as their kings eldest fons are called: it is here faid, he fhall lament the lofs of the duke of Burgundy, called the Boffe, which is an old English word for hump-fhoulder, or crook-back, as that duke is known to be; and the prophecy feems to mean, that he fhould be overcome or flain. By the green berrys, in the next line, is meant the young duke of Berry, the dauphin's third fon, who fhall not have valour or fortune enough to fupply the lofs of his eldest brother.

Donge Symnele, &c. By Symnele is meant the pretended prince of Wales, who, if he offers to attempt any thing against England, fhall mifcarry as he did before. Lambert Symnele is the name of a young man, noted in our hiftories for perfonating the fon (as I remember) of Edward the fourth.

*

And Norways Pryd, &c. I cannot guefs who is meant by Norway's pride, perhaps the reader may, as well as the fenfe of the two following lines.

Queen Anne.

Reaums

Reaums hall, &c. Reaums, or, as the word is now, realms, is the old name for kingdoms: and this is a very plain prediction of our happy union, with the felicities that fhall attend it. It is added that Old England fhall be no more, and yet no man shall be sorry for it. And indeed, properly fpeaking, England is now no more, for the whole ifland is one kingdom under the name of Britain.

Geryon fhall, &c. This prediction, though fomewhat obfcure, is wonderfully adapt. Geryon is faid to have been a king of Spain, whom Hercules flew. It was a fiction of the poets, that he had three heads, which the author fays he fhall have again: that is, Spain fhall have three kings; which is now wonderfully. verified; for befides the king of Portugal, which properly is part of Spain, there are now two rivals for Spain, Charles and Philip: but Charles being defcended from the count of Hapfburgh, founder of the Auftrian family, fhall foon make those heads but two by overturning Philip, and driving him out of Spain.

Y 3

Some

Some of these predictions are already fulfilled; and it is highly probable the reft may be in due time; and I think, I have not forced the words by my explication into any other sense, than what they will naturally bear. If this be granted, I am fure it must be alfo allow'd, that the author (whoever he were) was a person of extraordinary fagacity; and that aftrology brought to fuch perfection as this is by no means an art to be defpifed, whatever Mr. Bickerstaff, or other merry gentlemen are pleafed to think. As to the tradition of thefe lines having been writ in the original by Merlin, I confefs I lay not much weight upon it: but it is enough to justify their authority, that the book from whence I have tranfcrib'd them, was printed 170 years ago, as appears by the title-page. For the fatisfaction of any gentleman, who may be either doubtful of the truth, or curious to be informed; I fhall give order to have the very book fent to the printer of this paper, with directions to let any body fee it that pleafes, because I believe it is pretty carce.

A MEDI

A

MEDITATION

UPON A

BROOM-STICK,

According to the ftyle and manner of the honourable Robert Boyle's Meditations *.

T

neg

HIS Gingle ftick, which you now behold ingloriously lying in that lected corner, I once knew in a flourishing ftate in a foreft: it was full of fap, full of leaves, and full of boughs: but now in vain does the bufy art of man pretend to vye with nature, by tying that withered bundle of twigs to its fapless trunk it is now at beft but the reverse of what it was, a tree turned upfide down, the branches on the earth, and the root in the air; it is now handled by every dirty wench, condemned to do her drudgery, and by a capricious kind of fate, destined to make other things clean, and be nafty itfelf; at length worn to the ftumps in

*The fword of wit like the fcy the of time cuts down friend and foe, and attacks every object that accidentally lies in its

Y

way but sharp and irresistible as the edge of it may b:, Mr. Boyle will always remain invulnerable. ORRIRY.

4

the

the fervice of the maids, it is either thrown out of doors, or condemned to the last use, of kindling a fire. When I beheld this, I fighed, and faid within myself, Surely mortal Man is a Broom-ft ck! nature fent him into the world strong and lufty, in a thriving condition, wearing his own hair on his head, the proper branches of this reasoning vegetable, until the axe of intemperance has lopped off his green boughs, and left him a withered trunk : he then flies to art, and puts on a perriwig, valuing himself upon an unnatural bundle of hairs, all covered with powder, that never grew on his head; but now fhould this our broom-flick pretend to enter the scene, proud of those birchen spoils it never bore, and all covered with dust, though the sweepings of the fineft lady's chamber, we should be apt to ridicule and defpife its vanity. Partial judges that we are of our own excellencies, and other men's defaults!

But a broom-flick, perhaps you will fay, is an emblem of a tree ftanding on its head; and pray what is man, but a topfyturvey creature, his animal faculties perpetually