_A Tale of a Citizen and his Wife._
I sing no harme good sooth to any wight,
To Lord or foole, Cuckold, begger or knight,
To peace-teaching Lawyer, Proctor, or brave
Reformed or reduced Captaine, Knave,
Officer, Iugler, or Iustice of peace, 5
Iuror or Iudge; I touch no fat sowes grease,
I am no Libeller, nor will be any,
But (like a true man) say there are too many.
I feare not _ore tenus_; for my tale,
Nor Count nor Counsellour will redd or pale. 10
A Citizen and his wife the other day
Both riding on one horse, upon the way
I overtooke, the wench a pretty peate,
And (by her eye) well fitting for the feate.
I saw the lecherous Citizen turne backe 15
His head, and on his wifes lip steale a smacke,
Whence apprehending that the man was kinde,
Riding before, to kisse his wife behinde,
To get acquaintance with him I began
To sort discourse fit for so fine a man: 20
I ask'd the number of the Plaguy Bill,
Ask'd if the Custome Farmers held out still,
Of the Virginian plot, and whether Ward
The traffique of the I<n>land seas had marr'd,
Whether the Brittaine _Burse_ did fill apace, 25
And likely were to give th'Exchange disgrace;
Of new-built _Algate_, and the _More-field_ crosses,
Of store of Bankerouts, and poore Merchants losses
I urged him to speake; But he (as mute
As an old Courtier worne to his last suite) 30
Replies with onely yeas and nayes; At last
(To fit his element) my theame I cast
On Tradesmens gaines; that set his tongue agoing:
Alas, good sir (quoth he) _There is no doing
In Court nor City now_; she smil'd and I, 35
And (in my conscience) both gave him the lie
In one met thought: but he went on apace,
And at the present time with such a face
He rail'd, as fray'd me; for he gave no praise,
To any but my Lord of _Essex_ dayes; 40
Call'd those the age of action; true (quoth Hee)
There's now as great an itch of bravery,
And heat of taking up, but cold lay downe,
For, put to push of pay, away they runne;
Our onely City trades of hope now are 45
Bawd, Tavern-keeper, Whore and Scrivener;
The much of Privileg'd kingsmen, and the store
Of fresh protections make the rest all poore;
In the first state of their Creation,
Though many stoutly stand, yet proves not one 50
A righteous pay-master. Thus ranne he on
In a continued rage: so void of reason
Seem'd his harsh talke, I sweat for feare of treason.
And (troth) how could I lesse? when in the prayer
For the protection of the wise Lord Major, 55
And his wise brethrens worships, when one prayeth,
He swore that none could say Amen with faith.
To get him off from what I glowed to heare,
(In happy time) an Angel did appeare,
The bright Signe of a lov'd and wel-try'd Inne, 60
Where many Citizens with their wives have bin
Well us'd and often; here I pray'd him stay,
To take some due refreshment by the way.
Looke how hee look'd that hid the gold (his hope)
And at's returne found nothing but a Rope, 65
So he on me, refus'd and made away,
Though willing she pleaded a weary day:
I found my misse, struck hands, and praid him tell
(To hold acquaintance still) where he did dwell;
He barely nam'd the street, promis'd the Wine, 70
But his kinde wife gave me the very Signe.
[Elegie XIV. _&c._ _Ed:_ Eleg. XVI. A Tale _&c._ _1635-54:_
Elegie XVI. _1669:_ Elegie XV. _O'F:_ _no title, B_]
[2 or foole,] to fool, _1669_]
[5 Iugler, _1635-39:_ Iudge, _1650-69_]
[9 _tenus;_ _Ed:_ _tenus_, _1635-69_]
[10 will redd or pale. _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (shall): will looke
redd or pale. _1635-54_]
[14 feate. _Ed:_ feate, _1635-69_]
[16 steale] seale _O'F_]
[21 Plaguy _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ Plaguing _1635-54_]
[22 Custome] custome _1635_]
[24 I<n>land _Ed:_ Iland _1635-54:_ Midland _1669_, _O'F:_ the
land, the seas _B_, _but later hand has inserted_ mid _above
the line:_ Island _Chambers and Grolier_]
[27 _More-field_] Moorefields _B_]
[32 To fit] To hit _O'F_]
[33 agoing: _Ed:_ agoing, _1635-69_]
[35 _In ... now_; _Ed:_ _roman_ _1635-69_]
[38 time _1669:_ times _O'F_]
[41 those ... (quoth Hee) _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ that ... (quoth
I) _1635-54_]
[46 Bawd, ... Scrivener; _B_, _O'F:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers,
Whores and Scriveners, _1635-54:_ Bawds, Tavernkeepers, Whore
and Scrivener _1669_]
[47 kingsmen, and the store _1669_, _B_, _O'F_ (kingsman):
kinsmen, and store _1635-54_]
[58 him off _O'F:_ off him _1669:_ him _1635-54_]
[61 have bin _B_, _O'F:_ had beene, _1635-69_]
[64 the gold (his hope)] his gold, his hope _1669_]
[65 at's _1669:_ at _1635-54_]
[66 on _1669_, _B:_ at _1635-54_
me,] me: _1635-54_]
[67 day: _1669_, _B_, _O'F:_ stay. _1635-39:_ stay: _1650-54_]
[69 dwell; _1635:_ dwell _1639-54:_ dwell, _1669_]