On the University Carrier, who fickn'd in the time of bis vacancy, being forbid to go to London, by reason of the Plague.

H

ERE lies old Hobson, Death hath broke his gist,
And here, alas! hath laid him in the dirt,

Or else the ways being foul, twenty to one,
He's here stuck in a flough, and overthrown.
'Twas such a shifter, that if truth were known,
Death was half glad when he had got him down;
For he had any time this ten years full,
Dodg'd with him, betwixt Cambridge and the Bull.
And furely Death could never have prevail'd,
Had not his weekly course of carriage fail'd;
But lately finding him so long at home,
And thinking now his journeys end was come,
And that he had ta'ne up his latest Inn,
In the kind Office of a Chamberlin

Shew'd him his room where he must lodge that night,
Pull'd of his Boots, and took away the light:
If any ask for him, it shall be faid,
Hobson has supt, and's newly gone to bed..

Another on the Same.

H

ERE lieth one, who did most truly prove
That he could never die while he could move,

So hung his destiny, never to rot

While he might still jogg on and keep his trot,

Made of sphear-metal, never to decay

Until his revolution was at stay.

Time numbers motion, yet (without a crime

'Gainst old truth) motion number'd out his time:
And like an Engine mov'd with wheel and waight,
His principles being ceast, he ended strait.
Rest, that gives all men life, gave him his death,
And too much breathing put him out of breath;
Nor were it contradiction to affirm
Too long vacation hasten'd on his term,
Meerly to drive the time away he sickn'd,
Fainted, and died, nor would with Ale be quickn'd;
Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed out-stretch'd,
If I mayn't carry, fure I'll ne'er be fetch'd,
But vow, though the cross Doctors all stood hearers,
For one Carrier put down to make fix bearers.
Ease was his chief disease, and to judge right,
He dy'd for heaviness that his Cart went light,
His leisure told him that his time was come,
And lack of load, made his life burdensom,
That even to his last breath (there be that say't)
As he were prest to death, he cry'd more waight;
But had his doings lasted as they were,
He had been an immortal Carrier.
Obedient to the Moon he spent his date
In course reciprocal, and had his fate
Link'd to the mutual flowing of the Seas,
Yet (strange to think) his wain was his increase: