The Poems of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Volume 2Swift, Jonathan
General
The Poems of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Volume 2
Swift, Jonathan
Poetry
[Footnote 6: Guy Moore was fairly elected member of Parliament for
Clonmel; but Sir Thomas, depending upon his interest with a certain party
then prevailing, and since known by the title of parson-hunters,
petitioned the House against him; out of which he was turned upon
pretence of bribery, which the paying of his lawful debts was then voted
to be.--_F_.]
[Footnote 7: "Save a thief from the gallows, and he will cut your
throat."--_F_.]
[Footnote 8: Mr. George Faulkner. Mr. Sergeant Bettesworth, a member of
the Irish Parliament, having made a complaint to the House of Commons
against the "Satire on Quadrille," they voted Faulkner the printer into
custody (who was confined closely in prison three days, when he was in a
very bad state of health, and his life in much danger) for not
discovering the author.--_F_.]
[Footnote 9: Among the poems, etc., preserved by Mr. Smith are verses on
the same subject and person with these in the text. The verses are given
in Swift's works, edit. Scott, xii, 448.--_W. E. B._]
ON DR. RUNDLE, BISHOP OF DERRY
1734-5
Make Rundle bishop! fie for shame!
An Arian to usurp the name!
A bishop in the isle of saints!
How will his brethren make complaints!
Dare any of the mitred host
Confer on him the Holy Ghost:
In mother church to breed a variance,
By coupling orthodox with Arians?
Yet, were he Heathen, Turk, or Jew:
What is there in it strange or new?
For, let us hear the weak pretence,
His brethren find to take offence;
Of whom there are but four at most,
Who know there is a Holy Ghost;
The rest, who boast they have conferr'd it,
Like Paul's Ephesians, never-heard it;
And, when they gave it, well 'tis known
They gave what never was their own.
Rundle a bishop! well he may;
He's still a Christian more than they.
We know the subject of their quarrels;
The man has learning, sense, and morals.
There is a reason still more weighty;
'Tis granted he believes a Deity.
Has every circumstance to please us,
Though fools may doubt his faith in Jesus.
But why should he with that be loaded,
Now twenty years from court exploded?
And is not this objection odd
From rogues who ne'er believed a God?
For liberty a champion stout,
Though not so Gospel-ward devout.
While others, hither sent to save us
Come but to plunder and enslave us;
Nor ever own'd a power divine,
But Mammon, and the German line.
Say, how did Rundle undermine 'em?
Who shew'd a better _jus divinum_?
From ancient canons would not vary,
But thrice refused _episcopari_.
Our bishop's predecessor, Magus,
Would offer all the sands of Tagus;
Or sell his children, house, and lands,
For that one gift, to lay on hands:
But all his gold could not avail
To have the spirit set to sale.
Said surly Peter, "Magus, prithee,
Be gone: thy money perish with thee."
Were Peter now alive, perhaps,
He might have found a score of chaps,
Could he but make his gift appear
In rents three thousand pounds a-year.
Some fancy this promotion odd,
As not the handiwork of God;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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