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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The Author in his awne defence.
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 | All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet |  |
16
The Author in his awne defence.
There is a crew of euer carping spirits,Who merit nothing good, yet hate good merits:
One wrings his lawes a wry, and then cryes mew,
And that I stole my lines, hee'l plainely shew.
Thou addle-headed Asse, thy braines are muddy,
Thy witlesse wit, vncapable of study,
Deem'st each inuention barren, like to thine,
And what thou canst not mend thou wilt repine.
Loe thus to wauering Censures torturing Racke,
With truth and confidence my Muse doth packe.
Let Zoylus and let Momus doe their worst,
Let Enuie and Detraction swell and burst;
In spight of spight and rankerous disdaine,
In scorne of any carping Criticks braine,
Like to a Post I'le runne through thicke and thin,
To scourge Iniquity and spurgall sinne.
You worthy fauourites of wisedomes lore,
Onely your fauours doth my Muse implore:
If your good stomackes these harsh lines disgest,
I carelesse bid a rush for all the rest.
My lines first parents (be they good or ill)
Was my vnlearned braine, and barren quill.
| All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet | |