Among them are the verses printed in "NOTES AND QUERIES," Vol. i., p.
199., beginning "With joie we do leave thee," accompanied by the musical
notes; and also a song commencing "All ye gods that ar above," with the
musical notes. It is most probable that these songs are copied from
printed sources; but as they have been conjectured to be compositions by
Monmouth himself, the following short specimen may not be unacceptable,
copied _literatim_.
"O how blest, and how inocent,
and happy is a country life,
free from tumult and discontent;
heer is no flatterys nor strife,
for t'was the first and happiest life,
when first man did injoie him selfe.
This is a better fate than kings,
hence jentle peace and love doth flow,
for fancy is the rate of things;
I'am pleased, because I think it so,
for a hart that is nobly true,
all the world's arts can n'er subdue."
This poem immediately follows the one in which Toddington in
Bedfordshire (which the Duke spells, probably as then pronounced,
_Tedington_) is referred to.
17. Prayers after the confession of sins, and the sense of pardon
obtained.--pp. 108-125.
These prayers breathe a spirit of the most humble and ardent piety; and
if composed by the Duke himself, exhibit the weakness of his character
in a more favourable light than the remainder of the volume. One
paragraph is striking:--
"Mercy, mercy, good Lord! I aske not of thee any longer the things
of this world; neither power, nor honours, nor riches, nor
pleasures. No, my God, dispose of them to whom thou pleasest, so
that thou givest me mercy."
18. "The Batteryes that can be made at Flushing to keep ships from
coming in."--pp. 127, 128.