but a

the cost of some who professed how much they had longed to see that day. Neither was it any news, upon this Guild day, to have the cathedral now open on all sides to be filled with musketeers, waiting for the major's return, drinking and tobaccoing as freely as if it had turned alehouse. Still I yet remained in my palace, though with poor retinue and means, but the house was held too good for me. Many messages were sent by Mr. Corbet to remove me thence; the first pretence was, that the committee, who now was at charge for a house to sit in, might make their daily session there, being a place both more public, roomy, and chargeless; the committee, after many consultations, resolved it convenient to remove thither, though many overtures and offers were made to the contrary. Mr. Corbet was impatient of my stay there, and procures and sends peremptory messages for my present dislodging. We desired to have some time allowed for providing some other mansion if we must needs be cast out of this; which my wife was so willing to hold that she offered (if the charge of the present committee house were the thing stood upon), she would be content to defray the sum of the rent of that house of her fifth part; but that might not be yielded; out we must, and that in three weeks warning, by Midsummer Day then approaching; so as we might have lain in the street, for aught I know, had not

хс BISHOP HALL'S HARD MEASURE.

the Providence of God so ordered it, that a neighbour in the close, one Mr. Gostlin, a widower, was content to void his house for us.

This hath been my measure, wherefore I know not, Lord, thou knowest who only canst remedy, and end, and forgive, or avenge this horrible oppression.

Scripsi, May 29,

1647.

JOS. NORVIC.

VIRGIDEMIARUM.

Sixe Bookes.

FIRST THREE BOOKES

OF

TOOTHLESS SATYRS.

1. POETICAL.

2. ACADEMICAL.

3. MORALL.

WITH THE

THREE LAST BOOKS

OF

BYTING SATYRES.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY THOMAS CREEDE,

FOR ROBERT DEXTER.

1597.

THE

AUTHOR TO THE READER*.

It is not for every one to relish a true and natural satire, being of itself, besides the nature and inbred bitterness and tartness of particulars, both hard of conceit and harsh of style, and therefore cannot but be unpleasing both to the unskilful and over-musical ear; the one being affected with only a shallow and easy matter, the other with a smooth and current disposition so that I well foresee in the timely publication of these my concealed satires, I am set upon the rack of many merciless and peremptory censures; which, sith the calmest and most plausible writer is almost fatally subject unto, in the curiosity of these nicer times, how may I hope to be exempted upon the occasion

* This in the Original Edition is placed at the End of the Volume, and called "A Postscript to the Reader," but having all the characteristics of a Preface, I have thought best to let it precede the Satires.