Then follows the subjoined woodcut, with verses underneath. The hint that the poet was born to be hanged because he had escaped from drowning refers to his having undertaken to sail from London to Queenborough in a boat made of brown paper. In this foolhardy exploit Taylor and a friend who was with him nearly lost their lives. The tract under notice affords a good specimen of the sort of language used by the partisans of each faction against their opponents: 'I should be loathe to foule my fingers with any base Pamphlets that comes from Oxford, if the venom of their malicious spleens were darted against my particular self: But when through my sides they wound the honour of the Parliament and our Armies abroad, I cannot but set Pen to paper, and pay them back again in their own kinde. And who d'ye think I should meet abroad for a _Rogue-in-Print_ but one of our City Water-rats, the doughty John Taylor, who according to the knavish custom, changes his name upon every new paper-designe? Sometimes he calls himself _Thorney Ailo, Mercurius Aquaticus_, and now he entitles himself NO MERCURIUS AULICUS. I thought I had lately sent _rope_ enough for all the Parrots in Oxford; But I perceive they will be prattling still; and therefore I must unmaske the Mysterious Masters of the science of railing. There are three grand paper conspirators well known by the name of _Mercurius Aulicus, George Naworth_, and reverend Master _John Tayler_ the water-tankard, by whose sprinklings in this great dearth of Wit and Honesty the University is cherished and kept in credit. These three are they which pumpe and Pimpe about with their Prostitute Noddles in the behalf of Popery, Murder, and Rebellion against the state; they are Liars in all elements, _Aulicus_ for Land-lies, _Tayler_ for Water, and hungry _George Naworth_ for all between Heaven and Earth, where I doubt not but to see them all meet together to take their farewell of the world, where the _Parrots_ will find _Ropes_ made of stronger Lines than mine, and such as will _non-plus_ the very primest Wits in the University.' [Illustration: PREDICTED FATE OF JOHN TAYLOR THE WATER POET, 1644.] The pamphleteer goes on to give the Water-Poet what he doubtless considered a thorough drubbing, and at the end he leaves him 'to the Gallows, the proper cure for such Rebels.' The words 'London' and 'Oxford' on the woodcut have reference to another voyage which the Water-Poet performed in a sculler's boat between those places. [Illustration: MERCURIUS AULICUS IN THE PILLORY, 1645.]