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EBBA 36134

Chetham's Library - Halliwell-Phillipps
Ballad XSLT Template
THE
King of Poland's
LAST SPEECH
To His COUNTRY-MEN.

I Know, you hope all once to be
Great Men of Note and Majesty;
For this our now Supremacy
Is Nonsence.

Why should one Man forever sway
A Scepter, (who's but made of Clay?)
Why may not we ourselves obey
In Conscience?

But now 'tis come, Alas, we see,
That all our Fame turns Infamy:
Ah! such a thing is Policy
With Tories

The buzzing Jealousies and Fears,
Into the Peoples list'ning Ears,
For all those many busie years,
Are Stories.

Since in late Plots w' have gone astray,
'Tis time to look another way,
And not in such a Cafe delay;
T'will harm us.

No doubt, y'have heard of Forty-One,
Of all the Prancks that then were done,
And of the happy Conquest won:
Let's arm us;

And play those very Cards agen,
For all those Antients were but Men;
Five Israelites may well beat Ten
Philistins.

Let's cry Oppression through the Town,
Oppression of the Court and Gown,
And raise in Tumult every Clown,
to Listings.

We'll first expose the Laws to Shame,
And next the Loyal Part defame;
If Good or Bad, they're all the same,
No odds make.

Yet let Religion be the Word,
To shade Rebellion and the Sword;
Then play the Divel under board,
For God's-sake.

Then be not wanting in your Lies;
In Plots and Shams, and Forgeries;
To blind the weak and gazing Eyes,
With Fables.

But if you would enjoy the Land,
Let the dark Roman joyn his Hand,
He Force and Councell can command
In Caballs.

Which though it seem as strange as Nile,
T'is Lawfull to unite in Guile;
Our Intrest's ne're the worse that while,
But further.

For all their Principles are mine;
Their Tricks to guild a black Designe;
Their Warrants to unite and joyne
In Murther.

What if you were not born to Land,
Or to be Persons in Command;
T'is ne'r the worse at second Hand,
But Fashion.

Is it not base (a Curse) to see,
When we should all live equally,
Such odds and such Majority
I'th' Nation.

And though we find no fault in State,
Or any other Potentate;
Yet those great Names will raise debate,
And wroth, Sirs.

Since then t'will be so good a Feate.
Let's once (for all) the Work compleate:
For nothing else can make us Great,
In troth, Sirs.

My Opticks (Friends) almost can see
A new form'd Lump of Anarchy;
Whilst under foot lies Monarchy,
And hated.

Methinks I see those very Men,
I hate and envy, once agen,
From many Thousands unto Ten,
Abated.

Ah! sweet Revenge, and bold Ambition,
Infects both Us, and half the Nation;
The cause of Wife Association
So lately:

And well't may plague us all, to see
Some, though no better Men than We,
To live in Pomp for Loyalty,
So stately.

I knew when once the Good Old Cause
Was nam'd aloud with great Applaue:
Blest Times for Liberty! No Laws,
To fright all:

Therefore, if once it come to Test,
And we again with Lawrel blest,
The Stronger Side must be the best,
At Whitehall.

And if all Lords you chance to be,
Who knows what Hell designs for me?
We'l make our Lives one Jubile,
And Wonder.

So being out of Breath, and spent;
Alas, (sayd he) much more is meant.
At last (with Pox) he hurrying went,
Like Thunder.

LONDON, Printed for J.P. in the Year 1682.

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