Classic Poem

1.

The grave House of Commons, by hook or by crook,
Resolved to root out both the pope and the duke;
But let 'em move, let 'em vote, let 'em pass what they will,
The bishops, the bishops will throw out the bill.

2.

There were Harbord and Winnington, Hampden and Birch
Did verily think to establish the church;
But now they have found it is past all their skill,
For the bishops, the bishops have thrown out the bill.

3.

Sir William endeavored as much as he could
To show that the bill was for the duke's good,
For that but disinherits the man we would kill,
Yet the bishops, the bishops have thrown out the bill.

4.

Tom Wharton, who stood behind Sir Nicholas Carew
To confront, as he thought, the plenipotentiary,
Little dreamt that when rudely he had rail'd out his fill
The bishops, the bishops would have thrown out the bill.

5.

There is little reason that dull six and twenty
Should oppose the whole nemine contradicente ,
And whate'er they bring forth in its infancy kill,
Whilst the bishops, the bishops shall throw out the bill.

6.

The wise earl of Shaftesbury, Monmouth and Grey,
Lord Essex, Lord Howard, Lords et cetera ,
Though they had drawn in too the lord privy seal,
Yet the bishops, the bishops would throw out the bill.

7.

Old Rowley was there to solicit the cause
Against his own life, the church and the laws;
Yet he might have lived safely against his own will,
Had the bishops, the bishops not thrown out the bill.

8.

His Highness for fear to Scotland was gone
The Cov'nant to take and be crown'd at Scone;
But now he may e'en return home if he will,
For the bishops, the bishops have thrown out the bill.

9.

Had he known this before, or some of his gang,
He had saved his guineas to Sir John Wetwang,
And might at St. James's have plotted his fill,
Since the bishops, the bishops have thrown out the bill.

10.

Had not the bishops been suffered in House for to sit,
He had been like his grandfather Jemmy besh—;
But now he is as safe as a thief in a mill,
For the bishops, the bishops have thrown out the bill.

11.

Father Patrick, who has a long banishment suffered,
I wish he were now made abbot of Rufford;
And sure the Lord Halifax can't take it ill,
Since he joined with the bishops to throw out the bill.

12.

In the days of Queen Bess the bishops did own
The truths of the gospel and rights of the crown;
But now they and the pope do piss in a quill,
And to bring in the mass have thrown out the bill.

13.

Fat Dolben loves Sodom for fear of a clap,
As Sancroft loves Rome in hopes of a cap;
But ere it be long, I hope on Tower Hill
To see their jolt-heads left in pawn for the bill.

14.

Now the best of expedients the lords can propose
Our church to preserve and ruin our foes,
Is not to let lawn-sleeves our Parliaments fill,
But to throw out the bishops who threw out the bill.