But, as great Princes use, in folemn Times Of Joy, to pardon all, but heinous Crimes; 15 If we have fin'd, without an ill Intent,

And done below what really we meant,

We humbly ask your Pardon for't, and

pray

You would forgive, in Honour of the Day.

A

BAL LA D.

S close as a Goofe

A Sat the Parliament-Houfe ;

To hatch the royal Gull;
After much fiddle-faddle,

The Egg proved addle,

And Oliver came forth Nol.

Yet old Queen Madge,

Though things do not fadge,

Will ferve to be Queen of a May-pole;
Two Princes of Wales,

For Whitfun-ales,

And her Grace Maid-Marion Clay-pole.

This Ballad refers to the Parliament, as it was called, which deliberated about making Oliver King, and petitioned him to accept the Title, which he, out of fear of fome republican Zealots in his Party, refused to accept, and contented himself with the Power, under the Name of Protector.

And her Grace Maid-Marion Clay-pole.] In the ruftic Ceremony of a Whitfun-ale, besides a Mock-King, Queen, &c. there is always

Marion, which is a young Woman, or a Boy dressed in Wo-
Moaths, whofe Bufinefs it is to dance the Morifce, or Morice.

In a Robe of Cow-hide

Sat yeasty Pride,

With his Dagger, and his Sling;
He was the pertinen'st Peer,

Of all, that were there,

T'advise with such a King.

A great Philofopher

Had a Goose for his Lover,

That follow'd him Day and Night:

If it be a true Story,

Or but an Allegory,

Strickland and his Son,

Both caft into one,

Were meant for a fingle Baron;

But, when they came to fit,

There was not Wit

Enough in them both, to serve for one.

In a Robe of Corv-hide, &c.] This alludes to the Custom of Officers of the Army at that time, wearing Buff-Coats.-The Character of Colonel Pride, and the Propriety of the Epithet Yeafly is too well known to need explaining.

A great Philofopher-Had a Goofe for his Lover.] Pliny, Elian, and other ancient Recorders of wonderful Stories tell us, that a Goofe fell in Love with a young Grecian called Amphilochus. How Butler came to make a Philofopher of him I cannot discover.-He might, perhaps, be led into the Miftake by the Name, which belong'd alfo to a famous Soothsayer, the Son of Amphiaraus and Eripbyle.

Wherefore 'twas thought good
To add Honeywood;

But, when they came to Tryal,
Each one prov'd a Fool,

Yet three Knaves in the whole,

And that made up a Pair-royal.

Strickland and his Son, &c.] I meet with the Names of Strickland and Honeywood among the Members of that Parliament; but, for want of a more circumftantial Hiftory of the Tranfactions of thofe Times, must refer the Investigation of this Fact to future Critics.

Yet three Knaves in the whole-And that made up a Pair royal.] The Wit of this lies in the Ambiguity of the Word Pair-royal, which is applicable to three Knaves at the Game of Brag, and fignifies at the fame tine in French a Peer or Baron.

A

BALL A D.

D'

RAW near, good People, all draw near,
And hearken to my Ditty;
A stranger Thing,

Than this I fing,

Came never to this City.

Had you but feen this Monster,
You wou'd not give a Farthing
For the Lyons in the Grate,
Nor the Mountain-Cat;
Nor the Bears in Paris-garden.

To this humorous Ballad Butler had prefixed this Title-The Privileges of Pimping-but afterwards crofs'd it out, for which Reason I have not inferted it; and only mention it, as a Circumftance, which may amufe fuch, as are curious in hunting out the Explication of Niceties of this Sort. It does not appear to bear any Senfe confiftent with the Subject; but fome other Critic may perhaps find one; or at least please himself with thinking so.

VOL. I.