Confider'd timely how t' withdraw

And fave their Wind-Pipes from the Law;
For one Rencounter at the Bar

Was worse than all th' had 'fcap'd in War;
And therefore met in Consultation,

To Cant and Quack upon the Nation;
Not for the fickly Patient's fake,
Nor what to give, but what to take;
To feel the Pulses of their Fees,
More wife than fumbling Arteries;
Prolong the Snuff of Life in pain,
And from the Grave recover-Gain.

'Mong these there was a Politician,
With more Heads than a Beaft in Vision,
And more Intrigues in ev'ry one
Than all the Whores of Babylon ;

So Politick, as if one Eye

Upon the other were a Spy;

That to trapan the one to think

The other Blind, both ftrove to blink:
And in his dark Pragmatick way

As bufie as a Child at play.

H' had

H' had seen three Governments run down,

And had a Hand in ev'ry one,

Was for 'em and against 'em all,
But Barb'rous when they came to fall;
For by Trappaning th' old to Ruine,
He made his Int'reft with the new one;
Plaid true and faithful, though against
His Confcience, and was ftill advanc'd.
For by the Witch-craft of Rebellion
Transform'd t'a feeble State-Camelion,
By giving Aim from fide.

He never fail'd to fave his Tide,

But got the start of ev'ry State,

And at a Change ne'er came too late

Could turn his Word, and Oath, and Faith,

As many ways as in a Lath;

By turning, wriggle, like a Screw
Int' highest Truft, and out for New.
For when h' had happily incurr'd,
Inftead of Hemp, to be preferr'd,
And paft upon the Government,
He play'd his Trick, and out he went

But

But being out, and out of hopes

To mount his Ladder (more) of Ropes,
Would strive to raise himself upon
The publick Ruine and his own.
So little did he understand

The defp'rate Feats he took in hand.
For when h' had got himself a Name

For Fraud and Tricks, he fpoil'd his Game
Had forc'd his Neck into a Nooze,

To fhew his play at Faft and Loose;
And when he chanc'd t' escape, miftook
For Art and Subtlety, his Lück.

So right his Judgment was cut fit,
And made a Tally to his Wit,
And both together moft profound
At Deeds of Darkness under Ground:
As th' Earth is eafieft undermin'd,
By Vermin Impotent and Blind.

By all these Arts, and many more
H' had practis'd long and much before,
Our State-Artificer forefaw

Which way the World began to draw.

For

For as Old Sinners have all Points

O' th' Compass in their Bones and Joints;
Can by their Pangs and Aches find
All Turns and Changes of the Wind,
And better than by Napier's Bones,
Feel in their own, the Age of Moons ;
So guilty Sinners in a State

Can by their Crimes prognofticate,
And in their Confciences feel Pain
Some days before a Shower of Rain.
He therefore wifely cast about

All ways he could, t' infure his Throat;
And hither came t' obferve and fmoak
What Courses other Riskers took :
And to his utmost do his best

To fave himself, and hang the rest.
To match this Saint, there was another,
As bufie, and perverfe a Brother,
An Haberdasher of Small Wares
In Politicks and State-Affairs;
More Jew than Rabbi Achitophel,
And better gifted to Rebel :

For

For when h' had taught his Tribe to Spouse
The Cauft, aloft, upon one House,
He fcorn'd to fet his own in Order,
But try'd another, and went farther,
So fullenly addicted still

To's only Principle, his Will,

That whatfoe'r it chanc'd to prove
Nor force of Argument could move,
Nor Law, nor Cavalcade of Ho'born,
Could render half a Grain lefs ftubborn.
For he at any time would hang,

For th' Opportunity t' Harangue,

And rather on a Gibbet dangle,

Than mifs his dear Delight, to wrangle?
In which his Parts were fo accomplisht,
That right or wrong, he ne'er was non-pluft;
But ftill his Tongue ran on, the less
Of Weight it bore, with greater Ease,
And with its Everlasting Clack
Set all Mens Ears upon the Rack.
No fooner could a Hint appear,
But up he started to picqueer,

And