ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS 191
A Word from Sir Walter Raleigh
Macaulay's "Slobbering James the First"sent Sir Walter Raleigh to the scaffold,
but before he died Raleigh wrote this poem to prove thai tlie king could not slay Mm,
GOE, soule, the body's guest,
Upon a thanklesse arrant j
Feare not to touche the best,
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Goe, since I needs must dye,
And give the world the lye,
Goe tell the court it glowes
And shines like rotten wood ;
Goe tell the church it showes
What's good, and doth no good :
If church and court reply,
Then give them both the lye,
Tell potentates they live
Acting by others actions ;
Not loved unlesse they give,
Not strong but by their factions ;
If potentates reply
Give potentates ike lye.
Tell fortune of her blindnesse ;
Tell nature of decay ;
Tell friendship of unkindnesse ;
Tell justice of delay ;
And if they dare reply
Then give them all the lye,
So, when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing,
Although to give the lye
Deserves no less than stabbing,
Yet stab at thee who will
No stab the soule can kill.
April
APRIL, April,
Laugh thy girlish laughter;
Then, the moment after,
Weep thy girlish tears !
April, that mine ears
Like a lover greetest,
If I tell thee, sweetest,
All my hopes and fears,
April, April,
Laugh thy golden laughter,
But, the moment after,
Weep thy golden tears ! William Watson