"Upon the Double Murder of King Charles I"
author: Katherine Philips
source date: 1667
language: en
availability: Published by Literature in Context under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Upon the double Murder of K. CHARLES I. [Charles I was beheaded on January 30th, 1649.] in Answer to a Libellous Copy of Rimes made by Vavasor Powell [Vavasor Powell was a nonconformist Puritan preacher who published poetry in praise of the execution of Charles I. Philips wrote in respond to Powell's poem.]

I think not on the State, nor am concern’d
Which way soever the great Helm is turn'd
But as that son whose father's dangers nigh
Did force his native dumbness, and untie
The fetter'd [Shackled or chained (Oxford English Dictionary).] organs; so here's a fair cause
That will excuse the breach of Nature's laws.
Silence were now a sin, nay Passion now
Wise men themselves for Merit would allow.
What noble eye could see (and careless pass)
The dying Lion kick'd by every Ass [Philips is referencing an Aesop fable in which a dying lion is attacked by several animals seeking their revenge on him. After being kicked by an ass, the lion declares: "this is a double death."]?
Has Charles so broke God's Laws, he must not have
A quiet Crown, nor yet a quiet Grave?
Tombs have been Sanctuaries; Thieves lie there
Secure from all their penalty and fear.
Great Charleshis double misery was this,
Unfaithful Friends, ignoble Enemies.
Had any Heathen been this Prince's foe,
He would have wept to see him injur'd so.
His Title was his Crime, they'd reason good
To quarrel at the Right they had withstood.
He broke God's Laws, and therefore he must die;
And what shall then become of thee and I?
Slander must follow Treason; but yet stay,
Take not our Reason with our King away.
Though you have seiz'd upon all our defence,
Yet do not sequester [To confiscate or take forcibly (Oxford English Dictionary).] our common Sense.
But I admire not at this new supply:
No bounds will hold those who at Sceptres fly.
Christ will be King, but I ne're understood
His Subjects built his Kingdom up with blood,
Except their own; or that he would dispence
Oh! to what height of horrour are they come
Who dare pull down a Crown, tear up a Tomb!