The ftatutes of the land he had by heart;

Turn'd all to gold, without the chymift's art.
In a plain motley coat he rode, ty'd faft,

With a ftrip'd filken fash about his waste.

A

The Franklin.

Franklin was the ferjeant's chief delight,

His beard was long, and as the dafie white. Sanguine he was, and ftudy'd pleasure moft;

His morning's draught, fack, with a nut-brow toaft. All delicates that money could procure

He had; a nice luxurious epicure.

With fish and fowl, with bak'd-meat and with roast,

His table groan'd, he valu'd not the coft.

All rarities the nations could afford

Were fearch'd, and bought to fill his ample board.

In ev'ry season delicates appear,

Diverfify'd each quarter of the year.

Hare, partridge, pheafant ever were at hand;
Carp, tench, and breme, as ready at command,

* A Franklin is a country Gentleman who lives upon his Eftate.

With poinant fauces proper for each dish

Woe to the cook were any thing's amifs!
Spatious his hall, and open was the door,
Fragments and marrow-bones bespread the floor;
And ready cover'd with all forts of food,
All the long day a table dormant stood.
This worthy franklin bore a purse of filk,
Fixt to his girdle, white as morning milk.
Knight of the fhire, firft juftice at th' affize,
To help the poor, the doubtful to advise.
In all employments, gen'rous, just he prov'd;
Renown'd for courtefie, by all belov'd.

The Seaman.

HEN came a Dartmouth feaman far from

THE

Weft,

A very aukward rider at the best.

A coarse cloth gown he wore, not long, nor wide,
His dagger in a lace adorn'd his fide.

He knew thofe fultry climates where the fun
Turn'd his complexion to a dusky brown.

To company and mirth he did incline,

Had fwallow'd many a draught of Bourdeaux wine.

Kept

Kept an obedient feaman's confcience,

Held borrowing from his owners no offence.
If 'twas his fate to take the lucky prize,

(For ftoutly he would fight) he was fo wife
To pick the beft, which fent by parcels home,
Little of worth did to the office come.

A perfect mafter of the compass, he

Cou'd fhun each rock and fhallow in the fea;
Had weather'd tempefts, in engagements been,
Scap'd many dangers, many countries feen.
Knew ev'ry creek and harbour on the main,
Of England, Scotland, and the coaft of Spain.
In many fights his frigate much was fam'd;
The Magdalene of England it was nam'd.

The Doctor of Phyfick.

HE doctor next; foe to all excefs;

TH

Who travell'd more for health than holiness.

In nice Anatomy well fkill'd was he,

And not a stranger to aftronomy.

He knew to wire-draw a diftemper well,

And cures by magic natural foretel;

A deep

A deep aftrologer, that cou'd with ease

Caft the nativity of each difeafe,

Show at what punctual hour it fhou'd expire,

In terms which knaves invent, and fools admire.
The cause of ev'ry malady he knew,

Whether of cold, heat, moist, or dry, it grew..
Told which of thofe engender'd the difeafe;:
'Twas but removing That, and you'd have cafe..
Th'Apothecary waited his command;

Druggs and Electuaries were ftill at hand.
Whatever one prefcrib'd, the other made,
And each by turns advanc'd the mutual trade.
He'd tell the wonders wrought by * Phœbus' fon,
What fame the great Hippocrates had won.
Well read in Galen, Celfus, Avicen,

In Diofcorides and Damafcen.

These names, and many more he had by rote,
Which to th' unlearn'd he never fail'd to quote:
No bible on his pagan fhelves had he,

It was prohibited the laity.

In diet fingular; young tender meat,
And eafiy of digeftion, he would eat.

* Æsentapius,

481

At a rich patient's table, bold and free;
But at his own, he prais'd frugality.

Of Scarlet Perfian filk his habit was,

And neatly lin'd with taffety, of gaufe.

Great were his gains, but mod'rate his expence;
He flourish'd in a time of peftilence.

Gold's the beft cordial; yet he lov'd to fee
Coyn'd aurum rather than potabile.

A

The Wife of Bath.

Merry wife of Bath comes next in place,

But fomewhat deaf, with an autumnal face.
By trade a weaver, one who fcorn'd to grant
Her work out-done at Ypres, or at Gaunt.
No matron could with greater zeal incline
To pay her off'ring at the martyr's fhrine.
She neither patient, nor devout could be,
If any rivall'd her in charity.

In her own parifh fhe wou'd take the wall,
Before the proudeft matron of 'em all:
Upon a Sunday ever trimly dreft,

She flaunted forth, the envy of the reft.

Large