With the Batavian
commonwealth
to fight.
Marvell - Poems
Who in his thirteenth year began his reign :
In a slashed doublet then he came ashore,
And dubbed poor Palmer's* wife his royal whore.
Bishops, and deans, peers, pimps, and knights, he
made ;
Things highly fitting for a monarch's trade !
With women, wine, and viands of delight,
His jolly vassals feast him day and night.
* Mrs. Palmer, aftervrnrds Duchess of Cleveland, whom
the king took from her husband.
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But the best times have ever some allay,
His* younger brother died by treachery.
Bold James survives, no dangers make him
flinch,
He marries signor Fal h's pregnant wench.
The pious mother queen, hearing her son
Was thus enamoured with a buttered bun.
And that the fleet was gone, in pomp and state,
To fetch, for Charles, the flowery Lisbon Kate,
She chants Te Deum^ and so comes away,
To wish her hopeful issue timely joy.
Her most uxorious mate she ruled of old,
Why not with easy youngsters make as bold ?
From the French court she haughty topics
brings.
Deludes their pliant nature with vain things ;
Her mischief-breeding breast did so prevail.
The new-got Flemish town was set to sale ;
For these, and Germain's sins, she founds a
church.
So slips away, and leaves us in the lurch.
Now the court-sins did every place defile,
And plagues and war fall heavy on the isle ;
Pride nourished folly, folly a delight.
With the Batavian commonwealth to fight.
But the Dutch fleet fled suddenly with fear.
Death and the duke so dreadful did appear.
* The Duke of Gloucester, third brother to the king. He
was much more loved than the Duke of York.
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OF MAUVKLL. 301
The dreadful victor took his soft repose,
Scorning pursuit of such mechanic foes'.
But now York's genitals grew over hot,
With Denham's and Carnegie's infected plot.
Which, with religion so inflamed his ire.
He left the city when 'twas set on fire.
So Philip's son, inflamed with a miss,
Burned down the palace of Persepolis.
Toiled thus by Venus, he Bellona woos,
And with the Dutch a second wai* renews ;
But here his French-bred prowess proved in vain,
De Ruyter claps him in Solebay again.
This isle was well reformed, and gained renown,
Whilst the brave Tudors wore the imperial
crown :
But since the royal race of Stuarts came,
It was recoiled to popery and shame ;
Misguided monarchs, rarely wise and just.
Tainted with pride, and with impetuous lust.
Should we the Blackheath project here <v
relate, I
Or count the various blemishes of state, [
My muse would on the reader's patience grate. ^
The poor Priapus king, led by the nose,
Looks as a thing set up to scare the crows ;
Yet, in the mimics of the spinstrian sporty
Outdoes Tiberius, and his goatish court
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In* love's delights none did them e'er excel,
Not Tereus with his sister Philomel ;
As they at Athens, we ut Dover meet.
