misdemeanors of our youth Whose unconfined wills are rather bent To ill then good unless they feel restraint But for as much as I have heard Some say That great-mens power hath ever born much sway In Seates of Justice which should be so pure As neither power could awe nor love allure That you from course of Justice less may swerve Observe the Rule which Cato did observe Who on â—… time when he in judgement sat Professing truth the scope he aymed at Receiv'd a Letter which in post-haste came From One who was esteem'd a special man Then in the State addressed to this end To spare pronouncing judgement on his Friend But He suspecting what th' contents might â—…e Meant to prevent him by this Policie And that he might procede in judgment better Fiâ—…st Sentenc'd him and after read the Letter O then to all alike just judgement render As you the safety of the State doe tender Grant great ones no exemption who alledge They may offend by writ of Priviledge But make them know that you have pow'r to strikâ—… If they impugn the Law all men alike This if you do which â—…onscience bids you doe Good men will love and ill men feare you too Yea God himself who 's present in your Court Sees your uprightness and shâ—…ll bless you for'â—… And you strife-stirring Lawyers who have sold Too oft your souls more oft your tongues for gold Like some foule Leprosy my Muse would shun you But that the State complaines so much upou you Eye your profession and examine then If you your selves be such condition'd men As both the State requireth at your hands And with the form of your profession stands And what is this but that you should take heed What cause you take in hand for whom you plead Whom you peâ—…swade and with perswasion mad Saying their cause is good when it is bad How you doe earne your fees for some mens aym Are by delayes to multiply their gaines For know that you who should judicious bee Are first to weigh the cause then take your fee And if 't be such a Cause 't will bear no water Perswade your Client to compound the matter But if the cause be good fall soundly to it And slight it not for so you might undo it What shame were 't then to see men of your Coâ—… Distemperd with a swelling in the throat A dangerous infectious disease Spâ—…ung from the practice of Demosthenes Whom the Milâ—…sians feeing on a time That to their cause he might the more incline Hee when he should the matter fully break Had got the Squinancie and could not speak O take you heed of this lest God withhold Speech from your tongues thus tipt and tide witâ—… Gold And you the Gentry who retaine the name But not thâ—… Worth of those from whence you came You who should be life hope and all that 's deere Both to your selves and such as neighbour neere Observe yoâ—…r ranke and in your ranke so live As to your House you may no scandall give Alasse for griefe that ere it should be sed So many hopefull Plants are withered Such ancient houses where reliefe was found By way-beat Passengers now raz't to ground And whence comes this but from improvidencâ—… Neglect of State profusenese of expence So as me thinks I heare poore earth complaine And chide her brats for being so profane That th' antient badge of Hospitality Should be defac'd by prodigality Cloaths made to cover shame and colour sin Are now habilliments to glory in Meates given to suffice nature not delight Must satisfy our liqu'rish appetite Drinks to refresh times so distemper'd are Must drink down debt apply a cure to care Of which disorderd rank I knew of late A youth of faire and eminent estate Who in few yeares had hiâ—… estate â—…o seeke from pissing Conduit that doth stand in Cheap But in my judgement there is none of these Brings ruine to our ancient families So much as profane swearing which doth call Like that hand-writing showne upon the wall For vengeance on them that the same do use Gods curse must nere depart from swearers House And yet I see and sigh to say I see How in this Land where God should honour'd be With duest praises for her great increase Of earthly blessings and continued peace The Gentry of our Ile should think no shame With new coin'd oaths to profane his name Which is their Parents fault who so much love them That when they hear them swear they 'l scarce reprove them Yea though they curse ere they be wean'd from teat And learne to sweare before they learn to speak They must not be rebuk'd but mark their ends And you 'l conclude their Parents their worst frends And you deceitful Tradesmen whose great'st care It to contrive dark shops to vent false ware Scorne with injurious practise to deceive Such as in you their trust reposed have And day by day the Chandlers case remember As you the welfare of your necks do tender Lastly to you my Brethren who by nature Are woodmen borne and gotten by a Satyre Examine ere you publish any line For I must tell you 't is a dang'rous time The State is jealous and will have an eye On such wild-headed waggs as you and I. Be warie then good Boyes and have a care Least in my censure yee do likewise share Which could not chuse but turne to your disgrace Besides your lothsom lodging in this place Where trust me though I doe not lye with any Spight of my teeth I goe to bed with many And which is strange Backbiters have I more Since I lay here then e're I had before But heark while I am taxing others sin My fellows they are roaring now within I must withdraw my Keeper he doth call And now my grate is shut good-night to all Exit Spectrum A Postscript NO sooner was my Grate closed than I from my Prospect barred retiring my self to my rest which was as restlesse as my fortunes haplesse my friends hopelesse and helplesse Neither did this lessen but heighten my misery to have mine eye barred from liberty by being shut from my Prospect of vanity But beggars must be no choosers nor prisoners disposers with Patience I retired resolving to enjoy my selfe though of all outward joyes deprived and joy in the liberty of my minde though of bodily freedom restrained Neither indeed to doe As surlie Cerberus right was my Argus-eyed Porter so relentlesse as wholly to restrain mee for his promise was unto mee next morning betime to tender mee a courtesie by giving mee free recourse to my Grate where I resolved to spend the next day in a serious survey of such passengers and passages as happily might encounter mee and make themselves objects to an embleme of misery But see how humane purposes are diverted implying that nothing can bee by man so long as hee is man firmly resolved For next day addressing my selfe to my old taske I
obtain'd some say as mucâ—… With Rostock Beare who overthrew the Dutch Which story made me laugh for on a time A boon-Companion and a friend of mine Telling this tale one of a light conceit Which made the jest more full replied streight By thus retorting it Now by this light I wonder much why you 'r not made a Knight For if to healths such knightly vailes befall You's drinke a health with any of them all But to the purpose though I force a smile I 'd rather mone th' abuses of our I le Again to see those who have well deserv'd How they can shew their warlike bodies carv'd Their arms disjoynted or their legs cut off Yet for all this rewarded with a scoff Their service wants least solace for out Peace Makes us conceive small pitty toward these Yet their designes were glorious and the cause For which they fought deserv'd no lesse applause But see their end for all the time they serv'd The most of these are eyther hang'd or starv'd Now to propose some due reward to these Nought were more fit if it the State would please Than to injoyne the miserable Chrone I meane the usurous oppressing one Whose only sport it is and recreation To see a dearth of grain in all our Nation Who grates regrates grinds and engrosseth all Laughs when our markets rise grives when they fall Who will not sell his Corn if men should die But stops his eare against their ruthfull crye Then to injoyn I say his stonie heart Some portion of his substance to impart To a deserving Souldier and know My reason 's this why I would have it so This earth-adoring and admiring wretch Who craves no more then that he may be rich Lives safe at home his family attend him But all this while the Souldier doth defend him Snayle-like at home hee ever makes aboad And little feels the dangers are abroad While the encamped Souldier doth endure The worst extremes the Miser to secure From sleep hee wakes with noyse of least alarm Surveys the Campe prevents ensuing harm Rampiers he reares Fortes Bulwarks Palisadoes Mures Countermures stores his wel-rig'd Armadoes The key-cold ground the field-bed wher he rests him Where not one minute but some fear molests him All which he beares with patience for this Elfe Who cares not who fall so he save himselfe Now ought not he to share in his encrease Who by his danger doth secure his peace Do wee not see each one relieve his Cur Who on the night-time barks and makes a stur To shield his masters house from those would venter But for fear of discovery to enter And shall a Cur so kindly be entreated And a poor Souldier of his right defeated Can one delight so much a Cur to cherish And suffer one endow'd with reason perish Nor for my self do I this comfort seek For as I think I 'm in for all the week Although perchance I have as great delight In a good cause as any one to fight And would be loth to spare my dearest blood If shedding it might do my Countrey good But diverse means are form'd for diverse men Some are to fight with pike and some with pen Eyther of which requires aspirit stout To vanquish fiends within or foes without But say can neither eye eare taste nor smell Afford thee ought that may content thee well Can no choice object to thy eye appeare Nor no melodious accent to thy eare No fragrant perfume to refresh thy Scent While thou art here in lists of thraldom pent No sense-affecting-solacing repast That may delight or relish thy distast Can none of these thy drooping spirit cheere Or ease thy griefe while thou art lodged here Yes yes in every faculty I find Somthing to give contentment to my mind For thus I argue If these breed such loathing I must infer on earth there can be nothing Bee 't nere so pleasant-seeming or so moving That may in any measure merit loving Which to confirme as I conceiv'd distast In all those former Senses that are past Now for my love I bear the Commonweale Heare but the griefs I for her sake do feele MUch do I feele for even my heart doth ake Not for my self but for my Country sake Wherein ther 's nought doth me so neerly touch As to see great-men wrong the State so much For ther 's no place we heare not some of these Tax'd and reprov'd for their Monopolies Which they will beg that they their turns may serve No matter though the common-people starve O age me thinks thou art distracted growne To squeeze a whole State for advancing one And what 's that one a profuse Rioter Who spends upon a painted Sepulcher What ere he gains by begging thus the poor Are forced to maintain a great mans whoor They want he surfeits they may pine and die Hee hears but takes small pitty on their crie They crave one crum of comfort he denies them And when he meets them stops his nose flies them He all enjoys whatso'ere may like him well And on his foot-cloth rides in state to Hell O yee high peering Mounts incline your ear Unto the counsel of a Prisoner For do not think although I be in thrall That I will humor any of you all I have not learn'd to flatter hitherto And I do scorn to take the trade up now But what 's my counsell Labour to deserve Well of your Prince whom you are bound to serve Hate to inhance your State or fill your purses With wofull widows tears and poor-mens curses That gaine must needs be ill be 't more or lesse That 's suck'd and strained from the fatherlesse Scorne to enrich your selves by others hate Or rayse your selves by razing of the State And for as much I heare that Some of you Which I protest doth much my grief renue Support your Followers in an uâ—…just cause Against the course and tenure of the Laws So as they care not what they undertake Because they shall be favor'd for your sake Surcease for shame to countenance a wrong Either by Letter or perswasive tongue For there is nought on earth right sure I am Detracteth more from any Noble-man Then with the brand of injury to stain him For love of any onâ—… that doth retain him For this such deep impression leavs behind it As on your graves succeeding times shâ—…ll find it Where it will live long after you be dead And sprinkle hatefull poyson on your seed And you the reverend Judges of the Land Stand in defence of right whosoe're withstand Your just proceedings let no favor draw you Nor fear of any great-one over-aw you Doe you not think it were a shame to heare Such men as you who on your shoulders beare The burden of the State and should take care To guard the Prince and those his Subjects are E're to decline from doing what is right For love or lucre enmity or might Patrons and Patterns you should be of truth To curbe the
understood by One of the Knights-ward that divers broken and decayed Merchants whose estate howsoever it seeme to the eye of the world razed yet so wise is humane policy their supposed Heirs are to great fortunes raised were inquisitive how they might procure a trustie and faithfull Retainer who had knowledg in keeping of a booke casting an account and such necessary parte at properly concerned men of their ranke Upon which enquiry she whole House to doe mee a courtesy and add some small comfort to my present misery preferred mee knowing mee to have a little smattering in Arithmetick and in that respect fittest to bee imployed for such an instrument since which time I have used all diligence to tender them all possible content wherein I have so far prevailed as with the generall suffrage of these decayed Magnificoes it is lately concluded that if it come to passe as much may bee that they may eyther by meanes of Protection or some other enfranchisement to them granted attaine to the honour of a Company I shall forthwith bee made their Remembrancer which place I shall right willingly accept intending to remember them upon all occasions Hence then appeareth the cause why I am from further survey restrained being in affaires of higher consequence imployed having no time to betake mee to writing or from wasting my Spleene with laughing to see so many deluded Creditors bemoaning the fall of my politick Masters whose well-cram'd coffers are so well stored as they will feed the Breaker though the Creditor bee starved To discover their Treasure were to betray their Trust I were a knave then iâ—… bee lesse then trustie although they bee knaves in grain that doe trust mee only know thus much there are many here in this City to my knowledge that beare their heads high keepe their shops ope walke the Exchange and retaine an opinion of mighty Merchants who come many thousands short of these in substance So as my comfort is for gold to the eye-sight is very soveraign I have enjoyed the sight of more treasure since I was restrained then ere I enjoyed being freed But silence becomes a man of mâ—… place let this suffice I enjoy more by sight then ever their thirstie Creditors are like to possesse sâ—… high am I in trust with those who have advanced their fortunes by best be trust Now to these whâ—… would have mee proceed further in my Survey or Display of vanity having found Poveety an individuate to Poetry my answere it when I have hope to gainâ—… so much by my Reader as by my Breaker hee shall heare further from meee Now to my charge 10 100 1000 10000 100000 Thus my wise-Masters burnish though they burst Foxes fare ever best when they are curst The Copy of a Letter sent from a Burgess of the Lower-House to the brittle Society or broken Company of Bankrupt-Merchants 1625. MASTERS and Magistrates whose timely policy hath got you the deserved name of a provident Company Know that both-Houses wherein I was employed as an especiall Member have taken into their Consideration the qualitie of a Breaker Wherefore I thought good in respect of that ancient familiarity and inviolable league of former amity which did somtimes cement us so neere together to propose certain cautious observations not so much for your behoofe who are excluded from this number and consequently exempted from their Censure as for our dispersed Bankrupts who have broke since the sixt of October whose persons and estates are only made lyable to the extent of a legall Censure First therefore to discover to you and your brittle Corporation some apparent Remonstrances of my affection yet not so as my love should forget forme or my Letter method my purpose is to reduce this schedule to you directed to four main heads or principall points where in the first branch I meane to make known what was objected against you secondly what was answered for you thirdly what was Enacted and lastly certain directions by way of prevention proponnded that the force or virtue of that Act might bee frustrated or diverted For the first divers Bills of complaint were preferred against you and with much heate prosecuted sundry main objections pressed the substance or effect whereof I have no lesse freely couched then friendly touched that in your memories they may bee the deeper imprinted It was objected and that with much vehemency by a rawbone Knight who is it seemd had been formerly conversant with men of your quality which occasioned him to exasperate the businesse against you more feelingly That if such as you were suffered to get mens estates into your hands under pretence of Commerce and then fraudulently shut up shop as if the light of you fortunes had received a Dampe there would it time bee no Commerce in this Iâ—…and but an utter decay or decrease of all trades the reason hee alledged was this Because said hee every Profession by way of Commerce useth to have dependence upon mens reputation or credit now if this reputation the buttresse of every profession faile needs must all Commerce relying upon mens reputation fall This objection was illustrated by divers apt similitudes to add more lustre to his proposition and detract the more from your profession The State quoth hee is a body politick and may bee aptly compared to a body naturall and organicall the Belly or Maw of this body is the Commonaltie whereto other parts stand engaged to relieve her necessity with these she consorteth and Commerceth and on their engaged reputation shee relyeth The eye promiseth to direct her the hand to relieve her and the foote to support her If these infringe their promise shee of necessity must perish because their mutuall supportance requires a mutuall assistance which neglected the whole fabrick must be dissolved so fares it with the body politick where one veine drawes blood from another if one veine grow too full the whole body suffers for it which distemper admits no prevention but by Phlebotomy and incision Full bodies must bee purged spungie and ranke Vines pruned grounds overflowing drained and impostum'd sores launced much more this Gangrene of our State which menaceth ruine to the whole body if it be not prevented by a speedy remedy For tell mee shall these ulcerous Scarabees who feede on others fortunes and fat themselves with others ruines receive countenance from us respect by us or expect lesse then an exemplary Censure of us Shall these Horsleaches who suck till they swell swell till they burst be suffered any more to nestle amongst us Shall these lazie Labourers reape what they have not sowne eate oâ—… the fruit they have not planted or receive profit for what they never ventured And more tollerable were it if they parted but stakes or only shared in the benefit of others adventures althougâ—… for this they never laboured but like egregiouâ—… Land-sharks to strip their honest Creditors anâ—… ruine others to enrich themselves of all and appropriate all to themselves what
by doing others right For right and wrong though they contraries be Yet wrong does right if it bring in a fee Or a Physitian whose Empyrick Hand Must kill downe right before he understand Should apprehend remorse when as by doses He weighs his Physick out but not the losses Of his abused Patients who with grones Must loose their lives and substance both at once These haning novght to give must be forsaken And if they die the care is quickly taken Or a Civilian though Conscience be Thâ—… Oâ—…ject of his Law will loose his fee Or not protract a Cause and make a sturre By plodding some impertinent demurre For he such store of Presidents can show That their examples tell him what to doe And will secure him onely let pretences Guilded with sanctity disguise offences Or that a Rorâ—…r will his Oathes forbeare Or shudder when he does Gods judgements heare Oâ—… leave his Brothells or his midnight revells Oâ—… leave consorting with his femal Devels For so he should abandon all his joy And loose the Title of a roâ—…ing Boy No Sir these taskes surpasse a Critick straine And make him wash the Blackamoore in vaine Yet I persâ—…ade me you â—…xprest your zeale In your dimensions to the Commonweale And that your meaning was to waine the State From some of that which all good people hate But where sinne 's grow to ripenesse you must know Good meanings and intentions will not doe So delicate aâ—…e these corrupted times As none must taxe or taint â—…heir swâ—…lling crimes But tell me in good sadnesse what 's the cause To think your Lives more powerful then our Lawes If an Oppressor hatefull Contracts make Our Laws can bring him like a Beare to th' stake The Cunningst Church thiefâ—… be he neere so great When once detected for a Counterfeate Must not uncensur'd passe nor any one Who in a civill State shall throw a Bone So as in my Opinion from the State Such Stigmaticks doe highly derogate Who judge their Muse mongst men t' have more command Then all the Lawes and Statutes of our Land But to remove this Error I thinke fit If any one have mind to shew his wit That in obscurer manner he disclose it Least too much plainenesse make the Satyrâ—… lose it This moved some as in their workâ—…s we find In Hieroglyphicks to expresse their mind Or like choyce Heralds to finde out a Crest Fitting the forme and nature of the Beast As some of our spruce-silken Curtaine Lords Who shew their worth in their imperious words Have beene displaid and shadow'd to their shame Yet know not who nor where they wounded them But most of these their Dingity have lost And can of nought but painted 〈◊〉 boast This Course was held at first and ever since The freest from distaste and from offence For when we darkely write thanks be to Heav'n So small a portion of conceit is given To our Magnifico's as when they read us They understand us not or never heed us Which happy ignorance secures our pen And makes them laugh at us that nettle them In these darke colours have I drawnâ—… the shapes Of vicious Silke wormes in this Age of Apeâ—… Which shadow'd with a Vision may doe good To purge if not to purifie the blood Nor would I have this to be held in me Weaknesse of courage or timiditie For in a Cause where I intend to doâ—… Service to God I ne're did terror know Nor doe I see ought in this vale of tearâ—… Which should beget in me such fruitlesse feareâ—… The Substance I enjoy I nâ—…re did gather But as a Birth-right left me by my Father For had my fortunes hung upon my care My part had com'd unto an easie share But what I now possesse be it more or lesse I never wâ—…sh God may it longer blesse Then I shâ—…ll-willingly forgoe the same To honour God and magnisie his name Nor is my health so good that I should feare When s'ere 't please God my dissolution here Besides gray-hayres have caus'd me change my song Assuring me my dayes cannot be long Should I then in my Glorious Makers sight Play servile Sycophant or Parasite Should I now when my one foot is in grave Learne the obsequious posture of a knave Should I contemne my Soule when death is nie Or complement when I should learne to die Should I who ne're could fawne in all my dayes An unjust Man against my conscience praise No heav'ns forbid that I should taxe that thing In Subjects which I would not in a King Or praise that in a King which I 'le not doe Even in his Groome or meanest Subject too For howsoâ—…'re our Statists Some times frowne Seeing those darling vices of their owne Touch't to the quicke yet why should good men feare Such Impes who Sattin in and out side weare No in that cause where I desire to please My gratious God I scorne the threates of these But I returne unto my Critick now And will informe him too what he shall doe I know the Sate Sir desperately sick Where some Sores should be Lanced to the quick For they must not bee smooth'd or smeer'd with Oyle Least they attract a more impressive soile But how should this be done or how applde Before the member grow quite mortifide An art-full and experienc'd hand were fit And to that active hand a pregnant wit A grave and serious outside too would prove That they were types of what their selves did move For him unfit I hold to chastize sin Whose youth admits no downe upon his chin He should be of authority and power If he would be a powerfull monitour For such mens words like nayles enforce our passion Struck by the Rulers of a Congregation Yea this our owne experience doth teach We eye as much the person as the speech For if he be a man of worth or prize Speake what he will his person makes it wise Besides that life of his should be approv'd That his example may be better lov'd For it redounds unto the Teachers shame To taxe when he is guilty of the same Who aymes to shoote his shaft at many men Mâ—…y chance to hit himselfe too now and then Unlesse he blamelesse be which is so rare As to seeke such our labours we may spare Lest then this frumpe should in our dish be laid Phisitian cure thy selfe as hath been said Our Lifes should forme our Lines that after times May say our Life 's did paralel our Lines But why should we pursue this fruitlesse taske By striving Great-mens errors to unmaske Their discontent may by some censure move us But them we cannot hurt so far above us I hold it best then Critick we begin To let these Peers take their Careere in sin While we restraine our liberty of pen Untill we see Gods judgement waken them Have we not known of late some raised high That they with more disgrace and shame might die Who would have thought in such a civill State I