THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT FROM The Roaring Boyes in ELIZIUM; To the two arrant Knights of the Grape, in Limbo, Alderman Abel and M. Kilvert, the two great Projector [...] for wine: And to the rest of the worshipfull Brotherhood of that Patent.
Brought over lately by Quart-pot, an ancient servant to Bacchus, whom for a long time they had most cruelly Rackt, but hope shortly to be restored to his ancient liberties.
Whereunto is added, the Oration which Bacchus made to his subjects, in the lower World: published for the satisfaction and benefit of his subjects here.
Brought over by the same Messenger 1641.
A LETTER &c.
BAcchus into
Elizium tooke his way,
And to his crew proclaym'd a holy day
And taking up his Horne that held a Tonne
Of right Canary, drunk't off, and begunne
To wind it so loud that
Elizium
Rang with the Noyes, and every Blade did come:
First came the Poets, of each land, and tooke
Their place in order, learned
Virgill struck
In for the first,
Ben Iohnson cast a glout,
And swore a mighty oath hee'd pluck him out,
And wallowing towards him, with a cup of Wine,
He did so rattle him with
Catiline,
That had not
Horace him appeas'd, 'tis said
He had throwne great
Sejanus at his head.
Next to these marcht a band of corpulent ghosts
In scarlet faces furr'd with blew, brave hosts,
With each his signe, and but they were so swarmy
They might have been ghest ancients o' the Army.
Next after these in wrathfull hast did puffe
A band in scarlet hose, and coates of buffe,
With bastinadoes waving with their plumes
And stay they cry'd; that Rascall that presumes
To stirre a foot Dyes, Damme us shall we be thus
Abus'd when we doe carry
Bacchus with us?
In this troop
Bacchus was; and none need doubt him,
Because they never went to th' field without him.
Then strutted forward men of lofty gates,
And gallant, trayling after em, their estates
Like broken pikes, which they in tossing had
Made shorter, and in handling them grew mad.
From these, a pretty distance, sneaking follow'd
Some of the Clergy, not so truly hallow'd
But that they might entreated be to take
A small refection for their learnings sake,
And lest they should be brought (for due contrition
Of their faults) unto that Low-high-Commission
They cast away their coates lest any gull
Should find holes in em, cause they were so full:
But then lep't in a noble Citty crew
That spent all one day what they got in two,
Who having ask't so long what doe you lack
Had lost their words, and had receiv'd a crack.
The last that came of all these warlike Soemen
Was a huge band of sargeants with their Yoemen,
But a mad Poet did begin to rayle
That they would bring Mace when there was no Ale;
And were condemn'd as most pernicious stinkers
Cause in their lives they were but taplash drinkers,
They storm'd; but one of them (being a mounter
Told them they car'd not for em of a counter;
At which great
Bacchus laught; and bad the sinner
He and his fellowes should goe fetch up dinner.
Neates tongues by thousands came; but most were taken
With a salt gamon of Westphalia baken:
The Poets and the Soldiers flashing stood,
And great
Ben: Iohnson swore that it was good,
Anchovies swom in oyle; but to be briefe
Most of the Soldiers fell to powder'd-beefe
And (as an Host was talking like a Parrat)
One snatch't his beard, and eate it for carret:
Bacchus drank round a health, and each one pledg'd it
And after, with another cup he wedg'd it
Untill their braines, by their cups often chiming
Left off their sack and forthwith fell to ryming,
And one amongst the rest, amidst his mirth
Talk't of the dearth of wines upon the earth,
A sargeant that was thither late departed
For griefe, for 'las they ever were kind hearted,
Told them, that now amongst the worlds great vices
Its authors were shrowd scar'd with their complices
And certifi'd em all, with good assurance
Two of the greatest of them were in durance,
At which there such a shout arose, for joy
That on a suddain it awaken'd
N
[...]y;
Who coming thither, in amongst 'em cram'd
And asked if the Shipmoney were dam'd,
They answer no, but those that did w
[...]are Sattin
And stood on Pantofles have lost their Patten,
Whereat he laugh't, and his old jests did use
Why then, quoth he, they will be over shoes,
Then at the bord there grew a disputation
If they should send a letter of consolation,
Unto these two late Prisoners, 'twas agreed
And thus with matur
[...] judgement they proceed.
THE SƲPERSCRIPTION.
TO him whose name (I now directed am)
Has the first Letter of an Alderman,
Which is A—what you please, I crav'd to bee
Unto that hand deliver'd speedily,
Whom all doe hope has hither been preserv'd
To be deliver'd to what 'has deserv'd,
And to his brother likewise I would be
Because he hath as great a share as he.
THE LETTER.
MOst worthy Sirs to be what you deserve
Our ancient loves to you cannot so swerve,
From you, but that wee joyous should be't see
Your sudden coming to our company,
We have good Sack here for you where, you may
Drink a full Quart, and when you come to pay,
Not breake two shillings, but alas we know
Y'ave swallow'd Wine so long you cannot goe,
And it is said, by some who wish your paine
You'l never stand on your owne leggs againe.
Indeed we stagger at it, for 'tis pitty
That two such worthy members of the Citty,
Are so neere gelding of so many pounds
Of your estate, for sure it much confounds,
U
[...] here below; that that should be a crime
You did t'abate the Luxury of the Time,
For when wine is pull'd downe, sure youth will rage
And then no doubt 'twill prove a drunken age.
Indeed you in our pints of Sack did strip's
And made our purses serve apprentiships,
Of sev'n pence to the Drawer, which yet bred
This care and thrift to keep't unforfeited,
When oft we would have venturd, and truly
This smells of Cardinall
Wolsye's policy.
But Sirs we pray you in great
Bacchus name
Be carefull of your selves, and to your name,
Add mettle; for if you should suffer in this traine
It would be but much wine cast up againe,
And let it come, tis better it were out
Then choake you, and let silly people flout,
Yet good Physicians of the state have s
[...]'d
Casting of coyne doth cure the paine ith head,
And take my word;
Empson and
Dudley here
Say such a Purge had sav'd their lives then cheere,
Your drooping spirits, we speake this to confirme
Your fortitude which since the Candel-mas terme,
Hath been assaulted, and y'have borne it out
Courageously, and like tall men and stoute,
Y
[...]t one thing, as your friends, (and we could wish
We could not lay it now within your dish,)
It was not well done of you to undoe
So many poore men, of your owne trade too.
And yet some might deserv'd; for they might bee
(As we doe very well know) sawcy as wee,
And then (our worthy Cittizen) wee hope yee
Might very well undoe them by your copie,
And make em free of Beggers-Hall. This may
Be true; yet you doe not heare me say,
[...]
It is; No; we, that here doe feare no score,
Have found your Citizens honesty heretofore,
And will not now suspect it. 'Tis our prayers
That we may heare sometimes of your affaires
Wee heard how ready all your brethren were
To lay their Patents downe when they did heare
O'th Parliament, and some, in time agreed
With those th' had injur'd, ere they did proceed,
And we admire to see you so are shot
To thinke your caskes would hold when theirs would not.
Your former courses, question'd now, may be
Compar'd to Sack, which when at libertie,
Stirres not; but being stopt as you are now
It bursts the caske, as your owne wine, has you.
And one thing wee'l advise you; that you feed
As happily as you can, and sleepe at need;
For you are so much hated here by those
That dy'd for griefe when prices of Wines rose,
That they doe sweare it ever as they drinke
You shall not eate a bit? nor sleep a winck,
When you come hither; this upon our oath
They oft protested have against you both.
This is All that time gives us leave to write
Which we conjecture is no warning slight
And therefore thinke of it, and use as they
That wish your welfare; and doe lastly pray
These Letters may be read to informe you all,
That we below rejoyce at no mans fall;
And therefore tell those fellowes that employ
Their idle quills for to bely our joy,
They doe amisse in laying of their tricks
On
Charons boat, and
Acheron and Stixs,
And so we bid farewell, and see you doe
Make much of Justice, shee'l make much of you.
Given at our Rendevous in Bacchus Palace in Elizium.
This sea'd, was straight deliver'd to Quart-pot
To beare away; when
Bacchus with a hot,
And fiery looke gap't thrice, and gave two knocks
Made 'em all shake and stand like senseles stocks
Whilst with a gravity he did reherse,
This short Oration (as it is) in verse.
THE ORATION.
ANd yet, my Prudent Councell, let me tell 'ee
I see my bounty here doth too much swell yee,
Tis strange that you should favour such a cause
And men that have so deep transgress't my lawes,
As these have; and to gives 'em such kind words
In their just punishment, their crime affords,
No mercy; for the naked truth to tell
I well could wish there were a whip at
Abel,
To jerke em, and to firke em, and to raise
Their memory as they rais'd wine of late dayes,
When like to Bakers (they the world to cozen
Did sift wine, making foureteen pence to th'dozen,
Which is an innovation, for their good
To hoist up wine above the price of blood;
For their ten pence; you know, throughout all ages
Hath ever been, and is, the Hangman's wages.
Consider of it: England, some of you
Nay I my selfe have been abused too,
How many of my subjects have refrain'd
The Taverne, my deere temple, cause 'twas stain'd,
With such extorsion? and were faine
For want of two pence to goe home againe?
Two pence? why I will tell you, tis no lesse
Then halfe a groat, and boldly I professe,
For two pence more, a man might fully dine
Or purchase three parts of a pint of Wine,
Claret I mean
[...] white: how many here
Now in this place have kill'd themselves with Beere,
Ev'n for this cause? Besides we well may gather
That men oft times gave o
[...]e, when they had rather,
Have serv'd mee still, I speake it from my heart
In seven pints th'are cheated of a quart,
O injury! and ye
[...] you wish these men
Here, that they might revive their trade agen,
That by their cunning having wrong'd you too
You then might curse em as the Citty doe,
Write me a letter that may fully crush em
And not such tickling lines as onely brush em,
Can you that are the Poets thinke upon
This sad restraint upon your Helicon,
And not revenge it? can you stay
And see a weeks pay drunke out in a day,
By superarogation? you that are
The lusty cap and feather-men of warre?
Can you my worthy hosts fit and see those
That make you weare od money in your nose,
Under your nose triumphing? can you men
You little lecturers that have but ten,
A yeare endure it; no, it shall not be
Weel have 'em downe, and now me thinks I see,
Your mind bent too't, drinke deep my subjects all
That wines ifaith shall with a ding-dong fall.
FINIS.