And though thy nerves be shrunk, and blood be cold,
Ere years have made thee old.
Strike that disdainful heat
Throughout to their defeat,
As curious fools, and envious of thy strain,
May blushing swear no palsy's in thy brain."
******
It was very cleverly parodied by Owen Feltham, and there is a spirited answer in imitation of it as eulogistic as the parody is severe. The play was, it is said, hissed off the stage before it had reached the last act; but Jonson immediately published it as an appeal from the audience of the theatre to his readers and patrons. An allusion in the epilogue to his want and illness, called forth from Charles I. a present of one hundred pounds. Jonson was truly obliged by so munificent a succour, and poured forth his gratitude in three poems. He also made it an occasion for petitioning the King to increase the annual pension granted him by James I. Such a begging letter in rhyme is perhaps a literary curiosity. The merit of the verse would not induce us to quote it.
"The humble petition of poor Ben
To the best of monarchs, masters, men,
Doth most humbly show it
To your Majesty, your poet;
That whereas your royal father
James the blessed, pleased the rather
Of his special grace to letters
To make all the Muses debtors
To his bounty, by extension
Of a free poetic pension,
A large hundred marks annuity
To be given me in gratuity.
*****
Please, your Majesty, to make,
Of your grace, for goodness sake,
Those your father's marks your pounds."
Charles immediately granted the request, and added to it a tierce of Jonson's favourite wine. The letters patent
