University of Virginia Library

I will not let this, slip into the Dark,
Or keep the Light, without a special mark:
For, when GOD Acts, or speaks, each Word and Deed.
Should be observed, with some vseful heed.
That, which hath hapned, cannot be undone,
Or ly conceal'd; For, many Lookers on,
And, (some, who love to trumpet forth Mischances,
With Descantings, on all their Circumstances)
Have publsh'd what befell. Thence, Rumour spreads;
Puts various Fancies, into Peoples heads;
And every one draws Uses, or, applies
As Malice fools him, or, Love makes him wise:
But, Providential favours, are exprest,
As well in worst, Events as in the best;
And, they who know not this, will never finde
The Ports of Comfort, with an Adverse-winde,
When he that heeds this, steers through all Events,
Or, Censures, without fears, or Discontents:

Then, as a Secret, why should we disclose
From man to man, what ev'rybody knowes?
And, put the Jealous Vulgar, in a fear
There's somewhat done, not fit for them to hear?
Why, is it whisper'd, still, as if, to be
Surpriz'd by those things, from which none are free,
Dishonour on his Highnesse could be throwne?
Or, as if him, it misbeseem'd to owne
That Action, which occasion'd an Event
Producing, some external Detriment?
Or, why it is conceiv'd, as if, to Us,
Or, unto him, his fall were Ominous?

Is it not good, we should have, now and then,
Somewhat to minde us, that we are but men?
And, that our trust in Princes, gasping lies
In that short blast, which from their nostrils flies?
When he did Fall, was it not wondrous well,
That, from his seat, into GODS's Armes he fell?
And, that, He falling, fell not in such wise,
As they, who Rise, to fall; But, Fell, to Rise?
And to Arise with an improvement too,
By Thankfulnesse, for having scaped so?
As also, with that Mark, upon him set,
Of being GOD's especial Favourite?

If, what befell, must needs be understood
As Ominous; why, should it not of Good,
An Omen be? (as I beleeve it will,
Much rather, then prove Ominous for ill?
For, who can think, that, He was saved from
A Mischief, that, to Mischieves he might come?
Or, that, We, by his safty, from the Curse
Of Anarchy, are saved, for a worse?
Or, that, when Mercies GOD, is pleas'd to shewe,
They do portend some Evils to ensue?
What Inference more wicked, can be brought?
What more prophanely! what, more vilely thought!

Tir'd with continual Cares, (in hope, to finde
Refreshments, by Diversions of the minde)
Er'e serious thoughts, were wholly laid aside,
He grasp'd those Raines, which, he had often tride
To mannage heretofore, with good successe,
When, Small things he more minded; Great things, lesse:
And, though he sped not, as in former time,
His Acte, was not unseemely; nor a Crime,
As they suppose, whose Memorie forgets,
What, others, or, what, best themselves befits.

For, 'twas not judged an Unprincely Game,
To drive a Chariot, when th'Olimpian Fame,
Was thirsted after; And, when on that Hill,
Kings, with their Equals, therein shew'd their skill;
And wrapt in Clouds, rais'd by their horses heeles,
And, Thundrings, from their furious Charret wheeles,
Were emulous, the high-priz'd Wreaths to wear
Belonging to the skilfull'st Charioteer.
And, what detraction, from the Reputation
Of Princes, is that Manly Recreation,
More now? or, then it was, when, Charles, of late,
For his disport, upon the Coach-box, sate?
(As many times he did) and not disdaine
To let Inferiours, ride in Charles his Waine?
Or, what Dishonour is it, that, through one
Mishap, he fail'd, of what was, oft, well done?

It was not want of skill, to use the Raine,
That stout, and chast Hippolitus was slaine:
But, an unlookt for, dreadful Apparition,
(Of purpose rais'd, to hasten his perdition)
Frighted his horses; which, with headstrong furie,
Their Driver, from the Beaten paths, did hurry
Among the Rocks: And, what, thereon befell,
(The Storie is so known) I need not tell.
Yet, this I will observe, (to make the Fable,
To my Intention, further serviceable)
That, though asunder dragd, his Members were,
It magnifide his Wisdome, Love, and Care,
Who made him sound, more then it harmed him,
Who had that hurt: For, every scatter'd Lim,
Was re-united, without detriment
In any kinde, by that dismemberment
Only, to Virbius, from Hippolitus,
His name was chang'd, as, it befalleth us,
When, from our Selfnesse, we are rent and torne,
To be Regenerated, or New-borne.
And, fo (I hope) when we have sum'd up all
Which, to his Highnesse hapned, by his Fall,
His gaines, will be much greater then his cost;
And, nothing, but self-confidence, be lost.
This, by the way: now I to that will come;
Which mov'd me, on this subject to presume.
A free Officiousnesse, doth me employ
To be, this once, instead of Philips boy,
Who, ev'ry morning, call'd on him to minde
That, he was Mortal, and of humane kinde:
For, though his sad disaster hath of late,
In likelihood, remembred him, of that,
It will not be amisse, that, I ingage
His Caution, further, by this surplusage;
Lest, though his Piety, shall him incline
To do his duty, I may faile of mine,
Who think my self oblig'd, when I shall see
Occasion, his Remembrancer to be,
As I have bene to others; who, thereto
Gave lesse regard, then he (I hope) will do.

As GOD, hath often shown, 'twas he, that, arm'd
His head in battel; and, preserv'd unharm'd
His Person, when the chance of Warre he tride,
And thousands slaughtered fell, on ev'ry side:
So, he now gives a new Experiment,
That, it is he alone, who doth prevent,
The Danger of his Peace; and, that, there are
Perils inclosing him, when none appeare.

It doth informe him, with a silent tongue,
What warinesse, doth now to him belong
More then in former times; and, that there are
Aswell in his Retirements, as in Warre,
Gards, Sentinels, and Watchings, necessary
With strictnesse to be kept; lest he miscarry.
Moreover, it informes, that, had he none
Maligning him; Ev'n he Himself, alone,
Might be his own Destroyer; by forgetting
Due Care: Or, else, by acting, or omitting
Such things, as have a very nigh relation,
Either to Danger, or to Preservation.

It calls on him, to minde, how many wayes,
And meanes there are, of cutting short his dayes
If GOD, prevent not: yea, it calls on him,
Both, to redeeme, and husband well, his Time;
And, loudly calls; that, for the Mercy showne,
It may, in shewing Mercy, be bestowne:
That, they, who of his Justice, well beleeve,
May blesse him, for the Comforts, they receive;
That, they, who, in his ruine would have joy'd,
May rather wish, their own Designes destroy'd;
And, that, the Blessing, may be carried on,
Which, his, and our Protector, hath begun.

It likewise, calls upon us all, to heed
Both our own wayes; and how, GOD, doth proceed;
Chiefly, in what, of late, vouchsafed was
By his applying of preventing Grace,
For is Deliv'rance, in whose life consists
The likeliest Gard of publike Interests;
And, which, includes, of Mercies, yet to come,
Another Pledge: and, as it were, the sum
Or, brief Epitome, of all things done
For our availe, since first the Wars begun.

My contemplating of his Dangers-past,
Makes them seeme great: yet, it hath made this last,
Exceed them all; and so great to have bin,
That, surely, had not, God himself, stept in,
To bring him Succour, suddenly from heav'n
No safety had been found; no Quarter giv'n.

Thus have we seen, a tender Mother, run
(Or, rather fly) when her dear only Son
Was innocently playing in the street;
And snatch him, from among the horses feet
Indangering his Life: Thus, have we seen
A Loving Bridegroome, throw himself between
Death, and his Bride; and bravely fetch her from
A Peril, which was desperate become.

To tell this Danger, were to tell you that,
Which I can better Fancie, then relate;
And, which (as I conceive it) cannot well
Be better showne, by any parallel,
Then when a brave Ship, on huge Billowes tost,
With Sails full-spread, Helme broke, and Ruther lost,
Is by a strong storme, in the darkest night,
Forc'd to a strange Coast, with a winde fore-right,
Upon the Rocks, which over-hanging, lie,
The foming Flouds, a hundred fathomes high;
Where, every Wave, all cries for help, out roares;
Threating destruction, both from Seas and shoares:
Where, can be seen nor Earth, nor Heav'n, nor Light,
But dark blinde wayes, to everlasting night;
And, where, no succour, finde admittance can
By all the Power, and all the wit of man.

By this Description, you, perhaps, may guesse
From what a depth of desp'rate dang'rousnesse
His Hignesse was repreev'd; and, who, alone
Must, then, be his Deliverer, or none.
Thence, you may likewise, gather, if you will,
(And not continue blinde, and froward, still)
Who takes charge of him; Whom, they do oppose;
Who without cause, at this time are his Foes;
And, for what end, such aids vouchsafed be
In great immergencies; And, so may HEE.

Oh! let us, therefore, better now, improve
The evidences of Eternal Love,
Then we have done: and, let his Highnesse, minde,
How bountiful, how gracious, and how kinde,
Our GOD hath been to him; that, so he may
Unto his People, part thereof repay,
In love to them: Let him remember, too,
Had he miscari'd, what had been to do:
What, likely to be suffer'd; not alone
By some of us; but, ev'n by ever'y one,
Who breaths the British aire; and, not despise
This Counsel, though the Giver seeme unwise.
Yea, let it be consider'd, (to improve
A hast'ning, unto Unitie in Love)
What sad Confusions, had anew been hurld.
Upon this much unsetled British world,
(And, upon others, whom we would respect)
If, what was almost done, had took effect.

Let this great Mercy, never be forgot;
Chiefly, of him, who hath the largest Lot
In this Deliverance; Lest worse he speed,
When of a Helper, he shall stand in need.
And, let it make him, more to hasten on
That, which his Prudence prompteth should be done;
Lest, some such Humane Casualtie prevents
The manifesting of his good Intents,
And gives his Foes, occasions to beleeve
Their owne vaine thoughts; And makes his friends to grieve.

I doubt not, what I counsel: If I did,
It had with me, in mine own heart, lain hid.
But, He, who me emboldneth unto this,
Perswades me, that my aims, I shall not miss:
Gives me, for earnest of them, a presage,
Of healths Returne, with future Tutulage:
Shews me, by what conditions, he may gaine
Th'Eshablishment, he labours to obtaine;
And (secret things consider'd) bids me, tell him,
'Twas Mercy, not a Mischief, that befel him:
That, also, there are greater Mercies, yet,
For him, reserv'd; if he shall not forget
This Favour; nor the Vowes, and Protestations,
Made heretofore, to GOD, and to these Nations:
Assures me, that, on these Conditions lies,
The highest glory, whereto he can rise;
And, that, if he escape the stumbling stones,
Environing th'Ascent, to Earthly Thrones,
He, without fear of any harme, shall tread
On Vipers, Aspes, and on the Dragons head:
That, Emperour to stile him, should not better
His happy Lot, or make him ought the greater;
But, rather seeme, a foolish over-lay
Of purest Ophir Gold, with common Clay.