University of Virginia Library

Painter, Where was't thy former Work did cease?
Oh, 'twas at Parliament, and the brave Peace
Now for a Cornucopia: Peace, all know
Brings Plenty with it; wish it be not Woe.
Draw Coats of Pageantry, and Proclamations
Of Peace, concluded with one, two, three Nations.
Canst thou not on the Change make Merchants grin
Like outward smiles, whiles vexing thoughts within?
Thou art no Artist, if thou canst not feign,
And counterfeit the counterfeit disdain.

Draw a brave Standard, rufling at a rate
Much other than it did for Chathams fate.
The Tow'r-Guns too, thund'ring their Joys, that they
Have scap'd, the danger of b'ing ta'en away:
These, as now mann'd, for triumph are, not fight;
As painted fire for show, not heat or light.

Amongst the Roar of these, and the mad shout
Of a poor nothing understanding Rout,
That think the On-and-Off-Peace now is true,
Thou might'st draw Mourners for Black Bartholmew:
Mourners in Sion! Oh 'tis not to be
Discover'd! draw a Curtain curteously
To hide them. Now proceed to draw at night
A Bonfire here and there; but none too bright,
Nor lasting: for 'twas Brushwood, as they say,
Which they that hop'd for Coals now flung away.

But stay, I had forgot my Mother: Draw
The Church of England 'mongst the Opera,
To play their part too; or the Dutch will say
In War and Peace they've born the Bells away.
At this end then, two or three Steeples ringing,
At th'other end, draw Quires, Te Deum singing;
Between them leave a space for Tears: Remember
That 'tis not long to th'Second of September.

Now if thou skill'st prospective Landskip, draw
At distance, what perhaps thine Eyes ne'er saw;
Polyroon, Spicy Islands, Kits, or Guinney;
Syrrenam, Nova Scotia, or Virginia:
No, no; I mean not these; pray hold your laughter;
These things are far off, not worth looking after:
Give not a hint of these: Draw Highland, Lowland,
Mountains and Flats: Draw Scotland first, then Holland.
See, canst thou ken the Scots Frowns? Then draw those
That something had to get, but naught to lose.
Canst thou through Fogs discern the Dutchmen drink?
But Skippers, lately Capers, stamp to think
Their catching craft is over: some have ta'en,
To eke their War, a Warrant from the Dane.
But passing these, their Statesmen view a while,
In ev'ry graver Countenance a Smile:
Copy the piece there done, wherein you'll see
One laughing out, I told you how 'twould be!

Draw next a pompous Interchange of Seals;
But curs'd be he that Articles reveals
Before he knows them: Now for this take light
From him that did describe Sir Edward's fight:
You may perhaps the truth on't doubt; What tho?
You'll have it then Cum Privilegio.
Then draw our Lords Commissioners advance,
Not homewards, but for Flanders, or for France;
There to Parlier a while, until they see
How things in Parliament resented be.

So much for Peace. Now for a Parliament:
A petty Sessions draw: With what content,
Guess by their Countenance who came up post,
And quickly saw they had their Labour lost:
Like the small Merchants when they Bargains sell;
Come hither Jack: What say? Come kiss: Farewel:
But 'twas abortive, born before it's Day;
No wonder then it dy'd so soon away.
Yet breath'd it once, and that with such a force,
It blasted Thirty Thousand Foot and Horse.
As once Prometheus Man did sneez so hard,
As routed all that new rais'd standing Guard
Of Teeth, to keep the Tongue in order: So
Down fall our new Gallants without a Foe.
But if this little one could do so much,
What will the next? Give a Prophetick touch.
If thou know how; if not, leave a great space,
For great things to be pourtray'd in their place.

Now draw the shadow of a Parliament,
As if to scare the upper World 'twere sent:
Cross your selves, Gentlemen, for shades will fright,
Especially if't be an English Sprite:
Vermilion this mans guilt, cerule his fears;
Sink th'others Eyes deep in his Head with cares:
Another thought some on Accounts to see
How his Disbursements with Receipts agree.
Peep into Coaches, see Perriwigs neglected,
Cross'd Arms and Legs of such as are suspected,
Or do suspect what's coming, and foresee
Themselves must share in this Polutrophy.

Painter, hast travell'd? Dist thou e'er see Rome?
That fam'd piece there, Angelo's Day of doom?
Horror and Anguish of Descenders there,
May teach thee how to paint Descenders here.
Canst thou describe the empty shifts are made,
Like that which Dealers call, Forcing of Trade?
Some shift their Crimes, some Places; and among
The rest, some will their Countries too, ere long.
Draw in a corner, Gamesters, shuffling, cutting,
Their little crafts, no wit, together putting:
How to pack Knaves 'mongst Kings and Queens, to make
A saving Game, whilst Heads are at the stake.
But cross their Cards, until it be confest,
Of all the play, fair dealing is the best.
Draw a Veil of Displeasure, one to Hide,
And some prepared to strike a blow on's side.
Let him that built high, now creep low to shelter,
When Potentates must tumble Helter Skelter.
The Purse, Seal, Mace, are gone, as it was fit;
Such Marks as these could not chuse but be hit.
The Purse, Seal, Mace, are gone; Bartholomew-day,
Of all the days i'th' year, they're ta'en away.
The Purse, Seal, Mace, are gone; but to another,
Mitre; I wish not so, though to my Brother:
I care not for translation to a See,
Unless they would translate to Italy.

Now draw a Sail playing before the Wind,
From the North-West; that which it leaves behind,
Curses or out-cries, mind them not, tell when
They do appear Realities, and then
Spare not to Paint them in their Colours, though
Crimes of a Viceroy: Deputies have so
Been serv'd e're now: But if the Man prove true.
Let him with Pharohs Butler have his due,
Make the same Wind blow strong against the Shore
Of France, to hinder some from coming o're.
And rather draw the Golden Vessel burning,
Even there, than hither with her Fraight returning.
'Tis true, the noble Treasurer is gone:
Wise, Faithful, Loyal; some say th'only one:
Yet I will hope we've Pilots left behind
Can steer our Vessel without Southern Wind.

Women have grosly snar'd the wisest Prince
That ever was before, or hath been since:
And Granham Athaliah in that Nation,
Was a great hinderer of Reformation.
Paint in a new Peice painted Jezabel;
Giv't to adorn the Dining Room of Hell.
Hang by her others of the Gang; for more
Deserve a place with Rosamond, Jane Shore, &c,

Stay Painter; now look here's below a space,
I'th' bottom of all this, what shall we place?
Shall it be Pope, or Turk, or Prince, or Nun?
Let the resolve write Nescio. So have done.

Expose thy Peace now to the World to see:
Perhaps they'l say of It, of Thee, of Me,
Poems and Paints can speak sometimes bold Truths,
Poets and Painters are Licentious Youths.

Quæ sequuntur, in limine Thalami Regii, à nescio quo nebulone scripta, reperibantur.

Bella fugis, Bellas sequeris, Belloque repugnas
Et Bèllatori, sunt tibi Bella Thori
Imbelles Imbellis amas, Audaxque videris
Mars ad opus Veneris, Martis ad Arma Venus.