And in their confciences feel pain

Some days before a shower of rain:

He, therefore, wifely cast about

415

All ways he could, t' infure his throat,

Ver. 420.] Sir A. Ashley Cooper was of the miller's mind who was concerned in the Cornish rebellion in the year 1558 he, apprehending that Sir William Kingston, Provoft-marshal, and a rigorous man upon that occafion, would order him to be hanged upon the next tree before he went off, told his fervant that he expected fome gentlemen would come a-fishing to the mill, and, if they inquired for the miller, he ordered him to say that he was the miller. Sir William came according to expectation, and inquiring for the miller, the poor harmless fervant faid he was the miller. Upon which the Provost ordered his fervants to feize him, and hang him upon the next tree; which terrified the poor fellow, and made him cry out, I am not the miller, but the miller's man. The Provost told him, "That "he would take him at his word: if (fays he) thou "art the miller, thou art a bufy knave and rebel ;"and if thou art the miller's man, thou art a falfe ly"ing knave, and canft not do thy mafter more fervice "than to hang for him :" and, without more ceremony, he was executed.

Ver. 421.] This character exactly fuits John Lil

burn,

An haberdafher of fmall wares

In politics and state-affairs;

More Jew than Rabbi Achithophel,

And better gifted to rebel;

For when h' had taught his tribe to 'spouse

The Caufe, aloft upon one house,

425.

He fcorn'd to fet his own in order,

But try'd another, and went further;
So fuddenly addicted still

430

To 's only principle, his will,

That, whatfoe'er it chanc'd to prove,
Nor force of argument could move,

burn, and no other, efpecially the 437, 438, 439, and 440th lines for it was faid of him, when living, by Judge Jenkins, "That if the world was emptied of "all but himself, Lilburn would quarrel with John, "and John with Lilburn :" which part of his character. gave occafion for the following lines at his death;

Is John departed, and is Lilburn gone?
Farewell to both, to Lilburn and to John..
Yet, being dead, take this advice from me,
Let them not both in one grave buried be:
Lay John here, and Lilburn thereabout,

For if they both fhould meet they would fall out.

And rather on a gibbet dangle,

Than mifs his dear delight, to wrangle;

440

In which his parts were fo accomplisht,

That, right or wrong, he ne'er was nonplust ;

But still his tongue ran on, the less

Of weight it bore, with greater ease;
And with its everlasting clack

445

Set all men's ears upon the rack.
No fooner could a hint appear,

But up he started to picqueer,

And made the stoutest yield to mercy,

When he engag'd in controverfy;

450

Could lay his devil of conteft:

It was his choice, or chance, or curfe,
T'efpoufe the Caufe for better or worse,

And

Some for the Rump; and fome, more crafty,

For Agitators, and the Safety:

Some for the Gospel, and maffacres
Of fpiritual Affidavit-makers,

regence

That fwore to any human
Oaths of fupremacy and allegiance;
Yea, though the ableft fwearing Saint,
That vouch'd the bulls o' th' Covenant:
Others for pulling down th' high-places
Of Synods and Provincial Classes,

275

280

That

and took up a fword, and was made a colonel; was inftrumental in raifing Cromwell to the Protectorship; upon which he was made one of his council, a General at fea, and Major-general of divers counties of the weft; and was one of Oliver's upper houfe. His annual income was 32367. 135. 4 d.

Ibid. Lambert.] Lambard, in the first edition 1678 Altered 1684. He was one of the Rump Generals, and a principal oppofer of General Monk in the Restoration of King Charles II. The writer of the Narrative of the late Parliament fo called, 1657, p. 9. obferves, "That Major general Lambert, as one of Oliver's council, had 1000l. per annum, which, with his "other places, in all amounted to 65127. 35. 4 d."

Ver. 272. Agitators.] In 1647, the Army made choice of a fet number of officers, which they called the General Council of Officers; and the common foldiers made choice of three or four of each regiment, moftly corporals and ferjeants, who were called by the name of Agitators, and were to be a Houfe of Comnons to the council of officers: thefe drew up a Declaration, that they would not be difbanded till their arrears were paid, and a full provision made for liberty

of confcience.

That us'd to make fuch hoftile inroads
Upon the Saints, like bloody Nimrods:
Some for fulfilling Prophecies,
And th' extirpation of th' Excife;
And fome againft th' Egyptian bondage
Of Holy-days, and paying Poundage :
Some for the cutting down of Groves,
And rectifying bakers' Loaves;
And fome for finding out expedients
Against the flavery of Obedience:
Some were for Gospel-minifters,
And fome for Red-coat feculars,

As men most fit t' hold-forth the Word,
And wield the one and th' other fword:
Some were for carrying on the Work

285

290

295

Against the Pope, and fome the Turk :

Some for engaging to fupprefs

The camifado of Surplices,

That Gifts and Dispensations hinder'd,

And turn'd to th' outward man the inward;

300

More proper for the cloudy night

Of Popery than Gospel-light:

Others were for abolishing

That tool of matrimony, a Ring,

With which th' unfanctify'd bridegroom..

305

Is marry'd only to a thumb

(As wife as ringing of a pig,

That us'd to break up ground, and dig) ; ·

The

That

Ver. 308. That us'd to.] That is to, edition 1678.