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XXVIII.

But when th' unlucky knot we tie,
Care, av'rice, fear, and jealousy,
Make friendship languish till it die.
XXIX.

The wolf, the lion, and the bear,
When they their prey in pieces tear,
To quarrel with themselves forbear:
XXX.

Yet tim'rous deer and harmless sheep
When love into their veins doth creep,
That law of Nature cease to keep.

XXXI.

Who then can blame the am'rous boy
Who, the fair Helen to enjoy,
To quench his own set fire on Troy?
* XXXII.

Such is the world's prepost'rous fate,
Amongst all creatures mortal hate
Love (tho' immortal) doth create.

XXXIII.

But Love may beasts excuse, for they
Their actions not by reason sway,

But their brute appetites obey.

XXXIV.

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But man's that savage beast, whose mind,

From reason to self-love declin'd,

Delights to prey upon his kind.

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E

A SPEECH AGAINST PEACE

AT THE

CLOSE COMMITTEE.

To the tune of," I went from England.”

BUT will you now to peace incline,
And languish in the main design,
And leave us in the lurch?
I would not monarchy destroy,
But as the only way t' enjoy
The ruin of the church.

Is not the Bishop's bill deny'd,
And we still threaten'd to be try'd ?
You see the King embraces
Those counsels he approv'd before;
Nor doth he promise, which is more,
That we shall have their places.

Did I for this bring in the Scot?
(For 'tis no secret now) the plot
Was Saye's and mine together.
Did I for this return again,
And spend a winter there in vain,
Once more t' invite them hither?

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Tho' more our money than our cause
Their brotherly assistance draws,
My labour was not lost.

At my return I brought you thence
Necessity, their strong pretence,
And these shall quit the cost.

Did I for this my country bring

To help their knight against their king,
Aud raise the first sedition ?

Tho' I the bus'ness did decline,
Yet I contriv'd the whole design,
And sent them their petition.

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So many nights spent in the City

In that invisible Committee,

The wheel that governs ail:

From thence the change in church and state,
And all the mischief bears the date

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From Haberdashers' Hall.

Did we force Ireland to despair,
Upon the King to cast the war,
To make the world abhor him,
Because the rebels us'd his name?
Tho we ourselves can do the same,
While both alike were for him..

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Then the same fire we kindled here
With what was given to quench it there,
And wisely lost that nation :

To do as crafty beggars use,

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To maim themselves, thereby t' abuse
The simple man's compassion.

Have I so often pass'd between
Windsor and Westminster unseen,

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And did myself divide,

To keep his Excellence in awe,
And give the Parliament the law?
For they knew none beside."

Did I for this take pains to teach
Our zealous ignorants to preach,

And did their lungs inspire;

Gave them their texts, shew'd them their parts,

And taught them all their little arts

To fling abroad the fire ?

Sometimes to beg, sometimes to threaten,
And say the Cavaliers are beaten,
To stroke the people's ears;

Then straight when victory grows cheap,
And will no more advance the heap,
To raise the price of fears.

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And now the books, and now the bells,

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In vain this mischief we have done,
If we can do no more.

If men in peace can have their right,
Where's the necessity to fight,
That breaks both law and oath ?

They'll say they fight not for the cause,

Nor to defend the king and laws,

But us against them both.

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Either the cause at first was ill,

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Or being good, it is so still;

And thence they will infer
That either now or at the first

They were deceiv'd; or, which is worst,
That we ourselves may err.

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