Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SWORD AND BUCKLER; OR, SERVING-MAN'S DEFENCE: INTRODUCTION, by WILLIAM BASSE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SWORD AND BUCKLER; OR, SERVING-MAN'S DEFENCE: INTRODUCTION, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: I that in seruice yet haue never knowne
Last Line: To be your faithfull brother
Subject(s): Brotherhood; Fights; Soldiers


I THAT in seruice yet haue never knowne
More than might well content my humble hart:
(I thank the God of heauens mightie Throne,
My masters favour, and mine owne desart)
Yet am for you the Champion of good will
Because I feelingly conceive your ill;

To taxe their minds to whom we doe belong
I neither purpose nor desier much:
The publike multitude that do's us wrong,
And none but them, my vaine must chiefly touch:
In whose rude thoughts my youth is grieu'd to see
That Serving-men so slightly reckon'd bee.

Long stood we mute, and heard ourselves defam'd
In every moodie jest, and idle braul;
But now our prize is seriously proclaim'd,
And I become the chalenger for all:
My stage is peace, my combat is a word,
My Muse my buckler, and my pen my sword.

Who treads my stage is chaleng'd, yet not tride:
Who tries my combat fights, yet feels no weapon:
Who sees my buckler's dar'd, but not defide:
Who touch my sword is hit, but neuer beaten:
For peace tries no man, words can make no fight,
Muses doe but inuent, and pens but write.

Now if my actions prosper, you shall see
Your titles grac'd with greater estimation;
Or at the least we shall no longer bee
Deprived of deserved reputation.
But if my first attempts have no prevailing,
I will supplie them still in never failing
To be your faithfull brother





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