THE PRAISE AND VERTVE OF A Iayle, and Iaylers.

WITH THE MOST EXCELLENT [...]sterie, and necessary vse of all sorts of HANGING.

ALSO [...]ch at Tyburne for a Period, [...]uthors free leaue to let them [...], who are offended at the [...]ke without cause.

By IOHN TAYLOR.

LONDON, Printed by I. H. for R. B. 1623.

TO THE SENSEABLE, Reader, yo [...] note that thi [...]tleman did [...]mee from FARNE [...]barrell of [...] and Corm [...] eggs, by th [...]ing of wh [...] haue attain [...] the vnderstand [...] of many [...] which our [...] an [...]doe speake [...] about LON [...] Reasonable, Affable, Amiable, Acceptable, minded Honourable, in Wit, Iudgement, and Vnderstanding Able, Robert Rugge Gentleman, Reare Adelantado of the HOLY ILAND, the FAIRNE, and the STAPLES, on the Coast of NORTHVMBRIA.

NO Hanging, Tap'strie, Quilt, or Co­uerlet,
This dedication of my wit could get:
No Mattresse, Blanket, Sheet, or Fetherbed,
Could haue these labours of my working head:
But (cold by Nature) from my Nurses dugge,
My inclination still hath lou'd a Rugge:
[Page]Which makes my thankfull Muse thus bold to be,
To consecrate this worthlesse worke to thee;
Thou that within those happie Iles doest bide,
Which Neptunes waues doe from our land diuide,
Wherein the Holy Iland stands a Fort
That can defend, and iniuries retort,
That doth command a goodly Hauen nigh,
Wherein a hundred Ships may safely lie:
Thou in the
[...] Fairn Iland [...] 7. mile the Holy into the sea, Holy Iland seuen miles Barwicke. [...] Fairne all of Sea-fowle in such a [...]nce, as yo [...] step but Egges or [...]: They misse lay on Saint [...]es day, and might after [...]as there is [...] to be seene. [...]taple Ilands [...] to the [...], and stand [...]mile from it [...]he sea, where [...]wle vpon the [...] are so thicke [...] vpon the [...]nd vpon the [...] & with such [...]sitie build [...]ests, as the [...] man cannot [...]hat egge in [...] place againe [...] once taken [...] abide in the [...] place Vpon [...] flight the sea [...] couered for [...] a mile, and [...]eauens aboue [...] obscured for present.
Farne and Staples bearst such sway,
That all the dwellers there doe thee obey;
Where Fowle are all thy faire inhabitants,
Where thou (Commander of the Cormorants,)
Grand Gouernour of Guls, of Geese and Ganders,
O're whom thou art none of the least Commanders,
Whereas sometimes thou canst not stirre thy legs,
But thou must tread on tributarie Egs,
For they like honest, true, plaine dealing folkes,
Pay thee the Custome of their Whites and Yolkes,
Which to thy friends oft times transported be,
As late thou sentst a barrell full to me:
And in requitall to so good a friend,
This Prisone, and this Hanging here I send.
Because within the
There is but one house there, all the dwellers else being Sea-sowle, who will her know offences nor punishments.
Fairne and Staples too,
The dwellers doe as they doe please to doe;
[Page]Their pride and lust, their stealing & their treason,
Is all imputed to their want of reason;
I therefore haue made bold to send thee this,
To shew them what a Iayle and Hanging is.
Thou hast from Hermes suck'd the Quintessence
Of quicke Inuention, and of Eloquence,
And thou so well doest loue good wittie Bookes,
That makes thee like Apollo in thy lookes:
For Nature hath thy Visage so much grac'd,
That there's the Ensigne of true friendship plac'd.
A Chaulkie face, that's like a Pewter spoone,
Or Buttermilke, or Greene cheese, or the Moone,
Are either such as kill themselues with care,
Or hide-bound miserable wretches are.
Giue me the man whose colour and prospect,
Like Titan when it doth on Gold reflect,
And if his purse be equall to his will,
Hee'le then be frolicke, free, and Iouiall still:
And such a one (my worthy friend) art thou,
To whom I dedicate this Pamphlet now;
And I implore the Heau'ns to proue so kinde,
To keepe thy state according to thy minde.
Yours, with my best wishes, IOHN TAYLOR.

THE VERTVE of a IAYLE, and ne­cessitie of Hanging.

MY free borne Muse of Bondage rudely treats,
And strange vagaries in my Braine-pan beats:
Whilst I vnmaske, vnuisor, or vnueile,
The vertues of a Iaylor, and a Iayle;
And then of Hanging, and the Hangmans Art
My lines doe end, and at the Gallowes part.
First I doe finde, in Histories enrold,
Iayles for antiquity, are very old:
For Ioseph was in Prison, (false accus'd,
That he his Masters Wife would haue abus'd.)
And all the world doth vnderstand, a Prison
Is not an vpstart Fable, newly risen.
And Ieremie, was vnder bolts and locks,
[Page]By Pashur once imprison'd in the
Ier. 22.2.
stocks:
And after that he twice was put in
Chap. 32. Chap. 37.
Thrall,
For true foretelling Israel, Iudah's fall.
The Sacred Histories doe well declare,
That Prisons for their time most ancient are.
Yet though my lines doe speake of Iayles, I see
That mine inuention and my Muse is free:
And I doe finde the name of Prisone, frames
Significant Alluding Anagrams.
As thus.
1. PRISONE. Anagramma. NIP SORE.
12. Ana­grammes of Iayles, Iaylors & Seriean [...]s.
THere men are Nip'd with mischiefes manifold,
With losse of freedome, hunger, thirst, & cold▪
With Mourning shirts, and sheetes, & lice some store;
And thus a Prison truly doth Nip sore.
2. PRISONE. Anagramma. IN ROPES.
AGaine the very word portends small hopes,
For he that's in a Prisone is In Ropes.
3. PRISONE. Anagramma. IN PROSE.
TO all good verses Prisons are great foes,
And many Poets they keepe fast In Prose.
4. PRISONE. Anagramma. NO PRISE.
INdeed it is no profit, or No Prise,
But woefull purchase of calamities.
The name of Iayles (by letters transposition)
Doth very well discouer their condition.
5. IAYLES. Anagramma. I SLAYE.
ANd well it doth befit it euery way,
The Nature of all Iayles is still to slay:
There are men slaine most strange tormenting waies,
In name, fame, state, and life, with long delaies.
6. BONDAGE. Anagramma. BANDOGE.
ANd Bondage like a Band [...]gge still doth gnaw,
Fangd with the tushes of the byting law.
7. IAYLER. Anagramma. I RAYLE.
THis doth befit the Iayler wondrous trimme,
He at the prisoners railes, and they at him.
8. ARESTING. Anagramma. A STINGER.
A Resting very well with this agrees,
It is A Stinger worse than Wasps or Bees.
OR, 9. ARESTING. Anagramma. IN GRATES.
THis very word includes poore prisoners fates,
Aresting briefly claps em vp In Grates.
10. SERIEANT. Anagramma. IN ARESTE.
TO turne this word vnto the very best,
A Serieant In Areste doth breed vnrest.
OR, 11. SERIEANT. Anagramma. IN TEARES.
IN cares and Teares he leaues men to lament,
When Credit, Coine, and goods, and all is spent.
12. WARDES. Anagramma. DRAVVES.
A Prisoners purse is like a Nurse, for why
His Ward or lodging drawes or sucks it dry:
A Iu [...]y here of Anagramms you see,
Of Serieants and of [...]ailes empanneld be,
And now my pen intends to walke a station,
And talke of Prisons in some other fashion.
That Iailes should be, there is Law, sense and reason,
To punish Bawdry, Cheating, Theft and Treason,
[Page]Though some against them haue inuectiue bin,
And cal'd a Iaile a magazin of sin,
An Vniuersity of Villany,
An Academy of foule blasphemy,
A sinke of drunkennesse, a den of Theeues,
A Treasury for Serieants and for Shreeues,
A Mint for Baylifes, Marshalls men and Iailors,
Who liue by losses of captiu'd bewailers:
A Nurse of Roguery, and an earthly hell,
Where Deuils or Iaylers in mens shapes doe dwell:
But I am quite contrary to all this,
I thinke a Iaile a Schoole of vertue is,
A house of study and of contemplation,
A place of discipline and reformation,
There men may try their patience, and shall know,
If they haue any friends aliue or no:
There they shall proue if they haue fortitude,
By which all crosses stoutly are subdude,
A Prison leades the Creditor vnto
His cozning debter, that would him vndo,
Tis Physicke that preserues a common wealth,
Foule Treasons snaffle and the curbe of stealth,
The whip of hellish pride, the scourge of lust,
The good mans helpe in plaguing the vniust.
Were Theeues and Villaines not in prison put,
A world of Throats (past number) would be cut:
For when diseases are growne desperate, then
They must haue desperate Remedies, and when
Men mend not for Reproofe, or Admonition,
A Iaile then is the Surgion or Physitian.
[Page]The roaring Knaue, that like a Horse or Mule,
His parents, master, or no friends could rule,
But that he daily would be drunke and sweare,
And like a demy-deuill domineere,
Thogh to good course he neuer meant to bend him,
A prison at the last will mend or end him.
Excellent reformation [...]
The deeds of darknesse that doe hate the light,
Fraies, brawls & bloudshed which start out by night:
The watch like cunning Fowlers lie in wait,
And catch these Woodcocks in their Sprindges strait,
These Birds are in the Iaile mew'd vp from riot,
Where they may learne more manners and be quiet.
A Iail's a glasse wherein old men may see,
The blemish of their youths deformity;
And young men quickly may perceiue from thence,
The way to wisdome and experience.
And though the lights of prisons are but dim,
A prisoners candle yet may shew to him
At midnight, without light of Sunne or Moone,
More than he euer could perceiue at noone;
It shewes the fleeting state of earthly pelfe,
It makes him wisely learne to know himselfe,
The world vnto his view it represents,
To be a Map or masse of discontents,
It shewes his fained friends like Butter-flies,
That dogg'd his summer of prosperities:
And in a word it truly doth set forth
The world, and all that's in it nothing worth.
These things vnto a wisemans iudgement brings,
A ha [...]e to earth, and loue to heauenly things.
[Page]T'a wise man nothing in a Iaile doth bide,
But it to some good vse may be applide:
He heares a Ruffin sweare, and so doth heare
That he doth stand in feare, and hate to sweare,
He spies another drunke, and so doth spy
That such vnmanly beastlinesse heele fly.
He notes the curtall Cans halfe fild with froth,
Tobacco piping hot, and from them both
His iudgement doth discerne, with wisdomes eie,
The world is vapour, froth, and vanity.
His homely Bed and Vermines sundry formes,
Doth make him mind his graue, & crawling worms;
The Spiders Cobweb, Lawne, or Tapestry,
There are too few that make this good vse of imprison­ment.
Shewes odds 'twixt Idlenesse and Industry.
The Churlish Keepers, ratling chaines and fetters,
The Hole or Dungeon for condemned debters,
Blaspheming wretches of all grace bereauen,
Doth make him thinke on hell and wish for heauen.
And thus though wise mens corps in prison be,
Their minds are still at liberty and free.
Besides Experience daily teacheth this,
The Soule a Prisoner in the Body is:
Our Reason should the Keeper be to guide,
The Heart doth lodge within the Masters side ▪
The Braines the Knights Ward may be termed fit,
There lies the Vnderstanding and the Wit:
The Dungeons where the Prisoners starue and die,
Is in the Brest where sad despaire doth lie:
Our Sinnes the Manacles, and Bolts and Ginos,
Which fetter vs in bondage all our liues:
[Page]Sad melancholy sorrow, griefe and care,
Continuall waiters in those Prisons are,
Our partiall selfe-loue all our crimes excusing,
Our Consciences true euidence accusing,
Our sighs and teares the Messengers we send
To God, that all our sorrowes may haue end,
And then through faith and hope we doe beleeue,
To gaine a pardon better than repreeue,
Then lastly death doth free the soule from thrall,
And makes a Iaile deliuery vnto all.
Thus is our flesh the walls, our bones the grates,
Our eies the windowes, and our mouthes the gates,
The Nose the Chimny,
Or stomac [...]
Kitchen is the brest,
Our tongue the taster of the worst and best,
Our hands the Caruers, teeth the Cookes to mince,
The diet of a Peasant or a Prince;
Our hunger is best sawce, as I doe thinke,
Our bellies sellers where we lay our drinke:
And in these corps of ours deciphered thus,
Our soules are prisoners vnto all of vs.
As grace guides vs, so we by grace guide them,
The way vnto the new Ierusalem.
Sterne rugged winter, with frosts, stormes and gusts,
Close prisoners yeerely in the earth it thrusts,
The earth Prison.
Herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, & worms til sun & raine
With Summers heat doth baile them forth againe.
But of all men aliue,
A strait [...] is a Tailor Prison.
I find a Tailor
Is an approued artificial Iailor:
Some doe commit themselues vnto his charge,
And may but will by no meanes goe at large.
[Page]I haue seene many in the Taylors Iailes,
Haue labour'd till they sweat with tooth and nailes,
(The whilst a man might ride fiue miles at least)
To get their clothes together on the brest,
And being then in prison button'd vp,
So close that scarcely they could bite or sup,
Yet I haue heard their pride how loud it lide,
Protesting that their clothes were made too wide:
These men loue bondage more then liberty,
And 'tis a gallant kinde of foolery,
When thus amongst themselues they haue a Law,
To decke and dawbe the backe, and pinch the Maw.
Me thinkes their soules should be in mighty trouble,
Poore Animals, they are imprison'd double;
In Corps and Clothes, and which is true and plain,
They seeme to take great pleasure in their paine.
Shooma­ [...]rs Prison.
A Shoomaker's a kind of Iailor too,
And very strange exploits he dares to doe:
For many times he hath the power and might,
To clap into his Stocks a Lord or Knight,
The Madam and the Maid he cares not whether,
He laies them all fast by the heeles in lether.
[...]uth and [...]nesty pri­ [...]ners.
Plaine Honesty and Truth, both Prisoners are,
Although they seldome come vnto the barre,
Yet are they kept so closely day and night,
That in an age they scarcely come in sight.
And but for many of our Countries pillers,
True Tailers, Weauers, and cleane finger'd Millers,
Good Serieants and kind Brokers did releeue them,
[...]hard case.
I know not who would any comfort giue them.
[Page]No doubt but many a Lasse that faine would wed,
Is her owne Iailor to her maiden head,
A maid [...] head of times [...] Prisoner
With much vnwillingnesse she keepes it close,
And with her heart sheele gladly let it lose.
But looke to't wenches, if you giue it scope,
'Tis gone past all recouery, past all hope,
Much like old Time which ceaselesse doth run on,
But neuer doth returne once being gone.
The Gowt's a sawcy Prisoner,
The G [...] Prisone State.
and will haue
His keepers to maintaine him fine and braue;
His Iailors shall no needy beggers bee,
But men of honour and of high degree,
And ouer them he beares such great command,
That many times they can nor goe nor stand;
And if he would breake Iaile and flie, 'tis thought,
He by his keepers neuer should be sought.
And mony is close Prisoner I thinke sure,
Money close P [...]ner.
Where no man can its liberty procure:
The Deuils Stewards and his Bailifes vow,
That monies freedome they will not allow,
Vnlesse vnto a Miser or a Whore,
But by all meanes fast hold it from the poore.
I wish Coine were as painfull as the Gout,
Amen▪
To [...]hose that hoard it; and I make no doubt
But miserable Iailers would agree
To ope their Prisons, and let money flee.
And were it not a lamentable thing,
That some great Emperour or some mighty King
Should be imprison'd by a vassall slaue,
And lodg'd aliue (as 'twere within his Graue.)
[Page]Such is the case of Siluer and of Gold,
The chiefest of all mettals fast in hold,
And darknesse lies held in the Misers stocks,
[...] and [...] kept in [...]age by [...].
In steele and yron bars, and [...]o [...]ts and locks.
Though gold and siluer royall mettals be,
Yet are they slaues to yron as we see.
But leauing Gold and Gowt, [...]e turne my pen,
To what I haue digrest from Iayles and men:
Let man examine well himselfe, and he
[...] men [...] their [...]ene­ [...].
Shall find himselfe his greatest enemie;
And that his losse of liberty and pelfe,
He can accuse none for it, but himselfe;
How passions, actions, and affections cluster,
And how to ruinate his state they muster,
His frailty armes his members and his senses,
To vndertake most dangerous pretences.
The backe oft tempts him vnto borrowed brauery,
And all his body suffers for't in slauery;
His Belly tempts him to superfluous fare,
For which his corps lies in a Iaylors snare;
His Eyes from beauty to his heart drawes lust,
For which he's often into prison thrust,
His Eares giue credit to a knaue or theefe,
And's body suffers for his eares beleefe.
His Tongue much like a Hackney goes all paces,
In City, Country, Court and Campe, all places,
It gallops and false gallops, trots and ambles,
One pace or other still it runnes and rambles;
Of Kings and Princes states it often prattles,
Of Church and Common-wealth it idly rattles,
[Page]Of passing of it's word and suretiships,
For which at last the Iayle the Carkasse nips.
Mans Hands haue very oft against him warr'd,
And made him of his liberty debarr'd:
A stab, a blow, a d [...]shing of a pen,
Hath clap'd him closely in the Iaylors den.
The Feet which on the ground men daily tread,
The way to their captiuity doe lead.
Now for the inward faculties, I find
Some lie in Prison for their haughty mind,
Some for their folly, some because too wise,
Are mew'd vp in the Iaylors custodies;
Some for much gaming or for recreation,
Doe make a Iayle their homely habitation;
And thus it plainely may be proued well,
Mans greatest foes within himselfe doe dwell.
And now two contraries I will compare,
To shew how like and how vnlike they are:
A Iayle, our birth, our death, and setting free,
These foure doe all agree and disagree;
For all degrees, our birth and life we know
Is naturall,
We are al [...] borne in forme, an [...] come into world of fashion, we die [...] leaue the world in [...]nite waie
one way, for high and low:
But death hath many thousand waies and snares,
To take our liues away all vnawares.
And therefore of our liues it is no doubt,
That ther's but one way in and many out,
But to a Iayle there's many waies to win,
Ten thousand tricks and sleights to clap men in:
And ther's but one way out as I doe know,
Which is by satisfying what we owe.
[Page]O west thou the law thy life, dispatch and pay,
And from the Prison thou art freed away:
Dost thou owe mony, quickly pay thy score,
And farewell, goe thy waies man, ther's the dore.
As men in all that's ill, are Satans Apes,
So sundry sinnes bring death in sundry shapes;
Life from the God of life, which is but one,
To all degrees one way giues life alone.
And so our seuerall frailties, seuerall waies
Our wretched Carkasses in prison laies,
But ther's but one way out that e're I saw,
Which is by satisfying of the law.
The faults we doe in spring-time of our youth,
In Summer of our man-hood gather growth:
Then Haruests middle age doth make them ripe,
Which winters old age doth in prison gripe;
And thus the very seasons of the yeare,
Fit emblemes of our thraldome doe appeare.
[...] To­ [...]
In London and within a mile, I weene,
There are of Iayles or Prisons full eighteene,
And sixty Whipping-posts, and Stocks and Cages,
Where sin with shame and sorrow hath due wages.
[...]des Pole [...], Parti­ [...], Hal­ [...], Iaue­ [...], Battle­ [...], Cros­ [...]ves, halfe [...]es, Pistols [...]d Pettro­ [...]s.
For though the Tower be a Castle Royall,
Yet ther's a Prison in't for men disloyall:
Though for defence a Campe may there be fitted,
Yet for offence, men thither are committed.
It is a house of fame, and there is in't
A Palace for a Prince, a Royall Mint,
Great Ordnance, Powder, Shot, Match, Bills and Bowes,
Shafts, swords, pikes, lances, shouels, mattocks, crows,
[Page]Bright armor, muskets, ready still I say,
To arme one hundred thousand in a day.
And last it is a Prison vnto those
That doe their Soueraigne or his lawes oppose.
The Gatehouse for a prison was ordain'd,
The [...] house.
When in this land the third king Edward reign'd:
Good lodging roomes, and diet it affoords,
But I had rather lie at home on boords.
Since Richards reigne the first,
Th [...] Fleet.
the Fleet hath beene
A Prison, as vpon records is seene,
For lodgings and for bowling, there's large space,
But yet I haue no stomacke to the place.
Old Newgate I perceiue a theeuish den,
New [...]
But yet there's lodging for good honest men.
When second Henry heere the Scepter swaid,
Then the foundation of that gate was laid.
But sixty six yeeres ere our Sauiours birth,
By Lud was Ludgate founded from the earth,
Lud [...]
No Iayle for theeues, though some perhaps as bad,
That breake in policie, may there be had.
The Counter in the Powltry is so old,
Pe [...] Count [...]
That it in History is not enrold.
And Woodstreet Counters age we may deriue,
Wo [...] street.
Since Anno fifteene hundred fifty fiue.
For me the one's too old, and one's too new,
And as they bake a Gods name let them brew.
Bridewell vnto my memorie comes next;
Bri [...]
Where idlenesse and lechery is vext:
This is a royall house, of state and port,
Which th'eight king Henry built, and there kept Court.
[Page]King Edward somewhat ere his timelesse fall,
Gaue it a way to be an Hospitall,
Which vse the city puts it well vnto,
And many pious deeds they there doe doe:
But yet for Vagabonds and Runnagates,
For Whores, and idle knaues, and such like mates,
'Tis littell better than a Iayle to those,
Where they chop chalke, for meat and drinke and blowes.
In this house those that 'gainst their wills doe dwell,
Loue well a Bride (perhaps) but not Bridewell.
White [...], Kings [...], Ma [...] ­ [...]a, [...]ter, and [...]
Fiue Iayles or Prisons are in Southwarke plac'd,
The Counter (once S. Margrets Church defac'd)
The Marshalsea, the Kings Bench and White Lion,
Where some like Tantalus, or like Ixion,
The pinching paine of hunger daily feele,
Turn'd vp and downe with fickle Fortunes wheele:
And some doe willingly make there abode,
Because they cannot liue so well abroad.
Then ther's the Clinke, where handsome lodgings be,
The hole [...] Kathe­ [...].
And much good may it doe them all, for mee.
Crosse but the Thames vnto S. Katherins then,
There is another hole or den for men.
East [...]chfield [...].
Another in East-Smithfield little better,
Will serue to hold a theefe or paltry debter.
New [...].
Then neere three Craues a Iayle for Hereticks,
For Brownists, Familists, and Schismaticks.
The [...] Went­ [...].
Lord Wentworths Iayle within White Chappell stands,
And Finsbury, God blesse me from their hands.
These eighteene Iayles so neere the City bounded,
Are founded and maintain'd by men confounded:
[Page]As one mans meat may be anothers bane,
The keepers full, springs from the prisners wane▪
This hath beene still the vse, and euer will,
That one mans welfare, comes from others ill.
But (as I said) mans selfe is cause of all
The miseries that to him can befall.
Note but our corps, how euery member lies,
Their seuerall offices, and faculties:
And our owne iudgement will informe vs than,
The likenesse 'twixt a prison and a man:
For as man hath his limbs and linaments,
His sinewes, muscles, nerues, and ligaments:
His Panicles, his Arteries, his Veines,
His ioynts, his membranes, and his beating braines:
So hath a Iayle,
Were [...] for the [...] Iayle [...] haue [...]
Writs, Warrants, and Attachements,
Arestings, Actions, Hues, Cries, & Appeachments:
With Garnish, Sharing fees, and Habeas Corpus,
(Which feedes some Iaylors fatter than a Porpus)
And last for euerlasting Executions,
Vntill the prisoners bodies dissolutions;
And if a man be hurt in legge or arme,
Or head, or heele, tis said the man hath harme:
If inward griefe doe pinch in any part,
The anguish is a terror to the heart,
And should a Iayle want these things nam'd before,
It quickly would be miserable poore:
Like men dismembred or of sense bereft,
With scarcely any life or being left.
For in mans corps (like prisners) alwaies lies
His vertues, and his foule iniquities.
[Page]And which of these his fancy liketh best,
Shall still be kept in bondage, or releast.
As Wisdome, Bounty, and Humanity.
(Despised in these daies of vanitie)
Some keepe so close, not suffering them to walke,
So much as in bare thoughts, or deeds, or talke;
Whilst Folly, and close fisted Niggardize,
With Barbarisme, haue ease and liberties.
Faith, Hope, and Charitie, are pent vp close,
And doubt, despaire, and cruelty let loose.
Lust reuels it, rich clad in Robes of Pride:
Friendship, and Loue, are liberty denide.
Whereby the liberall Arts in number seuen,
Are of their liberall liberties bereauen,
The whilst the seuen delightfull deadly sinnes
The game and glory, of the whole world winnes.
The Cardnall vertues, at vnworthy prices,
Are made but vassals to all Carnall vices.
The Muses are mew'd vp, with woes and wants,
Whilst fortune followes knaues, and Ignorants;
And thus within mans little Common-weale,
He like a partiall Iaylor oft doth deale:
Permits his goodnesse neuer to appeare,
And lets his badnesse ramble any where.
So Rorers, rascals, Banquerouts politicke,
With mony, or with friends will finde a tricke
Their Iaylor to corrupt, and at their will
They walke abroad, and take their pleasure still:
Whilst naked vertue, beggerly, despis'd,
Beleaguer'd round, with miseries surpris'd,
[Page]Of hope of any liberty defeated,
For passing of his word is meerely cheated:
And dungeond vp, may tell the walls his mones,
And make relation to the senselesse stones,
Where sighes and groanes, and teares may be his feast,
Whil'st man to man, is worse than beast to beast.
Till death he there must make his sad abode,
Whil'st craft and cousenage walke at will abroad.
Thus these comparisons doe well agree,
Man to a Iayle may fitly likened bee:
The thought whereof may make him wish with speed
To haue his prisoned soule releast and freed.
Thus Iayles and meditations of a Iayle,
May serue a Christian for his great auaile.
But now my Muse, thus long in bondage pent,
Beginnes to thinke of her infranchizement:
And hauing of a Prison spoke her part,
She mounts vnto the Hangman and his Art.

THE NECESSITIE of Hanging.

OF Hangings there's diuersity of fashions,
Almost as many as are sundry Nations.
For in the world al things so hanged are,
That any thing vnhang'd is strange and rare.
Earth hangs in the concauity of Water,
And Water hangs within the Ayerie matter,
The Ayre hangs in the Fierie continent:
Thus Element doth hang in Element,
(Without foundation) all the Massie Globe
Hangs, which the skies encompasse like a Robe.
For as an
Simile.
egge, the yolke within the white,
The white within the skinne's enuellop'd quite,
The skin within the shell doth outmost lie:
Eu'n so these Elements hang midst the skie.
First all the world where mortals liue, we see
Within the Orbe of Luna Hanged be;
Aboue her Mercurie his course doth steere,
And next aboue him is bright Venus Sphere.
And in the fourth, and middle firmament,
Sol keepes his hot and fiery Regiment.
[Page]Next aboue that runnes Mars, that starre of warre,
Beyond him Iupiter, that Iouiall starre,
Then last is sullen Saturnes ample bounds,
Who once in thirty yeeres the world surrounds;
This earthly Globe (for which men fight and braule)
Compar'd to Heauen, is like an Attom small,
Or as a Needles point compar'd to it,
All the world is in comparison for greatnes to the Hea­uens as a handwo [...] or a Nit may be compared to the world. We liue in [...] Hanging world.
So it to Heauen may be compared fit,
And it doth Hang, and hath its residence
I'th centre of the skies circumference.
Thus to proue Hanging naturall, I proue,
We in a Hanging world doe liue and moue.
Man is a little world, wherein we see,
The great worlds abstract or epitomie,
And if we note each linament and lim,
There are not many parts vnhang'd of him,
His haire which to his head and beard belongs,
Hangs, if not turn'd vp with the Barbers tongs,
His armes, his hands, his legges and feet we know▪
Doe all hang pendant downewards as they grow,
Ther's nothing of him that doth hanging skip,
Except his eares, his nether teeth and lip,
And when he's crost or sullen any way,
He mumps, and lowres, and Hangs the Lip, they say:
That I a wise mans sayings must approue,
Man is a tree, whose root doth grow aboue
Within his brains, whose sprigs & branches round,
From head to foot grow downward to the ground.
Thus world to world, and man to man doth call,
And tels him Hanging is most naturall:
[Page]The word Dependant doth informe our reason,
That Hanging will be neuer out of season.
All that depends doth hang, which doth expresse,
Rich men are poore mens Gal­lowses. All Depen­dants are Hangers on.
That Great men are like Iybbets for the lesse.
It is an old phrase, many yeeres past gone,
That such a Lord hath many hangers on;
Thereby describing, that all mens Attendants
As it were hangers on, were cald Dependants:
And sure of all men, they are best indeed,
Who haue most hangers on to cloath and seed;
For he that hath the meanes, and not the grace,
To helpe the needie, is a Miser base.
Hee's no good Steward, but a hatefull Theefe,
That keepes from good Dependants their releefe:
And of all the Theeues, he hanging doth deserue,
Who
Thats a Rogue.
hath the power to feed, and lets men sterue.
To end this point, this consequence I'le grant,
He that hath wealth, no Hangers on can want;
For since the time that mankinde first began,
It is a destinie ordain'd to man,
The meane vpon the mightie should depend,
And all vpon the Mightiest should attend.
Thus through all ages, Countries and dominions,
We each on other hang like Ropes of Onions.
Some wealthie slaues, whose consciences condem,
Will hang themselues, lest others hang on them;
And some spend all on Hangers on so fast,
That they are forc'd to steale, and hang at last.
If they from these Extremes themselues could wean,
There is betwixt them both a Golden meane,
[Page]Which would direct their superfluities,
They would not hang themselues for niggardize,
Nor wastfully or prodigally spend,
Till want bring them to hanging in the end,
And they and many others, by their purse,
Might scape that hanging which is cald a curse.
There's many a
Thats an Asse.
Gallant, made of foole and feather,
Of Gold and Veluet, Silke and Spanish leather,
Whose ragged Hangers on haue mou'd my minde,
To see pride goe before, and shame behinde,
With scarce a button, or an Elboe whole,
A breech, or any shooe that's worth a sole:
Those are like Golden Iybbets, and their Traines
Are like poore tatterd Theeues hang'd vp in chains.
He that doth suffer Whores, or Theeues, or Knaues,
Base flattering Villaines, or such kinde of slaues,
To hang vpon him, and knowes what they are,
That man vnto a Gallowse I compare.
That Vintner I account no friend of mine,
Who for good money, drawes me scuruie wine,
And by the rule of Conscience (not of Law)
That he is fitter made to hang, than draw.
The Lawyer that at length doth spin mens causes,
With false delayes, and dilatorie clauses,
Who makes a trade to broach and draw contention,
For him a hanging were a good preuention.
But holla, Muse come backe, you beare my Rime
To hanging in good earnest ere the time.
There are a many sorts of hangings yet
Behinde, which I by no meanes must forget:
[Page]
A Swing or [...]tretch for exercise and wealth.
One hanging is a necessary thing,
Which is a pretty Gamboll, cald a Swing,
And men of good repute I oft haue seene
To hang, and stretch, and totter, for the spleene,
This hanging is a militarie course,
Not by the Law, but strength of armes, and force:
Thus euery morning for a little spurt,
A man may hang himselfe, and doe no hurt.
This hanging oft (like Tyburne) hath a tricke,
Saues charge of physicke, or of being sicke.
Besides the word Hang is so much in vse,
That few or none will tak't as an abuse;
It doth a great mans kindnesse much approue,
When he shall bid a man Be hang'd in loue;
And with some men 'tis common courtesie,
To say, Farewell, be hangd, that's twice God [...]wy.
The pictures of the dearest friends we haue,
Although their corps are rotten in the graue,
We hang them for a reuerend memorie,
To vs and vnto our posteritie.
Some hang their wiues in picture, which haue cause
To hang their persons, wer't not for the lavves:
Some hang their heires in picture, who would faine
Wish their good fathers hang'd, their lands to ga [...]ne.
I oft haue seene good garments for mens wearing,
Haue very thriftily beene hang'd to airing,
And I haue seen those garments (like good fellows)
Hang kindly with their master at the Gallowse,
And then into the Hangmans Wardrobe drop,
Haue beene againe hang'd in a Broakers shop,
[Page]Which after by a Curpurse bought might be,
And make another iourney to the Tree,
Twixt which, and twixt the Broaker, it might goe
Or ride, some twelue or thirteene times, or moe.
Thus th'hangmans haruest, and the Brokers grow,
They reape the crop, which sin and shame doth sow,
There are rich Hangings made of Tapestrie,
Of Arras, and of braue embroderie,
Those are for Princes, and for men of worth,
T'adorne their Roomes, and set their greatnes forth.
But as dead bones in painted Tombes doe bide,
These
If all trai­tors, Hypo­crites, flatte­rers, extorti­oners, op­pressors, Br [...]betakers, Cheaters, Panders, Bawds, &c. were hang'd vp in the woods on se­ueral Trees, there is no Arras, or Tapestry can grace and adorne, in Princes Court as those Hang­ings could become a Common-wealth.
Hangings, filthy rotten walls doe hide.
A Harts horne to a post fast nailed on,
Serues well for men to Hang their hats vpon:
But if they knew their heads would serue the turne,
They would not shift their hats from horn to horn.
Mens swords in Hangers Hang, fast by their side,
Their Stirrops Hang, when as they vse to ride:
Our Conies and our Deere, are Hang'd in toiles,
Our meat hangs o're the fire when as it boiles;
Our light Hangs in the Lanthorne, all men sees
Our frui [...] we eat was hang'd vpon the trees,
Signes hang on posts shew where as tradesmen dwels,
In steeples all men know are Hang'd the Bels,
The scales or ballance hangs where things are weigh'd,
Goods Hang'd in Cranes, that's in or out conue [...]'d;
Yards, sailes, shears, tacks, lists, caskets, bolins, braces,
Are fitly hang'd in their conuenient places.
The compasse that directs where windes doe blow,
Is Hang'd vpon the Needles point we know:
[Page]In stately buildings, Timber, Lead and Stone,
Are Hang'd and hoist, or Buildings would be none.
[...] is an [...]my of [...]angings.
Our Maps wherein the world described be,
Are all Hang'd vp against the walls we see:
Our Cazements Hang as they doe ope and shut,
Our Curtaines Hang, which 'bout our beds we put,
Our Hogs are Hang'd, else Bacon we might looke,
Doores Hang on Hinges, or I am mistooke,
And many a trusty Padlocke Hangs no doubt,
To let in honest men and keepe Knaues out.
Sea Cabins Hang, where poore men sleepe & rest,
Our Clokes Hang on our backs 'tis manifest;
The Viall, Citterne, the Bandore and Lute,
Are cas'd or vncas'd, all Hang'd vp and mute,
Our Linnen (being wash'd) must Hang to dry,
Or else Lice will Hang on and multiply:
Thus Hanging's beneficiall to all States,
Whilst Gods dread curse Hangs o're the reprobates.
And as for those that take my Lines amis,
And will be pleas'd to be displeas'd with this,
For groats a peece, nay lesse, for three pence either,
I'le giue them all leaue to to be Hang'd together;
Since Hanging then is prou'd so naturall,
So beneficiall, so generall,
So apt, so necessary, and so fit,
Our reason tels vs we should honour it.
It is a good mans life, and 'tis their death,
That rob and rifle men of goods and breath:
This kind of Hanging all offences ends,
From which God euer blesse me and my friends.
[Page]I from the Hangman this conclusion draw,
He is the fatall period of the Law:
If theeues or traytours into mischiefe runne,
If he haue done with them, then they haue done.
'Tis often seene that many haplesse men
Haue beene condemn'd and Iudg'd, reprieu'd agen
And pardon'd, haue committed new transgressions,
And in againe oft many a Size and Sessions:
When many warnings mend them not therefore
Th [...] Hangman warnes them, they offend no more.
Hee's the Catastrophe and Epilogue
Of many of the desperat Catalogue;
And he is one that cannot wanted be,
But still God keepe him farre enough from me.

THE DESCRIPTION of Tyburne.

I Haue heard sundry men oft times dis­pute
Of trees that in one yeere will twice beare fruit.
But if a man note Tyburne, 'twill appeare,
That that's a tree that beares twelue times a yeere.
[Page]I Muse it should so fruitfull be, for why
I vnderstand the root of it is drie,
It beares no leafe, no blossome, or no bud,
The raine that makes it fructifie is blond.
I further note the fruit which it produces,
Doth seldome serue for profitable vses:
Except the skilfull Surgions industry,
Doe make Defection or Anatomy.
It blossomes, buds, and beares, all three together,
And in one houre, doth liue, and die, and wither.
Like Sodome Apples, they are in conceit,
For touch'd they turne to dust and ashes streight.
Besides I finde this Tree hath neuer bin
Like other fruit trees, wall'd or hedged in,
But in the high way standing many a yeere,
It neuer yet was rob'd, as I cou [...]d heare.
The reason is apparent to our eies,
That what it beares are dead commodities:
And yet sometimes (such grace to it is giuen)
The dying fruit is well prepar'd for heauen,
And many times a man may gather thence
Remorse, deuotion, and true penitence.
And from that Tree, I thinke more soules ascend
To that Celestiall ioy, which ne're shall end:
I say more soules from thence to heau'n doe come,
Than from all
Except Paules [...]urchyard and not Gregories, [...] many in­ [...] & then [...] there; whom I doe [...] beleeue haue [...]ules. Also I ex­cept the [...] at Salisbury, with all Cathedrall Churchyards, and others, where any body dwels, if it be but a Summer, or a Sexton.
Churchyards throughout christendome
The reason is, the bodies all are dead,
And all the soules to ioy or woe are fled.
Perhaps a weeke, a day, or two, or three,
Before they in the Churchyards buried bee.
[Page]But at this Tree, in twinckling of an eye,
The soule and body part immediatly,
There death the fatall parting blow doth strike,
And in Churchyards is seldome seene the like.
Besides, they are assisted with the almes
Of peoples charitable Praiers, and Psalmes,
Which are the wings that lift the hou'ring spirit,
By faith, through grace, true glory to inherit.
Concerning this dead fruit, I noted it,
In stead of paste it's put into a pit,
And laid vp carefully in any place,
Yet worme-eaten it growes in little space.
My vnderstanding can by no meanes frame
To giue this Tyburne fruit a fitter name,
Than Medlers, for I finde that great and small
(To my capacitie) are Medlers all.
Some say they are Choak'd peares, and some againe
Doe call them Hartie Choakes, but 'tis most plaine,
It is a kinde of Medler it doth beare,
Or else I thinke it neuer would come there.
Moreouer where it growes I finde it true,
It often turnes the Herbe of Grace to Rue.
Amongst all Pot-herbes growing on the ground,
Tyme is the least respected, I haue found,
And most abus'd, and therefore one shall see
No branch or bud of it grow neere this Tree:
For 'tis occasion of mans greatest crime,
To turne the Vse, into Abuse, of Time.
When Passions are let loose without a bridle,
Then pretious Time is turn'd to Loue and Idle:
[Page]And that's the chiefest reason I can show,
Why fruit so often doth on Tyburne grow.
There are inferiour Gallowses which beare
(According to the season) twice a yeare:
And there's a kinde of watrish Tree at Wapping,
Wheras Sea-theeues or Pirates are catch'd napping:
But Tyburne doth deserue before them all
The title and addition capitall,
Of Arch or great Grand Gallowse of our Land,
Whilst all the rest like ragged Laqueyes stand;
It hath (like Luna) 'full, and change, and quarters,
It (like a Merchant) monthly trucks and barters;
But all the other Gallowses are fit,
Like Chapmen, or poore Pedlers vnto it.
Thus Iayles and Iaylors being here explain'd,
How both are good, and for good vse ordain'd,
All sorts of Hanging which I could surmise,
I likewise haue describ'd before your eyes;
And further hauing shew'd what Tyburne is,
With many more inferiour Gallowsis,
My pen from paper with this Praier doth part,
God blesse all people from their sinnes desart.
FINIS.

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