THE Weesil Trap'd, &c.
CANTO I.
The Argument of the Canto.
The Hare deserts the Country Plains
To Argue on Weesilion's Case,
In his Defence takes mighty Pains
To prove his Swearing no Disgrace.
WIthin a happy virdant Vale
Preserv'd, and bounded with a Pale,
The Sweet demeans of some Grandee
Blest with the Worlds Prosperity;
Where Natures choicest Fruits did grow,
And Baron Buck with Lady Doe,
With a large Herd of Children Fawns
In Pleasure trip'd it o're the Lawns.
Old
The Hare.
Keyward, of all Brutes most Wise,Spent a long Life in Rural Joys;
[Page 4] And tho sometimes his peaceful Bounds
Invaded were with Neighbouring Hounds:
Inveterate Foes in every place
To him, and all his long Ear'd Race;
Yet his nice Wisdom understood
By Shifts to make his Party good;
With subtle Turnings foyle the Scent,
And Danger still by Wit prevent;
When Thousands of his Tribe were slain,
And Yearly hunted o're the Plain.
In Staticks and Philosophy,
None e're so Curious was as he.
In Politicks too nicely Learn'd,
'Mongst which of late having discern'd
Some Pamphlets written to disgrace,
His dearest Friend, Weesilion's Case.
Brim full of amicable Love
Resolves from Mansion to remove,
And some small time in Town to spend
To right, and vindicate his Friend.
Cold Winter now the Ground had froze,
Which happy time wise Keyward chose;
When those that lov'd to mouth his Knell,
Could not persue him by the Smell.
And now to Town being safely come,
Unseen came boldly to the Room
Just as the Weefils, nam'd of late,
Left off and ended their debate:
But finding by his fighing Friend
The Visitant had been unkind,
And Critically had made bold
To touch too near his Copy-hold;
Resolv'd as Master of the Arts
Of Argument to shew his Parts,
[Page 5] And a grave Look first putting on,
Urg'd by his Friendship thus begun.
Keyward,
By the concern that does displace
The Smiles in dear Weesilion's Face,
And what has past between you two,
I find the News i'th' Country true:
That for his Reasons, late made known,
He's teiz'd by all the Brutes in Town;
Horses of War, Bulls, Lordly Cats,
Law-Foxes, and Poetick-Rats,
The Courtier Boar, Fitchew Physician,
Church-Weesil, and Ass Politician,
In Railing Scrowls have rent his Name,
And strove to blast his Reverend Fame.
The City Sheep, too with dull Face,
Prerends to state his Conscience Case,
As if he Reason understood,
Or that he thought his own as Good:
But amongst all, it seems, your Tongue
Has been most ready to do Wrong;
You, as you were the Parish Mouth,
Rail at his taking the late Oath;
And tho Sound Reason was his Guide,
Dare Impudently vouch 'twas Pride,
As if the Notions of his Soul
You could Dispotickly controul,
Or had his Conscience in your Fist
To turn, and vary where you list.
When still, in spite of your pretence,
The Cause is from your want of Sense,
And modest patience in my Friend,
That gives ye freedom to contend:
For had you knowledge from above
To understand what he does prove,
Or would his Wisdom stoop so low
To take the pains t'instruct you how,
[Page 6] His Reasons would appear as plain,
As now you think 'em slight and vain;
And you had own'd your self a Brute,
Of all most Senseless, to Dispute.
Visitant W.
Tho in your nasty Country Phrase
You throw this Dirt upon my Face,
And Cavil at my Sense before,
You know its Efficacy or Pow'r.
To you and all your long Ear'd Rout
I'le make my late Objections out;
And if Three parts o'th' Town can Judge
Plainly, Demonstrate tis no grudge
To grave Weesilion, nor his Place,
That makes our Friends Condemn his Case;
But Contradictions which we find
In Writings of another kind.
Keyward,
If any Contradiction was,
'Tis only in th' Resistance Case,
Which in his Preface late he owns,
And for the small Mistake attones,
With so much Modesty and Shame,
It lays no blot upon his Fame.
And as to what the Town declares,
An unlick'd Crew of Woolves and Bears;
Their naucious Senses are so vile,
True Virtue they can ne're Defile:
The Ermin will be White as Snow,
In spite of all the Filth they throw:
Besides to blast a Sacred Name
On the meer score of publick Fame;
And awful Learning so Disgrace,
Is equally Absurd as Base.
But who can be secure from Wrongs,
Or Slanders from Licensious Tongues?
[Page 7] For tho Geese sav'd the Capitol,
By Cackling from th' Invading Gaul,
And shew'd the Enemy was near;
Yet had they all been Slanderers there
The Roman Guard had been deceiv'd,
And not a Goose of them believ'd.
Visitant W.
Your subtle Topick there is known,
But, pray, Where is the Slander shown?
If I should the Advantage take,
Because you vouch your Coat is Black;
And e're I can affirm it true
You presently shall Swear 'tis Blew.
Keyward,
The truest Instance will be pickt,
When you can prove we Contradict,
'Tis not by urging our Disgraces,
Or bringing Cases against Cases:
Meerly relying on your Sense,
Or putting off with Impudence.
But sollid Reason must be known
More than you hitherto have shown,
Your Prentices of unknown Trades,
And your Replys of Kitchen-maids;
Your Weesils squeaking far from home,
And the sharp Scourge of Whipping Tom.
With every other odd Remark,
Serve but to leave us in the Dark:
'Tis Conscience must the doubt unty,
And no Man need to tell you why.
Visitant W.
Then Conscience, by your Rule, we find
An Ignis fatuus of the Mind,
Instead of Grace that Souls enriches,
It leads us into Bogs and Ditches,
Where a poor Traveler that came
To find streight Paths out by that Flame;
Perhaps was farther from his Inn,
Than when he did first begin.
Keyward,
[Page 8]To two Points you must Conscience bring.
That's for, or else against the King;
And you may Argue what you please,
But 'tis Complyance must give Ease.
If you resolve to stem the Stream,
And to Mishaps your self Condemn;
Your Stubbornness intails a woe
Upon your self, and Country too.
Now whether Conscience makes amends
For all the Harm, I do my Friends,
Or that I should admit the Case,
According to the times Distress
Shews scope for Argument; mean time,
T' obey Superiours, is no Crime;
And I no more ought to deny
Allegiance and Supremacy,
Then I should question from whence springs
The Divine Right of making Kings:
Thus he to whom this Sense appears,
Knows always what, and when he Swears.
Visitant W.
The Case is very hard to clear,
If a Man knows not when to Swear?
But wavering stands with a Demur,
Sometimes against, and sometimes for:
It seems as if he were in doubt,
And wants a Cranny to creep out;
Or were but yet half satisfied
In Conscience which he calls his Guide.
Keyward,
When it's upon the Souls concern,
Is any Man too Wise to learn?
Or can my care be my Offence,
Because I would inform my Sense?
How Insolent would be that Fool?
How beyond Patience proudly Dull?
That should with a vain-glorious Huff
Affirm that he has learnt enough.
[Page 9] That every Father was a Sot,
And by his Tenets should be taught;
Presuming he had all the Ground
Of Learning from his proper Fund.
If you should hear such Dialogues,
Would you not think 'em prating Rogues;
And that they were more Ignorant,
The more they did of Knowledge vaunt?
True Vertue ever noted was,
The fruit of Wisdom and of Grace;
And what a better Sign can be
Of Grace, than Sacred Modesty?
All the Objections yet have rose,
Are grounded on a meer Suppose;
For though you Circumstances bring,
You never yet could prove the thing;
But Hang and Draw for an Offence,
On meer presumptive Evidence:
Thus like a Peasant Rob'd, you draw
From Circumstance severest Law,
Who prosecutes without Remorse
One, he supposes, stole his Horse.
Visitant W.
Your Notions are absurd and vain,
Where Matter of the Fact is plain;
Suppose could ne're a Verdict get
From any Jury that had Wit;
Nor Circumstances gain belief,
With Force enough to hang a Thief.
But he his fault does plain reveal,
That gives it under Hand and Seal.
Keyw.
That Confutation's yet to know,
Whither it be a fault or no;
[Page 10] When Conscience promts us, and the Case
Alludes to Union and to Peace;
Tho Writings appear Pro and Con,
The Writer's never the Worse Man;
When what he does is understood,
Consisting with the publick Good.
As Heaven is the State of Bliss,
The nearest Path to it is Peace;
And the best Branch of Peace is meant
Submission to the Government.
The Vulgar are too dull to know
Th'Intent of all the Clergy do:
Thus Some Sage Writings they Condemn▪
Whilst others Contradictions seem;
When they are really no Crimes,
But Good and proper for the Times,
As those they scurrilously Quote,
Were for the Seasons they were wrote.
Besides, how can we e're Commend
A Man to be his Countries Friend,
That does not in all points agree
To promote Peace and Amity?
Which never can be planted here,
Whilst we believ't a Crime to Swear;
Or think it an opprobrious thing
To own Allegiance to a K—
Whose Merit so Divine appears,
He ought next Heaven to have our Prayers.
Visitant W.
Your Praise perhaps is less than due,
If you said more, we grant it true;
The Generous Lion we must own,
As Brave as ever fill'd a Throne:
[Page 11] Nor do we the Black Coats Condemn
For the Allegiance sworn to him;
But for their Kid-skin Consciences
That stretch for gain, what side they please.
Keyw.
There must be a distinction sure,
Some may be frail, but others pure;
The Sect you mean, you should make known.
Visit. W.
Troth of all Sects they'r much at one.
Keyw.
Nay, now y'are Cinical agen.
Visit. W.
Sir I am troubled with the Spleen;
And e're we Canvase more this Case
Pray give me leave to speak one Phrase:
Natural Religion first was plain,
Tales, made it Mystery; Offrings, Gain;
Fat Sacrifices Priests Prepar'd,
They Eat, and th'Idol gap'd and Star'd.
Keyw.
This Notion is Apocryphal,
But suits the Matter not at all.
With Pagan Priests what should we do?
I hope they all are Christians now.
Visit. W.
I hope so too.
Keyw.
You cannot doubt:
Visit. W.
Nor if I should, you make it out.
Keyw.
You Rail, you Rail:
Visit. W.
[Page 12]Yes, so you say;
I must be blunt, 'tis still my Way;
And have what thoughts of me you will,
I'le keep my honest Method still;
Which is not prone to Scorn or Hate,
The Learn'd that at the Altar wait;
But only fairly to require,
All those that must my Soul Inspire,
And teach it by their Rules to fly
To its blest Seat beyond the Sky;
To make my Faith more firmly grow
By good Examples that they show.
Few of the Task, right Judgment make
Of those this awful Function take;
How strange a Vice appears in them,
That does in others nothing seem?
And tho we common frailty find,
Scatter'd abroad in all our kind;
Yet a Church Weesiil's less forgiven
Than any Vermin under Heaven.
Keyw.
What their worst Vice do you believe?
Visit. W.
Strong Avarice, for which I grieve;
They love preferment, so they scorn
One Benefice should serve the turn.
—A Fault most Heinous.
Keyw.
Have you none?
Exposing there's, don't hide your own.
Visit. W.
No, I, even Bacon Gammon can defy,
Or the Dear Pudding Crust of Turkey Pye;
[Page 13] I'de not renounce my Honour or my Faith,
For all the Cheer my Lord Mayor's Larder hath.
Scarce had the Weesil time to tell,
This last Bravado, when a Smell
Of Luscious Fat Westphalia Ham,
Across his Nostrils steeming came
From a close Larder, which did joyn
To th'Hall where all the Templer's dine;
The tempting Scent, Savoury and Hot,
So Charm'd him, he had straight forgot
His Arguments, and now was peeping
To find some Hole that he might Creep in
To dine on the most Luscious Dish,
That gratefully e're blest his Wish;
Which th'other two, that well did know,
The Bait, perceiv'd, and let him go;
When see the Short-liv'd happiness
That still attends on Mortal Bliss,
A Cursed Cook that long had Nurst
A spite about some Pasty Crust,
Late damag'd, with a Devillish Gin
Of Wood, and Wire, Snar'd him in:
In vain he Squeeks, in vain he Tares
His Witty Pate against the Barrs;
In vain he calls the Hare for Aid,
He of his Sorrows Mockery made.
And knowing that his Doom was near,
Augments his Sorrows with this Jeer.
Keyw.
You that could Argue late so well,
And Moral Rites to others tell,
Rail at our vices and declare,
How Innocent of all you were,
[Page 14] I find with Frailty overtaken,
And Virtue Batter'd down with Bacon,
Which now a good Reflection brings
On the frail state of Human things;
That Honour, Wit, Religion, Law,
Interest, can to its Party draw;
And who this truth disguises best,
Waits but his time to cheat the Rest.
FINIS.