Written After Passing by Whitehall

Unhappy Charks, mistaken and misled,
In error by a wretched father bred,
By flattery nursed, and discipHned to stray,
As born a monarch for despotic sway;
Push'd on by Churchmen's interested zeal,
O'erruled by relatives beloved too well;
What shall I say? with partial fondness aim
To palliate faults thou didst thyself condemn?
Or, in the spirit of these furious times.
Blacken thy memory with fictitious crimes?
No: rather let me blame thy course begun,
Admire the glories of thy setting sun.
And virtues worthy a celestial crown.

Convinced of every error in thy reign,
Thy upright soul renounced them all; in vain!
Resolved to make the laws thy constant guide,
(And every heighten'd wrong was rectified,)
Rejoiced to bid the cause of discord cease,
And lay the basis sure of public peace.

But fruidess all a righteous monarch's pains,
If God to plague our guilty land ordains,
Suffers His foes their fatal choice to feel,
Cries " Havoc," and lets slip the dogs of hell.
The champion fierce of violated laws
His sword in prosperous rebellion draws.
And scorning all the laws of man and (od.
Imbrues his ruffian hands in sacred blood,
Holds up the martyr's as a traitor's head.
And glories in the dire infernal deed!