as Romulus was 9. At last when the rout with their head did fall out And the wars thereupon did fall in He went to the field with a sword but no shield Strong drink was his buckler within 10. But when he did spy how they dropt down and die And did hear the bullets to sing His arms he flung down and run fairly to town And exchang'd his sword for his sling 11. Yet he claimed his share in such honours as were Belonging to nobler spirits That ventur'd their lives while this Buffon survives To receive the reward of their merits 12. When the wars were all done he his fighting begun And would needs shew his valour in peace Then his fury he flings at poor conquer'd things And frets like a hog in his grease 13. For his first feat of all on a Wit he did fall A wit as some say and some not Because he 'd an art to rhithm on the quart But never did care for the pot 14. And next on the cocks he fell like an Ox And took them and their Masters together But the combs and the spurs kept himself his Sirs Who are to have both or neither 15. The cause of his spite was because they would fight And because he durst not he did take-on And said they were fit for the pot not the pit And would serve to be eaten with bacon 16. But flesh'd with these spoyles the next of his toyles Was to fall with wild-beasts by the ears To the Bear-ward he goeth then opened his mouth And said oh are you there with your bears 17. Our stories are dull of a cock and a bull But such was his valour and care Since he bears the bell the tales that we tell Must be of a cock and a bare 18. The crime of the bares was they were Caveliers And had formerly fought for the King And pull'd by the Burrs the round-headed Currs That they made both their ears to ring 19. Our successour of Kings like blind fortune flings Upon him both honour and store Who has as much right to make Tom a Knight As Tom has desert and no more 20. But Fortune that whore still attended this Brewer And did all his atchievements reward And blindly did fling on this lubberly thing More honour and made him a Lord. 21. Now he walks with his spurs and a couple of curs At his heels which he calls Squires So when honour is thrown on the head of a clown 'T is by Parasites held up and Lyars 22. The rest of his pranks will merit new thanks With his death if we did but know it But we 'l leave him and it to a time and place fit And Greg. shall be funeral Poet. VIII The New Mountebank Written in 1643. IF any body politick Of plenty or ease be very sick There 's a Physician come to Town Of far fetcht fame and high renown Though call'd a Mountebank 't is meant Both words being French a Parliament Who from Geneva and Amsterdam From Germany and Scotland came Now lies in London but the place If men say true is in his face His Scaffold stands on Tower-hill When he on Strafford try'd his skill Off went his head you 'l think him slain But straight 't was voted on again Diurnals are his weekly-bills Which speak how many he cures or kills But of the Errata we 'l advise For cure read kill for truth read lies If any Traytor be diseased with a sore-neck and would be eased There is a pill they call a Vote Take it ex tempore it shall do 't If any conscience be to strict Here 's several p 〈…〉 from Lectures pickt Which swallowed down will stretch it full As far as 't is from this to Hull Is any by Religion bound Or Law and would be looser found Here 's a Glister which we call His priviledge o'r-topping all Is any money left or plate Or goods bring 't in at any rate He 'l melt three shillings into one And in a minute leave you none Here 's powder to inspire the lungs Here 's water that unties your tongues Spight of the Law 't will set you free To speak treason only lispingly Here 's Leeches which if well apply'd And fed will stick close to your fide Till your superfluous bloud decay Then they 'l break and drop away But here 's a soveraign Antidote Be sure our Soveraign never know 't Apply it as the Doctour pleases 'T will cure all wounds and all diseases A drug none but himself e're saw 'T is call'd a Fundamental Law Here 's Glasses to delude your sight Dark Lanthorns here here bastard light This if you conquer trebbles the men If loose a hundred seems but ten Here 's Opium to lull asleep And here lie dangerous plots in steep Here stands the safety of the City There hangs the invisible Committee Plundring's the new Philosophers stone Turns war to Gold and Gold to 〈…〉 e And here 's an Ordinance that shall At one full shot enrich you all He 's skilled in the Mathematicks And in his circle can do tricks By raising spirits that can smell Plots that are hatcht as deep as hell Which ever to themselves are known The Devil 's ever kind to his own All this he gratis doth and saith He 'l only take the Publick Faith Flock to him then make no delay The next fair wind he must away IX The Saints Encouragement Written in 1643. FIght on brave Souldiers for the cause Fear not the Caveliers Their threatnings are as senseless as Our Jealousies and fears 'T is you must perfect this great work And all Malignants slay You must bring back the King again The clean contrary way 'T is for Religion that you fight And for the Kingdoms good By robbing Churches plundring men And shedding guiltless blood Down with the Orthodoxal train All Loyal Subjects slay When these are gone we shall be blest The clean contrary way When Charle◠we 've bankrupt made like us Of Crown and power bereft him And all his loyal subjects slain And none but Rebels left him When we 've beggar ' d all the Land And sent our Truncks away We 'l make him then a glorious Prince The clean contrary way 'T is to preserve his Majesty That we against him fight Nor are we ever beaten back Because our cause is right If any make a scruple on 't Out Declarations say Who fight for us fight for the King The clean contrary way At Keynton Branford Plymmouth York And divers places more What victories we Saints obtain'd The like ne'r seen before How often we Prince Rupert kill'd And bravely won the day The wicked Caveliers did run The clean contrary way The true Religion we maintain The Kingdomes peace and plenty The priviledge of Parliament Not known to one of twenty The ancient Fundamental Laws And teach men to obey Their Lawful Soveraign and all these The clean contrary way We subjects Liberties preserve By prisonment and plunder And do
friends nor Lords Nor Princes peace or happiness affords Trust thou in God ply him with prayers still Be sure of help for he both can and will LIII Upon the Kings imprisonment IMprison me you Traytors must I be Your fetter'd slave while you 're at liberty T' usurp my Scepter and to make my power Gnaw its own bowels and it self devour You glorious villains Treasons that have been Done in all ages are done o'r agen Expert proficients that have far out-done Your Tutors Presidents and have out-run The practise of all times whose acts will be Thought Legendary by Posterity Was 't not enough you made me bear the wrong of a rebellious sword and viprous tongue To lose my State my Children Crown and Wife But must you take my liberty and life Subjects can find no fortress but their graves When servants sway and Soveraigns are slaves ' Cause I 'll not sign nor give consent unto Those lawless actions that you 've done and do Nor yet betray my Subjects and so be As treacherous to them as you to me Is this the way to mould me to your wills To expiate former crimes by greater ills Mistaken fools to think my soul can be Grasp'd or infring'd by such low things as ye Alas though I 'm immur'd my mind is free I 'll make your very Gaol my liberty Plot do your worst I safely shall deride In my Crown'd soul vour base inferiour pride And stand unmov'd though all your plagues you bring I 'll dye a Martyr or I 'll live a King LIV. On the Death of King CHARLES HOw dead nay murdred not a Comet seen Nor one strange prodigy to intervene I 'm satisfy'd heaven had no sight so rare Nor so prodigious as his murtherers are Who at this instant had not drawn the air Had they not been preserv'd b'his Funeral Pray'r And yet who looks aright may plainly spy The Kingdom 's to it self a prodigy The scatter'd stars have joyn'd themselves in one And have thrown Phoebus head long from his throne They 'ld be the Sun themselves and shine and so By their joynt blaze inflame the world below Which bâ—â—imitation does t' a Chaos fall And shake it self t' an Earth-quake general And 't is the height of miracle that we Live in these wonders yet no wonders see Nature groan'd out her last when he did fall Whose influence gave quickning to us all His soul was anthem'd out in prayers and those Angel-like Hallelujahs sung in prose David the second we no difference knew Between th' old David's spirit and the new In him grave wisdome so with grace combines As Solomon were still in David's loynes And had he lived in K. David's time H' had equal'd him in all things but his crime Now since you 'r gone great P. this care we 'l have Your books shall never find a death or grave By whose diviner flame the world must be Purg'd from its dross and chang'd to purity Which neither time nor treason can destroy Nor ign'rant Error that 's more fell then they A piece like some rare picture at remove Shews one side Eagle and the other Dove Sometimes the Reason in it soars so high It shews affliction quells not majesty Yet still Crown dignity and self deny'd It helps to bear up courage though not pride Trodden humility in robes of state Meekly despising all the frowns of fate Your Grandsire K. that shew'd what good did flow From the tall Cedar to the shrub below By violent flame to ashes though calcin'd His soul in t ' you we transmigrated find Whose leafs shall like the Cybels be ador'd When time shall open each prophetick word And shall like Scripture be the Rule of good To those that shall survive the flaming flood Whose syllables are Libraries and can Make a small volume turn a Vatican So th' hunted Bâ—zoar when he 's sure to dye Bequeaths his cordials to his enemy Rest Royal dust and thank the storms that drove Against their will you to your haven above They have but freed you from those waves that curl'd Their bloudy power to drown this boistrous world They 've but chang'd Throne for throne and Crown for Crown You took a glorious laid a thorny down You sit among your Peers with Saints and Kings View how we plot for sublunary things And labour for our ruine you did fall Just like our Saviour for the sins of all And for your own for in this impious time Virtue 's a vice and piety's a crime The sum of all whose faults being understood Is this We were too bad and you too good LV. On the Kings Death WHat means this sadness why does every eye Wallow in tears what makes the lowring sky Look clouded thus with sighs is it because The great Defender of the Faith and Laws Is sacrificed to the barbarous rage Of those prodigious Monsters of our age A prey to the insatiate will of those That are the Kings and Kingdoms cursed foes 'T is true there 's cause enough each eye should be a Torrent and each man a Niobe To see a wise just valiant temperate man Should leave the World who either will or can Abstain from grief To see a Father dye And his half-self and Orphans weeping by To see a Master dye and leave a State Unsetled and Usurpers gape to ha 't To see a King dissolve to 's mother dust And leave his headless Kingdome to the lust And the ambitious wills of such a rout Which work its end to bring their own about 'T is cause of sorrow but to see thee slain Nay murdred too makes us grive o'r again But to be kill'd by Servants or by Friends This will raise such a grief as never ends And yet we find he that was all these things And more the best of Christians and of Kings Suffer'd all this and more whose sufferings stood So much more great then these as he more good Yet 't is a vain thing to lament our loss Continued mourning adds but cross to cross What 's past can't be recall'd our sadness may Drive us to him but can't bring him away Nor can a Kingdomes cries re-state the Crown Upon his head which their sins tumbled down Rest then my soul and be contented in Thy share of sufferings as well as sin I see no cause of wonder in all this But still expect such fruits of wickedness Kings are but Earth refin'd and he that wears A Crown but loads himself with griefs and fears The World it self to its first nothing tends And things that had beginnings must have ends Those glorious lamps of Heav'n that give us light Must at the last dissolve to darkness quite If the Coelestial Architectures go To dissolution so must earthy too If ruine seize on the vast frame of nature The little World must imitate the greater I 'll put no trust in wealth for I do see Fate can take me from it or it from me Trust not in honour 't is but peoples cry
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
the best of the Nation Are all for the King by a new translation He that won't believe 't is a Jew 3. The poor Caveliers thought all was their own And now was their time to sway But friends they have few and money they 've none And so they mistook their way When they seek for preferments the Rebels do rout ' um And having no money they must go without 'um The Courtiers do carry such stomachs about 'um They speak no English but PAY 4. And those very rebels that hated the King And no such office allow By the help of their boldness and one other thing Are brought to the King to bow And there both pardons and honours they have with which they think they 're secure and brave But the title of Knight on the back of a Knave 〈…〉 's like a saddle upon a sow 5. Those men are but fools as matters now stand That would not be Rebels and Traytors To grow rich and rant o'r the best of the land And tread on the poor Cinque Quaters To do what they list and none dare complain To rise from a cart and drive Charles his wain And for this be made Lords and Knights in grain O 't is sweet to ambitious natures 6. If the times turn about 't is but to comply And make a formal submission And with every new power to live and die Then they are in a safe condition For none are condemned but those that are dead Nor must be secur'd but those that are fled And none but the poor rogues sequestred The great ones buy remission 7. The Fortieth part of their riches will Secure t'other thirty nine And so they will keep above us still But hang 't we 'l ne'r repine The Devil does into their natures creep That they can no more from their villany keep Then a Wolfe broke loose can from killing of sheep Or a Poet refrain from wine 8. Now Heaven preserve our Merciful King And continue his grace and pity And may his prosperity be like a spring And stream from him to the City May James and George those Dukes of renown Be the two supporters of Englands Crown And may all honest men enjoy what 's their own And so I conclude my ditty XIV The Holy Pedler 1. FRom a Forraign shore I am not come to store Your Shops with rare devices No drugs do I bring from the Indian King No Peacocks Apes nor Spices Such wares I do show As in England do grow And are for the good of the Nation Let no body fear To deal in my ware For Sacriledge now 's in fashion 2. I the Pedler am That came from Amsterdam With a pack of new Religions I did every one fit According to 's wit From the Tub to Mahomets pigeons Great trading I found For my spiritual ground Wherein every man was a medler I made people decline The learned Divine And then they bought Heaven of the Pedler 3. First Surplices I took Next the Common-prayer-book And made all those Papists that us'd 'um Then the Bishops and Deans I strip'd of their means And gave it to those that abus'd ' um The Clergy-men next I withdrew from their Text And set up the gifted brother Thus Religion I made But a matter of trade And I car'd nor for one or t'other 4. Then Tythes I fell upon And those I quickly won 'T was prophane in the Clergy to take 'um But they serv'd for the Lay Till I sold them away And so did Religious make 'um But now come away To the Pedler I pray I scorn to rob or cozen If Churches you lack Come away to my pack Here 's thirteen to the dozen 5. Church Militants they be For now we do see They have fought so long with each other The Rump's Churches threw down Those that stood for the Crown And sold them to one another Then come you factious crue Here 's a bargain now for you With the spoils of the Church you may revel Now pull down the bells And then hang up your selves And so give his due to the Devil XV. A Serious Ballade written in 1645. I Love my King and Countrey well Religion and the Laws Which I 'm mad at the heart that e're we did sell To buy the good Old Cause These unnatural wars And brotherly jars Are no delight or joy to me But it is my desire That the wars should expire And the King and his Realms agree 2. I never yet did take up arms And yet I dare to dye But I 'll not be seduc'd by phanatical charms Till I know a Reason why Why the King and the State Should fall to debate I ne'r could yet a reason see But I find many one Why the wars should be done And the King and his Realms agree 3. I love the King and the Parliament But I love them both together And when they by division asunder are rent I know 't is good for neither Which so e'r of those Be victorious I 'm sure for us no good 't will be For our plagues will encrease Unless we have peace And the King and his Realms agree 4. The King without them can't long stand Nor they without the King 'T is they must advise and 't is he must command For their power from his must spring 'T is a comfortless sway Where none will obey If the King han't's right which way shall we They may Vote and make Laws But no good they will cause Till the King and his Realms agree 5. A pure Religion I would have Not mixt with humane wit And I cannot endure that each ignorant knave Should dare to meddle with it The tricks of the Law I would faign withdraw That it may be alike to each degree And I faign would have such As do meddle so much With the King and the Church agree 6. We have pray'd and pay'd that the wars might cease And we be free men made I would fight if my fighting would bring any peace But war is become a trade Our servants did ride with swords by their side And made their Masters foot-men be But we will be no more slaves To the beggars and knaves Now the King and the Realms do agree XVI An Ode Written in 1643. WHat 's this that shrouds WIn these Opacous clouds The glorious face of heav'n and dims our light What must we ever lye Mantled in dark stupidity Still groveling in a daily night And shall we have no more the sun allow'd Why does the Sun grow dim or do the stars grow proud 2. Why should false zeal Thus scorch our common-weal And make us slight bright Phaebus purer fires Why do these plannets run They would but cannot be the Sun Yet every saucy flame aspires Though they 've no reason to affect the same Since they have nought of fire but the meer rage and name 3. Now since our Sun Has left this Horizon Can all the stars though by united pow'r Undark the night Or equal him
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