 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
382
The History and Fall of the Conformity-Bill.
God bless our gracious Sovereign ANNE,
For so I shall her call,
Who ruleth in our English Land,
An English Heart withal,
For so I shall her call,
Who ruleth in our English Land,
An English Heart withal,
The Prince, her Turtle Mate, I trow,
I also pray God bless:
And eke the Duke of Marlborough,
Both his and her good Grace.
I also pray God bless:
And eke the Duke of Marlborough,
Both his and her good Grace.
And now I think within this Realm
I need pray for no more;
For they who do sit at the Helm;
Are two out of these four.
I need pray for no more;
For they who do sit at the Helm;
Are two out of these four.
And yet I mayn't omit the Church,
To pray for in my Pray'rs,
Which has of late been left i'th' lurch
By her own Sons and Heirs.
To pray for in my Pray'rs,
Which has of late been left i'th' lurch
By her own Sons and Heirs.
Ah Bishops! Bishops! you I mean,
They say you were possess'd,
As one may say, like Birds unclean,
To foul thus your own Nest.
They say you were possess'd,
As one may say, like Birds unclean,
To foul thus your own Nest.
For unto you a choice Bill came,
Sent from the Commons House,
And yet you did reject the same,
As if not worth a Louse.
Sent from the Commons House,
And yet you did reject the same,
As if not worth a Louse.
383
And now to tell I do intend,
How they this Bill did bring in,
By that you'll find the very end
Of this my Tale's beginning.
How they this Bill did bring in,
By that you'll find the very end
Of this my Tale's beginning.
Few happy in this World there are,
And fewer in the next;
The first Experience does declare,
The last the Gospel-Text.
And fewer in the next;
The first Experience does declare,
The last the Gospel-Text.
And therefore some Great Men of Note,
Whom I shall name anon,
Did in the Senate stoutly vote
For Christian Union.
Whom I shall name anon,
Did in the Senate stoutly vote
For Christian Union.
Now Conscience is a thing we know
Like to a Mastiff Dog,
Which if ty'd up so fierce he'll grow,
He'll bite his very Clog.
Like to a Mastiff Dog,
Which if ty'd up so fierce he'll grow,
He'll bite his very Clog.
Wherefore some wiser Men than some,
Thought they could give good Reason,
How that this Bill just now did come
A little out of season.
Thought they could give good Reason,
How that this Bill just now did come
A little out of season.
Dissenters they were to be press'd
To go to Common-Prayer,
And turn their Faces to the East,
As God were only there:
To go to Common-Prayer,
And turn their Faces to the East,
As God were only there:
Or else no place of Price or Trust
They ever could obtain;
Which shews that Saying very just,
That Godliness is Gain.
They ever could obtain;
Which shews that Saying very just,
That Godliness is Gain.
Now some I say did think this hard,
And strove with all their Might,
That Subjects might not be debar'd
Of Freedom, nor of Right.
And strove with all their Might,
384
Of Freedom, nor of Right.
For who can think our Lord can care
From whence the Voice does sound,
Tho we should pray as Seamen swear,
The Compass Points around?
From whence the Voice does sound,
Tho we should pray as Seamen swear,
The Compass Points around?
Sure he, I say, our Pray'rs can hear,
Whenever we do call;
For if so be the Heart's sincere,
Oh that is all in all.
Whenever we do call;
For if so be the Heart's sincere,
Oh that is all in all.
But yet to see how the World goes,
Right is by Might devour'd;
And they who did this Bill oppose,
Alas! were overpow'r'd.
Right is by Might devour'd;
And they who did this Bill oppose,
Alas! were overpow'r'd.
St. Stephen first was in degree,
That Persecution felt;
And persecuted so was he,
He better had been gelt.
That Persecution felt;
And persecuted so was he,
He better had been gelt.
Oh! better had it been for he,
I'll say while I have breath,
Ten times unstoned for to be,
Than stoned unto Death.
I'll say while I have breath,
Ten times unstoned for to be,
Than stoned unto Death.
But let that pass, and mark me well;
For things unknown before,
And strange and true I now shall tell,
Or ne'er believe me more.
For things unknown before,
And strange and true I now shall tell,
Or ne'er believe me more.
How Stephen stoned was you've heard;
Now to atone that Guilt,
A Chappel of those Stones is rear'd,
By which his Blood was spilt.
Now to atone that Guilt,
A Chappel of those Stones is rear'd,
By which his Blood was spilt.
385
And Stephen's Chappel is it hight,
And stands in Westminster,
Near to that place where want of sight
Makes Justice sometimes err.
And stands in Westminster,
Near to that place where want of sight
Makes Justice sometimes err.
Now how these Stones make hard the Heart
Of Burgess, or of Knight;
And do by Influence impart
Their persecuting Spight;
Of Burgess, or of Knight;
And do by Influence impart
Their persecuting Spight;
It's hard to tell the Cause thereof,
Like other Mysteries;
Nor would I aim at that, although
That I were ne'er so wise.
Like other Mysteries;
Nor would I aim at that, although
That I were ne'er so wise.
But yet 'tis true, or tell me now,
How could such Zeal inspire
Sir E--- S---r, or J--- H---
Of Gloucestershire Esquire;
How could such Zeal inspire
Sir E--- S---r, or J--- H---
Of Gloucestershire Esquire;
With divers Men of lesser Note,
Tho equal in Desert;
Who did their Voices for to Vote,
With Clamours loud exert.
Tho equal in Desert;
Who did their Voices for to Vote,
With Clamours loud exert.
None of whose Lives I think can boast,
That they have much Religion;
Or value more the Holy Ghost
Than Mahomet his Pigeon.
That they have much Religion;
Or value more the Holy Ghost
Than Mahomet his Pigeon.
Ev'n H---y's self, I say, would scarce
Be made a Smithfield Martyr;
For proof, clap Faggots to his A---
You'll find you've caught a Tartar.
Be made a Smithfield Martyr;
For proof, clap Faggots to his A---
You'll find you've caught a Tartar.
Now this same Bill compleatly cook'd,
To the Peers House is follow'd;
And they who brought it thither look'd
It forthwith should be swallow'd.
To the Peers House is follow'd;
And they who brought it thither look'd
It forthwith should be swallow'd.
386
But as a hasty Pudding's spoil'd,
If there do fall some Soot in't;
Or if burnt to: So this was spoil'd
By Bishop B---t's Foot in't.
If there do fall some Soot in't;
Or if burnt to: So this was spoil'd
By Bishop B---t's Foot in't.
For he with Toe Episcopal
Thereto gave such a Zest,
Their Lordships strait grew squeamish all,
Nor could the same digest.
Thereto gave such a Zest,
Their Lordships strait grew squeamish all,
Nor could the same digest.
In vain brisk N--- did speak,
Who is so tall and slim;
In vain did G--- silence break,
Who is so like to him.
Who is so tall and slim;
In vain did G--- silence break,
Who is so like to him.
Their Words, alas! went for no more
Than does the News of Grubster,
Or than in Commons House before
Went H---s Voice the Shrubster.
Than does the News of Grubster,
Or than in Commons House before
Went H---s Voice the Shrubster.
The wise and valiant Lord of th'North,
With little better Luck,
In windy Words did bluster forth,
So did his Grace of Buck.
With little better Luck,
In windy Words did bluster forth,
So did his Grace of Buck.
For to tell Truth, some Peers did smoke,
That this same Bill's Progression
Might by degrees at length have broke
The Protestant Suc---on.
That this same Bill's Progression
Might by degrees at length have broke
The Protestant Suc---on.
Such Snakes in Grass were for to bite
Those who could not discern 'em;
Wherefore this Bill was kick'd out quite,
Pro nunc & sempiternum.
Those who could not discern 'em;
Wherefore this Bill was kick'd out quite,
Pro nunc & sempiternum.
Now God preserve our Queen, I say,
And grant her long to reign;
And God keep Popery, I pray,
On t'other side the Main.
And grant her long to reign;
387
On t'other side the Main.
[And grant Presbytery may stay,
And all the canting Breed,
For ever, and also for ay,
On t'other side the Tweed.]
And all the canting Breed,
For ever, and also for ay,
On t'other side the Tweed.]
Sic Cecinit
Rob. Wisdom.
| Poems on Affairs of State | |