Page:Poetical Works of John Oldham.djvu/149

I’ll seek all opportunities to meet
With him; accost him in the very street;
Hang on his coach, and wait upon him home,
Fawn, scrape and cringe to him, nay, to his groom.
Faith, sir, this must be done, if we'll be great;
Preferment comes not at a cheaper rate.'
⁠While at this savage rate he worried me,
By chance a doctor, my dear friend, came by,
That knew the fellow's humour passing well;
Glad of the sight I join him; we stand still:
'Whence came you, sir? and whither go you now?'
And such like questions passed betwixt us two.
Straight I begin to pull him by the sleeve,
Nod, wink upon him, touch my nose, and give
A thousand hints, to let him know that I
Needed his help for my delivery;
He, naughty wag, with an arch fleering smile,
Seems ignorant of what I mean the while;
I grow stark wild with rage. 'Sir, said not you,
You'd somewhat to discourse, not long ago,
With me in private?'⁠'I remember 't well.
Some other time be sure, I will not fail;
Now I am in great haste upon my word;
A messenger came for me from a lord
That's in a bad condition, like to die.'
'Oh! sir, he can't be in a worse than I;
Therefore for God's sake do not stir from hence.'
'Sweet sir! your pardon; 'tis of consequence;
I hope you're kinder than to press my stay,
Which may be heaven knows what out of my way.'
This said, he left me to my murderer.
Seeing no hopes of my relief appear,
'Confoimded be the stars,' said I, 'that swayed
This fatal day! would I had kept my bed
With sickness, rather than be visited
With this worse plague! what ill have I e'er done,
To pull this curse, this heavy judgment down?'