University of Virginia Library

To his dear friend Mr. Alex. Brome, upon the publishing his Poems.

My kind Affections will shew forth thy wit,
Although't be by a simple opposite;
For thou preventest all Ingenuous proems,
Ingrossing all the wit within thy Poems;
But yet there's something left for me to do,
Which would bo folly if perform'd by you:
And that's to praise loth thee, and them, whose glory
Shall reign with thy loyal Congratulatory
And daring Speech, made in Clothworkers-Hall,
Which overcame, and made the General,
Who made us all, by making all his men,
Rank as they were, to bring our Kings agen,
By being subject to our Lawful Prince,
Whose damned Exile, made us Slaves e're since:
And so confin'd thy fancy, that thy Fame
(Till his return was) kept without a Name.
Though thou hast been Libellish all these times,
Against the changing Powers; yet some Crimes
Thou didst conceal, which did thy prudence shew,
To keep their vices for their overthrow;
Reserving still some strength as a redoubt,
Fearing the Rumpish rear might face about;
And made our Kings de facto, and of right
In Charles the Second justly to unite;
Who soon inlarg'd thy Muse, which free,
Hath bound us to our Laws for liberty:
To whom I do subscribe, (since our Commander,
In name's as good as is Great Alexander).