Epigrams, written on purpose to be read: WITH A PROVISO, That they may be understood by the READER; Being Ninety in Number: Besides, two new made satyrs that attend them.  
By John Taylor, at the sign of the Pivets' Head, in Phoenix Alley, near the middle of Long acre, or Covent Garden.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1651.   


To the good or bad Reader.  
1.  
REad well, and then these following lines are mine,  
But read them like a (Butcher) they are thine.  
Such virtue from some Readers doth proceed,  
They make the Verse the better which they read:  
They know their Idioms, Accents, Emphases,  
Commas, Stops, Colons, and Parenthesis,  
Full Points, and Periods, brief Apostraphes;  
Good knowing Readers understand all these:  
But such as dares my book to take in hand,  
Who scarce can read, or spell, or understand;  
Yet (like Sir reverence Geese) they will be gagling,  
And tear my Lines to tatters with their hagling;  
Such I request (if bachelors they be)  
To leave my Book, and learn their A, B, C:  
If married men they be, let them take pain  
To exercise their hornbooks once again.   

2. Of friends.  
he's happy that hath friends at need (I wot)  
he's happier that hath friends, and needs them not.   

3. Unity, Enmity, Amity.  
Our Unity is turned to Enmity,  
And Enmity hath banished Amity.   

4. Of Credit.  
RALPH deep in Debt, cursed Creditors and Credit,  
And seems to show some reasons why he did it:  
'Twas Credit made his Creditors to trust him,  
Sans Credit, into jail they had not thrust him.   

5. Honest Joan.  
Joan is a perfect maid, who dares gainsay it,  
No Faults I in her Honesty can see;  
Her carriage dares bide touch and test, but weigh it,  
No honesty amongst her Faults can be.   

6. Teeth and horns.  
Teeth breeding and tooth-aching is most painful,  
But wittols breeding Horns, hath oft been gainful.   

7. Of seals and arms.  
Eagles and lions, Kings of Birds and Beasts,  
Adorn men's seals and arms with honoured Crests:  
But Beasts are Beasts, and fairest fowls are foul,  
And many a Knaves Seale's better then his soul.   

8. Thrifty preaching.  
He that will preach for Wealth and Dignity  
Must SIMON Peter's Doctrine quite refuse:  
'Tis SIMON MAGUS, his hypocrisy  
Mounts such as cunningly their craft can use.   

9 Devout Margery.  
My sister Margery is sins Correcter,  
Of purest sisters thread she'll spin a Lecture:  
She'll stand and preach as long as she can stir,  
It is not standing long can trouble her.   

10. Things done by neither wise men or fools.  
Wise men will not do as Great men have done,  
And fools cannot into such madness run:  
Thus Wit nor Folly, neither will or can  
Do mischief like the fool-wise, rash proud man.   

11. Labour in vain.  
A railing Knave can libel and revile  
With tongue and pen, his work about to bring;  
But wisdom hath the power at him to smile,  
Whilst rascals gain the Gallows and a string.   

12. Hang pride.  
Why in gay Garments do fond fools take pride?  
Clothes are sins penance, made to hide our shame;  
Had man forborn to sin, no man had dy'd,  
And clothes (like fig-leaves) cannot hide nor blame.   

13. Another.  
Something (I know not what) hath made me proud,  
I know 'tis neither Lands, or coin, nor clothing;  
Nor of such parts, wherewith my minds endowed,  
But I am proud, that I am proud of nothing.   

14. Another to the same tune.  
According to the wearers worthiness  
I do esteem, or not esteem apparel;  
An outside brave, an inside base may dress,  
For trial shows what liquour's in the barrel.   

15. Just payment.  
I rather would do well, and not be praised,  
Then to do ill, and have much commendation:  
For by the one to bliss I may be raised,  
And by the other gain my condemnation.   

16. Content.  
If I have Health, I will no sickness fear,  
If I be Sick, of Health I'll not despair:  
Let God do with me what he pleaseth here,  
If Fortune wrong me, Hope shall me repair.   

17. Sufficient knowledge.  
he's wise enough, that knows enough, but he  
That would know more than is enough's a fool:  
Our Parents knew, but knowing more would be,  
And knew too much out of the serpent's school.   

18. Of Death.  
Our daily minding Death doth sweeten it,  
It makes us die no sooner, but more fit.   

19 Well and ill.  
To do good without promise, is a grace,  
To promise, and not do, is vile and base:  
Rich Knaves do poor fools with vain hopes oft fill  
With promises of good, performing ill,   

20. Beware hypocrisy.  
He that doth say his Prayers, and goes to bed,  
Forgives his foes, forgets revenge and spite,  
And straight ways hammers mischief in his head,  
The devil is his bedfellow that night.   

21. Of the fashion.  
To be in fashion, 'tis the only way  
To be quite out of fashion, if you can  
To be fantastic, shapeless in array,  
And all Religions is an English man.   

22. Of speech.  
To speak all that I know, would show small wit,  
To speak more than I know, were worse than it.   

23. On long and short life.  
If life be long, 'tis troublesome and weary,  
Their Miseries are most that longest tarry:  
We make the bad world worse, he travels best  
That soonest ends his journey, and at rest.   

24. Of true friendships use.  
'Tis happiness to have a Friend at need,  
But if my Folly slight that happiness:  
Like him that spares to speak▪ may spare to speed,  
So too much manners leaves us in distress.   

25. Better lost then kept.  
Who e'er he be, that seems my friend to be,  
And headlong runs in every vicious course:  
His friendship sure will never better me,  
And I'll forsake him, lest he make me worse.   

26. Extremes.  
Woe is in want, and dangers in excess  
To live and give, I wish no more or less:  
Content's enough, some men are weak, some stronger,  
And more do die by surfeits then by hunger.   

27. A fig for Fortune.  
Fortune my foe doth frown on me, but why?  
Because I'll not adore her deity:  
She scorns me, and I scorn to be her thrall,  
Much lower than I am, I cannot fall.   

28. Good gained from bad.  
When as a bad man doth good Doctrine teach,  
His words, but not his works to me do preach:  
His sayings all are mine, his are his deeds,  
I have the herbs and Flowers, and he the Weeds.   

29. How I would be esteemed.  
I rather would be innocent and free,  
And (on suspicion) wrongfully corrected:  
Then to be guilty of great crimes and be  
In high regard, respected, unsuspected.   

30. Reverence to Saints.  
I reverence all Saints dead, and all that live,  
I honour much their blessed memory;  
But if God's glory unto Saints I give▪  
How can I hope God will me glorify?   

31. Do thy worst blind Fortune.  
If Fortune toss me, yet I still have scope  
To fear her smiles, and when she frowns to hope.   

32. Want of knowledge.  
Had I e'er thought that money would be scant,  
I had kept some against these times of want:  
Or had I known what Ware would be sold dear,  
I would have been a Merchant but one year.   

33. Had I wist.  
If thou wilt quiet be at Board and Bed,  
Beware of, had I wist, before thou Wed:  
Comfort comes slow, but cares increase in heaps;  
A wise man therefore looks before he leaps.   

34. Fast and loose.  
Fast bind, fast find: my Bible was well bound;  
A thief came fast, and lose my Bible found:  
Was't bound and lose at once? how can that be?  
'Twas loose for him, although 'twas bound for me.   

35. A lie, and no lie.  
'tis not still out of sight and out of mind,  
For one may mind his meat that is stark blind:  
But he that's blind, and hath no mind to eat,  
Then out of sight and mind, is that man's meat.   

36. True Love.  
He that can live by love, lives wondrous well;  
True love beyond all treasure doth excel:  
Give me that Love to live well, and to trust  
In God and goodness, other love is lust.   

37. Treasure.  
Love is no lack▪ yet what I love I lack,  
A constant friend, whose friendship will not crack:  
Give me a friend that's true, and he shall have  
My Love (Sans) Lack, till I am in my Grave.   

38. To be ruled, or not ruled.  
The Proverb saith: Be't better, or be't worse,  
Be always ruled by him that bears the Purse:  
But Judas bore the Purse, and such as he,  
I hope shall never bear rule over me.   

39 Wit bought too dear.  
They say, Wit's never good till it be bought,  
And being bought too dear it proves stark nought:  
Such wit had they whose ill got pounds and pence,  
Bought bloody war, and hunted Peace from hence.   

40. All comes to one pass.  
DICK, and TOM borrowed Gold, and like true debtors,  
Nonpayment shackled them in iron fetters:  
Were the debt iron, fetters gold, what then?  
Poor DICK and TOM were ne'er the richer men.   

41. A hopeful Boy.  
The Boy said, Father, whither so hastily?  
Quoth he to th' Butchers, JACK, some beef to buy:  
Father, he'll cheat you if you go alone;  
Take the Dog with you, two heads better than one.   

42. A plain case.  
'Tis no dissembling, (as I understand)  
T'hold fire in one, and water in t'other hand:  
One hand the pipe holds, with fire smoke, and smother,  
When often good strong Water's in the other.   

43. All is true.  
Thou that with brags thy furious Fame supportest,  
Remember that the cursed Cows horns are shortest:  
The bawling Cur will very seldom bite,  
And bragging Knaves can better eat than fight.   

44. Well grown is good.  
In twelve years, GRACE a fine tall woman's grown,  
Shot up in height, the like is seldom known:  
The times are bad, if GRACE prove good, than GRACE  
Is well grown; but Ill weeds will grow apace.   

45. Few faults.  
Most men have many faults, but NED hath none,  
Amongst the many he hath scarcely one:  
He's so much faultless in meat, drink, and clothing,  
And other sins, that he is good for nothing.   

46. A chased unchaste woman.  
WILL praised his Wife, a virtuous Dame to be,  
And that few females were so chaste as she:  
If thou hadst sworn it (WILL) thou hadst not lied  
For she was chased by Whippers through Cheapside.   

47. To be quiet or unquiet.  
To hear much, to say little, and do less,  
Are great preservatives of quietness:  
But to hear little, say much, and do more,  
Such dispositions shall have trouble store.   

48. Avoid hypocrisy.  
Faults with hypocrisy that covered are,  
Are worse than crimes that be stark naked bare:  
He may mend whose bad deeds are still in sight,  
But there's no devil to the Hypocrite.   

49. Freedom and Bondage.  
When one gives to me freely, I know well,  
That for his freeness, I my freedom sell:  
For unto him that gives I must conclude,  
I am bound fast in Bonds of gratitude.   

50. Glorious Vanity.  
He that his Reputation seeks to raise,  
By praising of himself, himself dispraiseth:  
Though he for Arts and Arms do merit praise.  
His glory's vain, whom self vainglory raiseth.   

51. Of just anger.  
I may be angry, and no malice bear,  
I must be angry with my sins I wot:  
It is a virtue few can purchase here,  
At once to be both angry and sin not.   

52. Wilful Will.  
'Tis apt for men to fall in errors vain,  
From bad to worse, from worse to worst of ill:  
But he's a foolish Reprobate in grain,  
That willing falls, and wilfully lies still.   

53. A brace of Beagles.  
A Sland'rer, and a flatterer are Vile Beasts,  
One's devilish wild, the other's damned tame;  
Where e'er they come they are accursed Guests,  
They murder soul and body, name and fame.   

54. A good Memento.  
No cursed Lucre in my mind shall creep,  
Sins sad remembrance robs me of my sleep:  
One day of life doth shoave another on,  
Until one after one, my days are done.   

55. Mutability.  
In various times we daily live and move,  
To day a mighty man on Cockhorse mounted,  
To morrow Fortune gives him a remove,  
And as an abject Knave he is accounted.   

56. Good greatness.  
Most sweet, most Worthy, Honourable, Great  
Is he that for his God and country dies:  
The world shall with his praises be replete,  
And grace with glory him immortalize.   

57 Of Angels.  
Invisible two sorts of Angels are,  
And those celestial and infernal be:  
And Earthly Angels▪ like black Swans are rare,  
Mere strangers all, invisible to me.   

58. The cross brings glory.  
A Christians crosses glory doth begin,  
That glory doth not end his misery:  
But yet that misery shall glory win,  
And Grace will crown it with eternity.   

59 Words are wind.  
Words are but wind that do from men proceed,  
None but chameleons on bare air can feed:  
Great men large hopeful promises may utter;  
But words did never Fish or Parsnips butter.   

60. Fears and jealousies.  
The sting of conscience, Jealousies and fears,  
Makes mad men fall together by the ears:  
If these three were all banished into Hell,  
(From whence they came) all would be peace and well.   

61. B and C.  
How can the word called CHANGED, HANGED B?  
With ease, if you but take away the C.   

62. Adoration.  
All knees shall bow at Jesus Name, but not  
To Jesus Image will I bow one jot.   

63. Honest Bess May.  
Bess MAY may honest be, who e'er says nay,  
But May once past, there are eleven months more:  
'Tis mighty odds, and I will never lay  
Eleven to one: Bess MAY may be a Whore.   

64. Quick and free passage.  
Who says the Gospel hath not passage free?  
He lies most basely, if he were my Brother:  
It passeth so quick, that it seems to flee  
Too swiftly, in at one-ear, out at tother.   

65. Desperate Dick.  
DICK is a desperate fellow, but at what?  
He hath no mercy on his meat, or Wench.  
He drank a Dutch man drunk as any rat,  
He's stouter at a Trencher, than a Trench,   

67. A slovenly scholar.  
In TRISTRAM it is hard to be discerned,  
Whether he is most sloven, or most learned:  
He wears his clothes most foul, rides without  
Yet learnedly speaks sentences in syrups.   

68 To a scornful Reader.  
Grave IGNORAMUS, cries tush, pish, mew,  
And on my lines looks dunsicall a skew:  
And draws his mouth in scorn so near his ear,  
So much awry, he seems to whisper there.   

69. Manna and Mammon.  
Mammon, (corrruply gained) compare I may  
To Manna gathered on the Sabbath day:  
They are the devil's blessings, but God's curse  
Unto the soul, the body and the purse.   

70. Blind zeal.  
Zeal contrary to knowledge, is not right,  
There's too much heat in't, and too little light:  
He that in perfect zeal would be complete,  
Let him have true light, he shall want no heat.   

71. On the late Kings poor servants.  
〈◊〉 never did in arms the State offend,  
Yet want of means makes misery our end.  
Had we the Fortune but to be believed,  
Our happiness would be, to be relieved.   

72. A good faith.  
He that wants Faith, and apprehends the grief  
Of what he wants, he hath a true belief:  
He that doth grieve, because his grief's too small,  
Hath a true grief, but the best Faith of all.   

73. Gluttony inward and outward.  
Man's Maw consumes (by Gluttony's command)  
Fish, fowl, Fruits, Beasts, from Sea, or air, and Land;  
And in his words his gluttonous mouth doth sin,  
More oft by giving out, then taking in.   

74. Sir reverence love.  
TOM swore to KATE, her sweet and comely making  
Had filled him full of fumbling belly aching:  
Sweet heart (quoth'he) I shall be grieved thus,  
Till I in thy sweet presence do untruss.   

75. Kate's kind Answer.  
For thy sake TOM, my prayer, and plaint, and moan is,  
I love thee Dear, as VENUS loved ADONIS:  
And therefore let not thy affections wander,  
I'll love thee as the Goose doth love the Gander.   

76. Brave resolution.  
WILL is all heart, and like a Hart can run,  
He's wise in Battle, that can danger shun:  
If strong hands cannot victory attain,  
Yet light and nimble heels may safety gain.   

77. Legs worthy of love.  
A cutpurse cuts, and swiftly ran away,  
But yet for all his nimble fingers cunning▪  
Hands deserved hanging, legs without delay  
Saved all the body from it, by swift running.   

78. Pain with pleasure.  
My Lady's shoe did pinch her, and yet please her,  
her painful pride her pretty foot did grace:  
It did at once both anger and appease her,  
Whilst smiles and frowns danced antics in her face.   

79. Friends are better than Lovers.  
Lovers and Friends are two things; he that loves  
May waver, and not always be a Friend;  
But he that is a friend experience proves  
His Love and Friendship's constant to the end.   

80. Of lying and giving.  
Why are not Maids afraid to lie, declare,  
Most men with lying buy and sell their Ware:  
But many Maids do neither sell or buy,  
They Give their Maidenheads, and then they lie.   

81. Great Place, small Grace.  
When Great (not Goodmen) Offices possess,  
Who are revengeful, Greedy, and oppress;  
Dismiss such Knaves, that so their Place disgraces,  
And let good Places, still remain the Places.   

82. A great Witch.  
Pride is a Witch, few from her charm escapes,  
She turns us daily into sundry shapes:  
She hath her Spirits, who do work like Thrashers▪  
Mercers, soft silkemen, tailors, haberdasher's   

83. Repast, and Repose.  
The Rich man hath Repast, but small Repose,  
The poor man hath repose, with small Repast:  
One always strives to gain, and fears to lose,  
The other with content doth please his taste.   

84. Sunday.  
The Lord's Day is the lantern and the Light  
Of th'other six days▪ to direct us Right:  
Or like the Sun, amidst the Planets seven,  
To light us here on Earth, and hence to Heaven.   

85. Sabaoth.  
The Jews observed the Sabaoth constantly  
In memory of Rest, and their Creation:  
We should our Sundays keep obediently,  
To mind us of Redemption and Salvation.   

86. A sweet Saint.  
Philip doth think his Wife's a Saint, and she  
In pure pride thinks herself a Saint to be:  
she'll scold, be proud, and in a corner kiss,  
And this is PHILLIPS Saint, the devil she is▪   

87. Want and abundance.  
A man may want coin, clothes, Drink, and Meat,  
He may want health, sight, hearing, hands, and toes,  
But cares, and griefs and sorrows, may be great,  
The late King's servants have no want of those.   

88 A hard business.  
Should Whores and Thieves be all hanged, 'twere great pity,  
'Twould half unpeople Country, town, and City:  
But hang up Drunkards, Swearers, Whorers, then  
(And all the Knaves) what should we do for men?   

89. Thoughts and words.  
My Thoughts are free, I wish my tongue were so,  
Then would I freely speak what I do think;  
But yet my tongue▪ too boldly shall not go,  
It is more safe at injuries to wink.   

90. Good morning's practice.  
First worship God, he that forgets to pray,  
Bids not himself good morrow, or good day:  
Let thy first work be, to confess thy sins,  
And then thy daily business well begins.    

A satire: hypocrisy discovered.  
A Holy crew of brethren conventickled  
With Scriptures strange Interpretations pickled;  
And sanctified sisters, whose nonsense  
Snoached through the Nose, their Doctrines quintessence:  
They held unlawful, and that no man may  
So much as dress his meat on th' Sabbath day:  
Another said (like a most subtle plodder)  
Folke must not milk their cows, nor give Beast fodder:  
The third replied, it was a grievous crime  
To let their Jacks turn spits in Sermon time:  
But if aught must be done without delaying,  
It's to be done whilst Common prayers saying;  
For when that's ended, straight the psalm begins,  
And they'll go singing to repent their sins:  
Then said a fourth, it fills my-heart with woe  
To see a Preacher ride, Christ bade them go  
And teach all Nations, verily to me  
This riding is no godly sight to see:  
A fift man said (brethren) it is my lot  
(As you all know) to sell Ale by the pot:  
And (my beloved) my Brewer brought me late  
Ale, a french crown the barrel above rate:  
But had not Orders from the State forbid it,  
To buy such drink, sure I should ne'er have did it:  
The Saturday at night they brought it in,  
The Sabbath day to work it did begin:  
Surely 'twas most profane unhallowed drink  
Brewed with some Jews, or Turkish malt I think;  
For I persuaded it from work to leave,  
And more and more it still did huff and heave:  
I with much grief unto the teaching went,  
Where GILES the Weaver gave me much content;  
The next day I the Barrels head beat out,  
And let the Ale run all the house about;  
As good for nought but hogs to swill and swash,  
And for the Swine 'twas comfortable wash:  
Brother (Said one) although too dear you paid,  
You did do well, because you disobeyed;  
And you did better (as all wise men think)  
When (zealously) you spilt that wicked drink.  
Another said, when I did set mine eye on  
The King's arms in the Church▪ the Rampant lion;  
His priap moved concupiscential motions,  
And did disturb and hinder my devotions:  
But when my husband came to be churchwarden,  
I'll have some form of Flowers from Field or Garden,  
Or sedge, or flags betwixt his legs were painted,  
That hid his whimwham which my mind had tainted.   

A satire against swearing, equivocation, mental reservation, and detestable dissimulation.  
TO pretend, and the contrary to intend,  
With th' World began, and with the World shall end:  
The devil himself (who first made man a sinner)  
Of this dissembling Art, was the beginner.  
Since when, his Sons, and scholars, Hypocrites,  
Accursed Antichristian Jesuits,  
Christ kissing traitorous baste Iscariothites,  
Soul foundered, soul's confounding heretics,  
All chevril conscienc'd cockbrained schismatics,  
With many nicknamed Roman Catholics;  
And every heresy, and schism, or Sect,  
All differing, and all boast to be th' Elect:  
Pretending all, true zeal to preach and pray,  
Intending all the clean contrary way.  
Amazed, and amated much I am  
To see Great Britain turned to Amsterdam;  
Six years agone we had of Sex fourscore,  
Which are increased now to one hundred more:  
A Book that's called the Gangrean, printed late,  
Their Authors and Opinions doth repeat:  
Ninescore Religions that book showeth clear,  
Lord, what a Harvest hath the devil made here:  
Those all pretend Religion, but indeed  
Most of them scarcely know their Christian Creed.  
The devil can turn himself t' an angel bright,  
Seem to pretend no wrong, yet do no right:  
He did pretend to make our Parents great,  
As is their Maker, but by that defeat  
He did intend, like to himself to make 'em  
Fiends (or fiends fellows) that God might forsake 'em.  
CAIN did pretend with Abel, like a friend  
And brother, when he murder did intend:  
When Absalon seemed to pretend no ill  
To AMNON, he intended him to kill;  
He did pretend Religions good desire▪  
When he his father's Throne intends t' aspire:  
Achitophel pretended Truth and Reason,  
When he intended foolishness and treason:  
SAUL did pretend great love to DAVID, but  
He did intend how he his throat might cut:  
JOAB pretended to be Abner's friend,  
When (with a stab) he brought him to his end:  
The wicked Jews (with noise) HOSANNA cried  
To him, they few days after crucified:  
And JUDAS said, hail Master, when he meant  
foul treason, to betray the Innocent:  
Thus in all Ages, since the world's Creation,  
Both Devils and men have used Equivocation:  
For as a cunning Fencer, looking down,  
Aims at the foot, but means to crack the crown  
So squint eyed, true, false friendship, seems to see,  
But ne'er intends, what it pretends to be:  
We're too much leavened, like the Pharisees,  
And to all goodness mere Antipodes:  
He's counted the best man, that best can prate,  
Though's deeds and words be illegitimate.  
If our good words with good works could agree,  
The world no better people had then we:  
Yet too too many this bad time affords  
That cannot give to God or man good words;  
Nor for themselves, or of themselves can they  
Speak one good word in any thing they say.  
Their speech to God (or of God) is most base,  
To curse or swear are th' only garbs of grace:  
Their prayers unto God are, God dam, forsake 'em,  
Renounce, confound, consume, the devil take 'em;  
Sink, rot their souls, for evermore renounce 'em,  
Consume them, or in hell to powder pounce 'em:  
These, with some prayers like these, they night and da  
With great devotion fervently do pray.  
To God they speak thus, but when they speak of him,  
'Tis either to blaspheme, deride, or scoff him;  
With cursed tongues, and teeth, to rend and tear  
His dreadful name when they forswear and swear.  
Too oft these wretched Imps these oaths afford,  
By God, Christ Jesus; by the living Lord,  
By God Almighty, by th' eternal God,  
Thus under foot his glorious name is trod  
By godless Villains, who will brag and boast  
That He's the bravest man that sweareth most.  
God is no God to them, they do reject him,  
Like skilled Anatomists they will dissect him;  
They rip him up with Oaths from foot to head,  
His wounds, blood, heart, nails, body, soul, and bread,  
His blessed and soul saving life, his death,  
These cursed oaths are belched with th' odious breath  
Of hell's dear hellhounds, who to practise these,  
They lie and study on their beds of ease.  
To flourish their discourse, their brains are framing  
New coined oaths, to grace pots, pipes, and gaming  
Sure these good fellows have some friends in hell,  
And with them they desire to be and dwell;  
Or ease they have a great desire to see  
Hell's kingdom, and what things the Devils be.  
And as men that would travel, would attain  
Some knowledge in the tongues of France, or Spain,  
Th' Italian, or the High, Low, spacious Dutch,  
The ruff, Shavonian, Latin, Greek, or such  
As is the language where they mean to go,  
Each Traveller these tongues would gladly know,  
That when they came to any foreign Land,  
They might the people's speeches understand:  
So swearers will to hell a voyage make,  
And therefore they most studious pains do take  
To learn hell's language, to blaspheme and swear,  
That all their friends may understand them there:  
These men in their mad furies do suppose  
That Hel's a kingdom where all pleasure grows;  
And that Elysium is a pleasant place,  
Where souls immortal dance the wild-goose chase:  
Their stupid brains the devil hath so possessed,  
That Hel's a place of wealth, joy, peace, and rest;  
That Heaven's a fiction, and no place of pleasure,  
That to be damned is everlasting treasure:  
This is the cause they scorn to ask salvation,  
And pray God dam'em, and beg for damnation.  
'Tis wonder to see mad men beat their brains  
To gain perdition, and eternal pains:  
Of God they (like the fool) do think there's none,  
Or that he is a weak and simple one;  
One that regards not what men do below,  
Or sees not, knows not, how the world doth go;  
This is the swearers faith, his mirth, his game,  
Else he durst ne'er blaspeam th' almighty's name,  
PLUTO's an ass, and BELZEBUB's a fool,  
And LUCIFER himself may go to school;  
For all the Conclave of the Devils in Hell  
Cannot a cursed swearer parallel:  
Sometimes of Christianity they'll prate,  
Yet live a life, abhorred and reprobate.  
'Tis said, that charity at home begins,  
And that love hids a multitude of sins;  
Subjection to high Powers we are enjoined,  
Obedience unto all of every kind,  
Of these rare virtues, swearers have no share;  
To nobody they charitable are;  
I truly think he loves himself not well,  
That prays God dam him, and doth wish for Hell:  
Want of self love and charity do prove  
He bears to no man charity or love.  
If to himself his love no better be,  
His charity and love is not for me:  
Can they do service to an earthly King,  
That oaths and curses against God dare fling?  
No, those as dare the heavenly power blaspheme  
Are no good servants for power less supreme:  
The wrath of God is hot, his anger burns,  
And for vain swearing, the whole Land now mourns;  
This Nation, and the people at division,  
No peace but by the sanguine swords decision.  
The Land's o'erspread with leprosy of swearing,  
And God's great patience weary of forbearing;  
For which his plagues of slaughtering sword we find,  
And 'tis much feared famine's not far behind:  
Yet swearers to be Christians do pretend,  
Though (worse than Atheists) they their lives do spend;  
That Pagans, Heathens, Infidels, Jews, Turks,  
Swear less, and use better words and works.  
Time was, that Justice did the sword unsheathe,  
That the blasphemer straight was stoned to death;  
And in this wicked wretched Generation,  
Swearing is counted manly reputation,  
Or recreation, or the Gentile grace  
Of speeches fine embroidery, like gold lace  
Upon a saddle, which a sow must wear,  
So it becomes a Gentleman to swear:  
The devil is bad, but sure the swearer's worse,  
For I ne'er heard the devil did swear or curse.  
What execrable creatures are they then,  
But hellhounds, and the devil's journeymen?  
Himself doth scorn to do a work so base,  
His basest Rascals do supply that place:  
How can these men plead Christianity,  
When as they want common humanity?  
Mad fools, who every day do beg and crave  
Damnation, which they would be loath to have.  
The sacred Text, the Pulpit, and the press  
Have pressed these faults hard to men's consciences;  
Yet all that ever hath been spoke or penned,  
Hath made the swearer not a whit amend:  
These bitter lines of mine, may work perhaps  
To Muzzle or bung up some swearers chaps:  
God and good men I'm sure are on my side,  
And I (in all that's written) have not lied:  
Some do pretend a peace, and much do prattle,  
Yet do intend to bloodshed, and to battle:  
But let them never claim a Christian name,  
Whose trade and pleasure is in blood and flame  
Of their dear Country, and rip, rend, and tear  
Their mother's womb, which did such bastards bear.  
These sons of Hittites, and of Amorites,  
God do to them, as to the Midianites. 
Psal. 83.   
Make them as JABIN, and as SISERA died  
At ENDORS field, where KISHONS Brook doth slyd.  
As they became as dung, so let them be  
That to a lawful peace will not agree.  
The Peace of God, grant us, thou God of Peace,  
Let us cease sin, thou wilt our sorrows cease;  
Let's frame our lives according to thy word,  
And let no sword be drawn, but Justice sword:  
To which end, thou good God of consolation,  
Send blessed Peace to this afflicted Nation.  
FINIS.