 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
419
On the French Protestants extolling their Prince, notwithstanding his forcing them to abandon their Native Country.
Happy the People where no Priest gives Rules,
Whose slavish Doctrines fetter Free-born Souls:
Where unconstrain'd Obedience is paid
Only to Laws that we our selves have made:
Such England is, and such She shall remain,
Beneath the Blessings of Great William's Reign.
Where Prince and People Gratefully do strive;
He guards our Rights, We his Prerogative.
Whose slavish Doctrines fetter Free-born Souls:
Where unconstrain'd Obedience is paid
Only to Laws that we our selves have made:
Such England is, and such She shall remain,
Beneath the Blessings of Great William's Reign.
Where Prince and People Gratefully do strive;
He guards our Rights, We his Prerogative.
Then curs'd be those who would our Rights betray
To the vain Lusts of Arbitrary Sway;
Who proud of Misery, and fond of Chains,
Extol the Beauty of Despotick Reigns.
But let that Priest be curs'd for ever more,
Who has so soon forgot the Chains he wore:
Condemn'd again to Gallick Wooden Shoos,
Who durst his New-born Freedom thus abuse.
Let him go home and preach that Doctrine, where
The Subjects Birth-Right is Eternal Fear,
Those little French Devices won't take here.
Must such a paltry Vagabond as he
Presume to censure English Liberty?
Why prithee Fool, what are our Rights to thee,
Thou who wert born and bred in Slavery?
In vain 'tis then, that we our Gifts bestow
On those that wou'd our Happiness o'erthrow;
Who nurs'd with Charity and blest with Peace,
Grow Wanton under unaccustom'd Ease:
Shall impudently dare to recommend
Those Slaveries from which we them defend.
In vain Abroad for Freedom do we fight,
If these warm'd Snakes at home abuse our Native Right.
To the vain Lusts of Arbitrary Sway;
Who proud of Misery, and fond of Chains,
Extol the Beauty of Despotick Reigns.
But let that Priest be curs'd for ever more,
Who has so soon forgot the Chains he wore:
Condemn'd again to Gallick Wooden Shoos,
Who durst his New-born Freedom thus abuse.
Let him go home and preach that Doctrine, where
The Subjects Birth-Right is Eternal Fear,
Those little French Devices won't take here.
Must such a paltry Vagabond as he
Presume to censure English Liberty?
Why prithee Fool, what are our Rights to thee,
Thou who wert born and bred in Slavery?
In vain 'tis then, that we our Gifts bestow
On those that wou'd our Happiness o'erthrow;
420
Grow Wanton under unaccustom'd Ease:
Shall impudently dare to recommend
Those Slaveries from which we them defend.
In vain Abroad for Freedom do we fight,
If these warm'd Snakes at home abuse our Native Right.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |