“You see the old Year
Won’t help you ’tis clear,
And therefore to save your Honour,
Get a new Sun and Moon,
And the work may be done,
And ’fore George it will never be sooner.”
The political squibs of this time are chiefly written by Cavaliers, and give a one-sided view, from which, however, much may be gathered. Though not actually election addresses, they refer to the claims which the electors of the kingdom found themselves constrained to address to the throne.
Among the collection of “Bagford Ballads,” so capably edited and illustrated by J. W. Ebsworth, M.A.,[12] is a group of parliamentary election ballads, apparently of the date 1679-80, and relating to Essex, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, and the Universities. The Titus Oates plot; the Duke of York and his threatened exclusion from the succession; the impeachment by the Commons of a secretary of State, of Lord Danby, lord-treasurer; with the opposing designs of the Papists and the rabid Dissenters; and, above all, the petitions and the counter-petitions, seem the leading topics of these satires: but they do not contain much enlightenment upon elections, pure and simple. “The Essex Ballad,” humorously explains the modus operandi of the “abhorred” petitions.
“In Essex, much renowned for Calves,
And giving verdicts in by halves,
For Oysters, Agues, and for Knaves
Of Faction,
One Peer, and men of worship four,
With gentlemen some half a score,
Did draw in ten Dutch Ells of Bore
To Action.[13]
The Squire, whose name does famous grow
As Marcus Tullius Cicero,
And keeps true time with Sir A. Carew
And Ashley.[14]
As freely gave himself his hand,
As once his voice to rule the Land
By such as should not understand
Too rashly.
The Rout, that erst did roar so loud,
A Mildmay and a Honeywood,[15]
Are of their choice now grown so proud
You’d wonder:
And these State-Tinkers must be sent
To stop the leaks of Government,
Grown crazy now, and almost rent
In sunder.
His Honour first set all his hands,
Each member next in order stands;
The rabble, without ‘ifs and ands,’
Sub-scratch it.
The Cause, not obsolete, though old,
Like Insects lay in winter cold,
And warm Petitions (they were told)
Would hatch it.
Corn bore a price in Cromwell’s days,
Nor did we want a vent for bays;
Nay, even calves were several ways
Advanced.
And then we fear’d not wicked plots,—
The Godly serv’d to cut our throats,
Though agents for the Pope, as Oates
And Prance[16] said.
Those reasons did so much prevail,
That they petition’d tooth and nail,
To have the Sovereign strike sail,
And stand by:
While th’ Parliament had sate some years,
To drive out Pope with Presbyteers,
And try the Babylonish Peers
And Danby.”[17]
The grievances of the petitioning constituencies are farcically rehearsed, the king is prayed that he will not “quite forget the Senate,” and the writer goes on to describe the signatories of this “Anti-Popish Bull.” When all hands had been set to the roll, it was found that—
“Several yards of fist,
Were wanting to complete the list
Sans scruple.
Those scholars that could write, they bribe
To prompt and proxy every side;
And these did personally subscribe
Centuple.
But now the time draws on apace,
And member itches for his place,
The knights and gentlemen five brace
Assemble;
And brought the muster-roll to Court
Tho’ Charles did hardly thank ’em for’t;
But made ’em with a sharp retort
To tremble.
Now God preserve our King and Queen
From Pyebald Coats and ribbons green,
Let neither knave nor fool be seen
About ’em.
And those that will not say Amen,
Let ’em petition once again,
For every one, the Shire has ten
To rout ’em.”
“Ribbons green,” were the badges of the Protestant Association, at the head of which was Shaftesbury, “the popular favourite,” or “Sejanus,” as his enemies designated him. Vide “A Litany from Geneva:”—
“From Saucy Petitions that serve to inflame us,
From all who for th’ Association are famous,
From the Devil, the Doctor, and the d——d Ignoramus,
Libera nos Domine.”
The obstinate and infatuated zealots, who would insist on keeping up the pretence that parliaments were essential to the constitutional government of the kingdom, were, with the suspected association, treated to all the witticisms Cavalier balladists could bring to bear against preposterous attempts to assail the royal prerogative, and enforce the just balance of the State:—
“’Tis to preserve his Majesty,
That we against him rise,
The righteous cause can never die
That’s manag’d by the wise.
Th’ Association’s a just thing,
And that does seem to say,
Who fights for us, fights for the King,
The clean contrary way.”