Poem by Ben Jonson

To Brainhardy

HARDY, thy brain is valiant, 'tis confest,
Thou more ; That with it every day dar'st jest
Thy self into fresh brawls : when, call'd upon,
Scarce thy week's swearing brings thee off, of one.
So in short time, thou art in arrearage grown
Some hundred quarrels, yet dost thou fight none ;
Nor need'st thou : for those few, by oath releast,
Make good what thou dar'st do in all the rest.
Keep thy self there, and think thy valor right ;
He that dares damn himself, dares more than fight.

1. To the Reader
2. On Lieutenant Shift
3. On the Union
4. To My Book

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