Poems, by J.D. VVith elegies on the authors death

Satyre V.

THou shalt not laugh in this leafe, Muse, nor they Whom any pitty warmes; He which did lay Rules to make Courtiers, (hee being understood May make good Courtiers, but who Courtiers good?) Frees from the sting of jests all who in extreme Are wreched or wicked: of these two a theame Charity and liberty give me. What is hee Who Officers rage, and Suiters misery Can write, and jest? If all things be in all, As I thinke, since all, which were, are, and shall Bee, be made of the same elements: Each thing, each thing employes or represents, Then man is a world; in which, Officers, Are the vast ravishing seas; and Suiters, Springs; now full, now shallow, now drye; which, to That which drownes them, run: These selfe reasons do Prove the world a man, in which, officers Are the devouring stomacke, and Suiters The excrements, which they voyd; all men are dust, How much worse are Suiters, who to mens lust Are made preyes. O worse then dust, or wormes meat, For they do eate you now, whose selves wormes shall eate. They are the mills which grinde you, yet you are

The winde which drives them; and a wastfull warre Is fought against you, and you fight it; they Adulterate lawe, and you prepare their way Like wittals, th'issue your owne ruine is; Greatest and fairest Empresse, know you this? Alas, no more then Thames calme head doth know Whose meades her armes drowne, or whose corne o'rflow: You Sir, whose righteousnes she loves, whō I By having leave to serve, am most richly For service paid, authorized, now beginne To know and weed out this enormous sinne. O Age of rusty iron! Some better wit Call it some worse name, if ought equall it; The iron Age that was, when justice was sold, now Injustice is sold deerer farre; allow All demands, fees, and duties; gamsters, anon The mony which you sweat, and sweare for, is gon Into other hands: So controverted lands Scape, like Angelica, the strivers hands. If Law be in the Judges heart, and hee Have no heart to resist letter, or fee, Where wilt thou appeale? powre of the Courts below Flow from the first maine head, and these can throw Thee, if they sucke thee in, to misery, To fetters, halters; But if the injury Steele thee to dare complaine; Alas, thou goest Against the stream, when upwards: when thou art most Heavy and most faint; and in these labours they, 'Gainst whom thou should'st complaine, will in the way

Become great seas, o'r which, when thou shalt bee Forc'd to make golden bridges, thou shalt see That all thy gold was drown'd in them before; All things follow their like, only, who have, may have more Judges are Gods; he who made and said them so, Meant not that men should be forc'd to them to goe, By meanes of Angels; When supplications We send to God, to Dominations, Powers, Cherubins, and all heavens Court, if wee Should pay fees as here, Daily bread would be Scarce to Kings; so 'tis, would it not anger A Stoicke, a coward, yea a Martyr, To see a Pursivant come in, and call All his cloathes, Copes; Bookes, Primers; and all His Plate, Challices; and mistake them away, And lack a fee for comming; Oh, ne'r may Faire lawes white reverend name be strumpeted, To warrant thefts: she is established Recorder to Destiny, on earth, and shee Speakes Fates words, and tells who must bee Rich, who poore, who in chaires, who in jayles: Shee is all faire, but yet hath foule long nailes, With which she scracheth Suiters; In bodies Of men; so in law, nailes are extremities, So Officers stretch to more then Law can doe, As our nailes reach what no else part comes to. Why barest thou to you Officer? Foole, Hath hee Got those goods, for which men bared to thee? Foole, twice, thrice, thou hast bought wrong, and now hungerly

Beg'st right; But that dole comes not till these dye. Thou had'st much, & lawes Urim and Thummim trie Thou wouldst for more; and for all hast paper Enough to cloath all the great Carricks Pepper. Sell that, and by that thou much more shalt leese, Then Haman, when he sold his Antiquities. O wretch that thy fortunes should moralize Esops fables, and make tales, prophesies. Thou art the swimming dog whom shadows cosened, And div'st, neare drowning, for what vanished.