Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, OLD TONY; A SONG, by THOMAS D'URFEY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

OLD TONY; A SONG, by                    
First Line: Let oliver now be forgotten
Last Line: Or else maist thou die, like a dog in a string.
Subject(s): Cooper, Anthony (1621-1683); Shaftesbury, 1st Earl Of


Let Oliver now be forgotten,
His Policy's quite out of Doors;
Let Bradshaw and Hewson lie rotten,
Like Sons of Fanatical Whores:
For Tony's grown a Patrician,
By Voting Damn'd Sedition,
For many Years
Fam'd Politician,
The Mouth of all Presbyter-Peers.

Old Tony a Turn-coat at Worc'ster,
Yet swore he'd maintain the King's Right;
But Tony did swagger and bluster,
Yet never drew Sword on his side;
For Tony's like an old Stallion,
He has still the Pox of Rebellion,
And never was found,
Like the Camelion,
Still changing his Shape and his Ground.

Old Rowley's return'd (Heav'ns bless Him)
From Exile and danger set free:
Old Tony made haste to address Him;
And swore none more Loyal than he:
The King who knew him a Traytor,
And saw him Squint like a Satyr;
Yet, thro' his Grace,
Pardon'd the matter,
And gave him since the Purse and the Mace.

And now little Chancellor Tony
With Honour had feather'd his Wing,
He carefully pick'd up the Money,
But never a Groat for the King:
But Tony's luck was confounded,
The Duke soon smoak'd him a Round-head,
From Head to Heel
Tony was sounded,
And great York put a Spoke in his Weel.

And now little Tony in Passion,
Like Boy that had nettl'd his Breech,
Maliciously took an occasion
To make a most delicate Speech;
He told the King like a Croney,
If e'er he hop'd to have Money,
He must be rul'd:
Oh fine Tony!
Was ever Potent Monarch so school'd?

The King issues out Proclamation
By Learned and Loyal Advice;
But Tony possesses the Nation
The Councel will never be wise:
For Tony is madder and madder,
And Monmouth's blown like a Bladder,
And L----ce too,
Who grows gladder,
That they the great York were like to subdue.

But Destiny shortly will cross it,
For Tony's grown Gouty and Sick;
In Spight of his Spiggot and Fawset,
The States-man must go to old Nick:
For Tony rails at the Papist,
Yet he himself is an Atheist,
Tho' so precise,
Foolish and Apish,
Like holy Quack, or Priest in disguise.

But now let this Rump of the Law see,
A Maxim as Learned in part,
Whoe'er with his Prince is too sawcy,
'Tis fear'd he's a Traytor in's Heart:
Then Tony cease to be witty
By buzzing Treason i' th' City,
And love the King;
So ends my Ditty:
Or else maist thou die, like a Dog in a string.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net