ABOUT three hundred and twenty years since, or thereabouts, (I think in the reign of King Richard the Second) there was a gift given to the Tower, or to the Lieutenants thereof, for the time then and for ever being, which gift was two black Leather Bottles, or Bombards of wine, from every ship that brought wine into the river of Thames; the which hath so continued until this day, but the merchants finding themselves aggrieved lately, because they thought the Bottles were made bigger than they were formerly wont to be, did wage law with the Lieutenant (Sir Gervis Helwis by name) in which suit the Lieutenant had been overthrown, but for such witnesses as I found that knew his right for a long time in their own knowledge. But I having had the gathering of these wines for many years, was at last discharged from my place because I would not buy it, which because it was never bought or sold before, I would not or durst not venture upon so unhonest a novelty, it being sold indeed at so high a rate, that whoso bought it must pay thrice the value of it: whereupon I took occasion to take leave of the Bottles in this following Poem, in which the reader must be very melancholy, if the reading thereof do not make him very merry. JOHN TAYLOR. TAYLOR'S FAREWELL TO THE TOWER-BOTTLES. Y your leave Gentlemen, I'll make some Although I venture half a hanging for 't: To grace some better business with my rhyme, (a) The 9 Muse. Plain home-spun stuff shall now proceed from me, The pie. Much like unto the picture of we (6) three. ture of two fools, and the third looking And now I talk of three, just three we are, on, I do fitly theek Two false Black bottles, and myself at jar. two black Bottles and myself. And reader when you read our cause of strife, Yet first here down I think it fit to set By what means first, I with those Bottles met. And lived in a contented happy state. Then turn'd the whirling wheel of fickle Fate, Did freely, and for nothing turn my trade. Ten (e) edhe And (c) glean'd great Bacchus blood from France two Bottles, being in quantity six gallons from every ship and Spain, that brought Few ships my visitation did escape, wines up the Thames. river of That brought the sprightful liquor of the grape : My Bottles and myself did oft agree, (d)The wines had been continually brought into Full to the top all merry came We three. Yet always 'twas my chance in Bacchus spite the Lieuten To come into the Tower unfox'd' upright. ant's cellar of the Tower for 316 years and never But as men's thoughts a world of ways do range, sold till now So as Lieutenants chang'd, did customs (d) change: of laterithin this four or five years. UNFOX'D.-i.e., not drunk. The ancient use us'd many years before, I am well sure it cost me thirty pound Rather than I would branded be with shame, And bear the burthen of desertless blame, To be an owl, contemptuously bewondered. (e) It was sol at these hard rates by another Lieutenant, (an honest religious gentleman, and a good housekeeper) by the persuasions of some of his double diligent servants (f) Against all the world I oppose myself in this point, but yet I purpose to conjess more than any man can accuse me of. (9) Except he were a fool, or a mad man. I would (h) give threescore, fourscore, or a hundred. I did hear For I did vow, although I were undone, I would redeem my credit overrun, that that Lieutenant was to leave his place which made me bargain seith him at And 'tis much better in a jail to rot, any price, in hope that he would not stay the full receiving. which fell out as I wished it. (i) That Lieutenant left his place, To suffer begg'ry, slavery, or what not, Than to be blasted with that wrong of wrongs, Hoisted aloft unto this mounting tax, Bound fast in bonds in parchment and with wax, pay. But so who buys the place, and means to thrive, It is an office no true man can buy. For till at such an extreme rate I bought, That from my heavy bonds I should be (i) freed: by which Which if I ever come into again, was eased of my hard payments. Let hanging be the guerdon for my pain. By thi Then the (4) old custom did again begin, Lieutenant that now is. And to the Tower I brought the Bottles in, |