FENCER

Peace to thy Pan, and mum to thy Music, Swain; There is a Tinker of Thebes a coming, called Epam, with his kettle will make all Arcadia ring of him; What are your sports for the purpose? say, if singing, you shall be sung down, if dancing, danced down. There is no more to be done with you, but know what; which it is; and you are in smoke, gone, vapoured, vanished, blown, and (as a man would say) in a word of two syllables, Nothing. Enough; They shall be met with instantly in their own sphere, the sphere of their own activity a dance. But by whom, expect: No Cy naetheian, nor Satires; but (as I said) Boys of Boeotia; things of Thebes, (the Town is ours, Shepherd) mad merry Greeks, Lads of life, that have no gall in us, but all air and sweetness. A Toothdrawer is our Foreman, that if there be but a bitter tooth in the company, it may be called out at a twitch; he does command any men teeth out of his head upon the point of his Poinard; or tickles them forth with his riding rod: He draws teeth a horseback in full speed, yet he will dance a foot, he hath given his word: He is yeoman of the mouth to the whole Brotherhood, and is charged to see their gums be clean, and their breath sweet, at a minutes warning. Then comes my learned Theban, the Tinker I told you of, with his kettle Drum (before and after) a Master of Music, and a man of mettle; He beats the march to the tune of Tickle-foot, Pam, pam, pam, brave Epam with a nondas. That's the strain. Which is followed by the trace, and tract of and excellent Juggler, that can juggle with every joint about him, from head to heel. He can do tricks with his toes, wind silk, and thread Pearl with them, as nimble a fine fellow of his feet, as his hands: For there is a noble Corn-cutter his companion, hath so pared, and signified them—. Indeed, he hath taken it into his care, to reform the feet of all, and fit all their footing to a form; only ones play-foot in the company, and he is a Bellowes-men der, allowed who hath the looking to of all their lungs by patent, and by his place is to set that leg afore still, and with his puffs keeps them in breath during pleasure; A Tinder-box-man to strike new fire into them at every turn, and where he spies any brave spark that is in danger to go out, ply him with a match presently. Nay, we have made our provisions beyond example, I hope. For to these there is annexed a Clock-keeper, a grave person, as Time himself, who is to see that they all keep time to a neck, and move every elbow in order, every knee in compass. He is to wind them up, and draw them down as he sees cause; Then is there a subtle shrewd-bearded Sir, that hath been a Politician, but is now a maker of Mousetraps, a great Ingi ner yet; and he is to catch the Ladies favours in the Dance with certain cringes he is to make; and to bait their benevolence. Nor can we doubt of the success, for we have a Prophet amongst us of that peremp tory pate, a Tailor, or master Fashioner, that hath found it out in a pain ted cloth, or some old hanging (for those are his Library) that we must conquer in such a time, and such a half time, therefore bids us go on crosse-leg'd, or however thread the needles of our own happiness, go throughstitch with all, unwind the clew of our cares, he hath taken meam sure of our minds, and will fit our fortune to our footing. And to bet ter assure us; at his own charge, brings his Philosopher with him, a a great Clerk, who (they say) can write, and it is shrewdly suspected but he can read too: And he is to take the whole Dances from the foot by Brachygraphy, and so make a memorial, if not a map of the busi ness. Come forth lads, and do your own turns. How Like you this Shepherd? was not this gear got on a holiday? Room, room there: where are you Shepherd? I am come again with my second partly of my bold Bloods, the brave Gamesters: who as sure you by me, that they perceive no such wonder in all is done here, but that they dare adventure another trial. They look for some sheepish de vises here in Arcadia, not these, and therefore a hall, a hall they demand. Oh spare me, by the law of Nations, I am but their Ambassador. Room for and old Trophy of Time; a Son of the sword, a Sir vant of Mars, the Minion of the Muses, and a Master of Fence. One that hath shown his quarters, and played his prizes at all the games of Greece in his time; as Fencing, Wrestling, Leaping, Dancing, what not? And hath now ushered hither by the light of my longsword certain bold Boys of Boeotia, who are come to challenge the Arcadians at their own sports, call them forth on their own holiday, and Dance them down on their own Green-swarth.