{
 "id": "john-donne/satire-iv",
 "title": "Satire IV",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "John Donne",
 "poet_slug": "john-donne",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems, by J. D. with Elegies on the Authors Death",
 "book_slug": "poems-1633",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": null,
 "container": "Satires",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1633,
  "venue": "Poems, by J. D. with Elegies on the Authors Death (1633)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/donnepoems"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-donne_poetry",
  "file": "satires.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofjohndonne01donn_1",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemswithelegie00chamgoog",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemswithelegie01chamgoog"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-12",
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  [
   {
    "text": "Well; I may now receive, and die. My sin",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Indeed is great, but yet I have been in",
    "indent": 3
   },
   {
    "text": "A purgatory, such as fear’d hell is",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A recreation and scant map of this.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My mind, nor with pride’s itch, nor yet hath been",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Poison’d with love to see, or to be seen.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I had no suit there, nor new suit to show,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet went to court; but as Glaze which did go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To mass in jest, catch’d, was fain to disburse",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The hundred marks, which is the statute’s curse,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Before he ’scaped; so ’t pleased my destiny⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Guilty of my sin in going⁠—to think me",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As prone to all ill, and of good as forget⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Full, as proud, lustful, and as much in debt,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As vain, as witless, and as false as they",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Which dwell in court, for once going that way.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Therefore I suffer’d this; towards me did run",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A thing more strange, than on Nile’s slime the sun",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "E’er bred, or all which into Noah’s ark came;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A thing which would have posed Adam to name;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Stranger than seven antiquaries’ studies,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Than Afric’s monsters, Guiana’s rarities;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Stranger than strangers; one, who for a Dane,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the Danes’ massacre had sure been slain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "If he had lived then; and without help dies,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When next the ’prentices ’gainst strangers rise;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One, whom the watch, at noon, lets scarce go by;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One, to whom th’ examining justice sure would cry,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Sir, by your priesthood, tell me what you are.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His clothes were strange, though coarse, and black, though bare;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sleeveless his jerkin was, and it had been",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Velvet, but ’twas now⁠—so much ground was seen⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Become tufftaffaty; and our children shall",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "See it plain rash awhile, then nought at all.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The thing hath travell’d, and, faith, speaks all tongues,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And only knoweth what to all states belongs.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Made of th’ accents and best phrase of all these,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He speaks one language. If strange meats displease,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Art can deceive, or hunger force my taste,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But pedants’ motley tongue, soldiers’ bombast,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Mountebanks’ drug-tongue, nor the terms of law",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Are strong enough preparatives, to draw",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Me to bear this, yet I must be content",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With his tongue, in his tongue, called compliment;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In which he can win widows, and pay scores,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Make men speak treason, cozen subtlest whores,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Outflatter favourites, or outlie either",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Jovius, or Surius, or both together.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He names me, and comes to me; I whisper, “God!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How have I sinn’d, that Thy wrath’s furious rod,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This fellow, chooseth me?” He saith, “Sir,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I love your judgment; whom do you prefer,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For the best linguist?” And I sillily",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Said, that I thought Calepine’s dictionary.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Nay, but of men, most sweet Sir;” Beza then,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Some Jesuits, and two reverend men",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of our two Academies I named. Here",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He stopped me, and said; were “Nay, your apostles were",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Good pretty linguists, and so Panurge was;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet a poor gentleman all these may pass",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By travel.” Then, as if he would have sold",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His tongue, he praised it, and such wonders told,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That I was fain to say, “If you’d lived, sir,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Time enough to have been interpreter",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To Babel’s bricklayers, sure the tower had stood.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He adds, “If of court life you knew the good,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You would leave loneness.” I said, “Not alone",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My loneness is; but Spartan’s fashion,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To teach by painting drunkards, doth not taste",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Now; Aretine’s pictures have made few chaste;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No more can princes’ courts⁠—though there be few",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Better pictures of vice⁠—teach me virtue.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He, like to a high-stretched lute-string, squeak’d, “O sir,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Tis sweet to talk of kings.” “At Westminster,”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Said I, “the man that keeps the abbey tombs,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And for his price doth with whoever comes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of all our Harrys and our Edwards talk,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From king to king, and all their kin can walk.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Your ears shall hear nought but kings; your eyes meet",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Kings only; the way to it is King’s street.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He smack’d and cried, “He’s base, mechanic, coarse,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So are all your Englishmen in their discourse.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Are not your Frenchmen neat? Mine, as you see,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I have but one, sir, look⁠—he follows me.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Certes they’re neatly clothed. I of this mind am,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Your only wearing is your grogaram.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Not so, sir, I have more.” Under this pitch",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He would not fly; I chafed him. But as itch",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Scratched into smart, and as blunt iron ground",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Into an edge, hurts worse; so I, fool, found",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Crossing hurt me. To fit my sullenness,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He to another key his style doth dress,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And asks, “What news?” I tell him of new plays.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He takes my hand, and as a still which stays",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A semibreve, ’twixt each drop, he niggardly,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As loth to enrich me, so tells many a lie,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "More than ten Holinsheds, or Halls, or Stows,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of trivial household trash. He knows; he knows",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When the Queen frown’d, or smiled, and he knows what",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A subtle statesman may gather of that;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He knows who loves whom; and who by poison",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hastes to an office’s reversion;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He knows who hath sold his land, and now doth beg",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A licence, old iron, boots, shoes, and egg⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shells to transport; shortly boys shall not play",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At span-counter, or blow-point, but shall pay",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Toll to some courtier; and wiser than all us,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He knows what lady is not painted. Thus",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He with home meats cloys me. I belch, spew, spit,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Look pale and sickly, like a patient, yet",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He thrusts on more; and as he’d undertook",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To say Gallo-Belgicus without book,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Speaks of all states and deeds that have been since",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Spaniards came, to the loss of Amiens.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Like a big wife, at sight of loathèd meat,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ready to travail, so I sigh and sweat",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To hear this Macaron talk. In vain; for yet,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Either my humour, or his own to fit,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He, like a privileged spy, whom nothing can",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Discredit, libels now ’gainst each great man.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He names a price for every office paid;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He saith, our wars thrive ill, because delay’d;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That offices are entail’d, and that there are",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Perpetuities of them, lasting as far",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As the last day; and that great officers",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Do with the pirates share, and Dunkirkers.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who wastes in meat, in clothes, in horse, he notes;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who loves whores, who boys, and who goats.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I more amazed than Circe’s prisoners, when",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They felt themselves turn beasts, felt myself then",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Becoming traitor, and methought I saw",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One of our giant statutes ope his jaw",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To suck me in, for hearing him I found",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That as burnt venom lechers do grow sound",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By giving others their sores, I might grow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Guilty, and he free; therefore I did show",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All signs of loathing; but since I am in,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I must pay mine and my forefathers’ sin",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the last farthing. Therefore to my power",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Toughly and stubbornly I bear this cross; but th’ hour",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of mercy now was come; he tries to bring",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Me to pay a fine to ’scape his torturing,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And says, “Sir, can you spare me”⁠—I said, “Willingly”;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Nay, sir, can you spare me a crown”? Thankfully I",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Gave it, as ransom; but as fiddlers, still,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though they be paid to be gone, yet needs will",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thrust one more jig upon you; so did he",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With his long complimental thanks vex me.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But he is gone, thanks to his needy want,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the prerogative of my crown; scant",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His thanks were ended, when I⁠—which did see",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All the court fill’d with more strange things than he⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ran from thence with such, or more haste than one",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who fears more actions doth haste from prison.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At home, in wholesome solitariness,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "My piteous soul began the wretchedness",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of suitors at court to mourn, and a trance",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Like his, who dreamt he saw hell, did advance",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Itself o’er me; such men as he saw there,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I saw at court, and worse, and more. Low fear",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Becomes the guilty, not th’ accuser; then",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shall I, none’s slave, of highborn or raised men",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fear frowns? and, my mistress Truth, betray thee",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To huffing, braggart, puffed nobility?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No, no; thou which since yesterday hast been",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Almost about the whole world, hast thou seen,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "O sun, in all thy journey, vanity",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Such as swells the bladder of our court? I",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Think he which made your waxen garden, and",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Transported it, from Italy, to stand",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With us at London, flouts our courtiers, for",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Just such gay painted things, which no sap nor",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Taste have in them, ours are; and natural",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Some of the stocks are, their fruits bastard all.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Tis ten a-clock and past; all whom the mews,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Baloun, tennis, diet, or the stews",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Had all the morning held, now the second",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Time made ready that day, in flocks are found",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the presence, and aye⁠—God pardon me⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As fresh and sweet their apparels be, as be",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The fields they sold to buy them. “For a king",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Those hose are,” cry the flatterers; and bring",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Them next week to the theatre to sell. -",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Wants reach all states. Meseems they do as well",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At stage as court; all are players; whoe’er looks",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "—For themselves dare not go⁠—o’er Cheapside books",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shall find their wardrobe’s inventory. Now,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The ladies come. As pirates, which do know",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That there came weak ships fraught with cochineal,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The men board them; and praise, as they think, well",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Their beauties; they, the men’s wits; both are bought.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Why good wits ne’er wear scarlet gowns, I thought",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This cause; These men men’s wits for speeches buy,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And women buy all reds which scarlets dye.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He called her beauty lime-twigs, her hair net;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She fears her drugs ill laid, her hair loose set.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Would not Heraclitus laugh to see Macrine",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From hat to shoe himself at door refine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As if the presence were a mosque; and lift",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His skirts and hose, and call his clothes to shrift,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Making them confess, not only mortal",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Great stains and holes in them, but venial",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Feathers and dust, wherewith they fornicate;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And then by Durer’s rules survey the state",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of his each limb, and with strings the odds tries",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of his neck to his leg, and waist to thighs?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So in immaculate clothes, and symmetry",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Perfect as circles, with such nicety",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As a young preacher at his first time goes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To preach, he enters, and a lady which owes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Him not so much as good will, he arrests,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And unto her protests, protests, protests,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So much as at Rome would serve to have thrown",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ten cardinals into th’ Inquisition;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And whispers “By Jesu!” so often, that a",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Pursuivant would have ravish’d him away",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For saying of our Lady’s psalter. But ’tis fit",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That they each other plague; they merit it.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But here comes Glorius, that will plague them both,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who in the other extreme, only doth",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Call a rough carelessness good fashion;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Whose cloak his spurs tear, or whom he spits on,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He cares not, he. His ill words do no harm",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To him, he rusheth in, as if “Arm, arm!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He came to cry; and though his face be as ill",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As theirs, which in old hangings whip Christ, still",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He strives to look worse; he keeps all in awe,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Jests like a licensed fool, commands like law.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Tired now I leave this place, and, but pleased so",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As men from gaols to execution go,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Go through the great chamber⁠—why is it hung",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With the seven deadly sins?⁠—being among",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Those Ascaparts, men big enough to throw",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Charing Cross for a bar, men that do know",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No token of worth but “Queen’s man,” and fine",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Living, barrels of beef, flagons of wine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I shook like a spied spy. Preachers, which are",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Seas of wits and arts, you can, then dare",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Drown the sins of this place, for, for me,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Which am but a scant brook, it enough shall be",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To wash the stains away. Although I yet",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With Machabee’s modesty the known merit",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of my work lessen; yet some wise man shall,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I hope, esteem my writs canonical.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}