 | All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet
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To my kinde Friends in generall.
Now you haue read, and vnderstand my minde,
I hope your wonted fauors I shall finde,
In spight of rayling basenesse, whose lewd tongues
Are Sathans instruments for sland'rous wrongs.
Sure I haue satisfi'd your expectation,
And vsde the Sculler in his owne vocation:
But if you thinke my answer ouer-milde,
Know this, I would not haue my tongue defilde,
With such vnciuill tearmes, much lesse my pen,
Which now giues satisfaction to all men
Of truth; I will auouch, in spight of ill,
My answer was set vp in Taylors Bill,
Falsely, without my knowledge or consent:
Then was not that a cause sufficient,
To giue my purpose suddaine alteration,
When I was plai'd the knaue with in that fashion.
But though we could not then meet face to face,
I hope my pen hath follow'd him apace:
If I be not deceiu'd, it hath out-stript him,
And spight of all his rods in pisse, 'tath whipt him,
And made his howling hollow voyce to rore:
Yet for your loues, I'l giue him one lash more.
| All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet
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