Book II, 56: On Slanders

Have sland'rous tongues bin busie to defame
The pretious Oyntment of my better name?
Or hath censorious basenesse gone about
With her rude blast to puffe my Taper out?
They have: And let their full mouthd bellowes puffe:
It is their Breath that sinks, and not my Snuffe:
I, let them snarle and burst, that I may smile,
Doe, let them jerk, and I will laugh the while:
They cannot srike beyond my patience; No,
Ile beare, and take it for an Honour too;
The height that my Ambition shall flye,
Is only to deserve their Calumny:
O, what a Iudgement 'twere, if such as they
Should but allow my Actions, and betray
My'endangered ame, by their maligne applause,
To good Opinion, That were a just Cause
Of Griefe indeed! but to be made the Story
Of such base tongues, it is my Crowne, my Glory:
I, let them spend their Dust against the winde,
And bark against the Moone, till they be blind,
And weary; Let their malice not forbeare
To baule at Innocence, to wound and teare
An absent name, whilst their unallowed tongues
Make me a glorious Martyr in their wrongs:
I beg no Favour: Nay, my hearts desire
Is still to be calcin'd by such a Fyre:
That, in conclusion, all men may behold
A faire gilt Counter, from a Crowne of Gold.
Great God, I care not this, how foule I seeme
To Man; May I be faire in thy esteeme:
It matters not how light I seeme to be
To the base world, so I be weight to thee.