(1869) The Royal Decrees Of Scanderoon

J

LIBIiARY OF CLXdliESS.

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#

V7 /.f.=M

IJUMTED

STATl<:S

S&5

OF AMERICA.

GOVERNMENT.

^*e-

y THE ROYAL

733/

DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR

To THE Sachems

of Tammany, and to the other

Grand Ma&norums of Manhattan.

WiU

;

a.>vL

liusseUs' American Steam Trinting House, 28, 30, 32

pENTRE ^TREET. 1869-

.685

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869,

By LOUIS

S.

EOBBINS,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the

Southern District of

New

York.

^ CANDEROON I.

m

|NE of

the kings of Scanderoon,

Moses and David

rolled in one,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon,

Was

Hullaballoon.

Scanderoon

is

But an island

And

A

city,

born of the

sea,

clasped in the wide arms of rivers three

city with

And many And

not in the moon.

a

many

a street

and wall,

palace and temple

thronging thousands,

tall.

who buy and

sell

In the marts of the city they love so well.

Thronging thousands, of every race.

;

The Of every

(Decrees of Scanderoon, and form and

lingo

face.

In the sea-born city have found a place.

And

deem

of them

all

That Heaven

has sent

it

their hfe's best

them

the rule, from June

Under

Scanderoon,

to

till

boon

June,

Of Hullaballoon, Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon.

Mild

And

is

the sceptre above

held.

never, by evil hearts impelled.

Have

the loyal multitudes rebelled

now and

But,

them

then, as he

sits

;

in state.

In the shade of his golden palace gate.

Before the monarch his people wait.

To

ask of his

And

for help

bounty the things they need, of his wonderful wisdom plead.

Dreamers and

fools there of course will be

In such a city, born of the sea.

And

they mutter their dreams as they walk their ways,

And

they bother the king on his '-ouncil days.

Ever he

And

listens

with gracious ear.

his subjects

bore him without a

fear.

The

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Bringing, with never a stay or stint.

The

queer, crude things which they talk or print.

Ever he

listens,

with half-shut eyes

The wonderful monarch, As

A

if

the dreamers

flaw in the

Every question he

And

To

wise

listen

and

work of

so

fools

—

good and wise could find

his kingly

mind.

solves with ease.

men come from beyond and marvel

the seas

at his decrees.

—

^

II.

OW,

on one of the council days.

The iiy To

dreamers came

from

in

their

dreamy wnys

bother the king, as he sat in state

In the shade of his golden palace gate.

"Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We

thy people

All of our lives

But

for

demand

would be

one grievance,

All the tribes from

Come

!

perfect bliss

for instance this

beyond the

seas

as

long

as

desire

them

they will

to

keep away,

we would have them

But know, oh monarch, so wise and

That we deem

To

:

to our city just as they please.

Nor would wc

And

boon

a

it

hard,

stay.

great.

when we come and

speak with our king in his palace gate.

wait

The To

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

find that his councillors of state,

The grand magnorums who round him Are

all

And

On

from some

the thing us

a diiferent

And among The

a thing,

foreign land.

oh king, that sours

to find that the city

all,

Speak in

is

away

far

our

Men who

tongue from ours.

own

ancestral towers

From

the sea has washed ashore

never were washed before

And we deem

that

now and

then a boon

the royal glory of Scanderoon

Should descend on one of the

Happened

To

this side

not that

all

men whose

of thy

gifts

should be

came from beyond the

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king in council deep.

Until, with a

He opened

**

wag of his mighty head.

his lips

Dreamers and

birth

of the rolling earth.

the driftwood that

With

powers

royal favors descend in showers

On men whom

And

stand,

and answering

fools,

the thing

is

said

so.

:

sea.

;

The

8 And

My

:

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

thing of evil

a

——

— ——

it is,

I

know

grand magnorums ought not to be

Of the

people

who come from beyond

the sea

People of every realm and race

And

of every lingo and form and face

But of them who from youth to age have grown In this island city,

and them alone.

Sour not, therefore, but

And

live at ease.

listen well to the king's decrees

Because

it is

not right that they.

Who

drift in

Some

in the night

Some

in the sunshine

Some

from the hovels and

Should

Or

sit

on us from

far

and some

away in the day.

and some

in the halls

in the gales,

some from the

of the king in

with him stand in his palace gate.

Therefore, from henceforth forevermore

The

thing shall go on as

And

every

man who

it

jails

state,

did before.

shall drift ashore

Come

he from hovel, or hole, or

Come

he in sunshine, or calm, or gale—

jail.

The

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Shall straightway be girt with

Whether

To

my

robe of power,

the girding be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree and boon.

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

from June

ruler

till

June,

Hullaballoon —

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back

to their several

Proud of

their king

works and ways.

and

his council days.

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad

fools,

each one to his bent.

that their island city alone

Could

call

such a ruler

all its

own.

;

III.

'^ ET

again from their

On

one of the great king's council days.

When,

He

dreamy ways.

sat in the

in all the pride

The

To **

his

pomp and

shade of his palace gate,

While the grand magnorums Hardly

of

lifted their

that stood around

eyes from the ground,

dreamers and fools

a

complaint must bring

bother the peace of the wonderful king.

Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

All of our lives

But

for

one

We

are of

With

would be

a

boon

!

perfect bliss

grievance, for instance, this

many

As each one

demand

faiths

and creeds.

thinks, or as each

different hearts

•

we

one needs

kneel or

bow

state,

The

(Decrees of Scanderoon,

Before the altars which

we endow;

With

we breathe

different tongues

Though we deem

And we

same

that the

claim that

in prayer.

God

hears U3 there.

should be.

all alike

In the sight of our monarch, equal and free

But the great magnorums that round you stand.

And

speak in your ears, on either hand.

The

purses of all

To

make out

Men whom we And

On

the thing

do not hanker

is

a thing,

to build

Of one The

To

oh

creed—

to feed

king, that sours

us all, to find that the city powers,

The work we do and

Go

to bleed

fatten the priests of a single

the cash

we

pay.

up the growing towers

faith only,

and

all

one way;

great king's favors descend in showers

foster a different creed

With

from ours."

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king, in council deep.

Until, with a

He opened

wag of his mighty head.

his lips

and answering

said

\

12

The

1^ *'

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Dreamers and

And

fools, the

of evil

a thing

it is,

For the wealth of the

But

is

so.

know; ought not to feed

the grasping greed

one particular creed.

all alike

Or none Or

thing

I

city

The hungry maw and

Of any

at

should share and share. all

—which would be

better, perhaps, for the purse

as fair.

of the king

And

ye do right your complaint to bring

And

the great

Have shamed

magnorums their

that

the land.

Hsten well to the king's decrees

free.

the gifts of the king should equal be.

In case he should give of his

Or

stand

live at ease.

Because religion should aye be

And

me

round

monarch and wronged

Sour not, therefore, but

And

—

;

:

own

sweet

should button his purse, which

is

will.

better

still.

Therefore, henceforth and forevermore

The

thing shall be as

And

the great

it

was before.

magnorums, young or

old.

Shall be free to lavish the public gold

To

build the towers and feed the priests.

i

SCANDEROON VOTING.

TJic (Decrees of Scanderoon. Whether

Of one

My

in public or private feasts.

only

faith

royal bounty, this course ensures

The growth

And

of a different creed from yours;

wax

that shall

Whether

To

and while endures

;

in its

pomp and power.

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

and boon.

ruler

from June

till

June,

Hullaballoon

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back

to their several

Proud of

their king

works and ways.

and

his council days.

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad

Could

fools,

each one to

his bent.

that their island city alone call

such a ruler

all its

own.

i^

——

IV. ET On

:

one of the great king's council days,

While he

,

dreamy ways,

again, from their

pride of his

sat in the

pomp and

In the shade of his golden palace gate

While In

his great

magnorums,

The dreamers and

fools

To

—

**

a

mighty crowd.

awe and wonder around him bowed

bother the king

made another

complaint.

that royal saint.

Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

All of our lives

But

for

Under

demand

a

boon

would be perfect

one grievance,

!

bliss

for instance, this

thy hand, in the city wide.

Between the

rivers

on either

side.

All the buildings that gather so thick.

Whether of stone

or of

wood

or of brick.

:

state

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

'The

you go.

as the earth beneath them, deep

And

Belong to the people,

And

days. bring to tjie_king, on his council

And we

of

the.

With many

gold which

a tug

glad are

As he

we

gather by

and with many

we when

thrift.

a shift.

lift—

a regular

And, now and then, by

And

know—

them we ply our works and ways.

in

Much

you

as well

the good king smiles,

takes a look at his

growing

piles;

the keys But the grand magnorums, who keep

Of the With

public treasure, do as they please

we

the gold

gather with thrift and care.

And none who pay

it

may hope

In the good king's bounty

To

we bend our backs

every load of excise and tax. the while

And

all

The

foul desires

Of a

set

A

:

for a share

we know

that

it

feeds

and the slimy needs

of paupers,

who never pay

by day, cent to the king, but who, day

Fill their

Aided by

And

On

pockets and empty ours. all

the royal powers

the thing the

is

mind of

a thing,

oh king, that sours

the people,

and

so

we beg

15

:

The

i6

That

And Or

(decrees of Scanderoon.

may

the boot

may

the king

see

it

With

leg.

either keep his gold.

into the river rolled.

But not poured out, For the

be put on the other

good king

if the

please.

of kites from beyond the seas."

lust

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king, in council deep,

Until, with a

He opened

*'

wag of

his lips

Dreamers and

And

a thing

The pubhc The

To

spoil

mighty head.

and answering

thing

fools, the

of evil

it is,

I

is

said

so.

know;

of paupers, nor scattered

free.

pamper the pride

grand magnorums

who

wait beside

and the men who pay

The

king in state

The

royal taxes should have their say

As

to

how

:

treasure ought not to be

feed the lust or

Of the

his

the

;

money

is

spent, and

where

Shall be squandered the fruit of their thrift

Sour not, therefore, but be

And

at ease.

listen well to the king's decrees

and

care.

The Because

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

wrong

it is

Of those who

that the bending backs

labor and pay the tax

Should be burdened so heavily,

Who

all for

neither can pay nor would,

If they could

Every

I

those

suppose.

— and who meanly and

daintily shirk

species of thrift or work, t

Therefore, henceforth and forevermore

The

thing shall be as

And

ye shall double and treble pay.

And

heavier yet in every

Shall the

The

burden grow,

palaces proud

Whether of stone That over

Have

The

all

king, as

To

one and

and the temples

or of

all

wood

all.

tall.

or of brick.

of them ought to be.

been

lifted,

hand over hand.

magnorams

with the houses

Whether

till,

the city are built so thick.

the great

And

way

been handed over to me.

And by me

To

was before.

it

shall

that

round me stand;

go the power.

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree and boon.

ly

— The

i8

(Decrees of Scanderoon. not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

ruler

from June

till

June,

Hullaballoon

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back

to their several

Proud of

their king

works and ways.

and

his council days.

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad that

Could

call

fools,

each one to

his bent-

their island city alone

such a ruler

all its

own.

Y. ET On

again, from their works and ways.

one of the good king's council days.

While he

sat in the

pride of his

pomp and

In the shade of his golden palace gate.

To

bother the soul of the good old king

The

dreamers and fools came up, to bring

Their weak complaint of another thing.

" Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

All of our lives

But

for

demand would be

one grievance,

a

boon

!

perfect bliss

for instance, this

In the ancient laws of Scanderoon

(Scanderoon

is

not in the moon).

:

state

— The

20

(Decrees of Bcanderoon.

Written down

in the years

In volumes on

all

Seldom opened

Murder and

Are

now,

'tis

lie.

true.

nor bad nor few.

rules

theft are forbidden there.

Rape and arson

And many

of our shelves that

just

Are maxims and

gone by.

—crimes then

rare

another unpleasant thing

by the laws, oh king!

strictly forbid

In those same volumes, huge and old,

Which

written,

It is

What

Of

the ancient

where

who

Or any man's Or

shall life

the honor of

all

may

and pain

the reward

those

wisdom and

will unfold.

read and see. shall

be

dare the law to break.

or purse shall take.

woman,

The homes where we

or set in

live in our

a

blaze

works and ways

But the great magnorums who round you stand,

And

rule with the king

Whether with

Have made

And

Thick

And

strange

the evil as the

the

on either hand,

or without a cause,

work of the good old laws,

scum from beyond the maggots

many

devils

seas.

in rotten cheese,

who chance

to be

;

The Of

(Decrees of Scanderoon. born of the

this island city,

sea,

Shatter the things that are written down,

From end And,

if

to

end of our island town.

by chance they arrested be,

Thy

great

And

the thing

On

us

Seem

all,

magnorums is

them

set

with the felons and thieves.

The

dogs and pimps, and

Our

hearts to find that the

Are

nullified,

With

greatly grieves

good old laws

with or without

good old king,

Until, with a

He opened

wag of

his lips

Dreamers and

And

it

a

cause."

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the

*'

powers

to find that the city

in league

free.

oh king, that soun

a thing,

a

in council deep.

his

mighty head,

and answering

thing

fools, the

thing of evil

it is,

I

said

is

know

so.

;

They who

the laws will overturn,

They who

will

murder, or

:

steal, or

burn,

21

—

:

The

22 Or Is

(becrees of Scanderoon.

women

plunder our

dearer than aught in

of what to them

my

diadem

Plume, or gold, or glittering

gem—

Whose

awe

To

the will of

Ought

Of

to

God

or to

punished sore,

as it's written

down.

live at ease.

writ in the volumes old

it is

That they who

shall

rob us of

life

or gold,

hope or honor, of home or gain.

For their

And

all

evil

doing

And

shall suffer pain.

©f the maxims of

Are against such

things,

God and men

by word and pen.

the bitteresj: thing that on earth

Comes

to

work

may

be

our souls when we daily see

The embodied

To

law.

listen well to the king's decrees

Because

Of

human

be met by the direst frown

Sour not, therefore, but

And

all

monarch who governs our sea-born town.

the

And

deny

evil courses

devils of hell go free

their will

Our homes,

on our goods and

lives.

our hopes, our daughters and wives.

The

(Decrees of Scanderoon,

23

Therefore, from henceforth forevermore

The

thing shall be as

And

all

The

will of the king, that

And

out of their

The

grand magnorums

The

greatest rascals for fraud

it

was

before,'

may know

the rogues in the realm

number

unwhipped they go

— they won't

To

do such

justice

and wit sit.

on guile and wrong

punish the weak but not the strong

As they may have learned

And

thus shall

it

And murder and Shall

in their

own

sweet ways.

be to the end of days theft,

from

judgment deal by the

Whether

To

refuse

choose

shall yearly

In the shade of the palace gate to

And

!

this 1

good hour.

and of power.

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree and boon.

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

ruler

from June

Hullaballoon

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

till

June,

^he

24 Back

(becrees o^

to their several

Proud of

their king

Scanderoon

works and ways.

and

his council days,

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad

fools,

each one to his bent.

that their island city alone

Could

call

such a ruler

all its

own.

LILIES.

YI. ET

again, from their

dreamy ways.

On

one of the good king's council days.

To

bother the soul of the royal

the dreamers and fools with a

Came

saint,

new complaint.

"Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

demand

a

boon

All of our lives would be perfect

But

for

one grievance,

Over our

city,

!

bliss

for instance this

by day and

:

night.

In the evening shades and the noon's broad light.

With

a foul

Rotten

in

contempt of the law's control.

body and rotten

Vile in heart

as if fresh

Vile in their work

in soul.

from

—which

hell.

they do so well

Spreading corruption through will and brain.

—

;

The decrees of Scanderoon.

26

and vein.

Stirring disease into pulse

Whether

in darkness or in

day

Numberless harpies work alway.

Gamblers and Like

harlots,

hand

hand.

in

a ceaseless plague, infest the

Men,

name of

forgetting the

Women,

forgetting the

land.

truth.

shame of youth.

Flaunt and stalk through every Poison the air which might

street.

else

be sweet.

Poison the light of the beautiful day

With

And

they wait,

Where Our

and

their evil presence

vile array

like evil beasts, for prey.

our children walk

—our

girls,

our boys.

household joys

hearts' delight, our

To

seize their souls

To

plague and poison them through and through.

And

to

drag them

and

down

In their reeking lust

To

and

in their halls

their

of crime.

moral slime.

the \\t\h of the harlots, before their time.

And

the great

With

And

On

their bodies too.

the gamblers

the thing us

magnorums who round you stand

all,

is

and

harlots are

a thing,

hand

in

hand.

oh king, that sours

to find that the city powers.

The And Are

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

the might of our king, in league

With

whom we

love so well.

and covenant with hell."

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king, in council deep.

wag of

Until, with a

He

opened

his lips

"Dreamers and

And

a

Nor

will

fools,

it is

Your

the thing

it is,

is

said

so.

know;

I

answer be dim or vague.

For who but the king Evil

mighty head.

and answering

thing of evil

my

his

shall stay the

that your girls

hearts' delight

plague

?

and boys

and your household

joys

All the treasures you love so well.

Should but feed the greed of the fiends of

hell

that, just as they please.

Evil

it is

The

devil's

own

servants should sow disease

In the bodies and souls, in the hearts and brains

Foul corruption

Of

those

who

in all the veins

are young,

And

this disease is

Evil

it is

and who should be pure.

beyond

all

cure.

that the thing should be

2y

—

——

:

The

28

(Decrees of Scanderoon,

In this island city, born of the sea

That

the grand

Should

magnorums who round me stand

foster such a plague in the land.

Sour not, therefore, but live

And

at ease.

listen well to the king's decrees

Because of the shame

to our

name and

The

rotten disease

The

ruin of soul,

The

ruin that rots from worse to worse;

and the

race.

foul disgrace.

and of body and

purse,

Therefore, from henceforth forevermore

The

thing shall be as

The

gambler's lamp shall blaze at night.

With

And

a hint of hell in

was before

its

ever, beside his well

Shall the

And

it

;

dull red light.

watched

gate.

hungry daughters of Babylon wait,

the great

magnorums who round me stand

Shall feed their state with the fat of the land,

As

it

Your

And

comes from the hearts' delight

the

life

of your

girls

and

and your household

young and the weak, who might

Shall victims

fall

to the deadly lure.

boys^

joys else

be pure,

The And

body and

the

But the

(Decrees of Scanderoon. soul shall

and helpless

foolish

know no you love

cure

;

so well

Shall be taught the filthiest road to hell

the gamblers and harlots shall have

And

the thing be sweet or sour

Whether

To

all

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree and boon.

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

from June

ruler

till

June,

Hullaballoon —

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back

to their several

Proud of

their king

works and ways.

and

his council days,

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad that Could

call

fools,

each one to his bent,

their island city alone

such a ruler

all its

own.

power,

2g

— —

VII. [ET

Came

again, from their

dreamy ways.

On

one of the good king's council days,

To

bother the soul of the royal

the dreamers and fools with a

saint,

new

complaint.

" Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

demand

a

boon

!

All of our lives would be perfect bliss

But

for

one grievance,

for instance this

Our

city

And

girt by the waters of rivers three

is

born of the pure, blue

:

sea.

Two

of them large and one of them small

And

the ocean tides, as they

Wash

rise

and

the feet of our island town.

Swinging and plashing up and down

fall.

The decrees Easy

A

it

of Scantier oon.

should be to keep us clean,

city that hes such

washings between;

Plenty of water and plenty of soap.

Plenty of shovels and hoes,

And

other hose that

may

we hope.

carry and squirt

Streams of water wherever there's dirt

And Is

;

yet this town, that should be so clean.

the dirtiest city that ever was seen.

From end Nothing

And

Who

pure and nothing

is

sweet.

with the bodies of cats and dogs,

the offal of cleaner brutes than they

way

leave our streets in so vile a

In spite of

all

the

That we, thy Pay enough,

money we

pay.

monarch of Scanderoon,

For, know, oh

people, from June

our hard

in

Fairly counted If into a sheet

To

filthy street

the mire our rolhng wheels that clogs

Is foul

And

is

end of each

to

and it

won

till

June,

gold.

straightly told.

was properly

rolled.

cover the pavement of stone and

The pavement

that

is,

we mean,

wood-

that should

Be under the sloppy and slippery mire

j2

The

^2

Where

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

our garments spoil and our horses

From end

end of the

to

city wide.

And

leave an elegant fringe outside.

And

the thing

On

us

all,

is

to find that the city powers.

grand magnorums

And

take our

who round you

stand.

money with greedy hand.

evil, or

shame, or hurt

In leaving our streets

With

oh king, that sours

a thing,

The

See no

tire-

hid in the dirt."

all

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king, in council deep.

Until, with a

He

opened

wag of his mighty head.

" Dreamers and

And

a

Evil

it is

and answering

his lips

fools, the

thing of evil that such

it is,

filth

I

thing

is

said

:

so.

know;

should be

In an island citv so near the sea.

And, worst of

To

that the

money

paid

keep us clean should be only made

The means Or

all,

of making us dirtier

be squandered right and

still.

left at

the will

The Of the

great

(becrees of Scanderoon. magnorums who

And who round me

serve the king.

stand in so grand a Ring.

Sour not, therefore, but

And

live at ease,

listen well to the king's decrees

Because

it is evil,

and

That

so grand a city

With

its

piles

And

its

And

because

vile,

:

and mean

cannot be clean.

of gold and

its

rivers wide.

long shores laved by the washing tide. it is

not for the public weal

That my grand magnorums should gobble and All that the people pay to be neat,

In the

way of

cleaning each peopled street

Therefore, henceforth and forevermore

The

thing shall be as

And my

great

it

was before.

magnorums may hog

the gold.

And

the people struggle through dirt untold.

And

in all the city,

The

filth,

A

born of the

sea,

and stench, and carrion be

sign of the garbage in

Not

jj

human

the form of a glorified

shape

ape —

steal

—

— ^^^

^4

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

That around me

my

When

I

When

the grand

To

in

on every side

palace gate abide

;

magnorums about me stand

council the king, on either hand

And

be the

dirt shall

Whether

To

joafs

seal

of

my

power,

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

and boon.

the king's decree

ruler

from June

till

June,

Hullaballoon

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back to their several works and ways.

Proud of

their king

and

his

council days.

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad

fools,

each one to

his bent.

that their island city alone

Could

call

such a ruler

all its

own.

VIII. ET

Came

dreamy ways.

again, from their

On

one of the good king's council days.

To

bother the soul of the royal saint,

the dreamers

and

fools

with

a

new

complaint.

" Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

demand

a

boon

!

All of our lives would be perfect bliss

But

for

one grievance,

In love and honor we

For our island

city,

for instance this all

:

agree

born of the

sea.

In love for every street and wall.

For every palace and temple For

And

all

of

its

works and

all

of

tall.

its

ways.

our love has grown for these

many

days.

The

5<5

We

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

love our laws and

And

him our

to

we

love our king.

we

tribute

gladly bring

;

But know, oh monarch, so wise and great.

That

here, in the shade of thy palace gate.

Are many things done such love

to cool

In the heart of every dreamer and fool.

We

began to Justice

In the years gone by,

That

in

it,

a shrine to build.

and thy people willed

so long as the city stood.

Should be done the things that were right and good

That

there, with learning,

The good

To

king's judges

and

truth,

might daily

and

wit.

sit.

hear the cause of the rich and poor.

And

to all of thy people the right insure.

Slowly the temple's walls have grown In the strength of iron, and glass, and stone.

But

By

its

the great

And

To

growth

for

is

hindered on every hand

magnorums who round you stand

every dollar of tribute spent

build, in the people's

Five must go to

Of the

great

fill

good

intent.

the purse

magnorums

;

and, what

Even the judges we hoped would

sit

is

worse.

;

JUSTICE.

The To

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

deal out learning,

Have

Of

and

truth,

wit.

gone, like the temple, into the hand

the merciless crew

And, now

who around you

that the truth to the king

For every ounce of

To

and

is

stand. told.

justice doled

the rich or the poor,

we must

give our gold

In a treble weight, and even then.

From

the hands of these evil and greedy

The

kind of justice

And

comes,

And

ever there lingers a dismal stench

Of

like the

is

queer and low.

temple-building, slow

Where

they,

whom

or stone.

thy grand magnorums own.

In the very light of the king's

Frown on

And

us

all

all,

is

own

when we come a thing,

when we

eye.

to buy.

oh king, that sours

find that the city powers.

public right, and the public purse rotting

That

And

us

the thing

The Are

;

fraud and guile around every b&nch.

Whether of iron, or wood,

On

men.

truth

away with is

so foul a curse

trampled and wrong

the cause of the poor

is

sold

is

wrought.

and bought."

57

;

The

j8 With

;

(becrees of Scanderoon.

half-shut eyes, but not asleep.

Sat the wise old king, in council deep.

Until, with a

He

opened

wag of his mighty head.

his lips

"Dreamers and

And

and answering

fools,

of evil

a thing

the thing

it is,

I

know

is

said

:

so.

;

Right and justice should aye be free In this island city, born of the sea

And when,

works and ways.

in their various

My dutiful people desire to raise A temple to Justice, their tribute Should be

Nor

does four

To my And That

spent and justly told.

fifths

of

it all

grand magnorums,

belong

many and

strong

the price of a judge should be never so high a

poor

Sour not,

And

fairly

gold

man cannot come up and

ilierefore,

but live at ease.

listen well to the king's decrees

Because the curse of

Of truth

the

buy.

:

a venal court.

shame and of rogues the

sport.

The Is

one that

And

To

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

God

himself offends.

the worst that the devil ever sends

hurt the just and to serve the ends

Of" the vilest tools that to sin he lends.

Therefore, from henceforth forevermore

The

thing shall be as

it

was before

In a steadier stream the gold shall flow.

And

A

the temple

more slowly than ever grow

hateful sight in the eyes of the

And

the iron, the glass, the stone, the

Shall witnesses

That

And

good

is

done

all

wood

of the justice be

in this city,

every cause that

is

Shall gather a heavier

born of the sea

won

or lost

shame and

cost.

And

the price of a judge shall be

And

the bench shall stink with a stench as sore

As

that

When

more and more.

which arose from Sodom of old

the kind of justice you buy

Each grand magnorum

a

is

And

every judge shall be overthrown

Who

dares to give what he ought to

Or

doled;

judge shall own.

sell.

the poor protect, or a bribe repel;

jg

The

40 The

greater his greed the greater his power.

Whether

To

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this is the king's

not in the moon.

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

HuUaballoon

decree and boon.

ruler

from June

till

June,

—

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon."

Back

to their several

Proud of

their king

works and ways.

and

his council days.

In satisfied silence the people went.

Dreamers and

Glad

fools,

each one to

his bent.

that their island city alone

Could

call

such a ruler

all its

own.

IX. lET

Come

again, from their

dreamy ways,

On

one of the good king's council days.

To

bother the soul of the royal saint.

the dreamers and fools with a

new

complaint.

**Hear, oh monarch of Scanderoon,

We,

thy people,

demand

All of our lives would

But

By

for

a

boon

be perfect

one grievance, for instance this

the good old laws, which are

Under Fairly

How

still

and well

it is

written

down

thy people shall manage the town

loy^l

and true

still

to the royal will.

:

in force

the king, as a matter of course.

In the best and easiest w?y, and

Be

bliss.

:

The

^2

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Doubtless the king knows

About our

Who By

right to

by

it all

come up and vote

grand magnorums stand

shall as

the side of the king, on either hand.

And

live

And

the right

on

his

bounty year by year.

we

a right

is

all

Now

the king and the grand

That

the

Of every Should

And

hold dear.

magnorums

men who come from beyond and lingo and

nation,

also vote,

by

from the countries

Provided only they come

behave themselves

Are welcome

And

;

as

away.

far

decent way,

in a

summer

too.

to stay

to

come and

vote.

every hurrah from a foreign throat

Sounds

as well in the

As

came with an accent

if

the seas.

though they are neither wise nor few.

The men

And

please

face.

special grace

This matter pleases thy people,

it

Of any Or

rote.

popular ear clear

trace of a foreign tongue.

rose in the strength of a native lung.

But know, oh monarch,

That one

thing goes as

so wise it

and good.

never should

The

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Ever and aye

as

they come ashore.

Thousand on thousand, more and more. In crowds that are never clean or thin.

The grand magnorums Their hearts they

And

twist,

their bellies, too;

They

teach them

lies

Concerning the king.

They

bring

them

rake

and and

them

in.

their ears they to

work

fill.

their will

of every hue

Oh,

king,

so to the polls

'tis

;

true

!

and then.

For every vote of the loyal men.

The grand magnorum The

votes of the

Are many

Our As

Or

By

men beyond

the seas

but, not content with these.

;

rights as voters they override.

if

the law in the books had lied.

their

And

On

slips in ten.

own

the thing us

all,

sweet souls had been multiplied. a thing,

is

to find that the city powers.

the aid of the

Are from us

With

oh king, that sours

reft

men from beyond

by such deeds

the seas.

as these.

half-shut eyes, but not asleep,

Sat the good old king, in council deep,

4^

;

^^^

44

opened

wag of

his lips

" Dreamers and

And

mighty head.

his

and answering

the thing

fools,

a thing of evil

it is,

man's

for each

is

said

so.

know

I

There should be but one voice

And

for

each man's throat

will but a single vote.

men

'Tis a scandalous thing in the eyes of

That any magnorum should count

Or

Should vote city

While

its

as

many

can never be rulers are

the seas

times as they please. safe or strong

chosen by guile and wrong.

Sour not, therefore, but

And

for ten.

who come from beyond

that those

The

;

(Decrees of Scanderoon.

Until, with a

He

;:

:

live at ease.

listen well to the king's decrees

Because, in the volumes good and old.

The

law of the voter

And

because

it is

is

right,

wisely told.

and

fair,

That they who count should be

Nor

just

true to their trust.

should keep on voting themselves, for fun.

When And

and

the polls are closed and the day

all

Have

of the people

given

it

who count Jor

up with the

setting sun

is

one

done.

The decrees of Scanderoon. Therefore, henceforth and forevermore

The

thing shall be as

it

was before

The men who come from beyond many

Shall vote as

Whether they come

to our

For the good of some

Or whether

And my

fair

town

to stay

land far away

only ashore for a day

;

grand magnorums, those mighty men,

Shall multiply yearly, ten

And keep on

When

the seas

times as they please.

by ten.

voting by candle-light

the day

is

done, and the kindly night

Covers away from the popular sight

The deed

And

with the votes shall go the power.

Whether

To

that murders their dearest right.

the thing be sweet or sour

the dutiful people of Scanderoon,

And

this

is

the king's decree

Scanderoon

is

And

am

here

I

Hullaballoon

and boon.

not in the moon. ruler

from June

—

David and Moses

rolled in one.

Wisest monarch under the sun,

Solomon-Solon of Scanderoon.

till

June,

4^

COUNSEL.