The Clock had struck twelve, old Morpheus’s Hour,
Who half the Globe over assumes his dark Pow’r,
All dismal and gloomy the Heav’ns appear’d,
And nothing but Howling of Dogs was there hear’d;
When lo, on a Sudden across Palace Yard,
A Spectre that terribly frighten’d the Guard!
Advanc’d within Reach of his Majesty’s Ear,
Who was wak’d from a Dream that his Grandsire was near.

Start not that I come, for my Bones could not lie
At Rest when the Groans of this Land pierce the Sky!
To warn you those infamous People to shun,
Who near to Destruction the Kingdom have run:
England never appear’d with a Guardian more blest,
Than when in my Grave I was first laid to Rest,
But oh! what a horrible Change has took Place!
To the Shame of the Cr[ow]n and the Nation’s Disgrace.

How dare you at Council Board cause to appear,
The Men whom you know I forbid to come near?
Why remov’d are my old steady Friends from the State,
For those whom your Subjects detestably hate?
Can they be forgotten, who would have laid down,
Their Lives in Defence of the Rights of your Crown?
Newcastle to me broken-hearted appear’d,
Or I from the Shades in this Form had not steer’d.

Is not the whole Kingdom astonish’d to find,
A Descendant from Brunswick so stubborn in Mind?
Running counter to those very Actions that gain’d,
The Love of all Hearts when your Ancestors reign’d;
A Star-Chamber Court in these Days to erect,
Is a Grievance that Britons could never expect;
But mark what I say, of the Danger beware!
For Englishmen no such Oppression will bear.

Be Cautious for Fear lest you split on that Rock,
Which brought the unfortunate Charles to the [block]
If fawning Addresses the Th[ro]ne could secure,
James the Second would never have fled from the Shore.
By marks of false Loyalty, Pomp, and Parade,
And female Advise be no longer misled;
Let the Voice of the People your Notice excite,
And make their Affection your Guardian Delight.

Your Uncle, when living, advis’d like a Friend,
For Measures that would to your Happiness tend;
Good Man, how he studied his Country’s Good,
But how little, alas! you’ve his Maxims pursu’d;
Must the Peace of the land be for ever destroy’d,
To humour the D[owage]r’s insolent Pride!
Oh George think of me, when I’m fled from this Spot,
Nor stop you your M[othe]r from following the S[co]t.

I leave you to guess what a pitiful Station,
The [king] must be in at this Expostulation!
So shock’d at sh strange and tremendous a Sight!
No Answer was made, so the Ghost took its Flight;
What Impression this Visit will have on his Mind,
To Time I must leave to be further defin’d;
Already at Court Things a Gloominess wear,
And the Q[ueen] at the Fright has Miscarried we hear.