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Men lost their conscience, life, and gear,
But Charles too soon him discarded,
Yet I his kindness well rewarded;
And this I hope he'll not deny,
Since now he lives as well as I.
Fletcher, my friend, he was the first
Advocate who did insist
Against the Whigs in the king's name,
To bring-them to an open shame;
Charles my son did him instal,
To bring these rebels under thral,
Who still for covenants were pleading,
To justify their old proceeding.
He laboured very earnestly
To please his sovereign and me,
By rooting out brave Presbytery,
And planting noble Prelacy;
By shutting up in prison strong
These men who did my interest wrong,
And thristing for the blood of them
Who did my government contemn;
His malice was so set on fire
That nothing could quench his desire,
Until Argyle, mine enemy,
Was brought condignly for to die;
And Guthrie, who did me oppose,
By hanging he his days did close;
And Warriston, the worst of all,
By my friend Fletcher he did fall:
Thus wonderfully he did please me,
When of these rebels he did ease me;
For which good service he doth sit
Among the princes of my pit.
And my dear cousin, Provost Mill,
