Yet boasted of their honesty.

Calling, whene’er they strain’d their right,

The slipp’ry trick a perquisite; 120

And when folks understood their cant,

They chang’d that for emolument;

Unwilling to be short or plain,

In any thing concerning gain;

For there was not a bee but would 125

Get more, I won’t say, than he should;

But than he dar’d to let them know,