Unhappy Charles, mistaken, and misled,
In error by a wretched Father bred,
By flattery nurst, and disciplin’d to stray,
As born a Monarch for despotic sway;
Push’d on by Churchmen’s interested Zeal,
Or’erul’d by Relatives belov’d too well:
What shall I say? with partial fondness aim
To palliate faults Thou didst thyself condemn?
Or in the spirit of these furious times
Blacken thy memory with fictitious crimes?
No: let me rather blame thy course begun,
Admire the glories of thy setting Sun,
And virtues worthy a Celestial Crown.

Convinc’d of every error in thy reign,
Thy upright soul renounc’d them all; in vain!
Resolv’d to make the Laws thy constant Guide,
(And every heighten’d wrong was rectified)
Rejoic’d to bid the Cause of discord cease,
And lay the Basis sure of public peace.
But fruitless all a righteous Monarch’s pains,
If God to plague our guilty land ordains,
Suffers his foes their fatal choice to feel,
Cries “havock,” and lets slip the dogs of hell.
The Champion fierce of violated laws
His sword in prosperous rebellion draws,
And scorning all the laws of man and God,
Imbrues his ruffian hands in sacred blood,
Holds up the Martyr’s, as a Traitor’s, head.
And glories in the dire infernal deed!