Secondly, my lord treasurer says so, and he never
  told a lye in his life.

  Thirdly, my lord Lauderdale will undertake it
  for me; and I should be loath, by any art of mine,
  he should forfeit the credit he has with you.

If you desire more instances of my zeal, I have them for you.  For example, I have converted my natural sons from Popery; and I may say, without vanity, it was my own work, so much the more peculiarly mine than the begetting them.  ’Twould do one’s heart good to hear how prettily George can read already in the Psalter.  They are all fine children, God bless ’em, and so like me in their understandings!  But, as I was saying, I have, to please you, given a pension to your favourite, my lord Lauderdale; not so much that I thought he wanted it, as that you would take it kindly.  I have made Carwel duchess of Portsmouth, and marry’d her sister to the earl of Pembroke.  I have, at my brother’s request, lent my lord Inchequin into Barbary, to settle the Protestant religion among the Moors, and an English interest at Tangier.  I have made Crew bishop of Durham, and, at the first word of my lady Portsmouth, Prideaux bishop of Chichester.  I know not, for my part, what factious men would have; but this I am sure of, my predecessors never did any thing like this, to gain the good-will of their subjects.  So much for your religion, and now for your property.  My behaviour to the bankers is a public instance; and the proceedings between Mrs. Hyde and Mrs. Sutton, for private ones, are such convincing evidences, that it will be needless to say any more to’t.

I must now acquaint you, that, by my lord treasurer’s advice, I made a considerable retrenchment upon my expences in candies and charcoal, and do not intend to stop there, but will, with your help, look into the late embezzlements of my dripping-pans and kitchenstuff; of which, by the way, upon my conscience, neither my lord treasurer, nor my lord Lauderdale, are guilty.  I tell you my opinion; but if you should find them dabling in that business, I tell you plainly, I leave ’em to you; for, I would have the world to know, I am not a man to be cheated.

  My Lords and Gentlemen,

I desire you to believe me as you have found me; and I do solemnly promise you, that whatsoever you give me shall be specially managed with the same conduct, trust, sincerity, and prudence, that I have ever practiced, since my happy restoration.’

In order to shew the versification of Mr. Marvel, we shall add a beautiful dialogue between the resolved soul, and created pleasure.  It is written with a true spirit of poetry, the numbers are various, and harmonious, and is one of the best pieces, in the serious way, of which he is author.

  A dialogue between the Resolved soul
  and Created pleasure.