So far had the pen, under the king, the superiority over the
sword.
[Fr., Tant la plume a read more

So far had the pen, under the king, the superiority over the
sword.
[Fr., Tant la plume a eu sous le roi d'avantage sur l'epee.]

The sacred Dove a quill did lend
From her high-soaring wing.

The sacred Dove a quill did lend
From her high-soaring wing.

You write with ease, to show your breeding,
But easy writing's curst hard reading.

You write with ease, to show your breeding,
But easy writing's curst hard reading.

The pen became a clarion.

The pen became a clarion.

Whose noble praise
Deserves a quill pluckt from an angel's wing.

Whose noble praise
Deserves a quill pluckt from an angel's wing.

Art thou a pen, whose task shall be
To drown in ink
What writers think?
read more

Art thou a pen, whose task shall be
To drown in ink
What writers think?
Oh, wisely write,
That pages white
Be not the worse for ink and thee.

Beneath the rule of men entirely great
The pen is mightier than the sword.

Beneath the rule of men entirely great
The pen is mightier than the sword.

Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a
goose-pen, no matter.

Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a
goose-pen, no matter.

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find read more

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
[Fr., Qu'on me donne six lignes ecrites de la main du plus
honnete homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.]