A POEM In Vindication of the Late Publick Proceedings: By way of Dialogue between a High TORY and a TRIMMER.
WHen King and Queen the Seas had crost,
Because a good Design was lost;
Scamp'ring away in hasty Pet,
'Cause people would not have them get
Their Heirs by proxy, and Throne fill
With Issue, not of Loins but Will:
Of discourse then I heard a story,
Between a Trimmer and high Tory.
With visage grave and politick,
Quoth Tory, pray how can you stick
To a rebellious wicked cause,
Against so many Oaths and Laws;
Which bind to absolute submission,
Without reserve without condition?
Why don't you then the King recall,
And reinthrone him at Whitehall?
For would his Subjects but submit,
And forreign Forces England quit;
He'd grant enough to blast all hope
Of hated Romish Priests and Pope;
And Right and Property restore,
Never to be endanger'd more.
Trim.
Suppose, quoth Trimmer, things might be
As you affirm, great fools were we
Should we believe't, for on what ground
Can we a just assurance found?
Promise no doubt he'll give, but what
Security to make good That?
No Vow, no Oath, nor Declaration
Will serve again to gull the Nation,
Which now's alike enclin'd to trust
The Nants-Edicts of Great and Just.
Would James have granted what you say
He will, he ne're had gone away;
And sure abroad he is not gone
With purpose to return alone.
Shall we the word of Lewis take,
That James no more his word shall break,
And let French Faith attend him home
Joyn'd with the Charity of Rome?
Who have o'th' one experience had,
May try the other, if they're mad.
Tory.
Why truly should the King return,
To us who're his Liege-subjects born
The Act of Sixty one in force is,
Ev'n though he landed with French Forces:
Or else pray tell me what's the sense
Of bearing arms on no pretence,
And in no case, against the King,
Or those that his Commission bring?
Trimmer.
In this Objection seems to lie
Your greatest strength, but I reply;
No Acts or Laws have obligation
To the destruction of a Nation;
Which to preserve is their intent,
(And this not mention'd is still meant,)
And when they answer not this end,
But to the peoples dammage tend
(Who thereby harm'd are or annoy'd,)
Without Repeal grow null and void;
Which much more sure they ought to do, in
Case they advance the publick ruin.
No Law is bound for Pope to cut
(No more than Essex) its own throat;
Whose very Essence is contrary
To absolute and arbitrary,
And if't enacts such Soveraignty
Must guilty of Self-murther be.
Nor can one Law hold to suspend
Or to all others put an end;
(But that Law makes all others cease,
Which bids Kings do e'en what they please.)
And he who does with Laws dispense
Made for our safety and defence,
And only such in force will have
As serve the people to enslave,
Says in effect his subjects must
Be rul'd by his ungovern'd lust;
And such usurping Tyrant shou'd
Like first Invader be withstood.
That only Pacts to one convey
The Right of many I'll not say;
But yet Protection sure is to,
Although not for, obedience due:
And if a Prince withdraws protection
While people pay all due subjection,
Why Loyal men should passive be
Till they are ruin'd, I can't see.
He that to Law will not submit
His Power, destroys the source of it;
And legal Title gone, new Right
Must be acquir'd by force and might:
He thence of no claim is possest,
Till he atchieves That of conquest;
And That will any others be
VVho shews a longer sword than he.
Tory.
This is wild arguing, but pray
VVhat Scripture Rule to disobey
Your Governors can you produce,
Which you may bend to private use;
And, as you'r wont, by wresting sense
Of Text, make plausible defence?
For here you will your dearest Paul
In vain to your assistance call,
And if you would this cause support,
Must find some new Apostle for't.
Trim.
This seems the weakest Ob of all
From Tory lips that ere did fall;
For how should Paul concerned be
In the Birthright of you or me?
In Holy Writ what do you find
Of Copyhold, or Gavelkind,
Tenure in capite, Feefarm;
To Paul and Peter Cant and Charm;
Who never tell how far extends
The pow'r of Kings, and where it ends;
If Commonwealth and Anarchy
Differ in kind, or in degree;
What's easie Government and mild,
And which 'tis galls till men run wild.
Could you from them the difference shew
'Twixt Claim of Trajan and Nero;
Or Sequel from some Scripture draw
'Gainst that vile pagan Salique Law;
And Argument raise from another,
To make Grandson precede the Brother
In wearing Crown, you'd do much more
Than ever Tory did before.
Since then no Text shews who has got
A rightful Title, and who not;
When Subjects liberty's betray'd, or
Who's an Usurper or Invader,
Herein we must directed be
By Maxims of State-polity,
And in such matters must proceed
As Laws and Custom have decreed;
And if i'th' case these silent be,
Ought to consult necessity;
Which, (since it for Self-preservation
Of stragling Herds made Civil Nation)
Still Pow'r must have o're Government,
To make it answer first Intent.
Now as to Christians using force
'Gainst Law-subverting Governors;
I think the point may thus be clear'd.
When Christ in human flesh appear'd,
The Jewish Hopes were fixt upon
A Temporal Messiah's Throne.
That Nation of a King did dream,
VVho should Mankind subdue to them;
And was to Rule with earthly sway
As far as e're the Sun made day.
From such a Prince each Jew expected
A Province to himself subjected;
O're which he should dominion gain,
And in full Pow'r and Glory Reign.
Therefore to humble and bring down
Hearts swolne with such Ambition,
And frame them to receive a King
Born to triumph in suffering,
(And not a Ruler long to have
VVho should the conquer'd world enslave,)
The Passive doctrine of the Cross
Both true and seasonable was.
But then the Rule of Non-resistance
Reaches to all men, as they'r Christians,
Nor does't exempt the Magistrate,
Or him that sits at Helm of State;
Who by this Doctrine seems as far
Confin'd as meanest Subjects are:
For Gospel Precepts we well know
Bare Self-defence do not allow
To Followers of Christ, as such:
(Turn t'other cheek imports as much.)
Not that Christs Laws to be Slaves bind us,
But only leave us as they find us
In human Station, neither can
The Christian dispossess the Man
Of Civil Right or Natural,
Which equally belong to all,
So far as Nature and each State
By their respective Laws create
Property, and give Title to,
Christian or Pagan, Turk or Jew.
Now you grant us this Property,
But to maintain it Pow'r deny;
And therefore are not half so kind
As you would seem, for ought I find:
For who allows me Right and Claim,
But no Right to defend the same,
Inclosure gives without a Fence;
And this I take to be Nonsense.
But pray this passive Doctrine why
Are you not always govern'd by?
When Mass or Ruine are your choice,
Your Non-resistance makes no noise.
With sworn Allegiance you dispense,
When made for Slavery a Pretence;
(Had you ith' rigour but stuck to it,
Peeters e're this had made you rue it,)
You can distinguish then and limit;
Can moderate Notions find, and trim it.
No man, say you's suppos'd to swear,
Himself to hamper and ensnare;
Nor can men's Oaths bear such construction
As plainly binds to self-destruction.
Had Senate of Caligula
Establish'd such an Oath by Law,
He'd had his wish, for thereupon.
Millions of Necks had been as one;
And though our Christian way more slow
Must be confess'd, yet by one blow
The twisted lives of human kind
More certain period could not find.
These your late Notions were, though now
You'r pleas'd the same to disavow.
For when the dreadful danger's o're
Treat straight, cry you, recall, restore;
And now your Rights seem safe and Lives,
Your old Allegiance Oath revives.
But were all people of your mind,
Where could you this dear safety find?
Shall we in earnest entertain
Boundless Prerogative again?
Or shall we still resist, that you
May safe be, and seem loyal too?
There 'tis; to James for should we fly all,
And of your Oaths make second tryal,
From Him and Them again you'd scamper,
And gladly with some Orange tamper;
Would beg for refuge and defence
From some delivering God-like Prince,
If such a one were to be found
Elsewhere, on European Ground.
Then let your zeal no more be mispent
On Notions wholly inconsistent;
While Schemes unpracticable deceive you,
And the world knows not where to have you.
But since good Tory thou do'st pass
For Poet of the highest Class,
In lofty strains th' Atchievements sing
Of restor'd England's glorious King;
Whose conqu'ring to oblige a State
Stands single in the Book of Fate,
And matchless Exploit will appear
Throughout the whole Platonick year;
For when before did e're Kingdom
Triumph for being overcome?
Or shall hereafter Nation be
Sav'd by success of Enemy?
By forreign, kind Hostility,
Freed from domestick Slavery?
From home-bred misery and woe
Deliver'd by Invading Foe?
This Action so amazing great
No Pen can duly celebrate,
Nor must thou venture to rehearse
What transcends all the pow'rs of Verse.
Her utmost art thy Muse will need
To reach this Hero's meanest Deed;
Which would a large Poetick field
T' a Virgil or a Claudian yield:
While Trimmer only dares to chime
With one for sense and one for rhime,
and humbly crowding in among
The half-inspir'd Phebean Throng,
With those whose Principles ne're vary,
Cryes long may William Reign and Mary.
The HIGH TORY's Catechism.
Question. WHat is Passive Obedience?
Answer. Passive Obedience is an absolute unconditional refignation of our Lives, Laws, and Liberties to the Will and Pleasure of the Prince.
Quest. Is this Passive Doctrine always binding?
Ans. No; this Passive Doctrine obliges in the rigour, only when Whiggs and Trimmers are like to suffer by it; but when the malignant effects of it turn upon us, it loses its force and obligation.
Quest. Pray, what may you then do?
Ans. We may then suspend and withdraw our obedience, and not only invite a Forreigner to rescue and deliver us, but assist him with our prayers, purses, and persons.
Quest. You say, you may suspend your Allegiance to your Natural Prince; pray therefore is it not utterly extinguish'd in such a case, or does it ever revive and recover its former obligation?
Ans. Yes it does; for when the danger of ruin from an arbitrary Prince seems to be blown over, we ought to declare again for Him, our opposition made against him being grounded upon his Power no less than his [Page 9]to destroy us; now the former of these being once remov'd, and the latter thereby disarm'd, he again becomes our lawful irresistable Governour, with exclusion of all others, though the obligations they have put upon us be never so great.
Quest. But if all men return'd to their allegiance as well as you, (which I suppose they are equally oblig'd to do,) he would quickly recover that same power of destroying. Pray in that case what methods are you to take?
Answ. You go upon a mistake; for we very well know that the Body of the people will never trust him again, but to the uttermost of their power oppose his Restauration, which they are well assur'd would bring greater calamities upon this Nation, than it ever groan'd under since it was govern'd by a Crown'd Head: therefore we hope to enjoy the benefit of a Publick Deliverance, without losing the honour of our peculiar unpracticable Obedience.
Quest. But (since divers of you are persons in no ordinary station and repute,) what if your example should work upon some, and the artifices of Papists, Atheists, and wicked designing Protestants prevail with many more? What if our Protestant Allies, by discouragement from our divisions and distractions as well as by other means, should be induc'd to fall off from us, and the Popish Princes be brought to a confederacy against us; and these with many other unforeseen accidents concur in favour of the late King, so that he should recover his pernicious power by Force and Conquest: pray, how are your passive Principles to operate in such circumstances?
A. Why truly in such circumstances both we and our dear principles would be past operating at all to any purpose, and we can then only have recourse to that insipid self-condemning exclamation, with which in the like distress, occasion'd by the like conduct, we did not so really comfort as reproach our selves; that is, Good Lord, who imagin'd it would ever have come to this!
FINIS.