Poems on Affairs of State

Siclian Muse, begin a loftier Flight,
Not all in Trees and lowly Shrubs delight:
Or if your Rural Shades you still pursue,
Make your Shades fit for able Statesmens view.

The time is come, by antient Bards foretold,
Restoring the Saturnian Age of Gold:
The Vile, Degenerate, Whiggish Offspring ends,
A High-Church Progeny from Heaven descends.

O Learned Oxford, spare no Sacred Pains
To nurse the Glorious Breed, now thy own B---ley reigns.

And thou Great S---l, Darling of this Land,
Do'st foremost in that fam'd Commission stand;
Whose deep Remarks the listening World admires,
By whose auspicious Care old Ra---gh expires.
Your mighty Genius no strict Rules can bind;
You punish Men for Crimes, which you want time to find.

Senates shall now like Holy Synods be,
And Holy Synods Senate-like agree.
M---th and M---n here instruct the Youth,
There B**ks and Kim---ly maintain the Sacred Truth.
P---is and H**lin here with equal Claim,
Thro wide West-Saxon Realms extend their Fame;

423

There B**ch and H**per Right Divine convey,
Nor treat their Bishops in a humane way.

Now all our Factions, all our Fears shall cease,
And Tories rule the promis'd Land in Peace.
Malice shall die, and noxious Poisons fail,
H---y shall cease to trick, and S---ur cease to rail:
The Lambs shall with the Lions walk unhurt,
And H---x with H--- meet civilly at Court.
Viceroys, like Providence, with distant Care,
Shall govern Kingdoms where they ne'er appear:
Pacifick Admirals, to save the Fleet,
Shall fly from Conquest, and shall Conquest meet:
Commanders shall be prais'd at William's Cost,
And Honour be retriev'd before 'tis lost.
Br---ton and Bur**by the Court shall grace,
And H--- shall not disdain to share a Place.
Forgotten Molineux and Mason now
Revive and shine again in F*** and H***.

But as they stronger grow and mend their Strain,
By choice Examples of King Charles's Reign;
Bold Bel***sis and Patriot Da**nant then,
One shall employ the Sword, and one the Pen:
Troops shall be led to plunder, not to fight,
The Tool of Faction shall to Peace invite,
And Foes to Union be imploy'd the Kingdoms to unite.

Yet still some Whigs among the Peers are found,
Like Brambles flourishing in barren Ground.
Som**rs maliciously imploys his Care
To make the Lords the Legislature share.
Bu---t declares how French Dragooning rose,
And Bishops Persecuting Bills oppose:
Till Ro---r's cool Temper shall be fir'd,
And N**th's and Not---m's strong Reas'nings be admir'd.

But when due Time their Counsels shall mature,
And fresh Removes have made the Game secure;
When Som---et and Dev---ire give Place
To Windham's B---d, and to R---d's Grace,

424

Both Converts great; when Justice is refin'd,
And Corporations garbled to their Mind,
Then Passive Doctrines shall with Glory rise,
Before them hated Moderation flies,
And Antichristian Toleration dies.
Gr---ile shall seize the long expected Chair,
Go---in to some Country-Seat repair;
P---ke from all Employments be debar'd,
And Mar---gh for antient Crimes receive his just Reward.

France, that this happy Change so wisely has begun,
Shall bless the great Design, and bid it smoothly run.
Come on, young J---'s Friends, this is the Time, come on;
Receive just Honours, and surround the Throne.
Boldly your Loyal Principles maintain,
H---s now rules the State, and R--- the Main.
Gr---es is at hand the Members to reward,
And Troops are trusted to your own Gr---rd.
The faithful Clubs assemble at the Vine,
And French Intrigues are broach'd o'er English Wine.
Freely the S---te the Design proclaims,
Affronting W---m, and applauding J---es.
Good antient Members with a solemn Face,
Propose that Safety give to Order place;
And what they dare not openly dissuade,
Is by Expedients ineffectual made.
E'en F***ch and Mu---ve, whom the Court caress,
Exalt its Praises, but its Power depress;
And that Impartial Justice may be seen,
Confirm to Friends what they refus'd the Queen.
Bishops who most advanc'd Good J---'s Cause
In Church and State, now reap deserv'd Applause:
While those who rather made the Tow'r their Choice,
Are stil'd Unchristian by the Nation's Voice.
Avow'dly now St. David's Cause they own,
And J---es's Votes for Simony atone.

425

Archbishop K*n shall from Longleat be drawn,
While firm Nonjurors from behind stand crowding for the Lawn.
And thou, Great W---th, to reward thy Charge,
Shalt fail to Lambeth in his Grace's Barge.

See by base Rebels J---es the Just betray'd,
See his Three Realms by vile U---rs sway'd;
Then see with Joy his lawful H--- restor'd,
And erring Nations own their injur'd L---.

O would kind Heaven so long my Life maintain,
Inspiring Raptures worthy such a Reign!
Not Thracian St. J---ns should with me contend,
Nor my sweet Lays harmonious Ha---nd mend:
Not tho young Davenant St. J---ns should protect,
Or the shrewd Doctor Ha---nd's Lines correct.
Nay should Tr---am in St Maws compare his Songs to mine;
Tr---am, tho St. Maws were Judg, his Laurel should resign.

Prepare, Auspicious Youth, thy Friends to meet;
Sir G--- already has prepar'd the Fleet.
Should Rival Neptune (who with envious Mind
In times of Danger still this Chief confin'd)
Now send the Gout, the Hero to disgrace,
Honest G--- Ch--- may supply his Place.

University of Virginia Library

The Golden Age Restor'd.

A Poem in imitation of the fourth Pastoral of Virgil; suppos'd to have been taken from a Sibylline Prophecy.