Politicaster or, a comical discourse, in answer unto Mr. Wren's book, intituled, Monarchy asserted, against Mr. Harrington's Oceana. / By J.H.

THE PROLOGUE: In answer to Mr. Wrens PREFACE.

GEntle Mr. Wren, (sine ira & ob∣sequio) without passion or partiality, give me your hand, and let me as it were by some familiar and unstudied discourse, treat with you upon the Contents of that same Book you call Monarchy asserted, and so forth.

Sir, for method, I shall take those places which are most material, in the order you have borrowed for them, and so bestowed upon them; omitting none that is not implyed in the answer I shall give unto these: you shall not finde me skipping, as you do, whole

Pages and Chapters. And whereas you (upon my taking that liberty which is every mans right, of using a Libel without a name, as he thinks fit) have appealed in the Conclusion unto my Lords, the Provosts of Oceana, as if I had given you ill Language; and have also in divers and sundry places of your work, as it were, dared my Muse, I shall at leisure (it may be within two years) add a piece of Oratory, addressed unto the said Lords, the Provosts of the A∣cademy in Oceana; and some Poems not abhorring from your desires or provo∣cations, not in the Thunder-thumping way of Grandfire Virgil, but in the su∣gar'd speech of mine Uncle Chaucer. If you please by the way to take a lick of it, I shall at this distance from the Ope∣ra, insert the Prologue.

What Chaucer ho, ye han the Eng∣lish Key Of the high Rock Parnas with the Tow'rs twey. Your sooten gab, so ken I well thus far, Of curtesie the Yate till me unspar. But here be Bavins in the way I trow, All to be prickle like Urchin, hi ho.

Forth come wi brond, gin ye no bren em green Me Note they keepen out that nere wer in.

Pray, Sir, ha' me commended to them that say, Your book is unanswer∣able; and let them know, it is to them that the Prologue is spoken. The bo∣dy of the Work is Heroick, the Title thereof bequeathed by famous Selden, runneth thus: The Wars of the makers of Mouse-traps against Inigo Jones; and it beginneth in this wise:

Leif Mistress Margery Melpomine, Out how ye snorten! sooth it been brede dey. Ne Mother Midnight sit in sky, ne duskin, For shame now buckle on your blood∣red buskin: Or if ye like your ease, sweet Lady Meg Of womanhood, lend me your Lethren Leg: And gin, I lig it not about square caps That meet in hugger for to make Mouse-traps,

And wagen war anenst Inigo Jones That harpen (like Amphion) till huge stones And maken rise in vew of Kerson people Into the Element and sit on steeple. Mote I ne tack ye mere by the small sute When ye mount Pegasus in Crim∣son bute.

Look you there now, is not this fair? You have the length of my weapon: Moreover, I have manifested unto you the whole order of my work. Now to my tacklin.

Noble Mr. Wren, you have declared your self to be of an assembly of men who are known both at home and abroad to be of the most learned persons of this age: and some suspect it to have been under their eye that you have been a∣bout two years in answering my last Book; an enterprise in which you have performed (seeing you now own the former) your second adventure in like Chevalry; yet where I vouch A∣ristotle, Machiavil, and like Authors for the undoubted right which a private man may claim in treating upon the

politicks, or upon the nature of Go∣vernment, you tell me, That this pri∣viledge is not to be extended unto e∣very little Writer. I, against whom one of the assembly known both at home and abroad to be of the most learned persons of this age, hath written twice, and been so long about it, A little Writer! Sir, you forget your self.

Again, the Testimony of Machiavil throughout his works, is, that he in∣tendeth not carelesly to start some Phi∣losophical Opinion, but applyeth every thing home and expresly unto Italy, though not without some despair, yet with the ardour (or, if you will have it so) with the heat and passion belonging unto so noble a Designe. Wherefore for you to adoperate this testimony quite contrary to the truth of it, as a proof that my way of writing hath no affinity with this Author's, is suborna∣tion of a witness.

But good Mr. Wren, is your propo∣sion of German-horse, or, which is all one, of a mercenary Army for a stand∣ing Government, such as professeth to* 1.1 have any fiction or Romance (while you enter not into despair (as you say) of li∣ving to enjoy your share of the felicities

which will belong unto the Subjects of such a Government) or adapted to the occasions or necessities of a particular juncture? Is it such as in so many fair complements where with you interweave me nominally, is proposed with the tem∣per and moderation becoming a philoso∣phical Opinion, and not with the heat and passion belonging to a Designe? Was my Book which named no man, a Libel or a Pasquin; and are both yours, each page whereof is endued with my name, most serious Tracts, and true History? Alas, that ever I fell into the hands of such an Historian: what will become of my name, preserved in such sugar'd elo∣quence to future ages! But notwithstan∣ding you are a great Historian, M. Wren, yet as concerning Christopher Colum∣bus (and because you will go to that) as concerning Sebastian Gabato like∣wise, I appeal unto my Lord Verulame* 1.2 whether they first framed not Designes or Cards before they found out their discoveries; or if discoveries cannot be made but by designe or chance, what need I appeal to any man for this, seeing it is known that they made their previous contracts with Princes before they undertook their

adventures? What mean you then to say, That they who understand that Christopher Columbus must first have been at the Indies, before he could make a Card to teach others the way thither, will go near to suspect Mr. Harrington's abilities in modelling a Commonwealth till he have spent some years in the Mi∣nistry of State?

Good Sir, besides the trick you put upon your Reader, in your antecedent, you are quite out in your Conse∣quence: For how many years, I pray you, had Lycurgus, or Numa Pompili∣us spent in the Ministry of State before they modelled their Governments? Or what modelling of Government hath been bequeathed unto the world by all the Ministers of State in France since the dissolution of the three E∣states, the ancient model of that Go∣vernment; or by all the Ministers of State since Henry the seventh in Eng∣land; or have not these rather been the ruine of the English Model? Mr. Wren, if you will believe me, the main, nay the whole ability of modelling a Commonwealth, lyeth in two things; the One, in being wel versed in ancient prudence; the Other, in being dis∣engaged

from all parties: neither of which qualifications is common with Ministers of State.

Talk not to me of French Taylours; to model is not so easie a thing as you take it for, if we may but count our late changes of Government: when the King left the Parliament, and the two Houses governed without a King, there was one change: when the Peers were excluded, and the Commons go∣verned without King and Peers, there was two: when the Commons were excluded, and the General governed alone, there was three: when the Ge∣neral governed with a convention of his own making, there was four: when by the Major-Generals, there was five: when the Protector go∣verned by the Instrument, there was six: vvhen he governed by the Pe∣tition and Advice, there was seven; the present should be the eighth: Nor hitherto hath there been any Mo∣del at all, or any such as the makers themselves have approved of. I hope I give no offence; for I say but as they say: But you are such a man, you can shew me no body so good at modelling as I, except it be your self; who I am

sure have had as little Ministry; and yet the next dung-hill (which is your own sweet book) you think fittest to be my Magazine. Why seeing you will have it so, come your ways.

Notes

• * 1.1

  W. p. 107.
• * 1.2

  Hen. 7. pag. 188.