---

“An Apologeticke ryme vindicating Dr. C. Deane of Ch. Ch.1 from the aspersion of late adulatory verses published under his name”

False on his Deanrye? false nay more, Ile lay

As many poundes, as he, or-s freinds did pay

greate Phœbus dearling2 for his dignity,

that noe such thought abusd his braine, that he

is growne in witt, as well as beard and place.

5

Hees left his boyes play: scornes to be soe base

as bow his witts to those forgotten rime,

whose often Birthes endeerd his former time

to Tapsters, Ostlers,3 and that lovely crew

of soveraigne Bacchus4 witty mates, tis true

10

his wanton youth and verse hath made them merry,

and servd to drawe downe white Canary, shery,

And by some was then deemed borne for nought

but to employ some ballad singers throate.

Those tymes are changd: hees greate, and tis the guise

15

of raysd estates, (though madd men) to grow wise:

One patents power hath changd both mind and bloud

and made him at one clapp soe greate, soe good.

Tis blame to thinke him what he was; his coates

and Cassocks5 worth hath kild his wilder oates:

20

His former toyes beleevt heel now disdayne

as much as Calvin or the Puritane.6

Sure twas some poetasters hungry braine

whose hucstering rimes prevent the famin of Spayne

In his owne gutts, who hath not what to eate

25

or weare, buts witts; theres all his cloth and meate,

Some taylour or some Fenner7 dare to lye

and clapp his name to their false poetry.

Or els perhaps twas some Satyrick quill

that whip-d and scourgd our woodstock scene,8 who still

30

beare malice in their inke: some such did doe it,

and coynd a Deanry9 to steele credit to it.

Beleeve or this or worse, but nere suppose

heele yeeld to owne such flatterys as those:

Such an extortion cannot but undoe

35

the servilst mind; to pay and flatter too.

Ist probable to thinke that ye should longe

once more to be ground Pygeons songe?

Or that he would provoke Court witts to singe

the second part of th’ bandstrings and the ringe?10

40

Or letts suppose, that he, which yet my braine

will not admitt, made tryall of that veyne

that earst his muse enricht him with, that he

once more awakd his slumbring facultye,

Yet sure he would provide his verse should be

45

perfect, and round, without all knavery:

the sacred volume11 questionlesse shoulde scape

the violence of a poeticke rape.

The nicknamd mother Zebedee12 could not

proceede from one engrafft in Levies Lott13

50

Since each abuse of scriptures purer line

gives stronger proofs of th-athist then divine

In breife, his calling, place, degree disclaime

this stupid act, this injury of fame.

Nor will I ere beleve soe rich a Spirit

55

Should raise it selfe by ballads more then meritt.

---

Source. Bodleian MS Rawl. D. 1048, fol. 53r-v

Other known sources. “Poems from a Seventeenth-Century Manuscript” 176; Bodleian MS Ashmole 36-37, fol. 155r; Bodleian MS Don. d.58, fol. 42r; Bodleian MS Malone 19, p. 30; BL Add. MS 21433, fol. 120v; BL Add. MS 25303, fol. 131r; BL Add. MS 61481, fol. 63r; Brotherton MS Lt. q. 11, no. 47; Nottingham MS Portland PW V 37, p. 319; St. John’s MS K.56, no. 65; Folger MS V.a.345, p. 133; Rosenbach MS 239/22, fol. 18v

Nv4

Quick links to other poems within this section

Select page here < N0. Introduction Ni1 You men of Britaine Ni2 A Prince out of Ni3 A Prince out of the North Ni4 If 88 be past then Nii1Some say Sir Edward Nii2 Whiles thy sonnes rash Nii3 The famous Embassador Nii4 The Belgick Frogge Nii5 When we but heare Nii6 Religion the most sacred Niii1 Why? what meanes this? Niii2 Adew deere Don Niii3 Anagram on Count Niv1 If Saints in heaven Niv2 Your bold Petition Mortalls Nv1 What suddayne change Nv2 From Englands happy Nv3 I’ve read of Ilands flotinge Nv4 False on his Deanrye? Nv5 Tell mee for gods sake Nv6 The day was turnd Nv7A Phillipp once to england Nv8 The starre that rose Nv9 Since Arthure, or his Nv10 Ilium deplores, but still Nv11Our eagle is yett flowne Nv12 Poor silly wight that Nv13 Our Prince whom we Nv14 The Prince of Wales Nv15 All the newes thats Nv16 Oh for an Ovid Nv17 The Prince is now Nv18 The fift of August Nvi1O stay your teares yow Nvi2 Contemne not Gracious Nvi3 Withold thy fiery steeds

¹   Dr. C. Deane of Ch. Ch.: Richard Corbett, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. <back>

²   greate Phœbus dearling: i.e. James’s favourite, Buckingham. The charge here is that Corbett had paid Buckingham to secure the appointment at Christ Church. <back>

³   Tapsters, Ostlers: those who draw the beer and house the horses at an inn or tavern. <back>

⁴   Bacchus: the god of wine. <back>

⁵   Cassocks: clerical vestments. <back>

⁶   disdayne...Calvin or the Puritane: Corbett was renowned for his satires on Puritans (identified here with one of the leading Reformed theologians, John Calvin). <back>

⁷   Some taylour or some Fenner: allusion to popular poets John Taylor and William Fennor. <back>

⁸   Satyrick quill...our woodstock scene: allusion to the poet of the satire “The Kinge & the court desyrous of sport” which mocked the scholars of Oxford’s attendance on James’s court at Woodstock in the summer of 1621. The last stanza of the poem mocks Corbett’s performance as a preacher before the king. <back>

⁹   coynd a Deanry: i.e. claimed the title of dean. <back>

¹⁰   th’ bandstrings and the ringe: the last stanza of “The Kinge & the court desyrous of sport” had mocked Corbett for losing his place in his sermon as he became distracted by playing with a ring, given to him by James, that he had tied in his bandstring. <back>

¹¹   sacred volume: the Bible. <back>

¹²   Nicknamd mother Zebedee: in Matthew 20-21, “the mother of Zebedee’s children” asked Christ to “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom”. Corbett alludes to this passage in his poem. <back>

¹³   Levies Lott: unclear; perhaps the place of a cleric. <back>