Recreation for ingenious head-peeces, or, A pleasant grove for their wits to walk in of epigrams 700, epitaphs 200, fancies a number, fantasticks abundance : with their addition, multiplication, and division.

A Ballade.

[illustration]

A Discourse between two Countrey-men.

I Tell thee Dick where I have been, Where I the rarest things have seen; Oh things beyond compare!

Such sights againe cannot be found In any place on English ground, Be it at Wake or Faire.

At Charing-Crosse, hard by the way Where we (thou know'st) do sell our H••y, There is a House with stair••; And there did I see coming down Such volk as are not in our Town, Vortie at l••ast in pairs.

Amongst the rest, on p••st'lent fine, (His beard no bigger though then thine) Walkt on before the rest: Our Landlord looks like nothing to him: The King (God blesse him) 'twould undo him Should he goe still to drest.

At Course-a-Park, without all doubt, He should have first been taken out By all the maid•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Town: Though Iusty Roger there had been, Or little George upon the Green, Or Vincent of the Crown.

But wot you what? the youth was going To make an end of all his wooing; The Parson for him sta••d:

Yet by his leave (for all his ha••t) He did not so much wish all past (Perchance) as did the Maid.

The Maid (and thereby hangs a tale) For such a Maid no Widson-Ale Could ever yet produce: No grape that's kindly ripe, could be So round, so plump, so soft as she, Nor halfe so full of juice.

Her finger was so small, the Ring Would not stay on which he did bring, It was too wide a peck: And to say truth (for out it must) It lookt like the great Collar (just) About our young Colts neck.

Her feet beneath her peticoat, Like little mice stole in and out, As if they fear'd the light: But Dick she dances such a way I No Sun upon an Easter day Is halfe so fine a sight.

He would have kist her once or twice, But she would not, she was so nice She would not do'•• ••n sight,

And then she lookt as who would say I will doe what I list to day; And you shall do't at night.

Her cheeks so rare a white was on, No D••zy make comparison (Who sees them is undone) For streaks of red were mingled there, Such as are on a Katherine Peare, The side that's next the Sun.)

Her lips were red, and one was thin Compar'd to Heat was next her chin; (Some Bee had stung it newly) But (Dick) her eyes so guard her face, I durst no more upon them gaze, Then on the Sun in Iuly.

Her mouth so small when she does speak, Thou'dst swear her teeth her words did break, That they might passage get, But she so handled still the matter, They came as good as ours, or better, And are not spent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whit.

If wishing should be any sin The Parson himselfe had guilty bin, (She lookt that day so purely)

And did the youth so oft the feat At night, as some did in conceit, It would have spoil'd him surely.

Passion oh me! how I run on! There's that that would be thought upon, (I trow) besides the Bride. The businesse of the Kitchin's great, For it is fit that men should eat; Nor was it there deny'd.

Just in the nick the Cook knockt thrice, And all the Waiters in a trice His summons did obey, Each Serving-man with dish in hand, Marcht boldly up like our Train'd band, Presented and away.

When all the mea•• was on the Table, What man of knife, or teeth, was able To stay to be intreated? And this the very reason was Before the Parson could say Grace, The company was seated.

Now hats fly off, and youths carrouse; Healths first goe round, and then the house, The Brides came thick and thick;

And when 'twas nam'd anothers health, Perhaps he made it here by stealth; (And who could help it Dick?)

O'th sudain up they rise and dance; Then sit againe, and sigh, and glance: Then dance againe and kisse: Thus sev'rall wayes the time did passe, Whil'st every woman wisht her place, And every man wisht his.

By this time all were stolne aside, To councell and undresse the Bride; But that he must not know: But 'twas thought he ghest her mind, And did not mean to stay behind Above an houre or so.

When in he came (Dick) there she lay Like new-faln snow melting away, ('Twas time I trow to part) Kisses were now the onely stay, Which soon she gave, as who would say, God B'w'y'! with all my heart.

But just as Heavens would have to crosse it, In came the Bride-maids with the Posset: The Bridegroom eat in spight;

For had he le•••• the women to't It would have cost two houres to do't, Which were too much that night.

At length the Candle's out, and now, All that they had not done, they doe: What that i••, who can tell? But I beleeve it was no more Then thou and I have done before With Bridget, and with Nell.