To the Right Honourable The Lord Arundel, Baron of Warder-Castle,
One of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Councel, and Count of the Empire.
My LORD,
Poets in all Ages have chosen their Patrons amongst
the Brave, the Prudent, and the Just:
The Brave to Defend, the Prudent to Judge, and
the Just to Encourage: To such the Athenians,
and Romans made their Dedications. If Writers
since have degenerated, and ask'd the Patronage
of Persons in whom these Virtues were not
Eminent, they hop'd thro' Servile Flattery to
bribe a feeble Genius to Liberality. My Lord,
I chose to expose this to the Publick under your
Name, because in every degree fitted for a
Mæcenas, and my self of a Temper not to
Idolize and make a Heroe where the Essentials
of a Man are wanting. Needless it is then for
me to recount those Virtues that Ennoble you,
since the Judgment of a Prince that calls you to
his Councels, & service in the Management of the
great affairs of State, so amply declare and
Confirm 'em to the World: for his Royal Favours
are not unwarily or loosely bestow'd, but like his
Seal leave an Impression, and give the Stamp
of Greatness. Live then,
My Lord, to serve a
Prince whose personal Virtues render him Great,
not only by Nature Endow'd, but by Experience
taught; a Prince whose Life from his Cradle
to his Coronation, was spent in the School of
Virtue; and every Action, whilst a Subject, was
a Noble Lesson for succeeding Princes to Learn
and imitate: What Monarchs life can shew such
a Series of great Deeds and great Sufferings,
the Last Most Heroical; for it is Less Glorious
to do great Actions, then Nobly to suffer
Great Injuries: and thus have his Majesties Virtues
been confirm'd with the last and most Illustrious
proof of Greatness. If the Universe wanted
one Monarch to Govern all, he only cou'd be
found, by God and Nature fitted for that Great
Command; Nor cou'd any other have so just a
Claim; For He, that had liv'd the Best Subject
in the World, must best deserve the Empire
of the World.
Live, My Lord, in the Service of a Prince
whose Descent cannot be parallel'd, if we but
turn back our thoughts to the Monarchs of his
Race, that have rul'd the English Scepter: The
first was James the Learned, the next Charles the
Pious, the third Charles the Mercyfull, and now
Reigns JAMES the
Warlike and the
Just. This
is the Prince has call'd You, & those other Noble
Suffering Lords to the helm, and how cou'd his
Royal Choice be more unerrable, then, when Heaven
Vacated a Throne for his Accession, to Elect
those whom the fire of Persecution, and Imprisonment
had Try'd. Your Virtues like Mettle
from the Furnace trebly refin'd come forth without
the least Allay or mean mixture: Shine then
you Noble Sufferers like a bright Constellation
round this Sun of Glory: Thus Influenc'd shall
the Orbs of Government move regular, and in
Order, like those above, 'till the three Nations
are convinc'd of their former Mistakes, and rejoyce
to find that Change, which most they fear'd:
And since you are Grac'd with the favours of such
a Prince, let only your Princes Greatness speak
your Praise.
Therefore, My Lord, I will only add my
Excuses for this trifle; Things of this Nature
have been Encourag'd and protected, by the
Gravest Senators, and Greatest Monarchs. In
all sorts of Government Plays have been judg'd
both Commendable and Profitable, Especially
Tragedies, that by representing Hero's, Youth
might be taught great Actions, and inspir'd
with a Noble Courage to perform and imitate;
and by Exposing Base and Ignoble deeds,
divert and deterr the ungenerous from their
practices. This peice was Calculated to that
Season, when Villany, Treachery and Perjury,
Triumph'd over Truth, Innocence and Loyalty.
In some degree the End answer'd the Design,
for it gaul'd the Plotting Faction by shewing
Actions so like their own, and had prov'd the
Stages Martyr, had it not been supported and
defended by the Loyal and the Brave. Now it
comes to partake the Triumphs of your Lordship,
whose Virtues render'd you so Eminent a
mark of their Malice and Fury; Give it then
your favour, as it was a Sufferer in the Cause,
and Crush'd for Innocency, and give the
Author leave to hope the Honour of being
better known to your Lordship, and to wear
the Title of,
My Lord,
Your Lordships Most Devoted,
And Most Humble Servant,
Edward Ravenscroft.
