Page:A poem on the present assembling of the Parliament, March 6th, 1678 - Waller (1679).djvu/3

 Justice as plenteous as our Thames shall Flow In Peace the Sailer Steer, and Peasant Plow. From Foreign wrongs safe shall our Publick be, And Private Rights from Home Oppressours free: Degrees observ'd, Customs and Laws obey'd, Dues, less through Force, than Fear of Scandal, paid.

Proceed, brave Worthies then, to your Debates; Nor to Decree alone our Private Fates, But to Judge Kingdoms and Dispose of States. From You, their Rise, or Downfall, they assume, Expecting from our Capitol their Doom: You Form their Peace and War, as You approve They close in Leagues, or to fierce Battele move.

And though the Pride of France has swell'd so high A Warlike Empire's Forces to Defie, To crush th' United Lands Confed'rate Pow'r, And silence the loud Belgian Lion's Roar; Yet let their Troops in Silent Triumph come From Vanquisht Fields, and steal their Trophies Home, Take care their Cannon at Just Distance Roar, Nor with too near a Volley rouze our Shore; Lest our disdaining Islanders Advance With Courage taught long since to Conquer France, Seizing at Once their Spoils of many a Year, And Cheaply Win what they oft bought too Dear: Their late Success but juster Fear affords, For they are now grown Worthy of our Swords. Howe're