A LITANY FOR THE FAST.  

FROM Merit unwieldy, and overgrown Worth;  
From such Honours and Loyalty, Faith and so forth,  
As three Princes betrayed, and now bullies the Fourth,  
Libera nos, Domine.   

From Duty that is such a Rarity thought,  
That while Honour and Conscience, not worth a Groat,  
This at the Price of a House and Crown-Lands must be bought,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From who keeps the Vacant Commissions six Months  
Of Colonels and Captains, Premiers and Seconds;  
And oh! Terrible thus is an Army at once,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From a Peace to be managed by such Plenipoes'  
As thereby Forty Thousand per annum must lose,  
And who has no Passion for Money, God knows,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From the Cause of a Court, and the Spawn of a Bawd,  
From Malice and Faction, Pride Envy and Fraud;  
From a Cloven-Foot veiled with a Petticoat Lord,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From the Pest of a State, a Club-ridden Knave,  
Who a Nation does with their own money enslave,  
And has damned more than Thou in thy Justice can save,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From Tremendous Cabals that do Fatally rise,  
From an Elightning Custard and Hot Mutton-Pycs,  
To bubble the State, and bully the Skies,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From such Civil Law as insults Holy Writ,  
From the Number where Faction contracted does sit  
Into Five; that's Two Fools, Two Knaves and a Wit,  
Libera Nos, etc.   

From a People too good to be told of their Faults,  
From an Head of a City, whose Word goes for nought,  
Who'll endeavour to save St. Paul's-work, 'tis thought,  
Libera Nos, etc.