Society and the World

He that imposes an oath makes it, Not he that for convenience takes it; Then how can any man be said To break an oath he never made?

Oaths are but words, and words but wind.

For what is worth in anything But so much money as ’twill bring?

Cleric before, and Lay behind; A lawless linsey-woolsey brother, Half of one order, half another.

The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, For want of fighting was grown rusty, And ate into itself, for lack Of somebody to hew and hack.

Such as do build their faith upon The holy text of pike and gun.

Such as do build their faith upon The holy text of pike and gun.

And prove their doctrine orthodox, By apostolic blows and knocks.

And wisely tell what hour o’ th’ day The clock doth strike, by algebra.

And wisely tell what hour o’ th’ day The clock doth strike, by algebra.

’Twas Presbyterian true blue.

For he by geometric scale, Could take the size of pots of ale.

For he by geometric scale, Could take the size of pots of ale.

A Babylonish dialect Which learned pedants much affect.

For all a rhetorician’s rules Teach nothing but to name his tools.

He’d run in debt by disputation, And pay with ratiocination.

He’d run in debt by disputation, And pay with ratiocination.

He could distinguish and divide A hair ’twixt south and southwest side, On either which he would dispute, Confute, change hands, and still confute.

He could distinguish and divide A hair ’twixt south and southwest side, On either which he would dispute, Confute, change hands, and still confute.

Beside, ’tis known he could speak Greek As naturally as pigs squeak: 2 That Latin was no more difficile Than to a blackbird ’tis to whistle.

And pulpit, drum ecclesiastic, 1 Was beat with fist, instead of a stick.

When civil fury first grew high, And men fell out they knew not why.

Eyeless in Gaza, at the mill with slaves.

The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand with wand’ring steps and slow Through Eden took their solitary way.