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9.
THE SOUL'S ERRAND[1]
Go, soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best
The truth shall be thy warrant
Go, since I needs must die,
And give them all the lie.
Go, tell the court it glows,
And shines like painted wood;
Go, tell the church it shews
What's good, but does no good.
If court and church reply,
Give court and church the lie.
Tell potentates, they live
Acting, but O their actions!
Not lov'd, unless they give;
Nor strong, but by their factions.
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.
- ↑ This poem (also called The Lie and The Farewell) has been given as written by Sir Walter Ralegh, the night before his execution, which was October 29, 1618; but it had already appeared in Davison's Rhapsody, in 1608; and it is also to be found in a MS. collection of Poems in the British Museum, which has the date of 1596. With the title, The Lie, it is printed by Davison with many variations, e. g.,—
Say to the court it glows,
And shines like rotten wood, &c., &c.—Ed.
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