The Royal Strangers Ramble,
Or, The Remarkable Lives, Customs, and Character of the Four Indian Kings:
With the manner of their Daily Pastimes, Humours, and Behaviours since their
first Landing in England. Render'd into Pleasant and Familiar Verse.
Written by a Person of Quality.
Enter'd in the Hall Book of the Company of Stationers, pursuant to an Act of Parliament.
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FOur Monarchs of Worth,
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From their Kingdoms set forth,
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Without Hose or Shoes to their Feet;
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In order to know
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How Affairs did here go,
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And of Things of Importance to Treat.
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They no sooner approach'd
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P-----h, but were Coach'd
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In the G-----rs old tatter'd Charriot.
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That drawn by two Nags,
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Seem'd ridden by Hags,
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And disus'd to Fatigue, could not bear it.
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Tho' Sir J---, for their Sakes,
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Made 'em lean as two Rakes,
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Jog down to the Point to receive 'em.
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And from thence to proceed
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With this Irroquois Breed,
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And at some Geneva Ken leave 'em.
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'Twas done as 'twas order'd,
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And his Horses half murder'd,
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With much ado dragg'd 'em all thither;
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Where they Tippled and Roar'd,
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'Till like Hogs they all Snor'd,
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And laid down and Kennel'd together.
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From thence when the Knight
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Had giv'n 'em a sight
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Of each Rampart, and Bulwark, and Fort:
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The Stage Caravan,
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Brought 'em hither each Man,
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To view both the City and Court.
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The first of their Rambles
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Was to visit the Shambles,
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As soon as Her Majesty's Drummers,
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At the Merchants Expence,
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For they had no Pence,
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Had Saluted the Royal New-comers.
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But, Heav'ns! how they star'd,
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To see how the Cits far'd
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On such Plenty of Flesh, Fish and Fowl:
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And wish'd one and all,
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They might have Leaden-Hall
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In lieu of the Realms they controul.
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To the Tower of London
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Hence the Potentates run down
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For a sight of our Arsenal Royal:
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And were told all those Arms
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Were to keep 'em from Harms,
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Of which they would soon have a Tryal.
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Should the French Man but dare
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Attack 'em in War,
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Or insult 'em by way of Invasion,
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Those Guns and those Mortars
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Wou'd make 'em catch Tartars,
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And sneak off upon every Occasion.
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In the next Place each Soul,
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Went to Hockly in the Hole,
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Where the Bears and the fierce Gladiators
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Gave the Monarchs a sight,
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Of the Force and the Might
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Of such Raw-bon'd and Termagant Creatures.
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After Bedlam and Gresham,
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Two Mad Houses, God bless 'em,
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Had expos'd what each College cou'd shew;
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And the Exchange and Guildhall,
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With the Dome of St. Paul,
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Was survey'd both above and below.
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The Pink of good Breeding,
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Of Speaking and Reading,
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Conducted 'em thro' the Pell-Mell,
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To St. James his fam'd Court,
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Bright Vertue's Resort,
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And the Place in which ANNA do's dwell.
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Great ANNA, that Queen,
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Who to all, by whom seen,
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Extends a Compassionate feeling,
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And Commiserates much
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The Misfortunes of such
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Who to Justice and Her are appealing.
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They no sooner had told
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How Adventurous and Bold
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They would be for Her Majesty's sake;
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What Wonders they'd do,
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As faithful and true,
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They the side of Great Britain wou'd take.
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If the Queen of Her Grace
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Wou'd but joyn with their Race,
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To recover their Birth-Rights from France:
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And assert but a Cause,
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Her Religion and Laws
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Wou'd induce her great Soul to advance:
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But Agast, and Amaz'd,
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At the Splendor they prais'd
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Of every Room they were shewn.
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They were kindly dismiss'd,
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When her Hand they had Kiss'd,
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And presented their Gifts with their own:
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Which were such as before
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No Prince from Home bore,
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As a sign of Respect for another;
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Since *Belts made of Beads
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Are to mean for Crown'd Heads,
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Tho' they make such a Noise and a Pother.
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*Belts of Wampum, a
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Name for their Coin.
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Their Audience thus done,
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Each Mother's Black Son
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In his Mantle of Red return'd Home,
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To consider and cast
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Up the Honours were past
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With those that were next Day to come.
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When the Blew Coat Boys came
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In Respect to their Fame,
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To invite the Four Warriours to Supper;
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With which they comply'd,
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To make out they'd no Pride,
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Which was but convenient and proper.
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To my Lord's Grace of Cant.
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Soon after they went,
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To hear the Church Litany read:
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But tho' it appears
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It might strike on their Ears,
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It never struck into their Head.
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Since 'twas no great Matter,
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That they cross'd o'er the Water
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To go to the Chappel to Pray'r;
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For tho' my good Lord
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Can teach Men Gods Word,
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They return'd just as Wise as they were.
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From hence to both Stages
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The two brace of Sages,
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Their Habit and Persons expos'd:
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Where they just as much knew
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As at Hyde-Park Review,
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Which all their Discoverys clos'd.
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No Prince but the ------,
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E'er Journied so far,
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O'er so many thousand Leagues reckon'd;
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And he must give place
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To this Travelling Race,
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And tho' he came First, must be Second.
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Since no one brought less
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Of Wealth, Knowledge and Dress
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Than these who from India are come,
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And no one before
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Return'd from our Shore
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With so little Advantages Home.
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