James Parkerson

“ I must now again speak of our good Caroline,
Who I hope is now sitting beside the Divine;
And guiltless I trust to her God she’ll appear:
Have a trial much better than granted her here.
There the crimes of the wicked are fully display’d,
There Justice and Mercy are lively array’d.
The wicked no longer can harrass her mind;
To injure the Queen they were always inclin’d.
May troubles of all sorts annoy each vile heart,
Till life is extinguished, from them ne’er depart;
May they live upon spleen, exist upon pain,
Till a trial above shall renew them again ”

“ Too much her dictates you obey,
The prudent must you blame.
A married woman never can,
Meet in a secret place;
An artful gay and single man,
And not incur disgrace.
p. 26Censure you long have borne it’s true,
At that you can’t complain;
That fiend will harass you anew,
If you transgress again.
Ne’er listen to each tale of love,
The Siren fain would tell;
Chaste to your husband ever prove,
Lothario bid farewell.
Tho’ guilt is vanished from the eye,
Of mortals here below;
A God above can all descry,
Our secret thoughts he know. ”

“ Least he after marriage find times go hard,
The worst of all troubles in this fleeting life,
Is what many know, an extravagant wife.
Too many are ruined by allowing I say
Extravagant ladies too much for to sway;
Curb her desires—if to folly is prone;
If prudent, give way, and let her alone.
To please and be pleas’d take pains and delight,
A delicate converse the ladies invite;
They’ll listen with pleasure to what you may say;
If rough and uncouth go from you away.
Lord Chesterfield well the young farmer should read
If he means with the ladies at times to succeed. ”

“ You’ve brought on Stella, to the end of life,
And robs her all the comforts of a wife.
Abandon’d man you must atone for all,
Ere life is o’er on God for mercy call.
p. 4Your mind is harass’d by reflection’s gale,
That oft to you its bitterness exhale:
Tempted by folly every scene pursue,
That dissipation can expose to view.
The softer pleasures that enrich the mind,
That learning dictates, from you lag behind;
Its cruel sport that bears a sov’reign sway,
To them and such like them you waste the day.
Know, Sir, that wealth an’t given to us here,
To bring to infamy the British fair. ”

“ Those that repent he will not cast away;
A sigh or tear cannot that boon impart,
It must be fervent from the head and heart:
Thro’ Jesus’ aid vile sinners doth he save,
If true repentants, ere they meet the grave.
Each wish’d they could recal, the time that’s past,
And they would live as if each day the last:
Just before death, they pray’d me to implore,
An erring mortal to transgress no more ”

“ Tho’ surrounded by those that are foes to the State,
Undaunted and fearless he dares to relate,
Whatever he views to promote a reform;
I hope he’ll be able to weather the storm.
He is fit for a pilot, old England to steer,
When troubles annoy us or danger is near;
By prudence directed a vessel is found
To arrive at her port without getting aground.
As matters are managed we founder or sink,
Unless the times alter, most people now think.
If a farmer can’t live, can a tradesman do well? ”

“ If ever a Queen was deserving that station,
It was good Caroline the pride of the nation.
The time will soon come when all things will change,
The minions of minions will be forc’d for to range
From stations they hold and from stations they fill:
It’s good for the country they should not have their will.
May the wings of bright liberty ne’er one feather loose—
May freemen be freemen, and proper men choose
To fill up such places as may be to fill;
For corruption you see is now down on the hill. ”

“ Meekness thro’ life had mark’d her for her care,
While resignation claim’d her for her own;
Sometimes her mind wou’d cheerful still appear,
And strive to stifle pain’s afflicting groan.
Oh God! she cried, thy mercy let me crave,
Till life’s short span is taken quite away ”

“ Well may Brittons mourn, for tho’ in high station,
To enliven fair Commerce was always her care,
Her loss will be felt a long time by the Nation;
And sincere is the tear that is shed o’er her Bier.
Her donations were such as noted the sorrow,
She felt for the poor that were heard in distress;
And used for to say, I’ll assist them to morrow,
And try all my aid many cares to make less.
To England she’s left an example for others,
Which I hope will be copied till time is no more;
May all foreign nations, regard us as brothers,
And a free commerce gladden old Albion’s Shore. ”

“ That Vince’s good friends may have something that’s rare;
Another thing early the Ladies to please,
He grows in the garden the sweetest of peas,
And if in the spring there are nice cooling showers,
The same time will send them the choisest of flowers,
The garden most people from Norwich invite,
As that is his pride and daily delight;
There are seats and good harbours your time to invite,
When smoaking your pipe to afford you delight,
The house tho’ not gaudy is always kept clean,
Or at least I do say as mostly is seen ”

“ I shall thro’ life her absence oft deplore,
Till recollection from my memory flies.
The humble cottagers their Mistress bore,
To her cold home each face bedew’d with tears;
She to her mansion to return no more,
For death has silenc’d all her hopes and fears.
Oh! had you seen my good and worthy sire,
In sorrow’s garment his last duty pay;
To her whose virtues did esteem acquire,
Or ease the troubles of a luckless day.
Two sorrowing sons increas’d the gloomy day,
Who will while life remain her loss deplore ”

“ When found out disgrace the name of man;
Let those who steal, repent and sin no more,
Ere Law decrees, it’s vengeance on them pour:
From trifling things, we greater ills pursue,
Till the Law’s fangs are brought within our view ”

“ To serve them at all times no one could strive more.
In all parish concerns he was found to be just,
And ne’er was the man that dishonoured his trust,
May the Angel that note all our errors above,
Blot out our lov’d friends thro’ angelical love:
May his spirit be numbered with those of the blest,
The moment grim death planted darts in his breast.
May his Children be strangers to every strife,
That too frequent attend many mortals thro’ life ”

“ To take a few bottles of Vince’s port wine;
The flavour was such they could not refrain,
To fill up a bumper again and again.
I found these good fellows are men of sense,
That to learning and knowledge may lay a pretence;
Most of these gentlemen always can find,
A stranger’s good converse to cherish the mind. ”

“ Our burthens and troubles we could soon subdue:
Their conduct is such no mortal can praise:—
Oh, how I should like to be at their dole days.
Suppose I’d a right sir, at such times to be there,
I dare say a large sum would come to my share;
Enough in one day to end care and strife,
Or plenty to last me all days of my life.
When one takes ten thousand another takes more,
No wonder Great Britain is now become poor. ”

“ More colours are struck and the reat in dismay.
Now Britons again feel a painful sensation,
For the loss of a Princess, beloved by us all;
There ne’er was a Lady fill’d better her station;
Yet Grim Death with his mandate alike strikes the ball.
Neither Princes, or Kings, can induce him to tarry,
Away from the object he’s order’d to strike;
To the aged, or young, to the giddy, or merry.
He darts out his arrows and wounds them alike. ”

“ His wife and poor children are shedding those tears
That flows from sincerity’s bosom of grief,
Scarce can old time give a lapse from relief.
The widow to ease or the orphan protect,
He would never a minute in friendship neglect;
Sometimes ungrateful they each of them prov’d,
At tales of affliction his bosom was moved.
How cheerful he’d set tho’ hard blew the gale,
Amusing his friends with a voyager’s tale.
Ill nature did never his features deform,
His hopes were thro’ life to weather the storm. ”

“ Who will all mortals faults descry;
Should he no mercy to them show,
And send the men of prayers below,
Where Satan dwells and where he reigns,
To plant on sinners chains and pains;
p. 7With man let mercy constant rest,
For ever in the mind and breast.
Mercy I fear they never knew,
Or if they did it from them flew;
For virtue only can be found,
Where hearts are good minds are sound;
Humanity few e’er possess’d,
They cannot keep it in their breast.
No, arrogance and pride there dwell,
The poor around all know it well ”

“ Will all the arts of man descry:
Admit you didn’t your game obtain,
Did you from wicked thoughts abstain?
While ranging o’er the shady grove,
Doubtless you thought of nought but love;
p. 22The prying eye of searching man,
Foil’d in its bud your artful plan.
The education of this age,
Makes fit the wanton to engage;
On lavities unblushing plan,
With many a vile unthinking man.
Wealth may a short time foibles blind,
But, does it ease the guilty mind? ”

“ The lovely maidens feel extreme distress;
No lover then to sooth the drooping eye,
When poverty is seen from them they fly:
Unfit to baffle with the frowns of life,
And greatly more so for to be a wife. ”

“ I’ll prove protector, guardian, and a friend.
The converse delicate, the smile sincere,
Will check the sigh, and stop the rising tear;
Cheerful as formerly we’ll pass our life,
A happy husband I, and you the wife.
Kitton, Printer, Norwich. ”

“ And to add to fresh troubles and harrass his mind,
Our immaculate ministers seem not inclin’d,
To lessen those burthens he never would know,
If corruption had met sir its fatal death blow,
E’er the war had begun, a war to their shame;
Those who think on past times can only them blame. ”

“ Each turnkey is a civil man,
And will oblige you if they can;
Yet faithful to their trust they are,
And will do nothing that’s unfair.
On City prison now I dwell,
The captives like their keeper well;
They say he’s kind to every man,
And ease their troubles all he can.
p. 10to the memory
of an
AFFECTIONATE PARENT. My pen cannot describe or tears convey,
The pangs I felt when late I bad farewell;
I view’d in death’s embrace a parent lay,
And heard the passing of the mournful bell.
Nine month’s disease its ravages had made,
E’er death reliev’d her from all sufferings here ”

“ Were the army dismiss’d and to live on half pay.
Why the son of a lord or a country ’squire,
Must then from his wine and his lasses retire;
There is many a youngster would soon be undone,
And the reputed father must keep his own son. ”

“ She e’er a faithful, virtuous wife did prove.
Was she too gay in dress to please your mind,
That you to her so long have been unkind?
Did she too much in company appear?
She scarcely did that twice or thrice a year.
I’m told you say her manners were too high:
’Twas you who view’d her with a scornful eye;
And that because she’d little store of wealth,
Which still was lessen’d to improve her health.
p. 9Say, should the want of wealth produce such strife,
When virtue only guided her through life? ”

“ Views and admires, then chat in lively strain;
Of natures produce till his business call
Him from such pleasing sights to pace the hall;
Soon as he sees his merchant at his stand,
He shows the produce of his fertile land;
I’ll give you such a price the merchant say,
A higher bidder you’ll not find this day.
p. 8But ere the farmer quits the hill he view,
All other stock to find out something new;
A thought then strikes him as the season’s fine,
I’ll buy a few score sheep before I dine;
Into the pens he hies, the bargain struck,
The jobber takes his cash, wish him good luck. ”