Dr. Pierce HIS PREACHING Confuted by HIS PRACTICE. Sent in a Letter by N. G. to a Friend in LONDON.  
Dear George,  
I Send thee a Copy of the Lampoon upon the Precedent of Maudlin's, that you may see at what distance his Court-preaching stands with his College-practice. For there he twitted the Romanists with I know not what Novelties both of Doctrine and Practice cunningly brought into the Church; whilst here, by a tyrannical and arbitrary way of Governing, he puts down all the good old Customs which seemed fit to be preserved by his Predecessors, (some whereof were as good, and others better than himself) and, under pretence of Reformation, hath innovated more in a year and half, than the Romanists had done in many Ages. What his Innovations are I need not say here in Prose; thou wilt find in great part they are told in Verse: whereof but five or six Stanza's were proclaimed on Act-Monday by Mr. Brookes of Christs-Church, than whom in many years there has not been a more courageous, or a more comical, Terrae-filius. But his most execrable Novelty was his imperious way of Proceeding against Harry Yerbury; who (for all his Degree, and his Sufferings for the King 1648, his great Ingenuity, and civil Carriage) was not only put out of Commons like a Boy, for I know not what Peccadillo's called Verba brigosa; but cast out of the College like any Dog, for but appealing to the Visitor from such Correction. Now to scare our own Governors from presuming to deal with us, as the Statute-monger of Maudlin's dealt with him, be sure to publish this Ballad as far and wide as thou canst, so thou beest but so honest as to hush up the Name of  
Thy affectionate Servant, N. G.   


NEar to the Ford, o'er which an Ass  
Or an Ox at least did pass,  
And where the once-blessed, Magdalen  
A sinner is possessed again,  
The man that sets up Innovation  
By th' primitive Rule of Reformation,  
And preached down Popery too, in hope  
To be in time Himself a Pope,  
Makes new Religious Modes to grow,  
Which from the Beginning were nothing so.   

Demyes, and Fellows too, they say,  
Are in the Chapel brought to pray,  
As often as the Organs blow;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

The Founder's Laws are so set up,  
That Scholars, when they dine and sup,  
Must bandy Latin to and fro;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

The tree, which Walnuts forth did shoot,  
Is voted down both branch and root:  
And where Bowls ran, there Turnips grow;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

Demyships, which were bought and sold,  
Cannot now be had for Gold;  
And things called Merits, currant go;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

Fellowships eke are nothing worth,  
Which eightscore Pieces did bring forth,  
And a Gratuity too, I trow;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

A Bellyful now for a Feast must suffice,  
Whilst by an abatement of Plumbroth and Pies  
Men are taught to be temperate; but yet we know  
That from the beginning it was not so.   

Depraved manners now must be  
Reformed by Easter-scrutiny,  
Where none must his Accuser know;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

In time of Term 'tis lately said,  
That weekly Preachments must be made  
Whether the Preacher will or no;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

Gold is now wrested from the Fists  
Of all the late Spurroyallists  
Sent Prisoners to th' Tower, as though  
From the beginning it had been so.   

The Grammar-school hath also cause  
To say, New Lords do make new Laws,  
Though Busby's followers needs must know  
That from the beginning it was not so.   

Amongst the other Modern fashions  
All men are brought to Disputations,  
Both great and small, from top to toe;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

If a good Fellow be Maudlin drunk,  
Speak Verba brigosa, or keep a Punk,  
He strait must out of Commons go;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   

If thereupon he make Appeals  
For having fasted all those Meals,  
He never must have Commons moe;  
But from the beginning it was not so.   
FINIS.