DUKE HAMILTON'S GHOST, OR THE UNDERMINER Countermined.
Ex proprio praesidio periculum.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1659.
DUKE HAMILTON'S GHOST.
1.
A Mate not your selves, though hither I'me come
From that dismal Place, that infernal Cell,
Where many a Wight doth feel his sad doom,
(With your patience and leave) my Story to tell;
1, Hamilton hight, a Marquesse well known,
Learnt Machivel's sleights, but prosper'd in none;
The more I did study, the more I did show
A Web I had spun for my own overthrow.
2.
When Jeamy was dead, and I grown to be
In titles more strong, by the power of his Son,
To forfeit my Faith, and my Loyalty,
That erst I had plighted to him I begun;
The Beacons of Zeal I caus'd set on fire,
In England, and Scotland, and every Shire;
My Complices were in this handy-work,
This City, Pym, Hampden, the Devil, and the Kirk.
3.
A broad a Prophecie fomented was,
A second Jeamy in this Land should raign,
I thought my self he, and to bring to pass
The Plots and Designes I had lodg'd in my brain,
To tollerate Projects I counsell'd the King,
And then to accuse him the same I did bring;
By no other meanes I thought I could rise,
Than making him odious in his Peoples eyes.
4.
Hampden distast at the Ship money took,
Opposed his Prince in's Prerogative Royal,
And Pym his Oath, and Allegiance forsook,
As well as some others that swore to be loyal:
There's some in the World, I need not them name,
I'm sure stands as guilty in th' black book of Fame;
But Oaths at that time with us were held wind,
Though the breach of them now I bitterly find.
5.
This quick-pated gang me highly did please,
For still their pretence was for the Publick good,
Untill their Ambition was found the Disease
Corrupted the Nations, and spilt so much blood;
I ply'd with all Factions, especially theirs
Wore the face of Religion, call'd, the Presbyters;
To th' Book of Liberty I did consent,
To bring in my Countrymen was my intent.
6.
Whose rigid conditions would never agree,
I very well knew, to such an inlet
(As they pleas'd to term it) of Popery,
Though it by wise heads was found a thing fit;
When Subjects dare into their Princes Acts pry,
To lull them asleep asleep is safe'st Policy:
But finding the Kirk did it ill resent,
(Though I wish'd nothing more) I seem'd to repent.
7.
My Countrymen up, the King was drawn down
With a strong Army their Forces to quell:
Brookes, Essex, and I, with others well known,
Of the Cabinet Councel did order't so well,
To th' Petition of Right the King did consent,
Which caused the calling of th' short
At Yorke.
Parliament; * 3 Weeks.
But the malice of some too soon breaking forth,
Dissolv'd it in
And then Pym's Study and others were searcht.
course: Then back to the North.8.
Where, while we remain'd, our Confederates here,
At Black-beath did raise a Rascally rout,
That put the Metropolitan Bishop in fear,
For Libels against him they had thrown about;
In Souhvvark.
Prison dores were thrown ope, many Outrages done,Untill the Train-bands made the loose Knaves to run;
And some apprehended were punish'd by Law,
For example sake, to keep others in awe.
9.
This News pleas'd my Country-men, though not the King,
Who wisely yet pent in his discontent;
Alass (Sir) quoth I, there can be nothing
So cordial to you as a Parliament,
Your safety and happiness on it depends,
It maugres your Foes, and advanceth your Friends,
It beats down Sedition, and breeds up good Laws,
For th' good of your People, whose Obedience it draws.
10.
The Parliament call'd, they subtly did passe
In 1640.
A Subsidy Bill to flatter the King,
Who then wanted money; but alass, alass,
Triennial Bill,
Another succeeded that brought with't a sting,
Which poyson'd the Commons, and knockt the Peers down.
Dy'd the Surpless in blood, and batter'd the Crown:
However by it I had partly my ends,
My Countrymen paid, and the Nations made Friends.
11.
From Traytors and Rebels good Subjects were made,
But forgot to prove so, and followed him,
The forger and foreman of th' treasonous Trade,
Intituled by some to be Bell-weather Pym:
This caused the King, as justly he might,
To accuse some of Treason, and secure his Right;
Then new Warrs ensu'd, which caus'd me to laugh,
That English men should each others blood quaff,
12.
For weaken'd by Warr, (whose Events are unsure)
From either side I a Fabrick might raise
(My Countrymen here) to seat me secure,
And lengthen with Glory my declining dayes:
To fashion out which, two faces I bent,
The one annenst the King, th' other th' Parliament;
But whilst I did think I danc'd in a ner,
Insinuating Wits caught me in the feat.
13.
In Cornwall I was attainted of Treason,
For holding Irtelligence with th' Enemy,
And fifteen Articles grounded on Reason,
Did question my Life, and my Liberty;
In Pendennis Castle I cast was a space,
Until, undeserv'd, from the King I found grace,
Whose Mercy was such, as most men do know,
To whom he shew'd most, most evil did flow.
14.
Success, against Reason, forsook the Kings Cause,
And forc'd him to fly, where I shame it to tell,
To Men that profest for Religion and Laws;
But oh! I instructed them first to Rebell;
I read them this Maxim, Who once draws his Sword
'Gainst his Prince, must ne're sheath it, nor yet take his word;
But I now confesse, so much Goodness abus'd,
May render me justly a Man unexcus'd.
15.
In th' Personal Treaty I (too) had a hand,
And sided on both sides, yet nothing would work
On my sides untill the Army did stand
Upon their Punctillioes, for which I did lurk:
The King being surpris'd, and to Tryal brought,
Gave a life to my hopes, and an end to my thought,
By his weakness I did accumulate strength,
His death seem'd to adde unto my life length.
16.
For now on the wings of Ambition I flew,
And Crow'd like a Cock, whilest the
Cromwel
Lion did tremble,My sudden approach in him a fear drew,
However he seem'd the same to dissemble;
I formidable was to give the defeat,
Had my heart been answerable to my conceit,
But faintingly fled, such was my sad lot,
The odium of which will ne're be forgot.
17.
My Army was cow'd and disperst in a trice,
Without scarce a blow, to my Countrymens shame,
While Langdale his life set at no cheap price,
But havok'd and forc'd his way where he came;
So stout were the English, so fearful were we,
They drew their Renown from our Infamy;
Which had we had Souls like Men, and adher'd
To Langdales sure Counsel, we need not have fear'd.
18.
To Ashbydelazouch I was conveigh'd,
The manner of my surprisal needs not,
No doubt but there were some had me way-laid,
Whose fingers did itch at me as a Scot:
But oh Jeamy Ballatyne thou lymer loone,
That sell'd thine none Countrymen kyb'd as they wone,
Without shame.
To Corfew, and Zant, and such places remote;
May some of thy Frieuds slit thy Weesil'd throat:
19.
From thence to the Tower of London was brought,
In reference to my Tryal in hand;
Then how to escape I busied my thought,
Which having effected, I was at a stand,
Not knowing to whom, or whither, to goe,
I
At the three Pilgrims in South wark * In the Palaceyard in Westminster
retaken was to my mickle woe,My Conscience condemn'd me er'e their judgement past,
And my head from my shoulders was sever'd at last.
20.
As I like a Hocus pocus did live,
Carrying on my Designes by Legerdemaine,
So dealt they with me, in hopes of Reprieve
I spent my last minute, like to Pedringave;
A Traytor I liv'd, and a Travtor I dy'd,
And yet with both Parties I ever comply'd;
'Tis strange you will say, but here is the reason,
I true was to neither, so suffer'd for Treason.
FINIS.