The Poetic Writings of Thomas Cradock, 1718-1770

The Satyr here is on those of the Clery, who, after they have try'd in vain, to get a gentile Maintenance in another Profession, fly to the Church as their last Refuge, & are too apt (as Experience sadly shews) by their imprudent Behaviour to bring a Disgrace upon their Office.

Ye Severn

Severn, a River on the mouth of which Annapolis the Metropolis of Maryland is built; & this Eclogue seems to have a particular Eye on sev'ral Places to that polite Place.

Nymphs, attempt a nobler song;
Tho' meaner Themes delight the vulgar Throng,
Slaves, Convicts, scoundrel Subjects please not all;
Sublimer Minds for loftier Numbers call.
Such then I'll sing, wou'd Baldus

Baldus—This & the other names in this Ecologue have much puzzled me; but I presume they are Gentleman, which sometimes or other have distinguish'd themselves in the Author's Company: Baldus especially appears to be one of extraordinary note.

lend an Ear,
As Baldus' self wou'd not disdain to hear.

Now, now's arrived the long expected Time
Old Hoeus had foretold in tuneful Rhime.
Now M[arylan]d a Set of Priests

This must not be understood of them all; for there are really sev'ral of them that have done Honour to their Profession, & tis observ'd the Gentleman that come over alate, have had more Learning & Piety too that their Predecessors

can boast
To slavish Principles of Truth not lost:
Whose golden Tongues true Freedom shall restore
And make those cease to pray, who pray'd before.
And so the Doctrines of our Faith explain,
As serves make th' Observance of 'em vain.
Caress them, Baldus, great to them thy Debt;
For faith! thyself & they are nicely met.
To thy auspicious Rule all Bliss we owe,
And Epochas of Blessings wait us now.
Our Leader thou; if any Marks remain
Of blind Subjection to the Priestly Chain,
These deep Divines the Darkness shall remove,
In Freedom's Cause Hiberno's self shall prove;
Thomaso's Genius shall their Breasts inspire,
And fill them with his own persuasive Fire.
O happy Priest! Your Forties shall be paid,
And old Hybernio too, shall give his Aid,
Hybernio who at Parsons long has growl'd,
And rail'd at Bishops like an errant Scold.

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But make a jest of Jesus & his Laws,
And he without a Fee will plead you Cause.
To you the Fair in Clusters shall repair,
The glorious Doctrines that you teach to hear.
E'en all the Church & Parson shall entoll;
And why, 'cause now twill be no Church at all.

Now Tindal's System's ev'ry where received,
And Collins, Morgan, Whoolstan all believ'd,
Now sits great Sh[aftesbury] on each Heart enthron'd,
And Mandevil's with highest Honour's crown'd.

I myself have heard these Gentlemen's Systems approv'd by some of the Clergy.

Some few Remains of Truth howe'er shall be,
Some stubborn Souls won't with these Schemes agree,

There are indeed some worthy Gentlemen, who, spite of the Politeness that prevails, still think the Truths in that exploded Book the Bible serious, & fashion their Lives according to the Rules it gives us.

Will own a Saviour, & will think him God.
Of honest Faith will Still endure the Load:
Will think the Sacraments art awful Things,
And great the Transports true Religion brings.
In short, in Spite of all these Sons of Reason,
Will still be Godly, tho' tis out of Season.

No more than Britain need our Parsons come,
Enough we have, that better know at Home.

The common Cant of a great many of the polite Marylanders.

No more the beardless Boy Damnation fears,
But at such Old Wive's Fables nobly sneers;
The tim'rous Girl that wont to fear an Oath,
And trembled at the Thought of Breach of Troth,
Now smiles at Perjuries—the Reason's plain
By Gospel-Laws who wou'd themselves restrain?

This has an Eye to the mercenary Temper of the young Girls, who after the most solemn Promises to one Lover, never scruple to marry another that is richer, & has the approbation of the generality for it.

They socrn, with self-sufficient Wisdom fraught,
By Bibles or by Parsons to be taught.
Thus spoke they to each other; 'now's the Time,
‘Let's to the Honours of the Forties climb;
‘Tho 'tis a Trade, tis yet a gainful Trade;
‘Better help on the Cheat, than not have Bread,
‘Both Law & Physick Starves, too well we know,
‘And tho' we've hardly common sense, twill do.’

O had I strength but equal to my will,
These glorious Wights shou'd be my Subject still;
Nor shou'd e'en L[ewi]s poor, unhappy Bard,

A Gentleman who had a pretty Vein in Poetry, & like other sons of Parnassus, was very poor; he was also a fine Gentleman, & laught at Religion with the rest.

Be read with more Delight or more Regard.
L[ewi]s, on whom the Muse her Favours Shed
And yet to Want her Favourite betray'd.
Nay, M[arylan]d, Spite of herself, Shall own,

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Their Preaching by my Poetry out done;
I'd paint them out, just in the Light I ought;
And shew the wondrous Lessons they have taught.

Go on; as yet you hardly know your Pow'r;
Harangue 'gainst sacred Doctrines ev'ry Hour;
With Love of Truth, with Love of Freedom fill'd,
To moral Systems bid the Bible yield;
So shall his fav'rite Priests great Baldus make ye;
And to his inmost Soul & Counsels take ye.

University of Virginia Library

THE M[ARYLAND]D-D[IVIN]E

Ecloga 4th

Argument