State Tracts Containing Many Necessary Observations and Reflections on the State of our Affairs at Home and Abroad; With some Secret Memoirs. By the Author of the Examiner [i.e. William Oldisworth] |
 | I. |
 |
|
LIBERTY AND PROPERTY.
|
 | State Tracts |  |
281
LIBERTY AND PROPERTY.
A Satyr.
My Muse attempts no vain Heroick Skill,
Or soars the top of Pindar's lofty Hill;
But begs Assistance from the force of Rhime,
The craggy Rock of Satyr's Mount to climb:
Sharp Scourge of Villany! reforming Gin,
That stings and lashes ev'ry darling Sin!
Bane to the Great 'midst their voluptuous Joys,
Which all their Golden Dreams of Vice destroys.
Or soars the top of Pindar's lofty Hill;
But begs Assistance from the force of Rhime,
The craggy Rock of Satyr's Mount to climb:
Sharp Scourge of Villany! reforming Gin,
That stings and lashes ev'ry darling Sin!
Bane to the Great 'midst their voluptuous Joys,
Which all their Golden Dreams of Vice destroys.
282
'Rise thou Disturber of the Libertine,
Thou that invades his Free-born Right to Sin;
'Rise now, and shame him from his boasted Crime,
That he would plead Prescription for, in time,
And tell Posterity Cain did proceed
A Wretch nefarious, from the Serpent's Seed;
But losing Paradise, gain'd Liberty,
Like Lucifer, a larger World to rule,
Where all he saw he call'd his Property.
And this is Native Freedom, which we now
With the feign'd Name of Liberty pursue.
Thou that invades his Free-born Right to Sin;
'Rise now, and shame him from his boasted Crime,
That he would plead Prescription for, in time,
And tell Posterity Cain did proceed
A Wretch nefarious, from the Serpent's Seed;
But losing Paradise, gain'd Liberty,
Like Lucifer, a larger World to rule,
Where all he saw he call'd his Property.
And this is Native Freedom, which we now
With the feign'd Name of Liberty pursue.
This is the State of Libertines True-born,
Who wou'd their Land with Servitude adorn,
A Servitude which they themselves term Free,
Tho' 'tis but counterfeited Liberty;
When just Respect to Laws does others bless,
It curses them with their own Happiness.
Who wou'd their Land with Servitude adorn,
A Servitude which they themselves term Free,
Tho' 'tis but counterfeited Liberty;
When just Respect to Laws does others bless,
It curses them with their own Happiness.
Mankind will still think that Condition best
In which they are with their own Freedom blest.
So Adam judg'd, nor did he go astray,
Till Heaven's Command prescrib'd him to obey.
He try'd, and found his Vicious Will was free,
And then resolv'd on fatal Liberty.
What 'twas he gain'd, his Race knows now too well,
Freedom on Earth, to damn himself in Hell.
Of Lust this was th'unerring Consequence,
That he might reign 'midst the Delights of Sense,
And know no Ruler o'er him but Desire,
Which kindled in his Breast a raging Fire,
And makes Man thirst still after that in vain
Which gives him Pleasure, not which gives him Pain.
In which they are with their own Freedom blest.
283
Till Heaven's Command prescrib'd him to obey.
He try'd, and found his Vicious Will was free,
And then resolv'd on fatal Liberty.
What 'twas he gain'd, his Race knows now too well,
Freedom on Earth, to damn himself in Hell.
Of Lust this was th'unerring Consequence,
That he might reign 'midst the Delights of Sense,
And know no Ruler o'er him but Desire,
Which kindled in his Breast a raging Fire,
And makes Man thirst still after that in vain
Which gives him Pleasure, not which gives him Pain.
Oh cursed Liberty! thou didst prepare
The murd'ring Engines of Flagitious War.
From thee Famine may date its Train of Ills;
For had it not been for our Vicious Wills
To raise Rebellion, we had never known
Mischiefs our Appetites procure alone.
Desire, the Spring of our insatiate Lust,
Still rages in us with a pleasing gust,
And makes us run more than the Brute astray,
The happy Brute that Nature does obey,
And is more free than Man with all his Vanity
Of Reason, and of boasted Liberty.
The murd'ring Engines of Flagitious War.
From thee Famine may date its Train of Ills;
For had it not been for our Vicious Wills
To raise Rebellion, we had never known
Mischiefs our Appetites procure alone.
Desire, the Spring of our insatiate Lust,
Still rages in us with a pleasing gust,
And makes us run more than the Brute astray,
The happy Brute that Nature does obey,
284
Of Reason, and of boasted Liberty.
What strange bewitching Word is that which draws
So many Fools to Bondage without Laws,
And gilds o'er Slavery with so fine a Gloss,
It tempts th'Unwary to embrace the Cross?
That such a Train of splendid Good can show,
And ostentatious Pomp, that with it go,
To flatter Multitudes, and to delight
Those who are pleas'd with such a dazling Sight?
So many Fools to Bondage without Laws,
And gilds o'er Slavery with so fine a Gloss,
It tempts th'Unwary to embrace the Cross?
That such a Train of splendid Good can show,
And ostentatious Pomp, that with it go,
To flatter Multitudes, and to delight
Those who are pleas'd with such a dazling Sight?
Alas! such see not thro' the painted Screen,
Behind which is disclos'd a rueful Scene,
A Chasm horrid, like the gaping Pit,
Where sudden Ruin in Rebellion's writ,
And where the Fates for Man's Destruction sit.
Behind which is disclos'd a rueful Scene,
A Chasm horrid, like the gaping Pit,
Where sudden Ruin in Rebellion's writ,
And where the Fates for Man's Destruction sit.
Unhappy Freedom! how thou'rt understood
The Author of those Ills that we call Good;
Because thy specious Name's ne'er us'd in vain,
In what designing Men attempt to gain!
Thou foremost stands in every Change of State,
And art enroll'd in the Black List of Fate.
By thee alone Knaves act their Villany,
And ev'ry Triumph's grac'd with Liberty.
The Author of those Ills that we call Good;
Because thy specious Name's ne'er us'd in vain,
In what designing Men attempt to gain!
285
And art enroll'd in the Black List of Fate.
By thee alone Knaves act their Villany,
And ev'ry Triumph's grac'd with Liberty.
The Godlike Brutus first did honour thee
With Spoils of Noble Immortality;
Of Tarquin's bloody Cruelties asham'd,
His gen'rous Breast with Freedom was inflam'd,
But curst the Cause from whence it first was nam'd.
For Liberty, that once was counted brave,
Is now proclaim'd by ev'ry servile Slave.
Ass-like, it bears the Burthens we would flee,
Bends low beneath the weight of Tyranny,
And is the Pack-horse of rebellious Liberty.
A Clock to every State-Design that's base,
And masks the Villain with a beauteous Face.
With Spoils of Noble Immortality;
Of Tarquin's bloody Cruelties asham'd,
His gen'rous Breast with Freedom was inflam'd,
But curst the Cause from whence it first was nam'd.
For Liberty, that once was counted brave,
Is now proclaim'd by ev'ry servile Slave.
Ass-like, it bears the Burthens we would flee,
Bends low beneath the weight of Tyranny,
And is the Pack-horse of rebellious Liberty.
A Clock to every State-Design that's base,
And masks the Villain with a beauteous Face.
Victorious Rome oft felt its fatal Pow'r,
And did at last yield to this Conqueror,
Till chang'd so often with the specious Name,
It lost the Blessing when it gain'd the Fame.
Around the wondring World this Deity
With frantick Madness flew; and Victory
Pursu'd where'er her Banners were display'd,
In vain was Force imploy'd against her Aid.
The Eastern Monarchies, that spread so wide,
Were made as sportive Victims to her Pride.
Greece was with all its ancient Glory lost,
And Rome of Liberty that boasted most,
For the rough Gauls their Expectations cross'd.
And did at last yield to this Conqueror,
Till chang'd so often with the specious Name,
It lost the Blessing when it gain'd the Fame.
286
With frantick Madness flew; and Victory
Pursu'd where'er her Banners were display'd,
In vain was Force imploy'd against her Aid.
The Eastern Monarchies, that spread so wide,
Were made as sportive Victims to her Pride.
Greece was with all its ancient Glory lost,
And Rome of Liberty that boasted most,
For the rough Gauls their Expectations cross'd.
At last the Goths rush'd in like a vast Sea,
And curs'd all Europe with new Liberty.
So do impetuous Torrents down the Volga pour,
And in the calm pacifick Ocean roar.
This broke the Neck of the Imperial Sway,
And brought Confusion into Italy.
Nor did our Island miss this storming Tide
Of fatal Pow'r, enrag'd with Free-born Pride:
The sad Effects remain among us yet,
We love the Poison, and we reap the Fruit;
Fond of the Charm, still propagate the Seed,
And cultivate with care the baneful Weed,
From which of Faction we've a plenteous Breed.
And curs'd all Europe with new Liberty.
So do impetuous Torrents down the Volga pour,
And in the calm pacifick Ocean roar.
This broke the Neck of the Imperial Sway,
And brought Confusion into Italy.
Nor did our Island miss this storming Tide
Of fatal Pow'r, enrag'd with Free-born Pride:
The sad Effects remain among us yet,
We love the Poison, and we reap the Fruit;
287
And cultivate with care the baneful Weed,
From which of Faction we've a plenteous Breed.
Good Heavens! Is this our Native Property,
For which we so much Time and Blood imploy?
No sure, 'tis something more and greater still,
We fancy't Freedom to do what we will.
Alas! is this the Liberty we boast,
For which just Heav'n our great Forefather curst?
Then he that is most Happy, and most Free,
Is he that knows least of such Liberty.
Who can just Laws without Reserve obey,
Laws made secure from Arbitrary Sway,
Where Pow'r is limited, Justice confin'd,
To Rules of Reason, not a lawless Mind,
For that is Tyranny in any kind?
For which we so much Time and Blood imploy?
No sure, 'tis something more and greater still,
We fancy't Freedom to do what we will.
Alas! is this the Liberty we boast,
For which just Heav'n our great Forefather curst?
Then he that is most Happy, and most Free,
Is he that knows least of such Liberty.
Who can just Laws without Reserve obey,
Laws made secure from Arbitrary Sway,
Where Pow'r is limited, Justice confin'd,
To Rules of Reason, not a lawless Mind,
For that is Tyranny in any kind?
We hunt for Freedom with a studied Care,
Till we our selves are fetter'd with the Snare:
At last we find 'tis harder to avoid
The Net, than gain the thing we thought deny'd.
How vain we talk of Briton's living Free,
And Rights, which we enjoy as happily,
While Liberty with Liberty is cross'd,
Tho' that is ev'ry Zealous Patriot's Boast,
While he is seeking t'enslave his Country most.
So did the vile Usurper Cromwel cry,
Amidst the Crowd, for Free-born Liberty;
For this it was he pray'd, for this he fought,
But Empire 'twas his false Ambition sought:
And Liberty he call'd the pleasing Cheat
That made the People Slaves, the Tyrant great.
His Golden Promises they ne'er enjoy'd,
But soon perceiv'd their Liberties destroy'd.
Till we our selves are fetter'd with the Snare:
At last we find 'tis harder to avoid
The Net, than gain the thing we thought deny'd.
288
And Rights, which we enjoy as happily,
While Liberty with Liberty is cross'd,
Tho' that is ev'ry Zealous Patriot's Boast,
While he is seeking t'enslave his Country most.
So did the vile Usurper Cromwel cry,
Amidst the Crowd, for Free-born Liberty;
For this it was he pray'd, for this he fought,
But Empire 'twas his false Ambition sought:
And Liberty he call'd the pleasing Cheat
That made the People Slaves, the Tyrant great.
His Golden Promises they ne'er enjoy'd,
But soon perceiv'd their Liberties destroy'd.
What Force on Fancy wou'd we then impose
For real Good, which e're we gain we lose?
How we deceive our selves with Liberty in vain,
And call that Pleasure which still gives us Pain!
Tyrants in Pow'r we Noble Patriots call,
Not such as built, but wou'd blow up Whitehall;
Such as wou'd sell Old English Liberty,
And New entail on their Posterity.
For real Good, which e're we gain we lose?
How we deceive our selves with Liberty in vain,
And call that Pleasure which still gives us Pain!
Tyrants in Pow'r we Noble Patriots call,
Not such as built, but wou'd blow up Whitehall;
Such as wou'd sell Old English Liberty,
And New entail on their Posterity.
289
These are the Men that now-a-days profess
Religion for no more than outward Dress;
A thing at liberty to leave or chuse,
Which few or none but for a Fashion use:
Those who pretend to most, are found to be
At last the most engag'd in Villany.
Religion for no more than outward Dress;
A thing at liberty to leave or chuse,
Which few or none but for a Fashion use:
Those who pretend to most, are found to be
At last the most engag'd in Villany.
The Hypocrite will always be in vogue,
For none deceives us like an holy Rogue:
No State can exercise such Tyranny,
But, for his Ends, he'll call it Liberty.
Nor can Religion be profess'd amiss,
For ev'ry True or False Religion's his.
He that professes none 'gainst Law offends,
For want of that, will ruin all its Ends.
Ev'n the Pretence excuses many Crimes,
'Cause most are but Pretenders in these Times.
For none deceives us like an holy Rogue:
No State can exercise such Tyranny,
But, for his Ends, he'll call it Liberty.
Nor can Religion be profess'd amiss,
For ev'ry True or False Religion's his.
He that professes none 'gainst Law offends,
For want of that, will ruin all its Ends.
Ev'n the Pretence excuses many Crimes,
'Cause most are but Pretenders in these Times.
Tho' of our fancy'd Freedom we may boast,
All our old English Property is lost:
Yet we are blest; for, under bounteous Heav'n,
We had a great deal well preserv'd by Seven,
Who were the Guardian Angels of the State,
When Plots in Scotland were so rife of late:
And their Endeavours now wou'd set us free
From all the Fears of Hell and Popery:
For Property it shou'd in common be,
No Lawyer nor Physician take a Fee;
The Priest shou'd preach without Tithe-Goose or Pig,
And ev'ry Man be free that was a W---g.
All our old English Property is lost:
Yet we are blest; for, under bounteous Heav'n,
We had a great deal well preserv'd by Seven,
290
When Plots in Scotland were so rife of late:
And their Endeavours now wou'd set us free
From all the Fears of Hell and Popery:
For Property it shou'd in common be,
No Lawyer nor Physician take a Fee;
The Priest shou'd preach without Tithe-Goose or Pig,
And ev'ry Man be free that was a W---g.
Thus Liberty you see's a Heav'nly Thing,
That some wou'd not exchange to be a King;
While Bribes can make a Senate chosen Free,
And Gallick Wine buy English Liberty:
While good and honest Men these things abhor,
Strong Beer and Brandy makes a Senator.
But 'tis our English Birthright to be Free,
Elections are a kind of Jubilee,
By Custom privileg'd for Villany.
The Mob are then our Sov'reign Lords, that rule,
And who they chuse must be their Idol Fool.
A Man who must not make the least Pretence
To judge by Reason, or be rul'd by Sence,
But must, for what they chuse him, still maintain
Their Liberty and Property to reign.
The People then are mad with Liberty,
Tho' that's the meanest Blessing they enjoy.
Mistaken in their Aim, they miss the End,
That Happiness for which they so contend.
The Use of Liberty is known to few
Who steer aright, and can their Course pursue.
Man's Will's so various, Wise Men only know
What 'tis they wou'd, or what they wou'd not do.
That some wou'd not exchange to be a King;
While Bribes can make a Senate chosen Free,
And Gallick Wine buy English Liberty:
While good and honest Men these things abhor,
Strong Beer and Brandy makes a Senator.
But 'tis our English Birthright to be Free,
Elections are a kind of Jubilee,
By Custom privileg'd for Villany.
The Mob are then our Sov'reign Lords, that rule,
And who they chuse must be their Idol Fool.
A Man who must not make the least Pretence
To judge by Reason, or be rul'd by Sence,
291
Their Liberty and Property to reign.
The People then are mad with Liberty,
Tho' that's the meanest Blessing they enjoy.
Mistaken in their Aim, they miss the End,
That Happiness for which they so contend.
The Use of Liberty is known to few
Who steer aright, and can their Course pursue.
Man's Will's so various, Wise Men only know
What 'tis they wou'd, or what they wou'd not do.
Th'Extent of Liberty is sordid Lust,
That makes Men Villains, Barb'rous, and Unjust.
Not such a Freedom as was once possess'd
By Britons under Glorious Monarchs bless'd,
Who taught Rebellious Subjects to obey,
And yet impos'd no Yoke of Slavery.
Monarchs that kept wild Libertines in awe,
Yet gave the People ev'ry wholsom Law.
No Base Republican durst then aspire
To set the Land with Liberty on fire;
But honest Laws then made the People free,
And Law was understood just Liberty:
But now 'tis chang'd, and hard to understand
What is the Law or Freedom of the Land.
Judges themselves in dubious Judgment sit,
Nor dare pronounce that Law which was so writ;
And Legislators wo'n't those Records know,
Those ancient Scrolls of Power that make 'em so.
That makes Men Villains, Barb'rous, and Unjust.
Not such a Freedom as was once possess'd
By Britons under Glorious Monarchs bless'd,
Who taught Rebellious Subjects to obey,
And yet impos'd no Yoke of Slavery.
Monarchs that kept wild Libertines in awe,
Yet gave the People ev'ry wholsom Law.
No Base Republican durst then aspire
To set the Land with Liberty on fire;
292
And Law was understood just Liberty:
But now 'tis chang'd, and hard to understand
What is the Law or Freedom of the Land.
Judges themselves in dubious Judgment sit,
Nor dare pronounce that Law which was so writ;
And Legislators wo'n't those Records know,
Those ancient Scrolls of Power that make 'em so.
Yet this is Liberty, with which we're blest,
Or with which we are dev'lishly possest;
For none but Englishmen wou'd love that Pow'r
Again, which did their Country once devour:
That fatal Power, which makes the Bloodhounds cry
So fiercely, and so loud, for Liberty.
For what else can b' imagin'd their Pretence
'Gainst Law, 'gainst Reason, against common Sense,
But Popular Applause, that may support
Their Pride and Vanity to grace the Court?
These are the Wooden Gods which we adore,
And which are made so by the Peoples Pow'r;
But they are hollow Vessels, we destroy
The pleasant Fruits of Peace we shou'd enjoy.
Or with which we are dev'lishly possest;
For none but Englishmen wou'd love that Pow'r
Again, which did their Country once devour:
That fatal Power, which makes the Bloodhounds cry
So fiercely, and so loud, for Liberty.
For what else can b' imagin'd their Pretence
'Gainst Law, 'gainst Reason, against common Sense,
But Popular Applause, that may support
Their Pride and Vanity to grace the Court?
These are the Wooden Gods which we adore,
And which are made so by the Peoples Pow'r;
293
The pleasant Fruits of Peace we shou'd enjoy.
Nor is Religion, us'd among us, free
From this usurping Pow'r of Liberty;
For any now may safely approach the Throne
That has a Name whereby it may be known.
B---sh---ps themselves such strange Opinions hold,
We cannot tell the New Church from the Old,
And Pastors do such small Distinction keep,
We know not well the Shepherds from the Sheep.
From this usurping Pow'r of Liberty;
For any now may safely approach the Throne
That has a Name whereby it may be known.
B---sh---ps themselves such strange Opinions hold,
We cannot tell the New Church from the Old,
And Pastors do such small Distinction keep,
We know not well the Shepherds from the Sheep.
So M---re, tho' Apostle-like he makes not Tents,
Yet buys and sells old Books t'encrease his Rents;
Nor is contented with such crafty Gains,
But quacks in Physick with industrious Pains,
Not for the Church, but for the Pence, imploys his Brains:
You may him daily to a Patient trace,
Dispensing Physick, not dispensing Grace,
Which wou'd become one better in his Place.
Yet buys and sells old Books t'encrease his Rents;
Nor is contented with such crafty Gains,
But quacks in Physick with industrious Pains,
Not for the Church, but for the Pence, imploys his Brains:
You may him daily to a Patient trace,
Dispensing Physick, not dispensing Grace,
Which wou'd become one better in his Place.
294
But P---ts in Bills like Mountebanks appear,
We meet 'em now in publick ev'ry where:
V---k---rs and A---, and a Thousand more,
Pretend this Liberty to help the Poor,
But all Men know 'tis on another score.
Priest and Physician never was allow'd,
For both in one's a Villain understood:
Who by Profession recommends Deceit,
For Priestcraft will make Physick more a Cheat.
We meet 'em now in publick ev'ry where:
V---k---rs and A---, and a Thousand more,
Pretend this Liberty to help the Poor,
But all Men know 'tis on another score.
Priest and Physician never was allow'd,
For both in one's a Villain understood:
Who by Profession recommends Deceit,
For Priestcraft will make Physick more a Cheat.
Then he who ventures that dear Blessing Health,
'Mong Priests, Old Women, Quacks, to save his Wealth,
Ought never to be pitied, more than he
Who sells his Life to purchase Liberty.
Or spends his Substance to support a Pow'r
That governs o'er him like a Conqueror
With one continu'd Arbitrary Sway,
That makes ev'n Majesty itself obey.
No Tyrant reigns so absolute as she,
For the more Lawless, the more Liberty.
'Mong Priests, Old Women, Quacks, to save his Wealth,
Ought never to be pitied, more than he
Who sells his Life to purchase Liberty.
Or spends his Substance to support a Pow'r
That governs o'er him like a Conqueror
With one continu'd Arbitrary Sway,
That makes ev'n Majesty itself obey.
No Tyrant reigns so absolute as she,
For the more Lawless, the more Liberty.
How idly then we struggle to be Free,
And lose our Primitive Simplicity!
How fondly catch at fancied Happiness,
And lose the Blessing that we wou'd possess;
Start from the Laws that Nature does ordain,
And follow Politicks, abstruse and vain;
Pursue the Slights of subtle Machiavel,
The Road that leads at Liberty to Hell,
And leave th'unerring Way right Reason shows,
Reason, that ev'ry thing we need to know bestows!
And lose our Primitive Simplicity!
295
And lose the Blessing that we wou'd possess;
Start from the Laws that Nature does ordain,
And follow Politicks, abstruse and vain;
Pursue the Slights of subtle Machiavel,
The Road that leads at Liberty to Hell,
And leave th'unerring Way right Reason shows,
Reason, that ev'ry thing we need to know bestows!
This is the Case of all that wou'd be free,
And follow the wild Laws of Liberty:
Men who're debauch'd in Principles from Good,
And have Rebellion running in their Blood,
Wou'd have it only Freedom understood.
But 'tis the Lust of Rule such Men desire,
A Lust their vicious Appetites require;
For Reason governs with a milder sway,
Learns us to be Content, and to Obey.
And follow the wild Laws of Liberty:
Men who're debauch'd in Principles from Good,
And have Rebellion running in their Blood,
Wou'd have it only Freedom understood.
But 'tis the Lust of Rule such Men desire,
A Lust their vicious Appetites require;
For Reason governs with a milder sway,
Learns us to be Content, and to Obey.
| State Tracts | |