Kirk and State Excisemen

The Raptures Of Folly

Thou greybeard, old Wisdom! may boast of thy treasures; Give me with young Folly to live; I grant thee thy calm-blooded, time-settled pleasures, But Folly has raptures to give.

Ye men of wit and wealth, why all this sneering ’Gainst poor Excisemen? Give the cause a hearing: What are your Landlord’s rent-rolls? Taxing ledgers! What Premiers? What ev’n Monarchs? Mighty Gaugers! Nay, what are Priests? (those seeming godly wise-men,) What are they, pray, but Spiritual Excisemen!