his Friend T. S. Tom SInce thou didst leave both me and this town The sword is got up and the law 's tumbled down Those eager disputes between Harrington and Wren At length have inspir'd the Red-coated Men Whose sides not their heads do wear the Lex terrae With which they will rule us until we be weary We know not whose highest what e'r people brawle Whether Wallingford-House or Westminster-Hall You made a contest neither pulpit nor tub-like What 's fittest a Monarchy or a Republick But Desborough sayes that Scholar's a fool That advances his pen against the war-tool We have various discourses and various conjectures In Taverns in Streets in Sermons and Lectures Yet no man can tell what may hap in the close Which are wiser or honester these men or those But for my part I think 't is in vain to contest I sit still and say he that 's strongest is best The World keeps a round that original sin That thrust some people out draws other folks in They have done they did not know what and now Some think that they do not know what they may do But State matters Tom are too weighty and high For such mean private persons as thou art and I. We will not our Governours calling invade We 'l mind our own good let them follow their trade Lanch forth into th' Pulpit much learning will be A hindrance to thy Divinity 'T is better to mind what will cloath ye and feed ye Then those empty titles of M. A. and D. D. I have one thing to beg and I won't be deni'd You must once more mount Pegasus and you must O'r the County of D. whose praise must b'expreâ— ri 〈…〉 In a Poem to grace our next County feast Which will be next term 't was what I design'd But want wit and time to do 't to my mind Thou hast Subject and wit if thou hast but a will Thou maist make a Poem next that Coupers-hill Remember thy promise to send me my book With a copy of thine for which I do look And let not a Letter come hither to me But fraighted with Poems and written by thee And I out of gratitude shall take a care To make a return of our City ware I 'll vex thee no more with this paltry rhythme For fear it should make thee mis-spend thy time And so I have this Apology for 't Though it be'nt very sweet it shall be pretty short XX. To the Meritoriously Honourable Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench GReat Sir and Good beloved and obey'd To whose great worth honour 's not giv'n but paid To whose great love and knowledge we all owe All that we have of law and that we know Who with strong reason from the factious clawes Of wilful fools redeem'd our sacred lawes Full twenty years have I a Servant been To this Profession I live by and in Eight years a Master and in all this space Have nothing done that mis-became my place Nor have my actions been Derogatory Unto my Clients profit or the glory Of this renowned Court and therefore I Now humbly beg to be at liberty Justice and reason both command that he Who serv'd so long should at the last be free For this I serv'd for this our Nation fought And pray'd and paid so much nor do I doubt T' obtain my wish herein could I but find Desert in me proportion'd to your mind The benefit o' th' Clergy I desire That I may be admitted of that Quire Who their own Pleas in their own names enrowl And may perform my place without controul My Lord you 've power and will to do 't and though I am not worthy if you think me so Your Lordships test can constitute me that Which my abilities can near reach at My comfort is 't is what you don't deny To some that read and write as bad as I And there 's a kindness which belongs to such As having little worth beg where there 's much Caesar that valiant General was ador'd More for his liberal hand then for his Sword And your great Archetipe his Highness does Derive more honour from the mouthes of those Whom he hath gratifi'd then by the death Of those his conquering sword depriv'd of breath Freedome's a Princely thing to give 't is that Which all our Laws do stand for and aim at And 't will be some addition to your fame When I with tongue and pen enlarg'd proclaim 'Mong all your Noble acts you made a room In your great heart for A. B. XXI A New-years-gift presented to the same My Lord DId I not find it by experience true Beggers are many but Thanks-givers few I had not dar'd t'envade your eye with this Mean gratulation whose ambition is But to be pardon'd and the faults to smother With this which were committed by the other Yet since 't is gratitude it may please you If not as good yet as 't is strange and new Great Atlas of our laws and us whose will Is alwaies active back'd by unmatch'd skill To rule the Nation and instruct it too And make all persons live as well as know Though being among the undiscerning throng You suffer'd once you acted all along Your sufferings did but like the Martyrs flame Advance your Person and exalt your name Disclos'd your vertues from their â—ullen Ore Make your gold shine which was pure gold before Your noble soul tells us from whence you came You 've both the British Nature and the name By your example you instruct us what Our Grandsires were and what they aimed at Ere the phantastick French or selvish Dutch Were grafted on our stocks our souls were such As yours is now Now we by you may see What once we were what now we ought to be Great Men great favours to great men repay With great rewards but I can only say Your Lordship your great kindnesses have thrown On one that can return or merit none But you must pay and thank your self for me With your own goodness That vast Treasury That found your love so generous and immense To cast on me can find you Recompence A gift of worth my fortune can't bring forth Proportion'd to your kindness or your worth Let me send what I can it will not be Enough for you though 't be too much for me What more to do or say I cannot tell Much I can't do nor can say much and well But what I can not do I will desire And what I can't express I shall admire May this new year be prosperous may each hour Bring you new blessings in a plenteous shour May Heaven still smile upon you and still bless All that you do and all that you possess May you live long and flourish too that I When I need succour may know where to fly And find supplies May all your actions be As beneficial t' all as this to me That when you dye great pity 't is you shou'd Th' whole land may mourn not as
desire she should be wise Yet let her have a waggish wit No circumventing subtilties But pretty slights to please and hit And make us laugh at her or it 4. Nor must thou have one very just Lest she repay thee in thy kind And yet she must be true to trust Or if to sport she has a mind Let her be sure to keep thee blind 5. One part of valour let her have Not to return but suffer ill To her own passion be no slave But to thy law 's obedient still And unto thine submit her will 6. Be thou content she have a tongue That 's active so it be not lowd And so she be straight-limb'd and young Though not with beauty much endow'd No matter so she be but proud 7. Tir'd she should be not satisfi'd But alwaies tempting thee for more So cunningly she bee n't espy'd Let her act all parts like a whore So she bee n't one I 'ld ask no more 8. But above all things let her be Short liv'd and rich no strong-dock'd Jone That dares to live till 53 Find this wife if thou must have one But there 's no wife so good as none SONG XLIV On the Queens Arrival 1. FRom the Lusitanian Shore Our triumphing Ships are come Proudly with their royal lading Which Britain that now truly's great enjoys at home And needs no more abroad to rome But may now give over trading For we have that Jewel whose value is more Then all one India's Spice or t'other India's Ore 2. Katharina Queen of love England's joy and admiration Fit to be made a Spouse to Jove Spains terrour yet their emulation The Portuguez riches their glory and pride Who now are become but a rifled nation Such a coelestial consort to bring To the embraces of Brittains King The world yields not so glorious a Bride Nor is there a Prince that merits the bliss Of so great beauty but so good a King as this 3. Now let sea and land rejoyce Tagus yields us golden sands All that have feet or hands or voyce In these two united lands Lift them up rejoyce and sing Blessed Queen and happy King Chorus Long live Charles and Katharina To testifie our joy We sung Vive le Roy But now wee 'l sing Vive le Roy la Reigna SONG XLV A Friend FAin would I find out a friend that is true That we may live freely together But men are grown false and friends are but few And as fickle in mind as a feather That man I suspect who much zeal does pretend And will not our frailties connive at His looks and his words are both fram'd to his end While some underhand-cheat he does drive at He that still laughs in tune and smiles in my face And appears very courteous and civil If I trust him but once I shall find him as base And perfidious as the Devil A man of a niggardly soul I despise His Avarice makes him slavish For he that his wealth more than honour doth prize Will not only be sordid but knavish He that soon grows rich from a beggerly life Is not for my conversation He 's as proud as a Presbyter Parson's wife Or a new made corporation But he that is generous jolly and wise Good natur'd and just to any one Such person I love and extol to the skies He shall be my friend and companion PART II. SONG I. The Royalist Written in 1646. 1. COme pass about the bowl to me A health to our distressed King Though we 're in hold let cups go free Birds in a cage may freely sing The ground does tipple healths apace When storms do fall and shall not we A sorrow dares not shew its face When we are ships and sack's the sea 2. Pox on this grief hang wealth let 's sing Shall 's kill our selves for fear of death We 'l live by th' air which songs doth bring Our sighing does but wast our breath Then let us not be discontent Nor drink a glass the less of Wine In vain they 'l think their plagues are spent When once they see we don't repine 3. We do not suffer here alone Though we are beggar'd so 's the King 'T is sin t' have wealth when he has none Tush poverty 's a Royal thing When we are larded well with drink Our heads shall turn as round as theirs Our feet shall rise our bodies sink Clean down the wind like Cavaliers 4. Fill this unnatural quart with sack Nature all vacuums doth decline Our selves will be a Zodiack And every mouth shall be a sign Me thinks the Travels of the glass Are circular like Plato's year Where every thing is as it was Let 's tipple round and so 't is here SONG II. The Commoners Writtenin 1645. to the Club men COme your waies Bonny Boyes Of the Town For now is your time or never Shall your fears Or your cares Cast you down Hang your wealth And your health Get renown We all are undone for ever Now the King and the Crown Are tumbling down And the Realm doth groan with disasters And the scum of the land Are the men that command And our slaves are become our masters 2. Now our lives Children wives And estate Are a prey to the lust and plunder To the rage Of our age And the fate Of our land Is at hand 'T is too late To tread these Usurpers under First down goes the Crown Then follows the gown Thus levell'd are we by the Roundhead While Church and State must Feed their pride and their lust And the Kingdom and King confounded 3. Shall we still Suffer ill And be dumb And let every Varlet undo us Shall we doubt Of each Lowt That doth come With a voice Like the noise Of a Drum And a sword or a Buffe-coat to us Shall we lose our estates By plunder and rates To bedeck those proud upstarts that swagger Rather fight for your meat Which these Locusts do eat Now every man 's a beggar SONG III. The Pastoral On the Kings Death Written in 1648. WHere Englands Damon us'd to keep In peace and awe his flocks Who fed not fed upon his sheep There Wolves and Tygres now do prey There Sheep are slain and Goats do sway There raigns the subtle Fox While the poor Lamkins weep 2. The Laurell'd garland which before Circled his brows about The spotless coat which once he wore The sheep-hook which he us'd to sway And pipe whereon he lov'd to play Are seiz'd on by the rout And must be us'd no more 3. Poor Swain how thou lament'st to see Thy flocks o're-rul'd by those That serve thy Cattle all like thee Where hateful vice usurps the Crown And Loyalty is trodden down Down skrip and sheep-hook goes When Foxes Shepherds be SONG IV. A Mock-Song HAng up Mars And his wars Give us drink We 'l tipple my Lads together Those are slaves Fools and knaves That have chink And must pay For what they say Do or think Good fellows accompt
other a knock on the pate This set them a voting and the upper House swore 'T was a breach of priviledge he gave him no more The lower the breaking their Members head voted A breach of their priviledge for it is to be noted That Treason and Priviledge in it did grow 'T was a breach of his Crown and dignity too Then came in the Women with a long long petition To settle Militia and damn the Commission For if fighting continue they say they did fear That Men would be scarce and Husbands be dear So plainly the Speaker the business unties That presently all the Members did rise They had hardly the leisure all things to lay ope But some felt in their Bellies if they had not a Pope Some strictly stood to them and others did fear Each carried about them a fierce Cavalier This business was handled by the Close-Committee That privately met at a place in the City So closely to voting the Members did fall That the humble Sisters were overthrown all But they and their helpers came short at the last Till at length the whole work on Prince Griâ—â—ith was cast And he with his troup did handle the matter He pleased every Woman as soon as he came at her The business had like to have gone on their side Had not Pym perswaded them not to confide For rather then peace to fill the Common-wealth He said hee 'd do ten every night himself Thursday This day a great fart in the house they did hear Which made all the Members make buttons for fear And one makes nine speeches while the business was hot And spake through the nose that he smelt out the plot He takes it to task and the Articles drawes As a breach of their own Fundamental laws Now Letters were read which did fully relate A victory against New-Castle of late That hundreds were slain and hundreds did run And all this was got ere the battel begun This then they resolved to make the best on And next they resolved upon the Question That Bonfires and praises the Pulpit and Steeple Must all be suborned to couzen the People But the policy was more money to get For the conquest 's dear bought and far enough fet Such victories in Ireland although it be known They strive to make that Land as bad as our own No sooner the money for this was brought hither But a croud of true Letters came flocking together How Hotham and 's army and others were beaten This made the blew Members to startle and threaten And these by all means must be kept from the City And only referred to the Privy-Committee And they presently with an Extempore Vote which they have used so long that they learned by rote They stil'd them malignant and to lies they did turn them Then Corbet in stead of the Hangman must burn them And he after that an Ordinance draws That none should tell truth that disparag'd the cause Then P. like a Pegasus trots up and down And takes up an angel to throw down a Crown He stands like a Centaure and makes a long speech That came from his mouth and part from his breech He moves for more Horse that the Army may be Part Mans-flesh and Horse-flesh as well as he And hee 'l be a Colonel as well as another But durst not ride a horse ' cause a horse rode his Mother Friday Sir Hugh Cholmley for being no longer a Traytor Was accus'd of treason in the highest Nature ' Cause he as they bad him his Souldiers did bring To turn from Rebellion and fight for the King They voted him out but nor they nor their men Could vote him into the house agen Sir David's Remonstrance next to them was read From the Cities round body and Isaac's the head 'T was approv'd but one cause produc'd a denial That all Traytors be brought to a Legal trial For 't is against reason to vote or to do Against Traytors when they are no other but so Because about nothing so long they sit still They hold it convenient Diurnals to fill And therefore they gave their Chronographer charge To stuffe it with Orders and Letters at large The King by 's Prerogative nor by the Law Can speak nor print nothing his people to draw Yet Penny-les Pampleters they do maintain Whose only Religion is Stipendary gain Who Cum Privilegio against King and the State The treason that 's taught them like Parrats they prate These Hackneys are licenc't what ever they do As if they had Parliament priviledge too Thus then they consult so zealous they are To settle the peace of the Kingdom by war But against Civil war their hatred is such To prevent it they 'l bring in the Scots and the Dutch They had rather the Land be destroy'd in a minute Then abide any thing that has loyalty in it And yet their rebellion so neatly they trim They fight for the King but they mean for King Pym These all to fight for and maintain are sent The Lawes of England but New-England is meant And though such disorders are broke in of late They keep it the Anagram still of a State For still they are plotting more riches to bring To make Charles a rich and glorious King And by this rebellion this good they will do him They 'l forfeit all their Estates unto him No Clergy must meddle in Spiritual affairs But Layton ne'r heard of it losing his ears For that he might be deaf to the prisoners cries To a spiritual Goalers place he must rise The rest have good reason for what they shall do For they are both Clergy and Laity too Or else at the best when the question is stated They are but Mechannicks newly translated They may be Committees to practise their bawling For stealing of horses is a spiritual calling The reason why people our Martyrs adore ' Cause their ears being cut off their fame sounds the more 'T was ordered the Goods of Malignants and Lands Shall be shar'd among them and took into their hands They send spirits for more malignants to come That every one in the house may have some Then down to Guild-hall they return with their thanks To the fools whom the Lottery has cheated with blanks Saturday This day there came news of the taking a Ship To see what strange wonders are wrought in the deep That a troop of their Horse ran into the Sea And pull'd out a Ship alive to the key And after much prating and fighting they say The ropes serv'd for traces to draw her away Sure these were Sea-horses or else by their lying They 'ld make them as famous for swimming as flying The rest of the day they spent to bemoan Their Brother the Round-head that to Tyburn was gone And could not but think it a barbarous thing To hang him for killing a friend to the King He was newly baptized and held it was good To be washed yet not in water but blood They ordered for
is true but how If I know more then Socrates did know He knew one thing that he did nothing know I know two things that I know nought nor thou XXIII On Time OUr joyful years do pass too soon away A minutes grief seems an eternal day XXIV On a blind and lame Beggar HOw happily fate hath together joyn'd Two feeble men one lame and t' other blindâ— The blind Man bears the lame the lame supplies By his direction t' other's want of eyes See what the iron power of need can do It makes the blind to see the lame to go XXV On a Spartan Lady A Spartan Lady bravely stew her son Because she saw him from the battail run Thou canst not be quoth she a Spartan known Unless thy valiant mind declare thee one XXVI On Philip of Macedon JOve shut the gates of heav'n for Philip sayes He 'l enter it since earth and sea obeys His powerful scepter there is left no room On earth for him he must to heaven come XXVII The Answer I Will not though I may shut heaven gates Nor do I care for Philip or his threats If Earth and Sea his scepter do obey The way to Heaven 's too narrow Hell 's his way XXVIII Frugality USe thy Estate as if thou 'ldst dye to day Yet spare thy Estate as if thou 'ldst live for ay He 's truly wise who whe'r he spend or spare Observes the mean and does extreams forbear XXIX On two Wives I Blame him not who having one wife had Another seeks the last was good or bad If good he hopes there are of such good store If bad he hopes he shall haue such no more XXX On a Murtherer A Flying Murtherer lay beneath a wall That was all ruinous and like to fall An Angel to him did in 's sleep appear Bad him be gone and lodge some other where No sooner gone but down the wall straight fell Then he thanks God that he escap'd so well The Angel said Dost think I like thy deed Because from this destruction I thee freed Sins of this nature never scape my curse Thou' rt saved from this death to meet a worse XXXI On a Fisherman A Fisher while he angled in a brook A dead mans skull by chance hung on his hook The pious man in pity did it take To bury it a Grave with 's hand did make And as he digg'd found gold Thus to good men Good turns with good turns are repay'd agen XXXII On a burnt Ship UNhappy Ship that must by flames expire And having scap'd by waters fall by fire The Step-dame Sea hath safely landed Thee Thy mother Earth's more treacherous then she XXXIII Aliter I That ere while of waters was afraid For lack of waters am by fire destroy'd You waves whom late I curst I now implore Then I 'd too much and now I long for more XXXIV On a Covetous Man THou that art counted rich I count thee poor Use only shews our wealth we have no more Then what we use what we keep for our heirs We cannot say 't is our goods for 't is theirs XXXV On Hermocrates HErmocrates made 's will when sickness came And made himself Exec'tor of the same Then he began to count how much 't would cost To th' Doctor and himself for the health he 'd lost But when he saw to how much it did come He 'ld rather dye then give so great a sum So to keep 's wealth and to save charges dies His Heirs do mourn in Sack and braveries XXXVI On a poor and sick Man WHen age and sickness did upon me seise Of age none could of want none would me ease With palsy'd limbs I to my grave did go And there did end my want and sickness too The lawes of fate preposterously were plac'd I found my grave at first my death at last XXXVII On a Hare A Hare unsafe by land leap'd into th' main Flying land-dogs was by a sea-dog slain Poor worm flies she to Earth to Sea to Skie Each hath a dog and she by dogs must dye XXXVIII On Balaams Asse THe Prophet Balaam wondred heretofore An Asse could speak and now there 's none speak more XXXIX Upon Democritus and Heraclitus WEep Heraclitus it fits the age where in Nothing but filth nothing but sorrow's seen And laugh Democritus laugh while thou list Nothing but folly nought but vain thou seest This alwaies weeps that still remains in gladness Yet both endure one labour both on sadness Now need requires since all the World is mad A thousand laughing and a thousand sad 'T is time the World turn'd madness is so sore T' Anticera the grass to Hellebore XL. Out of Catullus MY Mistress saith she 'll marry none but me Though Jove himself should force her unto it But Womens words unto their lovers be So firm they may in wind or waves be writ XLI On an Astronomer that tryed by rules of Art to find whether he were a Cuckold STar-gazing fool thou from the signs would'st see And Planets face what thy wives dealings be She does her works below where Sun ne'r pries And though she 's light she mounts not to the skies ' Cause she 's kept down by men if in the sphear Thou Venus see thou think'st thy wife is there And if the Bull or Aries thou dost see Thou think'st they are reflections of thee Fool keep at home when thou abroad dost go In imitation her legs do so too And when thou gazest in the skies to know Her works she does even what she please below XLII On Geneva's Arms. GEneva bears the Eagle and the Key The Empires this and that the Papacy If th' Emperour's Eagle and the Pope agen Resume his Key where is thy Empire then XLIII To a sad Widow WHile widdow'd wife for thy drown'd husband thou Dost with perpetual tears thy cheeks bedew Eterniz'd in three graves his happy shade In water twice and once in Earth is laid XLIV On a bribed Judge TWo parties had a difference and the cause Did come to be decided by the Laws The bribing Plaintiff did the Judge present With a new Coach T'other with same intent Gives him two Horses each with like design To make the Judge to his own side incline The cause being try'd the Plantiffs overthrown O Coach quoth he thou art the wrong way gone The Judge reply'd It cannot but be so For where his Horses draw your Coach must go XLV To a jealous Husband IN vain thou shutt'st thy doors by day in vain Windows by night thy wifes lust to refrain For if a Woman only chaste will be In watch and ward she has no chastity XLVI On proud Rome SHut up ye Gods the gates of Heaven above And do thou keep thy heavenly Castle Jove Now sea and Land are subject unto Rome Only to Heaven they 've yet a path to come XLVII Against Mourning MEn justly prayse the Thracians who do mourn When children from their mothers womb are born But dead they think
Hugs the tall trees and the heart-cheering Wine Blushes and swells in the plump grapes which be Drunk with their own rare juyce and why should we B'endow'd with these abilities which we find Do fill the body and adorn the mind Why have we strength and art and wit to frame Such stately fabricks but t' enjoy the same And why does Art such various things produce But for our ornament delight and use If you do well in slighting these things thus God did not well in sending them to us Should you by any other be debar'd Th' enjoyment of these things how ill and hard would it appear t' you it would vex your mind As much as if you 're fetter'd and confin'd Why then does your own self restrain And limit from them thus C. I should disdain Indeed to be confin'd by other men And kept from these enjoyments so but then Hear me a little let me ask you this Suppose a man that rich and bounteous is Should make a sumptuous feast and should invite Guests of all sorts and please their appetite With cheer of all sorts too for strong men strong Dishes and for the weaker palats mix among Some milder delicates and fill his feast To the degree and palat of each guest If 'mong the guests there should be one that wou'd Snatch and devour all that on th' table stood Reaching from end to end though lusty and strong Yet eats those meats that to the weak belong Out-sits all others and out-feeds 'um too Would you think this man temperate L. Surely no. Nor temperate nor good C. But then suppose Another person should neglect all those Delicious junkats and that costly fare And those inticing delicates that are Superfluously invented to invite To new attempts the sated appetite And placeth in one plain and wholsome dish All that he needs and all that others wish And feeds but sparingly thereon don't you Think this a temperate man L. Indeed I do And on just reason C. Do you apprehend By what I say what 't is I do intend Or shall I tell you L. Pray explain your mind C. God's this feast Master who of every kind With store of various blessings has supply'd Our various wants and vast desires beside For healthy men and strong he doth provide Such diet as their health and strength can ' bide The sick and weak he doth with food supply Apt for their sickness and infirmity Not that we all should upon all things feed But all have all things that they truly need Yet so enrag'd our vast desires still be And so insatiate is our mind that we Reach at and gripe what e'r we meet withall And alwaies think what e'r we have too small T' appease our appetite that still aspires And new enjoyments breed but new desires The Land and Seas both contribute their store To our fond wills yet still we long for more What nature scatters with her lib'ral hand O'r the wide earth we ransack for no land No Sea so dangerous nor so far remote But we invade to fill the craving throat And oft neglect what 's wholsome and what 's good Because 't is easie or 't is common food Preferring things bought dearly and fetcht far Before all such as in their nature are Useful and good as if their vertue were Not to be good but difficult and dear And therefore choosing rather to endure A restless then a quiet life and pure Consider all those things which you provide To gratifie your humour lust or pride Your stately buildings costly furniture Imbroydred garments made to tempt the viewer Your gold and silver jewels and your rings And such unneedful and unuseful things For which you vainly ransack every nation Not for necessity but ostentation With how much toyle and how much danger they Must be procur'd and purchas'd for you nay With how much bloud and slaughter of poor men Whom your vain luxury does make so when They for their livelihood must plow the seas And traverse foreign land meerly to please Your pamper'd appetites and find their grave I' th bosome of an unrelenting wave Or if they scape the seas they meet by land Men crueller then waves or rocks or sand And when they are through dangers costs and pains Purchas'd and brought dusturb our hearts and brains And cause dissentions treacheries and blowes Murthers and thefts frauds rapines make friends foes Make brothers brawl with brothers and inspires Sons with unnatural rage against their Sires Husbands destroy their Spouses and the Wives Break off all bonds and snatch their husbands lives So did it make Euriphile of old Basely betray her husband for his Gold Yet when all 's done these costly garments can Warm or defend or dignifie a man No more then those which only serve for use Nor do your stately fabricks more conduce Unto our shelter and protection then Those humble Coâ—â—ages which old wise men Built for necessity to guard and warm's Against the rage of rapine or of storms Those spacious dishes and vast goblets too Wherein you riot not for need but shew Though beaten silver or of massie gold Can't make the liquor better which they hold Nor make the food more wholsome nor more sweet Nor make you see the poyson you may meet Subtly convey'd into them Nor d' your heads Or bodies rest more on your downy beds Nor sleep more soundly ' cause your bed-steads be What ere you dream of gold or Ivory Nay we do often find those men enjoy More quiet and contented sleep who lay Their wearied bodies on the humble ground And with Heaven only canopy'd around Then those can find who roll their limbs in beds Of Down or spread with Persian Cover-leds Nor is their health or strength the more who eat The most delicious and most costly meat Then theirs whose diet is but mean and small To nourish and refresh themselves withall We see the pamper'd bodies often wax Tender infirm unfit for manly Acts Consumptive full of pains and maladies Unknown by persons temperate and wise For luxury and sloth how e'r it pleases Serves but to feed Physicians and diseases Yet what a bustle do men make what dust To gratifie their palat pride and lust Nay which is more then this so vile so vain Mens hearts are grown and so corrupt their brain That they pervert the use of things and bend The Creatures use against the Creatures end L. Pray Sir who do so C. You wh ' abuse poor Men. Although you 'r fellow Creatures and have been Made of the self-same matter and inspir'd With the same soul and form and have acquir'd The same perfections too and by their birth Have as good interest in what 's here on Earth As the Great'st He only by policy By fraud or force kept in a low degree By those that property devis'd and fram'd Bounds for those things which nature free proclaim'd So brought degrees into the World and so Masters and Servants made and high and low
To gratifie Mens lazyness and pride Some must be serv'd ador'd and deifi'd Mounted in state and triumph born along On others shoulders through th' adoring throng And the poor slaves are harness'd for that toyl And us'd like beasts do asses work the while And those in highest honour with you stand Who most poor slaves can tread on and command But you blame me because I do despise And won't partake of such slight vanities But live content with what I do enjoy Not grasping superfluities that cloy And indispose the mind and with them bring Cares and vexations which to them do cling Nor are they only difficult to gain But also in the enjoyment very vain You don't consider how few things how small A wise contented man may live withall With plenty and with comfort all those things We truly need are few and mean this brings Your scorn on me to think or say at least ' Cause I live so I live but like a beast But by that rule the Gods themselves would be ' Cause they want nothing verier beasts then we Consider rightly and you 'l clearly find Which is the best way to dispose your mind Or to want much or little 't is the fate Of the inferior and the infirmer State To want more then the nobler and the strong Thus to weak infants do more wants belong Then to th' adult and thus sick persons do Want more then healthful and the women too Want more then men and men want more then Cods For they want nothing Therefore those by odds Approach most nearly to the sacred choir Who want the least and who the least desire Can you suppose great Hercules that he Whom noble acts proclaim'd a Deity Was in a wretched miserable case Because without a garment he did trace Th' uneven Earth and wandred up and down Without a purple robe or costly gown His body almost naked only drest In a rough skin tane from a slaughter'd beast Desiring none of all those trifles that We vainly prize and at so dear a rate Surely he could not miserable be Who others did protect from misery Nor was he poor his power did extend To sea and land where ever he did bend His force he won the victory and ne'r Met with his conquerour nor with his Peer D' you think he wanted garments or such things Who conquer'd and commanded Lords and Kings 'T is not to be imagin'd no he was Content and sober in his mind and as He valour shew'd he shew'd his temp'rance too And ne'r indulg'd himself as now men do With vain delights Or what say you to me Of Thesius his disciple was not he King of the Athenians and most valiant too Of all his stout contemporaries who By his renowned actions justly won The reputation of great Neptune's Son Yet was his body naked his feet bare Nor did he shave his beard or cut his hair His limbs were hard and hairy and in that He our bold Ancestors did imitate Who held a smooth and softly skin to be An argument of mens effoem'nacy And this their actions spoke them men even so Their plain and simple fashions shew'd them too They thought a beard mans natural ornament And Lyons too and that the Mane was sent For the same end to Horses and there is In both by nature plac'd a Comelyness A grace and ornament these I propose Unto my self to imitate not those Ridiculous men of this deluded age Whose undiscerning fancies do engage Their fond desires to doat on Lushious fare And gorgeous vain attire and only there Place their imaginary Happiness For my part I desire not I profess My hough should differ from a Horse but be Like Houghs as Chirons were all 's one to me I am the nobler much and happier That no more garments then the Lyons wear And that my palat does no more require Or choyser delicates then Dogs desire No better Lodging then the Earth I crave And for my dwelling-house the world I have And for my diet I provide such meat As without cost or trouble I may eat That Gold and Silver bravely I despise From the desire whereof all ills arise That do befall Mankind Seditious jars Slaughters and treacheries Rebellion Wars Things that ne'r touch my heart who little have Yet nothing want not more then little crave Thus stands the case with me and now you know Both my profession and my practice too All which is different from Common strains And from the opinion of Vulgar brains From whom no wonder we in habit do Differ since we in Principles do too But I admire at you who attribute T' all sorts of Men their habit and their suit To th' Harper his peculiar garb and so To the Tragedian his and yet you do No habit of distinction yet devise Or set apart for vertuous Men or wise But vainly think it fit that they should go Apparel'd as the fools and vulgar do A thing both ill and inconvenient too And certainly if any habit is Proper for th' good and wise 't is such as this I wear which the luxurious Gallants hate And more then Vice scorn and abominate My garment's course and rough and made of hair My hair's unshav'n and both my feet are bare Yours are like Pathicks spruce and finical Essoeminate Courtiers that cannot at all Be from the rout distinguished or known Nor by your habits difference nor your own Your garments soft like theirs and gay like theirs You wear as many as the gallant wears As various too in colour and in shapes As Protean as Jove in all 's escapes So gay your coats and cloaks so neat your shooes To trick and kemb your hair such art you use And so much time and cost thereon bestow To curl and powder't for the smell and show To tempt and cheat each other you that wou'd Have people think you 're happy wise and good Out-do the Vulgar in these vanities Those Vulgar which so proudly you despise Yet you must grant that they don't come behind In parts of body nor in gifts of mind The gay'st of you but are as strong to toyle As stout to fight as you whom lust can foyle And want on pleasures conquer and subdue As soon as those are least esteemed by you You in your meat drink sleep and your array Are as luxurious and vain as they You scorn forsooth to walk a foot but will By Beasts or by poor men be carry'd still Whil'st I without relenting can abide Both heats and colds and what ere can betide Us mortals and with equal mind I bear All things that God sends down what ere they are For which content you count me miserable Whereas you thriving worldlings are not able So to compose your souls to be content With your condition but do still relent Vex and repine in every State all that Is present you dislike still aiming at Things absent with great longing when you lye Cold in the Winter you for Summer cry And
courage baffled fear whose purer soul No bribes could e'r seduce no threats controul But strangely cross'd the proverb brought forth The best of Goods from th' once-pernicious North To whose Integrity your Kingdomes owe Their restauration and what thence does flow Your blest arrival with such prudence still He manag'd these affairs such truth such skill Such valour too he led these Nations through Red Seas of Bloud and yet ne'r wet their shoe Blest be the Heavenly pow'rs that hither sent That Noble Hero as the instrument To scourge away those Furies and to bring To 's longing subjects our long absent King Welcome from forein Kingdoms where you 've been Driv'n by hard-hearted Fate and where you 've seen Strange men and manners yet too truly known No Land less Hospitable than your own From those that would not those that durst not do Right to themselves by being kind to you From profess'd foes and from pretended friends Whose feigned love promotes their cover'd Ends. Kings treating Kings springs not from love but state Their love's to policy subordinate From banishment from dangers and from want From all those mischiefs that depend upon 't You 're truly welcome welcome to your throne Your Crowns and Scepters and what ere 's your own Nay to what 's ours too for we find it true Our wealth is gotten and preserv'd by you Welcome 't your Subjects hearts which long did burn With strong desires to see your bless'd Return Welcome t' your friends welcome t' your wisest foes Whose bought Experience tells them now that those Riches they 've got by plunder fraud and force Do not increase but make their fortunes worse Like Robbers spoyls just as they come they go And leave the wretches poor and wicked too They see their error and that only you Can give them pardon and protection too Since you 're come out o' th fire twelve years refin'd With hardned body and Experienc'd mind Only that crew of Caitiffs who have been So long so deeply plung'd in so great sin That they despair of pardon and believe You can't have so much mercy to forgive As they had villany t' offend and so They to get out the further in do go These never were and never will be true What e'r they say or swear to God or you The scum and scorn of every sort of men That for abilities could scarce tell ten And of estates proportion'd to their parts Of mean enjoyments and of worse deserts Whom want made bold and impudence supply'd Those gifts which art and nature had deny'd And in their practice perfect Atheists too For half-wit and half-learning makes men so These first contriv'd and then promoted all Those troubles which upon your Realm did fall Inflam'd three populous Nations that they might Get better opportunity and light To steal and plunder and our goods might have By robbing those whom they pretend to save Our new commotions new employments made And what was our affliction grew their trade And when they saw the plots th' had laid did take Then they turn'd Gamesters and put in their stake Ventured their All their Credit which was small And next their Conscience which was none all Put on all forms and all Religions own And all alike for they were all of none A thousand of them han't one Christian soul No Oathes oblige them and no Laws controul Their strong desires but poenal ones and those Make them not innocent but cautelous Crimes that are scandalous and yield no gain Revenge or pleasure they perhaps refrain But where a crime was gainful to commit Or pleas'd their lust or malice how they bit This did invade the Pulpit and the Throne And first made them then all that 's ours their own Depos'd the Ministers and Magistrates And in a godly way seiz'd their estates Then did the Gentry follow and the Rich Those neutral sinners by omission which Had good estates for it was not a sin To plunder but t' have ought worth plundring And by religious forms and shews and paints They 're call'd the godly party and the Saints By crafty artless Oratory they Vent'ring to make Orations preach and pray Drew in two silly souls that were Caught with vain shews drawn on by hope and fear Poor undiscerning all believing Elves Fit but to be the ruine of themselves Born to be couzen'd trod on and abus'd Lov'd to be fool'd and easily seduc'd These beasts they make with courage fight and dye Like Andabates not knowing how nor why Till they destroy'd King Kingdome Church and Laws And sacrificed all to Molochs Cause While those possess the fruit of all the toils Of these blind slaves and flourish with their spoils Plum'd with gay feathers stoln like Aesops Crow They seem gay birds but it was only show Now publique lands and private too they share Among themselves whose mawes did never spare Ought they could grasp to get the Royal lands They in Bloud Royal bath'd their rav'nous hands With which they shortly pamper'd grew and rich Then was their bloud infected with the itch Of Pomp and Power and now they must be Squires And Knights and Lords to please their wives desires And Madam them A broken tradesman now Piec'd with Church-Lâ—nds makes all the vulgar bow Unto his honour and their Bonnets vail To 's worship that sold Petticoats or Ale In pomp attire and every thing they did Look like true Gentry but the Soul and Head By which they were discern'd for they were rude With harsh and ill-bred natures still endu'd Proud and penurious What Nobility Sprung in an instant from all trades had we Such t' other things crept into t' other House Whose Sires heel'd stockings and whose Damâ— sold sowse These were Protectors but of such a crew As people Newgate not good men and true These were Lord Keepers but of Cowes and Swine Lord Coblers and Lord Drawers not of Wine Fine Cockney-pageant Lords and Lords Gee-hoo Lords Butchers and Lords Dray-Lords too And to transact with these was hatch'd a brood Of Justices and Squires nor great nor good Rays'd out of plunder and of sequestration Like Frogs of Nilus from an foundation A foundred Warrier when the wars did cease As nat'rally turn'd Justice of the Peace And did with boldness th' office undertake As a blinde Coach-horse does a Stallion make These fill'd all Countreys and in every Town Dwelt one or more to tread your Subjects down And to compleat this Stratagem of theirs They use Auxiliary Lecturers Illiterate Dolts pickt out of every Trade Of the same metal as Jeroboams made That ne'r took Orders nor did any keep But boldly into others Pulpits creep And vent their Heresies and there inspire The vulgar with Sedition who desire Still to be cheated and do love to be Mis-led by th' ears with couzning Sophistrie These sold Divinity as Witches do In Lapland Winds to drive where e'r you go The Sword no action did so dire and fell But that some Pulpiteers pronounc'd
you 're great but good And though I have not ransackt Sea and Shore To make you richer then you were before I hope this geateful though but rude address May please you more though it hath cost me less XXII To his Honoured Friend R. Henley Esquire Sir THough I woed you not in Verse or Prose To make my name and me more glorious By being your Clerk the work is done I find Not that I 'm worthy on 't but you are kind Therefore these lines address themselves to you Not givenfreely t'you but paid as due And that they may your kind acceptance win They 've Sack their common badge with them and in And I presume without much scruple you May drink old Sack although the year be new But though I am not rich enough to send Gifts fit for you t' accept nor do intend T' enrich Peru nor think it fit to give Our betters that by which our selves should live This will I hope your candid nature move ' Cause I give freely what I dearly love And I believe 't is true what I 've been told You love good Sack as well as your partner Gold I know not whether you 'l like this or no But if it be not good my will is so May it prove excellent and may all those That drink it freely be ingenuous That is be found or made so unto yours and you May this year prove as prosperous as new May we live quiet and lay by our swords And have no more lawless and boistrous Lords May the Law stand may Justice rule the roast One sober Judge rules better then an hoast And be assur'd this truth you 'l ever find I 'll be as dutiful as you are kind Nor shall you in your Rolls find out a Man Would serve you more then I though many can XXIII To his Friend J. H. Esquire 1. IF thou canst fashion no excuse To stay at home as 't is thy use When I do send for Thee Let neither sickness way nor rain With fond delusions thee detain But come thy way to me 2. Hang such a sickness that has power To seize on thee at such an hour When thou should'st take thy pleasure Go give thy Doctor half a Fee That it may never trouble thee Until thou art at leisure 3. We have a Cup of Sider here That scorns that Common strumpet Beer And such dull drinks as they 're Their potions made of Hops and Mault Can only make our fancies hault This makes them quick as ayre 4. Ceres with Bacchus dares compare And swears her fruits the liquor are That Poets so implore A fip of Sack may work a verse But he that drinks a bowl of Hers Shall thunder out a score 5. To morrow morning come away Friday we 'll vote a happy day In spite of Erra Pater And bring with you a spark or twain Such as will drink and drink again To treat about the matter XXIV To a Gentleman that fell sick of the small Pox when he should be married Sir WHen you view these checker'd lines and see How bate the colour like your face they be You 'll think this sheet to be your looking-glass And all these spots the Ecchoes of your face Wherein Disease and Love their field have pight To try which is more lovely Red or White Like our late Souldiers who more rage did show Unto the place that fed them then their foe Sickness loves Rival envy in the place Where Cupid chose to pitch his tents your face Went to write foul but Cupid made it prove Spite of his spite the alphabet of love So as they strove love serv'd him in his trim For as that set on you this set on him And love that conquers all things soon made known To him a burning greater then his own Accurst disease dost thou come crawling hither To separate whom Heaven had joyned together Hadst thou no time to vent thy rage but this When swelling hopes did dawn towards their bliss I' th inter-regnum twixt desires and joyes The cursed Vigil of blest holy daies What pitty 't is that face where love has been So oft so proud to play so sweetly in By thy dire hand should be o'r-turned thus â—â—s to be made a Campus Martius Wherein the angry York and Lancaster New-vamp and do retrive their musty stir As if the Red-rose and the White would be Where e'r they met still at Antipathy A face that was as clear as day as bright Should bud with stars like an enamell'd night Your sickness meant to turn Astronomer Your face the Heaven and every spot a Star Or else would write an Almanack and raise by those red Letters nought but holy-daies Were it your Butlers face a Man would think They had but been new boylings of the drink Or had his nose been such one would have swore 'T were red with anger ' cause he drank no more Or had your keeper such hee 'ld sell it all For harts-horn to make hafts of knives withall Or if your Cooks were such how it would fit To grate your ginger or nutmegs with it But why on your face what was his design Was it to break the Hymeneal twine That was half twisted Tush he 's much mistook Your love was past the Criss-cross of a look And your affections are of riper age Then now to gaze on beauties title-page Or barely dwell upon the face those toyes Are Ocean'd in the hopes of future joyes Then blush no more but let your Mrs. know They 're but Love-letters written on your brow Etch'd by th' Engravers hand there she may see That beauty's subject to mortality How frail a thing it is how vain t' adore it What fools are they that love or marry for it And that this sickness which hath curb'd you is But the sad prologue to your future bliss An Ember-week or Lent which alwaies falls As Fasting-eves before your Festivals 'T will make you prize your joy the more when 't comes Usher'd along by tedious Martyrdomes How acceptable is a plenteous boul When 't is carowsed by a thirsty soul So have I seen the winter strip the trees To fit them for their vernal Liveries And cloath th' old Earth in gray nip every thing before it rowles it self into the spring So has black night begot a gray-ey'd day So Sol does rout conspiring clouds with Ray As through this sickness does your joyes come on And gulf your hopes in firm fruition When your red-rose clubs with your Ladies white And as the ancient flowers did unite Your happiness will swell and you will prove The Gemini of joy as now of love These things I guess not by your face I find Your front is not the Index of your mind Yet by your Phys'mony thus much is meant You are not spotless though you 're innocent Sir if these verses go a halting pace They stumble in the valleys of your face XXV To his Friend Mr. I. B. being at London in the Authors