The English-French-Mans Address, UPON HIS MAJESTIES LATE Gracious Declaration:
Humbly Sheweth,—
T—HAT Your Dread Majestie,
By Ye'r Gracious Declaration, hath set's Free
Of our late Terrours; whereas before we thought,
All our brave All's would come at length to nought;
But now 'tis o're: Had we gone Home againe,
We could not tell, which way for to Maintaine
Our Families: In ENGLAND we can take
E'ne what Degrees we please; and make
The Gentry believe, that 'tis our Nation,
Sutes all their Greatnesse in a Fur Bonne Fashion.
Me that came lately into ENGLISH Ground
With Raggs on Back, where Vermin did abound;
Yet had a Sword, though scarce a Shooe to foot,
Aye, and a Shert too, though 'twas black as foot:
Have found the ENGLISH Constitution so,
That I'le be hang'd, e're I to FRANCE will go
Againe in haste; There I wanted bread,
Here, of a Family, I'me become the head:
My Master loves me, and doth still, Protest
Of his Servants, the Mounsieur is the best;
For when with our Kick-shaws about they prance,
We Swear Begar, 'tis Ala Mode de FRANCE.
Thus we get into Favour, and then we
Are Parra-Mount, of all the Familie:
We tell his Lordship, that 'tis nothing sitting,
De ENGLISH Cook, should Rule his Lordships Kitching;
Swearing, De ENGLISH Cook he cannot tell,
Which way to make De Bonne Potazie well:
He burns the Meat Begar, and I do think
His Sauce is musty; and his Beef do's stink;
You no smell my Lord: Your Cold do's spoyle
Your Scent, and your Cook, do's beguile
Your Honour, and Me cann't indure
De ENGLISH Cook; De Bonne French Serveture:
He is De best Begar, Me dare to swear,
He'd fit your Lordship, to a very hair:
De ENGLISH Man, Begar Me know is Stout,
But in de Carriage, he is but a Lout,
Compar'd with De FRENCH: He cannot Dance,
Nor Cheat's Lord, with a Bonne Sir-Reverence.
Now wide de Ladies, de Women are as Good
To Curle de Hair, and for to set de Hood,
As any in de warld, der's none does know
How to do it like de French, 'tis we dat show
De ENGLISH Woman: Me will tell you what,
De ENGLISH Woman, nothing but talk and prate.
Me Tutor de Infant, nay, what is more,
Teach Men to play de Rogue, and Wench de VVhore:
VVhen dat Me see a Bonne handsome VVench,
Out of pure love, Me teach her Parler French:
If she have Money, den I straight will swear,
De French Man is in Love wide her Begar:
And 'tis de best for her, do all she can,
To Marry de fur bonne French Gentle-Man:
VVhen de Gentle-Man do's love de handsome VVoman
Not for his VVife, but for to make her Common;
Then Me do go, pretending to sell Lace,
And in a Poynt I oft a letter place,
To bring her to my Bow, and then I,
Am feed by both hands for my Bawdry:
Thus we help one another, and do displace
The ENGLISH Servitures; by thus disgrace-
—Ing of them, and through some Elusion,
Make the FRENCH happy with tothers Confusion.
Now if Your Majesty would have us swear,
Prescribe the Oath, what 'tis, we do not Care,
So we can still reside here, rather then we
Shou'd now go Home, wee'l forswear Country
And King, and All; For here we can Invade
Your True Born Subjects, by working on the Trade
For which they serv'd: Should they do so in FRANCE
VVe'd rather hang 'um, then let them advance
Themselves by our Professions, let them not think,
Out of our Country, they shall carry Chink:
No! we're more wise; wee'l first let them know,
VVhat perill 'tis, the FRENCH do's undergo
At Home: But yet in ENGLAND here
'Bove ENGLISH-MEN, 'tis known we Domineere,
And shall do still; Unless Your Majestie,
Prescribe to us a Day of Jubilie:
For we to one another are Good-VVillers,
And in Your Land AEgyptian Caterpillers.
Robert Miller, M. D.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1666.