University of Virginia Library

The King's Answer.

Ungrateful Boy! I will not call thee Son,
Thou hast thy self unhappily undone;
And thy Complaints serve but to show thee more,
How much thou hast inrag'd thy Father's Whore.
Resent it not, shake not thy addle Head,
And be no more by Clubs and Rascals led.
Have I made thee the Darling of my Joys,
The prettiest and the lustiest of my Boys?
Have I so oft sent thee with Cost to France,
To take new Dresses up, and learn to dance?
Have I giv'n thee a Ribbon and a Star,
And sent thee like a Meteor to the War?
Have I done all that Royal Dad could do,
And do you threaten now to be untrue?
But say I did with thy fond Mother sport,
To the same Kindness others had resort;
'Twas my Good-nature, and I meant her Fame,
To shelter thee under my Royal Name.
Alas! I never got one Brat alone,
My Mistresses are by each Fop well known,
And I still willing all their Brats to own.
I made thee once, 'tis true, the Post of Grace,
And stuck upon thee every mighty Place,
Each glitt'ring Office, till thy heavy Brow
Grew dull with Honour, and my Power low.
I spangled thee with Favours, hung thy Nose
With Rings of Gold and Pearl, till all grew Foes
By secret Envy at thy growing State,
I lost my Safety when I made thee Great.
There's not the least Injustice to you shewn,
You must be ruin'd to secure my Throne.
Office is but a fickle Grace, the Badg
Bestow'd by Fits, and snatch'd away in Rage;
And sure that Livery which I give my Slaves,
I may take from them when my Portsmouth raves.
Thou art a Creature of my own Creation,
Then swallow this without Capitulation.
If you with feigned Wrongs still keep a clutter,
And make the People for your sake to mutter,
For my own Comfort, but your Trouble know,
G---fish, I'll send you to the Shades below.