[Page 194]

MERRY ANDREW.

1 Sly Merry Andrew, the last Southwark Fair
2 (At Barthol'mew He did not much appear;
3 So peevish was the Edict of the May'r.)
4 At Southwark, therefore, as his Tricks He show'd,
5 To please our Masters, and his Friends, the Croud;
6 A huge Neats-Tongue He in his Right Hand held:
7 His Left was with a good Black-Pudding fill'd.
8 With a grave Look, in this odd Equipage,
9 The clownish Mimic traverses the Stage:
10 Why how now, Andrew! cries his Brother Droll,
11 To-Day's Conceit, methinks, is something dull:
12 Come on, Sir, to our worthy Friends explain,
13 What does Your Emblematic Worship mean?
14 Quoth Andrew; Honest English let Us speak:
15 Your Emble- (what d'ye call't?) is Heathen Greek.
16 To Tongue or Pudding Thou hast no Pretence:
17 Learning Thy Talent is; but Mine is Sense.
18 That busie Fool I was, which Thou art now;
19 Desirous to correct, not knowing how;
20 With very good Design, but little Wit,
21 Blaming or praising Things, as I thought fit.
22 I for this Conduct had what I deserv'd;
23 And dealing honestly, was almost starv'd.
24 But Thanks to my indulgent Stars, I Eat;
25 Since I have found the Secret to be Great.
26 O dearest Andrew, says the humble Droll,
27 Henceforth may I Obey, and Thou Controll:
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28 Provided Thou impart Thy useful Skill.
29 Bow then, says Andrew; and, for once, I will.
30 Be of your Patron's Mind, whate'er He says;
31 Sleep very much; Think little; and Talk less:
32 Mind neither Good nor Bad, nor Right nor Wrong;
33 But Eat your Pudding, Slave; and Hold your Tongue.
34 A Rev'rend Prelate stopt his Coach and Six,
35 To laugh a little at our Andrew's Tricks.
36 But when He heard him give this Golden Rule;
37 Drive on; (He cry'd) This Fellow is no Fool.

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Title (in Source Edition): MERRY ANDREW.
Author: Matthew Prior
Themes:
Genres: narrative verse

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Prior, Matthew, 1664-1721. Poems on Several Occasions [English poems only]. London: Printed for JACOB TONSON at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, and JOHN BARBER upon Lambeth-Hill. MDCCXVIII., 1718, pp. 194-195. [42],506,[6]p.: ill.; 2°. (ESTC T075639) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [H 6.8 Art.].)

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Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

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