The Works of Capt. Alex. Radcliffe :: :: University of Virginia Library

No not one word can I of this great deed
In Merlin or old Mother Shipton read!
Old Tyburn take those Tychobrahe Imps,
As Silger, who would be accounted Pimps
To the Amorous Planets; they the Minute know
When Jove did Cuckold old Amphytrio,
Ken Mars, and made Venus wink, and glances
Their close Conjunctions and Midnight Dances;
When costive Saturn goes to stool, and vile
Thief Mercury doth pick his Fob the while;
When Lady Luna leaks, and makes her Man
Throw't out of Window into th' Ocean.
More subtil than th' Excisemen here below,
What's spent in every Sign in Heaven they know.

Cunning Intelligencers, they will not miss
To tell us next year the success of this;
They correspond with Dutch and English Star,
As one once did with CHARLES and Oliver.
The Bankers also might have (had they gone)
What Planet govern'd the Exchequer known.
Old Lilly, though he did not love to make
Any words on't, saw the English take
Five of the Smyrna Fleet, and if the Sign
Had been Aquarius, then they'd made them Nine.
When Sagittarius took his aim to shoot
At Bishop Cosin, he spied him no doubt;
And with such force the winged Arrow flew,
Instead of one Church Stag he killed two;
Glocester and Durham when he espy'd,
Let Lean and Fat go together he cry'd:
Well Wille Lilly, thou knew'st all this as well
As I, and yet wouldst not their Lordships tell.
I know thy Plea too, and must it allow,
Prelats should know as much of Heaven as thou.

But now, Friend William, since it's done and past,
Pray thee give us Phanaticks but one cast,
What thou foresawst of March the Fifteenth last;
When swift and sudden as the Angels fly,
Th' Declaration for Conscience Liberty;
When things of Heaven burst from the Royal Brest,
More fragrant than the Spices of the East.
I know in next years Almanack thou'lt write,
Thou sawst the King and Council over night,
Before that morn, all sit in Heaven as plain
To be discern'd, as if 'twere Charles's Wain.
Great B, great L, and two great AA's were chief,
Under great Charles to give poor Fan's relief.
Thou sawst Lord Arlington ordain the Man
To be the first Lay-Metropolytan.
Thou sawst him give Induction to a Spittle,
And constitute our Brother Tom Dolittle.
In the Bears Paw, and the Bulls right Eye,
Some detriment to Priests thou didst espy;

And though by Sol in Libra thou didst know
Which way the Scale of Policy would go;
Yet Mercury in Aries did decree,
That Wooll and Lamb should still Conformists be.
But hark you Will, Steer-poching is not fair;
Had you amongst the Steers found this March-hare,
Bred of that lusty Puss the Good Old Cause,
Religion rescued from Informing Laws;
You should have yelp'd aloud, Hanging's the end,
By Huntsmens rule, of Hounds that will not spend.
Be gone thou and thy canting Tribe, be gone;
Go tell thy destiny to followers none:
Kings Hearts and Councils are too deep for thee,
And for thy Stars and Dæmons scrutiny.
King Charles Return was much above thy skill
To fumble out, as 'twas against thy will.
From him who can the Hearts of Kings inspire,
Not from the Planets, came that sacred Fire
Of Sovereign Love, which broke into a flame;
From God and from his King alone it came.