The legitimacy of the duke of Monmouth, though boldly and repeatedly asserted by his immediate partizans, did not receive general credit even in the popular faction. It was one of Shaftesbury's principal advantages, to have chosen, for the ostensible head of his party, a candidate, whose right, had he ever attained the crown, must have fluctuated betwixt an elective and hereditary title. The consciousness of how much he was to depend upon Shaftesbury's arts, for stating and supporting so dubious a claim, obliged the duke to remain at the devotion of that intriguing politician. It seems to have been shrewdly suspected by some of Monmouth's friends, that Shaftesbury had no real intention of serving his interest. A poem, written by one of Monmouth's followers, called "Judah Betrayed, or the Egyptian Plot turned on the Israelites," expresses their fears, and very plainly intimates this suspicion: and the reader may bear with some bad poetry, to be convinced how far this faction was from being firmly united together: For depth in politics, and statesman's brain, Draw Hushai[313] next, attended by a train Of peevish votaries, heart-sick with pride, Too numerous for an apostate guide; The odious name of patriot he does own, And prophecies the downfall of a throne: Forms in his aged fancy, robbed of health, The strange ideas of a Commonwealth, Then gains the proselyte dissenting Jews, And arguments from liberty does use: So treason veiled for liberty may go, And traitors' heads like royalists may show. All Judah's people had united been, Had not he interposed, and stept between; David in's subjects love had held his reign, Had not he cut the fastening bond in twain, And fatal discord sown in sanhedrin, The much lamented hasty Judah's sin. When either faction does produce their right To succession, they tacitly do slight The present king, and silent reasons bring That he is not, or should not be, a king.-- We need not care; for heaven ne'er will own Egyptian heir on Israelitish throne; Nor will it ere auspiciously defend Hushai, that only strives for's private end. He wheedles Absalon with hopes of king, And glistering toys of crowns does 'fore him fling; Thus does he sooth to overthrow a crown, And Absalon's the tool to beat it down; And easy Absalon, by gentleness drawn, (Though he has courage paralleled by none,) The loss of crowns to come he now does dread, Can heaven place them on a nobler head? So great a soul as his 'twill never own Should rule on any thing beneath a throne; Or ere see Judah plagued or robbed of health, By that unbounded thing a Commonwealth. Note XIV. _The next successor, whom I fear and hate, My arts have made obnoxious to the State; Turned all his virtues to his overthrow, And gained our elders to pronounce a foe._--P. 229.