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October

IT is now October, and the lofty windes make. bare the trees of their leaves, while the hogs in the Woods grow fat with the falne Acorns: the forward Deere begin to goe to rut, and the barren Doe groweth good meat: the Basket-makers now gather their rods, and the fishers laye their leapes in the deepe: the loade horses goe apace to the Mill, and the Meal-market is seldome without people: the Hare on the hill makes the Greyhound a faire course, & the Foxe in the woods cals the Hounds to a full cry: the multitude of people raiseth the price of wares, and the smooth tongue will sell much the Saylor now bestirreth his stumps, while the Merchant liveth in feare of the weather the great feasts are now at hand for the City, but the poore must not beg for feare of the stockes; a fire and a paire of Cards keepe the ghests in the Ordinary, and Tobacco is held very precious for the Rhewme: The Coaches now begin to rattle in the Street: but the cry of the poore is unpleasing to the rich: Muffes and Cuffes are now in request, and the shuttel-Cocke with the Battel-doore is a pretty house-exercise: Tennis & Baloune are sports of some charge, and a quicke bandy is the Courtkeepers commodity: dancing and fencing are now in some use, and kind hearts and true Lovers lye close to keep off cold: the Titmouse now keepes in the hollow tree, and the black bird sits close in the bottome of a hedge: In briefe, for the fresh pleasure I find in it, I thus conclude of it: I hold it a Messenger of ill newes, and a second service to a cold dinner. Farewell.

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It is now November, and according to the old Proverbe, Let the Thresher take his flayle, and the ship no more sayle: for the high winds and the rough seas will try the ribs of the Shippe and the hearts of the Sailers: Now come the Countrey people all wet to the Market, and the toyling Carriers are pittifully moyled: The yong Herne and the Shoulerd are now fat for the great Feast, and the Woodcocke begins to make toward the Cockeshoot: the Warriners now beginne to plie their harvest, and the Butcher, after a good bargaine drinkes a health to the Grasier: the Cooke and the Comfitmaker make ready for Christmas, and the Minstrels in the Countrey, beat their boyes for false fingring Schollers before breakfast have a cold stomacke to their bookes, and a Master without Art is fit for an A. B. C. A red herring and a cup of Sacke, make warre in a weake stomacke, and the poore mans fast is better then the Gluttons surfet: Trenchers and dishes are now necessary servants, and a locke to the Cubboord keepes a bit for a neede: Now beginnes the Goshawke to weede the wood of the Phesant, and the Mallard loues not to heare the belles of the Faulcon: The Winds now are cold, and the Ayre chill, and the poore die through want of Charitie: Butter and Cheese beginne to rayse their prices, and Kitchen stuffe is a commoditie, that every man is not acquainted with. In summe, with a conceit of the chilling cold of it, I thus conclude in it: I hold it the discomfort of Nature, and Reasons patience. Farewell.

December

IT is now December, & hee that walkes the streets, shall find durt on his shooes, except hee goe all in bootes: Now doth the Lawyer make an end of his harvest, and the Client of his purse: Now Capons and Hennes, besides Turkies, Geese and Duckes, besides Beefe and Mutton, must all die for the great feast, for in twelve dayes a multitude of people will not bee fed with a little: Now plummes and spice, Sugar and Honey, square it among pies and broth, and Gossip I drinke to you, and you are welcome, and I thanke you, and how doe you, and I pray you bee merrie: Nowe are the Taylors and the Tiremakers full of worke against the Holidayes, and Musicke now must bee in tune, or else never: the youth must dance and sing, and the aged sit by the fire. It is the Law of Nature, and no Contradiction in reason: The Asse that hath borne all the yeare, must now take a little rest, and the leane Oxe must feed till hee bee fat: the Footman now shall have many a foule step, and the Ostler shall haue worke enough about the heeles of the Horses, while the Tapster, if hee take not heed, will lie drunke in the Seller: The prices of meat will rise apace, and the apparell of the proud will make the Taylor rich: Dice and Cardes, will benefit the Butler: And if the Cooke doe not lacke wit, hee will sweetly licke his fingers: Starchers and Launderers will have their hands full of worke, and Periwigs and painting will not be a little set by, strange stuffes will bee well sold, strange tales well told, strange sights much sought, strange things much bought, and what else as fals out.

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To conclude, I hold it the costly Purveyour of Excesse, and the after breeder of necessitie, the practice of Folly, and the Purgatory of Reason. Farewell.

GEORGE WITHER (1588-1667)

The Schollers Purgatory, Discovered In the Stationers Commonwealth.... By Geo: Wither.... Imprinted for the Honest Stationers. [London, 1625], 8vo. The Schollers Purgatory is a vigorous account of the quarrel between Wither and the Stationers' Company. Wither had obtained a Royal privilege to print his Hymnes

Songs of the Church, and the Stationers had thereupon ' uncivelly abused him,' so jealous were they when a private author, not being a stationer, thus occasionally derived some profit from his books. As a rule the author sold his work outright.

Wither concludes his case with these two attractive sketches, written with vivid sincerity.

An honest Stationer

AN honest Stationer is he, that exercizeth his Mystery (whether it be in printing, bynding, or selling of Bookes) with more respect to the glory of God, & the publique advantage, then to his owne commodity: & is both an ornament, & a profitable member in a civill Commonwealth. He is the Caterer that gathers provision to satisfy the curious appetite of the Soule, & is carefull to his powre that whatsoever he provides shalbe such as may not poyson or distemper the understanding. And, seeing the State intrusteth him with the disposing of those Bookes, which may both profitt & hurt, as they are applyed, (like a discreet Apothecary in selling poysnous druggs) he observes by whom, & to what purpose, such bookes are likely to be bought up, before he will deliver them out

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