Song XI. The Safety

Since it has been lately enacted high Treason,
For a man to speak truth of the heads of the state,
Let every wise man make use of his reason;
See and hear what he can, but take heed what he prate.
For the proverbs do learn us,
He that stayes from the battail, sleeps in a whole skin,
And our words are our own, if we can keep 'um in;
What fools are we then, that to prattle begin
Of things that do not concern us?

Let the three-kingdoms fall to one of the prime ones
My mind is a Kingdom, and shall be to me,
I could make it appear, if I had but the time once
I'm as happy with one, as he can be with three,
If I could but enjoy it.
He that's mounted on high, is a mark for the hate
And the envy of every pragmatital pate,
While he that creeps low, lives safe in his state,
And greatness doth scorn to annoy it.

I am never the better which side gets the battel,
The Tus or the Crosses what is it to me?
They'l never increase my goods or my cattel,
But a beggar's a beggar, and so he shall be,
Unless he turn Traytor.
Let Misers take courses to heap up their treasure,
Whose lust has no limits, whose mind has no measure;
Let me be but quiet and take a little pleasure,
And little contents my nature.

My petition shall be that Canary be cheaper,
W'thout patent or custome, or cursed excise;
That the Wits may have leave to drink deeper and deeper,
And not be undone, while their heads they baptist
And in liquor do drench 'um,
If this were but granted, who would not desire,
To dub himself one of Apollo's own quire?
We'l ring out the bells, when our noses are on fire
And the quarts shall be the buckets to

I account him no wit, that is gifted at railing,
And flirting at those that above him do sit;
While they do out wit him with whipping and going
Then his purse and his person both pay for his wit
'Tis better to be drinking:
If Sack were reform'd into Twelve pence a quart,
I'ld study for money to merchandize for't,
And a friend that is true, we together will sport:
Not a word, but we'l pay them with thinking

Written in 1648.