The tired Petitioner, TO His noble Friends, who are Members of the honourable House of Commons.  
SIRS, if this Paper find you (who, to me  
Are not so fully known, as you should be)  
It comes to move, that, my Petitions may  
Obtain your Answer without more delay;  
Lest by Attendance (as my Neighbours do)  
With my Estate, I lose my Patience too.  
For, I have waited, and endured so long,  
That, no Result can do me greater wrong  
Than lingering hopes; And, were I quite undone,  
I, possibly, another course might run  
To be repaired again, ere I obtain  
That Benefit, which I, had hope to gain:  
Or, else, might find some other likely way  
To fit me for the part I have to play.  
Some say my Friends are more than I do know:  
And, I am hopeful that it may be so;  
For, if kind language, and much compliment  
Are signs thereof; nor Christendom, nor Kent  
Knows any man who may himself apply  
Unto your House, with better hopes than I:  
But, if by reall-deeds, it must be known  
What Friends I have, their number small is grown:  
Or, else, their power attaineth not unto  
Those Friendly Offices they wish to do;  
And, peradventure, they obstructed be  
In their endeavours, by defects in me.  
It may be 'tis observed, I want Relations,  
Guifts-qualifying, or those Commendations  
That should advance my suits; and, which do make  
Those active, who, men's Causes undertake;  
And I half think it so: For, ere this day,  
Some one or other had, else, gotten way  
For my Petitions; or appeared able  
To make my suits and me considerable;  
Since, others, who have neither lost, nor spent,  
Nor for the public, hazarded or lent  
Life, Limb, or money; (yea, though they, before,  
Had profitable places) meet with more  
Success than I; and, daily can be heard  
With expedition, and with good regard.  
But, (Whatsoever the other causes are  
Why thus it comes to pass) this, doth appear,  
That, they who now are my Competitors,  
Have so o'rematched my Solicitors,  
That, if I speed, your House, will prove, to me,  
A better Friend than Individuals be.  
I find, that, many who, a while ago,  
Appeared for me, do now (Gradatim) grow  
Elsewhere engaged. I find, that, they begin  
To reckon, how the place hath valued been;  
And, to expostulate, and to admire  
How, I, to an Employment dared aspire  
Of Trust or Worth; who, am despoiled of that,  
Which (in their judgement) should secure the State:  
As if, a known unblamed-Conversation  
Were no Security; or, out of fashion:  
As if, my portion, in the public hand,  
Might not, as well, for good-assurance stand,  
As if it were in mine: Or, as if he  
Who, for his Country, prodigal could be  
Of all he had, deserved not to be thought  
As trusty, as they are, who, never, aught  
Adventured; nor had aught, but what they got  
By gaining Trust, where they deserved it not.  
If all were weighed, admire they rather may  
That, I my pains dare venture in a way  
Wherein, I have so often sought in vain,  
Those things, which unto me, of right, pertain.  
They might admire, that I, who have not been  
A Servant, nor, am known to be, of kin  
To Peer or Commoner; nor have the skill  
To make a party; nor, thereto, a Will:  
That, I who follow suits, as if I thought,  
That Justice, should be neither sold nor bought,  
Or got by importunities; save, where  
The Judge doth neither GOD, nor Mortal fear:  
That, I, should ever hope to compass that,  
Which any other thinks worth aiming at;  
Since, cause, perhaps enough, is found, why none  
Thus minded, should presume to think upon  
A Place of profit; and, conceive to get  
His hopes, by merit, honesty, or wit:  
For, I do find that, in this undertaking  
Great rubs are made (and many other making)  
So troublesome to pass, that, I am tired:  
And, had I but that competence acquired,  
Which I have lost; this life, I would not live,  
For all, the King and Parliament could give.  
One, of your Order, told me, at your door  
Since my last-suit was tendered (and, before  
He had perused it) that, I deserved  
No Favour: (Oh! how strangely have I swerved!)  
But, as, I to his face, made answer, then,  
So, now, I say, (and I will say't again)  
Let me receive but Justice, and I'll wave  
All human-mercy; and, yet hope to have  
A happier condition by the same  
Then that, whereto, I now exposed am.  
Another of them tells me, that, in vain,  
I seek, what I make suit for, in the main,  
Whilst I am in Confinement: As if, you  
Could but one Blessing, at one time, allow.  
Or else, as if, because I now have had  
(Like one, of whom the slightest account is made)  
Nine months' Restraint (and, thereby am become  
A bondman, without either formal-doom  
Or, Breach of Law,) I, therefore, must expect,  
My chief desire, will find the less effect:  
Which seems to me, as if a man should say,  
The more he owes, the less he means to pay.  
A third man intimates; because, he sees  
I wear not, yet Sheeps-leather, or Welch-freeze;  
(But, by GOD'S blessing, hitherto have borne  
My usual Port, to put aside the scorn  
Of Knaves and fools) that I am not undone  
Sufficiently, to be so thought upon  
As I desire: But, such as these prolong  
The public Judgements, and our private wrong,  
Through want of real feeling what we bear  
Whose plaints they pocket, and whose cries they hear  
Without regard: For, when we most are grieved,  
So little of our sufferings is believed,  
As if men had nor heart nor power to think,  
That ought we ayl'e, till we be dead and stink.  
A fifth, doth much persuade me to forbear  
My present suit; because he seems to fear  
My late bold-numbers have incensed so many,  
That, I shall hardly find regard from any,  
When I expect it: which, to be believed,  
(Where I have hope with grace to be received)  
Is so abominable; that, I trust  
To find their Generall-Conclusions just,  
(Though I in person, goods, and reputation,  
Have lately suffered by misinformation:)  
For (thought I otherwise) I would disdain  
To them, for Grace or Justice to complain;  
Though I were plunged, into a worse condition,  
Then seems approaching, by my last Petition.  
I cannot fear that they who true-men be,  
Will for true-speaking be displeased with me,  
But, rather, by vouchsafing what I crave  
Be glad the kingdom may occasion have  
To see their Justice, by repairing him,  
Who gave himself, to be undone for them:  
For them, who buy less honour, at the price,  
Then may be purchased by this device.  
But, hitherto, my hopes, do not succeed  
According to my sufferings, and my need.  
Two months, upon one suit, I have bestown;  
Upon a former, thrice three months, and one;  
Upon another, four times three, and nine;  
Yet, still, some other Cause out-justles mine:  
And, even by favours hitherto obtained,  
More mischiefs, than Advantages, are gained;  
Because, in th'execution, they have wanted  
That influence, whereby they first were granted.  
This, with uncrazed patience I can bear,  
So long as my desires delayed appear,  
By those affairs, which profitable be  
Unto the public, though they hinder me;  
Since, whilst that thrives, I cannot be bereft  
Of all my hopes, nor comfortless be left,  
But, if I still perceive my suits delayed,  
Or crossed, for Private-ends; I am afraid  
My grievances, will make my Plaints outroare  
The Cries, of all the Women at your door.  
Preserve I would, according to my might,  
My Private-Freedomes, with our public-right;  
And, Wise-men will consider, that, unless  
They heed, sometime, a single-mans' distress,  
(At least in his extremes) that, one by one,  
The Generality may be undone;  
And, that, a bruise upon the smallest-toe  
May cause the bodies total overthrow.  
In me (although my sufferings are despised)  
The common-grievance, is epitomised;  
And, as, this day, the kingdom's Cause doth lie  
Distressed between two Factions, so do I;  
For, what some would have granted for my sake,  
Is crossed, for their sakes, who the motion make;  
And, that man, by no party groweth strong,  
Who sides not with it, both in Right, and Wrong.  
In all things which, undoubtedly appear,  
Unto my Conscience, I, to both adhere;  
And, do from neither, purposely dissent,  
To make a schism, or nourish discontent.  
I have in both, professed Foes and Friends;  
In both, I have some hopes, on both, some ends;  
But, without all designments upon either,  
Save, how I may unite them, both together,  
In such a Posture, as may free this Land  
From those destructions, that seem near at hand;  
And, woo them to be just, in every Action,  
Without respect to Friend, to Foe or Faction.  
Who e'er, among you, shall thus minded be,  
Whether he seem to love or malice me,  
Whether he be of th'one tother side,  
Whether my suits be granted or denied,  
By his endeavourings; it shall not wrest  
My thoughts, for any private interest,  
To murmur at him; so, he will befriend  
My suit so much, to bring it to an end:  
That, from your Labyrinths, I may retire;  
And, be again at leisure to inquire  
What will become of Me; and, what of Them,  
Who take the Courses, which I most contemn.  
For, to retreat, and gotten ground to yield,  
Is, otherwhile, the means to win a field;  
And, he that would turn Floods another way,  
Must dig his drain, before he builds his Bay.  

Heu; Temporum, praevaricati Mores!  
Quis, delegabit Misero favores?  
Quis, auscultabit Populi Clamores?  
Vel, quis pensabit Pauperum Dolores?   

Nemo, fert Opem, viro perituro;  
Sic ERAT, EST, ac ERIT in futuro;  
Vt olim, tamen, in haec Verba juro,  
Nec Habeo, nec Careo, nec Curo.   

Nec Habeo, quod visus sum habere;  
Nec Careo, quod multi caruêre,  
Nec Curo, quamvis devoratus ferè;  
Nam, Deo Vero, spem repono, verè.   
Which is in English to this effect.  

Oh! how corrupt this Age in manners grows!  
Who, to the Miserable, mercy shows?  
Who, on the people's cries, an ear bestows?  
Or, who compassionates the poor-man's woes?   

To succour the Distressed, none appear;  
Thus 'twas, thus 'tis; and thus I'm like to fare:  
Yet, as of old, this Motto, still, I bear;  
I neither have, nor want, nor do I care.   

I have not, what I had a while ago;  
I want not, that, which many others do;  
Nor care I, though I quite neglected grow;  
For, I in GOD confide, and will do so.   

A postscript.  
He, that hath Money to procure his ends,  
Needs neither strain his wits, nor tire his Friends.  
He, that hath Friends, his matters to contrive,  
May (though he hath nor Wit, nor Money) live.  
He, that hath Wit, and wants the former two,  
May live more richly, than he seems to do.  
He, that hath two of these, und wants but one,  
Can neither happy be, nor quite undone▪  
He, that hath all of these, might be a King,  
If he could wish, to be so poor a thing:  
And, he that is deprived of all the three,  
May be an Englishman, for aught I see.   
FINIS