Here fin for want of food must starve,
Where tempting objects are not feen;
And these ftrong walls do only serve

To keep vice out, and keep me in :
Malice of late's grown charitable fure,
I'm not committed, but I'm kept fecure.

So he that ftruck at Jason's life,

Thinking t' have made his purpose fure,

By a malicious friendly knife

Did only wound him to a cure:

Malice, I fee, wants wit; for what is meant
Mischief, oftimes proves favour by th' event.

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45

When once my prince affliction hath,

Profperity doth treason feem;

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And to make smooth fo rough a path,

I can learn patience from him:

Now not to fuffer fhews no loyal heart,

When kings want eafe fubjects must bear a part.

What though I cannot see my king

Neither in perfon or in coin,

Yet contemplation is a thing,

That renders what I have not, mine:

My king from me what adamant can part,
Whom I do wear engraven on my heart?

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60

Have you not seen the nightingale,

A prifoner like, coopt in a cage, How doth fhe chaunt her wonted tale

In that her narrow hermitage?

Even then her charming melody doth prove,
That all her bars are trees, her cage a grove.

I am that bird, whom they combine
Thus to deprive of liberty;

But though they do my corps confine,

Yet maugre hate, my foul is free:

And though immur'd, yet can I chirp, and fing

Disgrace to rebels, glory to my king.

My foul is free, as ambient air,

Although my baser part's immew'd,
Whilft loyal thoughts do ftill repair

T'accompany my folitude:
Although rebellion do my body binde,
My king alone can captivate my minde.

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70

75

XVII. VERSES

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XVII.

VERSES BY K. CHARLES I.

"This prince, like his father, did not confine himself to 60 profe: Bishop Burnet has given us a pathetic elegy faid to be written by Charles in Carifbrook caftle [in 1648.] "The poetry is most uncouth and unharmonious, but there art ftrong thoughts in it, some good sense, and a strain of ma‍ jeftic piety." Mr. Walpole's royal and noble authors. vol. I.

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It is in his "Memoirs of the dukes of Hamilton." p. 379. that Burnet hath preferved this elegy, which he tells us be had from a gentleman, who waited on the king at the time when it was written, and copied it out from the original. It it is there intitled "MAJESTY IN MISERY: OR AN "IMPLORATION TO THE KING OF KINGS.”

Hume bath remarked of thefe ftanzas, " that the truth of "the fentiment, rather than the elegance of the expression, "renders them very pathetic." See his hift. 1763. 4to. "vol. 5. P. 437 442. which is no bad comment upon them. -Thefe are the only verfes known of Charles's composure. They do not properly fall within the plan of this work, but we make the fame plea for their infertion, as we did for those of his two immediate predeceffors.

GR

Reat monarch of the world, from whofe power springs
The potency and power of kings,

Record the royal woe my fuffering fings ;

And

And teach my tongue, that ever did confine
Its faculties in truth's feraphick line,

To track the treasons of thy foes and mine.

Nature and law, by thy divine decree, (The only root of righteous royaltie) With this dim diadem invested me :

With it, the facred fcepter, purple robe,
The holy unction, and the royal globe:
Yet am I levell'd with the life of Job.

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10

The fierceft furies, that do daily tread

Upon my grief, my gray difcrowned head,

Are thofe that owe my bounty for their bread.

15

They raise a war, and christen it THE CAUSE,
While facrilegious hands have beft applaufe,
Plunder and murder are the kingdom's laws;

Tyranny bears the title of taxation,
Revenge and robbery are reformation,
Oppreffion gains the name of fequeftration.

My loyal fubjects, who in this bad feafon
Attend me (by the law of God and reafon),
They dare impeach, and punish for high treason.

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Next

Next at the clergy do their furies frown,
Pious epifcopacy muft go down,

They will deftroy the crofier and the crown.

Churchmen are chain'd, and schifmaticks are freed,
Mechanicks preach, and holy fathers bleed,
The crown is crucified with the creed...

The church of England doth all factions fofter,
The pulpit is ufurpt by each impoftor,

Extempore excludes the Pater nofter.

The Prefbyter, and Independent feed

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Springs with broad blades. To make religion bleed 35 Herod and Pontius Pilate are agreed.

The corner ftone's misplac'd by every pavier:
With fuch a bloody method and behaviour

Whilft on his father's head his foes advance :
Poor child! he weeps out his inheritance.

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