Such grofs delufions could not pass
Through any ears but of an ass.

But gold defiles with frequent touch;
There's nothing fouls the hand fo much:
And scholars give it for the cause
Of British Midas' dirty paws;

Which while the fenate ftrove to scour,
They wash'd away the chemic power.
While he his utmost strength apply'd,
To fwim against this popular tide,
The golden fpoils flew off

apace;

Here fell a penfion, there a place;
The torrent mercilefs imbibes

Commiffions, perquifites, and bribes ;

By their own weight funk to the bottom;
Much good may do them that have caught 'em!
And Midas now neglected stands,

With affes' ears, and dirty hands.

AN EXCELLENT NEW SONG: 1711.

BEING THE INTENDED SPEECH OF

A FAMOUS ORATOR AGAINST PEACE*.

Α'

N Orator difmal of Nottinghamshire,

Who has forty years let out his conscience to hire, Out of zeal for his country, and want of a place, Is come up, vi & armis, to break the queen's peace.

*The lord treasurer having hinted a wish one evening that a ballad might be made on the earl of Nortingham; this fong was written and printed the next morning.

He

He has vamp'd an old fpeech, and the court, to their

forrow,

Shall hear him harangue against Prior to-morrow.
When once he begins, he never will flinch,

But repeats the fame note a whole day, like a Finch.
I have heard all the speech repeated by Hoppy,

And,

Mistakes to prevent, I've obtained a copy."

THE SPEECH.

WHEREAS, notwithstanding, I am in great pain, To hear we are making a peace without Spain; But, moft noble Senators, 'tis a great shame, There should be a peace, while I'm Not-in-game. The duke fhew'd me all his fine houfe; and the dutchefs From her closet brought out a full purfe in her clutches, I talk'd of a peace, and they both gave a start, His grace fwore by G-d, and her grace let a f-t: My long old-fashion'd pocket was presently cramm'd; And fooner than vote for a peace I'll be damn’d.

But fome will cry Turn-coat, and rip up old stories, How I always pretended to be for the Tories: I answer; the Tories were in my good graces, Till all my relations were put into places.

But ftill I'm in principle ever the fame,

And will quit my best friends, while I'm Not-in-game. When I and fome others fubfcribed our names

To a plot for expelling my mafter king James;

I withdrew

I withdrew my fubfcription by help of a blot,
And fo might discover or gain by the plot :
I had my advantage and flood at defiance,
For Daniel was got from the den of the lions:
I came in without danger, and was I to blame?
For, rather than bang, I would be Not-in-game.

I fwore to the Queen, that the prince of Hanover
During her facred life would never come over :
I made use of a trope; that " an heir to invite,
"Was like keeping her monument always in fight."
But, when I thought proper, I alter'd my note;
And in her own hearing I boldly did vote,
That her Majesty stood in great need of a Tutor,
And must have an old or a young Coadjutor :
For why; I would fain have put all in a flame,
Because, for some reasons, I was Not-in-game.

Now my new benefactors have brought me about, And I'll vote against Peace, with Spain, or without: Though the Court gives my nephews, and brothers, and coufins,

And all my whole family, places by dozens;

Yet, fince I know where a full-purse may be found,
And hardly pay eighteen-pence tax in the pound:
Since the Tories have thus disappointed my hopes,
And will neither regard my figures nor tropes ;
I'll speech againft peace while Dismal 's my name,
And be a true Whig, while I am Not-in-game.

THE

THE WINDSOR PROPHECY *. 1711.

́HEN a holy black Swede, the son of Bob †,

WH

With a faint at his chin, and a seal ‡ at his fob, Shall not fee one § New-year's-day in that year, Then let old Englond make good chear: Windsor || and Bristow || then shall be Joined together in the Low-countree ||. Then shall the tall black Daventry Bird** Speak against peace right many a word;

It is faid, that Queen Anne had nominated Dr. Swift to an English bishoprick; which was opposed by Dr. Sharp, archbishop of York, and the dutchess of Somerfet, who had prevailed on his grace to go with her to the queen to lay afide the nomination, which her majefty refused; but, the dutchefs falling on her knees, and fhewing the above prophecy to her majefty, the bishoprick was given to another. See p. 93.

+ Dr. John Robinson, bishop of Bristol, one of the plenipotentiaries at Utrecht.

He was dean of Windfor, and lord privy feal.

The New Style (which was not used in GreatBritain and Ireland till 1752) was then observed in moft parts of Europe. The bishop fet out from England the latter end of December, O. S.; and, on his arrival at Utrecht, by the variation of the style, he found January fomewhat advanced.

Alluding to the deanry and bishoprick being poffeffed by the fame perfon, then at Utrecht.

**Earl of Nottingham.

And

And some shall admire his conying wit,

For many good groats his tongue shall flit.
But, fpight of the Harpy that crawls on all four,
There fhall be peace, pardie, and war no more.
But Englond muft cry alack and well-a-day,
If the fick be taken from the dead fea.
And, dear Englond, if aught I understond,
Beware of Carrots * from Northumberland.
Carrots fown Thynne † a deep root may get,
If fo be they are in Somer set:

Their † Conyngs mark thou; for I have been told,
They affaffine when young, and poison when old.
Root out thefe Carrots, O thou §, whose name
Is backwards and forwards always the same;
And keep close to thee always that name,
Which backwards and forwards || is almost the fame.
And, England, wouldst thou be happy still,
Bury those Carrots under a Hill **,

*The dutchefs of Somerfet.

Thomas Thynne of Longleate, efq; a gentleman of very great estate, married the above lady after the death >of her first husband Henry Cavendish earl of Ogle, only fon to Henry duke of Newcastle, to whom she had been betrothed in her infancy.

Count Koningsmark.

ANNA.

MASHAM.

** Lady Masham's maiden name was Hill.

EPIGRAM.