Whole Streets of famous----houses,
Where Buxom Jades, for want of Spouses
Shall fhew each Rake what pritty Sport
The Lords and Ladies ufe at Court,
And what a way Nel G---n has got,
To humour R----y with her T---te
Juft fo Lords Palaces of old,
IVhen into Builders Clutches fold,
Were often doom'd beneath the Curfes
Of being Inns for Law or Horfes.
Another cunning Fox of State,
Advanc'd from Little to be Great,
Has, by Court Wheedles, climb to be
The greatest in the Treasury.
Nor truly does he want the fenfe,
To manage well the Nation's Pence,
Because, in spite of all their Care,
He'll have, at least, a Fav'rites Share.
And is more Charge to England's Th-e,
Than any She that hangs thereon.
Nor does he, like his Master's Dutchefs,
Receive his Pay from others Clutches,
But judges of his own Deserts,
And, to reward his able Parts,
In his high Station, is so wise
To serve himself, and thus he cries,
Here's fo much for Your Majesty,
But, Tom, here's twice as much for thee;
And all that you and I can spare,
We'll frankly pay away elsewhere.
This by a Rat behind the Curtain,
Has been o'er-heard,some say,for certain,
And is reported ftill to be
The Fox's old Soliloquy.
So Stewards who have eafy Lords,
By Coz'nage pile up wealthy Hoards;
And as their Masters grow more
The crafty Knaves encrease their Store,con
And at high Int'reft often lend 'em
Their own, pretending to befriend 'em,
And make em think to hide their Knav'ry.
'Tis berrow'd with much Pains and Slav ry.
A third, who by the King's good Grace,
Is big in Wealth, and high in Place,
A trufty Friend, whofe filver Tongue
Determines well'twixt Right andWrong,
And to his own Immortal Glory,
Has all the Arts of Oratory;
Can argue, when he pleases, wisely,
And cut a Wheedle too as nicely;
Delude the House with such fine fetches,
And coax the Commons with fuch
(Speeches,
That none were ever better able,
In Senate or at Council-Table,
To do good Service to his Prince,
In any cafe of Exigence;
Yet he, as cuning as the reft,
Knows how to feather his own Neft:
For 'tis with him, like Priest in Cloifter,
No Money, C----s, no Paternofter.
Nor would the prudent Sage embrace
The favour of fo high a Place,
Without Four thousand Pounds per Ann. In Cafe upon fome State Arcanum,
He fhould be turn'd from Council
And from his Poft, as one not able
Toplease our mighty Lords theRabble*
A Bargain wife, we must allow,
In Times precarious, as they're now;
For who would truft such Kings as those
Who ftarve their Friends to feaft their
(Foes;
And kifs away that Wealth that's meant
To ferve the Ends of Government,
And to reward thofe faithful few,
That are both wife as well as true.
Who would,I fay, with Life and Fortune
"Serve fuch a Prince behind the Curtain,
Who oft, to please the Rabble Rout,
Muft turn his beft Advisers out,
And to his hazard, in their fteads
Be forc'd to lean on rotten Reeds,
Without they were at first secure,
Of fomething, if disrob'd of Power,
And from the Court with fhame remov'd
Because by Faction disapprov'd.?
'Tis therefore,mighty Cs, we fear,
Thou'rt forc'd to buy thy Friends so dear,
Because they're certain, if they fhou'd
Once truft to thy old Gratitude,
When they thy turn have truly ferv'd,
That then they may be hang'd or starv'd,
For the fame Reason wanton Sluts,
That earn their Livings by their Scuts,
Are all importunate to count
Their Money e'er their Riders mount :
Nor couldft thyfelf, O C-s, e'er vent
Thy L--- before a Settlement;
Which fhews, altho'ourS---gn L--d,
Thy very W wont take thy Word.
So he that for his own bye Ends
Imploys, and then deceives his Friends,
If e'er he wants their fresh Endeavours,
Must purchase thro' the Nofe their Favours,
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