That, as he gives us caufe to do 't,
Can keep him in, or turn him out.
We are your guardians, that increase,
Or waste your fortunes how we please ;
And, as you humour us, can deal
In all your matters, ill or well.

'Tis we that can dispose alone,
Whether your heirs shall be

heirs fhall be your own;

To whose integrity you must,
In spite of all your caution, trust;

320

325

And, 'less you fly beyond the seas,

Can fit you with what heirs we please;

And force you town them, tho' begotten
By French valets, or Irish footmen.

Nor can the rigoroufeft course

330

Prevail, unless to make us worse;
Who, still the harsher we are us'd,

335

Are further off from b’ing reduc'd ;

And scorn t'abate, for any ills,

The least punctilio of our wills.
Force does but whet our wits t' apply

Arts, born with us, for remedy,

Which all your politics, as yet,

340

Have ne'er been able to defeat:

For, when ye've try'd all forts of ways,
What fools do we make of you in plays?
While all the favours we afford,

Are but to girt you with the sword,

To fight our battles in our steads,

345

And have your brains beat out o' your heads; Encounter, in despite of nature,

And fight, at once, with fire and water,

With pirates, rocks, and storms, and seas,
Our pride and vanity t' appease;

Kill one another, and cut throats,

For our good graces, and best thoughts;

350

To do your exercise for honour,

And have your brains beat out the sooner;
Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon

Things that are never to be known:

And still appear the more induftrious,

355

The more your projects are prepost'rous, 360

To fquare the circle of the arts,

And run stark mad to fhew your parts ;
Expound the oracle of laws,

And turn them which way we fee cause ;

Be our folicitors, and agents,

And stand for us in all engagements.

365

And these are all the mighty pow'rs,
You vainly boast to cry down ours;
And what in real value's wanting,
Supply with vapouring and ranting :
Because yourselves are terrify'd,
And stoop to one another's pride:

370

Believe we have as little wit
To be out-hector'd, and fubmit:

By your example, lose that right
In treaties, which we gain'd in fight:
And terrify'd into an awe,

Pass on ourselves a falique law;
Or, as some nations use, give place,

And truckle to your mighty race:
Let men ufurp th' unjust dominion,
As if they were the better women.

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382

Westminster Abbey

LRofs sculp