THE New-Years-GIFT: BEING A PARAPHRASE ON A FABLE IN AESOP.  
TO HIS HONOURED FRIEND John Matthew, Esq  
LONDON: Printed for the Author, in the Year 1690.   

THE New-Years-GIFT: BEING A PARAPHRASE ON A Fable in AESOP, etc.  

IN Times when Brutes could well express their Mind,  
And Frogs did Commonwealths a Burden find,  
They jointly did Petition Greatest Jove,  
To send them down a Ruler from above;  
This Ruler must be KING. For weary quite  
With their Intestine Jealousies, and Spite,  
They One desired, to whom they All might stand,  
And pay Obedience to his Just Command.   

" WE thy poor Creatures bred in Watery Mud,  
" And nothing equal dread unto a Flood;  
" Of nothing under thy Great Seat more fond,  
" Than to preserve our great and famous Pond:  
" Wearied with Fears and Jealousies at home,  
" And fearful what from other parts may come,  
" Our Envy, Discontent, and Fears to heal,  
" Do frankly now resign our Commonweal;  
" Beseech Thy Majesty to send that Thing  
" So Sacred, called Thine Anointed King:  
" That under Thy Vice-gerents Godly Power,  
" We may both Him Obey, and Thee Adore.   

JOVE nodded; and no sooner heard a KING,  
But sent down presently one on the Wing;  
Who swiftly to his New-Born-Empire flew,  
And had Allegiance from the Watery Crew;  
But in short time, this Stately Thing thought good,  
Instead of Ruling well, to make 'em Food,  
Bitten 'em, and pricked 'em, with Prerogative Bill,  
And sorely Wounded those he did not Kill.  
Weary of Him, they then again do fly,  
To the Almighty Aid of the most High.   

" Behold, we at the Footstool of thy Throne  
" Again lie prostrate, here to make our moan!  
" 〈…〉 King we did desire  
 
" One that devours his Subjects, Headstrong, Fierce,  
" Doth with his Bill our lanker Bodies pierce;  
" He never Dines, or scarce will ever Sup,  
" But one or other of us He eats up;  
" We now beseech for One of Temper mild,  
" Rather than Tyrant, send us down a Child,  
" Whom we may Tutor, till his Age shall be  
" Beyond the Age of a Minority.   

JOVE heard, and straight dispatched unto the Crowd  
A KING, whose Virtuous mind might make 'em proud  
Of Temper mild, and of a gentle Soul,  
That knew not how, or would not them control.  
He made a hideous noise at the first fall,  
And, with his Heavy Presence, dashed 'em all,  
Until the Watery Smile, that after came,  
Made up the Breach, and mended much the same.  
At length they gather heart, and, as if lame,  
They hopping to their New-rais'd-Soveraign came,  
Admired his Gravity, and gentle mind,  
And for the present Time no fault could find;  
Blinded with the Severities before  
Had galled their Souls, and made their Bodies sore.   

Thus, dazzled with the lustre of the Ray  
That makes the brightest Shine of Summers' day,  
The Eye returns into the Houfe half blind,  
And sees no more before it, than behind;  
The Mighty Beam obstructs the organ so,  
It nothing more, or less, can see, or know.  
But, once too much brings but a seeming Night,  
It only Snuffs, and not puts out the light.   

At last, perceiving that he did not move,  
The wiser Frogs somewhat withdrew their love;  
Suspect his Gravity was something more,  
Than what they had some thoughts of heretofore.  
Some held it fit to make approach more near,  
Others said plain, This King we do not fear;  
And some to hop upon him did assay,  
But under that, and croaking, still he lay.   


Then they again th' Almighty Jove address;  
" The King before, they said, we must confess,  
" Was more than King, and this we find is less.   
" Rouse him from off his slumber by thy call,  
" A Drowsy Prince is next to none at all:  
" Vouchsafe the Spirit of Ruling to reveal,  
" Or give him Grace to love a Commonweal!   

MORAL.  
Good God How various is the mind of Mob?  
This day Hosannah, and the next a Bob.   

On the New Year 1690.  
Welcome, sweet Janus! With thy double face,  
A Janus different from the Romish Race;  
And tho' thy Temple now does open stand,  
To shut it up a Saviour may Command;  
Peace may sit on the fierce Bellona's seat,  
And make this year, in all respects, Complete.  
Welcome, two Faces! Looking both that way  
No Janus ever did, before this day.