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THE WITTS
1.
A Sessions was held the other day,And Appollo himselfe was at it (they say);
The Lawrell that had been soe long reserved
Was now to be given to him best deserved.
And
Therefore the witts of the towne came thither,
Twas strange to see how they flockt together,
Each strongly confident of his owne way
Thought to carie the Lawrell away that day.
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2.
There was Selden and he sate hard by the chaire,Wainman not farre off, which was very faire,
Sands with Townsend, for they kept noe order,
Digbye and Chillingworth a little further,
And
There was Lucans translater too, and hee
That makes god speake soe bigg in's poetree,
Selwin and Waller, and Berkeleys both the brothers,
Jacke Vaughan and Porter with divers others.
3.
The first that brake silence was good old Ben,Prepared before with Cannarie wine,
And he told them plainly he deserved the bayes
For his were caled workes where others were but plaies,
And
Bid them remember how hee had purged the Stage
Of errors that had lasted many an age,
And he hop't they did thinke the Silent-woman,
The Fox and the Alchymist out done by noe man.
4.
Appollo stopt him here, and bid him not goe on,'Twas merit he said and not presumption
Must carie it: at which Ben turned aboute
And in great Choler offered to goe out,
But
Those that were there thought it not soe fitt
To discontent soe ancient A witt,
And therefore Appollo called him back againe
And made him mine host of his owne new inne.
5.
Tom Cary was next but he had a faultThat would not well stand with a Laureate,
His Muse was harde bound and the issue of's braine,
Was seldome brought forth but with trouble and paine.
And
All that were present there did agree
A Lawreats muse should be easie and free;
Yet sure twas not that, but twas thought that his grace
Considered he was well hee had a Cupbearers place.
6.
Will. Davenant ashamed of a foolishe mischanceThat he had got latly travelling in France
Modestlie hop't the hansomnes of's muse
Might any deformitie aboute him excuse;
And
Surely the Companie would have beene content
If they could but have found any president,
But in all theire records either verse or prose
There was not one Laureate with out a nose.
7.
To Will Berkeley sure all the witts ment wellBut first they would see how his snow would sell;
Will smiled and swore in theire judgments they went lesse
That concluded of merit uppon successe.
Soe
Sullenly takeing his place againe,
Hee gave way to Sellwin that straight stept in,
But (alas) he had beene soe lately a witt
That Appollo himself hardly knew him yet.
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8.
Toby Mathew (pox ont, how came he there)Was busilie whispering sombody i'th eare,
When he had the honnour to be named i'the Court,
But Sir you may thanke my Lady Carlile for't,
For
Had not her Charecter furnished you out
With something of handsome with out all doubt,
You and your sorrey Lady Muse had beene
In the number of those that were not to come in.
9.
In hast two or three from the Court came in,And they brought letters (forsooth) from the queene,
'Twas discreetly done too for if they had come
With out them th'ad scarce beene let into the roome.
This
Made a dispute for 'twas plaine to be seene
Each man had a mind to gratifie the queene,
But Appollo himself could not thinke it fitt,
There was difference he said twixt fooling and witt.
10.
Suckling next was called but did not appeare,And straight one whispered Appollo in's eare
That of all men liveing he cared not for't;
He loved not the Muses soe much as his sport,
And
Prized black eyes or a luckie hitt
At bouls above all the trophies of witt,
But Appollo was angrie and publikely said
Twere fit that a fine were set on his head.
11.
Wat Mountague now stood forth to his triallAnd did not soe much as suspect a deniall;
Wise Appollo then askt him first of all
If he understood his owne Pastorall,
For
If hee could doe it, 'twould plainly appeare
He understood more then any man there
And did merit the bayes above all the rest,
But the Monsceure was modest, and silent confest.
12.
Dureing these troubles in the Croude was hidOne that Appollo soone mist, little Sid;
And haveing spied him, called him out of the thronge
And advised him in his eare not to write soe stronge.
Then
Murry was summond but 'twas urged that he
Was cheif allredie of Another Companie.
13.
Hales set by himself most gravely did smileTo see them about nothing keep such a coyle;
Appollo had spied him but knowing his mind
Past by and called Faulkland, that sat just behind;
But
Hee was of late soe gone with divinitie
That he had all most forgot his poetree,
Though to say the truth (and Appollo did know it)
He might have beene both his preist and his poet.
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14.
At length whoe but an Alderman did appeare,(At which Will Davenant begann to sweare)
But wise Appollo bid him draw nigher,
And when he was mounted a little higher,
Hee
Openly declared that 'twas the best signe
Of good store of witt to have good store of coyne,
And without a sillable more or lesse said
He put the Laurell on the Aldermans head.
15.
At this all the witts were in such a maseThat for a good while they did nothing but gaze
One upon another, not a man in the place
But had discontent writen great in his face.
Only
The small poets cleared up againe
Out of hope (as 'twas thought) of borrowinge,
But sure they were out for he forfetts his Crowne
When hee lends any poet about the towne.
[_]
Copy text Ha. Collateral texts M, SC,
46HnE. The Witts] Σ; A Sessions of the Poets 46; om.
SCE. Stanza numbers] M; om. Ha.
Eight line
units HaMSC. Four line units E. Suspended
transitions between lines 4 and 5 of each stanza HaM;
om. SCE; om. after line 61 Hn; after
line
45 46. Sessions] Σ; Session 46S 2 himselfe was at it] Σ;
was
at it himselfe M 5 And] Σ; And | And Ha 11 Townsend] Σ;
Johnson Ha 14 soe] Σ; om. Ha 16 with] Σ; and
46HnE
17 brake] HaCS; broke Σ 20 where] Ha46E; om. M
others]
Σ; other M 21 how] Σ; om. Ha 25 stopt him]
Σ;
stopt M here] HaMS; there Σ 29 thought it not soe] MHn; thought it
not Σ; did not think it SC 31 Appollo] Σ;
om. Ha 32 him] cor. Ha; om.
uncor. Ha
mine host] Σ; master M 34 well stand] Σ; stand well Hn; suit well
S 35 the issue] HaMC: th'issue Σ 40
Cupbearers] cor. Ha; Capbearers uncor. Ha 42
travelling in] Σ; in travelling Ha 44 deformitie] Σ; deformities Ha
45 would] Σ; could M 46 but] Ha; om. Σ 47 verse]
HaS in verse Σ 48 one] Σ; a M 49 all] Σ; om.
SC
50 snow] cor. Ha; sow uncor. Ha 51 in theire]
i'theire ME 51 judgments] Σ; judgment Ha 52 uppon] Σ; upon a
M 53 Sullenly] HaMS; Suddenly 46HnE 54 that] MCHnE; who Σ 56
hardly] Σ; scarce S48 57 Toby] Σ; Sir | Toby (Sir
suspended
between 56 and 57) Ha (pox . . . there)] M; (pox ont)
˜V 46Ha; V˜V˜VΣ 58 busilie]
cor. Ha; subtilie uncor. Ha sombody]
uncor. Ha; somelady cor. Ha th] Σ; the M
59
the] Σ; th' Ha When] Σ; And Ha 62 handsome] Σ;
handsomenes Ha 63 sorrey] Σ; faire Ha Muse] cor. Ha;
newes uncor. Ha 67 too] Σ; om. SCHn
they]
Σ; 't Ha; th' 46 68 th'ad] Ha46; they had Σ
beene let] E; come M 72 twixt] Ha48; betwixt Σ 73 called] Σ;
called for M next] Σ; om. M 74 straight] Σ;
straightly
M 76 much] HaHnC; well Σ 77 prized] Σ; Praised Ha or] Σ;
and MSC 78 all] Σ; om. Ha 80 on] Σ; upon Ha46E
83
first] Σ; firt Ha 85 doe it, 'twould] Σ; doo't. it would Ha; doe't,
t'would M 88 silent] HaSC; silence 46HnE; silene M 89 these troubles]
Σ; this trouble HaHn 90 that] Σ; whom M 92 soe] Σ; too SC;
to E 93 Then] Σ; om. M46Hn urged]; sayd SC 94 of]
Σ; in Ha 95 set] Σ; sate SC most] Σ; om. SC
98
just] Σ; fast HaE 105 wise] M; wiser Σ 107 that] Σ;
om. SCE 'twas] HaM; it was Σ 114 writen]
cor. Ha, S; writ in Σ in] Σ; on M 115 poets] Σ;
covey M | | |