University of Virginia Library

To the gentle Reader

Distracted fame throughout the world so spreads,
That monster-like, she now hath many heads,
A man can goe to no place, but shall heare
Things that may make him hope, and make him feare:
But I doe hope, and hope I will doe still,
All shall be well in spite of little Will,
Or any of his Crew, farre off or neare,
Whose practices doe every day appeare
Still more and more, the Lord sees how they deale,
And doth their Plots and Projects all reveale;
Each City and each Towne, yea every village,
Can fill us now with newes, we need not pillage.
Tom Long and's men, rare tydings will relate,
Some of high Powr's and Peeres, some of the State,
Some of Religion, or Church Discipline,
Some of this Bishop, some of that Divine;
Some of a Knot of villaines late found out,
Heav'ns mend or end that base conspiring rout.
Some brings us newes from Ireland, false or true,
How ever all is calld both true and new,
Within one day a man may undertake
Briefe notes of thousands severall things to make,
If he writes halfe what he shall heare or see,
Newes-mongers now have such varietie,
That let them make reports, till tyr'd or dumbe,
Their last newes scarce is told, but newes is come
To wait their next attendance to be spread,
By this meanes fame hath got a monsters head,
Yea many heads, whereof I found a few,
And here have laid them open to thy view,
Peruse them all, in earnest or in jest,
And tell me which amongst them is the best.
If Round-head should be found the best to be,
Farewell all other heads, Round-head for me.
But gentle Reader, give me thy good word,
And then I care not what Round-heads afford.