch, knew full well
Himselfe to be a Man, yet could not tell
Whereto he might through humane frailty fall,
And therefore wil'd his seruant for to call,
Thus at his window (ere the day began)
Philip, Remember that thou art a man.
And e'ne as hatefull as this Passion is,
To be remembred so, 'twere not amisse,
But men are stronger now they thinke then he,
And much lesse prone to imbecillitie;
But you that thinke so, and you that vphold
This needs no warning, 'pray let me be bold
For to demand some questions, since there be,
So few as you thinke stain'd with cruelty;
Is he not mercilesse, that without shame
Doth rob his neighbour of his honest name
By raising false reports? doth not that Lord,
That to his Tenant grudges to afford,
What LoueLove and Conscience giues? or he that takes,
The common profit to himselfe, and makes
His owne good of it, when he knowes thereby
Many a poore man's brought to Beggery?
Doth not I say that Landlord hardly deale?
And is he not vntounto the common weale.
A cruell foe? some damned Vsurers,
That are I thinke the Diuels Treasurers:
(For by the small vse they of riches make
They for another seeme their care to take)
Are they not cruell, when they cannot be,
Contented with their Statute Vsuree
But must encrease their gaines by bribes and guifts,
With many subtile and vnlawfull shifts;
Pinching poore debtors till their greedy hands
HaueHave got possession both of goods and lands?
What are out Lawyers that can brooke to see,
Christians like Beasts that still a wrangling be,
And yet when it lies in their power to part them,
Will for their owne gaine vntounto discord hart them,
Keeping them still at strife by adding fuell
To maintaine an ill flame; Are they not cruell?
Yes verily; and so are not alone,
The mercilesse offenders; but each one:
Who when he doth perceiue that there is need,
Is slacke to doe a charitable deed:
And what may they be that employ their care,
To pamper vp the flesh with curious fare:
Largely prouiding for the Bodies good
Whilst the poore Soule is hunger-steru'd for food?
They are not cruell? No, tis like that such
That can take pittie on themselues so much,
Are mercifull to others. You will say
To poison men 'twere ill, then what are they
That by false doctrine fraught with errors foule,
Seeke to enuenome and infect the soule?
Cruell they are (I know) you must confesse,
But then you'le say tis not that Cruelnesse
You vnderstood; As if you did suppose,
None through this Passion did offend but those
That murtherers be: In truth I thinke that this
I here recite, not principallest is.
For it from other causes doth proceed,
Whereas true proper Cruelty indeed,
Is when a man delights and longs to see,
Or doe, some deed that's full of Crueltee:
Iust such was his that out of a desire,
To see how Troy burn't when it was on fire,
Caus'd Rome in many places for to flame,
And longing to behold from whence he came,
Ript vp his mothers wombe; a passiue right
VVas also his, that tooke so much delight,
For to behold men strangely tortured,
That he out of his bounty promised,
A large reward to him that could inuent,
The cruel'st and vnusuall'st punishment;
VVhichWhich Phalaris demanding, was therefore,
The first that made his Brazen Bull to roare;
And like to this are those mens humors to,
That vncompel'd, would make no more a doe
To murther, till a Country were vnman'd,
Then doth a schoole-boy with a walking wand,
To lop downe thistles tops. Now these men be
Passiuely cruell in the high'st degree:
And though the first rehearsed be not so,
Yet thereto they may very quickly grow:
Vnlesse they hauehave oft warning to beware,
Since they already halfe-way entred are:
Especially the greedy hungry elfe,
That would for profit gladly damne himselfe:
For Auarice doth harden so the heart;
In any mischiefe he may beare a part.
No cruelty the Couetous refraines,
Murther nor Treason so he may hauehave gaines.
If that I thought 'twould any thing auaile,
Against this Passion I could further raile;
But as it raignes in man experience showes;
So that 'tis euill there is none but knowes:
Wherefore I'le say no more but onelyonly this,
As he is blessed that meeke hearted is:
So for the Cruell lightly doth attend,
A heauy curse, and a most fearefull end.