That thus the _Fountain_ of _Britannia's_ Health, _Source_ of her Grandeur, Liberty, and Wealth, Polluted by your _all-corrupting_ Hand, With rank Infection deluges the Land; Parent at once of _Want_ and _Luxury_, Of open Rapine and dark Treachery; The Knaves _Elixir_, and the Just Man's _Bane_, _Food_ to the _Locust_, _Mildew_ to the _Swain_; Pouring on those who once in _Goshen_ dwelt; More deadly Plagues than _AEgypt_ ever felt, And _worse_ than _Israel's heaviest_ Task inflicts Tho' _gone_ our _Straw_ yet claiming _double Bricks_ Whilst _Commerce_ flies before th' oppressive Weight, And seeks in _Gaul_ a more indulgent Fate; Where, Shame to _Britain_! the fair Stranger Guest Is hail'd with Raptures, and her _Wrongs_ redress'd. "What then?" I'm told you say, "we nothing lose, "If they've our Commerce we've their wooden Shoes; "And since our _Merchants_ are so _fancy_ grown, "'Tis Time to pull _sturdy Beggars_ down; "They mutiny'd for _War_, and _War_ they have, "But _such a one_ that soon a _Peace_ they'll crave; "_Peace_ shall be Theirs, but _such a Peace_, that then "They'll curse their Prayers and wish for War again; "Thus pois'ning to 'em what they ask as best, "I'll ruin 'em by _granting_ their Request. Are these Things so? Or is it Fiction all? A _sland'rous Picture_ drawn in Soot and Gall? Offspring of Disappointment or Disgrace, Of Those who _want_ or who have _lost_ a _Place_? If so, why lives the Scandal? up for Shame, Confront your Foes, and vindicate your Fame; For, trust me Sir, to wink at such Offence, Rather proclaims a _Fear_ than _Innocence_; "No one is guilty 'till he's guilty prou'd---- Come then, be this wild Clamour strait remov'd; In _conscious Justice_ cloath'd assert your Right, Shake off this Load of Obloquy and Spite, Like _Samuel_ dauntless cry, _Lo here I am_! "Witness against me if I'm ought to blame. "Before the Lord and his Anointed say "Whose _Rights_ or _Honours_ have I ta'en away? "Whom, speak, have I _defrauded_ or _oppress_'d, "Or ever pilfer'd _Forage_ from whose Beast? "Of what vile _Contract_ was I e'er the Scribe, "Or of whose Hands have I receiv'd a _Bribe_? "What _Scheme_ did ever I at Home propose "But whence some _nameless_ Profit would have rose? "Or what _C--n----n_ e're devise abroad "But such as _Britain_'s Se--e did applaud? "What of my _Country_'s Money e'er bestow'd "Except in _secret Service_ for her Good? "Or what _Incumbrance_ on her _Commerce_ laid, "But for th' Increase of _our_ Revenues made? "In my dear Country's Service now _grown gray_ "_Spotless_ I've walk'd before you to this Day "My Thoughts laid out my precious Time all spent "In the hard _Slavery_ of _Government_; "My Brother too the _fruitless_ Bondage shares, "And all your _Peace_ is owing to his Cares, "Girding his Loins he Travels far and near "And brings home some _rare Treaty_ ev'ry Year.