 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
Britannia and Raleigh.
By A. Marvell Esq.
Brit.Ah Raleigh, when thou didst thy Breath resign
To trembling James, would I had quitted mine,
Cubs did'st thou call them? Hadst thou seen this Brood
Of Earls, Dukes, and Princes of the Blood;
No more of Scottish Race thou wouldst complain,
These would be Blessings in this spurious Reign.
Awake, arise from thy long blest Repose,
Once more with me partake of Mortal Woes.
Ra.
What mighty Pow'r hath forced me from my rest?
Oh mighty Queen, why so untimely drest?
Brit.
Favour'd by Night, conceal'd in this Disguise,
Whilst the Lewd Court in drunken Slumber lies,
I stole away, and never will return,
Till England knows who did her City burn;
Till Cavaliers shall Favourites be deem'd,
And Loyal Sufferers by the Court esteem'd;
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Thus O---n's Golden Cheat I shall detect:
Till Atheist Lauderdale shall leave this Land,
And Commons Votes shall Cut-Nose Guards disband;
Till Kate a happy Mother shall become,
Till Charles loves Parliaments, and James hates Rome.
Ral.
What fatal Crimes make you for ever fly
Your once lov'd Court and Martyrs Progeny?
Brit.
A Colony of French possess the Court;
Pimps, Priests, Buffoons in Privy Chamber sport;
Such slimy Monsters ne'r approacht a Throne
Since Pharaoh's Days, nor so defil'd a Crown.
In sacred Ear Tyrannick Arts they croak,
Pervert his Mind, and good Intention choak;
Tell him of Golden Indies, Fairy Lands,
Leviathan, and absolute Commands.
Thus Fairy-like the King they steal away,
And in his room a Changling Lewis lay.
How oft have I him to himself restor'd,
In's left the Scale, in's right hand plac'd the Sword?
Taught him their use, what dangers would ensue,
To them who strive to separate these two?
The bloody Scotish Chronicle read o're,
Shew'd him how many Kings in purple gore
Were hurll'd to Hell by cruel Tyrant Lore.
Pimps, Priests, Buffoons in Privy Chamber sport;
Such slimy Monsters ne'r approacht a Throne
Since Pharaoh's Days, nor so defil'd a Crown.
In sacred Ear Tyrannick Arts they croak,
Pervert his Mind, and good Intention choak;
Tell him of Golden Indies, Fairy Lands,
Leviathan, and absolute Commands.
Thus Fairy-like the King they steal away,
And in his room a Changling Lewis lay.
How oft have I him to himself restor'd,
In's left the Scale, in's right hand plac'd the Sword?
Taught him their use, what dangers would ensue,
To them who strive to separate these two?
The bloody Scotish Chronicle read o're,
Shew'd him how many Kings in purple gore
Were hurll'd to Hell by cruel Tyrant Lore.
The other day fam'd Spencer I did bring,
In lofty Notes Tudor's blest Race to sing;
How Spain's proud Powers her Virgin Arms controul'd,
And Gold'n Days in peaceful Order roul'd;
How like ripe Fruit she dropt from off her Throne,
Full of grey Hairs, good Deeds, and great Renown.
As the Jessean Hero did appease
Sauls stormy Rage, and stopt his black Disease;
So the learn'd Bard, with Artful Song supprest
The swelling Passion of his canker'd Breast,
And in his Heart kind Influences shed
Of Countrys Love by Truth and Justice bred:
Then, to perform the Cure so well begun,
To him I shew'd this glorious setting Sun.
How by her Peoples Looks pursu'd from far,
So mounted on a bright Celestial Car,
Out-shining Virgo, or the Julian Star.
Whilst in Truths Mirrour this good Scene he spy'd,
Enter'd a Dame, bedeckt with spotted Pride,
Fair Flower-de-Luce within an Azure Field,
Her left Hand bears the Ancient Gallick Shield,
By her usurp'd; her Right a bloody Sword,
Inscrib'd Leviathan, our Soveraign Lord;
Her towry Front a fiery Meteor bears,
And Exhalation bred of Blood and Tears;
Around her Jove's lewd rav'nous Curs complain,
Pale Death, Lust, Tortures, fill her pompous Train:
She from the easie King Truth's Mirrour took,
And on the Ground in spiteful Fall it broke;
Then frowning, thus, with proud Disdain, she spoke:
In lofty Notes Tudor's blest Race to sing;
How Spain's proud Powers her Virgin Arms controul'd,
And Gold'n Days in peaceful Order roul'd;
How like ripe Fruit she dropt from off her Throne,
Full of grey Hairs, good Deeds, and great Renown.
As the Jessean Hero did appease
Sauls stormy Rage, and stopt his black Disease;
So the learn'd Bard, with Artful Song supprest
The swelling Passion of his canker'd Breast,
91
Of Countrys Love by Truth and Justice bred:
Then, to perform the Cure so well begun,
To him I shew'd this glorious setting Sun.
How by her Peoples Looks pursu'd from far,
So mounted on a bright Celestial Car,
Out-shining Virgo, or the Julian Star.
Whilst in Truths Mirrour this good Scene he spy'd,
Enter'd a Dame, bedeckt with spotted Pride,
Fair Flower-de-Luce within an Azure Field,
Her left Hand bears the Ancient Gallick Shield,
By her usurp'd; her Right a bloody Sword,
Inscrib'd Leviathan, our Soveraign Lord;
Her towry Front a fiery Meteor bears,
And Exhalation bred of Blood and Tears;
Around her Jove's lewd rav'nous Curs complain,
Pale Death, Lust, Tortures, fill her pompous Train:
She from the easie King Truth's Mirrour took,
And on the Ground in spiteful Fall it broke;
Then frowning, thus, with proud Disdain, she spoke:
Are thred-bare Virtues Ornaments for Kings?
Such poor Pedantick Toys teach Underlings!
Do Monarchs rise by Virtue, or by Sword?
Who e're grew great by keeping of his Word?
Virtue's a faint Green-sickness to brave Souls,
Dastards their Hearts, their active Heat controuls:
The Rival God, Monarchs of th'other World,
This mortal Poyson amongst Princes hurl'd;
Fearing the mighty Projects of the great,
Shall drive them from their proud Cœlestial Seat,
If not o're aw'd: This new-found, holy Cheat,
Those pious Frauds too slight, t'insnare the brave,
Are proper Arts the long-ear'd Rout t'inslave.
Bribe hungry Priests to deifie your Might,
To teach your Will's, your only Rule to Right,
And found Damnation to all that dare deny't.
Thus Heaven designs 'gainst Heaven you shall turn,
And make them feel those powers they once did scorn.
When all the Gobling Interest of Mankind,
By Hirelings sold to you, shall be resign'd;
And by Impostures God and Man betray'd
The Church and State you safely may invade:
So boundless Lewis in full Glory shines,
Whil'st your starv'd power in Legal Fetters pines.
Shake off those Baby Bands from your strong Arms,
Henceforth be deaf to that old Witches Charms;
Tast the delicious Sweets of Sovereign power,
'Tis Royal Game whole Kingdoms to deflower.
Three spotless Virgins to your Bed I'll bring,
A Sacrifice to you their God and King:
As these grow stale we'll harrass Humankind,
Rack Nature till new pleasures you shall find,
Strong as your Reign, and beauteous as your Mind.
When she had spoke a confus'd Murmur rose,
Of French, Scotch, Irish, all my mortal Foes;
Some English too, O shame! disguis'd I spy'd,
Led all by the wise Son-in-Law of Hide;
With Fury drunk, like Bachanals they Roar,
Down with that common Magna Charta Whore:
With joynt Consent on helpless Me they flew,
And from my Charles to a base Goal me drew;
My Reverend Age expos'd to Scorn and Shame,
To Prigs, Bawds, Whores, was made the publick Game.
Frequent Addresses to my Charles I send,
And my sad State did to his Care commend;
But his fair Soul transform'd by that French Dame,
Had lost a sense of Honour, Justice, Fame.
Like a tame Spinster in's Seraigl he sits,
Beseig'd by Whores, Buffoons, and Bastards Chits;
Lull'd in Security, rowling in Lust,
Resigns his Crown to Angel Carwells Trust.
Her Creature O--- the Revenue steals,
False F***h, Knave Ang---esy, misguide the Seals;
Mack-James the Irish Biggots does adore;
His French and Teague commands on sea and shore:
The Scotch Scalado of our Court two Isles,
False L---le with Ordure all defiles.
Thus the States Night-mar'd by this Hellish rout,
And no one left these Furies to cast out:
Ah Vindex come, and purge the poison'd State;
Descend, Descend, e're the Cure's desperate.
Such poor Pedantick Toys teach Underlings!
Do Monarchs rise by Virtue, or by Sword?
Who e're grew great by keeping of his Word?
Virtue's a faint Green-sickness to brave Souls,
Dastards their Hearts, their active Heat controuls:
The Rival God, Monarchs of th'other World,
This mortal Poyson amongst Princes hurl'd;
Fearing the mighty Projects of the great,
Shall drive them from their proud Cœlestial Seat,
If not o're aw'd: This new-found, holy Cheat,
Those pious Frauds too slight, t'insnare the brave,
Are proper Arts the long-ear'd Rout t'inslave.
Bribe hungry Priests to deifie your Might,
To teach your Will's, your only Rule to Right,
And found Damnation to all that dare deny't.
92
And make them feel those powers they once did scorn.
When all the Gobling Interest of Mankind,
By Hirelings sold to you, shall be resign'd;
And by Impostures God and Man betray'd
The Church and State you safely may invade:
So boundless Lewis in full Glory shines,
Whil'st your starv'd power in Legal Fetters pines.
Shake off those Baby Bands from your strong Arms,
Henceforth be deaf to that old Witches Charms;
Tast the delicious Sweets of Sovereign power,
'Tis Royal Game whole Kingdoms to deflower.
Three spotless Virgins to your Bed I'll bring,
A Sacrifice to you their God and King:
As these grow stale we'll harrass Humankind,
Rack Nature till new pleasures you shall find,
Strong as your Reign, and beauteous as your Mind.
When she had spoke a confus'd Murmur rose,
Of French, Scotch, Irish, all my mortal Foes;
Some English too, O shame! disguis'd I spy'd,
Led all by the wise Son-in-Law of Hide;
With Fury drunk, like Bachanals they Roar,
Down with that common Magna Charta Whore:
With joynt Consent on helpless Me they flew,
And from my Charles to a base Goal me drew;
My Reverend Age expos'd to Scorn and Shame,
To Prigs, Bawds, Whores, was made the publick Game.
Frequent Addresses to my Charles I send,
And my sad State did to his Care commend;
But his fair Soul transform'd by that French Dame,
Had lost a sense of Honour, Justice, Fame.
Like a tame Spinster in's Seraigl he sits,
Beseig'd by Whores, Buffoons, and Bastards Chits;
Lull'd in Security, rowling in Lust,
Resigns his Crown to Angel Carwells Trust.
93
False F***h, Knave Ang---esy, misguide the Seals;
Mack-James the Irish Biggots does adore;
His French and Teague commands on sea and shore:
The Scotch Scalado of our Court two Isles,
False L---le with Ordure all defiles.
Thus the States Night-mar'd by this Hellish rout,
And no one left these Furies to cast out:
Ah Vindex come, and purge the poison'd State;
Descend, Descend, e're the Cure's desperate.
Ral.
Once more great Queen thy Darling strive to save,
Snatch him again from scandal and the Grave;
Present to's Thoughts his long scorn'd Parliament,
The Basis of his Throne and Government:
In his deaf, Ears sound his dead Fathers Name;
Perhaps that Spell may's Erring Soul reclaim:
Who knows what good Effects from thence may spring?
'Tis God-like Good to save a falling King.
Brit.
Rawleigh, no more; for long in vain I've try'd,
The S---t, from the Tyrant to divide;
As easily learn'd Virtuoso's may
With the Dogs Blood his gentle Kind Convey
Into the Wolf, and make him Guardian turn;
To the bleating Flock, by him so lately torn:
If this Imperial Juice once taint his Blood,
'Tis by no potent Antidote withstood.
Tyrants, like Leprous Kings, for publick weal,
Should be immur'd, lest the Contagion steal
Over the whole. Th'Elect of the Jessean Line,
To this firm Law their Scepter did resign,
And shall this base Tyrannick Brood evade
Eternal Laws, by God for Mankind made.
The S---t, from the Tyrant to divide;
As easily learn'd Virtuoso's may
With the Dogs Blood his gentle Kind Convey
Into the Wolf, and make him Guardian turn;
To the bleating Flock, by him so lately torn:
If this Imperial Juice once taint his Blood,
'Tis by no potent Antidote withstood.
Tyrants, like Leprous Kings, for publick weal,
Should be immur'd, lest the Contagion steal
Over the whole. Th'Elect of the Jessean Line,
To this firm Law their Scepter did resign,
And shall this base Tyrannick Brood evade
Eternal Laws, by God for Mankind made.
To the serene Venetian State I'll go,
From her sage Mouth fam'd Principles to know;
With her, the prudence of the Ancients read,
To teach my People in their steps to tread:
By their great Pattern such a State I'le frame,
Shall eternize a glorious lasting Name.
Till then, my Raleigh teach our noble Youth,
To love Sobriety and holy Truth:
Watch and preside over their tender Age,
Lest Court, Corruption should their Soul engage:
Teach them how Arts and Arms in thy young Days
Employ'd our Youth, not Taverns, Stews and Plays:
Tell them the generous Scorn their rise does owe
To Flattery, Pimping and a Gawdy Shew;
Teach them to scorn the Carwells, Portsms, Nells,
The Clevelands, O---, Berties, Lau---ails,
Poppea, Tegoline and Arteria's Name,
Who yield to these in Lewdness, Lust and Fame.
Make 'em admire the Talbots, Sidneys, Veres,
Drake, Cav'ndish, Blake, Men void of slavish Fears,
True Sons of Glory, Pillars of the State,
On whose fam'd Deeds all Tongues and Writers wait;
When with fierce Ardour their bright Souls do burn,
Back to my dearest Country I'll return.
Tarquin's just Judge and Cæsar's equal Peers,
With them I'll bring, to dry my Peoples Tears.
Publicola with healing Hands shall pour
Balm in their Wounds, and shall their Life restore:
Greek Arts and Roman Arms in her conjoyn'd,
Shall England raise, relieve opprest Mankind.
As Jove's great Son th'infested Globe did free
From noxious Monsters, hell born Tyranny;
So shall my England in a Holy War,
In Triumph lead chain'd Tryrants from a far;
Her true Crusado shall at last pull down
The Turkish Crescent and the Persian Sun.
Freed by thy Labours, Fortunate Blest Isle,
The Earth shall rest, the Heaven shall on thee smile;
And this kind Secret for Reward shall give,
No Poyson'd Tyrants on thy Earth shall live.
From her sage Mouth fam'd Principles to know;
With her, the prudence of the Ancients read,
To teach my People in their steps to tread:
94
Shall eternize a glorious lasting Name.
Till then, my Raleigh teach our noble Youth,
To love Sobriety and holy Truth:
Watch and preside over their tender Age,
Lest Court, Corruption should their Soul engage:
Teach them how Arts and Arms in thy young Days
Employ'd our Youth, not Taverns, Stews and Plays:
Tell them the generous Scorn their rise does owe
To Flattery, Pimping and a Gawdy Shew;
Teach them to scorn the Carwells, Portsms, Nells,
The Clevelands, O---, Berties, Lau---ails,
Poppea, Tegoline and Arteria's Name,
Who yield to these in Lewdness, Lust and Fame.
Make 'em admire the Talbots, Sidneys, Veres,
Drake, Cav'ndish, Blake, Men void of slavish Fears,
True Sons of Glory, Pillars of the State,
On whose fam'd Deeds all Tongues and Writers wait;
When with fierce Ardour their bright Souls do burn,
Back to my dearest Country I'll return.
Tarquin's just Judge and Cæsar's equal Peers,
With them I'll bring, to dry my Peoples Tears.
Publicola with healing Hands shall pour
Balm in their Wounds, and shall their Life restore:
Greek Arts and Roman Arms in her conjoyn'd,
Shall England raise, relieve opprest Mankind.
As Jove's great Son th'infested Globe did free
From noxious Monsters, hell born Tyranny;
So shall my England in a Holy War,
In Triumph lead chain'd Tryrants from a far;
Her true Crusado shall at last pull down
The Turkish Crescent and the Persian Sun.
Freed by thy Labours, Fortunate Blest Isle,
The Earth shall rest, the Heaven shall on thee smile;
And this kind Secret for Reward shall give,
No Poyson'd Tyrants on thy Earth shall live.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |