Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life Being several Feigned Stories, Comical, Tragical, Tragi-comical, Poetical, Romancical, Philosophical, Historical, and Moral: Some in Verse, some in Prose; some Mixt, and some by Dialogues. Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, and most Excellent Princess, The Duchess of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Edition |
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A Description of Civil-Warrs.
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 | Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life |  |
A Description of Civil-Warrs.
A Kingdom which long time had liv'd in Peace,Her People rich with Plenty, fat with Ease;
With Pride were haughty grown; Pride Envy bred;
From Envy Factions grew: then Mischief spread;
And Libels every where were strew'd about,
Which after into Civil-Warr broke out.
Some for the Commons fought, some for the King,
And great Disorder was in ev'rything:
Battels were won and lost on either side;
Where Fortune ebb'd and flow'd, like to a Tide.
At last the Commons won; and then astride
Fierce Tyranny on Noble Necks did ride:
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And Ornaments were then thought a great Crime.
No Law was pleaded but the Martial Law;
The Sword did rule, and keep them all in aw.
No Prayers offer'd to the Gods on high;
All Ceremony in the Dust did lye:
Nothing was done in Order, Truth, and Right:
Nought govern'd then, but Malice, Spleen, & Spight.
But mark how justly Gods do punish Men,
To make them humble, and to bow to them.
Though they had Plenty, and thereof did eat,
They relish'd not that good and savoury Meat;
Because their Conscience did them so torment,
For all their Plenty they were discontent:
They took no rest, Cares so oppress'd their Mind,
No Joy nor Comfort in the World could find.
When drowsie sleep upon their Eyes did set,
Then fearful Visions in their Dreams they met:
In Life no pleasure take, yet fear to dye;
No Mercy can they hope from Gods on high.
O serve the Gods, and then the Mind will be
Always in peace and sweet tranquillity.
| Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life | |