A prisoner is an impatient patient, lingring vnder the rough hands of a cruell phisitian: his creditor hauing cast his water knowes his disease, and hath power to cure him, but takes more pleasure to kill him. He is like Tantalus, who hath freedome running by his doore, yet cannot enioy the least benefit thereof. His greatest griefe is that his credit was so good and now no better. His land is drawne within the compasse of a sheepe's skin, and his owne hand the fortification that barres him of entrance: hee is fortunes tossing-bal, an obiect that would make mirth melancholy: to his friends an abiect, and a subiect of nine dayes' wonder in euery barber's shop, and a mouthfull of pitty (that he had no better fortune) to midwiues and talkatiue gossips; and all the content that this transitory life can giue him seemes but to flout him, in respect the restraint of liberty barres the true vse. To his familiars hee is like a plague, whom they dare scarce come nigh for feare of infection, he is a monument ruined by those which raysed him, he spends the day with a _hei mihi! ve miserum_! and the night with a _nullis est medicabilis herbis_." FOOTNOTES: [CY] In the church of St. Mary, at Nantwich, in that county, is a monument erected by Geofry Minshull, of Stoke, Esq. to the memory of his ancestors. _Historical Account of Nantwich_, 8vo. 1774, page 33. King, in his _Vale Royal of England_, folio, _Lond._ 1656, page 74, speaks of Minshall-hall, "a very ancient seat, which hath continued the successions of a worshipfull race in its own name"--&c. [CZ] This place of residence was omitted in the second edition. [DA] The Mainwarings were an old family of repute, being mentioned as residing near Nantwich, by Leland, _Itin._ vol. 7. pt. i. fol. 43. See also the list of escheators of Cheshire, in Leycester's _Historical Antiquities_, folio, Lond. 1673, p. 186. viii. _Cvres for the Itch. Characters. Epigrams. Epitaphs. By H. P. Scalpat qui tangitur. London, Printed for Thomas Iones, at the signs of the Blacke Rauen in the Strand._ 1626. [8vo. containing pp. 142, not numbered.] I have little doubt but that the initials H. P. may be attributed with justice to _Henry Parrot_, author of _Laquei ridiculosi: or, Springes for Woodcocks_, a collection of epigrams, printed at London in 1613[DB], 8vo. and commended by Mr. Warton, who says, that "many of them are worthy to be revived in modern collections"[DC]. To the same person I would also give _The Mastive, or Young Whelpe of the Old Dogge. Epigrams and Satyrs._ Lond. (Date cut off in the Bodleian copy,) 4to.--_The Mouse Trap, consisting of 100 Epigrams_, 4to. 1606.--_Epigrams by H. P._ 4to. 1608.--and _The More the Merrier: containing three-score and odde headlesse Epigrams, shot (like the Fooles bolt) amongst you, light where they will_, 4to. 1608[DD].