Note 462 — EPIGRAMS BY J[ohn] D[avies].

'To Candidus. Friend Candidus, thou often doost demaund What humours men by gulling understand. Our English Martiall hath full pleasantly In his close nips describde a gull to thee: I'le follow him, and set downe my conceit What a gull is—oh, word of much receit! He is a gull whose indiscretion Cracks his purse-strings to be in fashion; He is a gull who is long in taking roote In barraine soyle where can be but small fruite; He is a gull who runnes himselfe in debt For twelue dayes' wonder, hoping so to get; He is a gull whose conscience is a block, Not to take interest, but wastes his stock; He is a gull who cannot haue a whore, But brags how much he spends upon her score; He is a gull that for commoditie Payes tenne times ten, and sells the same for three; He is a gull who, passing finicall, Peiseth each word to be rhetoricall; And, to conclude, who selfe-conceitedly Thinks al men guls, ther's none more gull then he.' Guilpin's Skialetheia, &c. 1598, Epig. 20." —Dyce.