The Credulous, bright Girle, that beleeves all Language, (in Othes) if Good, Canonicall, Is fortifi’d, and taught, here, to beware Of ev’ry specious bayte, of ev’ry snare Save one:  and that same Caution takes her more, Then all the flattery she felt before.  She finds her Boxes, and her Thoughts betray’d By the Corruption of the Chambermaide:  Then throwes her Washes and dissemblings By; And Vowes nothing but Ingenuity.

The severe States-man quits his sullen forme Of Gravity and bus’nesse; The Luke-warme Religious his Neutrality; The hot Braine-sicke Illuminate his zeale; The Sot Stupidity; The Souldier his Arreares; The Court its Confidence; The Plebs their feares; Gallants their Apishnesse and Perjurie, Women their Pleasure and Inconstancie; Poets their Wine; the Usurer his Pelfe; The World its Vanity; and I my Selfe.

Roger L’Estrange.

COMMENDATORY

On the Dramatick Poems of Mr JOHN FLETCHER.

Wonder! who’s here? Fletcher, long buried Reviv’d?  Tis he! hee’s risen from the Dead.  His winding sheet put off, walks above ground, Shakes off his Fetters, and is better bound.  And may he not, if rightly understood, Prove Playes are lawfull? he hath made them Good. Is any Lover Mad? see here Loves Cure; Unmarried? to a Wife he may be sure A rare one, For a Moneth; if she displease, The Spanish Curate gives a Writ of ease.  Enquire The Custome of the Country, then Shall the French Lawyer set you free againe.  If the two Faire Maids take it wondrous ill, (One of the Inne, the other of the Mill,) That th’ Lovers Progresse stopt, and they defam’d; Here’s that makes Women Pleas’d, and Tamer tamd. But who then playes the Coxcombe, or will trie His Wit at severall Weapons, or else die? Nice Valour and he doubts not to engage The Noble Gentl’man, in Loves Pilgrimage, To take revenge on the False One, and run The Honest mans Fortune, to be undone Like Knight of Malta, or else Captaine be Or th’ Humerous Lieutenant:  goe to Sea (A Voyage for to starve) hee’s very loath, Till we are all at peace, to sweare an Oath, That then the Loyall Subject may have leave To lye from Beggers