Do
monarchs
rise by virtue, or by sword ?
Marvell - Poems
Taught him their use, what dangers would ensue
To them who strive to separate these two ?
The bloody Scottish chronicle read o'er,
Showed him how manj kings, in purple
Were hurled to hell, by cruel tyrant lort
1
>\e gore, >
are ? J
The other day famed Spenser I did bring,
In lofty notes Tudor's blessed race to sing ;
How Spain's proud powers her virgin arms con-
trolled,
And golden days in peaceful order rolled ;
How like ripe fruit she dropped from off her
throne.
Full of gray hairs, good deeds, and great renown.
As the Jessean hero did appease
Saul's stormy rage, and stopped his black disease.
So the learned bard, with artful song, suppressed
The swelling passion of his cankered breast.
And in his heart kind influences shed
Of country's love, by truth and justice bred.
Then to perform the cure so well begun,
To him I showed this glonous setting sun ;
How, by her people's looks pursued from far,
She mounted on a bright celestial car, .
Outshining Virgo, or the Julian star.
Whilst in truth's mirror this good scene he spied.
Entered a dame, bedecked with spotted pride.
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202 THE POEMS
Fair flower-de-luce within an azure field,
Her left hand bears the ancient Gallic shield,
By her usurped ; her right a bloody sword,
Inscribed Leviathan, our sovereign Lord ;
Her towery front a fiery meteor bears,
An exhalation bred of blood and tears ;
Around her Jove's lewd ravenous curs com-
plain.
Pale death, lust, tortures, fill her pompous
train;
She from the easy king Truth's mirror took.
And on the ground in spiteful fall it broke ;
Then frowning thus, with proud disdain she
spoke:
f
"Are thread-bare virtues ornaments for kings ?
Such poor pedantic toys teach underlings.
Do monarchs rise by virtue, or by sword ?
Who e'er grew great by keeping of his word ?
Virtue's a faint green-sickness to brave souls,
Dastards their hearts, their active heat controls.
The rival gods, monarchs of t'other world,
This mortal poison among princes hurled,
Fearing the mighty projects of the great %
Should drive them from their proud celestial I
seat, [
If not o'erawed by this new holy cheat. ^
Those pious frauds, too slight to ensnare the
brave.
Are proper arts the long-eared rout to ( us lave.
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OP MARVELL. 203
Bribe hungry priests to deify your might, ^
To teach your will's your only rule to right, V
And sound damnation to all dare deny 't. J
Thus heaven's designs 'gainst heaven you shall
turn,
And make them feel those powers they once did
scorn.
When all the gobbling interest of mankind,
By hirelings sold to you, shall be resigned.
And by impostures, God and man betrayed.
The church and state you safely may invade ;
So boundless Lewis in full glory shines,
Whilst your starved power in legal fetters pines.
Shake off those baby-bands from your strong
armSy
Henceforth be deaf to that old witch's charms ;
Taste the delicious sweets of sovereign power,
'TIS royal game whole kingdoms to deflower.
Three spotless virgins to your bed I'll bring,
A sacrifice to you, their God and king.
As these grow stale, we'll harass human kind.
Rack nature, till new pleasures you shall find,
Strong as your reign, and beauteous as
mind.
