Nor did their alms extend to those alone,
  Whom common faith more strictly made their own;
  A sort of Doves[131] were housed too near their hall,
  Who cross the proverb, and abound with gall. 
  Though some, ’tis true, are passively inclined,
  The greater part degenerate from their kind; 950
  Voracious birds, that hotly bill and breed,
  And largely drink, because on salt they feed. 
  Small gain from them their bounteous owner draws;
  Yet, bound by promise, he supports their cause,
  As corporations privileged by laws.

    That house which harbour to their kind affords,
  Was built, long since, God knows for better birds;
  But fluttering there, they nestle near the throne,
  And lodge in habitations not their own,
  By their high crops and corny gizzards known. 960
  Like Harpies, they could scent a plenteous board,
  Then to be sure they never fail’d their lord: 
  The rest was form, and bare attendance paid;
  They drank, and ate, and grudgingly obey’d. 
  The more they fed, they raven’d still for more;
  They drain’d from Dan, and left Beersheba poor. 
  All this they had by law, and none repined;
  The preference was but due to Levi’s kind;
  But when some lay-preferment fell by chance,
  The gourmands made it their inheritance. 970
  When once possess’d, they never quit their claim;
  For then ’tis sanctified to Heaven’s high name;
  And, hallow’d thus, they cannot give consent,
  The gift should be profaned by worldly management.

    Their flesh was never to the table served;
  Though ’tis not thence inferr’d the birds were starved;
  But that their master did not like the food,
  As rank, and breeding melancholy blood. 
  Nor did it with his gracious nature suit,
  Even though they were not Doves, to persecute:  980
  Yet he refused (nor could they take offence)
  Their glutton kind should teach him abstinence. 
  Nor consecrated grain their wheat he thought,
  Which, new from treading, in their bills they brought: 
  But left his hinds each in his private power,
  That those who like the bran might leave the flour. 
  He for himself, and not for others, chose,
  Nor would he be imposed on, nor impose;
  But in their faces his devotion paid,
  And sacrifice with solemn rites was made, 990
  And sacred incense on his altars laid. 
    Besides these jolly birds, whose corpse impure
  Repaid their commons with their salt-manure;
  Another farm[132] he had behind his house,
  Not overstock’d, but barely for his use: 
  Wherein his poor domestic poultry fed,
  And from his pious hands received their bread. 
  Our pamper’d Pigeons, with malignant eyes,
  Beheld these inmates, and their nurseries: