 | Poesis Rediviva |  |
To a degenerate thing falsely called A NOBLE.
Fie! fie! Can nothing noble speak, 'bove Oathes,Or th' Apish varnish of some modish Clothes?
Or to learn Jockey phrase, dialect of th' hound?
Whose virtue, like your own, is all in sound.
Or can distinguish Lanner, Lannerer,
Falcon, Iarfalcon, Gosshawk, and cry Ret;
Hares start, Deer rowse, that Partridge sprung is knows,
What Woodcocks be by's nose that's cup flush'd shows;
Or to unkennel Fox can wisely tell:
Rare Gentleman highly bred, though scarce can spell;
And writes his Name in Text, with such a paw,
You'd swear 'twas catechiz'd with the Devils claw.
Or th' Country air's too dull, he must to th' Burse
Of Blasphemy, Irreligions Nurse;
Where's not a look but's baited for to cheat,
And not a tongue but's oyled for deceit.
Of's Families blood carousing cups here fill,
And bids it die, while he his Die throws ill.
Where theft's unpunish'd, pleasing murders be,
Got in a crowd of sin mad amity:
Or turns a City Chymist, dirt refines
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Taking a pattern by the Lord May'rs show,
Trimm'd gay, and like a Pageant gilt doth go:
Whom Law findes out before on it he looks,
Gains all his knowledge by his Mercers books.
Or peeps in France brave man, where he's no spy;
In riddling Statists Mysteries scorns to pry:
Yet returns Ape transformed Al-a-mode,
With Pedlers gibrish, and a Pedlers load.
Or in antipathy gets the Spanish shrug,
And looks as grave as th' man ith' Alehouse Iug:
Answers by nods, the stupid would seem grave;
Who nothing vents, must a strange fulnesse have.
The silent Asse might Lord ith' Lions skin,
But when he bray'd, all knew an Asse within.
Affected gesture, and a sowrer look,
With graver voice, for wisdome would be took.
And peep up Statesman, though the wiser dead
Were ne're of's Counsel, nor hath th' living read.
These are the Comets rear'd from th' fat of earth,
Presage Kings ruine, and the People death.
| Poesis Rediviva | |