The Ant.

FOrbear thou great good Husband, little Ant
A little respi…e from thy flood of sweat;
Thou, thine own Horse and Cart under this Pla…
Thy spacious tent, fan thy prodigious heat;
Down with thy double load of that one grain;
It is a Granarie for all thy Train.

Cease large example of wise thrift a while,
(For thy example is become our Law)
And teach thy frowns a seasonable smile:
So Cato sometimes the nak'd Florals saw.
And thou almighty foe, lay by thy sting,
Whilst thy unpay'd Musicians, Crickets, sing.

Lucasta, She that holy makes the Day,
And 'stills new Life in fields of F…eillemort:
Hath back restor'd their Verdure with one Ray,
And with her Eye bid all to play and sport,
Ant to work still; Age will Thee Truant call;
And to save now, th' art worse than prodigal.

Austere and Cynick! not one hour t'allow,
To lose with pleasure what thou go…st with pain:
But drive on sacred Festivals, thy Plow;
Tearing high-ways with thy ore charged Wain.
Not all thy life time one poor Minute live,
And thy o're labour'd Bulk with mirth relieve?

Look up then miserable Ant, and spie
Thy fatal foes, for breaking of her Law:
Hov'ring above thee, Madam, Margaret Pie,
And her fierce Servant, Meagre, Sir Iohn Daw:
Thy Self and Storehouse now they do store up,
And thy whole Harvest too within their Crop.

Thus we untrifty thrive within Earths Tomb,
For some more rav'nous and ambitious Jaw:
The Grain in th' Ants, the Ants in the Pies womb,
The Pie in th' Hawks, the Hawks ith' Eagles maw:
So scattering to hord 'gainst a long Day,
Thinking to save all, we cast all away.