But why do I thus toll our griefes in Meetre, Prose is mee­ter for our capacities by halfe, hang Poets and Poetry, wee could never endure them, no verse is more sweet than a mans neck-verse (if it be said in season) and as for Rhime, it is as much distastefull to us as Reason, Yet I would needs know by what Reason wee have the name of Round-heads put upon us; me thinks our heads are no rounder than our fore-fathers: Some say they call us so, because our tongues do trowle more roundly than our Ancestours did, and that they did use ho­nest Square dealing, and we only professe and practise Round Talking or speaking. Others say, that we are so termed, be­cause wee doe cut our haire shorter than our eares; and the reason is, because long haire hinders the sound of the Word from entring into the heart: and (truly) it is no shame for a man to weare his owne eares. Yet in the 19. Chapter of Leviticus, and the 27 verse, we are forbid to cut round the corners of our heads, or to mar the tufts of our beards; but those words were spoken to the Iewes by Moses, and all the world knowes that we are Gentiles, we have nothing to doe with Iewes or ceremonies, I can eat Pork and Pig (which was for­bidden to the Iewes) and I love a good Sow or a Bore next my wife and my selfe.

Others there be that say we are called Round-heads, in re­gard that by our heads wee are more like Globes than those [Page 4] that weare their haire long, and man being a little world, is by the roundnesse of the head a figure or embleme of the greater.

Morgan Llewellin (that grave Greek Author) saith in the ninth Chapter of his Litigious Aphorismes, That Bias the Philosopher was borne in an Haven Towne of Ionia, called P [...]i [...]ne: This Bias had a Round Running head, and hee devi­sed (from the mold of his head) the first Round Bowles, in memorie whereof they are called Bias Bowles to this day; but the world is too full of rubs now, and most heads run like Bowles, contrary to the Bias, that an honest man can hardly win a good game all his life time.

There are some that report, that wee are called Round-heads, and Ovall-heads, by reason of the similitude of an egg, I mused why that comparison was, but at last I perceived, that the a [...]lusion was not to the Ovall for me of the Egg, but to the addlenesse of the braines in the head, which I hold to be very significant.

There was a fellow lately did set forth a Pamphlet, enti­tuled A Tale in a Tub, or A Tub Lecture; The speaker of it hee saith was one My heele mend sole, an inspired Brownist, and a most upright Translator: The house (where it is said to be spoken) was neere Bedlam; the time when, the 21 of December last, and the writers name of it, is only under the two thred-bare letters of I. T.

I could almost perswade my selfe, that those letters of I. T. should stand for Iohn Taylor the Aquaticall Poet, and yet mee thinks he should have preferred a Boate before a tub to make a pulpit of, for a Boate is more primitive to preach out of, then a Tub or a Kinderkin. A fishers boate once served the best Preacher that ever was, for a Canonicall Pulpit; but let that businesse alone, and returne to the Tub. It is not im­possible, but a Cobler may draw or vent a Firkin of smal wit out of a Hogs-head, and (verily) me thinks it was a rare busi­nesse, that the Hogs-head did not leake when the man ran o­ver amaine; But it is the property and policy of a Learned man to barrell up more then he can broach. There was such Vertue once in Tub, that a grave and wise Philosopher made [Page 5] choise of one for his study, which tub hee valued so highly, that he would not change it for the Place of Alexander the Great, (or Alexander of St. Magnus) and that may bee the reason that our brother (the Cobler) made choyse of a Tub, (he that is offended at it, I wish him in Cornelius his Tub, and that is a pocky Tub, as a French Gentleman told me the o­ther day) but to returne to our purpose, I have read of a peo­ple inhabiting somewhere beyond the unknowne Southerne World (or Terra Australis Incognita) these people do once a year offer their old shooes and boots to their Heathen Gods, O what a mighty trade might a preaching Cobler drive there being able alone of himselfe, to prepare and offer the Sacri­fice, and so preach the oblation Sermon too, I know a wor­thy member fit to be an Assistant to him, one that is original­ly a Heele-maker, but now he is an inspired expounder, there are so many of us now a dayes in England, that some may bee well spared into other Countryes.

In the history of Spayne in the City of Salamanca, there dwelt a most Heroicall and Magnificent Cobler named Sig­nior Laza [...]illo Bobadilla de Tormes, this brave Sparke (at his death) and on his deathbed called his eldest sonne to him, and after he had given his last blessing, he gave him this counsell. My son (quoth he) I must leave thee, thou knowest that my father (and thy Grandfather) was a famous Cordwainer in Ci­vill, thy mother a Millers daughter of Tolledo, they and I here live in fame and reputation, and I dye a man renowned for my Art. And therefore I charge thee (on my blessing) that thou do thy best endeavour to retaine the dignity of the Majesty of so great a family. Truly, a man of such mighty spi­rit was too good to be a Spanyard, a Papist or a Cobler, had he been inspired as some of our Brethren are, he would have proved that Simon called Simon Magus was at Rome once, (welfare all good tokens he brake his neck there) but as con­cerning Simon Peter, many wise men will never beleeve that, he was there, though the Papists say to the contrary and with Tooth and Nayle defend their furious asseverations. Also he would have proved Pope Ione to have been both literally and mystically the Arrant whore of Babylon.

[Page 6] It is devoutly acknowledged that we have had many Wor­thy and zealous Brethren that have stifly stood for the cause, (as the Sisters can testifie if they please) as namely the reve­rend Mr. How the Cobler, The most industrious Mr. Walker the Ironmonger, the zealous Mr. Greene the Felt-maker, the painefull Mr. Spencer the Stablegroome, the pavior of Mon­mouth, the Sowgelder of Wallingford, the Barber and Baker of Abingdon, and many hundreds more of true religious Mil­lers Weavers, I had almost for got Taylors, but that one Mr. Squire, a Gentleman of that function at Roderhith beinga double yarded man, because he hath two, but neither of them London measure, he is a mighty painestaker for us all in the true w [...]y of rayling downe Learning, wit, order and decency, what though he faile now and then in stretching silver lace on a petticoate, that he can frugally save out of 4. yards com­passe one yard; I say a Taylor may stretch lace and consci­ence, and his bill too, but all is one for that, he is a true zelot & so forth, but though these have the honour to be named in our catalogue of remembrance, yet one of our chiefe props and pillers, is ingratefully forgotten, he being a man of such a vast merit, that it is a shame hee should be buried alive (in his fame I meane) the first letter of his name is a Brewers Clarke, he is a man that hath more in him then all the world is worthy to see or know, he hath some pith or weight in him & had he but couragiously attempted the downfall of the Ba­bell Crosse in Cheapeside, if he had been but valiantly secon­ded hee would would have laid it levell with the pavement, for he feares not the Hangman, and is able to keepe a Quar­ter as big as halfe a yeare with any man.

But I am afraid that our cake is but dough bak'd, (though our zeale was warme enough to heate the Oven as hot as a furnace) for we are crost, and the Crosse stands to baffle and brave us, and further an unhappy pated fellow did lately write these following Verses, in the behalfe of the Crosse, & disgrace of us.