1A SATYR.
WHen Lawes and Princes are deſpis'd, and cheap,
When High-pitcht Miſcheifs all are in the heap;
Returnes muſt ſtill be had; Guilt muſt ſtrive more,
Though not to 'Enoble, yet to' Enlarge her ſtore.
Poore Cheap Deſignes! the Rebell now muſt flie
To Packet-Warre, to Paper-Treacherie.
The Baſiliskes are turn'd to Cloſſet-Spies,
And to their Pois'nous adde Enquiring Eyes.
As Snakes and Serpents ſhould they caſt their ſting,
Still the ſame Hate, though not ſame Poyſon fling;
And their Vaine teeth to the ſame point addreſſe,
With the like Rancor, though unlike Succeſse:
So thoſe that into undiſcerning veines,
Have throwne their Venome deepe, and their dark ſtaines,
By fraile Advantages, ſtill find it good,
To keep th' Infection high i'th' Peoples Blood.
For Active Treaſon muſt be Doing ſtill:
Leſt ſhe Vnlearne her Art of Doing Ill.
Who now have waded through all Publike awe,
Will break through Secrets, & prophane Their Law.
2Know you that would Their Act and Statute ſee,
Nature kept Court, and made it her Decree.
When Angels talke, all their Conceipts are brought
From Mind to Mind, and they diſcourſe by Thought.
A Cloſe Idaea moves, and Silence flies
To poſt the Meſsage, and diſpatch Replies.
And though Ten Legions, in the Round are bent,
They only heare, to whom the Talke was meant.
Now, though in Men a diff'rent Law controules,
And Soules are not Embaſsadours to Soules:
Nature gave Reaſon pow'r to find a way,
Which none but theſe durſt venture to betray.
"Two cloſe ſafe Path's ſhe did bequeath to men,
" In Preſence, Whiſper; and at Diſtance, Penne.
Publike Decrees and Thoughts were elſe the ſame,
Nor were it to Converſe, but to Proclaime.
Conceipts were elſe Records, but by this care,
Our Thoughts no Commons, but Incloſures are:
What bold Intruders then are who aſſaile,
To cut their Princes Hedge, and break His Pale!
That ſo Vnmanly gaze, and dare be ſeene
Ev'n then, when He converſes with His Queene?
Yet, as who breaks the Tall Banks Riſing Side,
And all the Shore doth levie with the Tyde,
Doth not confine the Waves to any Bound,
But the whole Streame may gaine upon the Ground;
So theſe, ſtreight Proſpect ſcorn, and Private View,
"The Crime is ſmall that doth engage a Few.
Theſe Print their ſhame, they muſt Compleat their Sin:
Not take ſome Waves, and ſhutt the Sluce agen.
But, to the Rageing of their Sea, they doe
Let in the Madneſſe of the People too.
But, 'cauſe the Crime muſt weare a Maske and Vaile,
And faine the Serpent would conceale his Taile.
No ſooner comes the Libell to our view,
But ſee a ſtay'd, demure, grave Preface too:
Which ſeems to ſhew they would not thus intrude,
Nor preſſe ſo farre but for the Publike Good.
But as ſome London Beggers uſe to ſtand,
In Graecians Coates with Papers in their hand,
Who are (as them in diff'rent parts we meet)
Engliſh at Home, but ſolemne Greeks ith' ſtreet.
Of whom uncloth'd, and when the truth is heard,
Conſtantinople only knowes the Beard.
So this ſly Masker, lay it's Tinſell by,
Is only Painted Zeale, and Pageantry.
We need not let our Satyr here compute,
How it prophanes God in his Attribute.
See the Preface.
But, for it's Light it need no Buſhell call, A Semeſtreſse Thimble would Ecclipſe it all.
O! in what weakneſſe it pretends to creepe,
How well the Tyger perſonates the Sheepe.
It not Returnes ill Language to the King,
Though the next Lines the Pſalmes againſt Him bring.
Then it to th' Buſineſse comes, and lets us know,
Who reads it either is it's Friend, or Foe.
If Friend, the Scandals all muſt true appeare:
If Foe (alack the man is nere the neere.)
Foe no light moves, no Miracles like theſe,
Heel 'ſay they're not the Kings too if he pleaſe,
And tell us pray, why may'nt your laſt words ſtand,
You counterfeit His Seale, why not His Hand?
But to admit. We now deduce and bring,
What after Notes clearely imply oth' King.
Firſt, They His Conſort from His Secrets wreſt:
See the firſt Annotation.
They doe allow the King, but not the Breast. The Sacred Knott muſt have a Tye and Force,
To joyne their Hands, but yet their Thoughts Divorce.
And, as the Ivy wedds her Conſort-Tree,
Though joyn'd and cloſe their chaſt Embraces be,
Yet in thoſe Twynes and Circuits we can find,
No Traffick, no Commerce of Mind with Mind:
So muſt the Sacred Lawes of Marriage peirce,
Here ſhe may Sprout, and Grow, but not Converſe.
And like a Plant remov'd by 'Grafters toyle,
She finds, not Nuptials, but a change of Soyle.
England to th' Queene Tranſplanted thus muſt prove,
No Forraigne Kingdom, but a Forraigne Grove.
But, leſt this groundleſſe ſeeme, they Reaſons vexe,
And tell the World ſhe's of the Weaker Sexe.
In what wilde Braines this Madneſſe firſt began!
They're wondrous angry, 'cauſe the Queenes no Man.
Fond Sirs forbeare, doe not the world perplex:
Reaſon and Judgment are not things of Sexe.
Soules and their Faculties were never heard,
To be confin'd to th' Dublet, and the Beard.
Conſult one Age from this, and you ſhall find
A Queene the Glory of your Annalls ſhin'd.
But who to farre and diſtant Objects flyes,
Muſt ſay the Sunne wants Luſtre or He Eyes.
Our Preſent Injur'd Queene returnes that ſtore,
And doth again, what could be done before:
By the Kings Judgment, ſhowes Her owne is Right,
And ſtill ſhe meets His Ray with her owne Light.
Thus the Wiſe King to Sheba's Queene was knowne,
Who knew Him Wiſe, by Wiſedome of her Owne.
5But as all Publike knowledge barr'd muſt be,
See on in the firſt Annotation.
So Houſhold-Acts muſt have their Myſterie: No circumſtance can paſſe, no Servant made,
But muſt be wrapt in ſilence and cloſe ſhade.
One place in Court a Riddle muſt afford,
Worthy a ſecret Sybills darke Record.
See the 2. Annotat
As the Kings acts muſt all Their limits prove, So their Reſtraint and Raines muſt check his Love.
Eſteems of's Conſort by their pitch muſt flie,
Nor muſt He Rate His Deere Queens Health too high.
He muſt affect thus farre, and then no more;
His Tydes muſt be proportion'd to their ſhore;
His Tenderneſse their Weights and Ballance weare,
By Granes and Scruples they confine His Care,
But (Savage) know, there can no Ranſome be
See the 3. Annotat.
Poys'd with the Health of ſuch a Queene as ſhe. She that at once ſuch weightie Acts can doe,
That can be Queene, and yet Negotiate too.
Send, and be ſent, and without more demurre,
Be both the Queene, and Her Embaſsadour.
That gives diſpatch for Ships, and when ſhe pleaſe,
Divides the Empire with the Queene oth' Seas.
Who dares the Threats of any danger ſtand,
The ſtubborne Rock, or the Devouring Sand.
And though the Sea ſwell like Her fate, and Grave,
Looke at her Conſort, and deſpiſe the Wave.
The Captiue Queene did (thus) the Tyrant tell,
I am no Captive ſo my King be well.
Q. curtius lib. 3.
By theſe, her worth and Rate is faintly knowne, Paſt ſtories bluſh when ſhe erects Her owne.
Search old Gray Annalls, you may find at length,
Some Queene in Vigour, and her mid day ſtrength.
6Who in her Injur'd Conſort's cauſe, referres
To Copies glancing at theſe Acts of Hers;
But if Infirme and Sickly Queenes we ſcanne,
No ſtory patterns Her, None ever can.
Shew us a Queene fraught with ſuch wide Affaires,
Here private Weakneſse, there a Kingdoms Cares,
Perplext and tortur'd from her Reſt and eaſe,
By a Rebellion here, there a Diſeaſe:
Advice, and Medcines at one time we view,
A Councell-Bord, Bord of Phyſitians too:
Yet her Capacious Soule both theſe defeats,
While this Hand holds Inſtructions, that Receipts.
Theſe are our fam'd Queens Crimes, but yet one more
See the 3. Annotat.
Muſt be the maine Ingredient of the Store. Which ſeems to preſſe ſo deepe, there's nought ſo bright,
But this may ſully all it's Luſtre quite.
'Tis Her Religion's Care: She tryes Her Powr's,
To keep that ſtill. Doe not we ſo for Ours?
Why to one Face ſo diff'rent ſhapes have bin?
What Virtue is in Vs, in Her, is Sin.
Our diff'rent Faith's did long together grow,
And neither ſuffer'd, neither loſſe did know:
And like a ſtream, which 'twixt two feilds doth flow,
Which as it Moiſtens, ſo Divides them too:
So did the Kingdoms Law throw Dew and growth,
In weight and juſt proportion unto both,
And like a parting Current ſlide along,
To keep them wide, that neither neither Wrong.
Our Faith's were then but Two, but ſince a ſp'rit
So many Muſhrome-Sects rais'd in a Night:
The Proteſtant (as ſhe could Parties gaine
Who unconcern'd were in the Dreggs and ſtaine,)
7 Did recommend her Votaries, and bring
Her Faith to it's Defendour, our Just King.
Who with ſuch Zeale hath kept her Rites entire,
As well from Languiſhing, as from ſtrange Fire:
That ſtill the Cenſer ſavours it's true Sent,
Without Acceſsion; yet no Perfume ſpent.
The happy Martyrs find their Faith hath ſtood
In Him, as when they bath'd it in their blood.
They joy to ſee, that He his God adores
Nor at High-Places, nor at Threſhing-Floores.
But 'ſpight of Scandals, pay's his homage ſtill
In the Iust Beauty of the Sion-Hill.
To Other Sects; though as in Common-Feilds
Which Swine, and Horſes, Mules, and Oxen yeilds,
Who though at Diſtance feed, Approaching, claſh,
And Diſproportion'd ſhapes together daſh
So they, though one Rebellion them ſuſtaine
Themſelves Accuſe, and are Accus'd againe.
Could they comply, then poſſibly might dwell
Some faint Agreement, though no Peace in Hell.
See the 4. Annotation.
Now, theſe nice Taſts no Forraigne aids indure, (Their Rebell Scots, are Engliſh Rebels ſure.)
No, nor the Papiſts: much it with them ſticks,
Leſt theſe Mens Punniards, ſhould be Hereticks:
Their ſoules would be Prophan'd, and clean vndun,
Should they be ſlaine by an Idolatrous Gun.
Goe lay your Vizar by, your Masking ſtuffe,
The Devill is tyr'd, and Hell hath laugh'd enough:
The world diſcries the Cheat; 'tis quickly knowne
They no Faith hate, who have Reſolv'd on None.
Theſe may not fight: that is, the King you'd haue
Tamely forſake his Crowne, and be your Slave,
8 His Eaſier Subjects long agoe you gart,
All who approv'd your Baite, and ſwallow that.
Indeed, Diſcerning ſoules the ſnare forſooke,
And through the Wave did ſtill diſcrie the Hooke;
But yet ſo cloſe deſignes were caſt about,
Your Race was halfe runne ere the King ſet out.
Yet you complaine, and guilty feares doe gnaw,
Leſt you ſhould ſcanted be for Space and Law:
Conſcious, though you your cauſe did forward meet.
It's Guilt and Sin hangs Plummets at it's feet.
Are not the Jewes, Walloones, the Turks, and all
Whom from as Diff'rent Gods as Lands you call,
An Armie ſtrong to keep the cauſe in heart,
But that the King muſt with His Subjects part?
Can no Acceſſion ſo much ſafety ſend,
But you will dread Him ſtill before you end?
Some times at Ebbes his God doth let Him ſtand,
See on in the 4. Annotation.
That ſo the Reſcue may declare His hand. But, what (you hope) may make the King's ſide pauſe,
Is what He writes about the Penall Lawes.
Poore, ſhallow ſoules! I deeme it one from hence
To forfeit Loyalty, and forfeit Senſe.
Shall ſuch as waſt their Blood be quite debarr'd,
And kept without the Pale from all Reward?
Shall fame Report, ſhall after Ages tell,
So Juſt King regards not who doe well?
But you pretend, this was a State-Decree,
Not without Pow'r which made may cancell'd be.
The King nev'r ſaies it ſhall: but cannot doubt
That when His God hath brought His work about,
And ſhifted Iarres and Tumults into Eaſe,
And ſeat him 'mideſt his Councell in High Peace:
9 Their joynt vnited ſuffrage will think fit,
To give this Act; or ſomething Great as it.
See on in the 4. Annotation.
But ſee, His Pardon then to Ireland came, (Wild Rebels) offers He not you the ſame?
He holds ſtill out the ſame freſh cheerfull Ray,
You ſhutt your Windowes and exclude the Day.
Embrace the ſhine, or elſe expect the ſtroake:
The Flint the Sunne ne're melts, at laſt is brooke,
But now the Flood-Gates op ',See on.
and a free Sluce, Let's in all Senſeleſſe Doctrines, and wild Vſe.
And by Comparing what's ſaid long agoe,
Finds Diſproportion in the King's Acts now.
His paſt Reſolves it up to Preſent brings,
His Vowes to Vowes, and Things to combat Things.
A Diff'rent face throughout, and a freſh Scene
Succeeds: and all his Acts ſeeme ſhifted cleane.
Weak men! who are depriv'd by Guilt or chance,
Of all the lights of Common Circumſtance;
That have unlearn't that Actions ſhift their Face,
And date their worth from Perſons, Time, and Place,
And ſundry ſuch, from whoſe Neglects appeare
Acts as Sinnes there, which are Try'd Virtues here.
For inſtance then: oft as the King reflects
His Oath's injoyne; His People He protects.
Which Oathes extent, and Circuit we may view
Spread ore th' Five Execrable Members too.
Yet (farre as't them concernes) that Chaine is broke,
That Oath left Him, becauſe they left His Yoake.
Now of this Pitch, and Size, doe ſtill appeare,
All Aerie Scruples which are ſtarred there.
The King Declared, He thought you meant no Ill.
Say, would you the King Declareſo ſtill?
Allow but diff'rent Circumſtance, and we
Find, all your Scandals will His Gloryes be.
Now, as the worſt things have ſome things of ſtead,
And ſome Toades treaſure Jewels in their Head.
So doth this Libels Wombe girt, and containe
What though it compaſse Round it cannot ſtaine.
Lines of ſo cleare, yet ſo Majeſtick ſtrame,
A moſt Tranſparent, yet a cloſe-wove Veine.
Which when we reach its Senſe, we may diſcrie
We ſee more by its Light, then our owne Eye.
So Phoebus (when the Clowd and Night is done)
Lends us his Light to know he is the Sunne.
Yet this expreſſive Cleareneſſe is but barke,
An Out-ſide ▪ Sunne which guards us from the darke.
Here, the Bright Language ſhuts in Brighter ſenſe,
Rich Diamonds ſleep within a Chryſtall Fence.
Gemmes of that rate, to Tully they'd appeare
Fitt Purchaſe for his Critick Senates Eare.
And their whole Shine in a full Luſtre tends
To God, His Conſcience, Conſort, and His Friends.
THE CLOSE.
No winding Characters, no ſecret Maze
Could ſo perplex, but they have found their wayes:
They thred the Labyrinth: and what to doe?
Where tends the Guide? what purchaſe in this Clew?
Q. Curtius lib. 3.
Raſh Alexander forc't King Gordius Knott, And ſo in hand found he a Rope had gott.
FINIS.