A POEM  
Upon the Right of Succession to the Crown of England.  
THat precious Gem called Loyalty grows scarce,  
Faction would turn it to disgraceful Farce.  
When England's great Prerogative does grow  
Into contempt by Tumult, Monarch's foe.  
Whose subril secret Jesuitick Gins,  
Would turn the frame of Nature off its Pins.  
A painted zeal must back what they decree,  
Heaven must be mocked t'uphold their treachery.  
As if they judged That would maintain their Cause,  
Whose beams outshine it, to support our Laws.  
Blessed in the Hemisphere of peaceful days,  
Beneath the warm, the bright, and sacred rays,  
Of glorious Majesty, by whose sweet care,  
Our Laws and Liberties maintained are.  
Blush then disloyal Mortals, let your shame,  
All wild attempts against your Reason tame.  
Think not yourselves that are but Subjects, Kings,  
You know Religion teacheth better things.  
Must all our ancient Laws than tumble down,  
By turning this to an Elective Crown?  
No lawful Precedent you can disclose,  
Whereby you power have Kings to depose,  
Or turn the circulation of the Blood,  
An adverse way, not to be understood.  
But through a biased odd fantastic zeal,  
Which being grasped, is slippery like an Eel.  
Late reeling Times sufficiently have shown,  
Th' effects of Masquerade Religion.  
When Charles the Great, whose memory shall live,  
Could not their murderous Principles survive.  
And our most Gracious Sovereign Charles that now  
Does rule our Land, from thence did he not grow.  
Immediate Heir to sway the Sceptre here,  
And though-Religion made the Point seem clear,  
Yet theirs forsooth could him no Crown afford,  
For by th' divine assistance of their Sword,  
Their piety forced him forth his native Land,  
Against both Law, Nature, and heavens Command.  
Are these the pious things you'd act again?  
Fie! from dissembled Loyalty abstain.  

Numb. 27.9, 10.  For those who dirt do at the right Heir fling,  
Can ne'er be sound in heart towards their King.  
As well by Nature as by Laws divine,  

Gen. 4.7.  The firstborn are preferred in the Line!  

Deut. 21.17  Of Consanguinity, why then shall we  
Dare to oppose God's heavenly Decree?  
Heaven may; but sure I am, no Power on Earth,  
Can rob him of that Crown, whose claim's his Birth;  
When God it sends, Descent the Sceptre brings,  
By that we pay Allegiance to our Kings.  
Though humane Laws sometimes wax out of date,  
By length of time, a far more happy Fate  
Attends the Law of Nature, a long course  
Of time can't turn her from her former source;  
As well may man the heavenly Orbs control,  
And to his will make those great Circles roll;  
As well may he command the Firmament,  

Coke's 7th.  As intercept or hinder this Descent.  

Rep. 10.  Which when it comes that Particle of time,  

vers. 11.  Th' undoubted Heir unto the Throne does climb.  

Calvin's Case.  He's King complete by Nature's justest Law,  
And our Allegiance doth as justly draw.  
As Child to Parent does obedience show,  
The same do Subjects unto Princes owe.  
No Power on Earth, no Law, no Parliament,  
But the Great God, can exclude this Descent.  
An usurped Power, though glossed with the consent  
O'th' populace, can ne'er be permanent.  
They're ever cursed with some strange bloody Fate,  
Furious Distempers overrule that State.  
Until surcharged with sickness and with blood,  
At length they vomit up th' unwholesome food,  
That lately seemed to nourish their sick breast,  
Till Loyalty doth give'em ease and rest.  
What strange Convulsions History doth tell,  
Of States that did the lawful Heir expel.  
The Second William governed once this Realm  
By Usurpation, and the mighty Helm  
By Henry the First being occupied,  
Until their elder Brother Robert died.  
Who to obtain that Crown that was his due,  
Coloured this Land of a dread scarlet hue.  
It ended with his death; th' imperial Crown  
Then by Descent for Henry's was known.  
Next unto Maud, the Empress of that Name,  
The only Heir of Henry it came.  
When Stephen he usurped it as his own,  
How heavily did this sick Nation groan.  
Till Justice seemed to take that pious care,  
Once more to settle it on the rightful Heir.  
Examples are numerous almost as words,  
Which more complete in Histories records.  
You'll find; but to omit a search so far,  
The late unnatural intestine War  
Speaks loud enough, the wounds continue green,  
When Charles the First had been the bloody Scene  
Of their Impiety; this Land was wracked,  
Its Bowels torn, Nature's chief Fabric cracked,  
As 'twere at such disorder, till in th' end,  
(As each thing doth unto its Centre tend.)  
The Clouds dispersed, and drove away despair,  
When in the Throne appeared the much wronged Heir,  
Whom God preserve, and may he ever be  
From treacherous and disloyal Subjects free.  
Princes are God's Anointed, and the Crown  
None can detain, but heavens great Prince alone.  
When Nature's Law hath been impeached, such things  
Are wrought by Power divine, or th' King of Kings.  
By that great Power they rule, and by no less,  
And as he raised them, he can them depress.  
The God of Nature can't his Rules control,  
And make it seem against himself to roll.  
Then let not Fancy to our weak thoughts bring,  
That it is lawful to Create a King,  
From out o'th' Line, for being i' th' Bible seen,  

1 1 Sam. 16.1.  That Heirs to Crowns have interrupted been.  
You may as well allow with the same zeal,  
That we by Law may pilfer, rob and steal,  
Because the Israelites commanded were  

Exod. 11.2, 12.35.  To spoil th' Egyptians of their choicest Cheer.  
Unto the Law we bound are at this rate,  
But not the strict Example t'imitate.  
All our King's Officers, 'tis not unknown,  
Are sworn t'uphold the Rights of England's Crown.  

5 5 Eliz. c. 1.  The Commons too, before they Voice can claim  
I'th' House, are duly sworn to right the same.  
How can we judge of this but as a blot,  
When such an Oath's most willingly forgot?  
It's sin, we think, to let a Papist reign,  
But Perjury we'll piously maintain  
For a great virtue, when self-Interest,  
In whispers tells us all goes for the best.  
That Monster Faction evermore did range  
In these three Kingdoms, to promote a Change.  
Which being upheld by Frenzy, Pride, and Scorn  
Of Monarchy, 'tis that's the wounding Thorn  
To public Peace, and makes the greatest Scars,  
That fills men's mouths with Armies, Blood and Wars.  
'Tis That deposes Princes, blackens Fame,  
Whitens the Negro, makes the sound man lame.  
A Prince o'th' Blood is now a petty thing,  
And if we durst, we'd tell you so's a King.  
Virtue's bright lustre can her not protect,  
From base Ingratitude and Disrespect.  
It once hath been admired in that Prince,  
And still may be his glorious defence,  
Against the Tongue of every senseless Brute,  
That dares Succession to the Crown dispute.  
But may our Good, our Gracious King long reign,  
Whose Breast all precious Virtue doth contain.  
May he reign, and live long enough to find  
His Subjects all united in one mind.  
And may a Gem so precious from his Crown,  
Not be defiled, nor rudely taken down.  
And that Injustice should it not impair,  
Heaven hath bequeathed it to his dearest Care.