King Arthur An Heroick Poem. In Twelve Books. By Richard Blackmore. To which is Annexed, An Index, Explaining the Names of Countrys, Citys, and Rivers, &c |
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 | King Arthur |  |
But grant the Church Sectarians may restrain
Inflicting rigorous Penaltys and Pain,
Grant too that this the Rebels will appease,
Who will have none, if others have their Ease?
Will this Britannia's troubled State compose,
Or dry the Spring whence our Disturbance flows?
Will not th'opprest Sectarian think it hard
To be of Rights to Subjects due debar'd?
Will Arthur thus their Services reward?
Those who themselves and humane Nature know
Foresee the Mischiefs that from hence must slow.
Those whom unjust Severities provoke
Will struggle hard to break th'uneasy Yoke.
All will conspire, as they Occasion find,
To sink a Government to them unkind.
Whom States oppress they Enemys create,
Who, when they safely can, express their Hate.
If Princes but a Party will protect,
They on a narrow Base their Throne erect,
And can't be more than Monarchs of a Sect.
Wise Princes who would lasting Peace create,
And from all restless Bigots save the State,
Should not on any side their Power engage,
But guard the weaker from the Stronger's Rage.
No Fav'rite Party should their Sword employ,
Those, whom they cannot proselite, to destroy.
Wise Parents if their Sons for Power contest,
Will no one aid to Ruin all the rest.
Monarchs who seek their own and Subjects Ease,
Between contending Sects should keep the Peace.
All will obey when all Protection find,
And Rev'rence Kings without Distinction kind.
Could greater Number, Power, or Splendor shew
What Churches are erroneons, what are true,
Yet peaceful Subjects have a just Pretence
To be secur'd from Force and Violence:
I still would guard Sectarians from the Awe
Of Courts of Justice and coercive Law.
This will to all the Government commend,
And every Subject will be too a Friend.
Freely to speak my Sense in this Debate,
The Way suggested to compose the State
By ceasing all Sectarians to protect,
Because not just, nor wise, I would reject.
I would perswade King Arthur to decree,
And strait proclaim a gen'ral Amnesty.
This would the Rebels into Friends convert,
And make the British Youth their Chiefs desert.
The Britons soon grow hot, but soon repent,
They threaten high, but with soft Words relent.
Their Love to Liberty and ancient Laws,
Oft turns to Jealousy without a Cause:
With whose impatient Flames they quickly burn,
But to their Temper do as soon return.
Their Passions swell, but easily subside,
Kind Looks, and Words repress th'o'erflowing Tide.
The Rebels sure must dread King Arthur's Name,
And think on their Ingratitude with Shame.
The common Men by specious Words misled
Begin the fatal Consequence to dread.
A general Pardon then to all declare
And you prevent the sad Effects of War.
Inflicting rigorous Penaltys and Pain,
137
Who will have none, if others have their Ease?
Will this Britannia's troubled State compose,
Or dry the Spring whence our Disturbance flows?
Will not th'opprest Sectarian think it hard
To be of Rights to Subjects due debar'd?
Will Arthur thus their Services reward?
Those who themselves and humane Nature know
Foresee the Mischiefs that from hence must slow.
Those whom unjust Severities provoke
Will struggle hard to break th'uneasy Yoke.
All will conspire, as they Occasion find,
To sink a Government to them unkind.
Whom States oppress they Enemys create,
Who, when they safely can, express their Hate.
If Princes but a Party will protect,
They on a narrow Base their Throne erect,
And can't be more than Monarchs of a Sect.
Wise Princes who would lasting Peace create,
And from all restless Bigots save the State,
Should not on any side their Power engage,
But guard the weaker from the Stronger's Rage.
No Fav'rite Party should their Sword employ,
Those, whom they cannot proselite, to destroy.
Wise Parents if their Sons for Power contest,
Will no one aid to Ruin all the rest.
Monarchs who seek their own and Subjects Ease,
Between contending Sects should keep the Peace.
All will obey when all Protection find,
And Rev'rence Kings without Distinction kind.
138
What Churches are erroneons, what are true,
Yet peaceful Subjects have a just Pretence
To be secur'd from Force and Violence:
I still would guard Sectarians from the Awe
Of Courts of Justice and coercive Law.
This will to all the Government commend,
And every Subject will be too a Friend.
Freely to speak my Sense in this Debate,
The Way suggested to compose the State
By ceasing all Sectarians to protect,
Because not just, nor wise, I would reject.
I would perswade King Arthur to decree,
And strait proclaim a gen'ral Amnesty.
This would the Rebels into Friends convert,
And make the British Youth their Chiefs desert.
The Britons soon grow hot, but soon repent,
They threaten high, but with soft Words relent.
Their Love to Liberty and ancient Laws,
Oft turns to Jealousy without a Cause:
With whose impatient Flames they quickly burn,
But to their Temper do as soon return.
Their Passions swell, but easily subside,
Kind Looks, and Words repress th'o'erflowing Tide.
The Rebels sure must dread King Arthur's Name,
And think on their Ingratitude with Shame.
The common Men by specious Words misled
Begin the fatal Consequence to dread.
A general Pardon then to all declare
And you prevent the sad Effects of War.
| King Arthur | |