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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=457232" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Viceroy. A Ballad.</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><i>Tune - 'Lady Isabella's Tragedy.' or 'The Stepmother's cruelty.'</i></div><div style="margin:10px 0">Of Nero, tyrant, petty king,<br>Who heretofore did reign<br>In famed Hibernia, I will sing, <br>And in a ditty plain.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He hated was by rich and poor <br>For reasons you shall hear;<br>So ill he exercised his power<br>That he himself did fear.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Full proud and arrogant was he, <br>And covetous withal; <br>The guilty he would still set free,<br>But guiltless men enthral.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He with a haughty, impious nod<br>Would curse and dogmatize,<br>Nor fearing either man or God, <br>Gold he did idolize.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A patriot of high degree,<br>Who could no longer bear<br>This upstart Viceroy's tyranny,<br>Against him did declare.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And, arm'd with truth, impeach'd the Don<br>Of his enormous crimes,<br>Which I'll unfold to you anon<br>In low but faithful rhymes.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The articles recorded stand<br>Against this peerless peer;<br>Search but the archives of the land<br>You'll find them written there.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Attend and justly I'll recite<br>His treasons to you all, <br>The heads set in their native light,<br>(And sigh poor Gaphny's fall.)</div><div style="margin:10px 0">That traitorously he did abuse<br>The power in him reposed,<br>And wickedly the same did use,<br>On all mankind imposed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">That he contrary to all law,<br>An oath did frame and make,<br>Compelling the militia<br>Th' illegal oath to take.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Free quarters for the army too<br>He did exact and force;<br>On Protestants his love to show,<br>Than Papist used them worse.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">On all provisions destined for<br>The camp at Limerick, <br>He laid a tar full hard and sore,<br>Though many men were sick. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The sutlers, too, he did ordain<br>For licenses should pay,<br>Which they refused with just disdain,<br>And fled the camp away.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">By which provisions were so scant<br>That hundreds there did die;<br>The soldiers food and drink did want,<br>Nor famine could they fly.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He so much loved his private gain<br>He could not hear or see;<br>They might or die or might complain<br>Without relief <br>pardie.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>That above and against all right,<br>By word of mouth did he, <br>In council sitting, hellish spite, <br>The farmer's fate decree;</div><div style="margin:10px 0">That he, <br>O Ciel<br>, without trial, <br>Straightway should hanged be,<br>Though then the courts were open all,<br>Yet Nero judge would be. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">No sooner said but it was done, <br>The Bourreau did his worst;<br>Gaphny, alas! is dead and gone, <br>And left his judge accursed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">In this concise despotic way<br>Unhappy Gaphny fell,<br>Which did all honest men affray,<br>As truly it might well.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Full two good hundred pounds a-year,<br>This poor man's real estate,<br>He settled on his favourite dear,<br>And Culliford can say't.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Besides, he gave five hundred pound<br>To Fielding his own scribe,<br>Who was his bail; one friend he found; <br>He owed him to the bribe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">But for his horrid murder vile<br>None did him prosecute;<br>His old friend help'd him o'er the stile;<br>With Satan who dispute?</div><div style="margin:10px 0">With France, fair England's mortal foe,<br>A trade he carried on;<br>Had any other done't, I trow,<br>To tripos he had gone.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">That he did likewise traitorously,<br>To bring his ends to bear,<br>Enrich himself most knavishly;<br>O thief without compare!</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Vast quantities of stores did he<br>Embezzle and purloin;<br>Of the king's stores he kept a key,<br>Converting them to coin.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Te forfeited estates also,<br>Both real and personal, <br>Did with the stores together go;<br>Fierce Cerb'rus swallow'd all.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Meanwhile the soldiers sigh'd and sobb'd,<br>For not one sous had they;<br>His Excellence had each man fobb'd,<br>For he had sunk their pay.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Nero without the least disguise,<br>The Papists at all times<br>Still favour'd, and their robberies<br>Look'd on as trivial crimes.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The Protestants, whom they did rob<br>During his government,<br>Were forced with patience, like good Job,<br>To rest themselves content.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">For he did basely them refuse<br>All legal remedy;<br>The Romans still he well did use,<br>Still screen'd their roguery.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Succinctly thus to you I've told<br>How this Viceroy did reign, <br>And other truths I shall unfold;<br>For truth is always plain.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The best of queens he hath reviled <br>Before and since her death,<br>He, cruel and ungrateful, smiled<br>When she resign'd her breath.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Forgetful of the favours kind<br>She had on him bestow'd,<br>Like Lucifer, his rancorous mind, <br>He loved nor her nor God.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">But listen, Nero, lend thy ears,<br>As still thou hast them on;<br>Hear what Britannia says, with tears,<br>Of Anna dead and gone. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Oh! sacred be her memory,<br>For ever dear her name;<br>There never was nor ere can be<br>A brighter juster dame.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Bless'd be my sons, and eke all those <br>Who on her praises dwell;<br>She conquer'd Britain's fiercest foes,<br>She did all queens excel.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'All princes, kings, and potentates,<br>Ambassadors did send;<br>All nations, provinces, and states,<br>Sought Anna for their friend.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'In Anna they did all confide,<br>For Anna they could trust;<br>Her royal faith they all had tried,<br>For Anna still was just. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Truth, mercy, justice, did surround<br>Her awful judgement-seat;<br>In her the Graces all were found,<br>In Anna all complete.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'She held the sword and balance right,<br>And sought her people's good;<br>In clemency she did delight,<br>Her reign not stain'd with blood.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Her gracious goodness, piety,<br>In all her deeds did shine,<br>And bounteous was her charity,<br>All attributes divine.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Consummate wisdom, meekness, all<br>Adorn'd the words she spoke,<br>When they from her fair lips did fall,<br>And sweet her lovely look.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Ten thousand glorious deeds to crown,<br>She caused dire war to cease;<br>A greater empress ne'er was known,<br>She fix'd the world in peace.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'This last and godlike act achieved,<br>To heaven she wing'd her flight;<br>Her loss with tears all Europe grieved,<br>Their strength and dear delight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Leave we in bliss this heavenly saint,<br>Revere, ye just, her urn;<br>Her virtues high and excellent,<br>Astrea gone we mourn.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Commemorate, my sons, the day<br>Which gave great Anna birth;<br>Keep it for ever and for aye,<br>And annual be your mirth.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Illustrious George now fills the throne,<br>Our wise benign good king;<br>Who can his wondrous deeds make known, <br>Or his bright actions sing?</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Thee, favourite Nero, he has deign'd<br>To raise to high degree!<br>Well thou thy honours hast sustain'd,<br>Well vouch'd thy ancestry.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">But pass - these honours on thee laid,<br>Can they e'er make thee white?<br>Don't Gaphny's blood, which thou hast shed,<br>Thy guilty soul affright?</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Oh! is there not, grim mortal, tell,<br>Places of bliss and wo?<br>Oh! is there not a heaven, a hell?<br>But whither wilt thou go?</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Can nought change thy obdurate mind?<br>Wilt thou for ever rail?<br>The prophet on thee well refined,<br>And set thy wit to sale.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">How thou art lost to sense and shame<br>Three countries witness be;<br>Thy conduct all just men do blame</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Lib'ra nos Domine.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Dame Justice waits thee, well I ween,<br>Her sword is brandish'd high;<br>Nought can thee from her vengeance screen,<br>Nor can'st thou from her fly.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Heavy her ire will fall on thee,<br>The glittering steel is sure;<br>Sooner or later, all agree,<br>She cuts off the impure.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">To her I leave thee, gloomy peer,<br>Think on thy crimes committed;<br>Repent, and be for once sincere,<br>Thou ne'er wilt be De-Witted.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />song, lyrics by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Matthew+Prior">Matthew Prior</a><div class=q>
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