History & Politics

To Thomas, Lord Chancellor Egerton

by Ben Jonson 1572-1637

From Epigrams (1616)

History & Politics

Whilst thy weigh'd judgments, Egerton, I hear,
And know thee then a judge, not of one year;
Whilst I behold thee live with purest hands;
That no affection in thy voice commands;
That still thou'rt present to the better cause;
And no less wise than skilful in the laws;
Whilst thou art certain to thy words, once gone,
As is thy conscience, which is always one:
The Virgin, long since fled from earth, I see,
To our times return'd, hath made her heaven in thee.

✦ ✦ ✦

Epigrams, no. 74.

MLA

Jonson, Ben. “To Thomas, Lord Chancellor Egerton.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/jonson/116/.

Chicago

Jonson, Ben. “To Thomas, Lord Chancellor Egerton.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/jonson/116/.

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