The Poetical Works Of the Right Honourable Charles [Montagu] Late Earl of Halifax. With His Lordship's Life including the History of his Times. The Second Edition |
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THE MAN of HONOUR. |
 | The Poetical Works Of the Right Honourable Charles [Montagu] |  |
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THE MAN of HONOUR.
Not all the Threats or Favours of a Crown,
A Prince's Whisper, or a Tyrant's Frown,
Can awe the Spirit, or allure the Mind
Of him, who to strict Honour is inclin'd.
Though all the Pomp and Pleasure that does wait
On publick Places, and Affairs of State,
Shou'd fondly court him to be Base and Great;
With even Passions, and with settled Face,
He would remove the Harlot's false Embrace.
A Prince's Whisper, or a Tyrant's Frown,
Can awe the Spirit, or allure the Mind
Of him, who to strict Honour is inclin'd.
Though all the Pomp and Pleasure that does wait
On publick Places, and Affairs of State,
Shou'd fondly court him to be Base and Great;
With even Passions, and with settled Face,
He would remove the Harlot's false Embrace.
Tho' all the Storms and Tempests should arise,
That Church-Magicians in their Cells devise,
And from their settled Basis Nations tear,
He wou'd unmov'd the mighty Ruin bear;
Secure in Innocence contemn 'em all,
And decently array'd in Honours, fall.
That Church-Magicians in their Cells devise,
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He wou'd unmov'd the mighty Ruin bear;
Secure in Innocence contemn 'em all,
And decently array'd in Honours, fall.
For this, Brave Shrewsbury and Lumly's Name
Shall stand the foremost in the List of Fame,
Who first with steddy Minds the Current broke,
And to the suppliant Monarch boldly spoke:
Shall stand the foremost in the List of Fame,
Who first with steddy Minds the Current broke,
And to the suppliant Monarch boldly spoke:
‘Great Sir, renown'd for Constancy, how just
‘Have we obey'd the Crown, and serv'd our Trust,
‘Espous'd your Cause and Interest in Distress,
‘Your self must witness, and our Foes confess!
‘Permit us then ill Fortune to accuse,
‘That you at last unhappy Councils use,
‘And ask the only thing we must refuse.
‘Our Lives and Fortunes freely we'll expose,
‘Honour alone we cannot, must not lose:
‘Honour, that Spark of the Celestial Fire,
‘That above Nature makes Mankind aspire;
‘Enobles the rude Passions of our Frame,
‘With Thirst of Glory, and Desire of Fame;
‘The richest Treasure of a generous Breast,
‘That gives the Stamp and Standard to the rest.
‘Wit, Strength, and Courage, are wild dangerous Force,
‘Unless this softens and directs their Course;
‘And would you rob us of the noblest Part,
‘Accept a Sacrifice without a Heart?
‘'Tis much beneath the Greatness of a Throne,
‘To take the Casket when the Jewel's gone;
‘Debauch our Principles, corrupt our Race,
‘And teach the Nobles to be False and Base;
‘What Confidence can you in them repose,
‘Who e're they serve you, all their Value lose?
‘Who once enslave their Conscience to their Lust,
‘Have lost their Reins, and can no more be Just.
‘Have we obey'd the Crown, and serv'd our Trust,
‘Espous'd your Cause and Interest in Distress,
‘Your self must witness, and our Foes confess!
‘Permit us then ill Fortune to accuse,
‘That you at last unhappy Councils use,
‘And ask the only thing we must refuse.
‘Our Lives and Fortunes freely we'll expose,
‘Honour alone we cannot, must not lose:
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‘That above Nature makes Mankind aspire;
‘Enobles the rude Passions of our Frame,
‘With Thirst of Glory, and Desire of Fame;
‘The richest Treasure of a generous Breast,
‘That gives the Stamp and Standard to the rest.
‘Wit, Strength, and Courage, are wild dangerous Force,
‘Unless this softens and directs their Course;
‘And would you rob us of the noblest Part,
‘Accept a Sacrifice without a Heart?
‘'Tis much beneath the Greatness of a Throne,
‘To take the Casket when the Jewel's gone;
‘Debauch our Principles, corrupt our Race,
‘And teach the Nobles to be False and Base;
‘What Confidence can you in them repose,
‘Who e're they serve you, all their Value lose?
‘Who once enslave their Conscience to their Lust,
‘Have lost their Reins, and can no more be Just.
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‘Of Honour, Men at first like Women nice,
‘Raise Maiden Scruples at unpractis'd Vice;
‘Their modest Nature curbs the struggling Flame,
‘And stifles what they wish to act, with Shame:
‘But once this Fence thrown down, when they perceive
‘That they may taste forbidden Fruit and live;
‘They stop not here their Course, but safely in,
‘Grow Strong, Luxuriant, and Bold in Sin;
‘True to no Principles, press forward still,
‘And only bound by Appetite their Will:
‘Now fawn and flatter, while this Tide prevails,
‘But shift with every veering Blast their Sails.
‘Mark those that meanly truckle to your Power,
‘They once deserted, and chang'd Sides before,
‘And would to morrow Mahomet adore!
‘On higher Springs true Men of Honour move,
‘Free is their Service, and unbought their Love:
‘When Danger calls, and Honour leads the Way,
‘With Joy they follow, and with Pride obey:
‘When the Rebellious Foe came rolling on,
‘And shook with gathering Multitudes the Throne,
‘Where were the Minions then? What Arms, what Force,
‘Cou'd they oppose to stop the Torrent's Course?
‘Raise Maiden Scruples at unpractis'd Vice;
‘Their modest Nature curbs the struggling Flame,
‘And stifles what they wish to act, with Shame:
‘But once this Fence thrown down, when they perceive
‘That they may taste forbidden Fruit and live;
‘They stop not here their Course, but safely in,
‘Grow Strong, Luxuriant, and Bold in Sin;
‘True to no Principles, press forward still,
‘And only bound by Appetite their Will:
‘Now fawn and flatter, while this Tide prevails,
‘But shift with every veering Blast their Sails.
‘Mark those that meanly truckle to your Power,
‘They once deserted, and chang'd Sides before,
‘And would to morrow Mahomet adore!
‘On higher Springs true Men of Honour move,
‘Free is their Service, and unbought their Love:
‘When Danger calls, and Honour leads the Way,
‘With Joy they follow, and with Pride obey:
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‘And shook with gathering Multitudes the Throne,
‘Where were the Minions then? What Arms, what Force,
‘Cou'd they oppose to stop the Torrent's Course?
‘Then Pembroke, then the Nobles firmly stood,
‘Free of their Lives, and lavish of their Blood;
‘But when your Orders to mean Ends decline,
‘With the same Constancy they all resign.
‘Free of their Lives, and lavish of their Blood;
‘But when your Orders to mean Ends decline,
‘With the same Constancy they all resign.
Thus spake the Youth, who open'd first the way,
And was the Phosphorous to the dawning Day;
Follow'd by a more glorious splendid Host,
Than any Age, or any Realm can boast:
So great their Fame, so numerous their Train,
To name were endless, and to praise in vain;
But Herbert, and great Oxford merit more,
Bold is their Flight, and more sublime they soar;
So high their Virtue as yet wants a Name,
Exceeding Wonder, and surpassing Fame:
Rise, Glorious Church, erect thy Radiant Head,
The Storm is past, th' Impending Tempest fled:
Had Fate decreed thy Ruin or Disgrace,
It had not giv'n such Sons so brave a Race.
When for Destruction Heav'n a Realm designs,
The Symptoms first appear in slavish Minds:
These Men would prop a sinking Nation's Weight,
Stop falling Vengeance, and reverse ev'n Fate.
Let other Nations boast their fruitful Soil,
Their fragrant Spices, their rich Wine and Oil;
In breathing Colours, and in living Paint
Let them excel, their Mastery we grant.
But to instruct the Mind, to arm the Soul
With Virtue, which no Dangers can controul;
Exalt the Thought, a speedy Courage lend,
That Horror cannot shake, or Pleasure bend:
These are the English Arts, these we profess,
To be the same in Mis'ry and Success;
To teach Oppressors Law, assist the Good,
Relieve the Wretched, and subdue the Proud.
Such are our Souls: But what doth Worth avail,
When Kings commit to hungry Priests the Scale?
All Merit's light when they dispose the Weight,
Who either would embroil, or rule the State;
Defame those Heroes who their Yoke refuse,
And blast that Honesty they cannot use;
The Strength and Safety of the Crown destroy,
And the King's Power against himself employ;
Affront his Friends, deprive him of the Brave;
Bereft of these, he must become their Slave.
Men, like our Money, come the most in Play,
For being base, and of a coarse Allay.
The richest Medals, and the purest Gold,
Of native Value, and exactest Mould,
By Worth conceal'd, in private Closets shine,
For vulgar Use too precious, and too fine;
Whilst Tin and Copper with new stamping bright,
Coin of base Metal, counterfeit and light,
Do all the Bus'ness of the Nation's Turn,
Rais'd in Contempt, us'd and employ'd in Scorn:
So shining Virtues are for Courts too bright,
Whose guilty Actions fly the searching Light;
Rich in themselves, disdaining to aspire,
Great without Pomp, they willingly retire;
Give place to Fools, whose rash misjudging Sense
Increases the weak Measures of their Prince;
Prone to admire, and flatter him in Ease,
They study not his Good, but how to please;
They blindly and implicitly run on,
Nor see those Dangers which the other shun:
Who slow to act, each Bus'ness duly weigh,
Advise with Freedom, and with Care obey;
With Wisdom fatal to their Interest, strive
To make their Monarch lov'd, and Nation thrive.
Such have no place where Priests and Women reign,
Who love fierce Drivers, and a looser Rein.
And was the Phosphorous to the dawning Day;
Follow'd by a more glorious splendid Host,
Than any Age, or any Realm can boast:
So great their Fame, so numerous their Train,
To name were endless, and to praise in vain;
But Herbert, and great Oxford merit more,
Bold is their Flight, and more sublime they soar;
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Exceeding Wonder, and surpassing Fame:
Rise, Glorious Church, erect thy Radiant Head,
The Storm is past, th' Impending Tempest fled:
Had Fate decreed thy Ruin or Disgrace,
It had not giv'n such Sons so brave a Race.
When for Destruction Heav'n a Realm designs,
The Symptoms first appear in slavish Minds:
These Men would prop a sinking Nation's Weight,
Stop falling Vengeance, and reverse ev'n Fate.
Let other Nations boast their fruitful Soil,
Their fragrant Spices, their rich Wine and Oil;
In breathing Colours, and in living Paint
Let them excel, their Mastery we grant.
But to instruct the Mind, to arm the Soul
With Virtue, which no Dangers can controul;
Exalt the Thought, a speedy Courage lend,
That Horror cannot shake, or Pleasure bend:
These are the English Arts, these we profess,
To be the same in Mis'ry and Success;
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Relieve the Wretched, and subdue the Proud.
Such are our Souls: But what doth Worth avail,
When Kings commit to hungry Priests the Scale?
All Merit's light when they dispose the Weight,
Who either would embroil, or rule the State;
Defame those Heroes who their Yoke refuse,
And blast that Honesty they cannot use;
The Strength and Safety of the Crown destroy,
And the King's Power against himself employ;
Affront his Friends, deprive him of the Brave;
Bereft of these, he must become their Slave.
Men, like our Money, come the most in Play,
For being base, and of a coarse Allay.
The richest Medals, and the purest Gold,
Of native Value, and exactest Mould,
By Worth conceal'd, in private Closets shine,
For vulgar Use too precious, and too fine;
Whilst Tin and Copper with new stamping bright,
Coin of base Metal, counterfeit and light,
17
Rais'd in Contempt, us'd and employ'd in Scorn:
So shining Virtues are for Courts too bright,
Whose guilty Actions fly the searching Light;
Rich in themselves, disdaining to aspire,
Great without Pomp, they willingly retire;
Give place to Fools, whose rash misjudging Sense
Increases the weak Measures of their Prince;
Prone to admire, and flatter him in Ease,
They study not his Good, but how to please;
They blindly and implicitly run on,
Nor see those Dangers which the other shun:
Who slow to act, each Bus'ness duly weigh,
Advise with Freedom, and with Care obey;
With Wisdom fatal to their Interest, strive
To make their Monarch lov'd, and Nation thrive.
Such have no place where Priests and Women reign,
Who love fierce Drivers, and a looser Rein.
| The Poetical Works Of the Right Honourable Charles [Montagu] | |