AN EXACT LEGENDARY Compendiously Containing the whole Life of Alderman ABEL, the main Proiecter and Patentee for the raising of Wines. His Apprenticeship with a Vintner, betrothing to his Wife, the manner of his rising, reigning, and after Delinquency, whereby he stands liable to a severe Censure and Penalty in Parliament.  woman and man 

I hope my Mate  
will raise my state   

Abel in this thou'rt like to cursed Caine.  
thoust wronged thy Brethren and thy Chain.   

I've racked my Wines to th' full extent,  
Not dreaming of a Parliament.    
Noble Friend,  
THe principal desire in thy Letter, which is the relation of News, I thus satisfy. I could declare unto thee the downfall and death of him who was of three Kingdoms the most unhappy hated Object; but I believe thou art not ignorant of that, nor of the imprisonment of the other Great Man of little Grace, the former's quondam Compéere, and Complotter: but this is so stolen, it cannot rightly be termed News; no more than many other matters formerly remarkable; but now not worthy notice.  
The chief and only brisk News now extant, is the downfall of Wines, that formerly were so racked, that for want of twopences to purchase a quart of Sack, many a true Twelve-penny servant to Bacchus was forced to retire: Yet now (Heaven be therefore praised) their sudden fall is proclaimed; and very probable it is that they should fall, for their Raiser himself is fall'n, and so fall'n, that unless he cast up his wine again, and that suddenly, there is no hope of his rising.  
To delineate his Character, and tell thee what this Creature was in the original was, (though it take some time in the perusing) yet it may give thee sufficient satisfaction in lieu of thy labour. His name thou knowest is Abel, a name sufficient in itself to ring the Maker his praises through the world; whether his Father's name were Adam or no I cannot tell, although I am sure he was a M●n. This his son Abel, being in his Nonage, and having within him a Prophetic Spirit that told him he should in time come near to be Lord Mayor of London; his desire was to his Father he might Vintner it; Whereupon his Father condiscending bound him Apprentice to one of that Trade, where he was very of ficious, and as industrious to take a broken pate, or be thrown down stairs by a Gentleman (so his wounds might be curable within the verge of a Shi●ling, or some such sum) as any other of his fellows could be; he would as nimbly answer [By, and By] to the Barbells time, as Whittington did to the harmonious sound of the changing Bells that proclaimed him Lord Maior. His sedulity and diligence in his Apprenticeship, was a sufficient sign of his after rising. Many a Sack-posset has he and his beloved Isabel called to witness of the integrity of his faith and troth unto her: Many a condemned dish of Mackeroll, Anchovies and Caviar have they devoutly devoured ever a cup of Sack, and Hypocrist. In tract of time, what by opportune dalliances, pleasing Courtship, and amorous gestures, as servants may sometimes use Magistro absent) these two Lovers had proceeded so fare, that within a short space they became lawful William and Isabel, Man and Wife, His time now fully expired, he set up for himself and began to thrive amain: His habitation was sometime at the Ship in Old-Fish street; where what with the help of his distinguishing taste abroad, and her sure gathering and clese keeping at home, together with their excessive gain of Friday night Suppers, they became great in repute, and generally noted through the City. Abel, his name was rung in every man's ear, out of every man's mouth: so highly was his Stock increased, that his ample Cellar was become too commendious to contain his Sack: The Seas were ploughed daily to bring him in wines: and that would not satisfy him, but the poor (rich I might rather say) Earth was digged to contain them. I'll warrant him he never thinks of Cardinal Woolsey, but withal remembers the sweet Legatic he left behind him in the Vault. The honest Vintner was so cautious, he would not suffer any others industry in the discovery beside his own: He cared not for Partners in his House, much loss in his Cellar: Of all the Rooms in his Ship he most affected the Keel: There was indeed the beginning of his glory. He is now worth at least ten or twelve thousand pounds, and must be Sheriff: He must now keep good Hospitality at thy City charge his White-broth proclaims itself; and for Fish his worship commonly affecteth Plaice most. His Wife's shoes must not now shine with the smeering and unsightly unguent of Kitchen-stuff; but the purest Black that Spain affords must now cover her happy Feet: Their Children must be nursed and bred at Highgate, and (because the Court breeding is not held gentle enough) have select person on purpose employed for their better education. Her manifold Chain and Liffinie Ruff without the addition of her Satin Gown, Hood, and round begarded Petticoat, speak her supereminent for a City Matronship at least: In the mean time he (for his part) deals much in the Court of Conscience.  
His Conscience tells him that the Luxury of the times must be abated: Wine is so cheap, that the poorest Mechanics drink it: It must be exalted (by the help of a Monopolising Patent, projected and surreptitiously obtained betwixt his Cousin Kilvert and himself) to prevent Drunkenness, Forty Shillings a Tun is not custom enough to the King; but this seeming-honest Alderman must break both Merchants & Retailors. This Patent for the Office of Wine (being granted) not a Firkin of Wine can be conveyed, without a Ticket from Aldermary Church-yard, but one of this noble Alderman's spirits will pry into it, and because it wants hallowing with a note, it must be damned to the bottom of his Cellar.  
All this time the good fellows in every Coast and Quarter of the Land, especially within circuit of this City, mourned most solemnly in small Beer and were not able to climb to the Olympus of Old Sherry or Modern Canary. The noble Soldiers cannot drink above a Pint a day out of their pay without prejudice to their hardly got Estate. The witty Poets dare scarcely adventure into a Tavern to suck of their Hippocrene, or Aganippe. nor sit long to sing forth the praises of Helicon, for fear of being arraigned at the Bar for the odd twopences arising upon each several Pottle: and therefore in stead of Encomiums on the excellency of virtual Canary, they all writ nipping Satyrs against the base extortion of this ravenous City Member, who makes himself merry with other men's misery: And because those of his own Function must not make him their precedent of growing great, Medium Wine must be forced upon them; He that opposeth must to''th' Fleet no redemption with out submission. He will not spare his brother Cain, though he be certain he shall be jeered in the Vampt Whore for't: he has shown himself so fierce in his Authority, that most men supposed he could not long subsist in this his wicked way, but at length be brought to a strict Audit for all his Abuses.  
And so it appeared, Tempora mutantur, etc. The whole Body of Parliament distaste his Projects, disallow his Exaction, and are determined to pull down this Colossus of Covetousness, or at least level him with his Brethren by the Plane and Paring knife of justice, though it endanger his Ears in the pollising. Howbeit they bear a reverend respect to this Author of Project; as may appear by the close conveyance of him to a place where he may be found forthcoming: and lest the mad Bacchanalian Blades should wrong this good Able Alderman if they met him in the Streets; they have provided a stronger house for him than his Ticket-Office at Aldermaries. They'll there diet, Physic him, and preserve him secure from further danger, till he vomit up most of his Wine again which may be partly a means likewise to purge his Conscience. His Physicians tell him (unless he wisely prevent it) he is like to be extremely troubled with head ache; especially with a stopping in his throat. But he is wise, and both knows his own disease best himself, and the most probable Cure; which if it stop not his weasand, and hinder the natural passage of his breath, he may haply recover, and be Abel to set up his Trade again. He is (it seems) a man generally beloved still: for every man lonnes his Picture, and scarce any Stationer in Town, but has some Pamphlet, Sonnet or Ballet in his praise.  
But I have held thee too tediously already in this fruitless Story; I therefore here leave him in the sods of his delinquency, till he be purged and passed away (either on Horseback awkward, or on foot forward) by a Parliamentary Penalty. In the mean time accept the good will of him that presents these lines in lieu of his engagement Hoping ere long to see golden days revived; and to participate with thee in a Pint of Sack for .  
Thine obliged, in Service: A. H.   

Imprinted in the Year. MDCXLI.