University of Virginia Library

The Entertainment of King Charles.

[i]

[The heavens have heard our vowes, our just desires]

Heere are no Serean fleeces, Peru gold,
Auroras gemmes, nor wares by Tyrians sold;
Townes swell not here with Babilonian walles,
Nor Nero's sky-resembling gold-seel'd halles,
Nor Memphis spires, nor Quinzayes arched frames,
Captiving Seas, and giving Lands their names:
Faith (milke-white Faith) of old belov'd so well,
Yet in this corner of the World doth dwell
With her pure Sisters, Truth, Simplicitie;
Heere banish'd Honour beares them company,
A Mars-adorning brood is heere, their wealth
Sound mindes, and bodies of as sound a health:
Walles heere are men, who fence their Cities more
Then Neptune when he doth in mountaines roare,
Doth guard this Isle, or all those Forts and Towres
Amphions Harpe rais'd about Thebes bowres,
Heavens arch is oft their roofe, the pleasant shed
Of Oake and Plaine oft serves them for a bed.
To suffer want, soft pleasure to despise,
Runne over panting Mountaines crown'd with Ice,
Rivers orecome, the wastest Lakes appall
(Being to themselves, Oares, Steerers, ship and all)
Is their renowne; a brave all-daring race
Couragious, prudent, doth this Climate grace:
Yet the firme Base on which their glory stands,
In peace true hearts, in warres is valiant hands,
Which here (great King) they offer up to thee,
Thy worth respecting as thy pedegree:
Though much it be to come of Princely stemme,
More is it to deserve a Diadem.
Vouchsafe blest people, ravisht here with me,
To thinke my thoughts, and see what I doe see,
A Prince all gracious, affable, divine,
Meeke, wise, just, valiant, whose radiant shine
Of vertues (like the Starres about the Pole
Guilding the night) enlightneth every soule,
Your Scepter swayes, a Prince borne in this age
To guard the innocents from Tyrants rage,
To make Peace prosper, Iustice to reflowre,
In desert hamlet as in Lordly bowre;
A Prince, that though of none he stand in awe,
Yet first subjects himselfe to his owne law,
Who joyes in good, and still, as right directs
His greatnesse measures by his good effects,
His Peoples pedestall, who rising high
To grace this throne makes Scotlands name to flie
On Halcyons wings (her glory which restores)
Beyond the Ocean to Columbus shores,
Gods sacred picture in this man adore,
Honour his valour, zeale, his piety more,
High value what ye hold, him deep ingrave
In your hearts heart, from whom all good ye have:
For as Moones splendor from her brother springs,
The peoples welfare streameth from their Kings.
Since your loves object doth immortall prove,
O love this Prince with an eternall love,
Pray that those Crownes his Ancestors did weare,
His temples long (more orient) may beare,
That good he reach by sweetnesse of his sway,
That even his shadow may the bad affray,
That heaven on him what he desires bestow,
That still the glory of his greatnesse grow,
That your begunne felicities may last,
That no Orion doe with stormes them blast,
That victory his brave exployts attend,
East, West, or South doe he his Forces bend,
Till his great deeds all former deeds surmount,
And quaile the Nimbrot of the Hellespont;
That when his well-spent care all care becalmes,
He may in peace sleepe in a shade of Palmes;
And rearing up faire Trophees, that heavens may
Extend his life to worlds extreamest day.

[ii] Endymion.

Rows'd from the Latmian Cave, where many years
That Empresse of the lowest of the Sphæres,
Who cheeres the night, and kept me hid, apart
From mortall wights, to ease her love-sicke heart,
As young as when she did me first inclose,
As fresh in beauty as the Maying rose,
Endymion; that whilome kept my Flockes
Vpon Ionas flowry hills and rockes,
And warbling sweet layes to my Cynthea's beames,
Out-sang the Swannets of Meanders streames;
To whom (for Guerdon) she heavens secret barres
Made open, taught the paths and powers of Starres;
By this deare Ladies strict commandement
To celebrate this day I here am sent:
But whether is this heaven, which starres doe crowne,
Or are heavens flaming splendors here come downe,
To beautify this neather world with me?
Such state and glory did e're Shepheard see?
My wits my sense mistrust, and stay amaz'd,
No eye on fairer objects ever gaz'd,
Sure this is heaven, for every wandring starre,
Forsaking those great orbes where whirl'd they are,
All dismall sad aspects abandoning,
Are here assembled to greet some darling;
Nor is it strange if they heavens hight neglect,
Vnwonted worth produceth like effect,
Then this it is, thy presence (royall youth)
Hath brought them here within an Azymuth,
To tell by me (their Herauld) comming things,
And what each Fate to her sterne distaffe sings;
Heavens volume to unclaspe, wast pages spread,
Mysterious golden cyphers cleere to reade,
Heare then the augur of the future dayes
And all the starry Senate of the Sayes;
For what is firme decreed in heaven above
In vaine on earth strive mortalls to improve.

[iii] Saturne.

To faire hopes to give reines now is it time,
And soare as high as just desires may climbe;
O Halcyonean, cleere, and happy day,
From sorry wights let sorrow flie away,
And vexe Antarticke climes, great Britaines woes
Evanish, joy now in her Zenith glowes,
The old Leucadian Syth-bearing Sire
(Though cold) for thee feeles flames of sweet desire,
And many lusters at a perfect height
Shall keep thy Scepters majestie, as bright
And strong in power and glory every way,
As when thy peerelesse Parent did it sway,
Nere turning wrinkled in times endlesse length,
But one in her first beauty, youthfull strength,
Like thy rare mind, which stedfast as the Pole
Still fixed stands, however Sphæres doe role;
More, to inhaunce thy favours, this thy raigne
His age of gold he shall restore againe,
Love, Iustice, Honour, Innocence renew,
Mens spirits with white simplicity indue,
Make all to live in plenties ceaselesse store
With equall shares, not wishing to have more;
Then shall not cold the Plow-mens hopes beguile,
On earth shall skie with lovely glances smile,
Vntill'd, which shall each flower and hearbe bring forth,
And with faire gardens make of equall worth;
Life (long) shall not be thrall'd to mortall dates,
Thus heavens decree, so have ordain'd the Fates.

[iv] Iove.

Delight of heaven, sole honour of the earth,
Iove (courting thine ascendant) at thy birth
Proclaimed thee a King, and made it true,
That Emperies should to thy worth be due,
He gave thee what was good, and what was great,
What did belong to love, and what to state,
Rare gifts whose ardors turne the hearts of all,
Like tunder when flint attomes on it fall;
The Tramontane which thy faire course directs,
Thy counsells shall approve by their effects;
Iustice kept low by grants, and wrongs, and jarres,
Thou shalt relieve, and crowne with glistering starres,
Whom nought save law of force could keepe in awe
Thou shalt turne Clients to the force of law,
Thou armes shalt brandish for thine owne defence,
Wrongs to repell, and guard weake innocence,
Which to thy last effort thou shalt uphold,
As Oake the Ivy which it doth infold;
All overcome, at last thy selfe orecome,
Thou shalt make passion yield to reasons doome:
For smiles of fortune shall not raise thy mind,
Nor dismall most disasters turne declin'd,
True Honour shall reside within thy Court,
Sobrietie, and Truth there still resort,
Keepe promis'd faith thou shalt, Supercheries
Detest, and beagling Marmosets despise,
Thou, others to make rich, shalt not make poore
Thy selfe, but give that thou mayst still give more;
Thou shalt no Paranymph raise to high place,
For frizl'd locks, quaint pace, or painted face;
On gorgeous rayments, womanising toyes,
The workes of wormes, and what a Moth destroyes,
The Maze of fooles, thou shalt no treasure spend,
Thy charge to immortality shall tend,
Raise Pallaces, and Temples vaulted high,
Rivers ore arch, of hospitality,
Of Sciences the ruin'd Innes restore,
With walls and ports incircle Neptunes shore,
To new found worlds thy Fleets make hold their course,
And find of Canada the unknowne Sourse,
People those Lands which passe Arabian fields
In fragrant Wood and Muske which Zephyre yields;
Thou fear'd of none, shalt not thy people feare,
Thy peoples love thy greatnesse shall up-reare,
Still rigour shall not shine, and mercy lower,
What love can doe thou shalt not doe by power,
New and vast taxes thou shalt not extort,
Load heavy those thy bounty should support,
By harmlesse Iustice graciously reforme,
Delighting more in calme then roaring storme,
Thou shalt governe in peace as did thy Sire,
Keepe, save thine owne, and kingdomes new acquire,
Beyond Alcides Pillars, and those bounds
Where Alexanders fame till now resounds,
Till thou the greatest be among the Greats;
Thus heavens ordaine, so doe decree the Faits.

[v] Mars.

Sonne of the Lyon, thou of loathsome bands
Shalt free the earth, and what e're thee withstands
Thy noble pawes shall teare, the God of Thrace
Shall be the second, and before thy face,
To Truth and Iustice, whilst thou Trophees reares,
Armies shall fall dismayd with Pannick feares,
As when Aurora in skies azure lists
Makes shaddowes vanish, doth disperse the mists,
And in a twinckling with her opall light,
Nights horrours checketh, putteth starres to flight,
More to inflame thee to this noble taske,
To thee he here resignes his Sword and Caske,
A wall of flying Castles, armed Pines
Shall bridge thy sea, like heaven with steele that shines,
To aide earths tennants by foule yoakes opprest,
And fill with feares the great King of the West:
To thee already Victory displayes
Her garlands twin'd with Olive, Oake, and Bayes,
Thy triumphs finish shall all old debates;
Thus Heavens decree, so have ordain'd the Fates.

[vi] Sunne.

Wealth , Wisedome, Glory, Pleasure, stoutest hearts,
Religion, Lawes, Hyperion imparts
To thy just Raigne, which shall farre farre surpasse,
Of Emperours, Kings, the best that ever was;
Looke how hee dims the starres; thy glories rayes,
So darken shall the lustre of these dayes:
For in faire vertues Zodiacke thou shalt runne,
And in the heaven of worthies be the Sunne.
No more contemn'd shall haplesse Learning lie;
The maids of Pindus shall be raysed high;
For Bay and Ivie which their browes enroll'd,
Thou shalt them decke with gems and shining gold;
Thou open shalt Parnassus Cristall gates,
Thus heavens ordaine, so doe decree the Fates.

[vii] Venus.

The Acidalian Queene amidst the Bayes
Shall twine her mirtles, grant thee pleasant dayes;
She did make cleare thy house, and with her light
Of cheerelesse starres, put backe the dismall spight.
Thy Hymenean bed faire brood shall grace,
Which on the earth continue shall their race,
While Floras treasure shall the Meads endeare,
While sweete Pomona Rose-cheek't fruits shall beare,
While Phœbes beames her brothers emulates:
Thus Heavens decree, so have ordain'd the Fates.

[viii] Mercury.

Great Atlas Nephew, shall the workes of peace,
(The workes of plenty) Tillage, Trades encrease,
And Arts in times gulfes lost againe restore,
To their Perfection; nay, find many more,
More perfect artists, Ciclopes in their forge
Shall mould those brasen Tiphones, which disgorge
From their hard bowels mettall, flame and smoake,
Mufling the ayre up in a sable cloake:
The Sea shrinkes at the blow, shake doth the ground,
The worlds West corners doth the sound rebound,
The Stygian Porter leaveth off to barke,
Black Ioue appall'd doth shrow'd him in the darke;
Many a Typhis in adventures lost
By new found skill shall many mayden coast,
With thy sayle-winged Argoses find out,
Which like the Sunne shall runne the earth about,
And farre beyond his pathes score wavie wayes,
To Cathayes Lands by Hyperborean Seas,
Hee shall endue thee both in peace and warre,
With Wisedome, which then Strength is better farre,
Wealth, Honour, Armes, and Arts shall grace thy states:
Thus Heavens ordaine, so doe decree the Fates.

[ix] The Moone.

O how the faire Queene with the golden maids,
The Sunne of night, thy happy fortunes aids,
Though turban'd Princes for a badge her weare,
To them shee wain'd, to thee would full appeare;
Her Hand-maid Thetis daily walkes the round
About the Delos that no force it wound,
Then when thou left it and abroad did stray
(Deare Pilgrim) shee did straw with flowers the way,
And turning forraine force and counsell vaine,
Thy Guard and Guid return'd thee home againe;
To thee she Kingdomes, Yeares, Blisse did divine,
Quailing Medusas grim Snakes with her shine,
Beneath thee raigne Discord (fell mischiefes forge,
The bane of peoples, state and kingdomes scourge)
Pale Envie (with the Cockatrices eye,
Which seeing kils, but seene doth forthwith dye:)
Malice, Deceit, Rebellion, Impudence
Beyond the Garamants shall packe them hence,
With every Monster that thy glory hates,
Thus Heavens decree, so haue ordayn'd the Fates.

[x] Endymion.

That heretofore to thy heroicke mind
Haps, (hopes not answer'd as they were design'd:)
O doe not thinke it strange, times were not come,
And these faire starres had not pronounc'd their doome;
The destinies did on that day attend,
When to this Northren Region thou should lend
Thy cheering presence, and charg'd with Renowne,
Set on thy browes the Caledonian Crowne;
Thy vertues now thy just desire shall grace,
Sterne Chance shall change, and to Desert give place;
Let this be knowne to all the Fates admit
To their grave Counsell, and to every Witt
That spies Heavens inside; this let Sibilles know,
And those mad Corybants which dance and glow
On Dindimus high tops with franticke fire:
Let this bee knowne to all Apollo's Quire,
And people let it not be hid from you,
What Mountaines noyse and Floods proclaime as true:
Where ever fame abroad his prayse shall ring,
All shall observe, and serve this blessed King.

[xi]

[At length we see those eyes]

[xii] EPIGRAMME.

[Illustrious Top-bough of Heroicke Stemme]

Illustrious Top-bough of Heroicke Stemme,
Whose head is crown'd with glories Anademe,
My shallow Muse, not daring to draw neere
Bright Phœbus burning flames in his careere;
Yet knowing surely that Apollo shines
Vpon the Dung-hill, as on golden Mines:
And knowing this, the bounty of best Kings,
To marke the giver, not the gifted things,
Doth boldly venture in this pompous throng
To greet thy greatnesse with a wel-come Song;
And with the Pye doth Ave Cæsar sing,
While graver wits doe greater Offrings bring.