ing and fcurrilous discourse, is worth gold. I love fuch mirth as does not make friends ashamed to look upon one another next morning; nor men (that cannot wel bear it) to repent the money they spend when they be warmed with drink: and take this for a rule, you may pick out fuch times and fuch companies, that you may make your felves merrier for a little then a great deal of money; for 'Tis the company and not the charge that makes the feast and fuch a companion you prove, I thank you for

it.

But I will not complement you out of the debt that I owe you, and therefore I will begin my Song, and wish it may be as well liked.

The ANGLERS Song.

As inward love breeds outward talk,

The Hound fome praife, and fome the Hawk,

Some

Some better pleaf'dwith private sport,
Ufe Tenis, fome a Miftris court:
But thefe delights I neither wish,
Nor envy,while I freely fifb.

Who hunts,doth oft in danger ride
Who hauks,lures oft both far &wide;
Who uses games,may often prove
A lofer; but who fals in love,
Is fettered in fond Cupids fnare:
My Angle breeds me no fuch care.

Of Recreation there is none
So free as fishing is alone;
All other paftimes do no less
Then mind and body both poffefs;
My band alone my work can do,
So I can fish and ftudy too.

I care not, I, to fish in feas,
Fresh rivers beft my mind do please,
Whofe fweet calm courfe Icontemplate;
And feek in life to imitate;

In civil bounds I fain would keep,
And for my past offences weep.

And

And when the timerous Trout I wait
To take, and be devours my bait,
How poor a thing fometimes I find
Will captivate agreedy mind:

And when none bite, I praise the wife,
Whom vain alurements ne're furprise.

But yet though while I fish, I faft,
I make good fortune my repast,
And thereunto my friend invite,
In whom I more then that delight:
Who is more welcome to my dish,
Then to my Angle was my fish.

As well content no prize to take
As ufe of taken prize to make;
For fo our Lord was pleafed when
He Fishers made Fishers of men;
Where(which is in no other game)
A man may fish and praife his name.

The first men that our Saviour dear
Did chufe to wait upon him here,
Bleft Fishers were; and fish the laft
Food was, that he on earth did tafte.
G
I there-

I therefore ftrive to follow thofe,
Whom he to follow him hath chofe.
W. B.

Cor. Well fung brother, you have paid your debt in good coyn, we Anglers are all beholding to the good man that made this Song. Come Hoftis,give us more Ale and lets drink to him.

And now lets everie one go to bed that we may rise early; but firft lets pay our Reckoning, for I wil have nothing to hinder me in the morning, for I will prevent the Sunrifing.

Pet. A match: Come Coridon, you are to be my Bed-fellow: I know brother you and your Scholer wil lie together; but where shal we meet to morrow night? friend Coridon and I will go up water towards Ware.

for my

the

Pifc. And my Scholer and I vvill go down tovvards Waltam.

Cor.

Cor, Then lets meet here,for here are fresh sheets that smel of Lavender, and, I am fure, we cannot expect better meat and better ufage.

Pet. 'Tis a match. Good night to every body.

Pifc. And fo fay I.
Viat. And fo fay I.

Pifc. Good morrow good Hoftis, I fee my brother Peter is in bed still; Come,give my Scholer and me a cup of Ale, and be fure you get us a good dish of meat against supper, for we shall come hither as hungry as Hawks. Come Scholer,letsbegoing.

Viat. Good Mafter, as we walk towards the water, wil you be pleased to make the way feeme fhorter by telling me first the nature of the Trout, and then how to catch him.

Pifc. My honeft Scholer, I wil do