A Dialogue betwixt an EXCISE-MAN and DEATH.  
 death, represented by a skeleton holding an arrow, converses with an excise man standing in front of barrels  
UPon a time when Titan's Steeds were driven,  
To drench themselves beneath the Western Heaven;  
And sable Morpheus had his Curtains spread,  
And silent Night had laid the World to bed:  
'Mongst other Night-Birds which did seek for Prey:  
A blunt Excise-man, which abhorred the Day,  
Was rambling forth to seek himself a Booty,  
'Mongst Merchants Goods which had not paid the Duty:  
But walking all alone Death chanced to meet him,  
And in this manner did begin to greet him.  Death. 
Stand, who comes here? what means this Knave to peep  
And skulk a broad, when honest men should sleep?  
Speak, what's thy name? and quickly tell me this,  
Whither thou goest, and what thy business is?  Excise-man. 
whatever my business is, thou foul-mouthed scold  
J'd have you know, I scorn to be controlled  
By any Man that lives; much less by thou  
Who blurtest out thou know'st not what, nor how;  
I go about my lawful business: And  
J'll make you smart for bidding of me stand.  Death. 
Jmperious coxcomb! Is your stomach vexed?  
Pray slack your rage; and harken what comes next:  
I have a writ to take you up; Therefore  
To chafe your blood I bid you, stand, once more.  Excis. 
A writ to take me up! Excuse me, Sir,  
You do mistake, I am an Officer,  
In public Service, for my private Wealth,  
My business is if any seek by stealth,  
To undermine the States, I do discover  
Their falsehood; therefore, hold your hand: give over.  Death. 
Nay, fair and soft! 'tis not so quickly done  
As you conceive it is: I am not gone  
A jot the sooner for your hasty Chat,  
Nor bragging Language: For I tell you flat  
'tis more than so; though Fortune seem to thwart us,  
Such easy terms I done't intend shall part us?  
With this impartial arm, J'll make you feel  
My fingers first, and with this Shaft of steel,  
J'll peck thy bones? As thou alive, wert hated,  
So dead, to dogs thou shall be Segregated.  Excis. 

J'de laugh at that; I would thou didst but dare,  
To lay thy fingers on me: Jed not spare  
To hack thy carcase till my Sword was broken:  
J'd make thee eat the words which thou hast spoken:  
All men should warning take by thy transgression,  
How they molested men of my Profession.   

My Service to the States, is so well known,  
That should I but complain, they'd quickly own  
My publcke grievances; and give me right  
To cut your ears before to morrow night.   Death. 
Well said indeed: But booteless all; For I  
Am well acquainted with thy villainy;  
I know thy Office, and thy Trade is such,  
Thy Service little; and thy gains are much:  
Thy brags are many; But 'tis vain to Swagger,  
And think to fright me with thy guilded Dagger:  
As I abhor thy Person; Place, and Threat,  
So now J'll bring thee to the Judgement seat.  Excis. 

The Judgement seat! I must confess that word  
Doth cut my heart, like any sharpened Sword:  
What! Come t'account! methinks the dreadful sound  
Of every word, doth make a mortal wound,  
Which sticks not only in my outward skin,  
But penetrates my very soul within.  
'twas least of all my thoughts that ever Death,  
Would once attempt to stop excise-mens' breath.   

But since 'tis so; that now I do perceive  
You are in earnest: then I must relieve  
Myself another way. Come, we'll be Friends,  
If I have wronged thee, I'll make th'Amends:  
Let's join together; J'll pass my word, this night  
Shall yield us Grub, before the morning light;  
Or, otherwise (to mitigate my sorrow)  
Stay here, J'll bring you Gold enough to morrow.   Death. 
tomorrow's Gold I will not have; And thou  
Shalt have no Gold upon to morrow: Now  
My final writ shall to'th execution have thee;  
All earthly Treasure cannot help or save thee.  Excis. 

Then woe is me! Ah! how was I befooled!  
I thought that Gold (which answereth all things) could  
Have stood my friend at any time, to bail me!  
But grief grows great, and now my trust doth fail me:   

Oh! that my conscience were but clear within;  
Which now is racked with my former sin:  
With horror I behold my secret Stealing,  
My Bribes, Oppression, and my graceless Dealing;  
My Office-sins which I had clean forgotten,  
Will Gnaw my soul, when all my bones are rotten:  
I must confess it, very grief doth force me,  
Dead, or alive, both God and Man doth Curse me.  
Let All Excise-men hereby warning take,  
To shun their Practice for their Conscience sake.   
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed by I. C. 1659.