The Stuart Image In an essay by Earl Miner on Marvell's satirical verse, entitled The "Poetic Picture, Painted Poetry" of The Last Instructions to a Painter, the politics implicit in painting are commented on: "There were, then, political implications to different styles of art or poetry, for although neither side held monopoly over the grand or the abusive, the enthroned royalists by tradition and position more often used a style that may most readily be called heroic and panegyric, and their anti-Court attackers a style of burlesque or lampoon."
In another essay, George deF. Lord remarks: "The Dutch War of 1672-74 revealed to the astute and disillusioned M.P. for Hull (ie Marvell) that Charles' policies were fundamentally opposed to the political and religious liberties of his subjects. At this stage of affairs Marvell involved himself even more deeply in the life of action by taking a key part in the pro-Dutch pro-Protestant fifth column that helped to re-orient Parliamentary policy and forced the King to sue for peace." Monamy's oeuvre throughout his life, in my view, reflects a political stance towards national affairs. Both quotes come from Lord's 1968 collection, pp 73 and 170. That preparations were already being made by 1674 or 1675, or even earlier, for the succession of William III can scarcely be doubted. See A Dialogue between the Two Horses, 1675, usually attributed to Marvell, eg lines 143-44: "What is thy opinion of James Duke of York?/The Same that the Froggs had of Jupiters Stork". It is worth remembering that in 1674 the Elder van de Velde remarked that the Duke of York "liked him a lot"; and that "he did not know whether the English were interested in his pictures", as he "had never done anything for anybody other than His Majesty and the Duke of York". Of course, the van de Veldes were basically apolitical: the Elder was merely greedy and unprincipled. My attention has been drawn (14 April 2004) to the very strong likelihood that determined preparations, by the "religious and political" underground, for the permanent erasure of all possibility of a Roman Catholic monarchy were being made at least by 1671. The intensity of Anglo-Dutch hostilities at sea also markedly abated under Charles II. The appearance of the Dutch in the Medway; their capture of the Royal Charles; the inconclusive result of the Battle of Solebay, 1672, and the peculiar relish with which English marine painters appear to have depicted the burning of the Royal James in that battle; all suggest that underground forces were at work, and that the Anglo-Dutch alliance was steadily on the march. quoted in Dove's Life of Andrew Marvell Six Bastard Dukes survive his Luscious Reign, Daniel Defoe: The True-Born Englishman, 1701. What the horses said in 1675: But canst thou Divine when things shall be mended? back to andrew marvell mail cichw-0@cichw.net
the burning of the royal james, signed peter monamy
Politics & Art
MARVELL, this island's watchful sentinell,
Stood in the gap and bravely kept his post:
When courtiers lewd in wine and riot slept;
'Twas he th'approach of Rome did first explore,
And the grim monster arbitrary power,
The ugliest giant ever trod the earth,
That, like Goliath, march'd before the host.
Truth, wit, and eloquence, his constant friends,
With swift despatch he to the main guard sends;
Which check'd the haughty foes bold enterprize,
And left them halting between hope and fear.
The Labours of Italian Castlemain,
French Portsmouth, Tabby Scot, and Cambrian 
acknowledgement to sellar and yeatman and john reynolds, gent
When the Reign of the Line of the Stuarts is ended .....
The Gods have repented the Kings Restoration
article 1981 article 1983
monamy bibliography
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