They curse the formost, wee the hindmost, both
Accusing with like passion, hast, and sloth.
At last, upon a little towne wee fall,

Where some call drinke, and some a candle call:
Unhappy wee, such stragglers as wee are

Admire a candle oftner then a starre :

Wee care not for those glorious lampes a loofe,
Give us a tallow-light and a dry roofe.

And now wee have a guide wee cease to chafe,
And now w' have time to pray the rest be safe.
Our guide before cryes Come, and wee the while
Ride blindfold, and take bridges for a stile:
Till at the last wee overcame the darke,

And spight of night and errour hitt the marke.
Some halfe howre after enters the whole tayle,
As if they were committed to the jayle :
The constable, that tooke them thus divided,
Made them seeme apprehended, and not guided :
Where, when wee had our fortunes both detested,
Compassion made us friends, and so wee rested.

Twas quickly morning, though by our short stay
Wee could not find that wee had lesse to pay.
All travellers, this heavy judgement heare:
"A handsome hostesse makes the reckoning deare;"
Her smiles, her wordes, your purses must requite

them,

And every wellcome from her, adds an item.
Glad to be gon from thence at any rate,

For Bosworth wee are horst: Behold the state
Of mortall men! Foule Errour is a mother,

And, pregnant once, doth soone bring forth an other:

Wee, who last night did learne to loose our way,
Are perfect since, and farther out next day.
And in a forrest* having travell❜d sore,

Like wandring Bevis ere hee found the bore;
Or as some love-sick lady oft hath donne,

Ere shee was rescued by the Knight of th' Sunne :
Soe are wee lost, and meeté no comfort then

But carts and horses, wiser then the men.

Leister forrest.

Which is the way? They neyther speake nor

point;

Their tongues and fingers both were out of joynt: Such monsters by Coal-Orton bankes there sitt, After their resurrection from the pitt.

Whilst in this mill wee labour and turne round
As in a conjurers circle, William found

A menes for our deliverance: Turne your cloakes,
Quoth hee, for Puck is busy in these oakes:
If ever yee at Bosworth will be found,

Then turne your cloakes, for this is Fayry-ground.
But, ere this witchcraft was perform'd, wee mett
A very man, who had no cloven feete;

Though William, still of little faith, doth doubt Tis Robin, or some sprite that walkes about Strike him, quoth hee, and it will turne to ayre; Crosse your selves thrice and strike it : Strike that

dare,

Thought I, for sure this massy forrester

In stroakes will prove the better conjurer.

But twas a gentle keeper, one that knew
Humanity, and manners where they grew ;
And rode along soe farr till he could say,
See yonder Bosworth stands, and this your way.
And now when wee had swett 'twixt sunn and

sunn,

And eight miles long to thirty broad had spun ; Wee learne the just proportion from hence

Of the diameter and circumference.

That night yet made amends; our meat and

sheetes

Were farr above the promise of those streetes ; Those howses, that were tilde with straw and

mosse,

Profest but weake repaire for that dayes losse
Of patience : yet this outside lets us know,
The worthyest things make not the bravest show:
The shott was easy; and what concernes us more,
The way was so ; mine host doth ride before.

Mine host was full of ale and history;

And on the morrow when hee brought us nigh

Where the two Roses * joyn'd, you would sup

pose,

Chaucer nere made the Romant of the Rose.

Heare him. See yee yon wood? There Richard

lay,

With his whole army: Looke the other way, And loe where Richmond in a bed of gorsse Encampt himselfe oré night, and all his force : Upon this hill they mett. Why, he could tell The inch where Richmond stood, where Richard

fell:

Besides what of his knowledge he could say,

He had authenticke notice from the Play;
Which I might guesse, by's mustring up the ghosts,
And policyes, not incident to hosts;

But cheifly by that one perspicuous thing,

Where he mistooke a player for a king.