Classic Poem

To the Tune of " Old Simon the King "

1.

" This making of bastards great,
And duchessing every whore,
The surplus and treasury cheat,
Have made me damnable poor, "
Quoth old Rowley the King,
Quoth old Rowley the King,
At council board,
Where every lord
Is led like a dog in a string.

2.

" And as my wants grow more,
The factions likewise do;
The cudden son of a whore
You see outreaches me too, "
Quoth old Rowley the King,
Quoth old Rowley the King.
" Not Ketch's ax
Nor Halifax
You see can bring him in. "

3.

Then Keeper Guilford cried,
" Good sir, why fret you so?
Leave all to York and Hyde,
And see what they can do. "
Thinks old Rowley the King,
Thinks old Rowley the King,
" Gud's fish these fools
Have been the tools
From whence all mischiefs spring. "

4.

The double duke then bows
And cries, " Give ear to me:
Suppress the Whigs, and use laws
That knock down popery. "
Quoth old Rowley the King,
Quoth old Rowley the King,
" My lord, we know
How all things go;
You've got our art for to trim. "

5.

Then Rochester declared
Expedients might be found;
His brother and colleagues stared,
At which a loud hum went round.
Then thinks old Rowley the King,
Then thinks old Rowley the King,
" Expedients and shifts
Were his father's gifts
And are all the sense he left him. "

6.

Then Holy Orders spoke,
Like oracles out of Hell,
" Let conventicles be broke
And all things will go well. "
Then thought old Rowley the King,
Then thought old Rowley the King,
" These lawn-sleeved lords,
With lukewarm words,
Wise Heav'n may trust, not him. "

7.

The council then did rise,
The usefuller dogs did bark;
The devil a lord more wise,
For everything's in the dark,
Says old Rowley the King,
Says old Rowley the King,
" To sit only and prate
Of tricks of state
Is a very insipid thing. "

[Enter Old Rowley at Portsmouth's lodging.]

8.

" Sir, Monmouth is fit for a roy,
And Richmond for another.
Will you both your babes destroy
For one poor cully brother? "
" Soft and fair, " quoth Rowley the King,
" Soft and fair, " quoth Rowley the King,
" The fool I must please
Or not be at ease,
But I'll have a trick for him.

9.

" Though having two queens be dear,
And rarely more than one do appear,
I'll make two: and then 'tis clear
One has got a son and heir
For brave old Rowley the King,
For brave old Rowley the King;
And when I've done,
My brother and son
May end their tricks in a string. "