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Henry frankly avers his entire distrust of democratic
government:
"What is Democracy but a toss'd ship,
Void both of Pole and Pilot in the deep;
A Senate, fram'd of many a head-strong Clown,
Where number weighs the most judicious down .........
A gally maufry of brains so possest
As still the vilest is accounted best,
Where who's most bold, busie and void of wit
And speaks least sence, is thought the nail to hit
......... "1
Government by the aristocracy is not less dangerous to the realm:
"A stage where those of highest blood
Act their own ends yet pretend common good."
Its one virtue is that it tends at last inevitably to monarchy:
"The World needs but one God, Heav'n but one Sun,
And our Great Brittain, King but only One:
Such as is He whose Wisdom and Fore-sight
Makes Him the Almightie's Picture even right ............
Monarchy is a quiet House, where's one
Obey'd and serv'd sans contradiction; |
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A Garden where Sedition takes no rooting
And all-confounding Anarchy no footing ......... "
As he write, the end of the present regime is so imminent that he can
urge upon Basil a personal loyalty:
"Fear God, thy King Charles honor, give no eare
To fawning hypocrites ......... "
"......... methinks I see the Stars ev'n all
Joyntly prepare themselves against the fall
Of that same many headed Monstrous thing
That hath so long withstood their God and King.
Methinks I Praise-God Bare-bone see lament
That ere unto the headless Parliament
A Phanatick Peitition he prefer'd
'Gainst King and Peers, or ere against them stir'd.
And you John Lambert, Disbrowe and others
That in iniquity were all sworn Brothers,
Are you not now with your own coyn paid off,
And to your Foes and Quondam-friends a scoff?
And thou, O Oliver, who soard'st so high
What hast behinde thee left save infamy?"2
1 cf. pp. 4 and 5.
2 Ibid., p. 8. |