A Congratulation, In Honour of the Annual Festival of the Lords, Knights, Esq and Yeomanry of the County of Hertford, at Merchant Tailor's Hall, on Thursday Sept. 6. 1655.  

WInged with zeal, and love, I hither bring,  
Unto your Feast, an humble offering,  
As a just Tribute, due to you that are,  
The Columns that sustain good Hertford-shire,  
The union of your Country, the Cause that we,  
Thus pay our vows to your Solemnity.   

But whence should I assume Prophetic Rage  
Rapt up in Sacred fury to Presage,  
Your happy Omens, 'Tis your loves inspire  
My humble muse with this Etherial fire:  
My frosty soul; so as promaethian heat  
Gives my cold Clay a warmth, or birth as great  
As is my Countries Crop; your Sunlike Eyes  
First fired my heart offered you sacrifice.   

Burning in zeal, better than pounds of Gums  
Or Altars smoking with fat Hecatombs:  
Which you (I hope) like Charity of Heaven  
Accept my grain of Incense, that is given  
For to unite you, in this mutual love  
Equal unto those knowing powers above.    

The true Description of the County of Hertford, with a Character of the People, their Manners, and Conditions, formerly written by some ancient Chronologers.  
THe Country is Champion, the Air temperate and healthful, the Soil fertile, and very plentiful, Especially for wheat and Barley; it having 19 Market Towns, and 120. Parish Churches, One main River, (besides divers Rivulets) Bridges 24. Parks 23. The people of this County are generally of Noble dispositions, Courteous and generous, but chiesly noted for true heartedness, valour, and fidelity, Even by Julius Caeser himself who held them in great veneration, sufficiently having made trial of them in his wars against the Picts and Scots and other invaders of this Nation. There have been 3 Bloody and Mortal Battles fought in this Country; The first at St Alban's, May 23. 1455. between Richard Duke of York, and the Earl of Warick. The second at St. Alban's Feb. 17. 1461. by Queen Margaret against the Duke of Norfolk and Suffolk. The third, at Barnet 14. April 1477, between K. Herald etc.   


I hope you cannot think that there can be  
In me (dear SIRS!) the seeds of flattery;  
I were unworthy, if I would not sing  
My countries' Worth; and when I touch a string  
Of my Phaebeian Lyre,  Daph●● shall  
Tender her Bays to deck your Festival;  
Devoted to your merit, Bacchus then  
Shall with his Richest Nectar swelling pen  
Endue more, with such wine, as I do think  
At least do wish, that you yourselves may drink;  
Then pray, that many years, your feasts made even  
In mutual love, you all may feast in Heaven.   
Which are the Cordial desires of your unworthy Countryman, JOHN CROUCH.  
The Steward's names for this present feast 1655. are these Gentlemen following, 

Mr William Thomson  
Mr John Berresford  
Mr John Ellis  
Mr Robert Thomson  
Mr Robert Waller  
Mr Josoph Sibley  
Mr Robert Brisco  
Mr Thomus Bateman  
Mr William Lee  
Mr Richard Mead  
Mr William Robinson  
Mr Robert Warner.