Pervert his mind, his good intentions choke;
Tell him of golden Indies, fairy lands,
Leviathan, and absolute commands.
Thus, fairy-like, the King they steal away,
And in his room a Lewis changeling lay.
How oft have I him to himself restored.
In’s left the scale, in ’s right hand placed the sword?
Taught him their use, what dangers would ensue
To those that tried to separate these two?
The bloody Scottish chronicle turned o’er,
Showed him how many kings, in purple gore,
Were hurled to hell, by learning tyrant lore?
The other day famed Spenser I did bring,
In lofty notes Tudor’s blest reign to sing;
How Spain’s proud powers her virgin arms controlled,
And golden days in peaceful order rolled;
How like ripe fruit she dropped from off her throne,
Full of grey hairs, good deeds, and great renown.
...
Ral. Once more, great
queen, thy darling strive to save,
Snatch him again from scandal and the
grave;
Present to ’s thoughts his long-scorned
parliament,
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.
Brit. Raleigh, no more,
for long in vain I’ve tried
The Stuart from the tyrant to divide;
As easily learned virtuosos may
With the dog’s blood his gentle
kind convey
Into the wolf, and make his guardian
turn
To the bleating flock, by him so lately
torn:
If this imperial juice once taint his
blood,
’Tis by no potent antidote withstood.
Tyrants, like lep’rous kings, for
public weal
Should be immured, lest the contagion
steal
Over the whole. The elect of the
Jessean line
To this firm law their sceptre did resign;
And shall this base tyrannic brood invade
Eternal laws, by God for mankind made?
To the serene Venetian state I’ll go,
From her sage mouth famed principles to know;
With her the prudence of the ancients read,
To teach my people in their steps to tread;
By their great pattern such a state I’ll frame,
Shall eternize a glorious lasting name.
Till then, my Raleigh, teach our noble youth
To love sobriety, and holy truth;
Watch and preside over their tender age,
Lest court corruption should their souls engage;
Teach them how arts, and arms, in thy young days,
Employed our youth—not taverns, stews, and plays;
Tell them the generous scorn their race does owe
To flattery, pimping, and a gaudy show;
Teach them to scorn the Carwells, Portsmouths, Nells,
The Clevelands, Osbornes, Berties, Lauderdales:
Poppaea, Tigelline, and Arteria’s name,
All yield to these in lewdness, lust, and fame.
Make them admire the Talbots, Sydneys, Veres,