Song XXI. The Royallists Answer

I Have reason to fly thee,
And not sit down by thee;
For I hate to behold,
One so sawcy and bold,
To deride and contemn his superiours:
Our Madams and Lords,
And such mannerly words,
With the gestures that be
Fit for every degree,
Are things that we and you
Both claim as our due,
From all those that are our inferiours.
For from the beginning there were Princes, we kno
'Tis you Levellers hate 'um, 'cause you can't be

All Titles of honours
Were at first in the donours;
But being granted away,
With the Grantee stay,
Whe'r he wear a small soul or a bigger.
There's a necessity
That there should be degree;
Whe'r 'tis due we'l afford
A Sir John, and my Lord;
Though Dick, Tom, and Jack,
Will serve you and your pack;
Honest Dick's name enough for a Digger.
He that has a strong purse, can all things be or do,
He is valiant, and wise, and religious too.

We have cause to adore,
That man that has store,
Though a Bore or a sot,
There's something to be got;
Though he be neither honest nor witty;
Make him high, let him rule;
He'l be playing the fool,
And transgress, then we'l squeeze
Him for fines and for fees.
And so we shall gain,
By the wants of his brain;
'Tis the fools-cap that maintains the City.
If honour be air, 'tis in common, and as fit,
For the fool and the clown, as for the champion or the wit.

Then why may'nt we be
Of different degree?
And each man aspire
To be greater and higher
Then his wiser and honester brother;
Since Fortune and Nature
Their favours do scatter;
This hath valour, that wit,
T'other wealth, nor i'st fit
That one should have all;
For then what would befall
Him, that's born not to one nor to t'other?
Though honour were a prize at first, now 'tis a chattel,
And as merchantable grown as your wares, or your cattel.

Yet in this we agree,
To live quiet and free,
To drink Sack and submit,
And not shew our wit
By our prating, but silence, and thinking,
Let the politick Jews
Read Diurnals and News,
And lard their discourse,
With a Comment that's worse;
That which pleaseth me best,
Is a song or a Jest,
And my obedience I'll shew by my drinking.
He that drinks well, does sleep well; he that sleeps wel doth think we
He that thinks well, does do well, he that does well, mu drink we