The feather, whence the pen
Was shaped that traced the lives of these good men,
Dropped from read more

The feather, whence the pen
Was shaped that traced the lives of these good men,
Dropped from an Angel's wing.

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

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

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

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

The pen became a clarion.

The pen became a clarion.

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.

The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done.

The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done.

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.

For what made that in glory shine so long
But poets' Pens, pluckt from Archangels' wings?

For what made that in glory shine so long
But poets' Pens, pluckt from Archangels' wings?

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.]