THE CRONICLE.

Asin the Frontifpiece of my first Volume,I have placed the Heads of Sir John Suckling and Mr.Cowley, it would be ridiculous not to infert fomeoneof their Balladsinthis Collection. I do not doubt but the Wedding of the former hasbeenagratefulEntertainment to thosewho never faw it before, nor will, I believe, this Ballad of thelatter'sbe lefs acceptable. I would gladly obligemy Readers with more of their Songs, but must beg to be excused for fear of being thought an Invader of other Men's properties.

Margaritta firft poffeft,

If I remember well, my Breast,

Margaritta firft of all;

But when a while the wanton Maid
With my restless Heart had plaid,
Martha took the flying Ball.

Martha foon did it refign

To the Beauteous Katherine : Beauteous Katherine gave Place, Though loth and angry fhe to part With the Poffeffion of my Heart

To Elifa's conquering Face.

Elifa 'till this Hour might reign,
Had the not Evil Counfels ta'en;
Fundamental Laws the broke,
And still new Favourites fhe chose,
Till up in Arms my Paffions rofe,
And caft away her Yoke.

Mary then and gentle Ann

Both to reign at once began,
Alternately they sway'd;

And fometimes Mary was the Fair,
And fometimes Ann the Crown did wear,
Sometimes I Both obey'd.

Another Mary then arofe,

And did rigorous Laws impofe,
A mighty Tyrant she:
Long, alas, fhould I have been
Under that Iron-Sceptred Queen,
Had not Rebecca fet me free.

When fair Rebecca fet me free,
'Twas then a golden Time for me
But foon those Pleasures fled;
For the gracious Princess dy'd
In her Youth and Beauty's Pride,
And Fudith reigned in her ftead.

One Month, three Days and half an Hour
Fudith held the Sov'raign Power,
Wondrous beautiful her Face,

But fo weak and small her Wit
That she to govern was unfit,

And fo Sufannah took her Place.

But when Ifabella came

Arm'd with a refistless Flame, And th' Artillery of her Eye, Whilst she proudly march'd about Greater Conquests to find out,

She beat out Sufan by the Bye.

But

But in her Place I then obey'd
Black-ey'd Befs her Vice-Roy Maid,
To whom enfued a Vacancy;
Thousand worse Passions then possest
The Inter-regnum of my Breast
Bless me from such an Anarchy !

Gentle Henrietta then

And a third Mary next began,
Then Joan, and Fane, and Audria,
And then a pretty Thomafine,
And then another Katherine,
And then a long et cætera.

But should I now to you relate

The Strength and Riches of their State
The Powder, Patches, and the Pins,
The Ribbons, Fewels, and the Rings
The Lace, the Paint, and Warlike things
That make up all their Magazines :

If I fhould tell the Politick Arts

To take and keep Men's Hearts,
The Letters, Embassies, and Spies,
The Frowns, and Smiles, and Flatteries,
The Quarrels, Fears and Perjuries:
Numberless, Nameless Myfteries!

And all the little Lime-Twigs laid
By Matchiavil the Waiting-maid;
I more voluminous should grow,
(Chiefly if I like them should tell
All change of Weathers that befel)
Than Holinfhead or Stow.

But I will briefer with them be,
Since few of them were long with me:
A higher and a nobler Strain
My prefent Emperefs does claim
Helenora, Firft o' th' Name,
Whom God grant long to Reign.

The

WH

The old Woman's Wish.

Hairs grow hoary and my Cheeks look

(pale,

Hen my When my Forehead has Wrinkles and my Eye-Sight

(does fail,

Let my Words both and Actions be free from all

(Harm

And may I have my old Husband too keep my Back

(warm : The Pleasures of Youth are Flowers but of May, Our Life's but a Vapour, our Body's but Clay, Oh, let me live well, tho' I live but a Day.

With a Sermon on Sundays and a Bible of good Print
With a Pot on the Fire, and good Victuals in't,
With Ale, Beer and Brandy both Winter and Summer
To drink to my Goffip, and be pledg'd by my Com-
(mer.

The Pleasures of Youth, &c.

With Pigs and with Poultry, with some Money in store
To lend to my Neighbour and to give to the Poor,
With a Bottle of Canary to drink without Sin,
And to comfort my Daughter when that she lies in.
The Pleasures of Youth, &c.

With a Bed foft and easy to rest on at Night,
With a Maid in the Morning to rife when 'tis Light,
To do her Work neatly, to obey my Defire,
To make the House clean and to blow up the Fire.
The Pleasures of Youth, &c.