JOSHUA

My name is Marmaduke Joshua a Painter-stainer by Art, and a limner by profession? I am given to the means, and do fructify among the brothers, it were obnoxious, and inutiable, and contrary to the sages to press me. For the sistren commiserate. Resolve me; do they kill men ith wars, and never give warning. Tyranny, tyranny; may a not pray insincerity nor request the brethren, and sisters to have care of a departing brother. Most heathenish, and diabolical; and do the shoot Bullets. O Infidels, and Barbarians; what will not the wicked do, kill men with bullets! o these Guns, they are dangerous things they sprung from the whore, a Fryer was the inventor, and the smell of the Dragon! o my poor Pusse-cat; sinful man thou art Io: to bring the poor Pusse forth to die by a Gun! a poor Pusse, silly harmless Pusse. I run! thou profane translater I scorn to run, my Car, and I will enter battle against the wicked! I run. And do they fight, as it is in the painted cloth, of the nine worthies, of Joshua, Hector, Caesar, Arthur, Charlemagne, Judas, Machabaeus, and Godfrey Bollogine. In the painted cloth Joshua stands foremost Ball thou art full of rebukes— My prisoner is and Anabaptist, all I desire is that I may convert him, And they be women may we not cease on'em for lawful prize. And they be Foxes we may smell'em out? for as it is in the painted cloth? by fortune came a Fox where grew a pleasant Vine I will no Grapes said the Fox, the fruit is none of mine. As it is in the painted cloth, in morning still when thou dost rise see that in mind thou have to spend the day that does ensue as bed might be thy Grave; commend me to my learned brother Spritchall the Cobbler of Nottingham brig? and bid him look up, and give me a coal, wishing him good health, as my cat, and I was at the making hereof? Have some compunction th'are the weaker Vessels for as it is in the painted cloth, be meek, and gentle, and thy self shall find a quiet conscience, and a tranquil mind. Thy counsels smells of piety? and thus I begin the con version of a sinner!—um—she Kisses well verily again I will edify on your lips—are you of the Family of Love sister—would— Will you be contented to leave the wicked, and live among the familists, exercising your body in the brether-hoods cause? Kiss again then—in sincerity she Kisses open mouthed Like a zealous sister— Let us congregate our selves, and ponder on their Misery's. Miller, Miller, thou art not mealy mouthed; those be the Heathen babbles, the May-poles of time, and Pageants of vanity, but I will convince them of error, and scour their pollutions away with the waters of my exhortations. Thou art saucy, Miller, & oughtest not to Cathechise me so, I, but as it is in the painted cloth, beware in time for too much patience, to Dog or Cat will breed too much offence. She did kill a Mouse, I but when? on the forbidden day, and there before she must die on Monday. Miller thou art drunk in thy enormities, and art full of the cake of iniquity. Blessed be the instruments of silence; poor Pusse take it not ill that I must hang thee, by that means I free thee from bawling Mastiffs, and snarling Currs; I have brought thee up of a whelp, and now will have a care of thy end. When thou art dead, thou shalt not curse me, for my proceedings shall be legal; thou art at the bar of my mercy, and thus I ascend to judgement, as it is in the painted cloth. Tybert the Cat; as it is in the painted cloth, of the Bull, and Cock, sometime housekeeper, drudger or scourer to Marmaduke Joshua, Limner alias painter-stainer, & now the cor recter or extirper of vermin, as Rats, Mice, and other waspish animals; thou art here indited by thy deer Master Marmaduke Joshua for breaking of the high-day, what sayest thou for thy self? guilty or not guilty? hah. Knowest thou not, thou silly Cat, that thy bre thren will not Kill the Calf nor rost the Mutton nor boil their flesh Pots on the high-day? was it not decreed by our learned brother Abolt Cabbidge, Cobbler of Amster dam, that they should be held unclean, and not worthy of the means that did it, and did not expect Cratchet Cool his proud flesh in the Leene for making insurrection on the high day? And must thou kill a Mouse? o thou wicked Cat; couldst not turn up the white of the eye for the poor creature? thou gluttonous Cat, thou art now arraigned, I adjudge thee to be hanged this Monday, for killing a Mouse yesterday being the high-day. I am hight in my zeal, and fiery in expedition, I was executing a point of justice, equity, and conscience, As it is in the painted cloth, in sincerity; good liquour quickens the spirit. When from the wars I do return, And at a cup of good Ale mourn. I le tell how Towns without fire we did burn, and is not that a wonder? I'll tell how that my General, Entered the breach, and scaled the wall, And made the foremost battery of all, and is not that a wonder? How that we went to take a Fort, And took it too in warlike sort I'll swear that a lie is a true report, and is not that a wonder? Is there any man here desires to edyfie? I am in the hu mour of converting; I was converted in my drink, and so are most of my brethren; I'll stand while I am able, and then will go sleep on it. Persuade me, I scorn to be persuaded? Ball thou art Heathenish, for the offence is foul which thou wouldst cloak, I'm not to be persuaded, I will doom the creature, and burn the cloak of her knavery; yet in sincerity I will do no thing without good colour. O that profane surplesse, ho, ho, ho. Did not Nadab the Sowe-gelder make a gaunt of his gelded for being cumbersome on the high-day? Would thy silence argues gilded; hast thou not seen the whole conventicle of bro the, and sisters walk to St. Anns, and not so much as a fructi fying Kiss on the high—