English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
This is about all I dare reproduce about this pet of Prince Rupert's,
the remainder of these tracts being filled with political allusions,
which are somewhat hard to be understood now, and of no interest to
this book, the remainder being written somewhat more coarsely than
usual. But enough has been said about them to show how the satirists
of that age seized upon any thing which they could turn to their
purpose.
[Footnote 64: Memoirs of Prince Rupert and the Cavaliers, by
Eliot Warburton. Lond. 1849.]
[Footnote 65: This is reproduced on p. 360 of "Chap Books of
the 18th Century," by John Ashton. Lond. 1882.]
[Footnote 66: These italics are mine.]
A Citizen for Recreations Sake [51.]
To see the Countrie would a journie make,
Some dozen mile, or little more,
Taking his leave of friends two months before;
With drinking healths, and shaking by the hand,
As he had travail'd to some new-found land.
Well, taking horse, with very much a doe,
_London_ he leaveth for a day or two:
And as he rideth meets upon the way
Such (as what haste soever) bid men stay;
Sirrah (sayes one) stand, and your purse deliver;
I am a taker, you must be a giver.
Unto a wood hard by they hale him in,
And rifle him unto the very skin.
Masters (quoth he) pray heare me ere you goe,
For you have robbed more than you doe know:
My horse (in troth) I borrowed of my Brother,
The Bridle and the Saddle of another:
The Jerkin and the Bases[F. 67] be a Taylers,
The Scarfe, I doe assure you, is a Saylers:
The Falling-band is likewise none of mine,
Nor Cuffes, as true as this good light doth shine:
The Sattin Doublet and the Velvet Hose,
Are our Church-wardens, all the parish knowes.
The Bootes are _John_ the Grocers of the Swan,
The Spurs were lent me by a Serving-man:
One of my Rings, (that with the great red Stone)
Insooth I borrowed of my gossip _Joane_.
Her husband knowes not of it gentlemen,
Thus stands my case, I pray shew favour then.
Why (quoth the theeves) thou needst not greatly care,
Since in thy losse so many beare a share:
The world growes hard, many good fellows lack
Look not at this time for a penny back.
Goe tell at _London_, thou didst meet with four,
That rifling thee hath rob'd at least a score.
[Footnote 67: The exact meaning of these garments seems to be
in doubt. They were probably some kind of skirt.]
_The Connicatcher_[F. 68] _and Priest of Paris._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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