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 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Prague is a famous, ancient, Kingly seate] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet |  |
98
[Prague is a famous, ancient, Kingly seate]
Prague is a famous, ancient, Kingly seate,In scituation and in state compleate,
Rich in aboundance of the earths best treasure,
Proud and high minded beyond bounds or measure,
In Architecture stately; in Attire,
Beizonians Plebeians doe aspire,
To be apparell'd with the stately port
Of Worship, Honour, or the Royall Court;
Their Coaches, and Caroches are so rife,
They doe attend on euery trades-mans wife,
Whose Husbands are but in a meane regard,
And get their liuing by the Ell or Yard,
How euer their Estates may bee defended,
Their wiues like demy Ladies are attended:
I there a Chimney-sweepers wife haue seene,
Habilimented like the Diamond Queene,
Most gaudy garish, as a fine Maid-marrian,
With breath as sweet as any suger carrion,
With sattin cloak, lin'd through with budg or sable,
Or cunny furre, (or what her purse is able)
With veluet hood, with tiffanies, and purles,
Rebatoos frizlings, and with powdred curles,
And (lest her hue or sent should be attainted,)
She's antidoted, well perfum'd and painted,
She's fur'd she's fring'd, she's lac'd, and at her wast:
She's with a massie chaine of siluer brac'd,
She's yallow starch'd, and ruff'd, and cuff'd, and muff'd,
She's ring'd, she's braceleted, she's richly tuff'd,
Her petticote good silke as can be bought,
Her smock about the tale lac'd round and wrought,
Her gadding legges are finely Spanish booted,
The whilst her husband liked a slaue all sooted,
Lookes like a Courtier to infernall Pluto,
And knowes himselfe to be a base cornuto.
Then since a man that liues by Chimney sweepe,
His wife so gaudy richly clad doth keepe,
Thinke then but how a Merchants wife may goe,
Or how a Burgamasters wife doth show;
There by a kinde of topsie turuy vse,)
The women weare the bootes, the men the shooes.
I know not if't be profit or else pride,
But sure th'are oft'ner ridden then they ride:
These females seeme to be most valiant there,
Their painting shewes they doe no colours feare.
Most Art-like plastring Natures imperfections,
With sublimated, white and red complexions;
So much for Pride I haue obserued there,
Their other faults, are almost euery where.
| All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet | |