A short ACCOUNT OF THE Expiring Parl—m—nt.
SOme mighty Genius now my Breast inspire
With something more than a Seraph [...]ck Fire;
Bold shining Thoughts into my Soul infuse
Above the reach of ev'ry vulgar Muse.
They, who like me, Heroic Souls would praise,
Should rise above the pitch of common Lays:
'The noblest Subjects noblest Thoughts require,
My Subject's worthy the Angelick Quire,
Immortal Cherubs should their Praises sing,
And pluck their Quills forth from an Angel's Wing.
How large, how spacious is the glorious Scene,
No less than Britain's Happiness the Theme.
Her Rescue too from those designing Sons
Who their fond Mother had almost undone;
Sought out each treacherous undermining way
Their Country's Freedom basely to betray.
What then is to that Glorious SENATE due
That sav'd their Country and Religion too?
What Monuments, what Altars can we raise
To celebrate such God-like Hero's praise?
Their own immortal Acts sufficient are
Their Fame to future Ages to declare:
But yet 'tis just a grateful Sence to show
For all the Toll for us they undergo.
Long had the British Realm, by Faction rui'd,
Been cheated, bubbled, ridicul'd and fool'd:
The Reverence should their Sovereign been shown.
On Party Factions was bestow'd alone;
[Page 2] To that alone the S—te Homage paid,
And at the gilded Shrine their Queen enslav'd,
For Pelf their Country and their God they sold,
And Loyalty a Tribute gave to Gold.
When Britain's Genius (tho' almost too late)
Aspiring rose, by the Decrees of Fate,
Her much lov'd, tho' her sinking Realm to save,
She could not see Britannia be a Slave.
Long had she found a subtle Factious Race
The noble Places they enjoy'd disgrace.
At length the People sh' with just Rage inspir'd,
And ev'ry Breast with dire Resentment fir'd:
The Subjects mourn'd their long misguided Choice,
And gave at length for Loyalists their Voice.
Nor sooner had the worthy Patriots sate
But they reviv'd the poor declining State;
Restor'd their antient Liberty and Laws,
Justly asserting injur'd England's Cause:
Examin'd why, after great Battels won,
The Conqueror was always most undone?
Where the vast Sums of Treasure were convey'd
Were by the injur'd People yearly paid?
Why the poor Soldiers were so shortly fed
When England paid so many Pounds for Bread?
So far they search'd into the dangerous Wound
Ev'n the first Causes of the Sore they found,
And tho' no mighty Man a Victim fell
To the just Stroak of the revenging Steel,
'Twas Mercy, not Desert, the Villains sav'd
That had their Native Realm so far enslav'd:
The Royal Goodness only stept between,
And they were freed by their much-injur'd QUEEN.
This Point with ease the Loyal SENATE gains,
But a far greater Work there yet remains,
Her Freedom and her Credit to Restore,
And satisfie those Debts she ow'd before;
For which to distant Realms a Fleet is sent
To perfect the illustrious Intent:
[Page 3] O'er the wide spacious Deep, secure they ride
Whilst their sharp Keels the swelling Waves divide;
The Southern World to ANNE does tribute pay,
And at her Feet the richest Product lay,
Which wi'l her Losses and her Debts defray.
In vain do's Faction raise her snaky Head
And curse the approaching Happiness she dreads;
In vain at their wise Councils she repines
She cannot frustrate their brave Designs;
She grins to think the wish'd-for Timé draws near
Will free her from the Foes she most does fear:
She thinks her Empire to re-obtain,
And sway again with a Tyrannick Rein.
But Heav'n, who has so oft its Goodness shown,
Her Great Vicogerent will not cease to own;
And God, who rul'd so late the Peoples Voice,
Will guide them to Confirm the worthy Choice.
For as for secret Causes Heav'n ordains
The Phoenix should expire in spicey Flames,
But from the Ashes does the Bird restore
With far more Vigour than she had before.
Entomb'd she lies but for a moment's space,
Her Funeral Pile becomes a pregnant Place:
The wond'rous Species do's still revive,
And often tho' he dies, do's always live.
Thus tho' by Custom this Great SENATE dies,
In spite of Faction 'twill again arise.
Brave and Resolv'd it will again appear,
Nor a declining Ministry will fear:
True to their Country's Interest they'l move,
And show at once their Duty and their Love;
VVith greater Vigour they'l again revive,
And in the Books of Fame for ever live;
And greater Blessings may they still posséss,
Their év'ry Act meet with desir'd Success.
And if Cabals or Plots their Peace annoy,
Short may their Trouble, lasting be their Joy.
London: Printed by R. Newcomb in Wine-Office-Court, Fleet-street, 1713.