Prizes like thefe Oppreffors might invite,
Thefe 3 Dolabella's Rapine did excite,

These 13 Antony for his own Theft thought fit,
13 Verres for thefe did Sacrilege commit;

And when their Reigns were ended, Ships full fraught
The hidden Fruits of their Exaction brought,

Which made in Peace a Treasure richer far,
Than what is Plunder'd in the Rage of War.
This was of Old; but our Confed'rates now
Have nothing left but Oxen for the Plough,
Or fome few Mares referv'd alone for Breed;
Yet left this provident Defign fucceed,
They drive the Father of the Herd away,
Making both Stallion, and his Pafture, Prey.
Their Rapine is fo abject and prophane,
They not from Trifles, nor from Gods refrain;
But the poor Lares from the Niches feize,
If they be little Images that please.

Such are the Spoils which now provoke their Theft,
And are the greateft, Nay they're all that's left.
Thus 14
may you 5 Corinth,or weak Rhodes oppress,
Who dare not bravely what they feel redress:
(For how can Fops thy Tyranny controul,
"Smooth Limbs are Symptoms of a fervile Soul).
But Trespass not too far on sturdy Spain,
Sclavonia, France; thy Gripes from these restrain,
Who with their 16 Sweat Rome's Luxury maintain,
And fend us Plenty, while our wanton Day

Is lavish'd at the Circus, or the Play.
For, fhou'd you to Extortion be inclin'd,
Your Cruel Guilt will little Booty find,

13 Proconfuls of Afia and Sicily.

14 Returning to Ponticus.
Is The Inhabitants of these

Places were Effeminate, and eafy to be enflav'd.

16 The People of Africk. who supply'd Reme with Corn.

Since gleaning 17 Marius has already feiz'd
All that from Sun-burnt Africk can be squeez'd.
But above all, " Be careful to with-hold

"Your Talons from the Wretched and the Bold;
"Tempt not the Brave and Needy to Despair;
"For, tho' your Violence fhou'd leave 'em bare
"Of Gold and Silver, Swords and Darts remain,
"And will revenge the Wrongs which they sustain
"The Plundred ftill have Arms.

Think not the Precept I have here laid down
A fond, uncertain Notion of my own;
No, 'tis a Sibyl's Leaf what I relatė,
As fixt and fure, as the Decrees of Fate.
Let none but Men of Honour you attends
Chufe him that has most Virtue for

Friend,

your And give no way to any Darling Youth To fell your Favour, and pervert the Truth. Reclaim your Wife from strolling up and down, To all Affizes, and through ev'ry Town, With Claws like Harpies, eager for the Prey; (For which your Justice, and your Fame will pay.) Keep your felf free from Scandals fuch as thefe; Then trace your Birth from 18 Picus, if you please: If he's too Modern, and your Pride aspire To feek the Author of your Being higher, Chufe any Titan who the Gods withstood, To be the Founder of your antient Blood, Prometheus, and that Race before the Flood, Or any other Story you can find

From Heralds, or in Poets, to your Mind.

But fhou'd you prove Ambitious, Luftful, Vain;
Or cou'd you fee with Pleasure and Disdain,
Rods broke on our Affociates bleeding Backs,
And Heads-men lab'ring till they blunt their Ax:

17 Marius Prifcus.

18 The firft King of the Latines. You

Your Father's Glory will your Sin proclaim,
And to a clearer Light expofe your Shame;
"For ftill more publick Scandal Vice extends,
"As he is Great and Noble who offends.

How dare 19 you then your high Extraction plead?
Yet blush not when you go to forge a Deed,
In the fame Temple which your Grandfire built;
Making his Statue privy to the Guilt.

}

Or in a Bawdy Mafquerade are led
Muffled by Night to fome polluted Bed.
Fat Lateranus does his Revels keep
Where his Fore-fathers peaceful Ashes sleep;
Driving himself a Chariot down the Hill,
And (tho' a Conful) links himself the Wheel:
To do him Juftice, 'tis indeed by Night,
Yet the Moon fees, and ev'ry smaller Light
Pries as a Witness of the shameful Sight:
Nay when his Year of Honour's ended, foon
He'll leave that Nicety, and mount at Noon;
Nor blufh fhou'd he fome Grave Acquaintance meet,
But, (proud of being known) will Jerk and Greet:
And when his Fellow Beafts are weary grown,
He'll play the Groom, give Oats, and rub'em down.
If after 2 Numa's Ceremonial way

He at Jove's Altar wou'd a Victim slay,

To no clean Goddess he directs his Pray'rs,
But by Hippona moft devoutly Swears,

2

19 The Poet in this place fpeaks neither to Rubellius nor Ponticus, but in general to any perjur'd or debauch'd Noble

man.

20 Numa Pompilius (the fecond King of Rome) the better to civilize the Savage Humour

of the People, firft introduced among them the Fear and Worship of the Gods, and inftituted the Rites and Ceremonies of Priefts, Oaths, and Sacrifices.

21 Hippona was the Goddess of Jockies and Horfer.

Or

Or fome rank Deity, whose filthy Face
We suitably o'er stinking Stables place.

When he has run his length, and does begin
To steer his courfe directly for the Inn,

(Where they have watch'd, expecting him all Night) A greafie Syrian, ere he can alight,

Presents him Effence, while his courteous Hoft
(Well knowing nothing by good Breeding's loft)
Tags ev'ry Sentence with fome fawning Word,
Such as My King, My Prince, at least My Lord;
And a tight Maid, ere he for Wine can ask,
Gueffes his Meaning, and unoils the Flask.

Some (Friends to Vice) industriously defend
These innocent Diverfions, and pretend
That I the Tricks of Youth too roughly blame,
Alledging that, when young, we did the fame.
I grant we did; yet when that Age was past,
The frolick Humour did no longer last ;

We did not cherish and indulge the Crime:
What's foul in acting, fhou'd be left in time.
'Tis true, fome Faults, of courfe, with Childhood end,
We therefore wink at Wags when they offend,
And spare the Boy, in hopes the Man may mend.
But Lateranus (now his vig'rous Age

Shou'd prompt him for his Country to engage,
The Circuit of our Empire to extend,
And all our Lives, in Cafar's, to defend)
Mature in Riots, places his Delight
All day in plying Bumpers, and at night
Reels to the Bawds, over whofe Doors are set
Pictures and Bills, with Here are Whores to let.
Shou'd any defperate unexpected Fate

Summon all Heads and Hands to guard the State,
Cafar, fend quickly to fecure the 22 Port;
But where's the General? Where does he refort?

aa oftia, the Mouth of the River Tyber.

Send

Send to the Sutler's; there y'are sure to find
The Bully match'd with Rafcals of his kind,
Quacks, Coffin makers; Fugitives and Sailors;

Rooks, Common Soldiers, Hangmen, Thieves and Tailors;
With Cybele's Priefts, who, weary'd with Proceffions,
Drink there, and fleep with Knaves of all Profeffions,
A Friendly Gang! each equal to the beft;

And all, who can, have liberty to jest:

One Flaggon walks the round, (that none shou'd think
They either change, or stint him of his Drink)
And left Exceptions may, for Place be found,
Their Stools are all alike, their Table round.

What think you, Ponticus, your self might do,
Shou'd any Slave, fo lewd, belong to you?
No doubt, you'd fend the Rogue in Fetters bound
To work in Bridewell, or to Plough your Ground:
But, Nobles, you who trace your Birth from Troy,
Think, you the great Prerogative enjoy

Of doing Ill, by virtue of that Race;
As if what we esteem in Coblers base,
Wou'd the high Family of Brutus grace,

Shameful are these Examples, yet we find
(To Rome's Difgrace) far worse than these behind:
Poor Damafippus, whom we once have known
Flutt'ring with Coach and fix about the Town,
Is forc'd to make the Stage his laft Retreat,
And. Pawns his Voice, the All he has, for Meat:
For now he muft (fince his Eftate is loft)
Or represent, or be himfelf, a Ghoft:

And Lentulus Acts Hanging with fuch Art,
Were I a Judge, he fhou'd not Feign the Part.
Nor wou'd I their vile Infolence acquit,
Who can with Patience, nay Diverfion, fit,
Applauding my Lord's Buffoonry for Wit,
And clapping Farces acted by the Court,
While the Peers Cuff, to make the Rabble sport:

Or