A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.
Mi2 The tottering state of transitory things
Notes. This is one of three known libels entirely devoted to the monopolist Sir Giles Mompesson. In their final lines, there is some commonality between this poem and “Pervertinge of the lawes makes justice blind”.
“On Sir Giles Mumperson”
The tottering state of transitory things
Like to a Jade1 mans fortune kicks and flings
That hee that now is Dominus-fac-totum2
May the next day be thought a man of Gotam3
Oprression hath like an impostume4 beene
5With inward putrefaction, all unseen
Till ripenes burst it, and good time aplies
Good conscionable lawfull remedyes
It is not bands of men or regiments
Or troops or squadrons, that will finde contents,
10Tis no small army, that doe share these joyes
Nor is it fabulous or frivilous toyes,
But real contemplations through our coasts
Not of an host of men, but of Man of Hosts5
You Host of Hosts6 that happy day is come
15Person7is not respected Giles is mum,
Drink healths, make bonfires, wash your merry throats
Mourne al in sack, and give your horse more oates.
Sir Giles did thinkt no wisdom, to abide
As fearing by St Giles’s church to ride8
20Brave Hosts your general9
Who mighte have staid and took a hangman heare.
The Proverb of lame Giles,10 is prov’d a ly
For if Sir Giles were lame, how could hee fly.
Source. Folger MS V.a.345, p. 126
Other known sources. Bodleian MS Rawl. B. 151, fol. 102v; Nottingham MS Portland PW V 37, p. 151
Mi2
1 Jade: worthless, ill-tempered horse. <back>
2 Dominus-fac-totum: “one who controls everything”. <back>
3 a man of Gotam: a madman (a term based on the proverbial folly of the men of the village of Gotham). <back>
4 impostume: abscess or cyst. <back>
5 Not...of Hosts: this line is unclear (and the meaning is undermined by at least one probable scribal error); however, it appears to pun on a “man of hosts” (i.e. military man; man of valour) and the “host” of an inn (hence an allusion to Mompesson’s patent for inns). A variant text reads “Not of an host of men, but Man of hosts” (Bodleian MS Rawl. B. 151). <back>
6 You Host of Hosts: probably Christ (often referred to as “host”, in the word’s sense as a victim for sacrifice); however, a variant text is less specific, reading “So, gentle Hosts” (Bodleian MS Rawl. B. 151). <back>
7 Person: a variant text has “Michel” (i.e. Sir Francis Michell) (Bodleian MS Rawl. B. 151). <back>
8 by St Giles’s...ride: i.e. on the way to execution at Tyburn (cf. the final line of “Pervertinge of the lawes makes justice blind”). <back>
9 general: a variant text has “Lord of Hosts” (Bodleian MS Rawl. B. 151). is fled for feare <back>
10 Proverb of lame Giles: probably “lame Giles has played the man” (Tilley 115). <back>
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