AULICUS HIS hue AND CRY Sent forth after Britanicus, who is generally reported to be a lost Man.   depiction of Mercury 
LONDON, Printed in the dismal year of Britanicus. 1645.   

Aulicus HIS Hue and Cry Sent forth after Britanicus, who is generally reported to be a lost man.  
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez.  
IF there be any person or persons that can tell any tidings of a petty penny clerk, sometime a writer of Writs for a penny a dozen, who hath forgot his own name, and hath a long time answered to the name of Britanicus; he is a man of a low stature full set, black hair, hollow-hearted, empty sculled, barren of invention a lover of baseness, void of grace, and lastly, a traitor to his King: bring news to Aulicus and expect a reward.  A Porter. 
Mr. Aulicus, I am very glad it was my fortune to come by, for I can tell you tidings of the man you seek for.  Aulicus. 
Sayest thou so? (honest fellow) I rejoice much to hear thee, and be thou well assured thou shalt not go unrewarded.  Porter. 
Tush Sir I expect no reward, I desire (rather) to see him and all such poyson-breathing Vipers made Hawks meat.  Aulicus. 
Honest Porter I love thee, for thou speakest like a good subject, but where shall I find this limb of Lucifer?  Porter. 
Sir if you please to walk with me to Westminster, you shall there obtain your wished will.  Aulicus. 
Is he so near i'faith? come let us hasten thither, and as we walk we may discourse further of him.  Porter. 
I wait your leisure Sir.  Aulicus. 
Come then let us go. O how cheerfully I walk, me thinks I fly, I am not sensible of my steps, not any pain, I take, to think what a greeting we shall have when we meet.  Porter. 
I Sir, I think the sight of you will please him well, and be as welcome to him as a saddle to a galled horse back.  Aulicus. 
Observe that when we come together. But all this while art thou not mistaken? Dost thou not take one man for another? art thou sure it is he?  Porter. 
O Sir make you no doubt of that. I know him full well, and can describe him by many remarkable signs and tokens which you have not mentioned in your Hue and Cry. I know what habit he wears, and where he bought it, the outside of his doubles is black satin, and I'm sure it is not long since one of his skirts was lined with a broker's bill: O how his clothes smell of Long Lane!  Aulicus. 
Well Porter, thou art a merry Blade and I like thy humour well, prithee speak on, what knowest thou more of him?  Porter. 
Marry Sir I know that there is a great lamantation made for the loss of him at many taverns in the City, especially at the meremaid in Cheapside, for they have lost a sweet customer of him. But though Masters of many taverns mourn for the loss of him, yet the Drawers rejoice; for now they take their rest, and sleep their fill, that were wont to fit up and wait on him at unseasonable hours, now the young knaves can go to bed and dream of their wenches.  Aulicus. 
I'faith Porter thou makest me laugh, thou art a companion for a Lord.  Porter. 
Nay Sir seeing my discourse pleaseth you so well, I will tell you one story more of him, and wherein I myself have had a loss, for many a shilling and many a cup of sack was I wont to get for carrying of him home when the Frenchman and the Spaniard were at barley break in his belly: with many other passages of such like virtues: but I cannot at this time proceed, for we are now in sight of his lodging, I will therefore at present cease my discourse, and after conducting you to his Chamber I leave you and him to your foresaid greeting and salutation.  Aulicus. 
How now Britanicus, what make you here? is this your lodging? 
The Gate house at Westminster.  have you changed your habitation? Prithee answer me: I am Aulicus thy friend: why art thou so sad? hold up thy head, art thou not well?  Britan. 
No.  Aulicus. 
Indeed many report that thou art very ill.  
Where lies thy grief? Look upon me, cheer up thy drooping spirit, thou pretty fool: hold up thy empty bottle, and show thy brazen, thy rebellious face. Hast thou lost all thy understanding? Is thy invention grown barren and thy brains turned to froth? Hadst thou no other matter to write upon? Couldst thou spew out thy venom on none but the King? Thou fool Britanicus, thou ass, thou Drunkard, thou Sot, thou Knave Britanicus, couldst thou expect gain or applause for thy so foolish and so wicked study? O ●…ne Britanicus, O brave Britanicus, a Rope for Britanicus. Well as ill as I love thee: I wish thee to change thy lodging, the air doth not agree with thy constitution: I do not like thy looks, I think thou wilt not live long: London air agrees best with thee: leave this close place, and remove to Newgate-market, there is a fresh air, and a fair strong house, where thou mayst take thy swing and not be tied to this close inconvenience. There will also many benefits arise: for twice every week the sheriffs of London send in a plentiful basket full fraught with capon's legs, and other delicates, and in time thou Mayst be partaker of that also. Leave then this place of Little-ease and repair thither: forsake this Settle-bed I say, for there thy bed shall be new corded, and skiffull Gregory is appointed for that purpose. And when thou hast occasion to tied a journey, he will closely attend thee, and be thy officious servant till death. But when thou takest thy journey to Oxford, leave Paddington if thou canst for there stands a scurvy triangular stop in thy way, which will hinder thy proceedings. Besides I know thou lovest a cup of good liquour, and that road will not afford it; and I can prove by several examples that many a passenger that hath traveled that way, have for want of drink and somewhat else been choked. harken therefore to my admonition for good counsel cannot hurt thee.  
Now if all this be not sufficient to dissuade thee from that road, take thy own course: but so well I love thee that if thou give me notice of thy journey, I will bring thee so far on thy way and there leave thee.  
But before we part, prophesy when that day shall be, if thou retainest still thy prophetic spirit. No, no, Britanicus thou canst not, thou hast already showed thyself to be a false Prophet and art come basely off. Where are the effects of thy divination? what one thing hath happened agreeing with thy presige of the Nobility, and divers others? and amongst the rest I poor Aulicus had many a jerk: Me thinks (quoth he) I already see Aulicus in Ely House. But see how this Prophet is mistaken I'm sure I see Britanicus in the gatehouse. I am not in pound yet sirrah. Thou a Prophet, thou a hang-dog, the most thou canst make thyself to be, is but a Fortune-teller, begotten by a Juggler upon an Egyptian witch. What sayst thou mongrel? canst deny it?  Britan. 
No.  Aul. 
Well said, now thou deservest commendation, because that thou speakest the truth I will therefore reason with thee a little further, and I prithee answer me: what is become of thy white Printer? hast thou seen him of late?  Britan. 
No.  Aul. 
Why I can tell thee where he is, but I am loath to increase thy grief, yet I will tell thee for thy case and mine (in that point) are much alike: well I can hold no longer, but with a grieved heart and watery eyes I tell thee, that he and my friend Royston are bedfellows in the Fleet; come let us comfort one another, let us not grieve too much for them: why should we show more love to them then to ourselves? Hang them, let them go: and I do earnestly persuade thee to hang thyself also, for fear thou come to a worse end. What sayst thou Britanicus? dost thou think thou shalt die a better death?  Britan. 
No.  Aul. 
Then this is my last request unto thee, prophecy of thyself as thou hast done of others, and then go hang thyself when thou wilt.  
So farewell Britanicus.   

Postscript.  
What now Britanicus, dost thou in thy Vindication vomit out thy poisoned Crocodile tears in slanders, to brand those that are not of thy disposition, in terming them to be Malignants? thou half-headed peasant, I would have thee know they have to their powers, and do what lies in them for the general good of the Parliament and kingdom, and will to the hazard of their lives and fortunes, and yet not endure thy base abusing his majesty. I wonder that the Parliament does not take some course against thy folly. First thou callest them Malignants, I grant rebel, and who does punish thee but the Parliament then in glorying in the name of royalist, wherein thou slanderest many thousands who are good friends to the State and kingdom? then thou sayest thou dost not intend to justify thyself. No thou needest not, but sue rather to the Parliament with a two penny halter about thy neck, and that is the best counsel I can give thee. And for thy pains thou takes in setting out thy Pamphlet, what was thy aim Britanious? I tell thee only thy profit: And for doing the State service, as thou calls it, I believe it hath been to set the kingdom together by the ears. And for thy address to the Parliament, implore them for some time of repentance and cry not, for they know thou art a slandering Knave, and so adieu Britanicus.  
FINIS.