in a skrew'd face or a writhed looke Vnfit to entertaine an Art diuine VVhich is exprest in that poore Muse of thine Come come great regent of that sacred quire Come in thy selfe and so our soules inspire VVith Arts Elixir and with spirit toe That we may do with boldnes what we do Erect our aged fortunes make them shine Not like the foole in 's foot-cloath but like Time Adorn'd with true experiments which may Conuert our odious night to glorious day Let not Ambition mounted in her state Passe vncontrol'd care not for getting hate For honest minds are best approued still By gaining hate in curbing what is ill Let nâ—t these painted blocks of Iuuenal VVhich for their cloaths are most admir'd of al Stand vnreproou'd let not their dangling plume So daunt thee as thou dare not well presume To blazon their defects speake what thou seest And care not who be pleas'd or who displeas'd Let not moth-eaten Auarice appeare In this deere I le without her Character Lash me the Symonist who though precise In shew can geld his Parsons Benifice â—all me our graine-engrossers moulds of th' earth That in their plentie laugh at others dearth Rouse me the Atheist let 's security Heare th'iudgement of supernall maiestie Thundring against him let th'lasciuious Know their bed-broking sin how odious Their sensuall meetings are to his pure eyes VVho euen the secrets of our hearts espies Searching our reines examining our hearts Discussing each intention and all parts That haâ—e a working faculty Euen he That well approues of morall poesie He that confirmes the motions of our minde And breath 's vpon them if to good inclinde Let not sin-tempting wanton Meremaids rest Without due censure who with naked brest Attractiue eye and garish Complement Ensnare our fond vnâ—ary Innocent These are those Babell publique prostitutes Lures to damnation Romane Catamites Inuentresses of pleasures pensiue still To doe what 's good but frolike to doe ill O London how thy Vanity abounds Glorying in that which thy renowne confounds Traduced fashions from the Dutch to French From French to Spanish and not longer since Then yesterday blush at thy sinne for shame That Albion by thy meanes should â—ose her name And habit too see see how farre thou' rt gone Beyond thy selfe that therer's no fashion knowne In forraine Courts deform'd howsoere it be But by transportance it doth come to thee Lasse how immodest art thou to expresse Thy selfe so much by others fashions lesse How strangely Metamorphis'd to partake For Angells forme the most deformed shape That Countries can bring out ô pittie t is That Albions much admir'd Metropolis Should make those which admir'd her now to hate Her vaine condition introduc'd by state Too plentifull Here you Hesperian wits May you haue subiect more then well befits A modest pen for nere was any time More prone to ill no Region countrey clime Prouince Isle Regiment so truly blest With all earths bounties yet hath lesse exprest Of gratitude here Satirists resort And make an ample coment on the Court VVhere thou shalt write som's wanton others vaine Ambitious some others doe couet gaine By seruile meanes some beggars yet who darâ— VVrite in these daies that any such there are Then my sharp tooth'd Satire frame thy ditty In the same forme vnrip the Crimes of'th Citty VVith a sterne brow tell the purple Magistrate How he has rais'd himselfe to great estate By others ruine such as Mercers are Tell them darke shops haue got away ill ware Such as be Gold-smiths and are dangerous Call them the Siluer-smith of Ephesus Long liue Diana but no longer then By their Diana they doe reape a gaine Such as be Brokers tell them their profession Is not to be a knaue o' th first edition But as those garments which are brought to them Vse to be worne before by other men Euen so they broke their vices and receiue Som crimes wrapt vp i' th garmeÌ„ts which they haue Tell them of Wapping bid them thankfull be That there is Iustice had for Piracie For if that were not it may well be said Many their shops would be vnfurnished But in the Country now my Muse shall be For brooke shee 'le not a Brokers Company Here shalt thou see th'picture of Auarice Thin-cheek'd râ—w-bon'd faint-breath and hollow-eyeâ— Nose-dropping rhâ—wme-destilling driueling mouth Hand-shaking haire down-falling thâ—misers cough Legs goutie knees vnweldy hand on cruch Eies in his bosome gasing on his pouch His labour torment rest he cannot take VVhen all are sleeping he is forc't to wake His Eies are euer ope for riches keepe His eies vnclosed The miser cannot sleepe He 's his owne anguish such an impious elfe That 's ill to all but worst vnto himselfe He has not bookes whereon to meditate Onely a debt booke and an Alminake The one 's for forfeitures where he will pore And daie by day trauers them ore and ore Th'oâ—her's his Enterlude that yeelds him mirth Seeing predictions of the next yeeres dearth Hope of a deerer Sommer then last was Vnseasoned haruest O these hopes surpasse All others Heere the Miser sets his eie And when he does these strange prenotions spie He kisses th'booke sweares the profession's rare And wishes all hee reades such subiects were This Cormorant engrosseth all his graine Makes his barnes greater by a secret traine Brings ore his neighbours sonne to set his hand Vnto a sale and so ioynes land to land This wicked vlcer that corrupts the state Nere thinkes of death till that it be too laâ—e His gold 's his God yet vse it cannot he But in expression of his miserie Which puts the poore Miser to a double paine By telling it and putting't vp againe But now my nimble Satyre for to thee Tends this impolisht peece of poesie How wilt thou taxe or where wilt thou begin With thy tart phrase to stinge and nettle him Thou must be bitter for in greatest grieues And festered wounds we vse no lenitiues To mollefie but corrasiues to gall And of all griefes this is the great'st of all By it we are degenerate and liue As such as can receiue but cannot giue To Nature competence Come my deare Mate I le tell thee how to cure their desperate state Which in few words least that thy memory faile I le speake my minde vnto thee in a tale It chaunc't vpon a time and well might be For such like chances fall-on miserie A pinch-gut Miser fell extreamely sicke So as at last his Conscience gan to pricke And tell him of 's oppression wheresoere He turn'd his eyes he saw damnation there Sleepe could he not his sicknesse was too great Nor hope for ought his conscience did so threate And terrifie his soule thus lay this wretch Poore in his spirit though to the world rich Faine would he oft desire himselfe confest But cause he was falne out with Parish priest About a Tith-pigge he deferr'd the time And would in no case suffer this Diuine To
all are summon'd fore that seat It 's better to be good then to be great For then as well it may be vnderstood They onely shall be great that are found good But thou wilt aske is there no comfort else Yes that there is thy daily labour tells There 's a reward of glory that 's reseru'd For such as haue their Maister duely seru'd In their vocation there 's a penny too Which though it be not giuen vnto thee now Yet be assur'd for he that spoke't is true When th' euening comes thou shalt receiue thy due And though thou seeme a little while to stay Doe not repine it 's th' euening crownes the day Wouldst know what I by th' Euening doe intend I meane the sun-set of thy life or end Of all thy pilgrime daies which though they bee A very death or Martyrdome to thee So little ioy conceau's thou vpon earth Yet wil thy Comicke end include thy mirth VVhen from this Vale of labour and of care Thou shalt vnto a mount of ioy repaire VVhen from this floting Sea this fading cell Thou shalt depart and with thy Sauiour dwell Yea on thy death-bed thou art comforted Thinking how truly thou hast laboured How many carefull nights thou hast orepast VVithout the least of rest how thy repast VVas not delighfull feeding with excesse But th' bread thou eate was mixt with carefulnesse Noe houre without affliction or some griefe And now to finde to all thy woes reliefe It may no little solace the when th' end Of discontents shall bring thee to a friend That will in armes of charitie receiue thee Where beeing lodg'd no woe no want can grieue thee Happy translation and by so much more In that those Lordings which triumph'd before And plaid vpon thy weakenesse now shall stand To th' doome which those oppressors of the land Are subiect to tell me poore wormeling then What difference there will bee twixt thee and them Great were they heere indeed and did resemble Those Bulls of Basan yet see how they tremble How quicke their powerfull greatnesse is made small For little is their pompe or none at all See see these Cedars now are strucke with thunder And thogh they once sate high their now broght vnder Those glorious titles which gaue wings to pride Those gorgeous buildings made them deifide Those many state-attendants more or lesse Like Sommer-Swallows following their successe Are vanish't ruin'd and dispersed quite Ther 's none of these can come into their sight Yea which is worse in-steed of Eminence There is an enemy called Conscience That still disturbs their quiet and their rest VVhich if at peace there were continuall feast But that 's impossible such meanes as these Haue in themselues a thousand Witnesses And these poore snakes cause they did heere contemn them Shall with their Conscience stand there to condemne theÌ„ VVhere that same place they are appointed to Shall Tophet be their word yee cursed goe Thou seest then no difference doth appeare Twixt thou and them saue onely when you 're heere A little garish vanity there is Which doth include that happinesse of his Who seemes so popular yet thou shalt see From thence is drawne his greatest miserie For tell me doth no that externall state Make him forget whereto he was create Doth 't not be â—ull his soule in sinnes delights Not knowing how the flesh gainst spirit fights VVhereby he comes which is the worst of all To bring his reason to his senses thrall Yea I haue heard of many great mens end So full of feare and horrour as God send Me lesse delights on earth so I may haue A quiet easie passage to my graue For reason doth informe me rare it is That earths delight should bring a man to blisse More could I speake to comfort thy distresse And more I was determinde I confesse To insist on thy affliction but I found By my Experience this especiall ground Held euer firme when we doe comforts tutch Such is mans nature he will take too much Rather then too too little yea it s sed More haue through store of comforts surfeted Theâ— such as from all outward solace pâ—nt Haue famisht been through inward discontent With Gedeons souldier therefore prest I am Rather to lap and like a Ionathan To tutch the hony onely with my rod Then on this subiect make too long aboad Which that I may from comfort I le descend To faults in the which I would gladly mend That God commands from whoÌ„ proceeds all power Let each be subiect to 's Superiour For it would breed confusion in the Land If people did admit of no commaund But like a Platoes Common-wealth should be Subiect to none but in equalitie Therefore that Lord who of his grace doth loue vs Hath ranked some below vs some aboue vs. Aboue vs that we might be caution'd thence To shew vnto them due obedience Below vs that we might thereby expresse To them our loue to God our thankefulnesse Our loue that we might our affection show In loue to them that ranked are so low Our thankefulnesse that we should more receiue Then other some that more deserued haue Againe aboue vs to acknowledge here Without that power aboue how weake we are Below vs that if we vnhappy Elues Should grudge to see som greater then our selues By seeing these wee might suppose they 're sent By their degree to bid vs be content In this same decent comly order then Of high and low great and inferiour men Thou ranked art nor richest nor most pore For thou seest many goe from dore to dore Whose scrips their store whose wallet is their wealth Whose staffe's their stay whose treasure is their health Now in thy ranke there 's many things I wish Thou wouldst reforme which I doe see amisse As first for all thy pouerty and want Thou hast a disposition arrogant Rash heady-selfe-wild prouder then thy state Can well beare out extreamely obstinate Foolishly peremptory saucy with all Besides I see in thee I must tell all A factious wauering nature apt to rise Through discontent in any enterprise A very Iack Straw or a custome asâ—e Alleadging such records as neuer was A pest ' lent member to the Kingdomes quiet Prone to diuision enmity and riot Sower of discord selfe-conceitedly Wise yet I cannot weâ—l imagine why Yea I haue seene some of thy crew to gather Like wild-geese for the wagging of a feather Making strange combinations which did tend Still to their owne subuersion in the end Some Terme agoe on one I chanct to light Was come to towne to trie his tenant-right With whom discoursing he impart'd to me Mongst other things how most iniuriously He and the rest which held one tenure there About their state or title troubled were And therewithall alleadgd that he could show Customes and discords so he said enough And that from Noahs indignation when Of all the world there were but left 8 men No this is true quoth he I will assure
adore their golde Hence is 't the impious to perdition solde Hence Sacriledge a priuiledge obtaines Hence th'sneking Lawyer by his Clyent gaines Hence th'Politician what so ere befall Will to his trade and shew a Machiuell Hence imposts rise extortions violence Graced by men that haue most eminence Hence Sergeants walk vnfroÌ„ted though they know it No friend is worse then Sergeant to a Poet. Hence painted faces like ill wine in caske Shrow'd their deform'd complexions vnder maske Hence curious Courtiers gorgeously arrayd Weare more vpon their backe then ere was paide Hence th'baudie Pandor seruile to his whore And hence the Baude that keeps the traders dore Hence base informers take their borrowed light Liuing like Owles that vse to flie by night Hence wanton Prodigals that spend their state And 'gin repentance when it is too late Hence young and old hence each in their degree Challenge to them a due Monopolie O how Miueruas temple's now disgrac't By th'skum of Poetry she that was plac't Once like th' Ephesian Queene in a pure shrine Of honour and delight now 's forc't to pine And languish in her bewty being deprest By such men most whom she suspecteth lest Vnpiniond Muses such as nere could flie Further then vnplum'd birds now presse as high As Eagles which by the Colour you mâ—y know As eminent and cleere as Flaccus Crow These steale selected flowres from others wit And yet protest their nature brookes not it They are for both so inuented by their art Making their pen the displayer of their heart They brooke no Brocage yet has workes in presse VVhich they are guilâ—lesse of but this were lesse VVorthy reproofe if in their gleaned lines Like our age Criticks they would curbe these times For peâ—ulancie but so vaine be they As they runne still in that high beaten way Of errour by directing men amisse Penning whole volumes of licentiousnesse Descanting on my Ladies Rosie lip Her Cinthian eie her bending front her trip Her bodies motion â—otion of her time All which they weaue vp in a baudy Rime For since there 's no obseruance Accent neither Sith sence and accent seldome goe together O what aspersions doe these lay on her VVho beares the onely natiue character Of her deere issues merit shee I meane VVithout whose nourishment we had not been She without whose embrace the solid earth Had quite interr'd the honour of our birth She without whom we haue no biding place No mansion no repose she by whose grace We are inhabitants planted in rest Sucking pure milke out of her tender brest She whos 's our Guardian gouerning our state Shoring our weaknesse arming vs 'gainst fate Guiding our path-lesse passage brething life Into our dulnesse midâ—ating strife Because a peacefull mother chering vs With folace when deprest tricking our Muse VVith seemly subiects that whil'st shepheards sing Of rurall pastimes midst their sonneting The grauer ranke might compositions make Not for themselues but for their countries sake Alasse poore countrie where is all that store Of diuine wits that thou hast bred before VVhere is that Quint-essence of poesie That in fore-times was wont to breath on thee Like a coole Zephirus Hybles pure mount Renowm'd in former ages and that Fount Of sacred Castalie lie desolate For they with theirs haue lost their former state Of Greatnesse no proportion nor no flower Decks with a dasie Border that sweet Bower Where Cinthia vs'd to reuell but as th'port Of house-keeping is now transport'd to Court Leauing their Country-houses which men looke And gase at long ere they can see them smoke So fruitfull Hesperie which vs'd to be The Ren-de uou for sacred poesie Lâ—uing to be her selfe shuts vp her dore Hence is the bankrout poet becom'd poore Hence is 't hee 's forc't to write not for the ease Of his owne minde but as his Patrons please Hence i st that errors must be Vertues deem'd Because poore Poet it s by Fate ordain'd That if he will not humour he must sterue For Great-men loue not heare what they deserue How iealous be our times of their deserts When they suppresse the eminence of arts Making them speechlesse whereas we do see If persons were dispos'd as they should be Their sincere conscience like a brazen wall Might beare them vp what euer should befall Then might our Satyre mixe his inke with gal But with his mixture do no hurt at all Then might our scepticke giue his iudgement free yet do small harme to mens integritie Then might the Lawyer pleade without offence Not feare his Conscience with a faire pretence Of doing good when his corrupted will Vnder pretence of good acts what is ill Then might the diuels Factors liue like men That haue a god nor for the hundred ten Receiuing with aduantage need'd they pay A greater summe at that same latter daie VVhen due accompts are had◠ô vsurie That art the Cities scourge how much haâ—e we Occasion to proseribe thee from our land Since by thy meanes haue we felt heauens hand More heauy and reuenging then before VVhose wrath has vialls euer laid in store To punish impious men it s thou fowle sin Which hast hal'd downe the infection we haue seene Rage in this famous I le it s thou whose hight Haâ—h turn'd our day of comfort to a night Of grâ—at affliction for who more can be Afflicted in himselfe then inwardly Feeling the worme of Conscience gnawing him Torment consorting with that birth of sinne VVherein he 's nurtured alas poore I le That thou shouldst foster such as do defile Thy once renowmed borders with the hate Of a supernall power making thy state Pray to oppression vassalling thy fame VVhich once was glorious to thy odious name Of miserie Great Albion now is growne Poore in her selfe because what is her owne She cannot vse but in depraued wise Makes her selfe subiect to all forraine eyes As vices spectacle ô that the blisse VVhich we enioy by minds Synderysis Th' refined part of man should soyled be By th' worst of ils the staine of vsury And who 'le inueigh against it few or none For miser Nature hardly leaues vs one That can securely speake against this ill So generall is the poison of our will For deere Pernassus now is so opprest It dare not speake for feare that interest Should be demaunded by the Vsurer To whom it stands engag'd this is the fate That Poets haue to leaue more wit then state To their posteritie ô impious time When worst of Fortune followes wits diuine VVhen noble actions motiue in their spirit Can leaue nought to their Issue to inherit Saue their poore fathers papers monuments Scarce worth respect how weakes the Element VVhich Poets are compos'd of when one frowne Sent from a great mans visage can keepe downe Their best inuention silly poesie That though free borne art forc't to slauery And vndeseru'd subiection pittie it is That best of merit should shut vp her wish And dew expectance in no other bookâ— Saue
minister due comfort to his sâ—ate All woeâ— begone so great was th' Misers haâ—e For though he were afflicted yet would he Vp-braide the Parson full irreuerently Calling him hedge priest belly-god nay â—orâ— That like a Thiefe he came not in at dore But in at windowe to his Beneâ—ice And that he knew the practice and deuice Of him and 's Patron who that th' law might 〈◊〉 Dispensed with in case of Symonie Sold him a horse that whatsoere should faâ—â— The price might pay for th' Benefice and all This would he say concluding merrily Sir Priest you come more for my pigge then me Silent the Parson was for well he knew The Miser spoke no more then what was true Onely he wisht such neighbours as he had Present to pray for him for he was mad And that by all appearance it was like That his disease had made him lunatickes Thus euery day his sicknesse did encrease Bereâ—t of comfort consciencâ— sweetest peace Without all hope of health or here or there For th'worm of conscience follows euery where There 's no euasion left where ere we goe She will attend vs in our weale and woe You heard confest he would by as t is true A miser loues not him that craues his due So to such men this censure stands for iust They loue their Conscience rest lesse then their ruâ—t What should he doe the Pardon now is gone And he vnto himselfe is left alone T' expostulate with death his sinnes did grieue hiâ— But now the most when all his friends do leaue him Torment belowe iudgement he sees aboue Witnesse within him that will duly proue What he has done on earth thus all in one Make vp a consort in his dying mone Yet as a ship ore-burdend with her freight Sinking before sayls brauely being made light Or as the Ocean beats from shelfe to shelfe Sea-sicke god-wot till she hath purg'd herselfe So this sur-charged soule rowl's here and there And yet to comfort is no whit the neere Till that same laâ—tage of corruption be Exempted quite then sleepes she quietly Confesse he must but to no Priest that 's vaine But vnto one cleere of another straine Shall I tell Satire yes thou needs must know it And this he was a thrid-bare neighbouring Poet Who after dew confession made to him Of euery act and each peculiar â—inne Extortion Violence and Iniurie Pressing of Orphanes biting vsurie Forfeitures taken forged bills at last He makes confession how a Poet past His pikes who once was of a faire estate But after had no prospect but a grate O quoth the Poet that was ill in you O quoth the Miser I doe know its true But with remorce I now lament his fall Which 'mongst the rest afflictâ— me most of all Wherefore good Sir poure out your prayers for me That in distast of my impiety Languishing sore I may be cheerd in state Dying in hope that now lies desperate The faire conditio'nd Poet though he had heard How ill his owne profession got reward By this hard-harted Miser yet did he Scorne his reuenge should in affliction be Streight he retires himselfe a pretty space Chusing for 's Orisons a priuate place VVhich being done to cheere the drooping man VVith hands heau'd vp his praiers he thus began Powerfull Iehouah King of Heauen and Earth That giu'st to all things liuing life and bâ—rth Thou that protects each thing which thou hast made And so preseru's it as it cannot fade Before the time prefin'd thou that wilt haue Mercy on such as thou dost meane to saue Looke in this wretch that lies all woe begon If so thou thinke hee s worthy looking on Great is thy mercy so it needs must be If thou wilt saue such Miserâ—ants as he But what thou meanes to doe he faine would know Wâ—ether he must ascend or fall below That he prouision may according make And fit himselfe for th'Voyage he must take For if to heauen he needs the lesse prepare Because he knowes all needfull things be there But much he fear'd and so feare other some Mongst which my selfe that there be nere shall come But if to hell the likelier place o' th two He does desire that thou wouldst this allow He may haue so much respite as prepare The Bonds of all such Prodigalls be there That what he could not cancell here so well On earth may there be cancelled in hell The cause is this as it to me appeares Lest that those spend-thrifâ—s fall about his eares When they shall see him which that he may stay He 'le cancell th' Bonds though 't be long after day Or this 's the cause as he was impious here He meanes to proue an honest Deuill there That Time to Times-successors may bring forth Hell made him better then he was on Earth Much more he praide but I doe rather chuse Satyre to make of all his praiers an vse That when the vse shall well expressed be Thou maist apply the Benefit to thee Sir quoth the Poet I my praiers haue made Haue you replyed he as one dismayed Yes sir and by them so my zeale enforc't As I preuaild though it was long time first For know an apparision came to me VVith a shrill voice which bad me say to thee If thou wile first a restitution make And render vp what thou by Fraud didst take From any man but chiefly what thou tooke From th'Poet next deliuer vp thy booke Of all Accounts great'st cause of thy despaire To thy Confessour and make him thy heyre Thou shalt haue health for this it bad me tell But if thou wilt not thou art markt for hell For Hell no marry Iâ— take keyes and state I will not buy wealth at so deere a rate If thou my pretty Satyre couldst reclayme A miser thus I 'de thanke thee for the same But all too long I haue enforc't thee stay Vice calleth thee and Time drawes me away An Epigramme called the Ciuill Deuell IT chanc't one euening as I went abroad To cheere my cares and take away my loads Of disagreeing passions which were bred By the distemper of a troubled head Midst of my walke spying an Allye doore Which I protest I neuer spied before I entred in and being entred in I found the entry was to th' house of sinne Yet much I wondred how sin there could be Where th'sinnes protectresse show'd most modestâ— A ciuill matron lisping with sorsooth As one that had not heart to sweare an oath In Graue attire French hood all Frencheside For she had some-thing more of French beside Her outward rayment in a loose-gowne made Right after fashion with a countnance staid And which is stranger shamefast her Iaboord Like a young nouice letcher making each word A protestation she that knew'th deuice T' ensnare a greene wit seem'd wondrous â—iâ—e Reprouing of my errour Sir I am For thus she tooke me vp wife to a man Of due respect one that has office borne Twice in the Citty therefore
streame Where th'foord's at lowest recollect to minde His noble image and in it thou 'l finde Such singular impressions of reguard As I doe thinke thou 'l honourt ' afterward VVhen thou obseru's ther 's nothing that 's in him VVas not before in Christ excepting sinne O then refine the ayme of thy intents In raising rents thinke on thy Sauiours rents In taking of aduantage thinke on this If God aduantage take for each amisse In what a case wert thou how woe-begon That of a thousand cannot answer one If thou to grieue Gods little ones begin Thinke therewithall that thou art grieuing him VVho in his mercy hares the widdowes crie And in his pitty wipes the Orphanes eye VVhich thou hast cause to thinke on so much rather Sith God's the widdows Iudge the orphans Father And though earths Iustice be of th'second sight Yet hee 's so iust hee 'l doe the poorest right But if mans Image which were strange should faile VVith thy remorselesse conscience to preuaile From that transparent Mirror I le descend Though it may seeme in it to comprehend All humane glory yea I may say more The forme of God which he assum'd before Vnto that due obseruance or that care VVhereby we come to acknowledge what we are Man 's of a substance meane hauing his birth As his first natiue Mother from frayle Earth Brittle's his composition and so weake Be his resolues as hee can vndertake Nought with so firme a purpose as may stand Or will not change with th'turning of a hand His health 's a stranger to him for when most It seemeth with him it is soonest lost For his abiding hee 's as in a Tent VVherein hee s militant not permanent The world 's his campe his profest enemies VVherewith he is to grapple they be these The turbulent affections of his mind Which euery houre is seuerally inclin'd The goale which he doth ayme at or th'reward After the fight hee lookes for after-ward Thus thou may see in this same earthly cell Though dwell we seeme indeed we doe not dwell But foiourne It s no mansion but an Inne Syons our home this pilgrimage is sinne As for our states we are but leacers all And shall be put off when hee 's pleasd to call Yea I may rather say and not amisse VVe are the Lessees he the Lessour is And howsoere our Lands-Lords make accompt They 'r but inferiour Lords hee 's Paramount Then if thou wilt but duely looke vpon 't Thy tenure stands vpon a tickle point Yea I doe find thy state not worth a straw If I haue any iudgement in the law And why shouldst thou bring poore men into suit Sith thou thy selfe hast no state absolute But for thy terme of life so as methinks VVhen that French gibberish to my braine-pan sinks VVhere Iohn a Stiles and 's neighbour Iohn an Okes VVith many other Law-baptized folkes Are brought in seaz'd of land as they doe finde In Burrow English Soccage Gauell-kinde Fee-tayle fee-simple it oft seemes to me These Lawyers are the simplest men that be Who are perswaded and would haue vs too But let 's discent from them there 's fools enough That of al states and Tenures are possest Or can bee had Fee-Simple is the best Whereas I thinke if well they vnderstood What specially concern'd them and their good They would conclude Fee-simple will not doe A double-Fee is better of the two If we could find indeed a difference In th'liues of th' tenures then there were some sence To say that such a tenure were the strongest Because by it the Tennant liues the longest But tell me are not all estates that be Subiect alike to mutability To the possessour you will say they are If vnto him why should we further care Since as the Prouerbe is when he is gone The world 's gone with him as all in One O then thou Earth-bred worme why shouldest thou vant As if thou wert a Lord praedominant Why shouldst triumph ore th'meaner sort of men Since thour' t composd of one selfe Mould with thē Thou art but Adams sonne and so are they Both of you fram'd and fashion'd of one clay Both haue one image then compassion take If not for them yet for their image sake For though thou canst not one good looke affoord To these poore snakes they 'r deere vnto the Lord As is thy selfe as pretious in Gods eies Bought and redeemed with as great a price And though there be twixt Substitutes and Kings Superiour states and lower vnderlings A difference in the world yet there shall Twixt them in heauen no difference be at all Onely what 's good shall approbation haue With King and subiect conquerer and slaue O then receiue the bowells of compassion And beare like mind as thou dost beare like fashion Let thy vnrighteous Mammon get thee friends That when thy pilgrime daies of Labour ends Thou may possesse a glorious heritage After the period of this pilgrimage My lessons are but short pray then remember As thou the welfare of thy soule dost tender The best of vs are tennants but at will And stand in hazard of disseisure still And though our states seeme firmer then the rest They are vncertaine tenures at the best In briefe thou earthly Lands-lord striue to be As thou wouldst haue Heauens Lands-lord towards thee Not too extreame thou knowst the doome is giuen That not extortioner shall enter Heauen Resolue what thou wilt doe for though it grieue me To leaue thee yet I am enforc't to leaue thee And turne vnto thy Tennant who dismaide Stands heere at doore to heare what I haue said To the Tennant howsoeuer WHat state soeuer thou art seazed on Or in what Tenure thou dost hold vpon I l'e now addresse my speech in briefe to thee Wherein I ayme in part to comfort thee In part to rectifie what may seeme ill In thy peruerse and vn-conformed will That in them both for th' loue which I doe owe To him thou represents I may so show That deere affection which we 're bound to beare To one another while we soiourne heere As when an end of all our sorrowes are Reduc'd to one set period and our care Shall haue a finall end what I haue done In loue may be approu'd when I am gone To moue thee vnto comfort in a word I 'le vse th'perswasion which I gaue thy Lord To humble his ambicious spirit when I told him of the different state of Men How in the eyes of men indeed they were Esteemed great but when they should appeare Before that high Tribunall where all should Though if they might auoid it many would Make their appearance then the great should know They were no more respected then the low One aduocate one Iudge one barre one triall Conscience the onely difference when Deniall Seald with abite or th' accursed doome Or th'inuitation with Venite come Shall in that generall iudgement there expresse Or weale or woe or hell or happinesse So as when