LENT.  

LENT.   allegorical depiction of Lent 
You that love flesh, or to the flesh are given  
By Lent; unto your shifts you shall be driven  
In warlike manner he's to Combat come  
And unto (many) welkome like jack. Drum   

HEre Lent and Shrovetyde, claim their proper right,  
Are both resolved, and prepared to fight.  
Lent armed at all points, from the foot to head  
A fishing net hath for his Banner spread.  
An Angling rod, he in his hand doth bear  
To show that Lakes and Ponds and Rivers clear  
Are at his great command, eel, carp, Pike, Tench,  
Or Lobster which the brinish Sea doth drench.  
Are his by hook or crook, his power will get  
And make all fish that comes into his net:  
A boiling Kettle is his helmet fit  
(For Lent hath small use for a roasting Spit)  
Thus mounted on a horse that ne'er eat hay  
Lent meets with Shrovetide and begins to say:  
I now am come to mundify and clear  
The base abuses of this last past year:  
Thou puff paunched Monster (Shrovetide) thou art he  
That were't ordained the latter end to be  
Of forty five weeks' gluttony, now past  
Which I in seven weeks come to cleanse at last:  
Your feasting I will turn to fasting diet  
Your cooks shall have some leisure to be quiet,  
Your Masques, Pomps, plays, and all your vain expense  
I'll change to sorrow, and to penitence,  
I will reform you, and I hither came  
To keep flesh from you, your proud flesh to tame:  
Let Butchers clear their cleavers and their knives  
Hang up their Axes, let their men or wives  
Make pricks for future uses, if they please  
I come to give them all a writ of ease:  
To Calves, Lambs, pigs, Hens, Capons, all I give  
Free leave to multiply, increase and live,  
There shall no venison be (with swearing) slain  
And fishermen shall search the Ocean main:  
And sirrah (Shrovetide) I do further mean  
Before I go to make your fat chaps lean:  
For though like rebels mad, you rove and stray  
And feast each friday, and each fasting day,  
Though you regard no Ember week, nor Law  
Nor rule or order keeps you under awe,  
Yet be assured that whosoever wrongs Lent  
Shall not escape deserved punishment.   
FINIS.   

LONDON: Printed by M. S. for Thomas Jenner, and are to be sold at his Shop at the South Entrance of the royal Exchange 166●