But manag'd aukwardly that lawful part;
To vent foul lies and treafon was his art,
And pointed libels at crown'd heads to dart.
This priest, and others learned to defame,
First murder injur'd Tullius in his name;
With blackeft calumnies their fovereign load,
A poison'd brother, and dark league abroad;
A fon unjustly top'd upon the throne,

Which yet was prov'd undoubtedly his own;
Though, as the law was there, 'twas his behoof,
Who difpoffefs'd the heir, to bring the proof.
This hellish charge they back'd with difmal frights,
The lofs of property and facred rights,

And freedom, words which all false patriots use,
As fureft names the Romans to abuse.
Jealous of kings, and always malecontent,
Forward in change, yet certain to repent.
Whilft thus the plotters needful fears create,
Tarquin with open force invades the state.
Lewd nobles join him with their feeble might,
And atheist fools for dear religion fight.
The priests their boasted principles difɔwn,
And level their harangues against the throne.
Vain promises the people's minds allure,
Slight were their ills, but defperate the cure.
'Tis hard for kings to fteer an equal courfe,
And they who banish one, oft gain a worse.
Thofe heavenly bodies we admire above,
Do every day irregularly move;

}

Yet

Yet Tullius, tis decreed, muft lofe the crown,
For faults, that were his council's, not his own.
He now in vain commands ev'n those he pay'd,
By darling troops deferted and betray'd,

By creatures which his generous warmth had made.
Of thefe a captain of the guards was worst,
Whofe memory to this day ftands accurft.
This rogue, advanc'd to military trust
By his own whoredom, and his fifter's luft,
Forfook his master, after dreadful vows,
And plotted to betray him to his foes;
The kindeft mafter to the vileft flave,
As free to give, as he was fure to crave.
His haughty female, who, as books declare,
Did always tofs wide noftrils in the air,
Was to the younger Tullia governess,
And did attend her, when, in borrow'd drefs,
She fled by night from Tullius in distress.
This wretch, by letters, did invite his foes,
And us'd all arts her father to depofe;
A father, always generously bent,

So kind, that ev'n her wishes he'd prevent.
'Twas now high time for Tullius to retreat,
When ev'n his daughter haften'd his defeat;
When faith and duty vanish'd, and no more
The name of father and of king he bore :

A king, whofe right his foes could ne'er difpute;
So mild, that mercy was his attribute ;

Affable, kind, and easy of access;
Swift to relieve, unwilling to oppress;

Rich without taxes, yet in payment just ;
So honest, that he hardly could distrust;
His active foul from labours ne'er did ceafe,
Valiant in war, and vigilant in peace;
Studious with traffick to enrich the land;
Strong to protect, and tkilful to command;
Liberal and fplendid, yet without excess;
Prone to relieve, unwilling to distress ;
In fum, how godlike must his nature be,
Whose only fault was too much piety!

This king remov'd, th' affembled states thought fit
That Tarquin in the vacant throne should fit ;
Voted him regent in their fenate-houfe,

And with an empty name endow'd his spouse,
The elder Tullia, who, fome authors feign,
Drove o'er her father's corpfe a rumbling wain:
But the more guilty numerous wains did drive
To crush her father and her king alive;
And in remembrance of his haften'd fall,
Refolv'd to inftitute a weekly ball.
The jolly glutton grew in bulk and chin,
Feafted on rapine, and enjoy'd her fin;
With luxury she did weak reason force,
Debauch'd good-nature, and cram'd down remorse;
Yet when the drank cold tea in liberal fups,
The fobbing dame was maudling in her cups.
But brutal Tarquin never did relent,
Too hard to melt, too wicked to repent;
Cruel in deeds, more mercilefs in will,
And bleft with natural delight in ill.

From

From a wife guardian he receiv'd his doom

To walk the Change, and not to govern Rome.
He fwore his native honours to difown,

And did by perjury afcend the throne.

Oh! had that oath his fwelling pride repreft,
Rome had been then with peace and plenty bleft.
But Tarquin, guided by destructive fate,
The country wafted, and embroil'd the state,
Transported to their foes the Roman pelf,
And by their ruin hop'd to fave himself.
Innumerable woes opprefs'd the land,
When it fubmitted to his curs'd command.
So juft was heaven, that 'twas hard to tell,
Whether its guilt or loffes did excell.
Men that renounc'd their God for dearer trade,
Were then the guardians of religion made.
Rebels were fainted, foreigners did reign,
Outlaws return'd, preferment to obtain,

With frogs, and toads, and all their croaking train.
No native knew their features nor their birth,
They feem'd the greafy offspring of the earth.
The trade was funk, the fleet and army spent ;
Devouring taxes fwallow'd leffer rent;
Taxes impos'd by no authority;
Each lewd collection was a robbery.
Bold felf-creating men did statutes draw,
Skill'd to establish villainy by law;
Fanatic drivers, whofe unjust careers
Produc'd new ills exceeding former fears.

Yet authors here except a faithful band,
Which the prevailing faction did withstand;
And fome, who bravely stood in the defence
Of baffled justice and their exil'd prince.
Thefe fhine to after-times, each facred name
Stands ftill recorded in the rolls of fame.

SUUM

CUIQUE.

WHEN lawless men their neighbours difpoffefs,

The tenants they extirpate or opprefs;

And make rude havock in the fruitful foil,
Which the right owners plough'd with careful toil.
The fame proportion does in kingdoms hold,
A new prince breaks the fences of the old!
And will o'er carcafes and deferts reign,
Unless the land its rightful lord regain.
He gripes the faithlefs owners of the place,
And buys a foreign army to deface

The fear'd and hated remnant of their race.
He starves their forces, and obftructs their trade;
Vaft fums are given, and yet no native paid.
The church itself he labours to affail,

And keeps fit tools to break the sacred pale.

Of those let him the guilty roll commence,
Who has betray'd a master and a prince;
A man, feditious, lewd, and impudent ;
An engine always mifchievously bent;
One who from all the bands of duty fwerves;
No tye can hold but that which he deferves;
VOL. I.

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An