Classic Poem

" SWEET Friend, " said I, " what's this you say to me?
No man but some false hypocrite would do
Such deviltry; no greater was e'er broached.
Would you have me these false and servile folk
Honor and serve? Except Fair Welcome, all
Within the tower are only false and base.
Is this your counsel? Traitor would I be
If I should take it and deception play.
Now let me tell you this: when I aspire
To see what they are up to, I'll defy
Them to their faces — leastwise Evil Tongue,
Who has so troubled me. Ere I him trick,
I'll say that he must quell the storm he's raised,
Or, if he please, that he must make amends
Or on myself I will amendment take
And beat him well or at the least complain
Before some justice who will aid my cause. "
" My Friend, " he answered, " well it were to wage
An open warfare thus, but Evil Tongue
Is not a frank opponent in a war.
He's too deceitful; when he hates a man
Or woman, he tells lies behind their backs.
May God shame such a traitor as is he!
It is but right that he should be betrayed.
" Fie," say I, " on such traitors!" Faithless they,
And so I'll put none of my trust in them.
With lips and teeth such villains falsely smile
While they bear basest hate within their hearts.
Such folk I like not; let them go their way,
And I'll go mine. Who betrays such does right,
Though it should bring him to his death, if he
Could get no other honorable revenge.
" Think you that if you should complain of him
You'd stop his lying? You could never prove
Your case, nor get sufficient witnesses.
Or, should you win, you could not silence him.
The more you logic use, the more he'll lie;
Less would you gain than you would lose by it.
You'd but succeed in publishing abroad
The slander, and establishing your shame.
Whoever thinks a libel to abate
By argument does but increase its force.
Petitioning abatement of the blame,
Or punishment of it, would do no good;
I swear by God 'twould not diminish it.
Expecting that he'll make you due amends
Is just as vain, unless I'm very wrong.
I'd not accept amends from him though they
Were offered; rather would I pardon him.
If you defied him, by the saints I swear
That soon you'd see Fair Welcome put in chains,
Or burned in fire, or in a river drowned,
Or so confined that you'd see him no more.
Then more you'd grieve than ever Charlemagne
For Roland did lament at Roncesvalles
When he was killed by treacherous Ganelon. "
" I'd not like that. The devil take the wretch!
He's spilled the beans for me. I'd see him hanged! "
" Now don't excite yourself to hanging yet;
'Tis not your office; you are not a judge.
Accept my plan, and study to deceive;
A better vengeance on him then you'll take. "
" Your counsel, Friend, I see I must accept;
From your advice I will no more revolt.
If you have any skill to find a way
By which more easily the fort may be
O'erwhelmed, I'll gladly listen if you will expound. "