Volume II Part 25 (1/2)

The virtues in thee, Charles, inherent, Altho' thy count'nance be an odd piece, Prove thee as true a G.o.d's Vicegerent, As e'er was Harry with his cod-piece: For chast.i.ty, and pious deeds, His grandsire Harry Charles exceeds.

III.

Our Romish bondage-breaker Harry, Espoused half a dozen wives.

Charles only one resolv'd to marry, And other mens he never ----; Yet has he sons and daughters more Than e'er had Harry by threescore.

IV.

Never was such a faith's defender; He like a politic Prince, and pious, Gives liberty to conscience tender, And does to no religion tie us; Jews, Christians, Turks, Papists, he'll please us With Moses, Mahomet, or Jesus.

V.

In all affairs of church or state He very zealous is, and able, Devout at pray'rs, and sits up late At the cabal and council-table.

His very dog, at council-board, Sits grave and wise as any lord.

VI.

Let Charles's policy no man flout, The wisest Kings have all some folly; Nor let his piety any doubt; Charles, like a Sov'reign, wise and holy, Makes young men judges of the bench, And bishops, those that love a wench.

VII.

His father's foes he does reward, Preserving those that cut off's head; Old cavaliers, the crown's best guard, He lets them starve for want of bread.

Never was any King endow'd With so much grace and grat.i.tude.

VIII.

Blood, that wears treason in his face, Villain compleat in parson's gown, How much is he at court in grace, For stealing Ormond and the crown!

Since loyalty does no man good, Let's steal the King, and out-do Blood.

IX.

A Parliament of knaves and sots (Members by name you must not mention) He keeps in pay, and buys their votes, Here with a place, there with a pension: When to give money he can't cologue 'em, He does with scorn prorogue, prorogue 'em.

X.

But they long since, by too much giving, Undid, betray'd, and sold the nation, Making their members.h.i.+ps a living, Better than e'er was sequestration.

G.o.d give thee, Charles, a resolution To d.a.m.n the knaves by dissolution.

XI.

Fame is not grounded on success, Tho' victories were Caesar's glory; Lost battles make not Pompey less, But left him stiled great in story.

Malicious fate does oft devise To beat the brave, and fool the wise.

XII.

Charles in the first Dutch war stood fair To have been Sov'reign of the deep, When Opdam blew up in the air, Had not his Highness gone to sleep: Our fleet slack'd sails, fearing his waking, The Dutch had else been in sad taking.

XIII.