And fi*om my Charles to a base gaol me drew ;
My reverend age exposed to scorn and shame,
To pngs, bawds, whores, was made the public
game.
My reverend age exposed to scorn and shame,
To pngs, bawds, whores, was made the public
game.
Marvell - Poems
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. "
find, I
your J
When she had spoke, a confused murmur
rose.
Of French, Scotch, Irish, all my mortal foes ;
Some English too, O shame ! disguised I spied.
Led all by the wise son-in-law of Hyde.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
204 THE POEMS
With fury drunk, like bacchanals, they roar,
Down with that common Magna Ciiarta whore !
With joint consent on helpless me they flew.
And fi*om my Charles to a base gaol me drew ;
My reverend age exposed to scorn and shame,
To pngs, bawds, whores, was made the public
game.
Frequent addresses to my Charles I send,
And my sad state did to his care commend ;
But his fair soul, transformed by that French
dame.
Had lost all sense of honour, justice, fame,
lie in *s seraglio like a spinster sits.
Besieged by whores, buffoons, and bastard
chits;
Lulled in security, rolling in lust.
Resigns his crown to angel Carwell's trust ;
Her creature O n the revenue steals ;
False F — h, knave Ang — sey misguide the
seals.
Mac-James the Irish bigots does adore.
His French and Teague command on sea and
shore.
The Scotch-scalado of our court two isles,
False Lauderdale, with ordure, all defiles.
Thus the state's nightmared by this hellish rout,
And no one left these furies to cast out.
Ah! Vindex come, and purge the poisoned
state ;
Descend, descend, ere the cure's desperate.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
OP MARVELL. 205
RALEIGH.
Once more, great queen, thy darling strive to
save,
Snatch him again from scandal and the grave ;
Present to's thoughts his long-scorned parlia-
ment,
The basis of his throne and government
In his deaf ears sound his dead father's name :
Perhaps that spell may 's erring soul reclaim :
Who knows what good effects from thence may
spring ?
Tis godlike good to save a falling king.
BRITANNIA.
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. "
find, I
your J
When she had spoke, a confused murmur
rose.
Of French, Scotch, Irish, all my mortal foes ;
Some English too, O shame ! disguised I spied.
Led all by the wise son-in-law of Hyde.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
204 THE POEMS
With fury drunk, like bacchanals, they roar,
Down with that common Magna Ciiarta whore !
With joint consent on helpless me they flew.
And fi*om my Charles to a base gaol me drew ;
My reverend age exposed to scorn and shame,
To pngs, bawds, whores, was made the public
game.
Frequent addresses to my Charles I send,
And my sad state did to his care commend ;
But his fair soul, transformed by that French
dame.
Had lost all sense of honour, justice, fame,
lie in *s seraglio like a spinster sits.
Besieged by whores, buffoons, and bastard
chits;
Lulled in security, rolling in lust.
Resigns his crown to angel Carwell's trust ;
Her creature O n the revenue steals ;
False F — h, knave Ang — sey misguide the
seals.
Mac-James the Irish bigots does adore.
His French and Teague command on sea and
shore.
The Scotch-scalado of our court two isles,
False Lauderdale, with ordure, all defiles.
Thus the state's nightmared by this hellish rout,
And no one left these furies to cast out.
Ah! Vindex come, and purge the poisoned
state ;
Descend, descend, ere the cure's desperate.
Digitized by VjOOQIC
OP MARVELL. 205
RALEIGH.
Once more, great queen, thy darling strive to
save,
Snatch him again from scandal and the grave ;
Present to's thoughts his long-scorned parlia-
ment,
The basis of his throne and government
In his deaf ears sound his dead father's name :
Perhaps that spell may 's erring soul reclaim :
Who knows what good effects from thence may
spring ?
Tis godlike good to save a falling king.
BRITANNIA.
