The bride to nothing but her will,
That nulls the after-marriage still :
Some were for th' utter extirpation
Of Linfey-woolfey in the nation;
And fome against all idolifing

310

The Crofs in fhop-books, or Baptifing:

Others, to make all things recant

315

The Chriftian or furname of Saint,

And force all churches, streets, and towns,

The holy title to renounce :

Some 'gainst a third eftate of Souls,

And bringing down the price of Coals :

320

Some for abolishing Black-pudding,
And eating nothing with the blood in ;
To abrogate them roots and branches;
While others were for eating Haunches
Of warriors, and, now and then,
The Flesh of kings and mighty men :

325

And

That uses to, editions 1684, 1689, 1694, 1700, 1704. Altered 1710, as it ftands here.

Ver. 317, 318.] The mayor of Colchester banished one of that town for a malignant and a cavalier, in the year 1643, whofe name was Parfons; and gave learned reafon for this exemplary piece of justice, that

it was an ominous name.

this

Ver. 323.] This was the spirit of the times. There was a propofal to carry twenty Royalists in front of Sir Thomas Fairfax's army, to expose them to the fire of the enemy; and one Gourdon moved, "That the Lady Capel, and her children, and the Lady Nor

46

And fome for breaking of their Bones

With rods of iron, by fecret ones;

For

"wich, might be fent to the General with the fame "directions, faying, their husbands would be careful "of their fafety; and when divers oppofed fo barbarous a motion, and alleged that Lady Capel was great with child, near her time, Gourdon preffed it "the more eagerly, as if he had taken the General for "a man-midwife." Nay, it was debated at a council "of war, to maffacre and put to the fword all the "King's party: the queftion put was carried in the

negative but by two votes." Their endeavour "was, how to diminish the number of their oppofites, "the Royalifts and Prefbyterians, by a maffacre; for "which purpose many dark-lanterns were provided "laft winter, 1649; which coming to the common ru"mour of the Town, put them in danger of the infa* my and hatred that would overwhelm them; fo this "was laid aside." A bill was brought in, 1656, for decimating the Royalifts, but thrown out. And this fpirit was but too much encouraged by their clergy. Mr. Caryl, in a Thanksgiving Sermon before the Commons, April 23, 1644, p. 46. fays, "If Chrift will "fet up his kingdom upon the carcafes of the flain, it "well becomes all elders to rejoice and give thanks. "Cut them down with the fword of juftice, root them “out, and confume them as with fire, that no root may fpring up again."

Of this fpirit was Mr. George Swathe, minifter of Denham in Suffolk, who, in a prayer, July 13, 1641, or 1642, has the following remarkable words; "Lord, "if no compofition will end the controverfy between "the King and the Parliament, but the King and his " party will have blood, let them drink of their own

C 4

❝cup }

For thrashing mountains, and with spells
For hallowing carriers' packs and bells
Things that the legend never heard of,
But made the Wicked fore afeard of.
The quacks of government (who fate
At th' unregarded helm of state,
And understood this wild confufion
Of fatal madness and delufion,
Muft, fooner than a prodigy,
Portend deftruction to be nigh)

330

335%

Confider'd timely how t withdraw,

And fave their wind-pipes from the law;

340

For one rencounter at the bar

Was worse than all they 'ad scap'd in war ;

66 cup; let their blood be fpilled like water; let their "blood be facrificed to thee, O God, for the fins of our nation."

Ver. 351.] This was Sir Anthony-Ashley Cooper, whe complied with every change in thofe times.

But barbarous when they came to fall:
For, by trepanning th' old to ruin,

365

He made his intereft with the new one;
Play'd true and faithful, though against
His confcience, and was still advanc'd:
For, by the witchcraft of rebellion
Transform'd t'a feeble State-camelion,
By giving aim from side to fide,
He never fail'd to fave his tide,

379

But got the start of every state,

And, at a change, ne'er came too late ;

Could turn his word, and oath, and faith,

375

As many ways as in a lath;

By turning wriggle, like a fcrew,

Int' highest trust, and out, for new :

For when he 'ad happily incurr'd,

Inftead of hemp, to be preferr'd,
And pafs'd upon a government,
He play'd his trick, and out he went;

380

But

But being out, and out of hopes

To mount his ladder (more) of ropes,
Would strive to raise himself upon
The public ruin, and his own;
So little did he understand

385

The defperate feats he took in hand,
For, when he 'ad got himself a name

For frauds and tricks, he spoil'd his game;
Had forc'd his neck into a noose,

390

To fhew his play at faft and loose;

And, when he chanc'd t' escape, miftook,
For art and fubtlety, his luck.

So right his judgment was cut fit,

395

And made a tally to his wit,

And both together most profound

At deeds of darkness under ground;
As th' earth is eafieft undermin'd,
By vermin impotent and blind.

By all these arts, and many more

400

He 'ad practis'd long and much before,

Our ftate-artificer forefaw

Which way the world began to draw:

For, as old finners have all points

405

O' th' compafs in their bones and joints;
Can by their pangs and aches find

All turns and changes of the wind,

And, better than by Napier's bones,

Feel in their own the age of moons;

410

So guilty finners, in a state,
Can by their crimes prognofticate,