IMPOSTURE

Be patient Sir! This valiant humour of disdain works not So powerfully as you believe, I hide my self? The reasons must be strong, that shall persuade Me under ground: The Badger loves his hold, Yet is not so bashful, but dares look out And show himself, when there is prey abroad: Then strangely arrogant, I pity thee As Politics do men too humble, for Their care, much more for their redress; that is, I smile at thee (the Graver way of scorn) For should I laugh, I fear 'twould make thee think Thy impudence had somewhat in't of wit, Didst ever hope to be so useful in The manage and support of humane works As I? Wisely the jealous sceptickes did suspect Reality in every thing, for every thing but seems, And borrows the existence it appears To have: Imposture governs all, even from The gilded Ethnic Miter, to the painted staff Oth' Christian Constable, all but pretend the resemblance of that power which inwardly They but deride, and whisper merry questions to themselves Which way it comes. Right Sir, and what is pleasant unto all Is generally good, Troth I could wish Our reason were as certain as our sense Would altar in dispute, as little be As soon confirmed, but since it is not so, That universally shall take, which most Does please, not what pretends at profit, and Imaginary good, Is it not fit And almost safest to cousin all, when all Delight still to be cozened. Even so beleev't, and in their chiefest growth They follow but my Grandsire Mahomets Divinity, who does allow the good a handsome Girl On earth, the valiant two in Paradise. T'is a thin number sure, And much dispersed, for they will hardly meet In Counsels and in Synods to enact Their Doctrine by consent, That the next age May say they parted friends. There are Sir of this rigid sect, and much They govern too, that think the Godwit and The Rail were meant the Eagles food, and men Designed to feed on Salads in a mead, As if we were created but a great And larger kind of Frogs. Virtue, it's a mere name, Virgins that want A dowry, learnt by rote, to raise the price Of old unhandsome looks: admit, ther's one Or two allow in nature such a thing, And that it is no dream: These mighty Lords Of reason have but a few followers, And those go ragged too, the prosperous, brave Increasing multitude pursue my steps. The great devourer of mysterious books Is come, Merlin, whose deep Prophetic Art Foretold that at this particle of Time He would forsake's unbodied friends below And waste one usual circuit of the Moon On earth, to try how Nature's face is changed Since his decease. With reason Sir, for he hath power to wake Those that have many ages slept, such as When busy in their flesh, were my Disciples. Hail thou most ancient Prophet of this Isle, I that have practised superstitious rites Unto thy memory, beg thy immortal aid, To raise their figures that in times forgotten Were in the world predominant; Help to Confute this righteous fool, that boasts his small Neglected stock of wisdom, comes from Heaven, and show How little it prevailed on earth, since all The mighty here, are of my sect. I Sir, to were easy to subdue if Choleric scorn Might make up confutation without help Of Arguments, the virtuous Sir of la e Have God a fine Feminine trick to rail At all they will dislike, refer what is Not easily understood unto a kind Obedient Faith, and then call reason but A new and saucy Heretic, those that My reverend Prophet raised, which you Sir in A virtuous fury have called Fools, In me sure Did govern when alive, and by Imposture made their estimation thrive. Cry mercy, Sir! You are Heroic virtue, who pretend And Embassy from Heaven, and that you're sent To make new lovers here on Earth, you will Refine the ways of wooing, and prescribe To valour, nobler exercise, than what The Ancient Knights Adventurers taught, but first See these of th'old Heroic raze, Merlin Assist me once more with thy charming rod, To show this strict Corrector of delights What Ladies were of yore, and what their Knights, Although their shapes and manners now grow strange, Make him admire, what he would strive to change. Yes, and this moral Magistrate; your strict Over solemn Friend, that insuch comely Phrase Disputes for active virtue, and declares Himself the mark of all unrighteous opposites, His Magnanimity shall yield at last, Straight take my Angle in his hand, then bait The hook with guilded Flies, to fish in troubled Seas: For all the world is such, and in a storm; Where the Philosopher (that still swims in Profoundest depths) will (Sir) as easily Be snapped, as fools that float on shallow streams And taken with a Line, no stronger sir, than what Will tear a little Gudgeons Jaws. Most reverend Lord of Dark Unusual sciences begin thy charm.