On his deserving friend the Author.
Reading edition
Fletcher the King of Poets of his age,
In all his writings throughout every page
Made it his chiefest business to describe
The various humours of the canting-Tribe:
His Beggars-bush, and other of his Playes
Did gain to him (deservedly) the Bayes.
Nature and Art in him were both conjoyn’d;
None could ere say that his Wit was purloyn’d:
Neither is thine: he did all fancies fill,
From Kings and Queens, unto the Maid o’ th’ Mill;
And so canst thou, for thou hast here display’d
The Vices of each Sex, and every Trade.
Wherefore what he in his time wore, do thou
Put on, a Wreath of Bays t’ adorne thy brow.
F. K.
TO THE
READER,
In stead of the
ERRATA.
This Rogue hath had his faults, the Printers too;
All men whilst here do erre; and so may you.
THE
ENGLISH ROGUE,
Describ’d in the Life of a
Witty Extravagant.