The Author subscribes himself "Yours under the cullors of your love, THOMAS DEKKER." This is in Black Letter, and in the Museum. GREEVOUS GRONES FOR THE POORE. "GREEVOUS GRONES FOR THE POORE. Done by a Well Wisher, who wisheth that the Poore of England might be so provided for, as none should neede to go a begging within this Realme. The poore afflicted are, So that they perish fast; Then ruine comes at last. Printed for Michael Sparre. 1622.” In the printed Catalogue of the British Museum this Tract is assigned to Dekker, but I know not on what authority. It is inscribed, by the Printer, to the Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, and worthy Company of the Virginia and Sommer Iland Plantations. He calls it a poore fatherless Volumne. It is of no great importance. Besides the above, I have heard of the following works assigned to this Author. THOMAS "THOMAS OF READING, or the six worthy Yeomen of the West; now six Times corrected and enlarged, by T. D. 12mo. 1632." "JESTS TO MAKE YOU MERRY, &c. 4to. 1607." "THE DEAD TERM, or Westminsters Complaint, &c. 4to. 1608." "AKNIGHTS CONJURONS DONE IN EARNEST, DISCOVERED IN JEST. 4to. 1607." "LONDON TRYUMPHING, or Sir John Swinnerton's Lord Mayors Show. 4to. 1612." "DEKKERS MAGNIFICENT ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN TO KING JAMES BY THE CITY OF LONDON. 4to. 1604." THOMAS THOMAS LODGE. I HAVE before introduced this Author to my Reader in his character of Poet, and I now proceed to give the best account I am able of his Prose productions, all of which are of the extremest rarity. 1. "ALARUM FOR USURERS." This is said, by Wood, to have been printed in 1584. I have never seen it. 2. "HISTORY OF FORBONIUS AND PRI SENIA, with Truths Complaint over England." This, according to Wood, was printed with the Alarum for Usury, 3. "THE DIVEL CONJURED. 1596." This most curious Tract is in the Collection of my friend, Mr. George Chalmers. There is a copy also in the Royal Library. 4. "WITS MISERIE AND THE WORLDS MADNESSE. Discovering the Devils incarnate of this Age. 1596." I know of no other copy of this Tract but that in the possession of Mr. George Chalmers. This deserves on every account a particular description. The The old Serpent the Devill, is represented as sending out into the world seven Devills to draw the world to capital sinne, as God had appointed seven capital Angels." "Of Sathans ministers, Leviathan is the first, that tempteth with pride; Mammon the second, that attempteth by avarice; Asmodeus the third, that seduceth by lecherie; Beelzebub the fourth, that inciteth to envie; Baalberith the fifth, that provoketh to ire; Beelphegor the sixth, that moveth gluttony; Astaroth the seventh, that induceth sloth and idlenes. "These seven capitall sinnes sent out into the world wanted no allurements to bewitch the eie, no oratory to seduce the eare, no subtilty to affect the senses: so that finally seazing on the hearts of men, and wedded to their thoughts, they have brought foorth many and pernicious children, to the generall mischief of all nations." The Author first describes the fearful race of LEVIATHAN. "The next His first sonne is VAINGLORY. sonne LEVIATHAN presenteth is AMBITION, catching at nothing but stars, climing for nothing but crownes." "Let us see the third devil incarnate which LEVIATHAN hath brought fourth to corrupt and haunt this world; and who is he, think you. Forsooth no begger, but a gallant of the first head, called BOSTING." "Next him marcheth HYPOCRISIE, in a long gowne, like a scholler." "Another sonne hath he, and his name is CURIOSITIE." "Another sonne LEVIATHAN hath, that deserves discovering, for of all the children his father hath, he is most befriended and least suspected; his name is SUPERFLUOUS INVENTION, or as some tearme him, Novel Monger in Fashions." "But let us leave this devil at his cutting bord, intentive for new fashions against next Christmas, and see what devill and sonne of Pride marcheth next; forsooth INGRATITUDE." "The next Harpie of this breed is SCANDALE and DETRACTION.' وو "Another divel of this age, and the sonne of LEVIATHAN, is ADULATION." "Behold next I see CONTEMPT marching foorth, giving me the Fico with his thombe in his mouth for concealing him so long from your eie sight." The Author next proceeds to describe the strange and miraculous devils ingendred by Mammon." "The discovery of Asmodeus and his lecherous race of devils incarnate." Next he tells of the " great devill Belzebub, and what monstrous and strange devils he hath bred in our age. The following chapter is of the "Incarnate monsters begotten by the arch devill Baalberith." VOL. II. M This |