University of Virginia Library

Proteus.

[_]

The attribution of this poem is questionable.

Time seruing humour thou wrie-faced Ape,
That canst transforme thy selfe to any shape:
Come good Proteus come away a pace,
We long to see thy mumping Antique face.
This is the fellow that liues by his wit,
A cogging knaue and fawning Parrasit,
He has behauiour for the greatest porte,
And hee has humors for the rascall sorte,
He has beene great with Lordes and high estates,
They could not liue without his rare conceites,
He was associat for the brauest spirits,
His galland carriage such fauour merrits.
Yet to a Ruifian humor for the stewes,
A tight graund Captaine of the damned crewes,
With whome his humor alwayes is vnstable
Mad, melancholly, drunke and variable.
Hat without band like cutting Dicke he goe's,
Renowned for his new inuented oathes.
Some times like a Ciuilian, tis strange
At twelue a clocke he must vnto the Change,
Where being thought a Marchant to the eye,
He tels strange newes his humor is to lie.
Some Damaske coate the eflect thereof must heare,
Inuites him home and there he gets good cheare.
But how is't now such braue renowned wits,
Weare ragged robes with such huge gasily slits,
Faith thus a ragged humor he hath got
Whole garments for the Summer are too hot.
Thus you may censure gently if you please,
He weares such garments onely for his ease.
Or thus his credit will no longer waue.
For all men know him for a prating knaue.