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 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
On King Charles the First's Statue.
Why 'tis so long before 'tis put up at Charing-Cross.
1
What can the Myst'ry be, why Charing-CrossThese two Months continues still blinded with Boards?
Dear Wheeler impart, we are all at a loss,
Unless Punchianello is to be restor'd.
2
'Twere to Scaramouchi too much Disrespect,To limit his Troop to this Theatre small;
Besides the Injustice it were to eject
That Mimick, so legally seiz'd of Whitehall.
59
3
For a Dial the Place is too unsecure,Since a Guard and a Garden could not one defend;
For so near to the Court they will not endure,
Any more to know how their time they mispend.
4
Were these Deals then in store for sheltring our Fleet,When the King in Armada to Portsmouth did sail?
Or the Bishops and Treasurer did they agree't,
To repair with such Riff-raff the Church's old Pale?
5
Now to comfort the Heart of the old Cavalier,The late King on Horseback is here to be shewn;
What ado with the Kings and Statues is here?
Have we not had enough already of one?
6
Does the Treas'rer think Men so legally tame,When the Pensions are stopt to be fool'd with a sight?
No: 'tis forty to one if he play on his Game,
But he'll shortly reduce it to Forty and Eight.
7
The Trojan Courser, tho not of Brass, but of Wood,Had within him an Army that burnt down the Town;
However 'tis ominous, if understood,
For the old King on Horseback is but half a Crown.
8
But his Brother-in-law's Horse had got much Repute,That the Treasurer thought fit to try it agen;
And instead of a Market of Herbs and of Fruit,
He will here keep a Market of Parliament-men.
9
But why is the Work so long at a stand?Such things you should never, or suddenly do:
As the Parliament twice was prorogu'd to your hand,
Will you venture so long to prorogue the King too?
60
10
Let us have a King, be he new, be he old,Not Vyner delay'd us so, tho he was broken:
Tho the King be of Copper, and Danby of Gold,
Shall the Treas'rer of Guineas grudg us such a Token?
11
The Houswifely Treasuress sure's grown very wise,Who so lib'rally treated the Members at Supper;
She thinks not convenient to go to the Price,
That we lose both our King, our Horse, and our Crupper.
12
When for so many Parties we are to provide,To buy a King is not so wise as to sell;
But however, she said, it can't be deny'd,
But a Monarch of Gingerbread will do as well.
13
The Treasurer told her, he thought she was mad,And his Parliament-Roll withal did produce;
Where he shew'd her that so many Votes he then had,
As would the next Sessions reimburse him with Use.
14
So the Statue will up after all this delay;But to turn the Face tow'rds Whitehall you must shun:
Tho of Brass, yet for Grief, it will melt soon away,
To behold ev'ry Day such a Court, such a Son.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |