University of Virginia Library

Weepe, O ye Nymphes: that from your caues may flow
Those trickling drops, whence mighty riuers flow.
Disclose your hidden store: let eu'ry Spring
To this our Sea of griefe some tribute bring:
And when ye once haue wept your Fountaines dry,
The heau'n with showres will send a new supply.
But if these cloudy treasures prooue too scant,
Our teares shall helpe, when other moystures want.
This Ile, nay Europe, nay the World bewailes
Our losse, with such a Streame as neuer failes.
Abundant floods from eu'ry letter rise,
When we pronounce great Iames, our Soueraigne dies.
And while I write these words, I trembling stand,
A sudden darkenesse hath possest the Land.
I cannot now expresse my selfe by signes:
All eyes are blinded, none can reade my lines;
Till Charles ascending, driues away the night,
And in his splendour giues my Verses light.
Thus by the beames of his succeeding flame,
I shall describe his Fathers boundlesse Fame.

The Grecian Emp'rours gloried to be borne,
And nurst in Purple, by their Parents worne.
See here a King, whose birth together twines
The Britan, English, Norman, Scottish lines:
How like a Princely Throne his Cradle stands;
White Diadems become his swathing bands.
His glory now makes all the Earth his Tombe,
But enuious Fiends would in his Mothers wombe
Interre his rising greatnesse, and contend
Against the Babe, whom heau'nly troopes defend,
And giue such vigour in his childhoods-state,
That he can strangle Snakes, which swell with hate.
This conquest his vndaunted brest declares
In Seas of danger, in a world of cares:
Yet neither cares oppresse his constant mind,
Nor dangers drowne his life for age design'd.
The Muses leaue their sweet Castalian Springs
In forme of Bees, extending silken wings
With gentle sounds, to keepe this Infant still,
While they his mouth with pleasing hony fill.
Hence those large Streames of Eloquence proceed,
Which in the hearers strange amazement breed;
When laying by his Scepters and his Swords,
He melts their hearts with his mellifluous words.
So Hercules in ancient pictures fain'd,
Could draw whole Nations to his tongue enchain'd.
He first considers in his tender age,
How God hath rays'd him on this earthly Stage,
To act a part, expos'd to eu'ry eye:
With Salomon he therefore striues to flie
To him that gaue this Greatnesse, and demands
The precious gift of Wisdome from his hands:
While God delighted with this iust request,
Not onely him, with wondrous Prudence blest,
But promis'd higher glories, new encrease
Of Kingdomes circled with a Ring of Peace.
He thus instructed by diuine commands,
Extends this peacefull line to other Lands.
When warres are threaten'd by shril Trumpets sounds,
His Oliue stancheth bloud, and binds vp wounds.
The Christian World this good from him deriues,
That thousands had vntimely spent their liues,
If not preseru'd by lustre of his Crowne:
Which calm'd the stormes, & layd the billowes down:
And dimm'd the glory of that Roman wreath
By souldiers gain'd for sauing men from death.
This Denmarke felt, and Swethland, when their strife
Ascended to such height, that losse of life
VVas counted nothing: for the dayly sight
Of dying men made Death no more then night.
Behold, two potent Princes deepe engag'd
In seu'rall int'rests, mutually enrag'd
By former conflicts: yet they downe will lay
Their swords, when his aduice directs the way.
The Northerne Climates from dissention barr'd,
Receiue new ioyes by his discreete award.
When Momus could among the Godlike-Kings,
Infect with poyson those immortall Springs
Which flow with Nectar; and such gall would cast,
As spoyles the sweetnesse of Ambrosiaes taste;
This mighty Lord, as Ruler of the Quire,
With peacefull counsels quencht the rising fire.
The Austrian Arch-duke, and Batauian State,
By his endeuours, change their long-bred hate
For twelue yeeres truce: this rest to him they owe
As Belgian Shepherds, and poore Ploughmen know.
The Muscouites opprest with neighbours, flie
To safe protection of his watchfull eye.
And Germany his ready succours tries,
When sad contentions in the Empire rise.
His mild instinct all Christians thus discerne:
But Christs malignant foes shall find him sterne.
What care, what charge he suffers to preuent,
Lest Infidels their number should augment,
His ships restraine the Pirates bloody workes;
And Poland gaines his ayde against the Turkes.
His pow'rfull Edicts stretcht beyond the Line,
Among the Indians seu'rall bounds designe;
By which his subiects may exalt his Throne,
And strangers keepe themselues within their owne.
This Ile was made the Sunnes ecliptick way;
For here our Phœbus still vouchsaf'd to stay:
And from this blessed place of his retreat,
In diff'rent Zones distinguisht cold and heate,
Sent light or darknesse, and by his Commands
Appointed limits to the Seas and Lands,
Who would imagine, that a Prince employ'd
In such affaires, could euer haue enioy'd
Those houres, which drawne from pleasure, and from rest,
To purchase precious knowledge were addrest?
And yet in learning he was knowne t'exceed
Most, whom our houses of the Muses breed.
Ye English Sisters, Nurses of the Arts,
Vnpartiall Iudges of his better parts;
Raise vp your wings, and to the world declare
His solid Iudgement, his Inuention rare,
His ready Elocution, which ye found
In deepest matters, that your Schooles propound.
It is sufficient for my creeping Verse,
His care of English Language to rehearse.
He leades the lawlesse Poets of our times,
To smoother cadence, to exacter Rimes:
He knew it was the proper worke of Kings,
To keepe proportion, eu'n in smallest things.
He with no higher titles can be styl'd,
When Seruants name him lib'rall, Subiects, Mild.
Of Antonines faire time the Romans tell,
No bubbles of ambition then could swell
To forraine warres; nor ease bred ciuill strife:
Nor any of the Senate lost his life.
Our King preserues for two and twenty yeeres,
This Realme from inward and from outward feares.
All English Peeres escape the deadly stroke,
Though some with crimes his anger durst prouoke.
He was seuere in wrongs, which others felt;
But in his owne, his heart would quickly melt.
For then (like God, from whom his glories flow)
He makes his Mercy swift, his Iustice slow.
He neuer would our gen'rall ioy forget,
VVhen on his sacred brow the Crowne was set;
And therefore striues to make his Kingdome great,
By fixing here his Heires perpetuall Seate:
VVhich eu'ry firme and loyall heart desires,
May last as long as heau'n hath starry fires.
Continued blisse from him this Land receiues,
VVhen leauing vs, to vs his Sonne he leaues,
Our hope, our ioy, our treasure: Charles our King,
VVhose entrance in my next attempt I sing.