Canidia, or, The witches a rhapsody, in five parts / by R.D.

Prologue.

I Canidia, inspir'd with Rage, Advance my Satyr on the Stage, In Revenge to Act my Part, With a Bloody Hand and Heart. Stultorum plena sunt omnia, Let me Interpret Nebulonum Somnia.

Sophies, Poets, Clerks, Jurisconsults, Come before Me and pay your Mulcts. I tell You, I'le not spare y' a Man, Nor Devil neither, if I can. My sharp Pen dipt in Poyson'd Gall, Resolves to perstringe you, One and All. Though you may question my Skill, You'l find I do not want a Will.

What's a Woman, or Woman kind; Have Patience, you shall know my Mind. O ye Learned Tribe, I love you; But know, that I am Above you, And when you're Knaves, I dare reprove you. 'Tis We, and those of our Professions, That can read you better Lessons. Give us leave to teach you and your Crew, Better than all your Dunce-Doctors can do.

Then boast not of getting the Day, We'l hold you Everlasting Play. We care not for your Syllogisms, Elenchus's, Fallacies, Paralogisms. When you are beat by Strength of Reason, We know, you'l take your selves to Treason. We charge you all with Hate and Strife, Ne're ceasing till you take our Life.

For this very Reason, I'le swinge ye, Beat down your Pride and quite unhindge ye: Level all your Bulwarks and Forts, Keep you from Cowardly Resorts. Because we wo'nt fly to your Altars, You persecute us▪ with Faggots and Halters.

I challenge and post you Dons for Base, Thus to bring Ladies into Disgrace.

Look to your Hitts, then, Have a Care, We'l be Revenge'd 'fore you're aware. They say, Threatned Folk live long, If Others ben't for them too strong. We have Black and Blew Arts, To act all sorts of Deadly Parts. I shall demonstrate all your Lies, That walk like Angels in Disguise, Three things there be which should not Jar, The Stage, the Pulpit, and the Bar.