A WELCOME IN A POEM To His Excellency John Lord Robert's Baron of Truro, Lord Lieutenant General, and General Governor of Ireland; my most Noble Patron, etc. At his Royal Entry into the Castle of Dublin. BY Lieut. Coll. VV. M. Seria mixta jocis. DUBLIN, Printed by josiah Windsor, for Robert Howes, Bookseller in Castle-street, 1669. In place of the FRONTISPIECE. Upon this page I thought to place His Excellence Effigies, Of Liniaments so right and r●●e, That all should say the life lay there. The piece that made the sparrows pick, Was not accounted near so quick, As I believed that this should be, Or of such excellent degree. But then assoon as e'er I saw The workman would his hand withdraw, And that things so were understood, I thought his draughts would do no good, So put (supplying of the place) Sonnets for his Effigies, Perceiving that the Pencils art, His Pourtraicture could not impart, His mind's a Magazine of grace, And that's apparent in his face. If so? then who hath hands or wit, Or learning to illustrate i●? The endless Emblem of a Ring Illustrates only such a thing, Rings have no end you will allow, His virtues all are endless too. Read then this reason, and go on, Better a bad excuse than none. And let me leave this empty place, For Zeuxes to attempt the face. I See no workman willing for to fall, To work upon this Hero's face at all▪ But though the pencil cannot paint a span, My pen shall paint it as well as I can. Figures can not such numbers lay, so long Men may mistake, but words will not go wrong. Considering such, and in so strict a case, Reverence thering which should surround the face. Ring. How can the compass of a Ring Contain the Image of a king? Whose Image, of Divine Contents, His Maker's Image represents. It can not (not man must say so) More than an end is in this O. But see his shadows admit you might, ●is substance is far finer sight, Which in some sort is sung by me, Within this welcome, come and see. Put then some pages here apart, And read his welcome with your heart. I laboured long enough to fill This blank, believe me if you will, And wished the workman to take care, To do his duty to a hair, In handling his Effigies, He said he understood the case, So still he stamped a stately thing, That to the life looked like the King, And then when I would tell him that, He asked me, what I would be at? Assuring me it must so be, The Image of His Majesty, What first he wrought, he would defate, And then begin again to get The graven Image, said, in reason, King Charles could not call it treason. But finding him affected so, I took my book, and bade him go, And left the blank ev'nas before Forboth of us could do no more. Then we his mind would modellize, Which vexed us worse by ten degrees▪ So prayed Apelles with his wit, To try his skill, contriving it, But mind nor body could he bring within the compass of a Ring. Then we three threw the things away Wherewith we wrought, but I did say, I shall afford for my offence, A welcome for his Excellence. Within this Welcome will appear Mistakes, and twenty faults I fear. But I'll excuse no crime into it, Let scribimus indocti do it. Verbum Sapienti, OR, MERCERS Muse making Melody, in a WELCOME To His Excellency John Lord Robert's Baron of Truro, Lord Lieutenant General, and General Governor of Ireland, my most Noble Patron, etc. Ovid. Principlis obsla, sero medicina paratur, Cum mala per longas invaluere moras. Englished thus, Kill Cockatrices early in the egg, If sickness seize, than Galen may go beg. Or thus, With timely care, kill Cankerworms, that eat, Your erterprises, and destroy the State. By a Lover of the Muses Lieut. Coll. William Mercer. DUBLIN, Printed by josiah 〈◊〉 for Robert Hewes, Bookseller 〈…〉 1669. Epistle Dedicatory. May it please your Excellency, NO Indian Ore, of precious stones, or gold, Have I to give, or if I had? you would Not value such, my gift gives greater price, First welcomes you, than gives you good advice, Within few words, and lo my lines do bring Unfeigned affection, that's a sacred thing. I also offer by some things I add, A fair forewarning to debar the bad, But how the bad shall from the better be Discerned, that secret lies asleep with me. If things ensue, which here I seem to smother? Say that a fool said so when you came hither. I honour you, and wish your welfare too, And (if commanded) I know what to do. But for the present pray (Great Sir) proceed, Viewing your welcome, venture then to read, What more I say, and so I shall bring on The welcome with this Dedication. But left it be abused by base objection, I publish it upon my Lord's protection▪ For unto whom should I such duty do, Were I an Ovid only unto you, Whose valour weighs with Caesar's, and I say, Exceeds by so much as is seen to day. That prosperous Pompeius too in power, You parallel in pomp this present hour. Nations and cities in's days he did subdue, And so the same sure shall be said of you. He gained Armenia, Medeia, and Celicia, Mesopotamia, Raphlagonia, Cappadocia, But all by force, your Excellence not so, You gain by fairness wheresoever you go, Nor are your fortunes, nor your actions either, One jot inferior to Pompeius neither. Great treasures did his Victories transport To Rome: so could you also, Sir, in short Do (of your own to Dublin) and transcend The pomp for which they Pompeius commend; For he but conquered Kingdoms, purchased fame, And you compare with Pompeius in them. But then to put more pomp upon your plenty, Weigh with your Welcome Verbum sapienti. ANAGRAMS Upon the Noble Name of JOHN ROBERTS. Sob'r not hjer. John Lord Roberts. Trjs on bold'r Hero's. I'll ord'r hon'r best. Is bornet' hon'r. Rest noblj'r hon'rd. Sob'r not hjer, though in honour high, Heroic signs of true Nobility. Now signed and sealed this promise is expressed, As Lord Lieutenant I'll ord'r hon'r best. Trjon bold'r Heros, do nothing now remove at, In all attempts, Audaces fortuna juvat. Is borne t' hon'r in his Monarch's eye, And truly honoured by his Majesty. Rest noblj'r hon'rd, of himself said Cesar, So may my Lord say as much now as these are. These Anagrams and Name so well agree, Nor place, nor Name, nor letters, nothing free. ACROSTIC. I know not one (when I read all the Roll) O fall the wise Philosophers, the whole Have not so near a sympathy in things▪ Neither by Nature, nor what Fortune brings Like you (my Lord) Lo no man must deny us O fall your Lordship's likest to Pompeius▪ Read of his rare endowments, and I dare Directly say, your Excellence by far Rise to a higher magnitude of mind, Of wisdom, valour, fortune; yet I find▪ Better success. In Pompeius appeared Even then in all Philosophers, but heard Renowned ROBERTS, he disposed so Things in such sort, Pompeius Magnus, no, So flourished in afric for his fame, For all that they so Pompeius proclaim, As doth your Noble Excellence, but now I'm tied to Letters, knows not what to do▪ R. W. To the Curious READER. A Caveat. REader, remember what you have to do, And in whose presence you are pressing to, To whom you talk, nor do not you presume With hands profane, these say to assume, Dare not to take this Noble Name in vain, Nor do this welcome wilfully disdain. Although my weak invention, and my phrase Fall short by thousands to impart his praise, Yet blame me not▪ bewitched with this day, To write his Welcome as well as I may. For write who will, and write till they have won it. Yet I must spend my spark of fire upon it▪ What pen so proper punctually to pen The virtues of the worthiest of men, Whose word so well may be believed to be, Witness as one who with his eyes did see His Excellence so many months and years, To prove most prudent among England's Peers, His proof hath power his praises to proclaim, That viewed his worth, and well discerned the same▪ Let me then labour, though my lines are lame, The praise of our Pompeius to proclaim. Next bout shall be a bout, a Twelve month's time To tell three Nations Nequams in a rhyme. Till than I say, take timely notice now, Censure me slowly. Reader, that's for you. My meaning to Momus. THe dullest drone, whose wit will hardly weig● Adram of dust, which on the balance lie, That fool I say, before he fully looks, Can tell the Ploughman that the furrow crooks. But I could wish your wits to work were driven, To hold the plough, and place the furrow even. For you that read behind my back, must be Busy abusing both my Book and me. But I shall say, as did Diogenes do, Behind my back (be doing) beat me too. But better spare me (though you do reject My rhythms) and praise me for my Lord's respect. If I want wit, yet Critics must confess Beauty's Idea needs no new-fangled dress. Learning I lack, and I left all my skill With Mars half-murthered one day on a hill. Wherefore (as Coyduck) I would draw you in With your more lofty Elogium to begin, Because a quill snapped from some Fagles' wing, Sho●● pen his praise approved so by a King. Yet knows my Lord, allows no signs of show, Where such great value it within, O! no, Whence, sin●●● worth down-weigs what I can do, (If I had Homer 〈◊〉 to help me too) I must leave off, my Lord allows me not To put a pla●● where there is no spot. The Prologue. LEt passengers (for all their speed) espy Upon this page, Summa▪ Negotii. HEre is a perilous present offered up, A pill of poison in a precious cup, Many fair phrases, fair pretences too, And such things done, as all do overdo Thousands (in substance) brave embracements bring, But oh! the shadow far exceeds the thing, First writes a Welcome, Nemine contradicente, Then casts a caveat, Verbum sapienti, Where (in the first place) plainly you have here The pleasure, than the poison doth appear. Two things indeed, which though I draw them dark, A blind man's bolt can scarcely miss the mark: Secrets set open, AEdipus nor other Are useful here, one riddle reads another▪ It is the same, or as much as to say, A snare may snap the Phoenix for a prey. The WAY to the WELCOME. When we were crossed, then fried away our fat, Now we are blest, what will become of that? No Aedipus shall need to answer either. My Muse alone resolves the riddle rather. We were confounded formerly with cares, Now enters one can cure our fatal fears, For Pompeius Magnus proved not so victorious, Or great at Rome, as ROBERTS now is glorious, Whence you our comfort easily may scan, Comes from enjoying of so just a man, Then (overcharged by chance) how can I choose, But ask assistance for my murdered Muse? To write a Welcome for a man so rare, Who, fitly, with Pompeius I compare. I must invoke the sacred Nine, but may Fall short by far, of what I think to say, Yet shall unto our Caesar seal my thought, Writ down his welcome, so my work is wrought. Then let the Nymphs, and all the Nine too, meet, And spend their spirits on this paper sheet. Let Helicon convey within my Quill Celestial drops down from Parnassus' Hill, That (sacred Power inspiring of my Pen) I may write welcome to the best of men. These then surrounding (circle-like) the centre Of my weak sense, I am resolved to venture With such assistance, so that now you shall See trembling hands take strength, and to it fall. I read of some, that went by water round The world, and I sailed far besouth the sound Myself, but see not such brave things; I say, As Dublin is demonstrating to day, Whose splendent pomp, since none can fashion fit Let me pen an Epitome of it, And since not said so well as it should be, Amend it then, mean time attend to me. Behold yet Phoebus reacheth out his rays, Affording time for such triumphs as these, Heaven also smiles, the Elements, and air, All creatures do contentedness declare. Prayers bring advantage when the prayers appear To have had audience in th' Almighty's ear. When fame took wings, and first with force the fly Throughout this Nation, none will now deny With what affections most men were inflamed Hearinged affirmed, your Excellence once aimed Your Monarches only, and immediate aid In Ireland, and see Banners once displayed By your appointment, to promote the peace With piety, in this distracted place, In hope whereof all elevated are, Both hearts and hands convening from asar To bid you welcome, and will venture too Their treasures, though they should themselves undo, To do their duty; nor dare I refuse To play my part in manner as my Muse Can compass things, contentment cannot come From my weak pen, yet I will point at some Who now are met, sincerely in the sense Of joy, enjoying of your Excellence. I must be active for to set things forth, So long a witness of your Lordship's worth, Only my Feather from an eagle's fan Should be plucked out to write of such a man. But O! I'm hurried, heaps are on my hand, So many thousands both by sea and land Are looking on, and scarcely will allow it, Or let me write, and yet they put me to it. Great Sir, then see, for you can hardly hear (The sight goes farther than the sense of ear) But first perceive the season of the year, Smiling to show how welcome you are here, And you may see, Sir, conduits, on that score, Wasting the wine, where water went before, And all that are fill pitchers too, with plenty, The Spanish grape gets not the name of dainty, They drink and dance, delighting so that they Think it no sin to celebrate the day, To welcome you, and were this day a year, They would not tyre in tippling too, I fear. But they must act the Act they are to do, Before they be intoxicated too, For empty vessels make the shrillest sound, They're full, but of affections most profound. Wherefore they would, and will now as they may, Sing welcome, that's the work, Sir, of the day▪ Whence you shall see, all Nations now appear, With twenty tongues, to entertain you here: First, then, the English, have their force set forth By furious lions, to defend your worth, This they would do, should you not buy it dear, Leave half at home, the other half have here. The Natives are by Nature so much moved, They think you never can be enough beloved. The Caledonians dote on you, and they An ancient Emblem of their power display, A Thistle, such as (if in pride men press it?) Saith, serving you, Nemo nos impune lacessit; Proclaims by casting Blue-caps up and down, Lord Roberts, our Lord Lieutenant's in the Town. Likewise the French affirm with par ma foy, Monsieur we must make merry now for joy, Officiously, not falsify our fence, But fight most stoutly for his Excellence. The Irish also tune their harps anew, And tire the strings with welcoming of you, And with the rest resolves to see the day, When they shall dance, whoever please to play. The Dutch men drink a health to every one, Your welcome vows invite you to come on. Will wave advantage, and a voyage will make, And fraught a ship with welcomes for your sake. The Danes drink also deep as they can do, And kindly cries, you're welcome to them too. So many welcomes from such several lands, And all their Patrons come to kiss your hands, St. George, St. Andrew and St. David do Dance with St. Dennis, and St. Patrick too. Two Nations more, the Duchess and the Duke So fain would foot it, they cannot refrain, And all for nothing, kindly, but to call, (Bowing their knees) you're welcome unto all, So that I think lay Cesar in the scale, With you, his welcomes wouldnot countervail; He conquered all by force where he did go, Men yield to you▪ Sir, whether you will or no; English, Scotch, French, Welsh, Dutch, Danes, Irish, all, To crown your welcome, come on knees, and fall Before your Honour, entering on the Throne, With acclamations; hark how they go on▪ In Wales, St. David, to his Harp, indeed, Dances, twice sixty Sovereigns to succeed. Brutus the first, Corineus who renowned, Whence, now, the name of Cornwall doth redound. Brutus I say, from whose brave enterprises, Cadwallader, Corineus, Roberts, now arises; Three, so succeeding Brutus at his best, As doth the Phoenix from the Phoenix nest, Brutus is that Arabian bird, from whence Roberts ariseth, but in Excellence, The name unites too, England, Scotland, Wales, Britain from Brutus, else the Fable fails, THE WELCOME. ANd are ye come King Charles his Champion, To sway the Sceptre on your Soverains throne? God give you joy, but see, Sir, to and fro, With what great glory they receive you so, A●l are rejoyeing, and triumph in state, unanimous, no murmur nor debate, Both far and near, all are convened to call, And clap their hands, concurring one and all. Not only Subjects, but each living thing, This day adore the image of their King In doing homage, heaven and earth concur, All things in such extremity do stir In stately manner, as much as they may, Or mortals can, and this is that they say, Welcome Great Héros, Cesar seldom saw Such troops of Captives, conquered with his awe, As are to day, on tops of mountains met, Building of bon fires, thousands now are set With free consent, see how the flags do fly, Exceeding Caesar's signs of victory. Mars now runs mad, makes men march out in million, Transporting tents, and they prepare pavilions, Wherein they may make merry and carouse, And pay unto your Excellence their vows. Mark our commanders how they come in clusters The Pikes and Muskets meet at general Musters, Ships hoist up fail, and thorough sweeps the Main, Swims to and fro, fly out and in again. The very fishes float above, and by't At every thing they see so much delight, But Neptune roars in madness out of measure, To part with such a precious piece of treasure▪ O! but behold, See thousands on the shore, Throwing away their treasures and their store, That all those things exceed the joys by water, So much that men admire to see the matter. Buildings are empty, streets are standing bare, Windows are open, with the Cages there Where Parrots prattle, and keep such a spruttle, The pretty sparrows tattle too and truttle. The shops are slighted, much now in a maze, All men admiring what is meant by these, And which is more, the Masters make it play, The boys give blessings to this holiday. But I have done with things concern the City Shall tell you stories twenty times more pretty, And all for nothing, but to let you know That all sing welcome to my Lord; for lo The towering hills on tiptoes stand, and stare To see above us what brave things are there▪ The stony rocks stand as they could not stir, The herds and flocks too murmur, and demur, The very Bees about the holes are humming, All things rejoice your Excellence is coming. Nor do they care who buys the bargain dearest, But stiives and struggles who may-now be nearest Will you resolve through Ireland for to ride, Your Excellence is sure to see a guide. The country Clowns to welcome you will venture With Docha Dorros, where you cannot enter▪ The wildest stags stand instantly enticed, And for your sake they will be sacrificed. The feathered fowls fall down and do not fly, But for to feast you, are content to die. Fairies in flocks, upon the spangled hills, Hearing your welcome, dance and feast their fills. Yet not content with all I here have told, You shall see more, Sir, by a thousand fold. But that the atoms are so in the air, The day draws dark you cannot see things there. The pride of prancing horses with their heels, Raise such a dust, that all the rider's reels. The rattling of the Coaches keep a noise, The lackeys laughing, and the little boys About the Hackneys, they keep such a crying, The haughty horses naturally are neighing For joy, that just unless you are so near, You shall not see, though doubtless you may The trumpets sound, the echoes answer them The bells ring out; so do the drums proclaim Their pleasures, and the Castle Cannons roar, The City shakes, as dancing doth a door This day▪ even so the Ensigns fan and fly, As flourishing before a Deity. I know not how to compass nor contract So many welcomes, such a st●r they make, They come not on in order, but they run To wove the web, before the waif be spun. The men go mad, as vanished from their wit With overjoy, and just now in the fit All things rejoice, and joyfully proclaim Your welcome, but believe not half of them. The women also, willingly convene To welcome you, such things are seldom seen. Lo, how the Ladies in a train attend, Scattering the confects round about Ringsend, Whence, where the floods before▪ did overflow, Now over man led, all with green doth grow, Where men may walk from bank to bank, even both From Bullock bravely to the Hill of Hoth, About which mountain Neptune now's a sense, And flows for favour of your Excellence, And with his proud approaches doth proclaim The ancient custom of the Diadem. This day is done, our duties we declare, The Lords and Ladies loyally repair, Where famous feast furnished are found, Ceres and Bacchus, both of them abound▪ Applauded pleasures, nor did Paradise Afford such fruits of plenty, or of price, As Hoth in heaps, canst cast upon the Hills, Till ships were fraughted, when we fed our fills, And after all Solemnities were there, And many thousands satiate with a share. Lo then from thence unto the Castle-gate, Ladies lay lilies, my Lord may step in state, Likewise the Leefy looked as it were paved With precious pearls as the waters waved. But then, behold, about the heaps and hills The sea flowed farther than we see it fills; For as my Lord doth peace and peace appear It drowns the dust to make the passage clear. Then do the Callaughs make the Pipers play, And dance in dozen to delight the day. The country children meet in millions too, And at your welcome make as much ado, And tattling, tells, when they to knowledge come They will be witness of this welcome home. Even so the Shepherds now forsake the sheep, With oaten Piffers plays them all asleep. The silly lambs lie sacrificed too, To make you welcome, so you see they do. And if in Ireland were there such things here Inspired with poison, should there such appear, (But that St. Patrick put them all away) To bid you welcome, they would dance to day. But then of all these divers kinds of calls, I most admire the meanest animals That make a noise to welcome you, and lo, Your Lordship's coming cause the cripples go. The sick and lame have left the Hospitals, Beggars and Cripples play busy with the balls. Hypocrates, and Paracelsus sure, Nor Galen neither gave so great a cure, As all of these by getting you, do grant They get, and think, hence, they shall hardly want. Thus men and women, beasts, birds, all are bend, Your Excellence convene a Parliament, And so proclaim by carrying a Crown, This Days triumph with Trophies of renown, To eternize to after times, the story Of such a welcome, and illustrious glory. But best of all, our Pastors preach and pray Mornings and Evening's, almost all the day, And all the people nigh to the Pulpit press, Where with their prayers divinely they address Themselves with thanks, and that is sure the best Beseeming welcome, even of all the rest. The Organs also make a sacred sound, Even so the Anthems solemnly redound Devoutly too, so that I think I see And hear the Saints assist our melody. Thus all are willing with a fair pretence, To bow before your Honour's Excellence, And bid you welcome, you, whose virtues won England's Great Monarch mounted on the throne, There, to assign the ordering of all This Islads glorious Grandieur, great and small, You, whose great wit could weigh the scale, & cast A loyal Lot, now thirty season past. And now your native Nation no more moved With barbarous broils, behold how it behoved To condescend, and see you sent away The Sovereign sword in Ireland for to sway. Transporting whom, may I not truly tell, How Neptune's pride by piece and piece did swell, To see himself so trusted, to receive Your Excellence upon his watery wave, Loath to deliver such a Loyal Lord To Ireland's evils being once aboard. Though for its bliss he was content to bring A Lord Lieutenant to so great a King▪ But since I see the main design is but To bid you welcome, therefore I shall shut My thoughts, even so with saying welcome too, But would the world sav welcome, that will do Nothing indeed (in substance nor in sense) Worthy to welcome your most Excellence. The only welcome therefore I'll allow Is speech in constant prayers to welcome you. Wherefore I offer sacrifice of praise, My Lord is landed, and shall shortly raise My praise unto a Diapasons pitch, Tickling men's ears, when they the string shall twitch, The sound whereof sure shall ascend on high, In thankful prayers for your Excellency. But to break off, here must my Muse remain, Illustrious Heros, welcome once again, Millions of mortals singing Sonnets, say Cesar triumphs, and we have won they day. Verbum Sapienti. THis welcome, sure, of sweet things is made up, But yet some knavery may be in the cup▪ And though with these I make so much ado, Pills gilded may be packed with poison too. Fish had far better be without that bait, A golden hook may choke them with a cheat. My meaning is, when friendship was professed, A juggling judas did betray the best. NOw seven Epistles, such as they are, I enter, Wherewith (in weakness) wise advice I venture. Or are they fables, which fill up the paper? If so? the buyer buys my Book the cheaper, To light his Pipes, hath paper here, in plenty, He saves enough by Verbum sapienti. Provided that, as he the pipe pursues, He also Verbum sapienti use. 1. Epistle. MArk my discourse, but construe right the case, Some Ghostly Father flattering in your face Will, with a kiss come, striving to destroy Your enterprises, if you such employ? But you (in prudence) will be pleased to see Precepts expressed from such a tool as me, Whereby the baseness which be practised here, May partly to your Excellence appear. Fool's may by fortune, let such phrases fly, As wise men may mark something by the by. But these (distracted with distress) I do Humbly here offer to your Lordship now. For if each judas should enjoy a cord, In loyalty I love to serve my Lord, And these send forth before some things suppressed For present, I, in time may tell the rest. 2. Epistle. THe thing called Verbum sapienti, sleeps, Within a place that's private, but it peeps, For to perceive your Excellence apart, To speak of Verbum sapienti s art, And in the hour the hurly burly's over, That you can try conversion, tricks and trover, I mean not things myself concerning so, But grieved to see such subtle gamesters go With great designs; yet were my Lord at leisure, Then I shall pay the tithe our of my treasure, Presuming too▪ ten thousand ten to twenty, My Lord saith, Thank you Verbum sapienti. 3. Epistle. As fish at flies, things I on sudden snap, Nex● time my hook may hit & hurt perhaps, My feathers forced to strike, as steel at flint, And I am pleased to prove a fool in print, To tell the errors of the time, and try, Whether the fault lies in a knave, and cry Whore first, and so in season serve my Lord, (This Earnest penny shall the sum afford) Though no man writes, but some offence may fall Yet I presume my fin shall seem but small, Unmasking merely things that lurk below, By laying open, that my Lord may know He hath one here, so well doth know the case, That dare dissect the fore before their face, And e'er the Leeffy lies by Letterkenny, Shall make them scratch their crowns, I'll pawns penny, Or Dundalk to Dublin Castle comes, Shall beat alarm louder than by drums▪ But lest they think such things shall never be, I shall come quickly, take this much of me. For what are they, think I should such adore? Or be the subject of their scorn, Wherefore? Because misfortunes have laid me below, And they have got what I had long ago, No, they shall see I something have in store, And to their much, it may be give them more. Qua mihi prestiferis memini, semperque ten 〈◊〉. 4. Epistle. A Riddle resolved. Wit and Ingenuity, Honesty and Fair dealing, Money and Merchandise. These three may beg their bread in Ireland. 1. Were Cato, Plato, or Pythagoras, Here with their wits, each one would prove 〈◊〉 2. Were job here too, with his integrity, He might go thread bare by his honesty. 3. Bring also Dives, which if you could do Here, they would cheat him for his moneys too▪ Whence, since all such are made but fools at fairs Lothen, poor I, must prosper by my prayers, Or at the least from Dublin must departed, Where almost all live by that ugly art, feigned desert. 5. Epistle. I Doubt not but your Excellence shall see; More learned lines, than you receive from me. And yet I think, few such shall come in season, Though better rithm, shall not be better reason. When Cesar saw a soldier do his duty, He valued not the bigness of the booty, So I presume your Excellence will never Despise a soldier's poems; howsoever Let these take place for present, I avow, long I shall bring better things to you; I call them better, though they be but bad, To tell them now, my Lord might think me mad. My mind is vexed with a world of woes, Lawsuits, and things fomented by my foes. But I presume your Excellence will be, Henceforth a gracious safeguard unto me, For in such peril where should I appear? But to my Patron, being present here, Or shall I rest, as Horace with his rhythm, On my Maecenas? this distracted time. Yes, Noble Lord, so shall it then be said, The Poet for his prophecy is paid. 6. Epistle. LIke as a wife Commander sends a Scant, In day of danger to disclose a doubt. Even so I send this little Book to be My messenger a small thing swims the sea, And marks the way before the mighty whale, The greater fish find favour from the small; But if so be the smaller should be slain, Or swallowed up within the mighty Main By bigger beasts▪ Leviath an then lies Exposed to peril in the depth, and dies. But as the mean makes way unto the most, The great takes care lest that the less be lost▪ And so I cease with what I said before, Verbum sapienti, I shall say no more. 7. Epistle. Let many more than Momus Receive this Reckoning from us, etc. WHen Redbreasts in your Chamber window chats, The chirping bird bad news prognosticates; Even so my Redbreast flutters in your floor, And gives you warning of a winter shower. This bird too, boasts, great multitudes of men, To bring bad tidings about sixty ten. Then let my Redbreast pick upon your table, Till that time comes, you find it not a Fable. Twelve Similitudes. The Constitutions in a true Catalogue, Of all, between the Postscript and the Prologue. 1. First, then, to Court comes early, one by one, As proud as was Caligula alone. 2. Then you shall see some falling at your foot, Drunk as Tiberius, they dare daily do't. 3. Nero could ne'er such cruelty contrive, As here do thousand, though they therewith thrive, 4. A vile and vicious Heliogabalus here, Shall every hour before your face appear. 5. Envious men, exceeding Alexander, Inenvy, sure, this can be called no slander. 6. Avaricious Cyrus, slily, Sir, he lies, Catching at Court your profits to surprise. 7. Ulysses likewise no man must deny, Can ever act such plots of policy. 8. Midas' men say was covetous, but hold, Here thousands far more covetous of gold. 9 The craft of crafty Hannibal we see, But here are koaves far craftier than he. 10 But then of all this is my only fear, A Zoperus dissembling in your ear. 11. Adding withal, by joining ill to ill, A false and flattering Aristippus still. 12. Now one of these shall come, and kiss, and bow, But justas ludas shall betray you too. Thus I have told you, than yourself to save, From Court exclude them, that is all I crave. But you will say, you know them not, what then▪ I know them mingled among ten thousand men. And when I'm urged to usher ou my mind, I think I shall leave very few behind. His Excellence, thus welcomed first, as fit, Now, three Estates, ensue to second it. THe Illustrious Glory of three crowns, consist Of three Supreams, and make a Monarch blest I may express them (on a fair pretence) As they are Gods, and that is Gospel-sense. 1. A Lord Lieutenant is a Sovereign thing, Set in the Throne of Majesty, as King. The spiritual powers, Peers of divine degree, Infer perfection, that's the Prelacy. 2. Pious Lord Primate, full of zealous fire, Learned Lord Chancellor may challenge St. Peter's chair, Lords Temporal too, enlarge this loyal link Of state to strength, these are the Three I think. 3. Only I add that Rule among the Romans, Things are concluded by consent of Commons. So numbering no more than I now enrol, These Three, I say, set fully forth the whole. But having thus in general justly wrote, Behold what further falls unto their Lot. My Lord Lieutenant long before he came, Anag. Was born t' hon'r, faith his Anagram. And will you weigh things rightly with the rest, His Excellence can Order hon'r best. Anag. Anag. Am Zions Gamester, though the game goes odd, 'Gainst Rome's mass, to play a game for God. And look ye now but merely on the name, james Marget's▪ son, saith certainly the same. Anag. Cholie Lamb I, Holy cymbal, too. Of Michael Boyl, both Anagrams I do. Anag. With Holy cymbal, David, (night, and day) That Holy Lamb did praise the Lord and pray. But if you think these Anagrams go high, The names gives out these Anagrams, not I Determine rather Grace, and Nature too, In each of them these did divinely do. Such threefold cord secures the crown on caesar, What hand can hurt such sacred things as these are? Distinct three parties, parted all asunder, In one they make a Monarch, that's no wonder. Whom God unites, let no man brag to break, King, church, and State, a perfect Monarch make. Thus to the purpose playing hereupon, Now one wotd more, and so I shall be gone. Apelles' paints Apollo pretty nigh, But finding it imperfect, put it by▪ Nor ever one the venture yet would run To finish what Apelles had begun. So I a Welcome write here as I can, Hoping a Horace, or more learned man Might mend my work, for write who will● he 〈◊〉 My Lord will be M●cenas, I dare say. My Lord's alone, for which my pen repeats, Such Worthies with him, as make three Estates, And with this welcome, or hereafter, soon, Or long before the Man that's in the Moon Gets twelvefull faces, I shall fetch afar, And boldly bring three Nations to the Bar, And there arraign them; but for present peace, My Muse resolves, with what is said, to cease. Let all (but such, as are concerned here) Read with regard, give no offence for fear. FINIS. 〈…〉 ●aith, a thought once past by speech 〈…〉 mine, but hath outrun my reach. 〈…〉, how many men's cursed crime, 〈…〉, before a Twelve month's time. 〈…〉 resolved, in telling truth, not tire, 〈…〉 (saith the Psalmist) every one's a liar. Doubtless with Dublin I have much to do, And must say much of most men therein too. But whether that be good or bad, behold When that time comes, what stories I have told, The tithe whereof, I at this instant owe, Commending of some Clergymen I know. Our righteous judges, I must draw their due, My long experience proves it to be true. Both learned and loyal. Then the Advocates That plead with prudence, some like Parrots prates. But this in general, when that day doth dawn, I'll mark them then, not flatter, lie, nor fawn. For here are hundreds, who men's wits bewitch, Intangling Clients by becomingrich. But rich and righteous render that no lie, Then comes the Camel through the needle's eye, Yet what I mean, or whom my aim is at, Till that time comes, let none prejudicated. Only to this I am resolved to stand, Before this witness set my seal and hand. Witness H. C. VV. M.