A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.
Pii6 The Duke is dead, and wee are ridd of strife
Notes. This remarkable poem offers a legalistic and a providential defence of the assassination, and concludes with the stunning and rarely voiced claim that not only an individual king, but also monarchy itself, is subject to divine justice. Holstun (179-181) offers an important extended analysis.
“Upon the Dukes Death”
The Duke is dead, and wee are ridd of strife,
By Feltons hand, that tooke away his life.
Whether that Fact were lawfull or unjust,
In two short Arguments may bee discust:
One: Though the Duke were one whom all did hate,
5Being suppos’d a Greivance to the State,
Yet hee a subject was, And thence wee draw
This Argument, Hee ought to die by Law.
Another: Were hee Traytor most apparant,
Yet hee that killd him had noe lawfull warrant,
10But as a Murtherer hee did it act,
And ought himself to die for such a Fact.
These bee the Arguments, than which shall need
Noe more to prove it an unlawfull deed.
Now, for an Answere, justly is objected,
15When Law was offer’d, it was then neglected:
For when the Commons did, with just intent
Pursue his Faults in open Parliament,1
The highest Court of Justice, soe supreame
That it hath censur’d Monarches of the Realme,
20There might his Grace have had a legall triall,
Had hee not it oppos’d with strong deniall.
But hee then scorn’d, and proudly sett at nought
The howse, and those that him in question brought.
Therefore when Law nor Justice takes noe place,
25Some desperate course must serve in such a case.
A rotten Member,2 that can have noe cure,
Must bee cutt off to save the body sure:
Soe was the Duke: For when he did withstand
The auntient course of Justice of this land,
30Thinking all meanes too weake to cast him downe,
Being held up by him that weares the crowne;
Even then, when least hee did expect, or know,
By Felton’s hand God wrought his overthrowe.
What shall wee say? Was it Gods will or noe,
35That one sinner should kill another soe?
I dare not judge; yet it appeares sometime
God makes one sinner ’venge anothers crime,
That whenas Justice can noe hold-fast take,
Each others ruyne they themselves should make.
40But howsoe’re it is, the case is plaine,
Gods hand was in’t, and the Duke striv’d in vaine:
For what the Parliament did faile to doe,
God did both purpose and performe it too.
Hee would noe threatnings or affronts receive,
45Nor noe deepe Pollicies could him deceive,
But when his sinne was ripe, it then must downe
Gods Siccle spares not either King or Crowne.
Source. BL MS Sloane 826, fols. 189r-190r
Pii6
1 For when the Commons...open Parliament: allusion to the attempt by the 1626 Parliament to impeach Buckingham. <back>
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