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Inquir'd into the cause; and came to know
The passive church had struck the foremost blow-
With-groundless fears, and jealousies possest-
As if this troublesome, intruding guest,
Would drive the birds of Venus from their nest;
A deed his in-born equity abhorr'd ; ·

But Int'rest will not trust, tho' God should plight

his word.

A law, the source of many future harms,

Had banish'd all the poultry from the farms,1070
With loss of life; if any should be found.
To crow or peck on this forbidden ground.
That bloody statute chiefly was design'd
For Chanticleer the White, of clergy kind;
But after-malice did not long forget
The lay that wore the robe and coronet.
For them, for their inferiors and allies,
Their foes a deadly Shibboleth devise ;
By which unrighteously it was decreed,
That none to trust or profit should succeed,
Who would not swallow first à pois'nous wicked
weed 100

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Or that to which old Socrates was curst,
Or henbane-juice, to swell them till they burst.
The patron, (as in reason,) thought it hard

To see this inquisition in his yard,

By which the sov'reign was of subjects' use debarr'd.

All gentle means he try'd, which might withdraw Th' effects of so unnatural a law:

But still the Dove-house obstinately stood 1089
Deaf to their own, and to their neighbours' good;
And which was worse, if any worse could be,
Repented of their boasted loyalty

Now made the champions of a cruel cause,
And drunk with fumes of popular applause;
For those whom God to ruin has design'd,
He fits for fate; and first destroys their mind.

New doubts, indeed, they daily strove to raise ; Suggested dangers, interpos'd delays;

And emissary Pigeons had in store,

(Such as the Meccan Prophet us'd of yore,) 1100
To whisper counsels in their patron's ear;
And veil'd their false advice with zealous fear.
The master smil'd to see them work in vain,
To wear him out, and make an idle reign;
He saw but suffer'd their protractive arts,
And strove, by mildness, to reduce their hearts:
But they abus'd that grace to make allies,
And fondly clos'd with former enemies;
For fools are doubly fools, endeav'ring to be wise.
After a grave consult what course were best,
One, more mature in folly than the rest,
Stood up, and told them, with his head aside,
That desp❜rate cures must be to desp'rate ills apply'd;
And, therefore, since their main impending fear,
Was from th' increasing race of Chanticleer,
Some potent bird of prey they ought to find;
A foe profess'd to him and all his kind:

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Some haggard Hawk, who had her eyry nigh,
Well pounc'd to fasten, and well wing'd to fly;
One they might trust their common wrongs to wreak;
The Musquet and the Coystrel were too weak;
Too fierce the Falcon; but, above the rest, 1122
The noble Buzzard ever pleas'd me best;

Of small renown, 'tis true; for, not to lie,
We call him but a Hawk by courtesy,
I know he hates the Pigeon-house and farm ;
And, more, in time of war, has done us harm;
But all his hate on trivial points depends;
Give up our forms, and we shall soon be friends:
For Pigeons' flesh he seems not much to care;
Cramm'd chickens are a more delicious fare. 1131
On this high potentate, without delay,
I wish you would confer the sov'reign sway:
Petition him t' accept the government,
And let a splendid embassy be sent.

This pithy speech prevail'd, and all agreed, Old enemies forgot, the Buzzard should succeed. Their welcome suit was granted soon as heard," His lodgings furnish'd, and a train prepar'd, WithB's upon their breast, appointed for his guard. He came, and, crown'd with great solemnity, God save King Buzzard! was the genʼral cry.

A portly prince, and goodly to the sight, 1143 He seem'd a son of Anach for his height; Like those whom stature did to crowns prefer: Black-brow'd, and bluff, like Homer's Jupiter

Broad-back'd, and brawny built, for love's delight;
A prophet form'd, to make a female proselyte.
A theologue-more by need than genial bent;
By breeding sharp, by nature confident.
Int'rest in all his actions was discern'd;

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More learn'd than honest, more a wit than learn'd.
Or forc'd by fear, or by his profit led,
Or both conjoin'd, his native clime he fled;
But brought the virtues of his heav'n along,
A fair behaviour, and a fluent tongue.

And yet, with all his arts, he could not thrive;
The most unlucky parasite alive.

Loud praises to prepare his paths he sent,
And then himself pursu'd his compliment; 1160
But, by reverse of fortune, chas'd away,
His gifts no longer than their author stay:
He shakes the dust against th' ungrateful race,
And leaves the stench of ordures in the place.
Oft has he flatter'd, and blasphem'd the same;
For, in his rage, he spares no sov'reign's name:
The hero and the tyrant change their style,
By the same measure that they frown or smile.
When well receiv'd by hospitable foes,
The kindness he returns, is, to expose :

For courtesies, though undeserv'd and great,

No gratitude, in felon minds, beget;

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As tribute to his wit, the churl receives the treat.
His praise of foes is venomously nice;
So touch'd, it turns a virtue to a vice:
"A Greek, and bountiful, forewarns us twice.”

Seven sacraments he wisely does disown,
Because he knows confession stands for one;
Where sins to sacred silence are convey'd,
And not for fear, or love, to be betray'd: 1180
But he, uncall'd, his patron to control,
Divulg'd the secret whispers of his soul;
Stood forth, th' accusing Satan of his crimes,
And offer'd to the Moloch of the times.
Prompt to assail, and careless of defence,
Invulnerable in his impudence,

He dares the world; and, eager of a name,
He thrusts about, and justles into fame.

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Frontless, and satire-proof, he scow'rs the streets;
And runs an Indian muck at all he meets;
So fond of loud report, that not to miss
Of being known (his last and utmost bliss)
He rather would be known for what he is.

Such was, and is, the Captain of the Test,
Though halt his virtues are not here express'd,
The modesty of Fame conceals the rest.
The spleenful Pigeons never could create
A prince more proper to revenge their hate :
Indeed more proper to revenge than save:
A king whom in his wrath th' Almghty gave;
For all the grace the landlord had allow'd,1201
But made the Buzzard, and the Pigeons proud;
Gave time to fix their friends, and to seduce the
crowd.

They long their fellow-subjects to enthral,
Their patron's promise into question call,
And vainlythink he meant to make themlordsofall.

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