Читать книгу Irish Wit and Humor - Unknown - Страница 8

Libertas et natale solum.

Liberty and my native country.

Libertas et natale solum;

Fine words! I wonder where you stole 'em:

Could nothing but thy chief reproach

Serve for a motto on thy coach?

But let me now the words translate:

Natale solum:—my estate:

My dear estate, how well I love it!

My tenants, if you doubt, will prove it.

They swear I am so kind and good,

I hug them till I squeeze their blood.

Libertas bears a large import:

First, how to swagger in a court;

And, secondly, to show my fury

Against an uncomplying Jury;

And, thirdly, 'tis a new invention

To favor Wood, and keep my pension:

And fourthly, 'tis to play an odd trick,

Get the Great Seal, and turn out Brod'rick.

And, fifthly, you know whom I mean,

To humble that vexatious Dean;

And, sixthly, for my soul to barter it

For fifty times its worth to Carteret.

Now since your motto thus you construe,

I must confess you've spoken once true.

Libertas et natale solum,

You had good reason when you stole 'em.