<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2012-07-18</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Pip Willcox</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch Z120611.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="A25590">
<STC T="W">A3406</STC>
<STC T="C">R828</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">11946400</BIBNO>
<VID>51322</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>AN ANSWER TO THE Dragon and Gra&s;hopper, In a <HI>Dialogue</HI> between an Old Monkey AND A Young Weazel At the <HI>Three Cranes Tavern</HI> in the <HI>Poultry,</HI> where they are daily to be &s;een.</P>
<P>AS ALSO Some Remarks upon the <HI>Am&s;terdam</HI> and <HI>London</HI> AESOP's.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed in the Year, 1698.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="answer">
<PB N="2" REF="2">
<HEAD>ANSWER TO THE <HI>Dragon</HI> and <HI>Gra&s;hopper,</HI> &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>THE repeated Rumours of &s;o many <HI>Ae&s;op</HI>'s <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Amr&s;trdam, Tunbridge, Bath, White-Hall, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> &s;peaking thro' the feigned Mouths of <HI>A&s;&s;es Wo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> Foxes, Dogs, Owls,</HI> &amp;c. And la&s;t of all dead <HI>D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">|ons</HI> and <HI>Gra&s;hoppers,</HI> hath &s;o animated an Old <HI>Monkey</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> a Young <HI>Weazel,</HI> at the <HI>Three-Crain-Tavern</HI> in the <HI>P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|try,</HI> that they are re&s;olved to &s;peak as well as the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> and thereupon la&s;t <HI>Saturday</HI> began a &s;erious Confere<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> which is not yet ended, where any Per&s;on who has <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> curio&s;ity, may there be further &s;atisfied by occular <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">+mon&s;tration. However, what has hitherto pa&s;&s;ed <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">+tween them, I have here in&s;erted, which for diver<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;ake, I hope will be accepted.</P>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>How now little Animal; why &s;o bold to enter <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Cabbin without asking my leave?</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Mo&s;t Reverend Sir, I have been lately &s;urprized in a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> therefore pray pardon my Silence, for oftentimes Traps are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> for Words, us well us <HI>Wolves</HI> and <HI>Weazles.</HI></P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>'Tis very true; But that's not the An&s;wer to my Que<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|on: I ask you once more, why you came here, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> what cau&s;e? for it is not ordinary for a <HI>Weazel</HI> an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> <HI>Monkey</HI> to be A&s;&s;ociates, e&s;pecially in a Tavern.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Sir, with &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to your grave Wor&s;hip, I am <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> up an Extranordinary Me&s;&s;age, no le&s;s than in the Quality of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ba&s;&s;ador from that High and Mighty Strte-Animal <HI>Menheer <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">+a&s;hopper,</HI> on the <HI>Royal Exchange</HI> in <HI>Cornhill.</HI></P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Oh, high Preferment indeed! But Cou&s;in, you mi|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">e the Per&s;on and Place too, your bu&s;ine&s;s, I &s;uppo&s;e, with the <HI>Dragon</HI> on <HI>Bow-Steeple,</HI> for you Ma&s;ter and he <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">e had a great Controver&s;ie of late; but I fear thou art <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> humble a Creature to approach his Prefence, he's <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ud and lofty.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WAEZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>I know his Di&s;po&s;ition well enough; however my bu&s;ine&s;s pre&s;ent is not with him, but to acquaint thee that there is a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">aty of Peace on Foot between them, therefore I leave thee approach his pre&s;ence; for my part, I have not the are on &s;o much as to think of it.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY</SPEAKER>
<P>Hey, hey, what is it come to that, to make choice a <HI>Monkey</HI> for Mediator? Sure the <HI>Bear that beat the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">um,</HI> might have been thought more worthy of that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">nour, for he &s;peaks their Language better than I can.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> is true, Mon&s;ieue <HI>Dragon</HI> gave that Creaturea favour|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">e Character at their la&s;t Conference, but <HI>Menheer Gra&s;hop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="4 letters"></HI> rejected him as a Counterfeiter, and not as a true Imitator of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">ir Speech and Actions, and made choice of thee, a wi&s;e, &s;o <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Creature, every way qualified for &s;uch a mighty un-dertaking.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>So, &s;o, Cou&s;ion, I find the Old Proverb true with a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">ne&s;s, <HI>viz,</HI> Like Ma&s;ter, like Man. I &s;ee thou ha&s;t learn
<PB N="4" REF="3">their Art of Flattery to a Hairs-breadth; but no wond<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> when <HI>Gra&s;hoppers</HI> are advanced, if <HI>VVeazels</HI> Chatter <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Authority. However, to be plain with thee, I don<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> care to meddle with two &s;uch lofty Figures, for they a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> both Damnable brazen-&s;ac'd, and will &s;tand to nothing long, let their Promi&s;es be never &s;o fair, they being <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Nature un&s;teady and mutable; and indeed 'tis in vain <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> expect any other from two Weather-Cocks, who are &s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|ect to be turn'd by every &s;huft of Wind.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Mo&s;t grave Sir, pray be not Angry with me, for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> charging my Office; tho' they be mutuble, let us be fix'd; If t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> are lofty, we are lowly; If they are proud, let us be humble If they quarrel, let us agree; If they contend we'll conform; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> them hate, we'll love one another; If they he Hypocrites, we'll <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Hone&s;t; Therefore by my Con&s;ent, let's (now we are thus luc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|net) divers our &s;elves only with &s;ome private (th' innoce<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> di&s;cour&s;e, laugh at their Folly, and leave them to them&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ver.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>With all my Heart; but before we proceed, tell <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> your Opinion, (for I know you are Cunning enoug<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> what People will &s;ay, if it &s;hould be known that the <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|key</HI> and <HI>VVeazel</HI> have been Di&s;cour&s;ing together, beca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> 'twill not be believed that bea&s;t have the Gift of Speaking.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL,</SPEAKER>
<P>VVhy, if it comes to that, I'll &s;peak through the Lang<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> of <HI>Balaam</HI>'s A&s;s, in the very Face of them: Nay and more <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> that, if &s;ome &s;hould be &s;o Athei&s;tically ob&s;tinate, and account <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Fictious and too far fetch'd, I'll come nearer home, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> them&s;everal Speaking A&s;&s;es under their own Roofs; tho' per<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> far &s;hort of <HI>Balaam's</HI> A&s;s for under&s;tanding; for &s;he never <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> but when &s;he had occa&s;ion, but tho&s;e do it when they have <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> therefore why not thee and I for our Diver&s;ion?</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Hah, hah, ha! thou art a Creature of a very plea&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">
<PB N="5" REF="3"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nver&s;ation; thou ha&s;t now hit the Nail on the Head <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 words"> &s;ince I have avoided that trouble&s;ome Task of being <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">diator between tho&s;e who are never like to agree, let <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">eave off this <HI>A&s;s-like</HI> talk, and return again to them <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hat</HI> thinke&s;t thou of this high advanced &s;pungy Animal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> In&s;ect, the <HI>Gra&s;hopper?</HI></P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>You or I may think of him what we will; I am &s;ure the People <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> gone after him, and he now plainly tell you in what Gor|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> the VVind &s;tands.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>How? the People gone after him! I hope not &s;o far, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">t they may find the way back again, notwith&s;tanding <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">i&s;ts, Fogs, and Bad VVeather, which have lately hap|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ned; and as for his Directing where the winds &s;its, <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">-Steeple Dragon</HI> will perform that, if not better; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> in my Opinion it goes much Truer, tho' not &s;o well as <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;hould do.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>No wonder if they Err in their true Cour&s;e, when they conti|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ually Jar one again&s;t another; for tho' they are turn'd both with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">e Wind, yet one Wind doth not always turn them. I remember <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> other Day at their Di&s;pute, the <HI>Gra&s;hopper</HI> boa&s;tingly told <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">he <HI>Dragon</HI> to his Face, that &s;he and her Sons had Out-witted <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">im, by leaping over his Stumbling-blocks, meaning Oaths, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">acraments, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> or indeed any thing el&s;e that lies in their way <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">o Greatne&s;s.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Well, and 'tis not yet forgotten &s;ince they both took Hands, (but now farther a&s;&s;under) and leap'd over a Dreadful Stumbling-block by one Con&s;ent, though I be|lieve one of them (but I won't &s;ay which) Repents the Bargain. I &s;uppo&s;e you under&s;tand my meaning.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="6" REF="4">
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Yaw, Menheer <HI>Monkey;</HI> but Divines tell us that late R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|pentance is very Dangerous, e&s;pecially when the Sinner's ca&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> de&s;perate and deplorable: But I have no skill in Divinity therefore leave your Wor&s;hip to make the Application</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>All that I &s;hall &s;ay <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> it, is, that tho' late Repentance<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> not commendable, nor to be tru&s;ted too, yet it is bette<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> than never, tho' many times <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> proves a great O<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">|&s;tacle to it, aad &s;ometimes <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> it: But what is it <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> thee and I, let them look to that.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL</SPEAKER>
<P>Nay, for my part, it &s;han't troubl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word">, nor I <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> will <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;ome of them much; However, out of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span">, I <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> but pity their wilful Ra&s;hne&s;s, (I was going <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">o &s;ay Ignorance <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> but con&s;idering that &s;ome (nay<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> many) of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> &s;o plent<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">+fully endowed with the Gifts of Natural as <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 span"> Qua<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">+fications, they may ju&s;tly be acquitted from all manner of Su&s;piti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> of being guilty of the latter, tho' not altogether from the former<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"></P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Why, prethe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> no Body accu&s;eth them either of th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> one or the other, unle&s;s it be their own Con&s;cience, an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> perhaps many of them are Pi&s;tol-proof again&s;t that to<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> for having a&s;&s;umed the Nature of weather-Cocks, a Stor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> can but turn them, and a Calm finds them as the la&s;t win<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> left 'em; therefore here's (&s;eeming) Safety enough, o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> would think, notwith&s;tanding the many <HI>Scare-Crow<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> which often hover over (nay, and &s;ometimes light upon <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> their Heads, to theirs as well as others Amazement.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Pray Mr. <HI>Monkey,</HI> let us leave the&s;e Weather-C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ck Storie<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> and Di&s;cour&s;e a little of the Times: Pray what News is n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> on foot?</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Truly none at all, as I heare of, for the Di&s;cour&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> turn'd into <HI>Fables</HI> and <HI>Fictions;</HI> all the Talk is, that O<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters">
<PB N="7" REF="4"><HI>Ae&s;op</HI> that <HI>Fablemonger,</HI> was lately &s;eized at <HI>Tunbridge,</HI> his <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">dget rifled, and all his Papers expo&s;ed; a-mong which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ere found (as &s;ome &s;ay) both Truth and Trea&s;on, but &s;o <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">nningly Interwoven, as they could &s;carcely be di&s;cerned <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">om one another. However, the Old Blade was &s;o Criti|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> upon his Examination, that he was judged Lunatick, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nd &s;o committed to <HI>Bedlam</HI> (not <HI>Newgate</HI>) &s;ince which, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">ree more <HI>Ae&s;op</HI>'s have &s;tarced up from <HI>Bath, VVhite-hall,</HI> and <HI>Am&s;terdam,</HI> who all &s;peak through the <HI>A&s;s, Lyon, Dog, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">Volf; Fox, Gra&s;hopper, Ant, Owl, Bat,</HI> &amp;c. forcing the&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">armle&s;s and &s;en&s;ele&s;s Bea&s;ts and Animals &s;peak tho&s;e Truths which them&s;elves dare not own. This is all the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ews which I hear.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>But among all the&s;e Brutes, I hear neither of the <HI>Monkey</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Weazel</HI> &s;o much as mentioned; therefore to put a &s;top to the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">urther Ri&s;e of any of the&s;e perilous bold Fellows, we'll &s;peak for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">r &s;elves, otherwi&s;e they'l have a fling at us, by laying Magical <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">harms upon us, to &s;peak Trea&s;on when we think none, which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ill bring us into Scandal, and down-right Contempt.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Ay, but we'll keep out of their reach, for while they <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;e their Slanderous Tongues, we'll u&s;e our Wits to a|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">oid them. However by the by, I'll tell thee a Secret which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ne of the&s;e <HI>Ae&s;op</HI>'s di&s;covered t'other Day to a Friend of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ine, that a &mdash;of the <HI>Gra&s;hoppers</HI> Gang, was to have his <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">eeth drawn very &s;hortly, which if true, (which I don't <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">uch doubt of) the poor &s;tragling half &s;tarv'd Sheep will <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ettle again, and feed upon their Old Common without <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ear; for tho' he may &s;till hunt them, he can't hurt them, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">nd indeed he may Bark, but not Bite 'em.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>This is brave News indeed; but &s;ome <HI>Ae&s;op</HI>'s &s;ay that another <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">ill come in his Room, who has Teeth as big as the former, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter">hich if &s;o, he may bite too, if he plea&s;es.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<PB N="8" REF="5">
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Ay, but he's quite of another Nature, (as I am inform<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> being Mild, VVi&s;e, Peaceable, Prudent and Charitab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> be&s;ides, he's a great Friend to the <HI>Dragon,</HI> therefore con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters">|quently of different temper from any of the <HI>Gra&s;hop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> Society.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>I am glad to hear of it with all my Heart, for it is not <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> unrea&s;onable, but quite oppo&s;it to the order of Nature for <HI>Gra&s;hop|pers</HI> to in&s;ult over <HI>Dragons.</HI> Well, Reverend Mr. <HI>Monk<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> &s;ince &s;uch plea&s;ant and de&s;irable News as this has reach'd <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Ears, (if it &s;eems agreeable to your Gravity) now we are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> Tavern, we'll &s;hake off our Bea&s;tly Nature, and rejoyce ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 letter"> Gla&s;s of Sack, like human Creatures; for we are Branche<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> the Creation as well as they.</P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>MONKEY.</SPEAKER>
<P>Why, truly tho' I am not naturally given to Exce&s;s, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"> I was never &s;o preci&s;ely Nice, as to deny any Inno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> Diver&s;ion, e&s;pecially on &s;uch a happy occa&s;ion as thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> But methinks, to compleat our Joy, a Loyal Drink<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> Song, commonly call'd a <HI>Health,</HI> would be very &s;ea&s;onab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> but I'll leave you to that, for my Voice is very unplea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"></P>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>WEAZEL.</SPEAKER>
<P>Indeed, Sir, I can't boa&s;t neither, of making any Harm<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"> Sound, yet rather than we'll lo&s;e this favourable Opportu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"> I'll do the be&s;t I can for a Conclu&s;ion.</P>
<LG>
<L>Here's a Health to tho&s;e Boys</L>
<L>That are Loyal t'th' King,</L>
<L>To the <HI>Dragon</HI> advancing,</L>
<L>VVho&s;e Prai&s;e<HI>'s</HI> we'll Sing:</L>
<L>He our Church now revives,</L>
<L>Drink about by Con&s;ent,</L>
<L>VVe &s;hall Lead happy Lives</L>
<L>Can we be but Content.</L>
<L>Then the Gla&s;s to the Bri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="2 letters"></L>
<L>Fill it up with all ha&s;t, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>And in Sack let us &s;wim; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>For the time it will wa&s;t, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>And while <HI>Gra&s;hopper</HI> Ze<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"></L>
<L>Do with Envy repine, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>VVe will Chear up our <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="1 word"></L>
<L>VVith the Juice of the V<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="pdcc" EXTENT="3 letters"></L>
</LG>
</SP>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
