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Show n e E s o p. 2 Tra. W h y that's this: Our King Crcefus Is a very good Prince, as a M a n m a y fay: B u t - a - b u r . - T a x es are high, an't pleafe y o u ; a n d - a - p o o r M e n want M o n e y , d'ye fee m e : It's very hard, as w e think, that the Poor fhou'd work to maintain the Rich. If there were n o Taxes, w e fhou'd d o pretty well. j Tra. Taxes indeed are very burdenfome. Efop. I'll tell you a Story, Countrymen. Once on a time, the Hands and Feet, As Mutineers, grew mighty great ; They met, caball'd, and talk't of Treafin, They fwore by Jove they knew no Keafon The Belly fliou'd have all the Meat, It was a damn'd notorious Cheat, {eat They did the Work., and-Death and Hell, they The Belly who ador'd good Chear, Had like t'have dy'd away for fear: Quoth he, good Folks, you little know What 'tis you are about to do ; Lf 1 am ftarv'd, what will become of you ? We neither know nor care, cry'd they, But this we will be bold to fayy We'll fee you damn'd Before we'll work, And you receive the Pay. With that the Hands to Pocket went Full Wrift-band deep, The Legs and Feet fell faft afleep : Their Liberty they had redeem'd, And all except the Belly feem'd Extremely well content. But mark what follow'd ; 'twas not long Before the right became the wrong, The Mutineers were grown fo weak, They found 'twas more than time to fijueak: They call for Work, but 'twas too late. si E S 0 P. ^ ^ The Sumach (fifc an d .. Shrunk uh f„ wanf * , The common Debt of Nature pa,J ) A n d w , t h us Defimy entrain* d their Fate Efop. What think you of ,his flory> Friend< ha > Come YOU look ke wife Men i> }' ' ™ : wbf.for your good i„ 0fv n J 5 , * 5 > T U n d e f *"<» you fecure all The reft 1 1 1 I" °{ f* !'°">v e. L >J L mc/ * » the k m « had no Monev there con d be no Army, and if the^re were n o T m v ' your Enem.es wou'd be amongft you : One day's S bge won d be worfe than twenty Years Taxes !5 What fay you! Is t not fo ? 2 Tra. By my troth I think he's in the right on't sin. s ** fc again. W h o ' d think that little H u m p - b a c k of his Shou'd have fo m u c h Brains in't, Neighbour ? Efip Well, honeft M e n , is there any thing elfe that I can ferve y o u in ? D i Tra. D'ye hear that, Humphry ? - W h y that was civil now. But Courtiers feldom want Good-breeding; Let's give the Devil his due. Why, to tell you the truth, honeft Gentleman, we had a whole Budget full of Grievances to complain of. But I think--a-Ha, Neighbour? We had e'en as good let 'cm alone. i Tra. W h y good feath 1 think fo too, for by all I can fee, we are like to make no great bond on't. Be-fides, between thee and me, 1 begin to daubt, whether aur Grievances do us fuch a plaguy deal of Mifchief as we fancy. 2 Tra. Or put Cafe they did, Humphry; ITe afraid, he that goes to a Courtier, in hope to get fairly rid of 5em, may be faid (in aur Country Dialect) to take the wrong Sow by the Ear. But here's Neighbour Roger, he's a Wit, let's leave him to him. [Exeunt. Enter Roger, a Country Bumkin, looks ferioujly upon Efop j then burfts out a laughing. ty. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ; Did ever M e n behold the like ?• Ha, |