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Poem
January 7, 1826
New Hampshire Statesman And Concord Register
Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Poem attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh, written the night before his execution. The speaker instructs his departing soul to reveal deceptions and hypocrisies in court, church, potentates, high society, and various virtues and institutions, culminating in a bold 'lie' to all.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
POETRY
The following Poem was written by Sir Walter Raleigh the night previous to his execution.
Go, soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless errant;
Fear not to touch the best.
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since thou needs must die.
And give them all the lie.
Go, tell the court it glows,
And shines like rotten wood;
Go, tell the church it shows
What's good, but does no good:
If court and church reply,
Give court and church the lie.
Tell potentates they live
Acting, but oh! their actions
Not lov'd unless they give—
Not strong, if by their factions:
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.
Tell men of high condition,
That rule affairs of state,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell those that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who in their greatest cost
Seek nothing but commending:
And if they make reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
Tell zeal it lacks devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it is but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust;
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honor how it alters;
Tell beauty that it blasteth;
Tell favor that it falters;
And if they do reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell wit how much it wrangles
In fickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in over-wiseness;
And if they do reply,
Then give them both the lie.
Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is pretension;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And if they yield reply,
Then give them still the lie.
Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay;
And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell scholars lack profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming;
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.
Tell faith it's fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood shakes off pity;
Tell virtue least preferreth;
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing;
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing;
Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soul can kill.
The following Poem was written by Sir Walter Raleigh the night previous to his execution.
Go, soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless errant;
Fear not to touch the best.
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since thou needs must die.
And give them all the lie.
Go, tell the court it glows,
And shines like rotten wood;
Go, tell the church it shows
What's good, but does no good:
If court and church reply,
Give court and church the lie.
Tell potentates they live
Acting, but oh! their actions
Not lov'd unless they give—
Not strong, if by their factions:
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.
Tell men of high condition,
That rule affairs of state,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell those that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who in their greatest cost
Seek nothing but commending:
And if they make reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
Tell zeal it lacks devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it is but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust;
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honor how it alters;
Tell beauty that it blasteth;
Tell favor that it falters;
And if they do reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell wit how much it wrangles
In fickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in over-wiseness;
And if they do reply,
Then give them both the lie.
Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is pretension;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And if they yield reply,
Then give them still the lie.
Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay;
And if they do reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell scholars lack profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming;
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.
Tell faith it's fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood shakes off pity;
Tell virtue least preferreth;
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing;
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing;
Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soul can kill.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Epigram
What themes does it cover?
Satire Society
Moral Virtue
Political
What keywords are associated?
Sir Walter Raleigh
Execution
The Lie
Satire Court
Church Hypocrisy
Potentates
Moral Critique
What entities or persons were involved?
Sir Walter Raleigh
Poem Details
Author
Sir Walter Raleigh
Subject
The Night Previous To His Execution
Form / Style
Rhymed Stanzas
Key Lines
Go, Soul, The Body's Guest,
Upon A Thankless Errant;
Fear Not To Touch The Best.
The Truth Shall Be Thy Warrant:
Go, Since Thou Needs Must Die.
And Give Them All The Lie.
So When Thou Hast, As I
Commanded Thee, Done Blabbing;
Although To Give The Lie
Deserves No Less Than Stabbing;
Yet Stab At Thee Who Will,
No Stab The Soul Can Kill.