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So evident be made, that their despight Would rather on their heads than his alight, 'They waved that, and being at a stand,

In thinking what they best might take in hand,

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At length, come let us smite him with the tongue,"
Said one of them, who knew what doth belong

To deep revenge, and, let us daily strow
Some scandalls of him wheresoe'er we go."

Wither appropriates above 120 lines to speak of himself, and seems to have intended it as a justification, or explanation, of his meaning. He says,

"I, as heartily as any one,

According to my faculties have done;

And showne these times, and those perhaps, to come,

That Poesie may have an usefull roome

In great affaires, and poets fill their place,
Whether the times be generous, or base.

Though I no pardon find, assur'd I am

This work would not have done the author shame,

In better times: nay, if an Irish-bard

Had sung thus much to them, they would have heard His numbers with respect; and manie things Bestow'd, beside a harp with silver strings.

But, I shall think my game hath well been plaid,

If I with mischief shall not be repaid

For my good will; nor left when I have done

To bear the burthen of despights, alone.

My next, oh! noble friends! and last request
Is this, that if I should be so opprest
As is intended, you would thinke upon
Those, whom by serving you, I have undone;

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That halfe of me (who had a share in that,
Which I adventur'd freely, for the State)
And those branch'd from us, who thereby are left
No means of bread, or breeding; but bereft
Of all their outward helps: Oh! let them find
More grace than yet I do: yea, be so kind,
That unto them may truly payed be
What on the publike faith you owe to me
In debts, on faire account, due from this nation,
By private and by publike obligation.

My naturall-affection makes me feare

This motion needfull: therefore, have a care
You sleight it not; for doubtless if you do,
God will require it and requite it too;

Yea, if you shall forget what I prefer,
God will remember your Remembrancer.
And when your children shall with hunger pine,

Provide abundance of good things for mine.

Thus hopes, and thus believes,

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prose

To this is added rather more than a page in as "The Printer to the Reader," signature "Benevol. Typographus." It appears to be intended as a further declaration of the author's political creed. "He protesteth he is neither for, or against, the Presbyterians, Independents, Scots, English, King, Parliament, Members, or People, more or less, then according as he (in his judgment and conscience) thinks it may conduce to the wrong or right way from or toward the truth of God, and the peace of the kingdom; with a charitable respect, so farre as is possible, to the remedy of our general distempers,

without the wrong, or disquiet of any person, who wilfully draweth it not upon himself."

J. H.

ART. CXLVI.-Amygdala Britannica, Almonds for Parrets. A Dish of Stone-fruit, partly shel'd and partly unshel'd; which (if crack'd, pick'd, and well digested) may be wholsome against those Epidemick Distempers of the Brain, now predominant; and prevent some malignant diseases likely to ensue. Composed heretofore by a well-knowne moderne author; and now published, according to a Copie found written with his own Hand. bene vixit. Matth. xiii. 13, 14, verses quoted.] Annno CI I Double Col. pp. 10.

Qui bene latuit, 15. [The three CXLVII. 4to.

A prophetical rhapsody, by George Wither, in 890 lines, of which he gives the following account.

"When Wisemen found plain dealing did offend,
In hieroglyphicks they their musings pen'd;
And to the meek conveighed in a cloud
Thee light, which was disdained by the proud;
That so the scorner hearing might not hear,
Nor seeing, see, what plainly doth appear;
For just it is, that they should lose their sight,
Who would not see their safety when they might.
"Tis much observed, that this generation

Hath taken up the Parret's inclination;
Who loves on shells to exercise his beak,
And words not understood delights to speak;
We therefore (since the labour may be spar'd)
For private entertainment have prepar'd

This dish of Stone-fruits; whereof there are some,
That yield a kernell, better then the plumb;
And such that if they well digested bee,
Will clear their eyes who have a mind to see.
Here, till affairs are wholly mis-transpos'd,
You shall perceive, in parables disclos'd,
Upon what actions, and contingencies,
The fortune of this British Empire lies;
And by what symptoms you may truly know,
Which way the public fate will ebb, or flow.
Thus he conceives who seriously hath weigh'd

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Those things; and in these words his thoughts array'd."

Ater this introduction the poem proceeds.

"All things terrestial have their dates,
Kings, kingdoms, and the greatest states;
And warnings do appear to some
Of all such changes ere they come;
Whereby, were timely means essay'd,
Plagues might be scaped or allay'd;
And, peradventure, to that use
This which ensueth may conduce.-

A time draws near in which you may,
As you shall please, the Chess-men play;
Remove, confine, undo, or take,

Dispose, Depose, undo, or make,

Pawn Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, or King,
And act your wills in every thing:
But if that time let slip you shall,
For yesterday in vain you call.

A time draws near, in which the sun
Will give more light than he hath done;
Then also, you shall see the moon
Shine brighter than the sun at noon;

And many stars, now seeming dull,
Give shadows like the moon at full.
Yet then shall some, who think they see,
Wrapt in Egyptian darkness be.

A time draws near, when with your blood,
You shall preserve the viper's brood,
And starve your own; yet fancy than,
That you have play'd the Pelican:
And when you think the frozen snakes
Have chang'd their natures, for your sakes,
They in requital, will contrive

Your mischief, who did them revive.

that discern you may

When these approach; and which are they;
And what to do when they are known,
Here they in easy types are shown;
Or by those tokens, which fore-hint
What you should labour to prevent.

When you see many things effected,
Which were not feared, nor suspected:
The mountains sink, the vallies clime,
Stars rise and set before their time,
Gross meteors, from the mud exhal'd,
To highest spheres, and planets call'd;
And utter darkness termed light,
Then bid your happy days good night-

When you shall see Death richly clad
With what the living should have had;
And then behold a church bespread
With rags, and reliques of the dead;
Exposing that to open scorn,
Which was in publick triumph born;
If then, with seriousness you heed
The simple doer, and the deed,

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