Stephen Colledge's GHOST TO THE FANATICAL CABAL.
FRom the unfathom'd Bowels of those cells,
Where death and everlasting horror dwells,
I come with timely notice to prevent
A restless and eternal discontent,
Least you (my once belov'd) too late repent.
What e're the great designing Grandees said,
My willing soul officiously obey'd,
I was an active Puppet and was proud,
To squeak out Treason to the listning Croild,
Whilst S—behind the Curtain fate,
And taught my busie babling tongue to prate,
But now my Quondam Tutor give that o're,
And trust your vain projecting head no more;
Though with deliberation you assayl,
Think how the Silver slime betrays the Snail.
Tell Dr. Titus and without offence
To his imaginary Reverence.
'T were better that the truth had been expos'd
As naked as himself and as disclos'd:
It was imprudence in him and a freik
To stretch the Plot so far to make it break.
Poor Implement to some designing head,
And then by fairer promises betray'd.
Let M—curb ambition least it grow,
And only swell him High to hurl him low,
The Eagles lawful brood can only gaze
Like unconcern'd Spectators at the Rayes,
Too weak his eyes, his countenance too down
To look against the Lustre of a Crown.
Now for the scribling Tribe, my last advice,
Is seasonable Caution to be nice,
Too boldly in their function they transgress,
Too fatally Licentious is the Press.
The giddy and believing Rout they please
With Mercuryes and Impartiallities,
Whilst into the unpleasant Dose is thrown
Protestancy to make the Cup go down;
I fill'd a Bumper to the Rising Sun,
And drank Sodition till I was undone.
But now my conscious soul repines in vain,
Repentance only aggravates the pain,
The fatal Doom can never be retriev'd,
Murther may sooner hope to be repriev'd.
How durst these parched Lips pronounce such things
Against the best & worthiest of Kings?
I must that sacralegious Arm condemn,
Dares spoile his temples of the Diadem,
That Ornament was Heavens sole gift, & why
Did we Supream Authority deny?
With what ill Genius were we possest
To force his Royal Brother from his breast
No sooner we Petition'd, but he'd give;
Till we incroach'd upon Prerogative,
Then when he saw what Mysteries were meant,
He, tender of his honour, did resent;
And pull'd our Battel Architecture down,
Erected in defiance to his Crown.
But hold, approaching day peeps through the Skie,
And whispers to the guilty Ghosts to fly.
My date of time's expir'd, and I must go,
The Cock with his third Summons tells me so,
Now must I stalk and like a Goblin rove
Through wayless paths and melancholy Groves.
Down to the deep Abyss where discord reigns,
And Treasons punisht with eternal pains.
There, no kind Ignoramus can restore
My drooping Vitals and allay the sore,
Instead of Acclamations and applause
Which my attempting rashness us'd to causs
Nought but the Yells of furies now I hear,
And crawlling Snakes shall hourly hiss despair.
This, this will be your Doom if you proceed,
Your Polliticks will fail you when you need,
Divine severity must be your fate
With a Relentless Never for the Date.
FINIS.
Printed for A, Tagner, 168 [...].