FATHER Hubburds Tales: OR THE ANT, And the Nightingale.  
LONDON Printed by T. C. for William Cotton, and are to be sold at his Shop near adjoining to Ludgate. 1604.   

TO THE true general Patron of all Muses, musicans, Poets,& Picture Drawers, sir Christopher Clutch-Fist, Knighted at a very hard pennyworth; neither for eating Musk-millions, Hauchouis, or Caueare; but for a costlier exploit, and a Hundred pound feat of arms; oliver Hubburd, brother to the Nine-wayting-Gentlewomen, the Muses, wisheth the decrease of his Lands,& the increase of his legs, that his calves may hang down like Gamashioes.  
MOst Guerdonlesse sir Pinching. Patron, and the Muses bad Pay-maister; Thou that owest for all the Pamphlets, Histories, and Translations, that ever hath been Dedicated to thee, since thou wert one and twenty,& couldst make Water vpon thine own Lands; but Beware, Sir, you cannot carry it away so, I can tell you, for all your Copper-guilt spurs, and your Brood of Feathers; for there are certain Lyne-Sharkers, that haue courst the Countries to seek you out already, and they nothing doubt but to find you here this Candelmas term, which if it should fall out so,( as I hope your Worship is wiser thē to venture up so soon to the Chambers of London) they haue plotted together, with the best Common Play-Plotter in England, to arrest you at the Muses suit( though they shoot short of them) and to set one of the Serfants of Poetry, or rather the Poultry, to claw you by the Back, who with one clap on your shoulder, will bruise all the Taffaty to pieces; now what the matter is between you, you know best yourself, sir; onely I heat, that they rail against you in Booke-sellers shops very dreadfully, that you haue used them most vn-knightly, in offering to take their books, and would never return so much as would pay for the covers; beside the Gilding too; which stands them in somewhat you know; and a yard& a quarter of broad six-peny ribbon, the price of that, you are not ignorant of yourself, because you wear broad shoo-string; and they cannot be persuaded but that you pull the strings off from their books, and so maintain your shoes all the year long; and think verily if the book be in Folio, that you take off the Parchment& give it to your tailor; but save all the Gilding together, which may amount in time to gilled you a a pair of Spurs withall; such are the miserable conceits they gather of you, because you never give the poor Muse suckers a penny: wherefore if I might counsel you, Sir, the next time they came with their gilded Dedications, you should take the books, make your men break their Pates, then give them ten Groats a piece, and so drive them away.  
Your Worships, if you embrace my Counsel, oliver Hubburd.   

To the Reader  
SHall I tell you what Reader( but first should call you gentle, courteous, and wise, but tis no matter, they're but foolish words of course, and better left out then Printed; for if you be so, you need not be called so; and if you be not so, there were Lawe against me for calling you out of your names) by John of Powles Church-yard I swear, and that oath will be taken at any Haberdashers; I never wished this book better fortune, then to fall into the hands of a true spelling Pritter, and an honest minded Booke-seller; and if honesty could be sold by the bushel like Oysters; I had rather haue one bushel of honesty, then three of money.  
Why I call these Father Hubburds Tales; is not to haue them called in again, as the Tale of Mother Hubburd, the world would show little iudgement in that i'faith: and I should say then plena stultorum omnia; for I entreat here neither of Ragged bears, or Apes; no, nor the lamentable downfall of the old wives Platters, I deal with no such Mettal: what is mirth in me, is as harmless as the quarter jacks in Powls, that are up with their Elbows four times an hour, and yet misvse no creature living: the very bittrest in me, is but like a Phisical Frost, that nips the wicked Blood a little, and so makes the whole body the wholesomer; and none can justly except at me, but some riotous vomiting Kit, or some Gentleman-swallowing Mol-kin; then to condemn these Tales following, because Father Hubburd tells them in the small size of an Ant, is even as much, as if these two words, God and devil, were Printed both in one line, to skip it over, and say that line were nought, because the devil were in it; Sat sapienti; And I hope there be many wise men in all the twelve company.  
Yours, if you read without spelling or hacking● T. M.   

The Ant, and the Nightingale.  

THe west-Seas Goddesse in a crimson rob,  
Her Temples circled with a currall wreath,  
Waighted her love, the lightner of Earths Globe,  
The wanton wind did on her bosom breath:  
The nymphs of Springs did hollowed water power,  
What ere was could, helped to make cool her Bower.   

And now the fiery Horses of the Sun  
Were from their golden-flaming Car vatra●'de,  
And all the glory of the day was done,  
save here and there, some Light moon clouds in chac'de,  
A partie-coloured-Canopie did spread  
over the Sun and Thetis amorous bed.   

Now had the shepherds folded in their Flocks  
The sweeting Teemes v●coupled from their yokes:  
The wolf sought pray, and the sly murdering fox  
Attempts to steal; fearless of rural streaks  
All beasts took rest that lived by labouring toil,  
Onely such tang'de as had delight in spoil.   

Now in the Pathlesse region of the air,  
The winged passengers had left to soa●●:  
Except the Bat and owl who bided sad care,  
And Philomel that nightly doth deplore  
In solile-contenting times her change of shape,  
Wrought first by persidy and lust fall Rape.   

This poor musician sitting all alone  
On a green hawthorn, from the thunder blessed:  
Carolls in varied notes her antic mone,  
Keeping a sharpened Brier against her breast:  
Her innocence this watchful pain doth take,  
To shun the Adder and the speckled Snake.   

These two like her old foe the Lord of Thrace,  
regardless of her dulcet changing song:  
To serve their own hist haue her life in chase,  
virtue by 'vice is off●ed endless wrong:  
Beasts are not all too blame, for now and then  
We see the like-attempted amongst men.   

under the three whereon the poor bide sate,  
There was a bed of busy toiling Ants,  
That in their summer, winters comfort ●at,  
Teaching poor men how to shun after want:  
Whose Rules if sluggards could be learnt to keep,  
They should not starve awake, ye could a sleep.   

One of these busy brethren having donne  
His daies true labour, got vpon the three:  
And with his little nimble Legs did run,  
pleased with the hearing, he desirde to see  
What wondrous Creature Nature had composde,  
In whom such gracious music was enclosde.   

He got too near: for the mistrustful bide  
Gest him to be a fpye from her known foe:  
suspicion argues not to hear a word,  
What wiseman fears not thats invr'de to woe?  
Then blame not her, she caught him in her beak,  
About to kill him ere the worm could speak.   

But yet her mercy was above her heat,  
She did not as a many silken men  
called by much wealth, small wit, to Iudgement seat,  
condemn at random; but she pitied then  
When she might spoil, would great ones would do so,  
Who often kill, before the cause they know.   

O if they would as did this little Fowle,  
look on their lesser captives with even Ruth:  
They should not hear so many sentencde, howl,  
complaining Iustice is not friend to truth:  
But they would think vpon this ancient theme,  
Each Right extreme, is injury extreme.   

pass them to mend, for none can them amend,  
But heauens lieutenant, and earths-Iustice King,  
stern will, hath will; no great-one wants a friend,  
Some are ordainde to sorrow, some to sing;  
And with this sentence let thy griefs all close  
Who ere are wronged are happier then their foes.   

So much for such, now to the little Ant  
In the birds beak and at the point to die:  
Alas for woe, friends in distress are scant,  
None of his Fellowes to his help did high:  
They keep them safe, they hear and are afraid:  
Tis vain to trust in the base numbers aid.   

Onely himself unto himself is friend,  
With a faint voice his Foe he thus bespoke:  
Why seeks your gentleness a poor worms end?  
O ere you kill, hear the excuse I make:  
I come to wonder, not to work offence,  
There is no glory to spoil Innocence.   

Perchance you take me for a soothing spy,  
By the sly Snake or envious Adder feed:  
Alas I know not how to fain and lie,  
Or win a base Intelligencers meed,  
That now are Christians, sometime Turks, then Iowes,  
living, by leaving heaven for earthly news.   

Trust me: I am a little Emmet born to work,  
Oft times a man, as you were once a maid:  
under the name of man much ill doth lurk,  
Yet of poor me, you need not be afraid:  
mean men, are worms on whom the mighty tread,  
greatness and strength your virtue injured.   

With that she opened wide her hornie bill,  
The prison where this poor submissant lay:  
And seeing the poor Antlie quiu'ring still:  
go wretch, quoth she: I give thee life and way:  
The worthy will not pray on yielding things,  
Pittie's enfeoffed to the blood of Kings.   

For I was once, though now a featherde vail  
cover my wronged body Queenelike clad  
This down about my neck was erst a rail  
Of Bisse embroidered, fie on that we had  
unthrifts and fools and wronged ones complain,  
Rich things were theirs, must nere be theirs again.   

I was thou know'st the Daughter to a King,  
Had palaces and pleasures in my time:  
Now mine own songs I am enforced to sing,  
Poets forget me in their pleasing rhyme,  
Like chaff they fly tost with each windy breath,  
Omitting my fore'st Rape by Tereus death!   

But tis no matter: I myself can sing  
Sufficient strains to witness mine own worth:  
They that forget a queen, soothe with a King,  
Flatterie's still barren, yet still bringeth forth,  
Their works are dews,  shed when the day is donne  
But sucked up dry by the next morning sun.   

What more of them? they are like Iris throne,  
commixed with many Colours in moist time:  
Such lines portend what's in that circled shown:  
clear weather follows showers in every climb,  
averring no Prognosticator lies  
That says, some Great ones fall, their rivals rise.   

pass such for bubbles, let their bladder-prayse  
Shine and sink with them in a moments change:  
They think to rise, when they the Riser raise  
But regal wisdom knows it is not strange  
For Curs to fawn, base things are ever low,  
The vulgar Eye feeds onely on the show.   

Else would not soothing Glofers oil the son,  
Who, while his Father lived his Acts did hate:  
They know all earthly day with man is donne  
When he is circled in the Night of Fate,  
So the deceased they think on no more,  
But whom they iniurde late they now adore.   

But there's a Manly Lion now can roar,  
Thunder more dreaded then the lioness:  
Of him let simplo beasts his aid implore,  
For he conceives more, then they can express.  
The virtuous politic, is truly man,  
devil, the Atheist, politician.   

I gest thee such a one: but tell thy tale,  
If thou be simplo as thou hast expressed:  
do not with coined words set wit to sale;  
Nor with the flattering world use way ne protest,  
Sith man thou saist thou wert, I prithee tell  
While thou wert man, what mischiefs thee befell.   

princess! you bid me butted cares revive,  
Quoth the poor Ant: yet sith by you I live:  
So let me in my daily labrings thrive,  
As I myself do to your service give:  
I haue been oft a man, and so to be,  
Is often to be thrall to misery.   

But if you will haue me my mind disclose,  
I must entreat you that I may set down  
The tales of my black fortunes in sad prose:  
rhyme is vneuen, fashiond by a clown:  
I first was such a one, I Tild the Ground,  
And amongst Ruralls verse is scarcely found.   

Well, tell thy tales: but see thy prose be good:  
For if thou Euphuize which once was rare,  
And of all English Phrase the life and blood,  
In those times for the fashion past compare,  
Ile say thou borrowest, and condemn thy style:  
As our new fools, that count all following vile.   

Or if in bitterness thou rail like Nash,  
forgive me honest soul, that term thy phrase  
railing, for in thy works thou wert not rash,  
Nor didst affect in youth thy private praise:  
Thou hadst a strife with that Trigemini,  
Thou hurtst not them, till they had iniurde thee.   

Thou wast indeed too slothful to thyself,  
Hiding thy better talent in thy spleen:  
True spirits are not covetous in pelf,  
Youths wit is ever ready quick and keen:  
Thou didst not live thy ripened autumn day,  
But wert cut off in thy best blooming May.   

Else hadst thou left as thou indeed hast left  
Sufficient Test, though now in others Chests  
T'improue the baseness of that humorous theft  
Which seems to flow from selfe-conceiuing breasts:  
Thy name they bury, having butted thee,  
Drones eat thy honey, thou wert the true Bee.   

Peace keep thy soul: And now to you Sir Ant,  
On with your Prose, be neither rude nor nice,  
In your discourse let no Decorum want:  
See that you be sententious and concise,  
And as I like the matter, I will sing  
A Canzonet to close up every thing.   
With this, the whole Neast of Ants hearing their fellow was free from danger, like Comforters when Care is over, came with great thankes to harmless Philomel, and made a Ring about her and their restored friend, serving in stead of a dull Audience of Stinkards sitting in the Penny-Galleries of a theatre, and yawning vpon the Players, whilst the Ant began to stalk like a three Quarter sharer, and was not afraid to tell tales out of the villainous school of the world, where the divell is the schoolmaster, and the usurer the under usher, the Schollers yong-dicing Land-lords, that pass away three hundred Acres with three Dice in a Hand, and after the decease of so much Land in money, become sons& Heires of Baudy-houses: for it is an easy labour to find Heires without Land, but a hard thing indeed, to find Land without Heires: but for fear I interrupt this small Actor in less then Decimo Sexto, I leave, and give the Ant leave to tell his Tale.   

THE ANTS Tale, when he was a Plough-man.  
I Was sometimes( most chased Lady Nightingale, or rather queen philomel the ravished) a brow melting husband-man: to be man and husband, is to be a poor master of many rich cares: which if he cannot subject and keep under, he must look for ever to undergo as many miseries, as the houres of his yeares contain minutes such a man I was, and such a husband, for I was linked in marriage, my havings was small, and my means less; yet charge came on me, ere I knew how to keep it: yet did I all my endeavours had a Plough and Land to employ it: fertile enough if it were manured, and for tillage, I was never held a Truant.  
But my destruction and the ruin of all painful hushand-men about me, began by the prodigal downfall of my young Landlord, whose father, grandfather, and great Grandfather for many Generations had been Lords of the town wherein I dwelled, and many other towns near adjoining: to all which belonged fair Commons for the comfort of the poor, liberty of fishing help of fuel; by brush and underwood never deny● till the old devourer of virtue, honesty and good Neighbourhood. Death had made our Landlord dance after his Pipe which is so common, that every one knows the way though, they make small account of it. Well d●e he did, and as soon as he was laid in his grace, the Bell might well haue towld for hospitality and good housekeeping, for whether they fell sick with him and died, and so were butted. I know not but I am sure in our town they were never seen since: nor that I can hear of in any other part; especially about us they are unpossible to be found. Well, our Landlord being dead, we had his heir gentle enough and fair conditioned, rather promising at first his father's virtues, then the worlds villainies, but he was so accussomed to wild and unfruitful company about the Court and London,( whither he was sent by his sober father to practise civility and manners) that in the Country he would scarce keep,) till his father's body was laid in the could Earth, but as soon as the hasty funeral was solemnized, from us he posted, discharging all his old father's servants( whose Beards were even frost bitten with Age) and was attended onely by a Monkey and a Mar●●oset; the one being an ill fac'st fellow, as variable as New-fangle for fashions; the other an imitator of any thing however villainous; but utterly destitute of all goodness: with this French page. and Italianate servingman, was our young Landlord onely waited on; and all to save charges in servingmen, to pay it out in Harlots, and we poor men had news of a far greater expense within less then a Quarter: for we were sent for to London, and found our great Landlord in a little Rooms about the Strand, who  told us, that whereas we had lived Tenants at will, and might in his forefathers days been hourly turned out, be putting on a better Conscience to vs-ward, infanded to make us leases for yeares; and for advice twixt him and us, he had made choice of a Lawyer, a Mercer, and a Merchant, to whom he was much beholding, who that morning were appointed to ●●ete in the Temple Church, Temple& Church, both one in name, made us hope of a holy meeting; but there is an old proverb, The nearer the Church, the farther from God. To approve which saying, we met the Mercer and the Merchant, that loving our Landlord or his land well, held him a great men in both their Books; some little conference they had, what the conclusion was, we poor men were not yet acquainted with, but being called at their leisure and when they pleased to think vpon us;  told us, they were to dine together at the horn in Fleet street, being a house where their Lawyer resorted: and if if we would there attend them, we should understand matter much for our good and in the mean time they appointed us near the old Temple Garden to attend their counselor, whose name was master Prospero, not the great Rider of horse, for I heard there was once such a one, but a more cunning Rider, who had rid many men till they were more miserable then beasts and our ill hap it was to prove his Hackneys: well though the issue were ill, on we went to await his Worship, Whose chamber we found that morning fuller of Clients, then I could ever see suppliants to heaven in our poor parish Church, and yet we had in it three hundred households: and I may tell it with reverence, I never saw more submission done to God, then to that great Lawyer every suitor there offered gold to this gowned: Idol, standing bare headed in a sharpt set morning; for it was in booted, Michaelmas term and not a word spoken to him but it was with the bowing of the Body and the submissive flexure of the knee: short Tale to make, he was informed of us, what we were, and of our coming up; when with an iron look, and shrill voice, he began to speak to the richest of our number, ever and anon, yerking out the word Fines, which served instead of a full point to every Sentence.  
But that word Fines was no fine word me-thought, to please poor labouring husbandmen, that can scarce sweat out so much in a twelvemonth as he would demand in a twinkling: at last to close up the lamentable Tragedy of us Plough-men enters our young Landlord; so metamorphosed into the shape of a French Puppet, that at the first we started, and thought one of the Baboons had marched in, in man's Apparel, his head was dressed up in white Feathers like a Shuttle-Cock, which agreed so well with his biggeste, being nothing but cork, 〈…〉 of the Guard might very easily haue tossed him with Battledoores, and made good sport with him in his majesties great Hall: his doublet was of a strange Cut, and to show the fury of his humour, the colour of it rose up so hi● and sharp, as if it would haue cut his throat by day-light: his wings according to the fashion now, was as little and deminutive as a Puritan's ruff, which shewed he nere ment to fly out of England, nor 〈…〉 exploit beyond Sea, but live and die about London, though he b●●● in Finsburie: his breeches a wonder to see, were full as deep as the middle of winter, or the Roade-way between London and Winchester, and so large and wide withall, that I think within a twelvemonth, he might very well put all his lands in them; and then you may imagine they were big enough, when they would out-reach a thousand Acres: moreover, they differed so far from our fashiond-Hose in the Country, and from his fathers old Gascoynes, that his back part seemed to us like a Monster: the Rolyle of the breeches standing so low, that we coniecturds his house of Office Sir reverence, stood in his hams. All this while his French Monkey bore his cloak of three pounds a yard, wind clean through with purple velvet, which did so dazzle our coarse Eyes, that we thought we should haue been purblind ever after: what with the prodigal aspect of that, and his glorious Rapier& Hangers, all boast with Pillars of gold, fairer in show then the Pillars in Powles, or the tombs at Westminster: beside it drunk up the price of all my plough-land in very pearl, which stuck as thick vpon those Hangers, as the white Meazells vpon hogs flesh: When I had well viewed that gay gaudy cloak, and those unthrifty wasteful. Hangers, I muttered thus to myselfs that is no cloak for the rain sure, nor those no Hangers for Derick: when of a sudden casting mine eyes lower, I beholded a curious pair of Bootes of King Philips leather, in such artificall wrinkles, sets and plea●s, as if they had been starched lately, and came new from the Laundresses, such was my ignorance and simplo acquaintance with the fashion: and I dare swear my fellowes and neighbours here, are all as ignorant as myself: but that which struck us most into admiration, vpon those fantastie all Bootes, stood such huge and wide tops which so swallowed up his t●●●●s, that had be sworn as other Gallants did, this common Oath would I might sink 〈◇〉& stand, all his body might very well haue sunk down, and been damned in his bootes. Lastly, he walked the chamber with such a pestilent jingle, that his Spurs over squeaked the Lawyer, and made him reach his voice three notes: above his Fee: but after we had spied the Rowles of his Spures, how we blessed ourselves, they did so much and so far exceed the commpasse of our fashion, that they looked more like the forerunners of wheel-barrowes: thus was our young Landlord accoutred, in such a strange and prodigal shape, that it amounted to above two yeares rent in apparel. At last approach the Mercer and the Merchant, two notable. Arch trades-men, who had fitted my young master in Clothes, whilst they had clothed themselves in his Acres, and measured him out velvet by the thumb, whilst they received his R●●●●wes by handfuls: for he had not so many yards in his svit, as they had yards an houses bound for the Payment: which now he was forced to pass over to them, or else all his Lauds should be put to their book, and to their forfeiting neck-verse: so my you after 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 a Gentleman Penfiener, but his a gentleman S●●●der a 〈…〉 master Bursebell, the royal scrivener, with Deeds, and Writings, hanged drawn and quartered for the purpose he was a Valiant Scribe I remember, his Pen lye mounted between his Ear like a Tower Gun, but not charged yet, till our young Maister's Patrimony shot off which was some third part of an how●● after: By this time the Lawyer, the Mercer, and the Merchant, were whispering and consulting together, about the writings and passage of the land, in very déeps and sober conference; but our Wise-acres all the while, as one regardless of either land or money, not harkening or inquisitive after their subtle and politic devices, held himself very busy about the burning of his Tobacco pipe( as there is no Gallant but bath a Pipe to burn about London) though we poor simplo men never heard of the name till that time, and he might very fitly take Tobacco there, for the Lawyer and the rest made him smoke already: but to haue noted the Apish humour of him, and the fantastical faces he coyed in the receiving of the smoke, it would haue made your ladyship haue sung nothing but merry Iigs for a twelvemonth after: one time. winding the Pipe like a horn at the Pie-corner of his mouth, which must needs make him look like a Sow-gelder, and another time serving his face like one of our country Players, which must needs make him look like a fool; nay, he had at least his dozen of Faces, but never a good one amongst them all: neither his fathers face, nor the face of his grandfather, but yet more wicked and riotous faces, then al the generation of him: now their privy whisprings and villainous Plots began to be drawn to a conclusion, when presently they called our smoky Landlord in the midst of his draft, who in a valiant humour dashed his Tobacco-pipe into the chimney-corner: whereat I started, and bekring his Marmoset to me, askte him if those long white things did cost no money: to which the slave replied very proudly: money! Yes sirr●: but I tell thee my master scorns to haue a thing come twice to his mouth. Then( quoth I) I think thy master is more choice in his mouth, then in any member else: it were good if he used that all his Body over, he would never haue need as many gallants haue, of any sweeting Phissck. sweeting physic replied the Marmoset, what may thy meaning be: Why, do not you Plough men sweat too? Yes quoth I, most of any men living? but yet there is difference between the sweat of a Plough-man, and the sweat of a Gentleman, as much as between your Maisters apparel and mine: for when we sweat the land prospers, and the harvest comes in: but when a Gentleman sweats, I wot how the gear goes then. No sooner were these words spoken, but the Marmoset had drawn out his Poniard halfe-way, to make a show of reuenge: but at the smart voice of the Lawyer he suddenly whipped it in again. Now was our young master with one pen-full of ink, doing a far greater exploit then all his forefathers: for what they were a purchasing all their life-time, he was now passing away in the fourth part of a minute: and that which many thousand drops of his Grandfather's brows did painfully strive for one drop now of a falconers Iack-horne did easily pass over. A dash of a pen stood for a thousand Acres: how quickly they were dashed in the mouth by our young Landlords prodigal fist, it seemed he made no more account of Acres then of acorns; then were we called, to set our hands for witnesses of his folly: which we poor men did witness too much already: and because we were found ignorant in writing, and never practised in that black Art, which I might very fitly tear me so, because it coniur'd our young master out of all? we were commanded as it were; to draw any mark with a pen which should signify as much as the best hand that ever old Peter Bales hung out in the old bailie: to conclude, I took the pen first of the Lawyer, and turning it arsie versie, like no Instrument for a Plough-man our youngster and the rest of the Faction burst into laughter at the simplicity of my fingering; but I not so simplo as they laughed me for, drew the picture of a knavish Emblem, which was, A Plough with the heels upward: signifing thereby, that the world was turned upside down, since the decease of my old Landlord: all hospitality and good housekéeping kicked out of doors, al thriftines and good husbandry tost into the air, Ploughs turned into Trunks, and corn into apparel: then came another of our husband-men to set his mark by mine, be holding the Pen clean at the one side, towards the Merchant, and the Mercer, showing that all went on their sides, drew the form of an unbridled Colt, so wild and unruly, that he seemed with one foot to kick up the earth and spoil the labours of many toiling Beasts, which was fitly alluded to our wild and unbridled Landlord, which like the Colt could stand vpon no ground, till he had no ground to stand vpon.  
These marks set down under the shape of sunplicity, were the less marked with the eyes Of knavery: for they little dreamed that we Plough-men could haue so much satire in us as to bite our young Landlord by the Elbow●: well this ended, master Bursebell the Calues-skin scrivener, was Royally handled, that is, he had a royal put in his hand by the Merchant. And now I talk of Calues-skin, tis great pity, Lady Nightingale, that the skins of harmless and innocent Beasts, should be as Instruments to work villainy vpon, entangling young novices and foolish elder brothers which are caught like woodcocks in the net of the Law: tis easter for one of the greatest Fowles to slide through the least hole of a net, then one of the least fools, to get from the lappit of a Bond: by this time the squeaking lawyer began to re●terat the could word Fines, which struck so chill to our hearts, that it made them as could as our heels, which were almost frozen to the floor with standing. Yea, quoth the Merchant and the Mercer, you are now Tenants of ours, all the right, title, and interest of this young Gentleman( your late Land lord) we are firmly possessed of, as you yourselves are witnesses: wherefore this is the conclusion of our meeting, such Fines as master Prospero here by the valuation of the land, shall out of his proper iudgment allot to us, such are we to demand at your hands, therefore we refere you to him to wait his answer, at the Gentlemans best time and leisure; with that they stifeled two or three Angels in the Lawyers right hand: right hand said I! which hand was that trows ye? for it is impossible to know which is the right hand of a Lawyer, because there are but few Lawyers that haue right hands, and those few make much of them: so taking their leaves of my young Landlord that was, and that never shall be again: away they marched heavier by a thousand Acres at their parting, then they were before at their meeting. The Lawyer then turning his Irish face to vs-ward, willed us to attend his worship the next term, when wee should further understand his pleasuree we poor souls thanked his worship, and paid him his fee out in Legs, when in sight of us, he embraced our young Gentleman,( I think for a fool and gave him many riotous instructions how to carry himself: which he was prompter to take, then the other to put into him,  told him he must acquaint himself with many Gallants of the inns of court,& keep rank with those that spend most always wearing a bountiful disposition about him, lofty and liberal: his lodging must be about the Strand in any case being remote from the Handi-craft cent of the city; his eating must be in some famous tavern, as the horn, the mitre, or the mermaid, and then after dinner, he must venture beyond sea, that is, in a choice pair of Noble-mens oars to the Bank-side, where he must sit out the breaking up of a comedy, or the first cut of a tragedy; or rather( if his humour so serve him) to call in at the blackfriars, where he should see a neast of Boyes, able to ravish a man. This said, our young Goose cap who was ready to embrace such counsel, overlooked him for his fatherly admonitions,( as he termed them) and  told him again, that he should not find him with the breach of any of them:( swearing and protesting he would keep all those, better then the ten Commandments: At which word he buckled on his Rapier and Hangers, his Monkey face casting on his cloak by the book: after an Apish congée or two, passed down stairs without either word or nod to us, his old fathers Tenants: nevertheless, we followed him( like so many russet kirkmen) to see the event of all, and what the issue would come too: when of a sudden he was encountered by a most glorious spangled Gallant, which we took at first to haue been some upstart tailor, because be measured all his body with a salutation, from the flow of the doublet, to the fall of the Breeches: but at last we found him to be a very fantastical sponge, that licked up all humours, the very Ape of fashions, gesture, and compliment, one of those indeed( as we learned afterward) that fed upon young Land-lords, riotous sons and heires, till either he, or the Counter in Wood-stréete had swallowed them up: and would not stick to be a Bawd, or Pander to such young Gallants as our young Gentleman, either to acquaint them with Harlots, or Harlots with them, to bring them a whole dozen of Taffeta Punkes at a supper, and they should be none of these common Molls neither, but discontented and unfortunate Gentlewoman, whose Parents being lately deceased, the brother ran away with all the land, and the poor Squalles with a little money, which cannot hold out long without some comings in, but they will rather venture a Maidenhead then want a Head tyre: such Shuttle-cockes as these, which though they are toste and played withall, go like Maides all white on the top: or else decayed Gentlemens wives, whose husbands( poor souls) lying for debt in the Kings. Bench, they go about to make monsters in the Kings-head tavern: for this is a general Axiom: all your luxurious plots are always begun in taverns, to be ended in vauting houses, and after supper when fruit comes in, there is small fruit of honesty to be looked for:( For you know that the eating of the Apple, always betokens the fall of eve) Our prodigal child accompanied with this soaking Swaggerer and admirable Cheater,( who had supped up most of our heires about London, like pochtegges) slips into White friars Nunnery, whereas the report went, he kept his most delicate Drab, of three hundred a year: some vnthriftie Gentlemans daughter, who had mortgaged his land to falconers, sure enough from redeeming again: for so much she seemed by her bringing up, though less by her casting down, endowed she was( as we heard) with some good qualities, though all were converted then but to flattering villainies: she could run vpon the Lute very well, which in others would haue appeared virtuous, but in her lascivious, for her running was rather jested at because she was a light Runner besides: she had likewise the gift of singing very deliciously, able to charm the hearer, which so bewitched away our young Maisters money, that he might haue kept seven Noise of musicans for less charges, and yet they would haue stood for servingmen too, having blew coats of their own: she had a humour to lisp often, like a flattering wanton, and talk childish, like a Parsons daughter; which so pleased and wrapped our old Land-Lords licourish son, that he would swear, she spake nothing but sweet meats: and her breath then sent forth such a delicious odour, that it perfumed his white satin doublet, better then sixteen Milliners. well, there we left him with his devouring Cheater,& his glorious Cockatrice,& being almost vpon dinner-time, we hied us and took our repast, at thrifty Mother Walkers, where we found a whole neast of pinching bachelors, crowded together vpon forms and Benches, in that most worshipful Thrée-halfe-peny Ordinary: where presently they were boarded, with hot Monnsier Mutton and Porridge( A French-man by his blowing)& next to them, we were served in order, every one taking their degree: And I tell you true, lady, I haue known the time, when our young Land-lords father hath been a thrée-halfpeny-eater there: nay more, was the first that acquainted us with that sparing and thrifty ordinary, when his riotous son hath since spent his five pound at a sitting. well, having discharged our small shot( which was like Haile-shot, in respect of our young Maisters Cannon-reckonings in taverns) we plodded home to our Ploughs, carrying these heavy news to our wives, both of the prodigality of our old Land-lords son, as also of our oppressions to come, by the burden of uncharitable Fines. And most musical madam Nightingale, do but imagine now, what a sad Christmas we al kept in the country, without either Carols, Wassel bowls, dancing of Sellengers round in Moone-shine nights about May-Poles, Shoeing the mere, Hoodman blind, Hot-cockles, or any of our old Christmas Gambols no, not so much as choosing King and queen, on Twelfe-night: such was the dullness of our pleasures, for that one word Fines, robbed us of all our fine Pastimes.  
This sour fac●● Christmas thus vnpleasantly past over, up again we trotted to London, in a great Frost( I remember) for the ground was as hard as the Lawyers Conscience: and arriving at the luxurious Strand, some three dayes before the term, we enquired for our bountiful Land-lord, or the fool in the full, at his neat and curious Lodging: but answer was made us by an old Chamber-maide, that our Gentleman slept not there all the Christmas time, but had been at Court, and at least in five masks, mary now as she thought, we might find him at master Poops his Ordinary, with half a dozen of Gallants more, at Dice. At Dice! at the divell, quoth I, for that is a Dicers last throw: here I began to rail like Thom. Nash, against gabriel Haruey! if you call that railing, yet I think it was but the running a Tilt of wits in book sellers shops, on both sides of John of paul Church-yard: and I wonder how John scaped vnhorsing. But when we were entred the door of the ordinary, we might hear our lusty Gentleman shoot off a volley of oaths, some three rooms over us, cursing the Dice, and wishing the pox were in their bones, crying out for a new pair of square ones, for the other belike had cogde with him, and made a guile of him: when the host of the ordinary coming down stairs, met us with this report,( after we had name him) Troth good fellows, you haue name now the most vnfortunatest Gentleman living at( passage I mean:) for I protest, I haue stood by myself as a heavy eye witness, and seen the beheading of five hundred Crownee, and what pitiful end they all made: with that he shewed us his embossed Girdle and Hangers, new pawned for more money: and  told us beside, not without tears, his glorious cloak was cast away three houres before, ouer-boord, which was, off the table? at which lamentable hearing, we stood still in the lower room,& durst not venture up stairs, for fear he would haue laid al us Plough-men to pawn too: and yet I think all we could scarce haue made up one throw: but to draw to an end, as his Patrimony did, we had not lingered the better part of an hour, but down came fencing his glittering rapier and dagger, as if he had been newly shoulderclapt by a pewter-buttond Ser●eant, and his weapons seized vpon; at last after a great peal of Oaths on all sides, the Court broke up,& the worshipful Bench of Dicers came thundering down stairs, some swearing, some laughing, some cursing, and some singing, with such a confusion of humours, that had we known before what rank of Gallants they were, we should haue thought the divels had been at Dice in an Ordinary: the first that appeared to us was our most lamentable Landlord, dressed up in his monkeys livery cloak, that he seemed now rather to wait vpon his Monkie, then his monkey vpon him, which did set forth his Sattin-sute so excellent scuruily, that he looked for all the world like a French Lord in dirty bootes: when casting his eye vpon us, being desirous( as it seemed) to remember us now if we had any money, broke into these fantastical speeches; What my whole warren of Tenants thinking indeed to make Conies of us: my honest nest of Plough-men, the onely Kings of Kent: More dice ho; ●faith let's haue another career, and vomit three dice in a hand again. With that I plucked his humour at one side, and  told him, we were indeed his fathers Tenants, but his we were sorry we were not: and as for money to maintain his Dice, we had not sufficient to stuff out the Lawyer. Then replied our Gallant in a rage, tossing out two or three new minted Oaths; these Plough-men are politicians I think, they haue wit the whorsons; they will be Tenants I perceive longer then we shall be Landlords: and fain he would haue swaggerd with us, but that his weapons were at pawn: so marc●ing out like a turned Gentleman, the rest of the Gallants seemed to casheare him, and throw him out of their company like a blank Die, the one having no black Péepes, nor be no white Pieces; Now was our Gallant the true picture of the prodigal, and having no rents to gather now, he gathered his wits about him, making his brain pay him revenues in villainy. For it is a general observation, that your sons and Heires, prove seldom wise-men, till they haue no more land then the compass of their Noddles. To conclude, within few dayes practise, he was absolute in cheating, and as exquisite in pandarisme, that he outstripped al Greenes books, Of the Art of Conie-catching: and where before he maintained his Drab he made his Drab now maintain him: proved the onely true captain of Vaulting-houses, and the valiant Champion against Constables and Searchers; feeding vpon the sin of whitefriars, Pitckt-hatch, and Turne-bol-stréet: Nay, there was no landed novice now, but he could melt him away into nothing: and in one twelve-month make him hold all his land between his legs, and yet but straddle eastly neither. No wealthy son of the city, but within less thē a quarter, be could make all his stock not worth a Iearsie stocking: he was all that might be in dissolute villainy, and nothing that should be in his fore-fathers honesty. To speak troth, we did so much blushy at his life, and were so ashamed of his base courses, that ever after we loathed to look after them. But returning to our stubble-hairde Lawyer, who reaped his beard every Terme-time,( the Lawyers harvest) we found the Mercer and the Merchant, crowded in his study, amongst a company of Law-bookes, which they instled so often with their Cor-combes, that they were almost together by the ears with them, when at the sight of us they took an Habes Corpus,& remooude their bodies into a bigger room: but there we lingered not long for our torments, for the Mercer& the Merchant, gave fire to the Lawyers tongue with a rope of Angels, and the word Fines went off with such a powder, that the force of it blew us all into the country, quiter changed our Plough-mens shapes, and so we became little Ants again.  
This, madam Nightingale, is the true discourse of our rural fortunes, which how miserable, wretched, and full of oppression they were, all Husband mens brows can witness, that are find with more sweat, stil year by year, and I hope a Canzonet of your sweet singing, will set them forth to the world in satirical Harmony.  
The remorcefull Nightingale, delighted with the Ants quaint discourse, began to tune the Instrument of her voice, breathing forth these lines, in sweet and delicious airs.  

The Nightingales Canzonet.  

poor little Ant,  
Thou shalt not want  
The ravished music of my voice:  
Thy shape is best,  
Now thou art least,  
For great Ones fall with greater noise.  
And this shall be the Marriage of my song,  
Small Bodies can haue but a little wrong.  
Now thou art securer,  
And thy dayes far surer,  
Thou pai'st no Rent vpon the rack,  
To daub a prodigal Land-lords back:  
Or to maintain the subtle running  
Of Dice and Drabs, both one in cunning:  
Both pass from hand to hand to many,  
flattering all, yet false to any:  
Both are well linked: for throw Dice how you can,  
They will turn up their peeps to every man.   

happy art thou, and all thy brothers,  
That never feelst the Hell of others:  
The torment to a Luxur due,  
Who never thinks his Harlot true,  
Although vpon her heels he stick his eyes,  
Yet stil he fears, that though she stands, she lies.   

Now are thy labours easy,  
Thy state not sick or queasy;  
All drops thou sweatst are now thine own,  
Great Subsidies be as unknown  
To thee; and to thy little fellow Ants,  
Now none of you under that burden pants.   

lo for example, I myself, poor worms,  
That haue out-worne the rage of Tereus storms:  
Am ever blessed now in this downy shape,  
From all mens treachery, or soule-melting Rape:  
And when I sing Tereu, Tereu,  
Through every town, and so renew  
The name of Torens, slaves through fears,  
With guilty Fingers boult their ears:  
And all ravishers do rave, and even fall mad,  
And then such wronged souls as myself are glad.  
So thou small wretch and all thy Nest,  
Are in those little bodies blessed:  
Not taxed beyond your poor degree,  
With Landlords Fine, and Lawyers Fee.  
But tell me prety-toiling worm,  
Did that same Plough-mans weary form  
Discourage thee so much from others,  
That neither thou, nor those thy brothers,  
In borrowed shapes durst once again  
Venture amongst perfidious men?   

Ant.  
Yes Lady, the poor Ant replied,  
I left not so, but then I tried  
Wars sweeting Fortunes, not alone  
Condemning rash all states for one,  
until I found by proof, and knew by course,  
That one was bad, but all the rest were worse.   

Nightingale.  
Didst thou put on a rugged soldier then?  
A happy state, because thou fought'st 'gainst men?  
prithee discourse, thy fortunes, state and harms,  
Thou wast no doubt, A mighty man at arms?     

The Ants Tale when he was a soldier.  
THen thus: Most musical and prickle-singing madam,( for if I err not, your ladyship was the first that brought up Prick-song, being nothing else but the fatal notes of your pitiful ravishment): I not contented long,( a 'vice cleaning to all worldlings) with this little estate of an Ant, but stuffed with envy and ambition, as small as I was, desired to virtue into the world again, which I may rather term the vpper Hell or Frigida Gehenna, the cold-charitable Hell, wherein are all kind of divels too, as your gentle devil, your ordinary devil, and your gallant devil, and all these can change their shapes too: As to day in cowardly white: to morrow in politic black: A third day in jealous yallow; for believe it, sweet Lady, there are divels of all colours: neuerthelesso I covetous of more change, leaped out of this little skin of an Ant, and hung my skin on the hedge, taking vpon me the grisly shape of a dusty soldier; well made I was, and my limbs valiantly hewn out for the purpose: I had a mazzard I remember, so well wind in the inside with my brain, it stood me in better stead then a double head-piece, for the brain of a soldier differing from al other Sciences, converts itself to no use, but to line, fur, and even quilt the Corscombs, and so makes a pate of proof: my face was well leuend, which made my looks fast sour, the true relish of a man of war: my cheeks, doe-bakte, pale, wan, and therefore argued valour and resolution: but my nose somewhat hard bakte, and a little burnt in the oven: a property not amiss in a Souldiers visage, who should scorn to kinsh, but in his nose: my chi● was well patched with a beard, which was a necessary shelther in winter, and a Fly flap in summer: so brushy and spreading, that my lips could scarce be seen to walk abread, but played at all his, and durst not péepe forth for starting a hair. Tocouelude, my arms, Thies and Lege, were so sound, stint, and weighty, as if they had come all out of the Timber-yard: that my very presence onely was able to still the bawlingst Infant in Europe. And I think madam, this was no unlikely shape for a soldier to prove well: here was mettle enough, for four shillings awéeke, to do valiant service, till it was bored as full of holes as a Scinuner: well, to the warres I betook me, ranckt myself amongst desperate Hot-shots; onely my carriage put on more civility, for I seemed more like a Spy, thē a follower: an observer, rather then a committer of villainy: and little thought I madam, that the camp had been supplied with Harlots too, as well as the Curraine; and the guarded tents as wicked as garden Tenements; Truils passing too and fro in the washt-shape of Laundresses, as your bawds about London in the manner of Starchwomen, which is the most unsuspected habit the can be to train out a Mistresie. And if your ladyship will not think me much out of the way, though I take a running leap from the camp to the Strand again, I will discover a pretty knavery of the same breeding, between such a Starch-woman, and a kind wanton mistress, as there are few of those ballac'st vessells now adays but will haue a love and a husband. The woman erying her ware by the door,( a most pitiful cry, and lamentable hearing, that such a stiff thing as Starch should want Customers,) passng cunningly and slily by the stall, not once taking notice of the party you wot on, but being by this, some three or four shops off, mass quoth my young mistress to the weathercock her husband, such a thing I want you know: then she named how many Puffas and purls lay in a miserable case for want of sti●ning: the honest plain dealing jewel her husband, sent out a Boy to call her:( not bawd, by her right name, but Starchwoman) into the shop she came, making a low counterfeit courtesy, of whom the mistress demanded, if the Starch were pure gear, and would be suff in her ruff; saying, she had often been deceived before, when the things about her haue stood as limber as Eleskins. The woman replied as subtly, mistress( quoth she,) take this paper of starch of my hand, and if it prove not to your mind, never bestow penny with me: which paper indeed, was a Letter sent to her 〈◇〉 the Gentleman her exceeding favourite. Say you so( quoth the young Dame) and Ile try it i'faith. With that she ran up stairs like a Spinner, vpon small Cobweb-Ropes, not to the or arraign the starch: but to constur and pierce the Letter: whilst her husband sat below by the Counter, like one of these brold-bitten Catchpoles, that wait for one man all day,( when his wife can put five in the Counter before him;) wherein she sound many words that pleased her. Withall, the gentleman writ unto her for a certain sum of money: which no sooner was red, but was ready to be sent; wherefore-laying up the starch and that, and taking another sheet of clean paper in her hand, wanting time and opportunity to writ at large, with a pen full of ink in the very middle of the sheet, writ these sewe quaint Monosillables, coin, Cares, and Cures, and all Cees else are yours: then rolling up the white money like the Starch in that paper, very subtly and artificially, came tripping down stairs, with these colourable words: Héers goodly Starch indeed: Fie, few: trust me Husband as yellow as the Iaundize; I would not haue betrayde my puffs with it for a Million: Héere, héere, héere:( giuing her the paper of money) with that the subtle Starch woman, seeming sorry that it pleased her not;  told her within few dayes she would fit her turn with that which should like her: meaning in●éed more such sweet news from her lover. These and such like madam, are the cunning conveyances, of secret, privy, and therefore vunoted Harlots, that so avoyde the common finger of the world, when less Committers then they are publicly pointed at.  
So likewise in the camp whither now I return, born on the swift wings of Apprehension, the habit of a laundress, shadows the abhomintion of a Strumpet: And our souldiers are like glovers, for the one cannot work well, nor the other fight well without their wenches. This was the first mark of villainy, that I found sticking vpon the brow of war: But after the hot& fiery copulation of a skirmish or two, the ordinance playing like so many Tamburlaines, the Mulkets and calivers answering like Drawers; Anon, Anon sir, I cannot be here and there too: that is, in the Souldiers hand, and in the enemies belly: I grew more acquainted, and as it were entred into the entrails of Black-liuerd policy. Me-thought indeed at first, those great pieces of ordinance should speak English, though now by transportation turned Rebele: and what a miserable and pitiful plight it was Lady, to haue so many thousands of our men slain by their own Country-men the Cannons, I mean not the harmless Cannons of Powles; but those Cannons that haue a great singing in their heads. Well in this onset I remember I was well smoake-dried, but neither arm nor leg perished: not so much as the loss of a petty finger: for when I counted them all over, I mist not one of them, and yet sometimes the Bullets came within a hair of my Cor-combe, even like a Barber seraching my pate, and perhaps took away the left limb of a bermin, and so departed. Another time shouldering me like a bailiff against Michaelmas term, and then shaking me by the sleeve as familiarly as if we had been acquainted seven yeares together. To conclude, they used me very courteously and gentleman-like while, like an old cunning Bowler to fetch in a young kething gamester, who will suffer him to win one Six-penny game at the first, and then lurch him in six pounds afterward: and so they played wish me, still training me( with their faire promises) into far deeper and deadlier battles, where like villainous cheating Bowlers, they lurcht me of two of my best limbs, viz. My right arm, and right legs, that so of a man of war, I became in show a monster of war: yet comforted in this, because I knew war begot many such Monsters as myself in less then a Twlue-month. Now I could discharge no more, having paid the shot dear enough I think, but rather desirde to be dischargde, to haue Pay and be gone: whereupon I appeared to my captain and other Commanders, kissng my left hand which then stood for both;( like one Actor that plays two Parts) who séemd to pity my vnioynted fortunes, and plaster my wound up with words, told me I had done valiant service in their knowledge, mary as for Pay, they most go on the score with me, for all their money was thumped out in Powder: And this was no pleasing salve for a green sore madam: twas too much for me, Lady, to trust calivers with my limbs, and then Caualéeres with my money. Neuerlesse( for all my lamentable Action of one arm like old Titus Andronicus) I could purchase no more then one months Pay, for a ten-months pain and peril, nor that neither; but to convey away my miserable clamours that lay roaring against the Arches of their ears, mary their bountiful favours were extended thus far: I had a Parsport to beg in all Countries.  
Well, away I was packed, and after a Iewe miseries( by the way) at last I set one foot into England again,( for I had no more then to set) being my native, though unnatural country, for whose dear good I pawnde my limbs to Bullets; those merciless Brokers, that will take the vantage of a minute, and so they were quiter forfeited, lost, and unrecoverable: when I was on shore, the people gathered, which word gathering, put me in hope of good comfort, that afterward I failde of: for I thought at first they had gathered some thing for me, but I found at last they did onely but gather about me: Some wondering at me, as if I had been some Sea-monster cast a shore: some jesting at my deformity, whilst others laughed at the jests; One amongst them I remember likened me to a Sea-Crab, because I went all of one side, another fellow vied and said, I lookte like a Rabbit cut up and half eaten: because my wing and leg( as they tearmde it) were departed: some began to pity me, but those were few in number; or at least their pity was as penniles, as Pierce, who writ to the divell for maintenance. Thus passing from place to place, like the Motion of Iulius Caesar, or the city ninive, though not altogether in so good clothes: I overtook the city, from whence I borrowed my first breath, and in whose defence I spent and laid out my limbs by whole sums, to purchase her peace and happiness; nothing doubting but to be well entreated there, my grievous maims tenderly regarded, my powre●roken estate carefully repaired, the ruins of my blood built up again with redress and comfort: But woe the while madam, I was not onely, vnpittied, succourless, and rejected, but threatened with the public Stocks, loathsome jails, and common whipping-Posts, there to receive my pay,( a goodly reward for bleeding service) if I were once found in the city again.  
Wherefore, I was foreste to retire towards the Spittle, and Shore-ditch, which as it appeared was the onely Cole-harbor and sanctuary for Wenches and Souldiers: where I took up a poor lodging a trust, till the Sunday: hoping that then master alms and mistress charity would walk abroad, and take the air in Finsbury.  
At which time I came hoping out from my Lodging like old lame Giles of Criple-gate: but when I came there, the wind blew so bleak and could, that I began to be quiter out of hope of charity: yet, like a torn Map of misery, I waited my single halfpenny fortunes, when of a sudden turning myself about, and looking down the Windmill-Hill, I might spy a far off, a Fine-fashiond Dame of the city, with her man bound by Indenter before her; whom no sooner I caught in mine Eye-lids, but I made too with all possible speed; and with a premeditated speech for the nonce, thus most Souldierlike I accosted her.  
sweet Lady, I beseech your Beauty, to weigh the estate of a poor vnioynted soldier, that hath consumed the moiety, or the one half of his limbs in the dismembering and denouring warres, that hath cheated me of my Flesh so notoriously, I protest I am not worth at this instant the small revenue of three farthings: beside my Lodging, vnpleasde, and my Diet unsatisfied: and had I ten thousand limbs I would venture them all in your sweet quarrel; rather then such a Beauty as yourself should want the least limb of your desire: with that as one being rather moved by my last words of promise, then my first words of pitty; she drew her white bountiful hand out of her Mary-Muffe, and quoited a single halfpenny, whereby I knew her then to be could mistress Charity, both by her chill appearance,& the hard frozen Pension she gave me: she was lapr I remember, from the sharp injury of the biting air, her visage was benighted with a Taffaty mask; to fray away the naughty wind from her face; and yet her very nose seemed so sharp with could, that it almost board a hole quiter through. This was frost-bitten Charity; her teeth chaterd in her head, and leaped up and down like Virginall-Iacks: which betrayed likewise who she was: and you would haue broken into infinite laughter madam( though misery made me leaden and pensive) had you been present to haue seen how quickly the Muff● swallowed her hand again, for no sooner was it drawn forth to drop down her pitiful alms( but for fear the sun and air should haue ravished it) it was extempore whipped up again. This is the true picture of Charity madam, which is as could as Ice in the middle of july.  
Well still I waited for another Fare; but then I bethought myself again, that all the Fares went by water, a sundays to the Beare-baiting:& a mondays to Westminster-Hall: and therfore little to be looked for in Moore fields all the week long.  
Wherefore I sat down by the rails there: and fell into these passionate, but not railing speeches: Is this the farthest reward for a soldier? Is Valour& Resolution the two Champions of the soul, so slightly esteemed and so basely vndervalued? doth réeling Fortune not onely rob us of our limbs, but of our living? Are Souldiers then both food for Cannon and for misery? but then in the midst of my passion, calling to memory the peevish turns of many famous populer-Gallants, whose names were writ even vpon the Hart of the world( it could not so much as think without them, nor speak but in the discourse of them) I began to out-dare the very worst of cruel& disafter chances: and determined to be constant in calamity,& valiant against the Battering Siege of misery: but note the cross star that always dogd my Fortunes: I had not long restend there, but I saw the T●●etring C●●table of Finsbury with his bench of brown bil●en making towards me; meaning indeed to stop some Prison hole with me( as your Souldiers when the wars haue done with them, are good for nothing else but to stop holes with all): at which sight. Iscrambled up of all two, took my skin off the hedge, ●ousned the constable, and s●nt into an Ant again.  

The Nightingale.  

Oh twas a pretty quaint deceit,  
( The Nightingale began to sing)  
To slip from those that lye in wait,  
Whose touch is like a ravens wing,  
fatal and ominous, which being spread,  
over a mortal, aims him dead.   

Alas poor Emmet thou wa'st tost  
In thousand miseries by this shape:  
Thy colour wasted, thy blood lost,  
Thy limbs broken, with the violent Rape  
Of hot impatient Cannons, which desire  
To ravish lifes, spending their lust in fire.   

Oh what a ruthful sight it is, to see  
Though in a soldier of the meanest degree,  
That right member perished,  
Which thy body cherished:  
That limb dissevered, burnt, and gon,  
Which the best part was born vpon;  
And then the greatest ruth of all,  
Returning home in torn estate:  
Where he should rise, there most to fall,  
Trod down with envy, bruisde with hate:  
Yet wretch, let this thy comfort be,  
That greater worms haue fared like thee.   

So here thou leftst bloodlesse and wan,  
Thy journeys through man and man:  
These two crost shapes so much oppressed,  
Did fray thy weakness from the rest.   

Ant.  
NO madam, once again my spleen did thirst,  
To try the third, which makes men blessed or cursed:  
That number Three, many Stars wait vpon,  
Vshering clear Hap, or black confusion:  
Once more I venturde all my hopes to crown,  
But( ay me) leaped into a Sclollers gown.   

Nightingale.  
A Needy scholar! 〈◇〉 worst,  
less fate in that, then ho●h the first  
I thought thou'dst leaped 〈◇〉 Law-Gowne, then  
There had been hope, to ha●e swept up all again,  
But a lanck scholar I study 〈◇〉 you can:  
No Acade●'e makes a●ich. Alderman.  
Well, with this comfort yet thou mayst discourse,  
When Fates are worst, then they can be no 〈◇〉.     

The Ants Tale, when he was a scholar.  
YOu speaks Oracle madam, and now suppose sweet Lady, you see me set forth like a poor scholar to the university not on Horse back, but in Hobsons wagon; and all my Pack●● 〈◇〉 in less than a little Hood box, my books not above four in number, and those four were very needful ones too, or else they had never been bought, an yet I was the valiant captain of a grammar school before I went, endurde the assaull and bastary of many unclean lashes, and all the battailes I was in stood upon points much; which once let down the Enemy the schoolmaster would come rearward& do such an exploit tis a shane to be talked of. By this time madam, imagine me slightly entertained, to be a poor scholar and servitor to some Londoners S●nne, a pure Cockney, that must hear twice a week from his mother, or else he will be si●ke 〈◇〉 the Sunday of a university Mullygrub: such a one I remember was my first poling master, by whose pée●nsh servire I crept into an old Ba●lors gown, and so began to be a jolly fellow: there was the first point of wit I showde, in learning to keep myself warmer to the confirming of which, you shall never take your true Philosophers without two night caps at once and better, a gown of Rugge with the like appurten●●ees: and who be your wisemen I pray but they? Now as for stodie and books, I had the use of my young Maisters, for he was all day a Courtier in the Tennis-court, tossing of Balls in stea● of books, and onely holding disputation with the Court keeper, how many doyen he was in: and when any friend of his would remember him to his book with this old moth eaten sentence, Nulla Dies sine Linea: True he would say, I observe it well, for I am no day from the line of the Racket-court: well in the mean time I kept his study warm, and sucked the Hony of wit from the ●owers of Aristotle, stéept my brain in the smart juice of logic, that subtle Virtue, and yet for all my weighty and sobstantiall arguments, being able indeed to prove any thing by logic. I could prove myself never the richer make the beit Sillegi●●e I could●nd, although I daily rose before the Sun, ●al●● and conu●●● with Midnight, killing many a poor Farthing Candle, that sometimes was vngently put to death, when 〈◇〉 might haue lived longer, but most times living out the full course and hour, and the s●●ffe dying naturally in his bed. nevertheless, I had ●utered as yet but the 〈◇〉 of a scholar, and fat but vpon the skirts of learning; full often I haue sighed, when others haue snor●ed, and when base Trades haue securely restend in their Lin●●●s, I haue forest mine eyes open, and even gagd them with capital Letters, stretching them upon the tenters of a broad Text line, when Night and sleep haue h●ng pound waits of led vpon my eye, lids.  
How many such blark and ghastly seas●ns haue I past over, accompanied onely with a demure watching Candle, that blinkt upon Aristotles works, and gau● even sufficient glimmering to read by, but none to spare, Hitherto my hopes grew comfortable vpon the spreadding Branches of Art and Learning, rather promising future a●nancement, then emply dayes and penu●ious scarcity. But shall I tell you Lady, Oh! here let me sigh out a full point, and take my leave of all plent●●●● houres, and wealthy hopes, for in the spring of all 〈◇〉 persections, in the very pride and glo●ie of all my 〈◇〉, I was vnstuitfully led to the feverish study of 〈◇〉, that sweet Honey poison that 〈◇〉 a ●pple Scholl●● with v●prositable sweetness, and 〈◇〉 false cance●●, until he burst into exceamities, and 〈…〉, or at the ●●st, one of the 〈◇〉 Knights of ●●try, worse by odds then one of the p●●t Knights of 〈◇〉. mary there was an Age once, but alas, long since dead and rotten, whose dust lies now in Lawyers Sa●● Bores: in those golden dayes a vert● us writer might haue lived, maintained himself better vpon Pori●●, 〈…〉 vpon Pl●●ghs, and might haue experded 〈…〉 the year, by the true●ew of his verse: then any 〈…〉 brother, upon the wealthy Quertridges of three ●●●ess three hundred 〈◇〉, according to the excellent report of these lines.  
There was a Golden age! who murdered it?  
How died that Age, or what became of it?  
Then Poets by divinest Alkemy,  
Did turn their ink to Gold, Kings in that time  
Hung jewels at the ear of every rhyme.  
But oh those dayes are wasted, and behold  
The Golden Age that was, is Coynde to Gold:  
And why time now is called an Iron man,  
Or this an Iron Age tis thus expressed:  
The Golden Age lies in an iron chest.  
Or,  
Gold lies now as prisoner in an usurers great Iron bard Chest, where the Prison Grates, are the locks and the key-holes, but so closely made, or rather damned up, that it never looks to walk abroad again, unless there chance to come a speedy Rot among usurers: for I fear me the piddling Gowle will never make them away s●●ne enough: for your rank money Maisters live their threescore and ten yeares as orderly, as many honester men: and it is great pity( Lady philomel) that the gout should be such a long courtier in a Usurers great to, marveling& dominéering above thirty-yeares together in his rammish blood,& his fustie flesh: and I wonder much Madams, that gold being the Spirit of the signifies, can couch so basely under Wood and Iron, two dull slaves, and not muster up his Legion of Angells, burst through the wide bulk of a Coffer, and so march into bountiful and liberal bosoms, shake hands with virtuous Gentlemen, Industrious spirits, and true deserving worthies detesting the covetous clutches, and loathsome Fangs of a Goate-bearded Usurer, a Sable-souls Broker, and an Infectious Law-Fogger.  
Oh but I chide in vain, for gold wants eyes,  
And like a whore cares not with whom it lies.  
Yet that which makes me most admire his baseness are these verses following, wherein he proudly sets forth his own glory, which he vaunts so much of, that I shane to think any: Ignoble spirit or Copper disposition should letter his smooth: golden limbs in boisterous and sullen Iron, but rather be let free to every virtuous and therefore poor scholar,( for poverty is niece to virtue so should each Elegant Poem be truly valued, and divine poesy set crowned in Gold as she ought, where now she onely sits with a Paper on her head, as if she had committed some notorious trespass, either for railing against some brawling Lawyer, or calling some Iustice of pieces wiseman, and how magnificently, Gold sings of his own famed and glory, these his own verses shall stand for witnesses.  
— Know I am Gold,  
The richest spirit, that breaths in earth or Hell:  
The soul of kingdoms, and the stam● of souls,  
Bright Angells we are 〈◇〉 livery, sovereign Kings  
Christen their names in Gold, and call themselves  
royal and sovereign after my gilded name;  
All offices are mine, and in my gift.  
I h●ue a hand in all, the statists vein●●  
flow in the blood of Gold the Courtier baths  
His suppling and lascivious I imbes in ●●le,  
Which my brow sweats, what Lady brightly sphearde,  
But takes delight to kiss a Golden beard.  
Those pleaders foronoone-Play ess, act my parts:  
With liberal tongs and desperate fighting spirit,  
That wrestle with the arms of voice and air:  
And least they should be out, or faint, or could,  
Their Innocent clients hist them on with Gold;  
What holy Churchman's not accounted even,  
That prays three times to me, ere once to heauent  
Then to let shine the radiance of my birth,  
I am the Enchantment both in hell and earth.  
Here's golden majesty enough I trow: And Gold art thou so powerful, so mighty, and yet sna●●ed with a poor Pad-lock? Oh base drudge, and too unworthy of such an Angellike-forme, much like a faire sléekt-fa●de Courtier, without either wit or ●●rtue: Thou that throwest the Earthen bowl of the world with the bias the wrong way, to pesantry, baser●sse, Ingen●ilitie, and never givest desert his due, or shakest thy yealow wings in a Schollers. study: but why do I loose myself in seeking thee, when thou art found of sewe but I●iterat hinds, rude Bores, and hoary peuy fathers, that keep thee in petpetuall ●●●ance, in vau●●s, under false boards, subtle contrived walls, and in horrible dark Dungions, bury thee most vnchristianlike without Amen 〈◇〉 the least noise of a Priest or clerk: and make thee rise again at their pleasures many a thousand time before doomsday: and yet will not all this move thee once to forsake them, and keep company with a scholar, that truly knows how to use thee?  
By this time I had framed an elaborate poetical building, a neat, choice, and curious Poem, the first fruits of my mustcall timing findie, which was dispearst into a quaint valume, fairly bound up in principal velum, double fillerted with leafe-Gold, strong most Gentlemanlike with Cornation-silke ribbon: which book, In●ustriously heaped with weighty conceits, precious Phrases, and wealthy Numbers, I oliver Hubburd, in the best fashion I might, presented to Sir Christopher Clutch-fist,( whose bountiful virtue I blaze in my first Epistle) the book he entertained, but I think for the couer●sake, because if made such a goodly show on the backside, and some two daies after returning for my remimeration, I might spy( O lamentable sight madam) my book dismembered berry tragically, the cover ript of, I know not for what purpose, and the Cornation s●ke skings pulled out, and placst in his spanish leather shoes: at which ruthful prospect I fell down and sounded, and when I came to myself again I was an Ant, and so ever since I haue kept me.  

The Nightingale,  
There keep thee still,  
Since all are Ill:  
Venture no more,  
Tis better be a little Ant,  
Then a great man, and live in want:  
And still deplore:  
So rest thee now,  
From sword, book, or Plough.  
By this the day began to spring,  
And seize vpon her watchful eyes:  
When more Tree-Queristers did sing,  
And every bide did wake and rise:  
Which was no sooner seen and heard,  
But all their pretty chat was marred:  
And then she said,  
We are betrayed,  
The day is up, and all the birds,  
And they abroad will blab our words:  
With that she bad the Ants farewell,  
And all they likewise Philomel.  
Away she slay,  
Crying Teren!  
And all the Industrious Ants in throngs,  
Fell to their work, and held their tongs.   
FINIS.