Carmen-ternarium semi-c ynicum [sic], A dos of rime and reason presented by Major Geo. Wither to some of his noble friends, members of the most honourable House of Commons.

CARMEN-TERNARIUM SEMI-CYNICUM. A DOS, of RIME and REASON: Preſented by Major Geo. Wither, to ſome of his noble Friends, Members of the moſt honourable Houſe of Commons. 1. FRiends, by your leave; and, in a Cynick-time, If I preſent you with a Doggrell-Rime, Impute it not, I pray you, as a crime: For, whatſoe're occaſion her excites, My Muſe weighs what, and unto whom ſhe writes; And, though ſhe grumbles, neither ſnarles, nor bites. 2. 'Tis now, a Pentecoſt, and ſix weeks more, Since I was laſt a Suitor at your doore; For, 'twas your Christmaſſe Eves-Eve heretofore: Yea, 'twas the Morne that next enſu'd the day, Wherein you did convene to faſt, and pray, That, what you now are planting, proſper may. 3. God grant your Suits may better thrive then mine; God give you of your hopes a better ſigne; And, more to you, then you to me incline: For, if much longer, I be now delay'd, My juſt Demands, to me had beſt been pay'd, If, at the firſt, they had been quite denay'd. 4. This, is (in print and writing) ſince th' Edition Of that, which firſt made knowne my ſad condition, At leaſt the twice ten hundreth Repetition; Yet, moſt Complaints, that I have tendered, Seem; as if neither heeded, heard, nor read, And, take effect, like Prayers to the Dead. 5. This, is above the ſix and thirti'th yeare, Since firſt, my Muſes flung defiance, here, Againſt their waies, who now your foes appeare; Yet, they who ſlight your Cauſe, have better far'd; They, who deſtroy you, have had more regard, And, oft you heare them, when I am unheard. 6. This, is the nineth or tenth now-minted-way, By which, I've took occasion to aſſay; How, I might find acceptance, when I pray; Yet, nor choiſe Times, nor Seaſons, Rimes nor Proſe, Service to you, hot Suffrings, by your foes, Produce ought hitherto; but empty-ſhowes. 7. This, is the ſeventh year, ſince I begun To ſuffer with you, and to be undone, For, being, to your Cauſe, a Faithfull-one; Yet, have my Foes prevailed, by their Charmes, To make my faithfulneſſe increaſe my harms, And, cruſh'd me, nigh to death, ev'n in your Armes. 8. This, is the third moneth, ſince a hopefull ſigne, Made ſhew, as if you joyntly did incline To be aſpitious to ſuch plaints as mine: Yet, ſtill, croſſe accidents make vold my ſuit, With my eſtate, deſtroying my repute, And, I get nought, but bloſſoms without fruit. 9. Two twelve moneths ſince, and twice within that ſpace, Your Houſe, hath in compaſſion of my caſe, Refer'd the naming of me to ſome Place, That, till the Publike ſhall repay my debt, I, by my labours, might ſubſiſtence get; But, no effect thereof, appeareth, yet. 10. A place was once propos'd, for which, to cleare My debt, I offer made: But, one ſate there, Who, whilſt I beat the buſh, did catch the Hare. Another, I was nam'd to; but, ere I Could get the ſame reported, they, who trie The ſureſt courſe, found means to put me by. 11. To twenty other places, I of late Was nam'd, wherein, I might have ſerv'd the State, If, I, like other men, had Friends or Fate: But, they that have enough, muſt, yet, have more; They, who are needy, muſt be ſtill kept poore, And, he gets moſt, that had too much before. 12. Nor would I grudge, might I my own receive, To miſſe the beſt preferments you could give; For, I can find my ſelf work whilſt I live: And, ſhould be better pleaſed to poſſeſſe My ſelf, in an obſcured quietneſſe, Then, in the greateſt of your Offices. 13. And, peradventure, better thrive ſhould I, If, I could ſtill beleeve, undoubtingly, That, in this world, my portion doth not lie: For, whatſoever promiſe ſhe doth make, Or, whatſoever likely courſe I take, I, either nothing win, or loſe my ſtake, 14. Yea, whoſoever are put out or in; Whether you feaſt, or faſt, or loſe, or win, My portion, to this day, the ſame hath been; And, neither Orders, Votes, nor Ordinances, Nor ought elſe, hitherto, my cauſe advances; But, multiplies, coſt, troubles, and miſchances. 15. They, who heed this; and, mark how long I ſue For that, which you your ſelves acknowledge due, Suppoſe my Friends unkind, or, very few: And, ſo ſhall I think too; if, when I ſee The grand-affairs diſpens'd withall may bee, You, more conſider not, my wants and mee. 16. For, though the Publike cauſe ſhould be preferr'd, Some houres, for private cauſes, muſt be ſpar'd, Leſt, none be left, the Publike to regard. Your Publike actings too, (as I conceive) Would better thrive, did you more oft relieve Their ſuffrings, whom, your long demurrers grieve. 17. Three moneths (at full) you have delay'd to heare All private preſſures, how extreme ſoe're; Yea, though your faithfull friends the Suitors were: Yet, you could, then, allow ſpare time for thoſe, Who were your wilfull and condemned Foes: And, grace you did vouchſafe, to ſome of thoſe. 18. To none I grudg your mercy: yet, withall I wiſh, that you to mind would likewiſe call, How, to your friends, worſe things then Death befall: For, Penitents condemned, can but die: Which, were it in my power, diſdain would I, To ask, what any mortall could deny. 19. To ſee our ſelves, with many miſchiefs hemn'd, Purſu'd by Foes, and of our Friends contemn'd, Is worſe, then guiltleſly to be condemn'd. Yea, to behold their Families undone, Who, for the publike, did that hazzard run, Deſerves more pity, then a dying-grone. 20. Although the Publike Wants, be very great, The Publike-Juſtice, it doth ill befit That, ſome, large-Favour find; ſome, never a whit: That, ſome, ſhould likewiſe have immediate pay; Some, intereſt at full, for all delay; Some others, nothing, after ſix years ſtay. 21. That he, to whom the State doth nothing owe, Should rich, by three or foure employments grow, Whilſt they pine, who, thereon did all beſtow: And, that thoſe who have ſpent more pretious time, To ſerve you, then the whole earth can redeem, Should ſcarce find one half-houre, befriending them. 22. Conſider, I beſeech you, how ye may (Before all Opportunities are ſlipt away) Preſerve their being, who aſſiſt you may; And, let them not be needleſſely deſtroyd, By whom, your ſafety, may be beſt enjoyd; And, with whoſe hopes, yours, alſo, will be voyd. 23. Nor think your ſelves excus'd, if you deny To yeeld me at my need, a due ſupply; Becauſe, five hundred want as much as I: For, no good Principle, they build upon Who ſhall reſolve, they will be kind to none, Becauſe, they cannot ſuccour ev'ry one. 24. We who are Standers-by, do plainly ſee, That, if ſelf-ſeekers might removed bee, (Or, would in juſt, and righteous things agree) Both Means, and Time enough might, yet, be found, To make the ſick Republike, quickly ſound, And, eaſe the ſmart of ev'ry private wound. 25. Yea, we perceive, that if diviſion were Well made, of what the common purſe may ſpare; (Of places, which at your diſpoſure are) And, of your time and paines; you might have eas'd Your ſelves much more; your beſt friends, more have pleas'd, And, kept off troubles, which on us have ſeiz'd. 26. New States and Governments, beſt founded are By Juſtice, and by Mercy; and, to ſpare A Largeſſe too, it now convenient were: At leaſt, we may expect, as well as you, Subſiſtence out of that which is our due, To keep us able, who were alwaies true. 27. For, what will it availe you, when your friends, Who, might be ſerviceable to your ends, Want means to further what the State intends? Or, with what courage, can thoſe men go on, To help you, in that work which is begun, If, they muſt periſh, e're it ſhall be done? 28. What can they hope for, when their Foe ſhall raign, Who, whilſt their Friends rule, ſue ſeven years, in vaine, (Not Favors) but, bare Juſtice to obtain? Yet, get nought viſible, wherewith to cheriſh Their children (which through want are like to periſh) Except perchance a Penſion from their Pariſh. 29. My caſe is not ſo bad: But, if you thought How neere thereto, I'me drove; how low I'me brought, And, what hard leſſons I am daily taught, You would excuſe this diſcompoſed-ſtrain, Believe my head broke, e're you ſaw my brain; And, let me ſue, and wait, no more in vain. 30. For, if extremities compell me ſhould To ſumme up all, which I in ſcraps have told, (And juſtly might have added, if I would) They, who obſerve the love to me pretended, How known I am, and yet how ill befriended, Would quite deſpair, to ſee their troubles ended. 31. Fair promiſes, prove neither fleſh nor fiſh; My gaines are, hitherto, not worth a ruſh; But that befalls me, which my Foes do wiſh. For, when to do me right, fit time there was, Some friends lackt power; ſome, were not then in place; And, ſome, that had the power, had not the grace. 32. Your Ordinance, the Lords concurrence lackt, And, my eſtate, and credit, will be crackt, Unleſſe, with ſpeed, you turn into an Act; Few minutes may compleat it, which I pray Vouchſafe; For, by the late three moneths delay, I, ſix moneths intereſt, am like to pay. 33. Bis dat, qui citò dat, the Proverb ſaies; And, 'tis as true, that, he, who long delaies A Favour or a Gift, nought gives, or paies. For, by delay, thus fareth it with moſt, That, by vexation, labour, time, and coſt, The profits of ſlow Benefits, are loſt. 34. But, I, this Theam, have long enough perſude: Leſt, therefore it may tire you (to obtrude Much more upon your patience) Ile conclude: Yea, for a few daies, here Ile make a ſtop; And, if I then, accompliſh not my hope, Ile play but one Card more; and, ſo, give up. 35. As much for others ſakes, as for mine own This ſenſe, of private ſuffrings, I have ſhown: And hope, it will with good effects be known, For, when I mind what work you have to do, And, how few, put their helping hands thereto, I can excuſe you; and, have oft done ſo. FINIS.