 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
Harry Care's last Will and Testament.
Not Hell it self, nor Gloomy Fate, can save
The lewdest sinner from his Destin'd Grave:
But all the sooty Surges once must try,
Old Charon's Boat's a certain Destiny.
This Harry found, whose moldring Corps did call
For Physick props t'uphold the human Wall;
Thinking himself to Ne plus ultra come,
He thought of Winding Sheets, and of his Tomb:
Summun'd his glorious Kindred to appear,
To see his last, and his last Will to hear,
The Weeping Crowd the mournful Chamber fill,
While he in dying Accents makes his Will.
The lewdest sinner from his Destin'd Grave:
But all the sooty Surges once must try,
Old Charon's Boat's a certain Destiny.
This Harry found, whose moldring Corps did call
For Physick props t'uphold the human Wall;
Thinking himself to Ne plus ultra come,
He thought of Winding Sheets, and of his Tomb:
Summun'd his glorious Kindred to appear,
To see his last, and his last Will to hear,
The Weeping Crowd the mournful Chamber fill,
While he in dying Accents makes his Will.
Imprimis, for my Soul (if such I have)
I wish it buried with me in my Grave:
For if what great Divines do preach and tell,
Be real Verities of Heaven and Hell,
Down to the gloomy Shores I surely go,
The same I serv'd above must serve below.
I wish it buried with me in my Grave:
For if what great Divines do preach and tell,
Be real Verities of Heaven and Hell,
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The same I serv'd above must serve below.
And next, for my dear Wife, who Weeps my fall,
And is chief Mourner at my Funeral;
My sole Executrix I do here make,
And let her all my Goods and Chattels take:
Besides, my Province too let her command,
That undiscover'd lies in Fairy-Land.
To her my unsold Pamphlets I bequeath,
To buy her Brandy and Tobacco with:
And if she do a Male or Stallion take,
I hope he'll use her kindly for my sake;
With equal Strength the Marriage-Yoke she'll draw,
If he but drench her well with Usquebah.
And is chief Mourner at my Funeral;
My sole Executrix I do here make,
And let her all my Goods and Chattels take:
Besides, my Province too let her command,
That undiscover'd lies in Fairy-Land.
To her my unsold Pamphlets I bequeath,
To buy her Brandy and Tobacco with:
And if she do a Male or Stallion take,
I hope he'll use her kindly for my sake;
With equal Strength the Marriage-Yoke she'll draw,
If he but drench her well with Usquebah.
My Daughter next, the Off-spring of my Bed,
I pour a double Blessing on her Head;
The only Legacy I can bestow,
And more than Heaven gave me here below:
May she the Irish Witness wed, and raise
A Race of Evidences for our Cause.
I pour a double Blessing on her Head;
The only Legacy I can bestow,
And more than Heaven gave me here below:
May she the Irish Witness wed, and raise
A Race of Evidences for our Cause.
And for those kinder Folks that propt my Pains,
I freely leave them both my Pen and Brains:
May they my little Artifices use,
To raise up Factious, and the Crowd amuse,
Till being doubly dipt in Infamy,
Like me unpityed, and unenvy'd die.
I freely leave them both my Pen and Brains:
May they my little Artifices use,
To raise up Factious, and the Crowd amuse,
Till being doubly dipt in Infamy,
Like me unpityed, and unenvy'd die.
Now to the numerous Crowd that do's survive,
I only can my dying Counsel give:
The Western Emissaries I approve,
And even dying do declare my Love.
I charge them to stand firm unto their Trust,
Accounting what's their Interest, to be Just.
The Females I commend to Brother Cox,
Who if he cannot cure, can give the Pox;
And may he still the vigorous warmth retain,
T'impart to stroaling She in Street or Lane.
I only can my dying Counsel give:
The Western Emissaries I approve,
And even dying do declare my Love.
I charge them to stand firm unto their Trust,
Accounting what's their Interest, to be Just.
The Females I commend to Brother Cox,
Who if he cannot cure, can give the Pox;
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T'impart to stroaling She in Street or Lane.
I've nothing more to give to all the rest,
But leave Ten Thousand Curses on the Test:
And who do its Abolishing withstand,
I leave upon them an Eternal Brand.
And for the Penal Laws they like so well,
I'le write for their Repeal when I'm in Hell;
And if Damn'd Pluto's Laws are like to these,
I'll quickly sue him out a Writ of Ease,
I there will my Occurrence truly state,
Whilst some Infernal L***kin Prints the Cheat;
I Hells black Tyrant will both sooth and praise,
And even in Sulp'rous Styx Sedition raise.
But leave Ten Thousand Curses on the Test:
And who do its Abolishing withstand,
I leave upon them an Eternal Brand.
And for the Penal Laws they like so well,
I'le write for their Repeal when I'm in Hell;
And if Damn'd Pluto's Laws are like to these,
I'll quickly sue him out a Writ of Ease,
I there will my Occurrence truly state,
Whilst some Infernal L***kin Prints the Cheat;
I Hells black Tyrant will both sooth and praise,
And even in Sulp'rous Styx Sedition raise.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |