GENERALL MASSEYES Bartholomew-Fairings FOR Collonell POYNTZ, AND THE LONDON Reformadoes.
TWas then, when as the name of Masseys Force,
Call'd all the idle Reformad's to Horse.
And drew the Bacon-eating Cavaliers,
(By the convenient Handle of their eares)
To leave their pot and pipe behind, and come:
(Their Calve-skin Breeches turn'd into a Drumme)
T'out-stinke our streets at London, when as I
(Being guilty found of too much honesty)
By two Malignants was, Conscience and Reason,
Betray'd t'an act of Vertue, then call'd Treason:
His brother Poyntz was strait inform'd, a youth,
With goodly goggel eyes and large wry mouth,
Is sent for me,—He knocks at Doore:
Who's there,
A Friend:
Duns I defye you all. Come neere!
The word scarce spoke, there comes one rushing in,
With a jolly red Nose, his Buffe was o'th' same skin:
What could one think this was? a monstrous creature
buried in pearles alive, whose Visage Nature
Broach'd i'th' wrong place; Faith, I took't for a Man
(Boldly I must confesse) and thus began:
What wouldst thou Friend what brought thee to this place
He answers me from th' other side of his face;
You are a Tub-man Sir, and Rebel wee
Are sent to fetch you to a new Armie.
Good words my Friend if you or I must bee
A Rebel, I some hope of Comfort see.
Your Mouth doth just i'th' hanging posture stand:
With that his Brows fierce bristles startled, and
I yield up Sir, Ile goe along with you:
Walke on;
Nay leave me in the Chamber though,
Good Lord, you are so complemental,
Downe,
We go and both matcht up into the Towne:
And which way now?
Nay good Sir keepe the Wall
Excuse me Sir;
Nay as I live you shall
Why 'tis the windy side, and credit mee
Your strong perfumes make my head ake.
Thus wee
Marcht to the Round-Hall; wher being straight let in
Such company, such smoake, such stincke, such dinne.
Such swearing did salute mee, that I fell
On wondring how wee came alive to Hell:
For this could be no lesse; on every side
Such sawcer-eyes appear'd such horrid, wide,
And gaping mouthes, such teeths, such flounsing hair,
Which you might see both in the Uan and Rear,
Besides each horne-pipe voyce seem'd to betray
Where good S. Dunstans Tongs had spoyld the way:
Happy the men must sight with these, thought I,
For they shall nothing but their backs espie.
Six volley of Curses 'gainst Independents, here,
Went off for entertainment, and a Jeere,
Or two were past for Complement; but I,
Like a brave▪suffering Man, pass'd silent by,
They spent themselves about me: One steps out,
And cryes, have at the Sectaries; all the rout,
Clap hands to th' Basket-hilt, and Draw, they cry,
Oh that we had the Independant Army by,
Out you damn'd Garlick-earing Rogues, D'you thinke
You don't already vent sufficient stinke.
But you must call for those whose very Name
Will dye your Scarffes and Braeches of the same,
Three tedious houres amongst these hell hounds we
Bravely endur'd; when comming in we see
A Scarlet Reformado who scarce yet did know
Whether he against the Army fought or no;
Who had bin Scholler once (t' our shame be't spoken)
Since a young Marchant, and since that time broken
Then damn'd to th' service of the Rout did: Hee
Proffer his utmost paines to set us free.
I, though it vex'd me, any of them should
Do ought which even Complement might call good
Yet had not so much valour to deny
Quarter, though from a want wit, willingly.
Accepting this their offer; thinking then,
The greatest good could befall innocent men,
Was to bee soone accus'd: With that away
We went to th' Beare where a great Elder lay;
Where by the Captaine wee were brought before
A veryer Beast then that which hung at doore,
A strange fat unlickt, mall-fac'd fellow, who
Was Massey all ore, head, Bunch, back, belly too:
He hop'd to be an Alderman, but into's skin
Beside the tallow, large guts crowded in.
He having tun'd his pipes with six or seven
Good ratling Oathes, began to speak:
Fore Heaven
Gentlemen this is strange, By—it is:
And if it were but my case as 'tis his,
(Meaning the Collonels) I'de hang you all:
For looke you, Sir, if any Body shall
Abuse the Reformad's as some of you
May chance, and have witnesse of it too,
Judge me, confound me, if you had but don't,
The best amongst you should heare further on't.
But oh! these wrongs sat heavy on them when,
They should oppos'd the Army, their Ills then
Stuck fast and strongly to them on all parts,
And sent a gastly trembling through their hearts;
Their owne Sp'rits among them did possesse
Their Coward hearts with thoughts of guiltinesse,
And feare of Vengeance: And each good mans prayer
Whose blood they sought; flew strong against thē ther
And [...] Collonel whom a more sordid Fate
[...] so strong and fierce a hate,
My venerable Poyntz to whom wee owe
A Jury tryall, thou yet shalt grow
More famous now (if once my Verses can,
Or those my Friends can make) thou shalt b'a Man
Greater then Fate hath made thee (if Ballets bee
But capable of Immortalitie)
Children and Market-maids in after-times
Shall see thee dreft in most vile Tunes and Rimes.
And Ale-houses as yet not built, shall see
Thy Picture pasted on their Mantle-tree:
Nere looke to dye, thou shalt be laught at still,
Longer then Nashes Harvy, or Triplets Gill.
FINIS.