a Salyr, then to allure your liccourish appetites by new contrived Kickshawes,
(Pragmaticus, and Elencticus if not Bastardiz'd) afford you excellent
fare; yet (like these who have rather have blocks for their pillowes, then
stretch themselves on down-bees) you open your eares wider to the babling
of Balbus, then the mellody of Maro, you are to humerously taken with
the language of the Grydiron, putting the cHaplet only due to Apollo, upon
the head of Midas, spray mistake no more the Magpies prating for philomols
song, give methine hand Pragmaticus, thine Elencticus:
Weekly, our tragick Bells shall toule,
Sad Requiems to each Traytors soule,
Nor shall our well knit triple knot
Be cut, by an high Treason vote.
And now, ere I venter upon so dangerous a work, as to make my lines
perspicuous to every critticall eye, let me consider what persons they are,
against whom I now enter the Lists, even the factious Anti Monarchists (by
some Ailed Rebels) sitting at Westminster; let me examine Fame, and shee
will easily resolve me, I have it, these are those who putting on the skins of
Sheep, have plaid the parts of Lyons and Tygers; and like bloody Ioabs have
saluted their fellow Commoners with a kisse, while unawares they have
mortally (I feare incurably) wounded them, who under pretence of Reforming
Church and State, have deformd both, dawbing them with so poysonous
an unguent, that all the Nations of Europe are affraid to peruse their
Metamorphosis with a strict eye, lest themselves also become as ugly and
dread full; in a word, these are they who while they have pretended to take
away Monopolies, have set up the Excise, countenanced Free-quarter, commanded
men to bee openly robbed, or if you will (by their mittigating
title) plundered, who have pulld down Balaam, and set up Belzebub, rooted
up Superstition, and yet diligently have watered the plants of Sedition, Error,
Heresie and Schism, so that they are now at such full growth, that these
State Harpies, make them their shelter, and lodge in their branches, who
have so enriched this Nation by their unwearied endeavours, in discovering
apt wayes for encrease of Trade at home, and Commerce in Forraign Parts,
that the people are ready to eat one another (many hundred Families having
perished by famine,) and the City Merchants dare scarce venture for a
cane of Sugar, or a lump of Indigo, for feare of being met with by the
Royall Navie; or escaping the sea, to have their braines beaten out where-ever
they set foot on land, for their base disloyalty and cowardize; and these
are they who to make their King great and glorious, and his Issue potent and
happy (according as they three times solemnly swore, with hands lifted up