Qui Latrans, modo mordens.

Blandus I heare will prove a Byter knowne
That gently vs'd of late to fawne and cogge:
If Blandus then, be such a Byter growne
What kinne is Blandus to my Mastyf-dogge?

Ad Lectorem.

Reader, these Epigrams long since compos'd
Should nere by my consent have been disclos'd:
Much lesse at latter Lammas coin'd in print

Had not the Stationer or the Divell beene in't.

In the next we have an allusion to Bankes and his celebrated horse, the rare tract on which "Maroccus Extaticus" was published in 1595, 4to, and has already been noticed.

Asinus ex Asino.

Grillus, outragious grewe with selfe conceit
Dreaming of late hee was transform'd an Asse:
And waking, needes would to the world repeat
That it for certaine truth came so to passe.
Who thus besotted, forthwith 'gins to bray,
Attempteth eke like Bankes his Horse to daunce

Runnes to the Stable there to feede on Hay,

Strives to Corvet, Cariere, Kick, Wince, and Praunce,

But since that Grillus, nothing so much feares,

As the appearance of his Asses eares.

The following lines from the second satire, descriptive of the various persons who came to buy his book, are not without humour, and are illustrative of some of the characters of the time:

3.

Trahit sua quemq: voluptas.

Howle on yee Satyrs, whilst I sit and marke
How woluish Enuie at my Muse doth barke,
Backbite, detract, rayle, slaunder and reuile,
With words of hatred, and vnciuill stile.

First comes a Statesman to the Stationer

And many better Bookes hee passing ouer

By chaunce findes this, whereon he reades a while

Then bytes the lippe, then frownes, then giues a smile,

And to the Seller sayes such fiery braines

Should warme the prison to reward their paines.

Becomes it any man of his profession

Reproue vs of our manners, or transgression
Away goes hee: Next comes my gallant Dycer

His ordinarie stomache is more nicer

Who asks for new books; this this the stationer showes him
Streight sweares 'tis naught vnles the Post knowes him.
Nor will hee read a Line: this Fortunes Mynion
Likes forsooth nothing but his owne opinion.

The mending Poet takes it next in hand

Who hauing oft the Verses ouer-scan'd,

O filching streight, doth to the Stationer say
Here's foure lines stolne from forth my last new play.
And that hee'l sweare, euen by the Printers stall
Although hee knowes 'tis false hee speakes in all.
Then comes my Innes-of-Court-Man, in his Gowne,
Cryes Mew, what Hackney brought this wit to towne.
But soone againe my gallant Youth is gon,
Minding the Kitchin more then Littleton:
Tut, what cares hee for Law, shall have inough
When's Father dyes, that Cankar'd Miser-Chuffe.
Put him a Case in Ploydon then who will
That being his, plod you on Law-Bookes still.
Next comes by my Familiar, yet no Spirit,

Who forceth me his Friendship to inherit.

He sees my Booke in Print, and streight hee knowes it,
Then asketh for the Booke, and the boy showes it.
Then reades a while, and sayes, I must commend it,
But sure, Some Friend of his for him hath pen'd it.
He cannot write a Booke in such a fashion,
For well I wot 'twas nere his Occupation.
Besides by Checquer-Clarks, that oft haue seen him
I nere could heare of Schollership was in him.
T'were good to poze him, but to haue it knowne
Or 'tis no matter, let it euen alone.
Next after him, your Countrey-Farmer viewes it,
It may be good (saith hee) for those can use it.
Shewe mee King Arthur, Beuis, or Syr Guye,
Those are the Bookes he onely loues to buye.
Well, that he likes and walkes: Then comes a Diuell
With sober countenance, and Garments ciuill.
A Puritane, or pure one, choose you whether,
(For both as one makes self-same sense together)
Hee lookes on some, and finding this the next
With very sight therof his minde is vext.

Fye on't (saith he) that any man should buye

Such bookes prophane of fained Poetrie,

That teacheth vice, worse then your Playes on Stages,

And is a shame to olde and future Ages.

To louiug Brother-Hoods Communitie,
That are defil'de by such impuritie.

Warton, and Mr. Park after him, have assigned the year 1600 as the date of publication of this volume, but no work of Parrot's earlier than 1606 is known, and although he informs the reader that "these epigrams were long since compos'd," they did not make their appearance in print till 1615. Nothing certain appears to be known of the author. Mr. Collier, from some lines in the satire we have just quoted, thinks it probable he was an actor at the Fortune Theatre, while from another of his epigrams it might be conjectured that he was in the profession of the law. See Collier's Bridgw. Catal., p. 225; Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet., vol. iv, p. 403; Bibl. Ang. Poet., p. 458; and Restituta, vol. iii, p. 415. Bindley's copy, pt. iv, No. 922, sold for 25l. 10s.; Bibl. Ang. Poet., No. 458 (wanting a leaf), 30%.; Bibl. Heber, pt. iv, 1792, 71. 5s.; Bright's sale, No. 4189, 137. 108.

Bound by C. Lewis.

In Crimson Morocco. Gilt leaves.

PERROT OF PARROT, (HENRY.)- Lapuei ridiculosi: or Springes for Woodcocks. By H. P.

London Printed for Iohn Busby, and are to be sould in S. Dunstans Church-yarde in Fleet street. 1613. Sm. 8vo.

Some copies of this volume are without the initials of the author, and have the motto "Caveat Emptor" in their place. On the title-page is, likewise, a woodcut representing two woodcocks caught in springs, and another flying away, with the motto, "Possis abire tutus." A Latin address, "Lectori benigno, scienti et ignoto," follows the title, in which he says, that more than two years had elapsed since he had hastily composed these epigrams, and that he had now taken leave of these studies or rather vanities, which, however, was not the case, as he published another work of a similar kind two years later, noticed in the next article. This address is signed "Hen. Parrot," and is succeeded by another in English "To the Reader," in which he again repeats that he "had long since bidden adue to

these idle toyes, and that the work had been brought unto the press without his privitie." After this, on another leaf, are some lines "To the vulgar Censurers," and six others to his "honest friends." The work is divided into two books the first containing 224 epigrams, and the second 215, concluding with some English and Latin lines. Some of the epigrams in this collection had already appeared in his earlier volumes, and some few may be traced to the works of Sir John Harrington and others.

Having already, in the previous article, given several examples of Parrot's epigrams, it will be needless to extend the present selection beyond a couple more from this volume, which are equally spiritless, and without point or humour, with those in his former productions.

31.

Vindicta vim sequitur.

Kit being kickt and spurnd pursues the Law
That doomd the damage at twice forty pence
Which when the partie that had wrongd him saw
Thought 'twas too great a fine for such offence
Why then (quoth Kit) if I too much request
Thou maist at any time kick out the rest.

61.

Invisibilis forma.

Mistrisse Madrill weares evermore her maske
Which makes the people very much admire

But none so saucy dares the reason aske

Or contradict it since 'tis her desire:

For painted pictures must (you know the guise)
Be alwaies curtaind from the vulgar eyes.

139.

Stultus varietatis avidus.

Zoilus expects my verses more should vary,
To please the Readers eare with choice digression
Tut, Zoilus, know, I am not mercenary

Besides, it is no badge of my profession :

Yet few have writ more Epigrams then I,

Who sayes the contrary, I say, they lye.

161.

Fomina ludificatur viros.

Kind Katharen to her husband kist these words

Mine own sweet Will, how dearely doe I love thee?

If true (quoth Will) the world no such affords

(And that is true I durst his warrant be:)

For ne're heard I of woman good or ill

But always loved best her owne sweet Will.

Coriat and his Travels, from their absurd vanity, seem to have been a great butt for the epigrammatists of that day, and there are several in this work relating to him, of which we present our readers with two as a sample of the rest:

192.

Ad Thomam Coriat, Nuper admirabilem.
Wonder of writers (for so once thou wert)
What pity 'tis thy fame no longer lasted.

That such of note in trauall and desert,

Like time lesse Blossomes should so soone be blasted,

For thus farre boldly may thy Booke compare
How ill so euer sure 'twas passing rare.

252.

Rarus, qui publicus olim.

Of all the Toms that ever yet were namd

Was neuer Tom like as Tom Coriat framd:

Tom Foole may go to Schoole, but nere be taught
Speake Greeke, with which our Tom is richly fraught
Tom Asse may passe, but yet for all his eares
No such rich Iewels, as our Tom he weares :
Tom-Tell-troth is but froth, and truth to tell
Of all Toms our Tom beares away the Bell.

Amongst his other attacks upon the various rhymesters of his day, the Water-Poet has not forgotten, in his own epigrams, to have a fling at those of Parrot.

Epigram 6, p. 263.

My Muse hath vow'd revenge shall have her swindge
To catch a Parrot in the Woodcocks sprindge.

This work is frequently quoted by Mr. Malone in his Historical Account of the English Stage, and by Mr. Collier in his History of Dramatic Poetry. See also his Bridgew. Catol., p. 224; Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet., vol. iv, p. 401; Beloe's Anecd., vol. vi, p. 115; and Bibl. Ang. Poet, p. 554, where it is priced at 107. 108. The present copy was Steevens's, and sold at his sale, No. 1000, for 17. 15s.; Lloyd's do., No. 913, 5l. 17s. 6d.; White Knight's do., No. 3066, 71. 78.; Bibl. Heber, pt. iv, No. 1725, 3l. 19s. Bound in Blue Morocco, with joints. Gilt leaves.