Classic Poem

A Jorney into Norfolk

Prologue

Disposd to merth and seasond by that time
Invites all sap in plants, all blood to climb
In fleshy vaynes and soe much heat doth ster
That evry thing becomes a travailer
I could not sleep at home but sought to pleas
My appetite both on the land and seas
Soe through the Favour'or a brace of frends
And wind auspitious I obtaind my ends

Embarking first at Stand-ground of my own
As fair a gale as ever yer was blown
Filld up our sayles and 'thin few houers truce
Brought us to guive a broad-side to the sluce
Wher whilst some seek with dores to curb the wave
I'le undertake their purses windowes have
Whence fair come ofe without too far remove
We found good Ankerage in the bay of Love
Wher was one strait creek, if what did appeer
For Beakon may b'allowd discoverer
Yet thence we waighed salf and with morning sun
Clapt spurrs, set sayl again as we begun
And past the Line (which through productions grace)
Brought us unto an other Troppick Chase
O what A Rising did it cause to see
In place soe wild, soe much of gravety
For, that the Mayor and Prisons both might fall
Under one climat they were wooden all
Yet would he not be hindred this content
To say they sent the first to Parlement
And soe we made it, for heer first began
Th'appropriating of parts to evry man
Who should be Speaker, who should draw bills up
Who first saluted be with cap, or cup:
And adding one Frend more unto our score
We became a Committee strait of fower
And with a full agreement that night came
To visite the fam'd Lady of Wallsingam.
Wher we noe sooner did our steeds releas
Of what they carried, but: (My Lord wilt pleas
You walk up) was in every Tapsters throat
Nor could the Chamberlin sing other noat
For sure ther was one lookt for: 't had been cride
Last Market day their widdow should be Bride
And Westmorland should have her thus in mists
Whilst we desire to walk, He stil persists
In prais of her, and usd all art his skill
Of drawing out of Vessells and to fill,
To pump out on's one might that stile put on
Discharging th'reckning of's suspition
But all in vain, for whilst of springes he tells
We only sup soe post away for Wells
And ther to try the valor of each brest
We goe to sea to make the fish a feast
But not ambitious of a party wher
The Northern blasts, the Southern waves did rear
We were content to steer about and sell
Glory for th'hopes again of seing well
And soe along the Coast our Course did stand
Asking for Yarmouth and for Loving-land
Soe soon we did arive wher Stif-ky stood
The postur she requiers the place I would
And ther observing hangings all pulld doun
We found such thinges befitted not that toun
For those unproper ornaments were sure
Cast bye t'make way for better furniture
Yet one amongst us curious more than need
Would needs enquier a reason for this deed;
And had it thus: as they did understand
She was to marry the Duke of Westmorland
And soe required these movables to come
To London, ther to dress her up a room
Thus did report-beguild these Cuntry Spies
Create new Hymens and new digneties
But we out went them, for we came, nor wed,
Nor Dukefide, nor once discovered
Poor Stif-kies nakt, yet whilst that name't may own
It need not be ashamd of being shown
Soe up we went perusd each room and stair
The ayr-fild Hall and empty wine sellar
And when we had performd this stil survaigh
We with the stooles and hanginges went our way
But usd a severall Compas they to th'town
Soe upward went whilst we were going down.
It was not long, the pleasure of the way
Curtalld the miles, and made a longer day
That we took Rainam in our road to Lin
Which by report had soe commended been
We found noe less: For what of art and prise
Nature could claim or judgment exercise
To court that nature, both heer soe agree
As if to make one perfect Cymetry
The Hous the Groves support, and make it bear
In a field vert the lively character
Of a ripe witt Bemantled with'select
Fore-casting-knowledg of an Archytect
Instead of Crest the stately Leads supply
From whence when each had wearied his eye
On objects fayr, or o'th'remoter lost
Soe hard it was to guess which tierd them most
They were calld home to walkes and Guardens, which
Did all this scuttchion powder and enrich
Plaines stood in awe of woods, and those again
Seem t'yeild obedience to the structures raign
Which ore the frutefull mead and clear-quick stream
Did sit like to a costly Diadem
Soe that 'twas hard to judg wher lay the debt
Whither in Nature, or the Skill there sett
For both doe seem each other soe to raise
That 'twer a crime for to devide the praise
Nature putts on her best attire, and's swelld
With pride of this Arts-peece-unparalelld
Again this Art doth seem to blush as fayr
As Brick can paint, t'others soe singular
Soe least we should be quite bereaft of sence
We stayd not long but took our leavs from thence
And now our voyage tending to decline
Lodg'd us that night under the torrid Line
More soe by what our wellcome did express
In good fresh Butts and a fair Vintneress
Skearce ripe for trade, allthough her school might teach
How to pierce high or low, to make a breach
Then stop't again: her tender years noe ill
Had suckt in, 'less to use the reed or quill
Be thought soe: nor (on mine) it may be said
Or sworn she had not lost her maydenhead
Time like a Churle forbids us heer to dwell
And sends us to a marchant who did sell
French wines and with them what his power had done
For oft he tells us of a lawe thear spun
How He and others Earles and Lords did sitt
On a Commission for to perfect it
Thus edefide both in our eyes and ears
Each on his proper stile and title wears
And soe the Session brake up; nor did rise
Thout much content instead of Subsedies
For every one his part had acted soe
As at the graunt thear was not guiven a Noe
Soe what we would, we freely did discover
Cloaking the fiery passions of a lover
Under the name of Smith (my robes layd bye
Did quite delude the whol touns Minstrelcy

Epilogue

All ended 'twas adjudged my Muse and I
Should dedicate these as a salery
To merth and frends, that if again they stray
Into those parts they may not leese theyr way
Nor I their compagny: thus if I err
'Tis in becoming a Cosmographer
And Poet too, the first to show my care
That Frendship should not be irregular
The other is to beg by and my sute
You will graunt pardon wher you might confute.