THE IRISH FOOTMAN'S POETRY. OR GEORGE THE RVNNER, AGAINST HENRY THE WALKER, In defence of Iohn the Swimmer.
Being A Sur-rejoinder to the Rejoinder of the rusty Ironmonger, who endeavoured to defile the cleare streames of the Water-Poet's Helicon.
The Author GEORGE RICHARDSON, an Hibernian Pedestrian.
Printed in the yeare 1641.
TO GEORGE RICHARDSON HIS CVRRANT FRIEND IN any part of the Kings Dominions.
NO more (friend George) shall wee see
Thee marching in the Infantr'ie,
Now, thou hast gotten greater force,
And mounted on the winged Horse,
After no charriot thou shalt runne
Henceforth, but that of Phaeton.
H. F.
To GEORGE RICHARDSON the Pedestrian Poet.
WHen first thy lines I read, I did admire
Them like the learning of Promethean fire;
[Page 2]For he, who knowes thee have so little Art
Could thinke that nature should so much impart
To raise thee to the height to vindicate
Th'Aquatique Poet, from the furious hate
Of weavers, tinkers, (through the nose that whistle)
Ironmongers, and Brethren of the bristle?
Now trust me George, this work deserves such praise,
That not to us but unto after dayes
'T will say thou wer`t a Poet of a maw,
As great, as thy great namesake of the Law.
W. B.
To my ingenuous Countryman the Authour.
'TIs stranger you would goe swift pac'd steps forsak
And rest a strangers taske to undertake
Doubtles you meane to ride hence forth; this matter,
Deserves a horse, if not to ride by water.
T. LL.
GEORGE RICHARDSON the Authour to the most ingenious aquatique Poet Mr: JOHN TAYLOR.
SIr though a stranger to your selfe, your worth
Is knowne to me, by what you have set forth;
And though I cannot judge, yet I admire
The lively flames of your Phaebean fire;
Which wise-men doe approve, none doe deprave,
[Page 3]But such as know not fancy, as this slave;
Rusty, as his old iron, dull, as stone,
Or th'anvill, that his ware is wrought upon.
Who stupid slave (by what hee never writ
But bought for's money) your undoubted wit,
Would call in question, Sir, my infant muse
(Seing this slave persist in his abuse;
And knowing, 'twould a great dishonour bee
For you to match your ingenuity
With his notorious folly,) speedily
Did undertake to make a swift reply.
Which (soone as my employment did allow
Mee time) in two houres space, I did run through.
Upon the title of Walkers Booke.
BEhold the Master peice of Walker's wit,
Fancying his friend the Divell here at shit.
Who first with malice did inspire his breast,
And then his first Bookes matter did suggest.
But t'is some silly fiend (as sure as day)
The same perhaps was made an Asse i'th play
Long since, but I'me deceiv'd, there's much brave wit
I'th play, but Walkers bookes have none of it.
What are they fit for then, that onely raile?
Naught, but to wipe his shitten Divels taile.
1. His view of the transformed Divell.
VVHat wondrous raptures this our Author here
Doth dreame of wine, who hardly ere dranke beere,
Tels us what drinke doth most, what least inspire?
2. His Pedegree.
A Monstrous Birth! sprong from the sheaves of wheat,
Tresh'd out he should have said, for sure the great
Father of this brave Sparke some tough blade was,
That cudgelled the corne, and slash'd the grasse;
For such his base demeanour speakes him, I
Doe not detract from the old family
Of Bredsall all this while, nor doe I know
Whether he bee extracted thence, or no.
Oft 'tis of worthy families the fate,
To send some Children forth degenerate.
But by his manners hee should rather bee
Of that Ape Carriers affinity
Hight Richard Walker, but call'd Cherry-lickam,
Whom with his well taught-beast I saw at Wickam
Doing rare trickes, with many a lofty straine
For Englands King, but clapt his Arse at Spaine.
Told money, which his Master cannot doe;
Yet hee a Walker is, and Wanderer too.
But lets admit our Libeller to bee
Sprong from the wheaten Bredsall family,
And that the Golden-sheaves that doe belong
Vnto that family, this Ironmong-
Er may justly challenge for his owne, yet hee
Hath armes, which better fit his quality.
The Armes of his owne atcheivement.
A Gridiron passant, on which lies
A Libeller doth simbolize
A Cart, that doth up Holborne passe,
A sable trivet next, wee place
In cheif, which you may easily
Conceive, doth Tiburne signifie,
To seeke a Rope weel'e not take paines,
For worst delinquents hang in Chaines,
Then for supporters, there shall stand
Two men as true as steele, in hand
They rusty Iron forkes shall weild,
Thus you may blazonize his sheild.
2. His Disposition.
IS it not vaine? to tax his muse, that writ
Of a bad Subject to discover it
Vnto the heedles World; that when they see,
The thing attir'd in it's deformity,
They then may loath it, that before appear'd
Pleasing to them, before the mist was clear'd.
Taylor his whore, if rightly understood
Deserves much honour, 'twas his Countrie's good
That set his muse on worke, the rogue set forth
In Spanish, is a Booke of matchlesse worth.
Which honest men approve, hee that doth looke
Awry on it, is Subject of the Booke.
4. The Encounter.
I Know 'tis not your custome, to abuse
The peoples eares, with fancies of your muse;
For where there's no invention, straines of wit
Can have no birth, were you endu'd with it
What monsters you'd beget alreadi's knowne
By fathering of these are not your owne.
But what you publish here, if wee admit
To bee your owne, Taylor those workes hath writ,
That a just Catalogue of them will fill,
More leaves, then you have stained with your quill,
Leave then your ostentation, time ne're saw,
An Eagle dar'd to combate by a Daw.
5. His Religion.6. His Hypocrisie.
I'Ve made a scrutinie, but cannot find
One word in Taylors Booke shews him inclin'd
To Popery, 'tis true hee cann't approve
Of Brownists, nor the Familists of love,
Of Anabaptists, nor of Adamites,
Nor those instruct their audience, when the lights
Are out, and by their owne example too
As well as precept, teach them what to doe;
Though Ir'nmongers or Feltmakers they bee,
Or Coblers, or what els fraternity.
This being all, 'tis straing hee not invites
Your spleene, that hath describ'd the Adamites,
The Brownists conventicle too that writ,
[Page 7]But 'tis your envy to brave Taylors wit,
Hee onely is accus'd, although they bee
Guilty of as much Popery as hee.
Your faith I doe not question, nor will make
Much matter of argument, what side you take.
But Taylor's guilty of Hipocrisie,
Because hee did comply with miserie.
A powerfull reason! shame to vent such stuffe
Snuffers are sweeter ware, with unquencht snuffe.
7. The Church persecuted by water.
A Title (which doth promise at the least,
A copious treatise) like that pregnant beast,
That travell'd with a mountaine, yet brought forth
A litle molehill, see the lesser worth!
Of this poore fellow, who can scarce discerne
A difference, 'twixt him, did guide the sterne
Of the great Barke oth'Church, and him that neere
A bigger vessell then an oare did steere.
8. His weakenesse in judgement
NOw I doe pitty thee, that dares to tax
Anothers judgemen? when more time 'twill aske
Then was to teach the Asse to speake, assign'd,
To render thy dull wits halfe so refin'd,
As the well-tuter'd Ape, that's Pupill to
Thy name-sake Walker; yet with much adoe
Tha'st made an Anagram of thine owne name,
And an AEnigma to thou think'st, what fame?
[Page 8]Will not be due to thee? well thou maist scoren
The Dung-hill Pamphlets thou set'st forth t'adorne
With th'honoured subscription of the name,
That's grac'd, with such an heavenly Anagram.
9. His horrible lies.
ONe Distichon is all the verse ha's writ
There's just as many faults, as lines in it.
10. My sincerity to England.
IF you affirme this with sincerity,
Im'e confident in it wee doe agree.
11. His humble Petition.
VVHat forward impudence is this? to dare
Before those noble Senators to appeare
Clad in such ragges? if ought 'gainst Church or State,
Hee hath offended, with an equall hate
I shall pursue him, or transgress'd the lawes,
And made unto himselfe a guilty cause,
Or that it shall appeare, in the least word,
Hee hath [...]aduc'd, that lov'd, and honour'd Lord;
But if o'th contrary it shall appeare,
His conscience and his judgement, were more clear,
And that hee did nor Church, nor State traduce,
Nor that most noble Lord; with least abuse;
Then Caesar-like, when Horace did acquite
Himselfe, before him; then, when 'gainst all right,
A base officious Tribune did accuse
[Page 9]The harmeles recreation of his muse;
As, that in mistique Hieroglyphickes, hee
Had plotted 'gainst the State, some teachery;
Great Caesar gave the Poet, higher place
In's favour, and the Tribune, the disgrace
To weare a paire of Asses eares; so now,
When these great Senators, on Taylor's brow
Read innocence, his merrit they shall raise,
By giving thee the whip, and him the bayes.
12. The Conclusion.
ANd now friend Walker this, but to prepare
My muse to encounter, if you dare,
With a foote-Poet, enter in the sand,
You, as you have lost by water may by land.
POSTSCRIPT.
ALthough in Ireland I was born and bred
In Englands Church I nourisht am and fed
Therefore let no dull Brownists apprehend
That in defence of Popery I contend;
I doe esteeme both Sects as most a curst
But of the twayn I thinke the Brownist worst.
FINIS.