I ragguagli di Parnasso, or, Advertisements from Parnassus in two centuries : with the politick touch-stone / written originally in Italian by that famous Roman Trajano Bocalini ; and now put into English by the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Monmouth.

The Sixteenth ADVERTISEMENT.

Ambassadors are sent from the Colledg of Gardners, to Apol∣lo, to obtain some Instrument from him, whereby they might without any cost or charge, cleanse their Gardens of all improfitable hearbs, and are laught at by his Maje∣stie.

AMbassadors from all the Gardners of the world, are come to this Court, who have acquainted his Majestie, that were it either from the bad conditions of their seed, the naughtiness of the soyle, or from the evil celestial influences, so great abundance of weeds grew up in their Gardens, as not being any longer able to undergoe the charges they were at in weeding them out, and of cleansing their Gardens, they should be forced either to give them over, or else to inhaunce the price of their Pompions, Cabiges, and other hearbs, unless his Majestie would help them to some Instrument, by means whereof they might not be at such excessive charge in keeping their Gardens: His Majestie did much won∣der at this the Gardners foolish request, and being full of indignation, an∣swered their Ambassadors, that they should tell those that sent them, that they should use their accustomed manual Instruments, their spades and mathooks, for no better could be found, nor wished for, and cease from demanding such impertinent things.

The Ambassadors did then couragiously reply, that they made this re∣quest, being moved thereunto by the great benefit which they saw his Majestie had been pleased to grant to Princes, who to purge their States from evil weeds, and seditious plants, which to the great misfortune of good men, do grow there in such abundance, had obtained the miraculous Instruments of Drum and Trumpet, at the sound whereof, Mallows, Hen∣bane, Dogs-caul, and other pernitious plants of unusefull persons, doe of themselves willingly forsake the ground, to make room for Lettice, Burnet, Sorrel, and other usefull hearbs of Artificers and Citizens, and wither of themselves and die, amongst the brakes and brambles out of the Garden (their Country) the which they did much prejudice; and that the Gardners would esteem it great happiness if they could obtain such an Instrument from his Majestie. To this Apollo answered, That if Prin∣ces could as easily discern seditious men, and such as were unworthy to live in this worlds Garden, as Gardners might know nettles and henbane, from spinnage and lettice, he would have onely given them halters and axes for their instruments, which are the true pickaxes by which the se∣ditious

herbs (Vagabonds, which being but the useless luxuries of humane Fecundity, deserve not to eat bread) may be rooted up. But since all men were made after the same manner, so as the good could not be known from the bad, by the leaves of face, or stalks of stature; the Instruments of Drum and Trumpets were granted for publick peace-sake to Princes, the sound whereof was chearfully followed by such plants as took delight in dying, to the end, that by the frequent use of gibbets, wholsom herbs should not be extirpated instead of such as were venemous.

The Ambassadors would have replyed again; but Apollo with much indignation, bad them hold their peace, and charged them to be gon from Parnassus with all speed, for it was altogether impertinent and ridiculous to compare the purging of the world from seditious spirits, with the weed∣ing of noysom hearbs out of a Garden.