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436

ON BISHOP ATTERBURY'S ROASTING LORD CONINGSBY

ON THE TOPIC OF BEING PRIEST-RIDDEN.

An ass, well drubb'd with sturdy oak,
Once on a time complaining spoke,
Rebuking prophet mounted high,
That still laid on, yet scarce knew why.
Of this in memory, of late,
A lordly ass, in warm debate,
Began to open wide; when proph.
(For brevity-and rhyme-sake Roff.)
On the dull creature got astride,
And spurr'd, and gall'd, and bang'd his side.
Each ass then served by way of pad:
One Balaam rode, one Francis dad.
They both did speak, and both were beat;
Yet still this differ did from that:
For that was smote before speech made,
But this just after what he said;
From whence best judges do maintain,
That ass spoke better of the twain.
O Coningsby! learn wisdom hence,
And give the prophets no offence;
For Levi's tribe best know the art
How to make Issachars to smart.
 

An allusion to Balaam and his ass.

This was in a debate on the Test Act.