That Officer are intail'd, and that there are
Perpetuities of them, lafting as far

As the laft day; and that great Officers
Do with the Spaniards share, and Dunkirkers.

I more amaz'd than Circes prifoners, when
They felt themselves turn beafts, felt myself then
Becoming Traytor, and methought I faw
One of our Giant Statutes ope his jaw
To fuck me in for hearing him: I found
That as burnt venemous Leachers do
grow found
By giving others their fores, I might grow
Guilty, and he free: Therefore I did show
All figns of loathing; but fince I am in,
I must pay mine, and my forefathers fin
To the last farthing. Therefore to my power
Toughly and ftubbornly I bear; but th' hower
Of mercy now was come: he tries to bring
Me to pay a fine to 'fcape a torturing,

And fays, Sir, can you fpare me---? I faid, Willingly; Nay, Sir, can you fpare me a crown? Thankfully I Gave it, as ranfom; but as fidlers, ftill,

Though they be paid to be gone, yet needs will, Thrust one more jigg upon you: fo did he With his long complimental thanks vex me.

NOTES.

VER. 167. fall endlong] The fudden effect of the transformation is ftrongly and finely painted to the imagination, not in

Nay hints, 'tis by connivance of the Court, 164
That Spain robs on, and Dunkirk's still a Port.
Not more amazement feiz'd on Circe's guests,
To fee themselves fall endlong into beafts,
Than mine, to find a fubject ftay'd and wife
Already half turn'd traytor by furprize.

I felt th' infection flide from him to me,

As in the pox, fome give it to get free;
And quick to fwallow me, methought I faw
One of our Giant Statutes ope its jaw.

In that nice moment, as another Lye

Stood juft a-tilt, the Minifter came by.
To him he flies, and bows, and bows again,
Then, close as Umbra, joins the dirty train.
Not Fannius' felf more impudently near,
When half his nofe is in his Prince's ear.

170

175

180

I quak'd at heart; and ftill afraid, to fee
All the Court fill'd with ftranger things than he,

Ran out as faft, as one that pays his bail

And dreads more actions, hurries from a jail.

Bear me, fome God! oh quickly bear me hence To wholfome Solitude, the nurfe of fenfe: 185

NOTES.

the found, but in the fenfe of thefe two words.

VER. 184. Bear me,] Thefe four lines are wonderfully fub

But he is gone, thanks to his needy want,

And the Prerogative of my Crown; scant
His thanks were ended, when I (which did see
All the Court fill'd with more ftrange things than he)
Ran from thence with fuch, or more haft than one
Who fears more actions, doth haft from prison.
At home in wholesome folitarinefs

My piteous foul began the wretchedness

Of fuiters at court to mourn, and a trance
Like his, who dreamt he saw hell, did advance
It felf o'er me: fuch men as he faw there

I faw at court, and worse and more.

Low fear Becomes the guilty, not th' accufer: Then, Shall I, none's flave, of high-born or rais'd men Fear frowns; and my mistress truth, betray thee For th' huffing, bragart, puft nobility? No, no, thou which fince yesterday haft been, Almost about the whole world, haft thou seen, O fun, in all thy journey, vanity,

Such as fwells the bladder of our court? I

NOTES.

lime. His impatience in this region of vice, is like that of Vifgil, in the region of beat. They both call out as if they were half stifled by the fulphury air of the place,

O qui me gelidis —

O quickly bear me hence.

Where Contemplation prunes her ruffled wings,
And the free foul looks down to pity Kings!
There fober thought purfu'd th' amusing theme,
Till Fancy colour'd it, and form'd a Dream.
A Vifion hermits can to Hell transport,

199

And forc'd ev'n me to fee the damn'd at Court.

Not Dante dreaming all th' infernal state,

Beheld such scenes of envy, fin, and hate.
Base Fear becomes the guilty, not the free;
Suits Tyrants, Plunderers, but fuits not me: 195
Shall I, the Terror of this finful town,

Care, if a liv'ry'd Lord or fmile or frown?
Who cannot flatter, and deteft who can,
Tremble before a noble Serving-man?

O my fair mistress, Truth! fhall I quit thee 200
For huffing, braggart, puft Nobility?

Thou, who fince yesterday haft roll'd o'er all
The bufy, idle blockheads of the ball,

Haft thou, oh Sun! beheld an emptier fort,
Than fuch as fwell this bladder of a court?

NOTES.

205

VER. 188. There fober thought] Thefe two lines are remarkable for the delicacy and propriety of the expreffion.

VER. 194. Bafe Fear Thefe four admirable lines become the high office he had affumed, and to nobly sustained.

b

Think he which made your Waxen garden, and

Tranfported it from Italy, to stand

With us at London, flouts our Courtiers; for

Juft fuch gay painted things, which no fap, nor
Taft have in them, ours are; and natural

Some of the stocks are; their fruits baftard all.
"Tis ten a Clock and paft; all whom the mues,
Baloun, or tennis, diet, or the stews
Had all the morning held, now the second
Time made ready, that day, in flocks are found
In the Prefence, and I (God pardon me)
As fresh and sweet their Apparels be, as be
Their fields they fold to buy them. For a king
Thofe hofe are, cry the flatterers: and bring
Them next week to the theatre to fell.

Wants reach all states: me feems they do as well

NOTES.

b A fhow of the Italian Garden in Waxwork, in the time of King James the First.

That is, of wood.

P.

VER. 206. Court in wax!] A famous fhow of the Court of France, in-Wax-work.

P.

VER. 213. At Fig's, at White's,] White's was a noted gam