Which ribbald art their Church to Luther

owes;

In malice it began, by malice grows;

1935

He fow'd the ferpent's teeth, an iron-harvest

rofe.

But most in Martin's character and fate,
She faw her flander'd fons, the Panther's hate,
The people's rage, the perfecuting ftate: 1940.
Then faid, I take the advice in friendly part;
You clear your confcience, or at least your
heart:

1945

Perhaps you fail'd in your forefeeing skill,
For Swallows are unlucky birds to kill:
As for my fons, the family is bless'd,
Whofe every child is equal to the reft:
No Church reform'd can boaft a blameless line;
Such Martins build in yours, and more than
mine :

Or elfe an old fanatic author lies,

Who fumm'd their fcandals up by centuries.

greatly promoted the Reformation. What an exquifite piece of wit and fatire is the dialogue entitled Julius Exclufus, written certainly by Erafmus, though he rather denied it. See Jortin's Life, Vol. II. p. 600. See Sallengru de Pafquillis, &c. This Julius was published in 1669, and alfo 1680, at Oxon. The Panther might also have reminded her antagonist of a fact that fhe would not like to be told of, that there was printed and published, at Paris, 1589, a Relation of the Martyrdom of Brother Jaques Clement, in which it is affirmed, that an angel had ap peared to him, had fhewn him a drawn fword, and ordered him to kill the tyrant. This paper is inferted in the Satyre Menippée. Dr. J. WARTON.

1951

But through your parable I plainly fee
The bloody laws, the crowd's barbarity;
The fun-fhine that offends the purblind fight:
Had fome their wifhes, it would foon be night.
Miftake me not: the charge concerns not

1955

you : Your fons are male contents, but yet are true, As far as non-refiftance makes them fo; But that's a word of neutral fenfe you know, A paffive term, which no relief will bring, But trims betwixt a rebel and a king.

1960

Reft well affur'd, the Pardelis reply'd, My fons would all fupport the regal fide, Though Heaven forbid the cause by battle fhould be try'd.

The matron anfwer'd with a loud Amen, And thus purfu'd her argument agen.

If, as you fay, and as I hope no lefs,

1965

Your fons will practife what yourselves pro

fefs,

What angry power prevents our present peace?
The Lion, ftudious of our common good,
Defires (and Kings' defires are ill withstood)
To join our nations in a lafting love;
The bars betwixt are easy to remove;

1971

For fanguinary laws were never made above.

Ver. 1967. Original edition.

what yourselves profefs,] Yourself.

TODD.

If you condemn that prince of tyranny,
Whofe mandate forc'd your Gallic friends to

fly,

1975

Make not a worfe example of your own;
Or ceafe to rail at caufelefs rigour fhown,
And let the guiltlefs perfon throw the ftone.
His blunted fword your fuffering brotherhood
Have feldom felt; he stops it fhort of blood:
But you have ground the perfecuting knife, 1981
And fet it to a razor-edge on life.

Curs'd be the wit, which cruelty refines,
Or to his father's rod the fcorpion joins ;
Your finger is more grofs than the great mo-
narch's loins.

1985

But you, perhaps, remove that bloody note, And ftick it on the first Reformers' coat.

Oh let their crime in long oblivion sleep: 'Twas theirs indeed to make, 'tis

yours to keep. Unjuft, or just, is all the question now;

"Tis plain, that not repealing you allow.

1990

To name the Teft would put you in a rage;
You charge not that on any former age,
But fmile to think how innocent you stand,
Arm'd by a weapon put into your hand. 1995
Yet ftill remember, that you wield a fword
Forg'd by your foes against your Sovereign
Lord;

Defign'd to hew the imperial cedar down,
Defraud fucceffion, and dis-heir the crown,

To abhor the makers, and their laws approve,
Is to hate traitors, and the treafon love.
What means it elfe, which now your children.

fay,

We made it not, nor will we take away?

2001

Suppose fome great oppreffor had by flightOf law, diffeis'd your brother of his right, Your common fire furrendering in a fright; Would you to that unrighteous title ftand, Left by the villain's will to heir the land? More juft was Judas, who his Saviour fold; The facrilegious bribe he could not hold, 2010 Nor hang in peace, before he render'd back the gold.

The dire magicians threw their mists around, And wife men walk'd as on inchanted ground. But now, when Time has made the imposture plain,

(Late though he follow'd Truth, and limping held her train)

What new delufion charms your cheated

eyes

again?

The painted harlot might a while bewitch, 2020 But why the hag uncas'd, and all obfcene with itch?

The first Reformers were a modeft race;

2025

Our peers poffefs'd in peace their native place;
And when rebellious arms o'erturn'd the state,
They fuffer'd only in the common fate :
But now the Sovereign mounts the regal chair,
And mitred feats are full, yet David's bench is
bare.

Your anfwer is, they were not difpoffeft;
They need but rub their metal on the test
To prove their ore: 'twere well if gold alone 2030
Were touch'd and try'd on your difcerning

ftone;

But that unfaithful Teft unfound will pafs
The drofs of Atheists, and fectarian brafs:
As if the experiment were made to hold
For base productions, and reject the gold. 20:5
Thus men ungodded may to places rife,
And fects may be preferr'd without disguise:
No danger to the Church or State from these;
The Papift only has his writ of ease.

No gainful office gives him the pretence

To grind the fubject, or defraud the prince.

2040

Ver. 2039. The Papift only has his writ of eafe.] By the teft act tranfubftantiation is to be abjured, a principal tenet of the Papists. DERRICK.