The Old Gentleman's WISH, OR The Reformed Old Gentleman.  

I am grown old, Alas!  
My seventy years are past:  
I Wish with all my heart,  
I may grow wise at last.   

2. When I was past a Child,  
I left the Grammar-school,  
(Fond Parents!) Ah! I Wish,  
I had not been a Fool.   

3. Having my liberty,  
And Money, every day,  
(I Wish none would do thus)  
Ah! I did game and play.   

4. Youth is the feeding time,  
From whence good fruits should grow  
I brought forth noisome weeds:  
I Wish I'd not done so.   

5. I kept ill Company,  
My Hawks, and Hounds, and worse:  
One can't to enemies  
wish any greater Curse.   

6. I and my bonny Fellows  
Had many a vagary,  
And after drank down sin,  
In Claret and Canary.   

7. But now I see my faults,  
How I have gone astray:  
That God would set me right,  
I hugely Wish and Pray.   

8. O Happy Change! When Grace  
Assisting Industry,  
Preventing, following Grace  
(I Wish) may wants supply.   

9 My old Companions  
Themselves from me withdraw:  
I sadly Wish, I had  
Their Faces never saw.   

10. O Time! most precious Time!  
I Wish thee come again.  
Impossible it is:  
To Wish it is in vain.   

11. Time past cannot return:  
You can't undo, what's done.  
'Tis as hard, as in's course  
To stop the Giant Sun.   

12. Yet I do Wish and pray,  
My Time I may redeem,  
By double Diligence:  
This a Wise Wish will seem.   

13. And now I entertain  
A Sober, Learned Friend,  
To'improve me, and I Wish  
To keep him to my end.   

14. We read the Psalmody,  
And Gospel, every Day:  
At the Church and at home,  
We Two together pray.   

15. We love God's Ministers,  
Obey in every thing:  
We daily pray and Wish  
All Honour to the King.   

16. My Noble Friends, do ye  
Get such a Guide, and then  
You may be what I Wish,  
Right good Old Gentlemen.   C B.  

AUTHORS and BOOKS.  
Part I.  

1. BRownrig of Exon's first and second Tom  
Yield you good Sermon-notes, apply them home.  
2. Ascham restored pure Latin, Sr. John Cheek  
Restored the true pronouncing of the Greek.  
3. Eastern tongued Pocock, in his writing quick,  
'mong many Works, made Grotius Arabic.  
4. Savilian Bernard, a good Learned man  
Will give us his Josephus when he can.  
5. Walton hath written Lives, and doth deserve  
To have a fair Memorial of himself.  
6. Spelman did greatly (Father and the Son)  
Serve th' English Church, by good things they have done.  
7. The Linguist Wheelock hath taught us to read,  
Saxon and Latin venerable Bede.  
8. Patrick, in's Pilgrim, Prayr's, Advice, Debate,  
Is learned, pious friendly, moderate.  
9 Wotton, long time Ambassador, at last  
His mind at Eton had a sweet repast.  
10. George Herbert, noble both in Arts and Birth;  
No Parson equals His in all the Earth.  
11. Cave's Books to Auction? God forbid, how then  
Shall he write th' History of all learned Men?  
12. Hales sold his Books to live upon: this thing  
Shall not befall Cave under a good King.  
13. Wake the Orator, King James' Ambassador;  
His Rex Platonicuns he had wrote before.  
14. Fulman a Country Parson, and yet he  
Can judge of all Books, all Antiquity.  
15. Perinchief, write his Dionysius durst,  
Wrote at return the Life of Charles the first,  
16. Excellent Brierwood hath great favour done's  
By's Numms, by's Languages, and Religions.  
17. Cotton himself, a noble Antiquary,  
Friend to all such by his rare Library,  
18. The great Son of great Vossius, is ours,  
Prebend of that Church, known by Royal towers.  
19 The famous Raulegh's History General,  
We glory in; grieve, that we have not all.  
20. Smith's Law fed both the Universities,  
Deserves our Universal Memories.  
21. Juxon great Tresuror, Primate and a Friend,  
Waited on Charles the Martyr at his end.  
22. Moulin of Canterbury, (as his Father was)  
Many good learned pieces written has.  
23. Goodman for's old Religion and the rest,  
Chiefly the Parable of the Prodigal, is blest,  
24. Whitmore & adam's (friends of Learning) prime  
Aldermen, faithful to's Majesty at worst time.  
25. The admirable Grotius stands in these lines  
For the great love, he had for our Divines  
26. Lord Verulam! his Works the Learned please  
He is admired here and beyond the Seas.  
27. Lord Faulkland slain, lamented is by all;  
With him, Virtue and Learning had a fall.  
28. John Oxon Patron of Arts, no time can  
His Name Extinguish, nor his Cyprian.  
29. Spotswood Scots loyal Primate, and his Son,  
For Charles the first have suffered much, much do.  
30. Grave and mild Juckson, of deep thoughts, great sense,  
High Phrase, above common Intelligence.  
31. For's Primitive Christianity, our Cave  
And for his Father's lasting praise will have.  
32. Sweet Chillingworth by Preaching won the day,  
A Conqueror again by his safe way.  
33. Brave More for Godliness, for Antichrist &c  
I long to see his state of Philadelphia.  
34. Dean Field in writers of the Church is one  
Of the best; see the best Edition.  
35. Sheldon the Dean, first entertains his King  
At the Chapel, with David's Thanksgiving.  
36. Nicolsons worth, Bishop of Gloucester,  
In his Defense of our Church does appear.  
37. Frampton our Bishop made against his will,  
A Bishop's Office does with praise fulfil.  
38. Dean Marshals foreign learning, he that lists,  
May perceive, by the Gotth Evangelists  
39 The signior Prebend Washbourn's Devotions,  
We expect with his holy Meditations  
40. Two Samways Cosin-Germans, both we see  
In Studies and Devotions agree  
41. Vesey, a primate wrote Bramhal's life: his name,  
And Bishop's virtues commend him to Fame.  
42. Thrice noble Boyl, of Royal Society,  
Hath led his fellows to Theology.  
43. That reverend man, Bishop of Chester, Fern,  
Hath written whence obedience we may learn.  
44. Arch deacon Hyde hath merited a good Lot  
In Bodley's Catalogue, Walton's Polyglot.  
45. The Primate Ʋsher did revive Hierom,  
And the most eloquent Preacher Chrysostom.  
46. Humphrey of Bangor, Warren's friend and mine,  
In Life and Learning is a true Divine.  
47. Bedel of Kilmore with Wotton the Seas crossed,  
'Tis pity his great Irish Bible's lost.  
48. Dodwel a writer rational and profound,  
By various Works, hath Love and Glory found.  
49. Heylin of Westminster, smart Man, see's life,  
Well writ by my friend Vernon, with some strife.  
50. Godwin of Abingdon deserves of me,  
Thanks for Roman and Hebrew Antiquity.   

" Reader, take these from me, I leave the rest  
" To those who have more light and see'em best.  
" I beg no pardon for what I have done,  
" Out of my Love and Admiration.   C. B.  

Printed for John Barksdale Bookseller in Cirencester. 1685.