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.
Nv5 Tell mee for gods sake Christs Church what you meane
Notes. This riposte to Richard Corbett’s poem “I’ve read of Ilands flotinge and removed” was less well known than “False on his Deanery: false, nay more, I’le say”, but it merits attention not only for its attack on Corbett’s sycophancy towards the royal favourite, but also for its wittily “Catholic” perspective.
“An other by a Catholique gentleman”
Tell mee for Gods sake Christchurch1 what you meane
to countenance such a mad, vayneglorious deane,
If’s not enough you knowe him proud, deboyst2
a Parasite3 a Cicophant, a foyst4
Unlearned uncivill, unchast, unholye?
5but must both Rome and Spaine witnesse his folly?
what will they thinke of other mens devotion
when deanes dare thus profane to gett promotion
will they not thinke well of our Churches head5
when forth the bodie such ill humours spread?
10will they not blesse them selves for being devided
from our Christchurch if Christchurch be so guided?6
If Christchurch gave noe better pastor, sure
the flocke must needs bee mangey, lowsey, poore.
Well lett thy god the Duke7 rayse the for this worke
15and ere I’le be a protestant, Ile turne Turke.
Source. BL Add. MS 61481, fol. 64r
Other known sources. NCRO MS IL 4278
Nv5
1 Christchurch: Corbett was Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. <back>
3 Parasite: common term for those (often courtiers) who feed upon the common weal for their private benefit. <back>
5 our Churches head: the monarch—here James I—was head of the Church of England. <back>
6 from our Christchurch...guided: punning on the Church of England (“our Christchurch”) and Christ Church in Oxford. <back>
7 thy God the Duke: George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, the royal favourite and Corbett’s patron. <back>
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