| Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845. | | | | A Sonnet of a Slaunderous Tongue | | LXXXIX. James Yates |
| | | OF all the plagues that raine on mortall wightes, | |
| Yet is there none like to a slaunderous tongue; | |
| Which brings debate, and filles each heart with spights, | |
| And enemy is as well to old as young. | |
| In my conceipt they doe more hurte, I sweare, | 5 |
| Then stinking toades, that loathsome are to sighte. | |
| For why? Such tongues cannot conceale and beare, | |
| But vtter forth that which workes most despite. | |
| They do more hurt then casting pooles in meade, | |
| Which doe turne up the blacke earth on the greene: | 10 |
| Their poysoned speach doth serue in little steade; | |
| They practise spite, as dayly it is seene. | |
| O Lorde, I pray from singlenesse of heart, | |
| Such slanderous tongues reforme, and eke conuert. | | | | |
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