730 At last his deep resentments silence broke, The imperial palace shook, while thus he spoke-- Then Justice wait, and Rigour take her time, For lo! our mercy is become our crime: While halting Punishment her stroke delays, Our sovereign right, Heaven's sacred trust, decays! For whose support even subjects' interest calls, Woe to that kingdom where the monarch falls! That prince who yields the least of regal sway, So far his people's freedom does betray. 740 Right lives by law, and law subsists by power; Disarm the shepherd, wolves the flock devour. Hard lot of empire o'er a stubborn race, Which Heaven itself in vain has tried with grace! When will our reason's long-charm'd eyes unclose, And Israel judge between her friends and foes? When shall we see expired deceivers' sway, And credit what our God and monarchs say? Dissembled patriots, bribed with Egypt's gold, Even Sanhedrims in blind obedience hold; 750 Those patriots falsehood in their actions see, And judge by the pernicious fruit the tree. If aught for which so loudly they declaim, Religion, laws, and freedom, were their aim, Our senates in due methods they had led, To avoid those mischiefs which they seem'd to dread: But first, e'er yet they propp'd the sinking state, To impeach and charge, as urged by private hate, Proves that they ne'er believed the fears they press'd, But barbarously destroy'd the nation's rest! 760 Oh! whither will ungovern'd senates drive, And to what bounds licentious votes arrive? When their injustice we are press'd to share, The monarch urged to exclude the lawful heir; Are princes thus distinguish'd from the crowd, And this the privilege of royal blood? But grant we should confirm the wrongs they press, His sufferings yet were than the people's less; Condemn'd for life the murdering sword to wield, And on their heirs entail a bloody field. 770 Thus madly their own freedom they betray, And for the oppression which they fear make way; Succession fix'd by Heaven, the kingdom's bar, Which once dissolved, admits the flood of war; Waste, rapine, spoil, without the assault begin, And our mad tribes supplant the fence within. Since then their good they will not understand, 'Tis time to take the monarch's power in hand; Authority and force to join with skill, And save the lunatics against their will. 780 The same rough means that 'suage the crowd, appease Our senates raging with the crowd's disease. Henceforth unbiass'd measures let them draw From no false gloss, but genuine text of law; Nor urge those crimes upon religion's score, Themselves so much in Jebusites abhor. Whom laws convict, and only they, shall bleed, Nor pharisees by pharisees be freed. Impartial justice from our throne shall shower,