A SPEECH
Made to His EXCELLENCY
The Lord General MONCK
And the COUNCIL of STATE,
At Fishmongers-Hall in LONDON
The Thirteenth of April, 1660.
At which time they were Entertained by that Honorable COMPANY.
Written by Tho. Jordan.
After a SONG of difference betwixt the Lawyer, the Soldier, the Citizen and the Countrey-man.
The CHORUS being ended. Enter the Ghost of MASSIANELLO Fisher-man of NAPLES
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IS your Peace just? What Rock stands it upon?
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Conscience and Law make the best Union.
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If you gain Birthrights here by Bloud and Slaughter,
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Though you sing now, you'l howle for ever after:
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Trust my Experience, one that can unfold
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The strangest truest Tale that er'e was told,
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In my degree, few men shall overtake me,
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I was as great as Wickedness could make me;
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This heart, this habit, and this tongue to boot
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Commanded Forty thousand Horse and Foot,
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In three weeks time, My fortune grew so high
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I could have match'd my Fishers Family
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With the best Bloud in Naples: Right and Wrong,
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And Life and Death attended on my Tongue,
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Till (by a quick verticitie of Fate)
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I find too soon what I repent too late;
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And, though a Rebell in a righteous clothing,
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My glow-worm glories glimmer'd into nothing.
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Thus fell that Fisher-man that had no fellow,
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I am the Wandring Shade of Massianello;
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Who, since I was into Perdition hurl'd,
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Am come to preach this Doctrine to the world.
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Rebels though backt with Power, and seeming Reason,
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Time and Success, shall feel the fate of Treason.
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But stay! what Pictures this hangs in my sight?
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'Tis valiant Walworth, the King-saving Knight:
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That stab'd Jack Straw: Had Walworth liv'd within
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These four Months, where had Jack the Cobler been?
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It was a bold brave deed, an act in Season,
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Whilest he was on the Top-branch of his Treason.
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He looketh up
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to the Picture
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of Sir William
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Walworth (who
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stab'd Jack
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Straw) that
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hangeth over
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the head of
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my Lord Ge-
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neral.
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But from that Shaddow, dropping down My eye,
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I see a Substance of like Loyalty.
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IF long renowned Walworth had the fate
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To save a King, You have to save a State;
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And, who knows what by Consequence? The Knight
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By that brave Deed, gain'd every man his Rig[ht:]
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And you, by this, may gain each Man his due[,]
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Not onely Trusty Hearts, but Traitors too:
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He drew bloud, you did not; 'tis all one sense;
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There's but a Straws breadth in the difference:
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He sav'd the Town from being burnt, and You
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Have rescued it from Fire and Plunder too:
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He was this Companies good Benefactor,
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And You have been their Liberties Protector;
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For which, I heard them say, they would enga[ge]
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Their States, and Blouds, and Lives against all [rage]
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That shall oppose Your just Designes: And that
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You are the welcom'st Guest, ever came at
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This Table; they say, All they can exhibit
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Is not so much a Treatment as a Tribute:
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They call you the First step to England's [Peace,]
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The True fore-runner of our Happiness:
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And, joyn'd with these great Councillors,
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Our best Preservatives in Peace and War.
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You have a Loyal Heart, a Lucky Hand,
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Elected for the Cure of this Sick Land,
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Who by Protectors and unjust Trustees,
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Hath been Enslav'd and brought upon her Kne[es]
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We humbly pray this may be thought upon
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Before the Kingdoms Treasure be quite gon:
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And hope you will (though Envy look a squin[t]
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When all is fit, Put a Just Steward in 't.
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To the Coun-
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cil of State.
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Spoken by WALTER YOUKC[NY.]
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CHORUS.
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Then may your fame out-live all Story,
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And prove a Monument of Glory,
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Kings and Queens (as Tribute due)
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On their knees shall pray for you,
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Whilst all True hearts confess with Tongue and [Pen,]
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A Loyal Subject is the best of Men.
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