The SCOTS CONSTANCY. OR, An Answer to CLEVELAND'S Scots Apostacy. ⟨Aprill [...] 1647.⟩
IS Cleveland new in print? Is this the fume
Of his last cup of Sack? the strong perfume
Distill'd from his noddle? What, to spue
Such vile prodigious curses? nothing new?
Poore Crumms of Comfort to a dying cause
Of his malignant party; whose applause
The meager starveling feeds on; 'tis a feast.
At some malignant Tavern: scraps at least
Which noselesse Davenant sends: these cram his muse
With strong bum-basted raptures, to abuse
The poore compounders: yet it will not fall
One penny of their rate at Goldsmiths Hall.
No paper-kites from York, no proclamations
To undeceave the people, no observations
Upon the Kings return; no pregnancy
Of new invention: all dull poetry.
Where's the Court parasites, to resolve the case
Of none-resistance now? what is their place
Empty at court? where's Hamond, Fer [...], and he
Pretends himself Bishop of Ossory?
All silent? speechlesse? dum as Aulicus?
What's Heylin's table turn'd? how comes it thus?
No hope, no comfort for malignancy,
Except to joyne with Independancy.
Cajole the Scots, the Citty: why so dull?
No fine designes abroach? come, one more pull:
[Page 2] Where's Digby? in a valt? what, no new plot?
Is this the last, to rayle and curse the Scot?
Send to Kilketto post: what, cannot hee
Disturb that Kingdome, raise more mutiny?
What's France transform'd a stone, and will not stirr
To help your gasping cause? Thou bauling curre,
Bark more incessantly: let Denmark hear;
He soundly snorteth: what will none appeare?
Where are the Rebells? the Cessation sure
Commands them from their boggs, now 'tis secure,
To help their Popish Queen; or else to see
Her and her fav'rite in a Monast'ry.
Are your designes abortive? is the Scot
More faithfull to the King? and is the plot
Become apparent now? doth Ormond hate
Your base designes? doth he congratulate
The good successe of this blest Parliament?
Forbeare your cursed language; come, repent:
All things miscarry 'mongst you; and we see
The vip'rous venom of malignancy.
This makes you mad, and some; observe, the Scot
Breakes not his Covenant; 's constant; Spoyles your plot.
And had the King kept faith, and not the Queen
Been so predominant, we should have seen
His blessed reconcilement with the State:
But sure his CHARLES most unhapy sate.
How dar'st thou (Sycophant) abuse the King?
Is he not just to punish? such a thing
Of most prophaned cursing, cannot bee
Indur'd by any who love piety.
Should wee retort thy curses, there would be
A Vollume vented 'gainst malignancy.
But Silence is sufficient: 'tis enuffe
T' extinguish thy abhorred stinking snuffe.
I tell thee Cleveland how to get some praise;
Add but those curses to the last new playes:
The Stationer, no doubts will give thee pence,
Joyne to the last of 's verses thy nonsence,
[Page 3] Jeare not the proffer; for thy freinds now hate
Thy profane curses, and abominate:
Thy hatefull title doth more fit become
Thy sweet companions and freinds at Rome.
It is not long agoe since wee did see
Thy famous Wentworth's grand Apostacy.
The King s' in safety (greeve not) 'tis with those
Who will perswade him never to oppose
The good advice of Scotland: not like Laud,
Who bid him break his faith, and then applaud
That most unkingly breach, unnaturall warre
With his best subjects: no, King Charles is farre
From any more such counsell: he doth see
The fatall consequence of all flatt'ry.
What foule mouthd language thou givest that nation
So ancient; with whom a combination
France did solicit, England now doth twine,
And is compleated in that royall line.
But what of Londons speech? 'tis writ in Gold;
With admiration honest men behold
His Loyaly: what did the King declare
Amongst the Scots? what protestations are
D [...]vulged to the world by him? yet he
Must be excused for infirmity.
But let the noble Londons speech be scann'd
By most, nay all malignants in the land;
The proper genuine sence of all will be,
We will maintaine the King, not Tyranny.
And here of purpose thou forgetst the place
Where London, was confin'd; but no disgrace
To Londons Innocency: we did see
Some stepps then neere to Turkish slavery.
That good advice which pious Henderson
Gave to the King, thou hat'st to mention:
Or that thy flattering Clergy did adore
The Scottish nation but a while before:
O how their papers then did make you glad?
How jocund? but of late exceeding sad.
[Page 4] Did you expect a change? And now to see
The City right, and the Scots constancy,
O how it frets malignants! they had hope
By our dissentions to have taken scope
To worke some new designes; malignancy
The brat of Machavell, Independency,
His Jesuited brother; and those two
Are acting mischiefe, hopeing to undoe
Two ancient Kingdomes, that they might be free
Of Presbyterian and of Monarchy.
But wee have hopes 'tis far from the intent
Of the Scots nation, or our Parliament.
What sixty Kings were murder'd by the Scots?
'Tis but a fable: thrice as many plots
Have acted been of late, to overthrow
This rich and [...]amous City, and to blow
Three Kingdomes into atomes; by such men
Who meerely vapour, curse and rayle: but then
We finde them most unnaturall not to spare
The essence of a Parliament: pretend ⟨ [...] faire▪⟩
Great faith and Loyalty; a fained thing
To gaine a party, and abuse a King.
That hardy nation hath been ever free.
And scorn'd the bondage of base slavery.
Read but Thuanus an Historian
Who writes impartially; read Buchanan
King James his Tutor, one who did not feare
The frownes of Kings; was bold, and durst appeare
I'th cause of truth in spite of opposition:
There we may read the freedome of that nation,
Belov'd of good men; for their Constancy
Recorded is to all posterity.
FINIS