CARMEN-TERNARIUM SEMI-CYNICUM. A dose, of rhyme and REASON: Presented by Major Geo. Wither, to some of his noble Friends, Members of the most honourable House of Commons.  

1.  
FRiends, by your leave; and, in a cynic-time,  
If I present you with a doggerel-rime,  
Impute it not, I pray you, as a crime:  
For, whatsoever occasion her excites,  
My Muse weighs what, and unto whom she writes;  
And, though she grumbles, neither snarls, nor bites.   

2.  
'Tis now, a Pentecost, and six weeks more,  
Since I was last a Suitor at your door;  
For, 'twas your Christmas Eves-Eve heretofore:  
Yea, 'twas the morn that next ensued the day,  
Wherein you did convene to fast, and pray,  
That, what you now are planting, prosper may.   

3.  
God grant your Suits may better thrive then mine;  
God give you of your hopes a better sign;  
And, more to you, than you to me incline:  
For, if much longer, I be now delayed,  
My just Demands, to me had best been paid,  
If, at the first, they had been quite denayed.   

4.  
This, is (in print and writing) since th' Edition  
Of that, which first made known my sad condition,  
At least the twice ten hundreth Repetition;  
Yet, most Complaints, that I have tendered,  
Seem; as if neither heeded, heard, nor read,  
And, take effect, like Prayers to the Dead.   

5.  
This, is above the six and thirti'th year,  
Since first, my Muses flung defiance, here,  
Against their ways, who now your foes appear;  
Yet, they who slight your Cause, have better fared;  
They, who destroy you, have had more regard,  
And, oft you hear them, when I am unheard.   

6.  
This, is the ninth or tenth now-minted-way,  
By which, I've took occasion to assay;  
How, I might find acceptance, when I pray;  
Yet, nor choice Times, nor Seasons, rhymes nor Prose,  
Service to you, hot sufferings, by your foes,  
Produce aught hitherto; but empty-showes.   

7.  
This, is the seventh year, since I begun  
To suffer with you, and to be undone,  
For, being, to your Cause, a faithful-one;  
Yet, have my Foes prevailed, by their charms,  
To make my faithfulness increase my harms,  
And, crushed me, nigh to death, even in your arms.   

8.  
This, is the third month, since a hopeful sign,  
Made show, as if you jointly did incline  
To be aspitious to such plaints as mine:  
Yet, still, cross accidents make vold my suit,  
With my estate, destroying my repute,  
And, I get nought, but blossoms without fruit.   

9  
Two twelve months since, and twice within that space,  
Your House, hath in compassion of my case,  
referred the naming of me to some Place,  
That, till the public shall repay my debt,  
I, by my labours, might subsistence get;  
But, no effect thereof, appeareth, yet.   

10.  
A place was once proposed, for which, to clear  
My debt, I offer made: But, one sat there,  
Who, whilst I beat the bush, did catch the Hare.  
Another, I was named to; but, ere I  
Could get the same reported, they, who try  
The surest course, found means to put me by.   

11.  
To twenty other places, I of late  
Was named, wherein, I might have served the State,  
If, I, like other men, had Friends or Fate:  
But, they that have enough, must, yet, have more;  
They, who are needy, must be still kept poor,  
And, he gets most, that had too much before.   

12.  
Nor would I grudge, might I my own receive,  
To miss the best preferments you could give;  
For, I can find myself work whilst I live:  
And, should be better pleased to possess  
Myself, in an obscured quietness,  
Then, in the greatest of your Offices.   

13.  
And, peradventure, better thrive should I,  
If, I could still believe, undoubtingly,  
That, in this world, my portion doth not lie:  
For, whatsoever promise she doth make,  
Or, whatsoever likely course I take,  
I, either nothing win, or lose my stake,   

14.  
Yea, whosoever are put out or in;  
Whether you feast, or fast, or lose, or win,  
My portion, to this day, the same hath been;  
And, neither Orders, Votes, nor Ordinances,  
Nor ought else, hitherto, my cause advances;  
But, multiplies, cost, troubles, and mischances.   

15.  
They, who heed this; and, mark how long I sue  
For that, which you yourselves acknowledge due,  
Suppose my Friends unkind, or, very few:  
And, so shall I think too; if, when I see  
The grand-affairs dispensed withal may be,  
You, more consider not, my wants and me.   

16.  
For, though the public cause should be preferred,  
Some hours, for private causes, must be spared,  
Lest, none be left, the public to regard.  
Your public actings too, (as I conceive)  
Would better thrive, did you more oft relieve  
Their sufferings, whom, your long demurrers grieve.   

17.  
Three months (at full) you have delayed to hear  
All private pressures, how extreme soe'er;  
Yea, though your faithful friends the Suitors were:  
Yet, you could, then, allow spare time for those,  
Who were your wilful and condemned Foes:  
And, grace you did vouchsafe, to some of those.   

18.  
To none I grudge your mercy: yet, withal  
I wish, that you to mind would likewise call,  
How, to your friends, worse things than Death befall:  
For, Penitents condemned, can but die:  
Which, were it in my power, disdain would I,  
To ask, what any mortal could deny.   

19  
To see ourselves, with many mischiefs hemned,  
Pursued by Foes, and of our Friends contemned,  
Is worse, then guiltlessly to be condemned.  
Yea, to behold their Families undone,  
Who, for the public, did that hazard run,  
Deserves more pity, than a dying-grone.   

20.  
Although the public Wants, be very great,  
The public-justice, it doth ill befit  
That, some, large-Favour find; some, never a whit:  
That, some, should likewise have immediate pay;  
Some, interest at full, for all delay;  
Some others, nothing, after six years' stay.   

21.  
That he, to whom the State doth nothing owe,  
Should rich, by three or four employments grow,  
Whilst they pine, who, thereon did all bestow:  
And, that those who have spent more precious time,  
To serve you, than the whole earth can redeem,  
Should scarce find one half-hour, befriending them.   

22.  
Consider, I beseech you, how ye may  
(Before all Opportunities are slipped away)  
Preserve their being, who assist you may;  
And, let them not be needlessely destroyed,  
By whom, your safety, may be best enjoyed;  
And, with whose hopes, yours, also, will be void.   

23.  
Nor think yourselves excused, if you deny  
To yield me at my need, a due supply;  
Because, five hundred want as much as I:  
For, no good Principle, they build upon  
Who shall resolve, they will be kind to none,  
Because, they cannot succour every one.   

24.  
We who are standerss-by, do plainly see,  
That, if self-seekers might removed be,  
(Or, would in just, and righteous things agree)  
Both Means, and Time enough might, yet, be found,  
To make the sick republic, quickly sound,  
And, ease the smart of every private wound.   

25.  
Yea, we perceive, that if division were  
Well made, of what the common purse may spare;  
(Of places, which at your disposure are)  
And, of your time and pains; you might have eased  
Yourselves much more; your best friends, more have pleased,  
And, kept off troubles, which on us have seized.   

26.  
New States and Governments, best founded are  
By Justice, and by Mercy; and, to spare  
A Largesse too, it now convenient were:  
At least, we may expect, as well as you,  
Subsistence out of that which is our due,  
To keep us able, who were always true.   

27.  
For, what will it avail you, when your friends,  
Who, might be serviceable to your ends,  
Want means to further what the State intends?  
Or, with what courage, can those men go on,  
To help you, in that work which is begun,  
If, they must perish, ere it shall be done?   

28.  
What can they hope for, when their Foe shall reign,  
Who, whilst their Friends rule, sue seven years, in vain,  
(Not favours) but, bare Justice to obtain?  
Yet, get nought visible, wherewith to cherish  
Their children (which through want are like to perish)  
Except perchance a Pension from their Parish.   

29.  
My case is not so bad: But, if you thought  
How near thereto, I'm drove; how low I'm brought,  
And, what hard lessons I am daily taught,  
You would excuse this discomposed-strain,  
Believe my head broke, ere you saw my brain;  
And, let me sue, and wait, no more in vain.   

30.  
For, if extremities compel me should  
To sum up all, which I in scraps have told,  
(And justly might have added, if I would)  
They, who observe the love to me pretended,  
How known I am, and yet how ill befriended,  
Would quite despair, to see their troubles ended.   

31.  
Fair promises, prove neither flesh nor fish;  
My gains are, hitherto, not worth a rush;  
But that befalls me, which my Foes do wish.  
For, when to do me right, fit time there was,  
Some friends lacked power; some, were not then in place;  
And, some, that had the power, had not the grace.   

32.  
Your Ordinance, the Lord's concurrence lacked,  
And, my estate, and credit, will be cracked,  
Unless, with speed, you turn into an Act;  
Few minutes may complete it, which I pray  
Vouchsafe; For, by the late three months' delay,  
I, six months' interest, am like to pay.   

33.  
Bis dat, qui citò dat, the Proverb says;  
And, 'tis as true, that, he, who long delays  
A Favour or a Gift, nought gives, or pays.  
For, by delay, thus fareth it with most,  
That, by vexation, labour, time, and cost,  
The profits of slow Benefits, are lost.   

34.  
But, ay, this theme, have long enough pursued:  
Lest, therefore it may tire you (to obtrude  
Much more upon your patience) I'll conclude:  
Yea, for a few days, here I'll make a stop;  
And, if I then, accomplish not my hope,  
I'll play but one Card more; and, so, give up.   

35.  
As much for others sakes, as for mine own  
This sense, of private sufferings, I have shown:  
And hope, it will with good effects be known,  
For, when I mind what work you have to do,  
And, how few, put their helping hands thereto,  
I can excuse you; and, have oft done so.   
FINIS.