What means their traitorous combination less, Too plain to evade, too shameful to confess! But treason is not own'd when 'tis descried; Successful crimes alone are justified. The men, who no conspiracy would find, Who doubts, but had it taken, they had join'd, 210 Join'd in a mutual covenant of defence; At first without, at last against their prince? If sovereign right by sovereign power they scan, The same bold maxim holds in God and man: God were not safe, his thunder could they shun, He should be forced to crown another son. Thus when the heir was from the vineyard thrown, The rich possession was the murderer's own. In vain to sophistry they have recourse: By proving theirs no plot, they prove 'tis worse-- 220 Unmask'd rebellion, and audacious force: Which, though not actual, yet all eyes may see 'Tis working in the immediate power to be. For from pretended grievances they rise, First to dislike, and after to despise; Then, Cyclop-like, in human flesh to deal, Chop up a minister at every meal: Perhaps not wholly to melt down the king, But clip his regal rights within the ring. From thence to assume the power of peace and war, 230 And ease him, by degrees, of public care. Yet, to consult his dignity and fame, He should have leave to exercise the name, And hold the cards, while commons play'd the game. For what can power give more than food and drink, To live at ease, and not be bound to think? These are the cooler methods of their crime, But their hot zealots think 'tis loss of time; On utmost bounds of loyalty they stand, And grin and whet like a Croatian band, 240 That waits impatient for the last command. Thus outlaws open villainy maintain, They steal not, but in squadrons scour the plain; And if their power the passengers subdue, The most have right, the wrong is in the few. Such impious axioms foolishly they show, For in some soils republics will not grow: Our temperate isle will no extremes sustain, Of popular sway or arbitrary reign; But slides between them both into the best, 250 Secure in freedom, in a monarch blest: And though the climate, vex'd with various winds, Works through our yielding bodies on our minds. The wholesome tempest purges what it breeds, To recommend the calmness that succeeds.