In fact the town was deluged with lampoons in the fashion of the day. Another couplet put it:

“God will avenge too for the stones he took

From aged Paul’s to build a nest for rooks.”

Andrew Marvell, too, chose to take up his parable on the subject, and dipped his mordant pen in bitterer gall than usual:

“Here lie the sacred bones

Of Paul beguiled of his stones.

Here lie golden briberies

The price of ruined families;

The Cavaliers’ debenture wall

Fixed on an eccentric basis.