Fafts had not made him meagre like a ghost,
But fat he was, and goodly as mine hoft. *
A fat, plump fwan he lov'd, young, but full grown.
His horse was fleek, and as the berry brown.
The Fryer.
Fryer next, to ev'ry female dear,
All the four orders never had his peer.
Wanton, diverting ftill in profe, or rhime;
He many couples married in his time:
Some young ones at his own expence he wed,
And to their husbands grief foon brought to bed.
A frank companion, fecret, often try'd;
To gentle dames, a confeffor, and guide.
Licentiate of his order once, and then
For one the curate had, he fhrifted ten.
He with a fmile would their confeffion hear;
No foul had caufe his penances to fear;
His abfolutions pleafant, foft, and mild;
He ftroak'd 'em as a parent does his child.
To a poor order lib'ral ladies fly,
With golden prefents eafy penance buy;
For man is obftinate, and hard of heart,
He keeps his money tho' he feels the smart.
But to poor fryers you must filver give;
Tis not with pray'rs and fafting they can live..
He stitch'd within his tippet, pretty knives,
With filver pins, fmall presents for kind wives.
In chearful company, he fung all day;
To help his voice could on the cittern play.
His arms were brawny, few fuch weights could fling;:"
Strong as a champion for an English king...
All inns and taverns in the town he knew,
But from the poor he prudently withdrew;-
To rich and lib'ral penitents inclin'd,
To thofe was meek, and of an humble mind.
None, in appearance, more devout could be,
The ableft beggar of his houfe was he.
He farm'd that income, and procur'd a grant
No holy brother should disturb his haunt.
Course was his habit when a begging fryer,
In wantón love-days gorgeous his attire,
Of fineft cloth was then his demi-cope ;
No mendicant, but ftately as a pope.
Something he humm'd betwixt a lifp and fong,
To make his English Sweet
His little pigs-eyes gave unequal light,
Like fmall stars twinkling in a frofty night.
The good wives chuckled wherefoe'er he came,
A useful fryer, and Hubert was his name.
ITH thefe a merchant, in a motley coat,
Well mounted too, and bearded like a goat.
A Flanders beaver on his head he wore;
His boots were neatly buckled on before.
He prov'd with reasons ftrong, and formal face,
T'increase in wealth was to increase in grace.
Greedy of gold, and popular efteem,
He wish'd the fea were shut to all but him.
Traffick in money he had ftudied well,
Knew where th'Exchange would rife, and where it fell.
ndebt to none, in bargains strict and nice,
Thought unprompt payment was the greatest vice.
What hewith pains had got, with care he'd fave;
Not charitable, for he feldom gave.
The Scholar of Oxford.
Well read clerk of Oxford next attends,
One who had Logick at his Finger-ends.
Sober his afpect, thread-bare was his coat,
His carcass hollow as an empty boat.
The fteed he ftrode was lean as any rake,
With ftore of leather wanting on his back.
As yet no benefice he could obtain,
No office in his college could he gain ;
Plac'd on a fhelf at his bed's-head were found
A fcore of books, fome ftich'd the reft ill-bound.
No harp, no viol, no rich clothes had he,
But Ariftotle's deep philofophy.
Coin he had little, 'twas not his intent
To hoard, for what he got on books he spent.
Devoutly for his patron's foul he pray'd,
Whose bounty gave that learning which he had.
Laboriously he study'd night and day,
His words were few, fpoke in no vulgar way:
Weigh'd e're pronounc'd, fententious, short and clean,
Thoughtful his look, and bafhful was his mien.
Of moral virtue usefully he'd preach,
He patiently would learn, and gladly teach.
The Serjeant at Law.
Serjeant of the law, difcreet, precife;
Well could he plead at bar, and well advise.
Wealthy he was, but frugal of expence,
And his fage look demanded reverence.
Weighty his arguments; his words were wife;
Oft' he had fet as judge at an affize:
There by commiffion rais'd to high degree,
Maturely weigh'd out justice equally.
Robes for the bench he had, and for the bar;
No ferjeant was a greater purchaser.
If fafe the title, moderate the price,
A good fee-fimple never came amiss.
He for a very bufie man did pass;
And yet he feem'd much bufier than he was.
Whole fhoals of clients in the term he had,
And law enough, to make those clients mad.
All his conveyances were legal, true,
No flaw was found in any thing he drew.
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