Book I, Prologue

I First aduenture, with foole-hardie might,
To treade the steps of perilous despight:
I first aduenture, follow me who list,
And be the second English Satyrist.
Enuy waits on my backe, Truth on my side:
Enuy will be my Page, and Truth my Guide.
Enuie the margent holds, and Truth the line:
Truth doth approue, but enuie doth repine.
For in this smoothing age who durst indite,
Hath made his pen an hyred Parasite.
To claw the back of him that beastly liues,
And pranck base men in Proud Superlatiues.
Whence damned vice is shrouded quite from shame
And crown'd with Vertues meed, immortall Name:
Infamy dispossest of natiue due,
Ordain'd of old on looser life to sue:
The worlds eye bleared with those shamelesse lyes,
Mask'd in the shew of meal-mouth'd Poesies.
Go daring Muse, on with thy thanklesse taske,
And do the vgly face of vice vnmaske:
And if thou canst not thine high flight remit,
So as it mought a lowly Satyre fit,
Let lowly Satyres rise a loft to thee:
Truth be thy speede, & Truth thy Patron bee.