Directions to a painter for describing our naval business in imitation of Mr. Waller / being the last works of Sir Iohn Denham ; whereunto is annexed, Clarindons house-warming, by an unknown author.

DIRECTIONS TO A PAINTER.

By Sir JOHN DENHAM.

DRaw England ruin'd by what was giv'n be∣fore, Then draw the Commons slow in giving more: Too late grown wiser, they their treasure see Consum'd by fraud, or lost by treachery; And vainly now would some account receive Of those vast sums which they so idly gave, And trusted to the management of such As Dunkirk sold, to make War with the Dutch; Dunkirk, de••ign'd once to a Nobler Use, Than to erect a party Lawyers House.

But what account could they from t••ose expect, Who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 grow rich themselves, the State neglect: Men who in England have no other Lot, Than what they by betraying it have got; Who can pretend to nothing but Disgrace, VVhere either Birth or Merit find a place. Plague, Fire and VVar, have been the Nations curse, But to have these our Rulers, is a worse: Yet draw these Ca••sers of the Kingdoms wo, Still urging dangers from our growing Foe, Asking new Aid for VVar with the same face, As if, when giv'n, they meant not to make Peace. Mean while they cheat the Publick with such haste, They will have nothing that may ease it, past. The Law 'gainst Irish Cattel they condemn, As shewing distrust o'th King, that is, of them. Yet they must now swallow this bitter P••ll, Or Money want, which were the greater ill. And then the King to Westminster is brought, Imperfectly to speak the Chanc'lors thought; In which, as if no Age could parallel A Prince and Council that had rul'd so well, He tells the Parliament He cannot brook VVhat ••re in them like Jealousie doth look: Adds, That no Grieva••ces the Nation load, While we're undone at home, despis'd abroad. Thus past the Irish, wi••h the Money-Bill, The first not half to good, as th•• other ill. With these new Millions might we not expect Our Foes to vanquish, or our selves protect, If not to beat them off usurped Seas, At least to force an honourable Peace? But though the angry fa••e, or folly rather, Of our pe••verted State, al••ew us ••ei••her;

Could we hope less than to defend our Shores, Than guard our Harbours, Forts, our Ships & Stores? We hop'd in vain: Of these, remaining are, Not what we sav'd, but what the Dutch did spare. Such was our Rulers generous stratagem; A policy worthy of none but them. After two Millions more laid on the Nation, The Parliament grows ripe for Prorogation: They rise, and now a Treaty is confest, ••Gainst which before these State-Cheats did protest: A Treaty which too well makes it appear, Theirs▪ not the Kingdom's Intrest, is their care. 〈…〉〈…〉tatesmen of old, thought Arms the way to Peace; 〈…〉〈…〉 thread-bare Policies as these: 〈…〉〈…〉 for the State's defence, They 〈◊〉〈◊〉 too little for their own expence: Or if 〈…〉〈…〉 they any thing can spare, It is to bu•• Peace, not maintain a War▪ For which gre•••• work Embassadors must go With b••re submissions to our arming foe: Thus leaving a defenceles•• State behind, Vast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 preparing by the Belgians find; Against whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what can us defend, Whilst our great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 here depend Upon the Dutch good Nature: For when Peace (Say they) is making▪ Acts of War must cease. Thus were we by the name of Truce betray'd, Though by the Dutch nothing like it was made. Here, P••inter, let thine Art describe a story Shaming our warlike Islands ••ntient Glory: A scene which never on our Seas appear'd, Since o••r fi••st ships were on the Ocean steerd; Make the Du••ch Fleet, while we supinely sleep, VVi••hout Opposers, Masters of the Deep:

Make them securely the Thames mouth invade, At once depriving us of that and Trade: Draw Thunder from their floating Castles, sent Against our Forts, weak as our Government: Draw Wollage, Deptford, London, and the Tower, Meanly abandon'd to a forreign Power. Yet turn their first attempt another way, And let their Cannons upon Sheerness play; Which soon destroy'd, their lofty Vessels ride Big with the hope of the approaching Tide: Make them more help from our Remisness find, Than from the Tide, or from the Eastern wimd. Their Canvas swelling with a prosp'rous gale, Swift as our fears make them to Chattam sail: Through our weak Chain their Fireships break their way, And our Great Ships (unman'd) become their prey: Then draw the fruit of our ill-manag`d cost, At once our Honour and our Safety lost: Bury those Bulwarks of our Isle in smoak, While their thick flames the neighb'ring Country choak. The Charles escapes the raging Element, To be with triumph into Holland sent; Where the glad People to the shore resort, To see their Terror now become their Sport▪ But Painter, fill not up thy Piece before Thou paint'st Confusion on our troubled shore: Instruct then thy bold Pencil to relate The saddest Marks of an ill-govern'd State. Draw th' injur'd Seamen deaf to all command, While some with horror and amazement stand: Others will know no Enemy but they Who have unjustly robb'd them of their pay: Boldly refusing to oppose a fire, To kindle which our Errors did conspire:

Some (though but few) perswaded to obey, Use••ess for want of ammunition stay: The Forts design'd to guard our ships of War, Void both of Powder and of Bullets are: And what past Reigns in peace did ne'er omit, The present (whilst invaded) doth forget. Surpassing Chattam, make Whitehall appear, If not in danger, yet at least in fear. Make our dejection (if thou canst) seem more Than our pride, sloth, and ign'rance did before: The King, of danger now shews far more fear, Than he did ever to prevent it, care: Yet to the City doth himself convey, Bravely to shew he was not R••n away: Whilst the Black Prince, and our Fifth Harry's Wars, Are onely acted on our Theatres: Our States-Men finding no expedient, (If fear of danger) but a Parliament, Twice would avoid, by clapping up a Peace; The Cure's to them as bad as the Disease: But Painter, end not, till it does appear Which most, the Dutch or Parliament they fear.

As Nero once, with Harp in Hand, survey'd His flaming Rome; and as that burnt, he plaid: So our Great Prince, when the Dutch Fleet arriv'd, Saw his ships burnt; and as they burnt, he —