University of Virginia Library

The syxt Satyr.

[What think you (Bertulph) of this place]

Bertulph.
Of truth, to shew my minde therin
(at least what I haue seene)
The tyme (as now) wyll not permit:
tys to farre spent I weene.
Againe, sith you haue well begonne
of Nummus to intreate,
T'were pitie (sure) that want of tyme
should let you to repeate
Such things againe with briefe discourse,
of well proposed Theame:
Returne therfore, and make some ende
of this thy faithfull dreame.
And I at else appointed time
(for time it doth demaunde)
Will nothing fayle, in eche respect,
wherein you shall commaunde.

Paule.
Well, well (quoth Paule) so shall it be.
Ile ende my tale begonne.
Ile not be long: giue silent eare,
the same shall soone be donne.
And now, besides the great abuse
that I whileare did name,
Here in this Temple (day by daye)
themselues do likewise frame

Gentlemē.

A number of our forraine Feeres
and men of grounded welth,
Our cawtie countrey Gentlemen
to wyn this noysome pelth.
The fertile soyle that foyson bringes
of goodly sheaued graine,
The Medow ground that plenty yeeldes
of Haye through little paine,
And ranckly springing pasture, which
doth fat the fleesed sheepe,
Will not suffice their greedy mindes,
nor them contented keepe.
Not gaine inough by gainsome trade,
to them will now arise,
Nor welth inough can quench their thirst:
too much will not suffise
Or stay their lust: styll lust they more.
Not highly raysed rents
Not lofty fines can humors purge,
nor extreame whole extents
Can fyll their hungrie gaping gulles,
nor staunch their fowle desire.
They are so fell, that more they haue,
the more they do require.
Their Graūdsires great, of lōg time since,
their Auncestors of yore,
With sole reuenewes of their lands,
haue maintainde euermore
Right worthy portes, forgetting nought
the stay of their good name:
Well gote they welth, in bountie, and
well spent they still the same.
They neuer (most of them I meane)
encrocht on neighbors ground,
Nor ere inclosde vniustly ought,
They lyu'd within the bound
Of Charitie and reasons lawe,
contented with their owne.
They fedde within their Tedure still:
fowle fraude was then vnknowne.
At least the fraude that's nowe in vre.
They neare enhaunst their rentes,
Nor found such beastly practises
as this vyle age inuents.
Their own suffisde: they sought no more,
they lyu'de well of the same:
Yet lyu'de they not vnto themselues,
as their successors frame.
They well could byde that beggers should
haue comfort at their gate:
They were cōtent, though that they dwelt
by men of meane estate.
But now not so. That Age is spent,
and Charitie withall:
These men are not contented now:
to spoyle eche one doth fall.
They racking stretch their liuing so:
such wooluish wayes they frame,
That through fine force, & pilfring shifts,
twise doubled are the same.
And double twise decayed yet
howsekeping is no doubt.
They liue lyke Misers to them selues.
Their neighbours rounde about
Of poore estate may not approche
nor come within their gates:
Sometimes perhaps for fashion sake
they doe inuite their Mates,
And such as doe the lyke to them:
or else by whome dooth ryse
Some hope of gayne or getting ought.
And thus their bountie lyes.
But this not all: for wote you what?
They shame not now to say
That beggers doe so eate them vp,
that they no longer maye
Be able to keepe ope their doores,
nor howsekeping maintaine.
Perhaps they see some other trade
where lyes some greater gaine.
And soe they doe, for when they haue
once gotten to their handes
By purchase, fraude, and subtile meane
their needy neighbours landes
About them rounde (whereby of trueth
they come to great decaye)
Then shut they doores & howsehold breake
they turne their men away.
And hither come they tag and ragge:
here must the gaine be had:
Here be their charges verie slight:
yet pelting twise as bad
As eare it was. The Countrie house
is broken vp through charge,
The lands are let, and fines are raysde:
whereby comes in at large

Userers are Caterpillers in a comon wealth

Graund sūmes of Coine: which gottē once
is straight to London brought
To bring increase. (O hellish trade)
and thus the meanes are wrought.
In bancke is layde the mightie Masses
the gaine whereof may bee
Enough to maintaine them at ease,
Nay thalfe thereof we see
Doth well suffice: for but one man
or two at most they haue.
And they themselues doe Tables haunt,
and so sir Nummus saue.
And at a meane and slender price,
themselues, their men and all,
Haue meate and drinke euen of the best
well serued at their call:
And with reuenewes of the stock,
right richly are they clad.
And so from thence their brauing state
and all the rest is had.
The sterke as whole reserued still.
and oft (such is the trade)
That frō the graund stock flowes so much
as petie stockes are made.
And here the caterpillers haunt.
In Powles forsooth they vse
To spende the day to make their mart
and hearken after newes.
Was euer seene such state confusde,
such monstrous kinde of men,
Such vomite, reffize, Dunghill drosse?
what man can tell me when
such watch, such ward, such winking wiles
were euer put in vre
In time to fore, or such foule fraude
sir Nummus to procure?
In faith, and by my sauing health,
full hardly can I finde
A man amongst a number now
of vncorrupted minde,
And such a one as hope of gaine
will not procure to sinne.
I think full fewe be lyuing now
whome meede may nothing winne:
Or whome that wealth may neuer winde
from Gods prescribed lawe.
O earth, O sinne, Oh Sathans thralles:
Howe doe we still withdrawe
The grace and loue of God from vs?
O how doe we regarde
More, noysome coyne, then helth of soule
or hope of good rewarde?
I thinke if I could perseuers
one Month in this my tale,
I scantly should the halfe discrie
Of fraude, (for why) in sale
And eche compact, the sole regarde
of gaine is alway had:
And thirst of score, eache where almost
doth make the people mad.
O where are bits to bring them in,
and lawes to lay their rage?
O where is faith, or feare of God
in this presumptuous age?
Eache one dooth liue as lykes him best,
the lawes doe lye for gayne.
Besides deceit and vile deuise,
dooth nothing now remaine
Within the harts of English men,
farre fled is all remorse:
All loue of God, all feare of plague,
and Keysers mightie force.

Papistes.

How prodde our Papistes priuily?
How doe these men puruaye?
How prowle the Caytiues now about,
for Nummus day by daye?
Here, in this Church a walck there is

The Papistes walke in Powles.

where Papistes doe frequent
To talke of newes among themselues:
and oft the time is spent
In glad recounting of their state:
which though not at the best,
Yet ioy they still to see how men
in ayde thereof be prest.

The walke is in the south Ile.

And now comes one and cheeres them vp,
he telles them with great ioy,
That Pope and Spaniard ioyned be,
Gods people to annoy.
By solempne protestation comes
an other by and by
He tels how that in Flaunders still,
the Gospellers doe dye
For sole professing of the truth:
and with a cheerefull face,
He shewes how fast the Sheepe are slaine,
abroade in eary place.
And what great townes are now besiegde
and Cities rounde about.
And how Gods worde decayes apace,
euen all the worlde throughout.
Another new fonde fellow comes,
and he beginnes to tell
How Popishe Champions landed are,
and Irish men rebell.
How holye fathers blessing brought
in Bishops sacred breste,
Hath made the lande before profane,
nowe holy as the reste.
And how that Stukeley lost his life,
among Barbariens late,
A Marquesse of the Romish marke,
O too vntimely fate:
His part (alas) was yet to play
in places neerer hande.
He ment and bent his forces he,
against the Irish lande,
But what this Marquesse left vndone,
Mack Morice he contryu'd:
And hotly gan pursue the charge,
But ah, it neuer thryu'd.
For Martyrlyke he lost his head,
a losse (in deede) to wayle:
Sithe holy Father, through this losie,

Haue you not seene the knacke to knowe knaues by. compiled by many knaues?

of his intent dooth fayle.
Great Sacks of newes are poured forth
in that same worthy walke.
And knauish knackes are there deuisde
whilst that they stately stalck
About the place lyke honest men,
and subiects true of hart.
From that same place doe rumors rise
Gods truth to ouerthwart.
From that same place doe slaunders come
and vile reprochful lyes
Against Gods word and Preachers true.
From that same corner flyes
Lewde skoffing iestes and taunting tales:
there doe these Rebels coyne
Their suttle drifts and noysome tales.
Yea, there doe they conioyne,
And cleaue like burres with solemne vow
the truth for to resist.
And doubt thers none, for why? I thinke
that they will so persist.
Untill that Sathan snatch them hence,
the Graundsire great of lyes:
And till through want of vitall breath,
they may no more deuise.

Bertulph.
What kinde of men be these (I praye)
that thus themselues in vre?
What, are they open foes profest
that by these meanes procure
The slaunder of the certaine truth
and teachers of the same,
Or Ipocrites that couertly
the Ghospell doe diffame?

Paule.
Once, Bertulph, tys well knowne to thee
that small restraint there is
For papistes tongues that proudly prate,
(how ere they gabbe amisse.)
They talke from feare of check at large.
But yet of them there bee
That prease amongst professors true,
and well with them agree.
For why, their lyuings so doe lye,
that but they seemed such,
They neuer coulde aspire so high,
nor yet obtaine so much
As now they doe. O Ianus Iacks
and double faced Dogs?
O wylie wincking wyzard Woolues,
O grunting groyning Hogs?
These men (I say) forsweare them selues
(As periurde Papistes do.)
They graunt the Queene is supreme head
and murmure at it to.
But what of that, fine filed heads
well fraught with trim deuise
And ciuile sleights, without remorse,
suche scruples count vnwise.
And so through sharpe and wylie wits,
And through farre fetching braines,
They mount aloft to honors tipe,
and come by greatest gaines.
And these be they that vnder hande
the trueth do still annoy,
And let the working of the worde
in such as might enioy
The sweetest salue of sauing health.
Such lay the lothsome snares,
And when good seede is sowne, forthwith
such men sowe noysome tares.
Yea, such I say (as to my tale)
lay waite by wylie wayes
For Nummus: and to get the same,
are prest at all assayes.
These be supporting purueyors
for Papistes nowe supprest
These ranckly feede the pamperd Swyne
vpstalled in their nest.
These foyson bring, and brokers set
through bend of popishe crew,
And these men foster Balamites
To whome reuenge is dew.
These men are sole abettors of
the cursed Priests of Baall:
And these men shauelings doe suffulse,
which else wolde haue a fall.
Ist meruaile though they cranckly crowe
well lodged in their cage?
With prouen prickt, yst meruaile now,
That thus the Tigars rage?
What neede haue they to yelde thēselues
vnto their lawfull Queene?
For what intent should subiectes they
at any time be seene?
They want nothing, no pleasant lodge:
of viands they abounde,
Both Uenson, Wine, and finest cates.
almoste that may be founde
They doe enioy: yea, and such store
as true report doth saye,
That (rather than the poore shoulde haat)
they cast their scraps awaye.
And in good sooth, their welth is such
and dainty fare so ryfe,
That worldlings wil not blame their wit
to leade such captiue lyfe.
And fooles they were if they woulde not
be persecuted so:
Yea some of them so sore be hurt
that broade they ryde and go.
They walke and wallow at their will:
they hawke and hunt yfeere
With such as haue the charge of them:
they quaffe and make good cheere,
Set Cock on hoope, with hoape that once,
a daye shall paye for all:
Meane time they wil not die through care
nor from their treason fall.

Bertulph.
Why Pawle (quoth Bertulph) mercy will
perhaps so pierce their hart,
That through the mercye of the Prince
they will to trueth conuart.

Paule.
Nay Bertulph, tys so farre that they
with mercye shoulde be wonne,
That vauntingly they bragge and saye
bounde dutie will haue done
All that is done: and (thus) they crake
that if the Queene by lawe
Or conscience coulde them gyltie dampne,
she woulde not stande in awe
To send them to their doome: nor to
restraine their tongues so loose.
Thus bleate the Popish Balamites,
thus creakes the Romishe goose.
And what, should merrie here be shewde,
or can the same preuaile?
No no, as long as mercy is,
their tongues shall neuer quaile,
Nor harte obdured once relent:
nor common state be sounde.
For how can gentle salue doe good
or cure the festred wounde?
How can the body be in health,

I meane those of thē only that haue bene distained with the bloude of the Lordes Saintes.

that is with Biles infect?
Or Tree sprīg well that hath dead spraies
vnlesse you doe resect
The braunches of? What man so mad
will shewe himselfe to bee,
As ought to hope for leaues or fruite
to come from rotten Tree?
How can the state of Christ his flock,
be fenced from decay:
Unlesse the higher powers doe cast
the stumbling stocks away?
How can the Lord of truth be pleasde,
when such false Prophets liue?
How will he like to haue them kept
his siely Lambes to grieue?
And doubt the Tiraunts now to say
that time shall come againe
Wherein the blessed Saints of God
by them shall suffer paine?
No no, they feare not to protest,
that where they put to death
Of late but few, for earye such
shall twentie loose their breath
In time to come. O bloudie beastes
and foule infected Swine?
But these be they for whom (no doubt)
men scrape and so purloine:
For whome these factors haue such care
and passing great regard:
For whom they powle the Preachers true
these Monsters to reward.
And hate of theirs so haynous is,
their rancor hath such force
Against the Ghospell of the Lorde,
that (voyde of all remorse)
They eft procure Pluralities
For vile disguised Iacks.
They glad and ioy, to see the Church
sustaine such wofull lacks.
And they againe, a Priesting sort,
attyred in theyr kinde:
Doe creepe into Cathedrall Celles.
theyr charge they haue assignde,
To be dischargde per auters mains,
themselues will liue at ease,
They force not what become of flock,
so they sir Nummus sease.
And Nummus do they seise in deede,
which seised buyldes no Schooles:
Nor makes no stockes for men decayde,
no Bertulph so playes fooles.
But here you may not take me so
as if I did defase
Without respect, the good with badde
in eache Cathedrall place.
Much lesse that I depraued haue
all Preachers so attyrde
In Priestish weedes, as Popelings were,
and as theyr state requyrde.
No: farre and farre, be this from me,
for why I knowe right well:
That in these Priestish weedes there are,
full many that excell.
Naye Bertulph naye, then blame haue I
if so my wordes be meante:
For some of these attyred thus,
in peacefull wise are bent:
And brawle not with their brethren, who
neglecte or cleane refuse:
And therefore great vniustice t'were,
such Preachers to accuse.
Although I wishe (that's all I maye,)
that Preachers might be knowne
From Popish Iacks in weedes and words
a thing confused growne.
But husht, Ile haste me to the shore:
Ile shonne such mounting waues.
Ile leaue this Sea for to be swomme
of tryple tongued Naues.