He hears, and as a Still with fimples in it
Between each drop it gives, stays half a minute,
Loth to inrich me with too quick replies
By little, and by little, drops his lies.
Mere houfhold trash! of birthnights, balls, and shows, More than ten Hollinfheds, or Halls, or Stows.
When the Queen frown'd, or smil'd, he knows; and what
A subtle Minister may make of that :
Who fins with whom: who got his Pension rug,
Or quicken'd a Reverfion by a drug :
Whofe place is quarter'd out, three parts in four,
And whether to a Bishop, or a Whore:
Who, having loft his credit, pawn'd his rent,
Is therefore fit to have a Government:
Who, in the fecret, deals in Stocks fecure,
And cheats th' unknowing Widow and the Poor :
And asks what news; I tell him of new playes,
He takes my hand, and as a Still, which stayes
A Sembrief 'twixt each drop, he niggardly,
As loth to enrich me, fo tells many a ly.
More than ten Hollenfheds, or Halls, or Stows,
Of trivial houfhold trash: He knows, he knows
When the Queen frown'd or fmil'd, and he knows what
A fubtle Statesman may gather of that;
He knows who loves whom; and who by poison
Hafts to an officer's reverfion;
Who waftes in meat, in clothes, in horfe, he notes,
Who makes a Trust of Charity a Job,
And gets an Act of Parliament to rob:
Why Turnpikes rife, and now no Cit nor Clown
Can gratis fee the country, or the town:
Shortly no lad fhall chuck, or lady vole,
But fome excifing Courtier will have toll.
He tells what Strumpet places fells for life,
What 'Squire his lands, what Citizen his wife :
At laft (which proves him wiser still than all)
What Lady's face is not a whited wall,
As one of Woodward's patients, fick, and fore,
I puke, I naufeate,-yet he thrusts in more:
Trims Europe's balance, tops the statesman's part,
And talks Gazettes and Poftboys o'er by heart.
He knows who hath fold his land, and now doth beg
A licence, old iron, boots, fhoes, and egge-
shortly boys fhall not play
At fpan-counter, or blow-point, but shall pay
Toll to fome Courtier; and wifer than all us,
He knows what Lady is not painted. Thus
He with home meats cloys me, I belch, spue, fpit,
Look pale and fickly, like a Patient, yet
He thrufts on more, and as he had undertook,
To fay Gallo Belgicus without book,
Speaks of all States and deeds that have been fince
The Spaniards came to th' lofs of Amyens.
Like a big wife at fight of loathfome meat
Ready to caft, I yawn, I figh, and sweat.
Then as a licens'd spy, whom nothing can,
Silence or hurt, he libels the great Man;
Swears every place entail'd for years to come,
In fure fucceffion to the day of doom :
He names the price for every office paid,
And fays our wars thrive ill, because delay'd :'
Nay hints, 'tis by connivance of the Court,
That Spain robs on, and Dunkirk's still a Port.
Not more amazement feiz'd on Circe's guests,
To see themselves fall endlong into beasts,
Than mine to find a subject stay'd and wife
Already half turn'd traitor by furprize.
Like a big wife, at fight of loathed meat,
Ready to travail: fo I figh, and fweat
To hear this Makaron talk: in vain, for yet,
Either my humour, or his own to fit,
He like a priviledg'd spie, whom nothing can
Difcredit, libels now 'gainst each great man.
He names the price of every office paid;
He faith our wars thrive ill because delaid;
That Offices are intail'd, and that there are
Perpetuities of them, lafting as far
As the last day; and that great officers
Do with the Spaniards fhare, and Dunkirkers.
I more amaz'd than Circe's prifoners, when
They felt themselves turn beafts, felt myfelf then
I felt th' infection flide from him to me,
As in the pox, fome give it to get free;
And quick to fwallow me, methought I faw
One of our Giant Statutes ope its jaw.
In that nice Moment, as another Lye
Stood juft a-tilt, the Minister came by.
To him he flies, and bows, and bows again,
Then, close as Umbra, joins the dirty train.
Not Fannius' felf more impudently near,
When half his nofe is in his Prince's ear.
Becoming Traytor, and methought I faw,
One of our Giant Statutes ope his jaw
To fuck me in for hearing him: I found
That as burnt venemous Leachers do grow found
By giving others their fores, I might grow
Guilty, and he free: Therefore I did show
All figns of loathing; but fince I am in,
Í must pay mine, and my forefathers fin
To the last farthing. Therefore to my power
Toughly and stubbornly I bear; but th' hower
Of mercy now was come; he tries to bring
Me to pay a fine to 'scape a torturing,
And fays, Sir, can you spare me? I said, Willingly;
Nay, Sir, can you spare me a crown? Thankfully I
Gave it, as ransom; but as fidlers, still,
Though they be paid to be gone, yet needs will
Thrust one more jigg upon you: fo did he
With his long complimental thanks vex mẹ.
I quak'd at heart; and, ftill afraid to fee
All the Court fill'd with stranger things than he,
Ran out as fast as one that pays his bail,
And dreads more actions, hurries from a jail.
Bear me, fome God! oh quickly bear me hence
To wholesome Solitude, the nurse of Senfe :
Where Contemplation prunes her ruffled wings,
And the free foul looks down to pity Kings!
There fober thought pursued th' amusing theme,
Till Fancy colour'd it, and form'd a Dream.
A Vifion hermits can to Hell transport,
And forc'd ev'n me to fee the damn'd at Court.
Not Dante, dreaming all th' infernal state,
Beheld fuch scenes of envy, fin, and hate.
Bafe Fear becomes the guilty, not the free;
Suits Tyrants, Plunderers, but fuits not me :
But he is gone, thanks to his needy want,
And the Prerogative of my Crown; fcant
His thanks were ended, when I (which did fee
All the Court fill'd with more strange things than he)
Ran from thence with fuch, or more hafte than one
Who fears more actions, doth haft from prison,
At home in wholesome folitarinefs
My piteous foul began the wretchedness
Of fuitors at court to mourn, and a trance
Like his, who dreamt he faw hell, did advance
Itfelf o'er me; fuch men as he faw there
I faw at court, and worse and more.
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