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<DATE>2014-08-04</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140634.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B43673">
<STC T="W">P2670A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">489260623</BIBNO>
<VID>208673</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="1">
<PB N="1" REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>A POEM, Compo&s;ed by a GENTLEMAN in PRISON AND IN IRONS.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>BAT on proud Billows <HI>Boreas</HI> blow,</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">well curled Waves hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span"></L>
<L>Your Incivility doth &s;how,</L>
<L>That <HI>Innocence</HI> is <HI>Tempe&s;t</HI> Proof.</L>
<L>Tho' &s;urly <HI>Nereus</HI> frown, my Thoughts are calm;</L>
<L>Then &s;trike <HI>Affliction,</HI> for thy Wounds are <HI>Balm.</HI></L>
</LG>
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<LG>
<L>That which the World calls a <HI>Jail,</HI></L>
<L>A private Clo&s;et is to me,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t a <HI>good Con&s;cience</HI> is my Bail,</L>
<L>And <HI>Innocence</HI> my Liberty:</L>
<L>Locks, Bars, and Solitude together met,</L>
<L>Make me no Pris'ner, but an <HI>Anchorite.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I, whil&s;t I wi&s;h'd to be Retir'd,</L>
<L>Into this private Room was turn'd,</L>
<L>As if their <HI>Wi&s;doms</HI> had con&s;pir'd</L>
<L>The SALAMANDER &s;hould be burn'd;</L>
<L>But had they known how I enjoyed Me,</L>
<L>Prompt, by malicious Spite, they'd &s;et me free.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The CYNICK hugs his <HI>Poverty,</HI></L>
<L>The PE<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">CAN her <HI>Wilderne&s;s</HI></L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 line"></L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 line"></L>
<L><HI>Conten<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"> STOCKS, we <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> </L>
<L>Make Torments ea&s;y to their <HI>Apathie.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The&s;e <HI>Manacles</HI> upon my Arm</L>
<L>I as my Mi&s;tre&s;s Favours wear,</L>
<L>And then to keep my Ancles warm</L>
<L>I have &s;ome <HI>Iron Shackles</HI> there.</L>
<L>The&s;e Walls are but my Pri&s;on, and this Cell,</L>
<L>Which Men call <HI>Jail,</HI> does prove my Cittadel.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>So he that &s;truck at <HI>Ja&s;on</HI>'s Life,</L>
<L>Thinking he had his Purpo&s;e &s;ure,</L>
<L>By a malicious friendly Knife</L>
<L>Did only wound him to a Cure.</L>
<L><HI>Malice,</HI> I &s;ee, wants Wit; for what is meant</L>
<L><HI>Mi&s;chief,</HI> ofttimes proves Favour by th'Event.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="3" REF="3">
<LG>
<L>I'm in this Cabinet lock'd up,</L>
<L>Like &s;ome high prized <HI>Margarite;</HI></L>
<L>Or, like &s;ome great <HI>Mogul</HI> or <HI>Pope,</HI></L>
<L>Am Cloy&s;ter'd up from vulgar Sight.</L>
<L>Retirement is a Piece of Maje&s;ty,</L>
<L>And thus, proud <HI>Sultan,</HI> I'm as great as Thee.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Here Sin, for want of Food, mu&s;t &s;tarve,</L>
<L>Where tempting Objects are not &s;een,</L>
<L>And tho&s;e &s;trong Walls do only &s;erve</L>
<L>To keep Vice out, and keep me in.</L>
<L><HI>Malice</HI> of late's grown charitable &s;ure,</L>
<L>I'm not <HI>committed,</HI> but I'm kept &s;ecure.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>When once my PRINCE Affliction hath,</L>
<L><HI>Pro&s;perity</HI> doth <HI>Trea&s;on</HI> &s;eem,</L>
<L>And to make &s;mooth &s;o rough a Path,</L>
<L>I can learn <HI>Patience</HI> now from him:</L>
<L>For, not to &s;uffer, &s;hews no Loyal Heart;</L>
<L>When <HI>Kings</HI> want Ea&s;e, <HI>Subjects</HI> &s;hould bear a Part.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Have ye not &s;een the <HI>Nightingale,</HI></L>
<L>A Pilgrim coop't up in a Cage,</L>
<L>How &s;he doth chant her wonted Tale</L>
<L>How &s;he her narrow Hermitage?</L>
<L>Ev'n then, her charming Melody doth prove,</L>
<L>That all her Boughs are Trees, her Cage a Grove.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>My Soul is free as ambient Air,</L>
<L>Altho' my ba&s;er Parts immur'd,</L>
<L>While Loyal Thoughts do &s;till repair</L>
<L>T' accompany my Solitude:</L>
<L>And tho' immur'd, yet I can chirp and &s;ing</L>
<L>Di&s;grace to <HI>Rebels,</HI> Glory to my KING.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="4" REF="4" MS="y">
<LG>
<L>What tho' I cannot &s;ee my KING</L>
<L>Nor in His Per&s;on, nor His Coin,</L>
<L>Yet <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">plation is a Thing</L>
<L>That renders, what I have not, Mine.</L>
<L>My KING from me, what Adamant can part,</L>
<L>Whom I do wear engraven on my Heart.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I am that Bird whom they combine</L>
<L>Thus to deprive of Liberty,</L>
<L>But tho' they do my <HI>Ca&s;e</HI> confine,</L>
<L>yet, maugre Spite, my Soul is free:</L>
<L>Altho' <HI>Rebellion</HI> do my Body bind,</L>
<L>My KING can only captivate my Mind.</L>
</LG>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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