ON THE EARL OF STRAFFORD'S TRIAL
AND DEATH.

GREAT Strafford! worthy of that name, though all
Of thee could be forgotten, but thy fall,
Crush'd by imaginary treason's weight,
Which too much merit did accumulate.

As chemists gold from brass by fire would draw,
Pretexts are into treason forged by law.
His wisdom such, at once it did appear

Three kingdoms' wonder, and three kingdoms' fear;
Whilst single he stood forth, and seem'd, although
Each had an army, as an equal foe.

Such was his force of eloquence, to make
The hearers more concern'd than he that spake;
Each seem'd to act that part he came to see,
And none was more a looker-on than he;
So did he move our passions, some were known
To wish, for the defence, the crime their own.
Now private pity strove with public hate,
Reason with rage, and eloquence with fate:
Now they could him, if he could them, forgive;

He's not too guilty, but too wise, to live;

Less seem those facts which treason's nickname bore,

Than such a fear'd ability for more.

They after death their fears of him express,

His innocence and their own guilt confess.
Their legislative frenzy they repent,

Enacting it should make no precedent.

This fate he could have 'scaped, but would not lose
Honour for life, but rather nobly chose

Death from their fears, than safety from his own,
That his last action all the rest might crown.

10

20

30

ON MY LORD CROFT'S AND MY JOURNEY INTO POLAND,

FROM WHENCE WE BROUGHT £10,000 FOR HIS MAJESTY, BY

THE DECIMATION OF HIS SCOTTISH SUBJECTS THERE.

1 Toll, toll,

Gentle bell, for the soul

Of the pure ones in Pole,

Which are damn'd in our scroll.

2 Who having felt a touch
Of Cockram's greedy clutch,
Which though it was not much,
Yet their stubbornness was such,

3 That when we did arrive,

'Gainst the stream we did strive;
They would neither lead nor drive;

4 Nor lend

An ear to a friend,

Nor an answer would send

To our letter so well penn'd;

5 Nor assist our affairs.

With their moneys nor their wares,
As their answer now declares,
But only with their prayers.

6 Thus they did persist

Did and said what they list,
"Till the Diet was dismiss'd;
But then our breech they kiss'd.

7 For when

It was moved there and then,
They should pay one in ten,
The Diet said, Amen.

8 And because they are loth
To discover the troth,

They must give word and oath,
Though they will forfeit both.

9 Thus the constitution

Condemns them every one,
From the father to the son.

10 But John

(Our friend) Mollesson
Thought us to have outgone
With a quaint invention.

11 Like the prophets of yore,
He complain'd long before,
Of the mischiefs in store,
Ay, and thrice as much more;

12 And with that wicked lie, A letter they came by From our King's majesty.

13 But fate

Brought the letter too late,
"Twas of too old a date

To relieve their damn'd state.

14 The letter's to be seen,
With seal of wax so green,
At Dantzig, where 't has been
Turn'd into good Latin.

15 But he that gave the hint,
This letter for to print,

Must also pay his stint.

16 That trick,

Had it come in the nick,
Had touch'd us to the quick;
But the messenger fell sick.

17 Had it later been wrote,
And sooner been brought,
They had got what they sought;
But now it serves for nought.

18 On Sandys they ran aground,
And our return was crown'd
With full ten thousand pound.

ON MR THOMAS KILLIGREW'S RETURN FROM VENICE, AND MR WILLIAM MURREY'S FROM SCOTLAND.

1 OUR resident Tom,

From Venice is come,

And hath left the statesman behind him;

Talks at the same pitch,

Is as wise, is as rich;

And just where you left him, you find him.

2 But who says he was not

A man of much plot,
May repent that false accusation;
Having plotted and penn'd
Six plays, to attend

The farce of his negotiation.

3 Before you were told
How Satan 1 the old

Came here with a beard to his middle;
Though he changed face and name,
Old Will was the same,

At the noise of a can and a fiddle.

4 These statesmen, you believe, Send straight for the shrieve, For he is one too, or would be; But he drinks no wine,

Which is a shrewd sign

That all's not so well as it should be.

5 These three, when they drink,
How little do they think

Of banishment, debts, or dying?
Not old with their years,

Nor cold with their fears;

But their angry stars still defying.

6 Mirth makes them not mad,
Nor sobriety sad;

But of that they are seldom in danger;
At Paris, at Rome,

At the Hague, they 're at home;

The good fellow is no where a stranger.

1 Satan': Mr W. Murrey.