But not a foul his office durft accept ; The subtle knave had all the plunder swept : And fuch was then the temper of the timés, He ow'd his prefervation to his crimes. The candidates obferv'd his dirty paws, Nor found it difficult to guefs the cause: But when they fmelt fuch foul corruptions round him, Away they fled, and left him as they found him. Thus, when a greedy floven once has thrown His fnot into the mefs; 'tis all his own. The The following poem was first printed in Fog's journal of the 17th of Sept. 1733. The Jubject of it is now over; but our author's known zeal against that project made it be generally fuppofed to be his. It was occafioned by the bishops of Ireland endeavouring to get an act to divide the church livings; which bill was rejected by the Irish house of commons ΟΙ Written in the Year 1731. LD Latimer preaching did fairly defcribe A bishop, who rul'dall the reft of his tribe; And who is this bishop? and where does he dwell? Why truly 'tis Satan, arch-bishop of hell. And HE was a primate, and HE wore a mitre Surrounded with jewels of fulphur and nitre. How nearly this bifhop our bishops refembles ! But he has the odds, who believes and who trembles, See confiderations on this bill in Vol. X. Could Could you fee his grim grace, for a pound to a penny, You'd fwear it must be the baboon of K--y: Poor Satan will think the comparison odious: I wish I could find him out one more commodious. But this I am fure, the most rev'rend old dragon Has got on the bench many bishops fuffragan; And all men believe he refides there in cog. To give them by turns an invisible jog. Our bishops, puft up with wealth and with pride, To hell on the backs of the clergy would ride. They mounted and labour'd with whip and with spur In vain--for the devil a parson would stir. So the commons unhors'd them, and this was their doom, On their crofiers to ride, like a witch on a broom. VOL. VII. R Though Though they gallop'd fo faft on the rcad you may find'em, And have left us but three out of twentybehind 'em, Lord Belton's good grace, lord Car, and lord Howard*, In fpight of the devil, would ftill be untoward. They came of good kindred, and could rot endure Their former companions fhould beg at their door. When CHRIST was betray'd to Pilate the prætor, Of a dozen apoftles but one prov'd a trai tor: One traitor alone, and faithful eleven; But we can afford you fix traitors in feven. What a clutter with clippings, dividings and cleavings! And the clergy forfooth must take up with their leavings. If making divifions was all their intent, They've done it, we thank 'em, but not as they meant; * ArchLithop of Cafhell, bishops of Killaloe and Elphin. And And fo may fuch bishops for ever divide, That no honeft heathen would be on their fide. How should we rejoice, if, like Judas the first, Those splitters of parfons in funder fhould burft? Now hear an allufion :-A mitre you Is divided above, but united below. That the mitre would never ftick faft on their head, And yet they have learnt the chief art of a fov'reign, As Machiavel taught 'em ; divide and ye govern. But courage, my lords; though it cannot be faid That one cloven tongue ever fat on your head; |