All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet Being Sixty and three in Number. Collected into one Volume by the Author [i.e. John Taylor]: With sundry new Additions, corrected, reuised, and newly Imprinted |
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 | All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet |  |
90
The Author of the Verse, takes leaue of the Author of the Prose, desiring rather to see him, then to beare from him.
Those Rimes before thy meaning doth vnclose,Which men perhaps haue blūdred ore in Prose:
And 'tis a doubt to me, whose paines is more,
Thou that didst write, or they that read them o're:
My Scullers muse without or Art or Skill,
In humble seruice (with a Gooses quill)
Hath tane this needlesse, fruitlesse paines for thee,
Not knowing when thoul't doe as much for me.
But this is not the first, nor shall not be
The last (I hope) that I shall write for thee:
For whē newes thou wast drown'd, did hither come,
I wrote a mournefull Epicedium.
91
I wrote of thy suruiuing presently.
Laugh and be tat, the Scullers booke, and this
Shew how my minde to thee addicted is;
My loue to thee hath euermore beene such,
That in thy praise I ne'r can write too much:
And much I long to see thee here againe,
That I may welcome thee in such a straine
That shall euen cracke my pulsiue pia mater,
In warbling thy renowne by land and water:
Then shall the Fame which thou hast won on foot,
(Mongst Heathēs, Iews, Turks, Negroes black as foot)
Ride on my best Inuention like an asse,
To the amazement of each Owliglasse.
Till when fare well (if thou canst get good fare)
Content's a feast, although the feast be bare.
Let Eolus and Neptune be combinde,
With Sea auspicious, and officious winde;
In thy returne with speed to blow thee backe,
That we may laugh, lie downe, and mourne in Sacke.
Iohn Taylor.
| All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet | |