Looking carefully over a curious copy of the _Flagellum, or the Life and
Death, Birth and Buriall of O. Cromwell, the late Usurper_, printed for
Randal Taylor, 1672, I found on the back of the title the following
epigrams, written in a handwriting and ink corresponding to the date of
the book (which, by the way, is a late edition of the "little brown
lying book," by Heath, which Carlyle notices): as they are curious and
worth preserving, and I believe not to be met with elsewhere, I presume
they may be of some interest to your readers. The book is also full of
MS. marginal notes and remarks, evidently by some red-hot royalist,
which are also curious in themselves, and with a selection of which I
may some day trouble you should you wish it.
_Under Gen. Cromwell's Picture, hung up in the Royal Exchange,
these Lines were written._
"Ascend ye Throne Greate Captaine and Divine
By th' will of God, oh Lyon, for they'r thine;
Come priest of God, bring oyle, bring Robes, bring Golde,
Bring crowns, bring scepters, 'tis high time t' unfold
Yor cloyster'd Buggs, yor State cheates, Lifte ye Rod
Of Steele, of Iron, of the King of God,--
Pay all in wrath with interest. Kneeling pray
To Olivr Torch of Syon, Starr of Day.
Shoute then you Townds and Cyties, loudly Sing,
And all bare-headed cry, God save ye King!"
_The Repartee, unto this Blasphemie._
"Descende thou great Usurper from ye throne,
Thou, throughe thy pride, tooke what was not thine owne;
A Rope did better fitte thee than a Crowne,
Come Carnifex, and put ye Traytor downe,
For crownes and sceptres, and such sacred things
Doe not belong to Traytors, but to Kings;
Let therefoe all true Loyall subjects sing,
Vive le Roy! Long Live! God bless ye King!"
In regard to the little controversy which I started regarding Bunyan's
claim to be author of the _Visions of Heaven and Hell_, I hope soon to
decide it, as I am on the scent of a copy of, I believe, a first
edition, which does not claim him for author.