 | Satires and miscellaneous poetry and prose |  |
250
GOVERNMENT
The People have as much a Negative voyce,
To hinder making War, without their Choyce,
As Kings of Making Laws in Parlament,
No Money is as Good as no Assent.
To hinder making War, without their Choyce,
As Kings of Making Laws in Parlament,
No Money is as Good as no Assent.
For Cromwel found his Politiques Miscarry,
By trusting but one Antient Adversary:
For all his Arbitrary Empire sunk,
As soon as He Employd, and trusted Munke.
By trusting but one Antient Adversary:
For all his Arbitrary Empire sunk,
As soon as He Employd, and trusted Munke.
When Princes idly Lead about,
Those of their Party follow Suite,
Til others trump upon their Play,
And turn the Cards another way.
Those of their Party follow Suite,
Til others trump upon their Play,
And turn the Cards another way.
The Greatest Princes are not free from Paying
The Cost and Charges of their own betraying,
That (like Good Christians) stand faire
To take another Cuff on th' Eare,
As Jewish Prophets usd t' intreat
And beg the Favour to be Beat.
The Cost and Charges of their own betraying,
That (like Good Christians) stand faire
To take another Cuff on th' Eare,
As Jewish Prophets usd t' intreat
And beg the Favour to be Beat.
Queen Elzabeth Placd Officers to waite
In London constantly at every Gate,
To Cut the Ruffs of al that Past the Guard
That were above a Naile deep of a yard.
In London constantly at every Gate,
To Cut the Ruffs of al that Past the Guard
That were above a Naile deep of a yard.
A womans Government is braver then,
And far more Masculine then that of men:
The Reason of the Paradox is Common;
For woemen take to Men, and men to women.
And far more Masculine then that of men:
The Reason of the Paradox is Common;
For woemen take to Men, and men to women.
What makes all Subjects discontent
Against a Princes Government?
And Princes take as great offence
At Subjects Disobedience?
That neither, th' other can abide,
But too much reason on each side?
Against a Princes Government?
And Princes take as great offence
At Subjects Disobedience?
That neither, th' other can abide,
But too much reason on each side?
251
The Roman Empire raysd upon
Revenge, for wrongs to Lucrece don,
Was after by a Harlot savd
From b'ing eternally inslavd;
Yet 'tis not wise t' infer from thence
All States are safe that use that meanes.
Revenge, for wrongs to Lucrece don,
Was after by a Harlot savd
From b'ing eternally inslavd;
Yet 'tis not wise t' infer from thence
All States are safe that use that meanes.
For what Do's Hist'ry use to tel us
But Tales of Subjects being Rebellious,
The vain Perfidiousnes of Lords,
And Fatall Breach of Princes words?
The Sottish Pride, and Insolence
Of Statesmen, and their want of Sense?
Their Treachery, that undo's, of Custome,
Their own-selves first, next those who trust 'em?
But Tales of Subjects being Rebellious,
The vain Perfidiousnes of Lords,
And Fatall Breach of Princes words?
The Sottish Pride, and Insolence
Of Statesmen, and their want of Sense?
Their Treachery, that undo's, of Custome,
Their own-selves first, next those who trust 'em?
Our Saxon Princes spent their Reignes
In Building Abbies, Routing Danes
That puld them down, and making Saints
To fill 'em with Inhabitants.
Our Saxon Princes beat the Danes
From Pagans into Christians,
Who in Requital gave no Quarters,
But drubd the Christians into Martyrs.
In Building Abbies, Routing Danes
That puld them down, and making Saints
To fill 'em with Inhabitants.
Our Saxon Princes beat the Danes
From Pagans into Christians,
Who in Requital gave no Quarters,
But drubd the Christians into Martyrs.
David, who was himself a mighty Prince,
Diswade's the world to trust 'em for three Pins.
Diswade's the world to trust 'em for three Pins.
The most Inhumane of the Roman Emprors
Were Pædants, and Lief-hebbers in their Tempers;
And those that Prov'd the most Infernal Monsters
Began with Turning Fidlers first, and Songsters;
Were but a kind of Dabling Virtuosos
No better then Gitar-men, and Flut-douces;
And those that Prov'd the Jockys, of the Cæsars,
Forgot the Glory of their Predecessors.
Were Pædants, and Lief-hebbers in their Tempers;
And those that Prov'd the most Infernal Monsters
Began with Turning Fidlers first, and Songsters;
Were but a kind of Dabling Virtuosos
No better then Gitar-men, and Flut-douces;
And those that Prov'd the Jockys, of the Cæsars,
Forgot the Glory of their Predecessors.
The Populace
Is Head of all Republicas.
Is Head of all Republicas.
[The Rabble]
Injoy two equal Delights
In Gallowses, and walking Sprights;
And visit once a Month of Course
The Tombe-stones of their Ancestors.
Injoy two equal Delights
In Gallowses, and walking Sprights;
252
The Tombe-stones of their Ancestors.
The earth is easier undermind
By Moles, and Vermine deaf and Blind
Then those that have their senses Sound
But cannot Dig so under ground.
By Moles, and Vermine deaf and Blind
Then those that have their senses Sound
But cannot Dig so under ground.
As those that are starke Blinde, can trace
The Nearest ways from Place, to Place:
And find the Right way easier out,
Then those, that Hoodwink'd try to do't:
So Tricks of State are Managd best,
By those that are suspected least;
And greatest Finenes brought about
By Engines most unlike to do't.
The Nearest ways from Place, to Place:
And find the Right way easier out,
Then those, that Hoodwink'd try to do't:
So Tricks of State are Managd best,
By those that are suspected least;
And greatest Finenes brought about
By Engines most unlike to do't.
Tho world believes no Man the worse,
That takes the Trecherousest Course:
But like's his Jugling as a Cheat feat
That's wittily perform'd, and neat:
And what they cannot justly gaine,
Believe's they ought by Art [t'] obtain.
That takes the Trecherousest Course:
But like's his Jugling as a Cheat feat
That's wittily perform'd, and neat:
And what they cannot justly gaine,
Believe's they ought by Art [t'] obtain.
Some Tyrannys have been s' extreame
To make it Criminal to dreame
When Men for sleeping were condemnd
For having traytorously dreamd.
To make it Criminal to dreame
When Men for sleeping were condemnd
For having traytorously dreamd.
A Good Prince is a wonder that appeare's
But once or twice in many hundred yeares.
But once or twice in many hundred yeares.
All Churches are but th' Interests
Of Princes, and the Trades of Priests.
Of Princes, and the Trades of Priests.
No Crisis is so Desperate
As Fatal Lethargies of State.
For Remedys are spent in vaine,
On those who have no sense of Paine.
As Fatal Lethargies of State.
For Remedys are spent in vaine,
On those who have no sense of Paine.
Lyons are Kings of Beasts, and yet their Power
Is not to Rule and govern, but Devoure:
Such savage Kings all Tyrant[s] are, and they
No better then mere Beasts, that do obey.
Is not to Rule and govern, but Devoure:
Such savage Kings all Tyrant[s] are, and they
No better then mere Beasts, that do obey.
253
The old Burgundians cald their kings
T' accompt for cold and Backward Springs
And Punishd them if aught but wel
Their Cattle or their Corn befell.
T' accompt for cold and Backward Springs
And Punishd them if aught but wel
Their Cattle or their Corn befell.
Plato held what so ere incumbers
Or strengthens Empire comes from numbers.
Or strengthens Empire comes from numbers.
Though once one Conquerd by Delay
There were no more that tryd that way.
There were no more that tryd that way.
As at th' Approach of Winter, all
The Leave's of great Trees use to fall
And leave them Naked to ingage
With Stormes and Tempests when they rage;
While Humbler Plants are found to weare
Their Fresh green Liverys all the yeare:
So, when the glorious Season's gon
With Princes, and hard times come on,
The greatst Calamitys oppress
The greatest stil, and spare the less.
The Leave's of great Trees use to fall
And leave them Naked to ingage
With Stormes and Tempests when they rage;
While Humbler Plants are found to weare
Their Fresh green Liverys all the yeare:
So, when the glorious Season's gon
With Princes, and hard times come on,
The greatst Calamitys oppress
The greatest stil, and spare the less.
Nothing's more Dul and Negligent
Then an old Lazy Government;
That knows no Interest of state,
But such as serve a Present Streit,
And to patch up, or shift, wil close,
Or breake alike with Friends or foes;
That runs behinde hand, and has spent
It's Credit to the last extent;
And the first time 'tis at a Loss
Has not one true Friend, nor one Cross.
Then an old Lazy Government;
That knows no Interest of state,
But such as serve a Present Streit,
And to patch up, or shift, wil close,
Or breake alike with Friends or foes;
That runs behinde hand, and has spent
It's Credit to the last extent;
And the first time 'tis at a Loss
Has not one true Friend, nor one Cross.
Authority is a Disease, and Cure,
Which men can neither want nor wel indure.
Which men can neither want nor wel indure.
'Tis sad
That those who rule the world should stil be mad.
So Puddles when the sun shines faire
In Cloudy Chariots mount the Aire,
But when a Storm is raysd, in Raine
Fall down in Ditches back againe.
That those who rule the world should stil be mad.
So Puddles when the sun shines faire
In Cloudy Chariots mount the Aire,
But when a Storm is raysd, in Raine
Fall down in Ditches back againe.
254
What is a Fellon
In times of Prosperous Rebellion
Such as we happily Live in?
When all are Sinners there's no Sin.
In times of Prosperous Rebellion
Such as we happily Live in?
When all are Sinners there's no Sin.
Authority like wine intoxicates
And make's mere fooles of Magistrates,
The Fumes of it invade the Braine,
And make's them giddy headed, proud and vaine:
By this the fool Commands the wise,
The Noble with the base Complys,
The Sot assume's the rule of wit
And Cowards make the Brave submit.
And make's mere fooles of Magistrates,
The Fumes of it invade the Braine,
And make's them giddy headed, proud and vaine:
By this the fool Commands the wise,
The Noble with the base Complys,
The Sot assume's the rule of wit
And Cowards make the Brave submit.
He that imploys men for respects,
Besides their usefulness, neglects
His service for his servants sake,
And soon wil finde his own mistake.
Besides their usefulness, neglects
His service for his servants sake,
And soon wil finde his own mistake.
Authority must not admit
Relations that grow under it;
'Tis witchcraft and not powr to know
Familiars rising from below.
Relations that grow under it;
'Tis witchcraft and not powr to know
Familiars rising from below.
They that go up hil use to bow
Their bodys forward, and stoop low,
To poyse themselves, and sometimes creep,
When th' way is difficult and steep:
So those at Court that do addresse
By low ignoble offices,
Can stoop to any thing, that's base,
To wriggle into Trust and grace,
Are like to rise to greatness sooner
[Then] those that go by worth and honor.
Their bodys forward, and stoop low,
To poyse themselves, and sometimes creep,
When th' way is difficult and steep:
So those at Court that do addresse
By low ignoble offices,
Can stoop to any thing, that's base,
To wriggle into Trust and grace,
Are like to rise to greatness sooner
[Then] those that go by worth and honor.
All Acts of Grace, and Pardon, and Oblivion,
Are meant of Services, that are forgiven;
And not of Crimes, Delinquents have committed,
And Rather been Rewarded, then acquitted.
For Pastures that are newly broken up
Are wont to yeld the Plentifullest Crop,
And Flowers, that grow among a Field of corn
To weeds as bad as thorns, and thistlles turn.
Are meant of Services, that are forgiven;
And not of Crimes, Delinquents have committed,
And Rather been Rewarded, then acquitted.
For Pastures that are newly broken up
Are wont to yeld the Plentifullest Crop,
And Flowers, that grow among a Field of corn
To weeds as bad as thorns, and thistlles turn.
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