 | The honest ghost |  |
To the ingenuous State-Censor.
My younger years compos'd these rurall Rymes
To taxe the errors of corrupter times:
When we a State-Monarchicall possest,
Which Government our Politicks held best.
Pandora's Box pour'd forth such plenteous store
Upon our Isle, she could enjoy no more.
We knew not then what Drum nor Trumpet meant,
No Garrison lodg'd in our Continent.
Arms and Alarms were strangers to our Coast,
No Civil-Warre, nor State-imbroiling Hoast
Disturb'd our calme repose: Phebean rayes
Of glorious Peace shone on our halcyon dayes.
Our Islander might sit and passe his time
Under his Fig-tree, or broad-spreading Vine,
And feare no Foe to reap what he had sown,
Or seize on that which Conquest made his own.
Kings reign'd secure: Scaffolds were reared then
For Sceanes of Pleasure, not for heading men.
Our peacefull Olives then their fatnesse show'd,
Our Wine and Oyle increas'd, our Cups o're-flow'd.
Each State knew then its proper residence,
The Lower gave their Lords preeminence.
Platonick parity was then as farre
From us, as now the Rules of Princes are.
High Powers on Ours had such an influence,
As ev'ry object satisfide the sence.
So as no forrain State observ'd our blesse
But envide and admir'd our happinesse:
And in that glowing Envy might conclude
“We wanted nought but civil gratitude.
For what did fullnesse of our bread bring in
But carnall liberty and height of Sin?
Vice rid on's Foot-cloth; Churches grew to be
Nurses to Sacriledge and Symonie.
More Tares then Wheat were sown in ev'ry field;
Our unprun'd Vines did only wilde grapes yeeld.
The Countrey-Cormorants begot rich heirs,
And made Sonnes Prodigalls by Fathers cares.
The City-Cheats made Fools of Countrey men,
And with their Tweaks they gratified them.
The Court a Mint of Congies and quaint words,
Of Silken-civet-comfit-curtain-Lords:
Who in their quest of favours took delight,
And gag't their Honour to decline a fight.
Imposts fed State-Imposters, Pattentees
Hackney'd the Publick with Monopolies.
These made MUSÆUS bustle in this sort
With Church-abuses, City, Countrey, Court.
These Poems then you may suppose of His
Reflect on former times, and not on this:
For had he meant that Task, Heed drawn all Shapes,
Like Protean Pictures, save Assembly Apes:
Whose forms are such, should He be catechis'd,
He knows not how those Monkeys are disguis'd.
To taxe the errors of corrupter times:
When we a State-Monarchicall possest,
Which Government our Politicks held best.
Pandora's Box pour'd forth such plenteous store
Upon our Isle, she could enjoy no more.
We knew not then what Drum nor Trumpet meant,
No Garrison lodg'd in our Continent.
Arms and Alarms were strangers to our Coast,
No Civil-Warre, nor State-imbroiling Hoast
Disturb'd our calme repose: Phebean rayes
Of glorious Peace shone on our halcyon dayes.
Our Islander might sit and passe his time
Under his Fig-tree, or broad-spreading Vine,
And feare no Foe to reap what he had sown,
Or seize on that which Conquest made his own.
Kings reign'd secure: Scaffolds were reared then
For Sceanes of Pleasure, not for heading men.
Our peacefull Olives then their fatnesse show'd,
Our Wine and Oyle increas'd, our Cups o're-flow'd.
Each State knew then its proper residence,
The Lower gave their Lords preeminence.
Platonick parity was then as farre
From us, as now the Rules of Princes are.
High Powers on Ours had such an influence,
As ev'ry object satisfide the sence.
So as no forrain State observ'd our blesse
But envide and admir'd our happinesse:
And in that glowing Envy might conclude
“We wanted nought but civil gratitude.
For what did fullnesse of our bread bring in
But carnall liberty and height of Sin?
Nurses to Sacriledge and Symonie.
More Tares then Wheat were sown in ev'ry field;
Our unprun'd Vines did only wilde grapes yeeld.
The Countrey-Cormorants begot rich heirs,
And made Sonnes Prodigalls by Fathers cares.
The City-Cheats made Fools of Countrey men,
And with their Tweaks they gratified them.
The Court a Mint of Congies and quaint words,
Of Silken-civet-comfit-curtain-Lords:
Who in their quest of favours took delight,
And gag't their Honour to decline a fight.
Imposts fed State-Imposters, Pattentees
Hackney'd the Publick with Monopolies.
These made MUSÆUS bustle in this sort
With Church-abuses, City, Countrey, Court.
These Poems then you may suppose of His
Reflect on former times, and not on this:
For had he meant that Task, Heed drawn all Shapes,
Like Protean Pictures, save Assembly Apes:
Whose forms are such, should He be catechis'd,
He knows not how those Monkeys are disguis'd.
Twenty four Harvests now are spent and gone
Since This receiv'd its first Conception;
So as you may suspect there's something in't
That kept this Work so many yeers from print.
Which had it been continu'd to these Times,
Had made an English Iliad for high Crimes:
High-swelling Crimes, which rightly understood,
Might Stage a Rubrick Story ach't in blood:
Where Presbyterian-Independent-Levell
Make work t' inlarge the Kingdom of the Devill.
But who stalks too neer Truths heels (under favour)
May have his teeth quite struck out for his labour.
Since This receiv'd its first Conception;
So as you may suspect there's something in't
That kept this Work so many yeers from print.
Which had it been continu'd to these Times,
Had made an English Iliad for high Crimes:
High-swelling Crimes, which rightly understood,
Might Stage a Rubrick Story ach't in blood:
Where Presbyterian-Independent-Levell
Make work t' inlarge the Kingdom of the Devill.
But who stalks too neer Truths heels (under favour)
May have his teeth quite struck out for his labour.
| The honest ghost | |