The foot-post of Douer With his packet stuft full of strange and merry petitions.

A PROSOPOPAEIA OR IMAGINED ANSWER TO THE FORMER PETITIO∣ners. by Dame Fortune

NO more Petitions, I haue heard too much, Too mischieuous, and monstrous wickednesse, Nor will I condescend to any such As seeke by others woe to purchace blisse: Your suites so wicked, your Petitions full O sensuall appetites, I disanull.

Fond worldlings, thinke you, that euery furious curse Belcht gainst your foes, shall bring them to their wracke? Or euery foolish wish your fancies nurse, Will with an approbation be sent backe? Then should the world be as it first began, Repleate with beasts, but dispossest of man.

For as you are by naturall instinct Infirme, and subiect to affections: So are your wilfull Supplications linckt With others ruines, and subuersions: But he that knoweth best whats good, whats ill, Payes all, not as they would, but as he will.

And therefore know, that whosoere you curse, Are not accursed for your curse alone, Nor they whom you wish punishments, are worse For your rash wishes publicke or vnknowne: Nor I my selfe, if that I would, can doe

Hurt to the parties, you incite me to.

For that Ens Entium, all the worlds first maker, Existent without fine, and vncreate Makes any thing the cause and ioynt pertaker Of his consuming rage, to ruinate His chiefest earthly fabricke, when and where He please, it from a sinfull earth to teare.

Thus much ingenerall: Now I will regresse More specially to each particular, And as you did appeare at first, redresse, To here your answers, which Ile not deferre With dull procrastinations, but begin With her, who first put her Petition in.

Detested woman,* 1.1 shame vnto thy Sexe, Which prostitut'st thy body vnto all, Making thy selfe the filth and loathsome fex That brings thine owne decay and others thrall: Leaue of thy loathed trading, and be bound A new to honesty, thats safe and sound.

Consider why thou wert created first To serue thy Maker, and bring forth increase, From which, thy loathed life, and quenchles thirst Of variable lust, compels thee cease. For thy foule life so odious in heauens eye Can leaue the world no prosperous progeny.

Next call to minde the pleasures thou hast past, The dainty fare, sweet musicke, and delight, How momentarily and soone they wast, Like to a flash of lightning in the night, Or like a Larke, that swiftly mounts the skie, Now seene, but out of prospect by and by.

And last of all, thinke but vpon thine end, When Age begins to nestle in thy bones, What anguishes thy former courses send, Fraught with heart-wasting aches, pangs and grones: And after all, how thou art sure to fry, If thou dost perseuere, eternally.

Thou which hast lauisht thy estate, and spent Thy prime of time,* 1.2 in vnaduis'd excesse, Do not mispend the refidue thats lent To cure thy cares, and driue thee from distresse: If thou hast grace, ther's grace inough in store, For him that truly can that grace implore.

Lust, Pride and Riot, wrestling in thy brest, Haue giuen thy Fortunes, and thy selfe the fall, Yet lie not groueling with dispaire opprest, Although thou canst not all tha's past recall, Thou maist redeeme that thou hast pawn'd to hell, Thy pittious soule hereafter, liuing well.

Thou country Client with inuectiue Iawes, Darting thy malice and intestine griefe,* 1.3 Vpon some bad peruerters of the Lawes, Shalt ease thy selfe and purchase great reliefe, By shunning the occasions of thy fals, Vncharitable deeds, litigious brauls.

If thou wouldst haue reuenge vpon them all, Liue orderly, deuoyd of wrong and strife: So maist thou such contentious wrangles gall, By leading a contented and mylde life: For while each petty trespasse, brawl and taunt, Are tooke in snuffe and dudgeon, Lawyers flaunt.

The Seruingman came next, which hath reuilde

The slight rewarding of his youthfull paines, Though some that trust to others, are beguild, Yet faithfull seruice oft reaps certaine gaines, Ingratitude if rife, yet there are such That deeme no guerdon for their seruants much.

But seeing thou felst (as thy Petition showes) Betweene the griping clawes of auerous churles, Impatient speech, proclaim'd against all those, To further inconuenience hurles Thy desperate state: how ere it did commence, Tak't as thy sinnes deserued recompence.

Thou, which wert credulous to iudge all true A yong man vttered in the heate of blood,* 1.4 So piteously dost now too late bedew Thy cheeks with teares: it is a token good, If they do trickle from a sorrowing soule, Not for thy Loues losse, but thy deeds so foule.

Where sores are cureles, ther's no helpe by care Content will mittigate each Discontent, Kept as a shield to ward thee from Dispaire, And fierce assaults of future languishment, The causer cannot thriue: vvhat heretofore You did commit, Repent: but sinne no more.

You are too hot, too eager, and to keene Gainst those you loue so well, the female kinde, Bolting outragious termes,* 1.5 oreclog'd with spleene, From the distracted passions of your minde, Sincerely vertuous, many may be found, Though some with many vices do abound.

If one haue wrong'd you, wrong not all for one Nor dote on her, that hath forsaken you, One precious stone doth cut another stone,

Thers plenty yet abroad, goe get a new, Seeke with discretion, and doubt not to finde A constant Mate, that may content thy minde.

Old woman,* 1.6 leaue complayning, 'tis too late For you to lodge within a youngsters bed, You are decrepit, and growne out of date To reyne a flinging Colts, vnweldy head A prayer booke linckt to your shaking hands Were fitter farre then youngest wedlocke bandes.

Doe not repine,* 1.7 or grudge, young louely creature At vnescaped Destiny, Mariage: Nor macerate with cares your beauteous feature Banning cannot abate your griefe, nor rage Nor any other thing salue your disease, Vntill the cutting Destiny doth please.

Imagine that thou art a weaned childe Hugd in the bosome of an aged nurse Let deeds and wordes be dutifull and milde Least they doe make thy anguishes the worse, For in a moment Age with Rage is tost And waxeth most impatient, being crost.

Thou that Petition'st gainst thy wiues offence Se thou be cleere thy selfe of the like spot,* 1.8 Then maist thou with more right thy suite commence, Or els take quietly thy crooked lot, For he that strikes with Sword, it is decreed Shall be restruck with Scabberd, till he bleed.

Couragious Souldier,* 1.9 whose true valorous heart Was neuer daunted with inuading foes But causd thy greatest enemies to start (At thy assayling them) like timorous Doos,

Vanquish thy selfe, and chance which puls thee downe A thing more mighty then to winne a Towne.

Liue carefully young Prentise,* 1.10 be no waster Of others goods, abandon filthy whores, And dissolute assemblies: Please thy Maister And all the night keepe close within his dores, Roue not about the suburbes and the streetes When he doth thinke you wrapt betweene your sheets.

Too many take such courses vile and base To their owne miseries and maisters fall But if thou doe thy duty in thy place And prouidently keepe within thy stall, When they ride bound, or lurke in some by-lnae Thou maist ride with thy foot-cloth, and gold chaine,

Thou that in vaine dost wrangle with thy starres,* 1.11 And cauill at the factes by others done, Leaue of thy selfe-destroying ciuill warres, And intermedling with all others, shunne, Enormeties enow thou hast to mend If to thine owne affaires thou doe descend.

And to conclude,* 1.12 let all for certaine know That Gods reuengefull Yron Bowe is bent And shaftes in readines to ouerthrow Synnes harbourers, that doe not soone repent, Let each one therefore his vilde courses meud, A wicked life makes seldome a good end.

With that, me thought, I saw Fortune transported out of sight, & the Petitioners made such an huming at her de∣parture, as if it had beene at the applonsiue end of an Uni∣uersity oration, or other Scholler like exercise, that they a∣waked me with the noyse, who in the end, writ the premises.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The answer to the Harrlot
• * 1.2

  To the Spen∣dall.
• * 1.3

  To the coun∣trey Client.
• * 1.4

  To the Maide with childe.
• * 1.5

  To the Louer
• * 1.6

  To the olde woman mar∣ried with the young man.
• * 1.7

  To the young woman mar∣ried to the old man.
• * 1.8

  To the Cuc∣kold.
• * 1.9

  To the Soul∣dier.
• * 1.10

  To the Pren∣tise.
• * 1.11

  To the Male∣content.
• * 1.12

  To all.