Charles II. and the Scotch Presbyterians, 1651.
"Presbyter. Come to the grinstone, Charles; 'tis now too late
To recolect, 'tis presbiterian fate.
"King. Yon Covenant pretenders, must I bee
The subject of your Tradgie Comedie?
"Jockey. I, Jockey, turne the stone of all your plots,
For none turnes faster than the turne-coat Scots.
"Presbyter. We for our ends did make thee king, be sure,
Not to rule us, we will not that endure.
"King. You deep dissemblers, I know what you doe,
And, for revenges sake, I will dissemble too."
The abortive attempt of Charles II., after the execution of his father, to unite the Scots under his sceptre, and by their aid place himself upon the throne of England, called forth the caricature annexed, in which an old device is put to a new use. A large number of verses explain the picture, though they begin by declaring:
"This Embleme needs no learned Exposition;
The World knows well enough the sad condition
Of regal Power and Prerogative.
Dead and dethron'd in England, now alive
In Scotland, where they seeme to love the Lad,
If hee'l be more obsequious than his Dad,
And act according to Kirk Principles,
More subtile than were Delphic Oracles."