One of the most popular “counter-blasts” to the Whig pretensions is embodied in the following parody, which enjoyed considerable favour, though not equal to Andrew Marvell’s diatribes “on the other side:”-- “A LITANY FROM GENEVA, IN ANSWER TO A LITANY FROM ST. OMER. “From the force and the fire of th’ Insolent Rabble That would hurl the Government into a Babel, And from the nice fare of the Mouse-starver’s table, _Libera nos Domine_. “From a surfeit occasion’d by Protestant feasts From Sedition for sauce, and Republicks for guests, With Treason for Grace-cup, or Faction at least, _Libera nos_. “From the blind Zeal of all Democratical tools, From Whigland, and all its Anarchical rules, Devisèd by knaves and imposèd by fools. _Libera nos._ “From Parliamentarians, that out of their Love And care for his Majesty’s safety, would prove The securest way were his Guards to remove. _Libera nos._ “From a Protestant Church where a Papist must reign, From an Oxford Parliament call’d in vain, Who because Fitz-Harris the plot would make plain, Was dissolv’d in a fit and sent home again. _Libera nos._” The newly elected parliament, the materials of which were equally unpalatable to the Court party, was summoned to meet in October, 1679, but, prorogued during the royal pleasure, it did not actually meet until October 21, 1680. The interval was marked by the presentation of loyal addresses and petitions for its reassembling. Further prorogued on the 10th of January, it was dissolved on the 18th, to be followed by the “Oxford Parliament” of eight days, which was dissolved on March 28, 1681. The nation saw itself on the verge of civil war, and, remembering what it had suffered--while opposing the encroachments of the Crown and autocratic exactions--from the opposite extremes of anarchy and fanaticism, the people were resigned to temporize, and thus Charles was allowed to rule without a parliament until his death. The following satire is well-founded, and pertinent to the prevalent state of affairs:-- “THE STATESMAN’S ALMANACK. Being an excellent new Ballad, in which the qualities of each month are considered, whereby it appears that a parliament cannot meet in any of the old months; with a proposal for mending the Calendar. Humbly offered to the packers of the next parliament,” --which, as it fell out, never reassembled during the reign of the Merry Monarch. The rhymster, after rehearsing the sufficient reasons why every month, from January to December, is unfitted, according to the royal inclinations, for the assembling of a parliament, concludes with a prayer by way of-- EPILOGUE.