companion, though they often paid too dear for their curiofity, by being made the fubject of his lampoons, if they happened to have any oddities in their temper, by the expofing of which he could humour his propensity to scandal. His pleafant extravagancies foon became the subject of general conversation; by which his vanity was at once flattered, and his turn of fatire rendered more keen, by the success it met with. Rochefter had certainly a true talent for fatire, and he fpared neither friends nor foes, but let it loofe on all without difcrimination. Majefty itself was not fecure from it; he more than once lampooned the king, whose weaknefs and attachment to fome of his miftreffes he endeavoured to cure by feveral means; that is, either by winning them from him, in fpite of the indulgence and liberality they felt from a royal gallant, or by feverely lampooning them and him on various occafions; which the king, who was a man of wit and pleasure as well as his lordship, took for the natural fallies of his genius, and meant rather as the amufements of his fancy, than as the efforts of malice; yet, either by a too frequent repetition, or a too close and poignant virulence, the king banished him the court for a fatire made directly on him. This fatire confifts of twenty-eight ftanzas, and is entitled, The Restoration; or, The History of the Infipids: and, as it contains the keeneft reflections againft against the political conduct, and private cha racter, of that prince, and having produced the banishment of this noble lord, we shall here give it a place; by which his lordship's genius for this kind of writing will appear. The RESTORATION; or, The History of INSIPIDS; a Lampoon. I. Chafte, pious, prudent, Charles the Second, II. The virtues in thee, Charles, inherent, His grandfire Harry Charles exceeds, ‹ Our Romish bondage-breaker, Harry, f Yet Yet has he fons and daughters more Never was fuch IV. faith's defender; He, like a politic prince, and pious, Gives liberty to confcience tender, And does to no religion tie us! Jews, Chriftians, Turks, Papifts, he'll please us With Mofes, Mahomet, or Jefus. V. In all affairs of church or state Let Charles's policy no man flout, Charles, like a fov'reign, wife and holy, Makes young men judges of the bench, And bishops, those that love a wench. VII. His father's foes he does reward, Never was any king endow'd With fo much grace and gratitude. VIII. Blood, that wears treason in his face, IX. A parliament of knaves and fots (Members by name you must not mention). He keeps in pay, and buys their votes, Here with a place, there with a penfion : When to give money, he can't cologue 'em, He does, with fcorn, prerogue, prorogue 'em, X. But they, long fince, by too much giving, XI. Fame is not grounded on fuccefs, Malicious fate does oft devise To beat the brave, and fool the wife, XII. Charles, in the first Dutch war, food fair Had not his highness gone to fleep: XIII. The Bergen bufinefs was well laid, The Dutch fleet there, Charles, had been Tho' the falfe Dane agreed to fell 'em, XIV. Had not Charles fweetly chous'd the ftates, By their rich Smyrna flcet's furprize: XV. Mifts |