Adul. Didst thou with any one of them make such exchange?
Oppr. Yea! I almost left them never a farm nor grange.
I told them, Respublica at their wealth did grutch;
And, the fifth penny they had was, for them, too much.
So Authority and I, did with them so chop
That we left the best of them a threadbare bishop.
To some we left one house, to some we left none;
The best had but his see place, that he might keep home.
We informed them, and we deformed them;
We conformed them, and we reformed them!
Adul. And what gave ye them in your permutations?
Oppr. Bare parsonages of appropriations,
Bought from Respublica, and first emprowed;
Then at the highest extent to bishops allowed,
Let out to their hands for fourscore and [nineteen] year.
Avar. Lo, cousin Honesty! lo! do ye hear this gear?
Faith! your marsship will thrive at the latter Lammas!
Adul. I now grant myself to have been a very ass;
But all is not yet gone, in case I have good luck.
Oppr. No! there is yet enough left for a better pluck.
For some of them were aged, and yet would not die;
And some would, in nowise, to our desires apply.
But we have rods in piss for them everyone,
That they shall be fleeced, if we reign, one by one.
Avar. And how did all frame with our Mounsire Authority?
Oppr. At length he won the full superiority.
Adul. But the rude gross People at him repineth sore;
And against us, all four, with a wide throat doth he roar.
But soft! peace! methinketh I hear him hem and hake;
If we meet here, all four, we shall some order take.