Is wilful treason in the largest sense; And they who once rebel, most certainly Their God, and king, and former oaths defy. If we allow no maladministration Could cancel the allegiance of the nation, Let all our learned sons of Levi try This ecclesiastic riddle to untie: How they could make a step to call the prince, And yet pretend to oaths and innocence? By the first address they made beyond the seas, They’re perjured in the most intense degrees; And without scruple for the time to come May swear to all the kings in Christendom. And truly did our kings consider all, They’d never let the clergy swear at all; Their politic allegiance they’d refuse, For whores and priests do never want excuse. But if the mutual contract were dissolved, The doubts explained, the difficulties solved, That kings, when they descend to tyranny, Dissolve the bond and leave the subject free, The government’s ungirt when justice dies, And constitutions are non-entities; The nation’s all a mob; there’s no such thing As Lords or Commons, Parliament or King. A great promiscuous crowd the hydra lies Till laws revive and mutual contract ties; A chaos free to choose for their own share What case of government they please to wear. If to a king they do the reins commit, All men are bound in conscience to submit; But then that king must by his oath assent To _postulatus_ of the government, Which if he breaks, he cuts off the entail, And power retreats to its original. This doctrine has the sanction of assent From Nature’s universal Parliament. The voice of Nature and the course of things Allow that laws superior are to kings. None but delinquents would have justice cease; Knaves rail at laws as soldiers rail at peace; For justice is the end of government, As reason is the test of argument. No man was ever yet so void of sense As to debate the right of self-defence, A principle so grafted in the mind, With Nature born, and does like Nature bind; Twisted with reason and with Nature too, As neither one or other can undo. Nor can this right be less when national; Reason, which governs one, should govern all. Whatever the dialects of courts may tell, He that his right demands can ne’er rebel, Which right, if ’tis by governors denied, May be procured by force or foreign aid; For tyranny’s a nation’s term of grief, As folks cry “Fire” to hasten in relief; And when the hated word is heard about, All men should come to help the people out. Thus England groaned—Britannia’s voice was heard, And great Nassau to rescue her appeared, Called by the universal voice of Fate— God and the people’s legal magistrate. Ye Heavens regard! Almighty Jove look down, And view thy injured monarch on the throne. On their ungrateful heads due vengeance take, Who sought his aid and then his part forsake. Witness, ye Powers! It was our call alone, Which now our pride makes us ashamed to own. Britannia’s troubles fetched him from afar To court the dreadful casualties of war; But where requital never can be made,