Mr. LEWYS GRIFFIN.
Reading edition
He was born (as he informed me himself) in Rutland shire, and bred up in the University of Cambridge; where proving an Excellent Preacher, he was after some time preferred to be a Minister of St. George's Church in Southwark; where being outed for Marrying two Sisters without their Friends Consent, He was afterwards beneficed at Colchester in Essex; where he continued all the time during a sore Pestilence raged there. He wrote a Book of Essays and Characters, an excellent Piece; also The Doctrine of the Ass, of which I remember these two lines.
Devils pretences always were Divine, A Knave may have an Angel for a Sign.
He wrote also a Book called The Presbyterian Bramble; with several other Pieces, in Defence of the King and the Church. Now to shew you the Acuteness of his Wit, I will give you an Instance: The first year that Poor Robin's Almanack came forth (about Six and Twenty Years ago) there was cut for it a Brass Plate; having on one side of it the Pictures of King Charles the First, the Earl of Stafford, the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Darby, the Lord Capel, and Dr. Hewit; all six adorned with Wreaths of Lawrel. On the other side was, Oliver Cromwell, Bradshaw, Ireton, Scot, Harrison, and Hugh Peters, hanging in Halters: Betwixt which was placed the Earl of Essex, and Mr. Christopher Love; upon which plate he made these Verses.
Bless us, what have we here! What sundry Shapes Salute our Eyes! have Martyrs too their Apes? Sure 'tis the War of Angels, for you'd Swear That here stood Michael, and the Dragon there. Tredescan is out vy'd, for we engage Both Heaven and Hell in an Octavo Page. Martyrs and Traytors, rallied six to six, Half fled unto Olimpus, half to Styx. Joyn'd with two Neuters, some Condemn, some Praise, They hang betwixt the Halters and the Bayes; For 'twixt Nolls Torment, and Great Charles's Glory, There, there's the Presbyterian purgatory.
He died (as I am informed) at Colcester, about the Year of our Lord 1670.