 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
England's late Jury.
A Satire.
Wisely an Observator said,
(Who knew our State full well)
England need never be afraid,
Or seek out any foreign Aid,
Our Dangers to repel.
(Who knew our State full well)
England need never be afraid,
Or seek out any foreign Aid,
Our Dangers to repel.
But then he never did suppose
Our Army near so small;
Or Statesmen to oblige their Foes,
Should with Seven Thousand wipe our Nose:
A Force like none at all.
Our Army near so small;
Or Statesmen to oblige their Foes,
Should with Seven Thousand wipe our Nose:
A Force like none at all.
This Vote made Lewis give a Smile,
And laugh within his Sleeve;
Scarce did he credit it a while,
Britain shou'd for his Glory toil,
Which now he does believe.
And laugh within his Sleeve;
Scarce did he credit it a while,
Britain shou'd for his Glory toil,
Which now he does believe.
But when again such Men were chose,
As did our Force disband;
He found our Ruin follow'd close,
And had no Reason to oppose
Such as went Hand in Hand.
As did our Force disband;
He found our Ruin follow'd close,
And had no Reason to oppose
Such as went Hand in Hand.
S---r forgets he was a Slave,
When in his younger Years
He was the Sp---r and a K---;
And not so much inclin'd to save,
Or think upon our Fears.
When in his younger Years
329
And not so much inclin'd to save,
Or think upon our Fears.
But then there lay a Patent by
To gratify his Pride;
On which he often cast an Eye,
And on the Stop did wonder why
Totness was not supply'd.
To gratify his Pride;
On which he often cast an Eye,
And on the Stop did wonder why
Totness was not supply'd.
Resenting an Affront like this,
He forthwith veers about;
Mad that he did Preferment miss,
(A Feather fit for Pride like his)
And courts the fickle Rout.
He forthwith veers about;
Mad that he did Preferment miss,
(A Feather fit for Pride like his)
And courts the fickle Rout.
But his Designs are understood,
The Matter's very plain:
Pretending for his Country's good,
He since has acted all he cou'd
To keep his Prince in Pain.
The Matter's very plain:
Pretending for his Country's good,
He since has acted all he cou'd
To keep his Prince in Pain.
For a long time he cou'd not Swear,
With a nice Conscience bred;
Nor take an Oath against an Heir,
That to a Monarch did repair,
At least till he was dead.
With a nice Conscience bred;
Nor take an Oath against an Heir,
That to a Monarch did repair,
At least till he was dead.
But when All-conquering Gold was brought,
Which glitter'd in his Eyes;
Quickly a Miracle was wrought,
(Exeter knows it was no Fault)
They that have Wealth are Wise.
Which glitter'd in his Eyes;
Quickly a Miracle was wrought,
(Exeter knows it was no Fault)
They that have Wealth are Wise.
M---s---ve has Parts, and Eloquence,
And others say, speaks well;
Tho young Kit met a Recompence,
To bring his Father to his Sense,
Spite did the Guilt repel.
And others say, speaks well;
Tho young Kit met a Recompence,
To bring his Father to his Sense,
Spite did the Guilt repel.
330
Nothing can biass stout Sir Kit,
Civility is Vain,
For he must exercise his Wit,
And sometimes did at random hit,
Which Credit did obtain.
Civility is Vain,
For he must exercise his Wit,
And sometimes did at random hit,
Which Credit did obtain.
H---rt pretends unto the Law,
And makes a fearful din;
As little Sense as e'er I saw,
His Judgment brittle as a Straw,
And oftner out than in.
And makes a fearful din;
As little Sense as e'er I saw,
His Judgment brittle as a Straw,
And oftner out than in.
F---ch, he has Sense and Rhetorick,
And seems of S---m---rs Kidney;
His Lungs do to the Quarrel stick,
And once was very Politick,
And some think hard on Sidney.
And seems of S---m---rs Kidney;
His Lungs do to the Quarrel stick,
And once was very Politick,
And some think hard on Sidney.
H---m---nd, he runs among the Herd,
Is Violent and Strong;
Wou'd fain seem Grave without a Beard:
But he needs never to be fear'd,
His Judgment is too young.
Is Violent and Strong;
Wou'd fain seem Grave without a Beard:
But he needs never to be fear'd,
His Judgment is too young.
J--- H--- sets up for one of Sense,
Does for a Patriot stand:
Most wonder at his Impudence!
That he thereto should lay pretence,
Who was the Court's Disband.
Does for a Patriot stand:
Most wonder at his Impudence!
That he thereto should lay pretence,
Who was the Court's Disband.
He who was reckon'd the Buffoon
In former Parliaments,
Fickle and Changing like the Moon;
Till French Gold came he was undone,
Now vents his Discontents.
In former Parliaments,
Fickle and Changing like the Moon;
Till French Gold came he was undone,
Now vents his Discontents.
331
But most Men wonder that Sir Batt
So eager is to rail:
Yet why should we admire at that?
Since his Profession is to chat,
But seldom does prevail.
So eager is to rail:
Yet why should we admire at that?
Since his Profession is to chat,
But seldom does prevail.
Some (he had heard) by Speeches rise,
And to Preferment leap:
But such had Merit, and were Wise,
And did not Foreigners despise,
Nor after Faction creep.
And to Preferment leap:
But such had Merit, and were Wise,
And did not Foreigners despise,
Nor after Faction creep.
Never for Rebels did harangue,
Nor tenter-hook the Law;
But left the Criminal to hang,
Till one Foot did the other bang,
To keep Mankind in awe.
Nor tenter-hook the Law;
But left the Criminal to hang,
Till one Foot did the other bang,
To keep Mankind in awe.
The fam'd Civilian, who can write
Of Parliamental Power;
If he has Judgment, he has Spite,
And goes beyond the Matter quite,
A sort of second SHOWER.
Of Parliamental Power;
If he has Judgment, he has Spite,
And goes beyond the Matter quite,
A sort of second SHOWER.
Upon Records he spends his Ink,
He writes at such a rate:
To prove what few did ever think,
Unless depriv'd of Sense in Drink,
Yet of a plodding Pate.
He writes at such a rate:
To prove what few did ever think,
Unless depriv'd of Sense in Drink,
Yet of a plodding Pate.
Gr---nv---le, he strolls unto the Fairs,
To get himself Renown;
Yet for this Faction he declares,
And to their Club at Night repairs,
To regulate the Crown.
To get himself Renown;
Yet for this Faction he declares,
And to their Club at Night repairs,
To regulate the Crown.
332
The times are likely sure to mend,
When Pr---r rules the State;
Pr---r the noble Dorset's Friend,
(For whom the Learned World contend)
Justly deserves his Hate.
When Pr---r rules the State;
Pr---r the noble Dorset's Friend,
(For whom the Learned World contend)
Justly deserves his Hate.
Bl---t, with proud imperious Face,
And Forehead made of Brass;
Forgets the Honour of his Place,
Does all true Policy disgrace,
And for a Fool may pass.
And Forehead made of Brass;
Forgets the Honour of his Place,
Does all true Policy disgrace,
And for a Fool may pass.
P---s shall marshal up the Rear,
With Rhetorick Debate;
And tho good-natur'd he appear,
Yet all his Services will steer
To undermine the State.
With Rhetorick Debate;
And tho good-natur'd he appear,
Yet all his Services will steer
To undermine the State.
These are the Jury which were struck,
To try Britannia's Claim:
And how could we expect good Luck
From such as did with Lewis truck,
To their Eternal Shame?
To try Britannia's Claim:
And how could we expect good Luck
From such as did with Lewis truck,
To their Eternal Shame?
Conclusion.
Others below the Dignity of Rhyme,Shall 'scape my Satire till another time:
Twelve Men like these, a Nation might undo,
And let 'em, if again we trust 'em, too.
No, no, fair Britain at her Wrongs awakes;
Finds what ye mean, and other Methods takes.
Your Popularity at last expires,
And Men of better Tempers she requires:
Despis'd at home, mutter your Discontent,
And know the Nation spoke her Mind by KENT.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |