 | Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 |  |
THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIES VVellcome to his owne House, Truly called the Honour of Hampton COVRT,
VVho came thither on the 24. of August, and so consequently hoped and humbly desired to White-Hall.
Alius Poeta Aquatticus.
3
Had I a quill pluckd from the Phœnix wing,
Or Homers Muse, or Virgills towring stile,
(Thy ten times long wish'd wellcom to compile)
Had I all these great aides, all were to few,
Thy Subjects long expected joyes to shew
Thy presence hath inspir'd this Muse of mine,
More then Apollo and his triple Trine,
Hee's dull braind, and a Poet cannot bee,
That wants a Muse (great King,) and writes of thee.
A juster Master servants never had
And servants false to man, to to bad
But as the Eagle never cast his eyes,
On abject, objects, vermin, gnatts or flies,
4
VVith thine owne goodnes overcome their ill.
Ingratefull men tooke cloathing, wages, food,
From thee, and have repaid thee ill for good:
Which thy Heroicke mind still slighted hath,
As most unworthy of thy Royall wrath.
Ther's not a grace, a vertue or an Art,
But are inthroned in thy Princely Heart:
Faith and Fame unshaken with the wrongs,
Of perjur'd writers and perfidious tongues,
Thy certaine Hope in thy Majestique Breast
That fix'd beliefe, shall be made manifest
By Charitie, which thou hast shew'd to those
Who are thy cursed causeles mortall foes.
VVhereby thy virtues patient constancy,
Hath won thee a more glorious victory,
Then if (by conquest) thy sharpe sword should peirce
Through all the Kingdomes of the Universe.
Thy Mercy and thy Iustice are the Jems,
And richest Jewells in thy Diadems.
To summe up all; 'tis truly understood
Ther's nothing may be named just or good
But is in thee ingraff'd, and nothing ill
Thou sayst or do'st, but 'tis against thy will.
Thy Master Christ (the light made thee discerne,
And this blest Lesson thou from him didst learne.
That he that Loveth, Father, Mother, VVife,
Children, earths goods or glory, or his life
More then his Saviour (such a sordid Spirit)
Is most unworthy of his Masters Merrit:
This precept thou hast practis'd this thy troath
Kept in thy Christian Coronation Oath,
5
Thou hazzard'st either to rise, stand or fall,
Thy Love (Great King) to thy great King of Kings,
By thee hath been prefer'd above all things,
For which he'le crowne his Gifts in thee, and hee
Will crowne thee glorious with Eternitie:
Thy Constancie hath trip'd up Fortunes heele,
Thy mind ne're minded her Inconstant Wheele:
What good, or bad Occurrances effected;
Thy Spirits were ne're errected or dejected;
Not with a stuped Humor stoicall,
But with a Christian Mind Majesticall:
And with Impregnable strong confidence,
Still trusting in the Almighties Providence.
Now may wee see that Patience, Clemencie,
Religion, and true Magnanimitie,
Are Talents lent, whose value doth excell:
And all the Proffits their's that use them well.
And (Royall Sir) Thou hast done well (no doubt)
Thou hast not wrap'd thy Talent in a Clowte,
But so improv'd thy trust, in thy Trustee,
That tenfold ten times more thy trust shall bee.
And now poore England, hath so many years
Bin Plagu'd with causles Jellosies and Feares,
Which (like Blacke clouds) disperst with wavering wind:
Made Wit squint-ey'd, and Vnderstanding blind,
Whearby each howre was frighted hence sweet Peace
And every moment miseries encrease:
But as bright Phebus (interpos'd by Clowds,
Which with a mourning face the earth e'n shrowds)
At last dispells them with his Radient Ray,
And makes the dolsome darke, a gladsome day.
6
With Ignorance, our sights againe recover,
King Charles shines cleare, as Sols Coruscant Beames
Hath prov'd our Jeallous Feares wer lesse then dreames,
Milde Dove-like King brings Peace with th'Ollive Braunch,
Whose Love (like Balsome, Bleeding wounds will staunch
Our chearefull faces, shewes our minds (like Mirrors)
Free from suspitious thoughts, or needlesse Terrors:
Hearts over flow'd with Joyes, Thankes up erected
To God, who for us hath this good effected:
Our joyfull eyes shewes Aprill drops of pleasure,
And showrs of Joy fill th'Horizons measure,
Th'Almightie hath thy troubles seene and heard,
And hath thy upright heart in such regard
That (mauger mischiefe) His outstretched Arme
Hath, doth, and will defend thee still from Harme,
Base Shiemei Railes not as he erst hath done,
Nor rake-hell Sheba (Bieri's cursed sonne)
Doth rore and raile with lowd Infernall yell,
Or cry out, to your Tents o Israell
That Sectaries no more contention Breed
But humbly learne to know their Christian Creed,
That Iudasses no more Hayle Master say
When as they meane their Master to betray.
That Reverend Levites of a new hatcht Brood,
Make England drunk no more with English Blood.
That we may have our Qveene and Prince once more,
And use them Kinder then we did of yore.
Triumphing trumpetts sownd shall mount toth' starres
Hnd not the dreadfull charge of civill warres,
Sweet Peace (we hope shall still the Churlish Drumb,
And Murd'ring, Thundring, Guns. Commanded Dumb,
7
No heavy sad complaining in our streete,
No more shall England bath in her owne Gore,
Or leading to captivity no more.
Sword (drunk with blood) shall in their Scabberds rest,
No plundering or free quartering shall molest.
The painefull farmer, ploughman, or the swaine,
And weapons shall give place to gownes againe.
The Church resume her rights she had before,
The Cleargie to be scandaliz'd no more.
Thus each man hopes he shall his right enjoy
And all cease one another to destroy.
The King shall have his owne againe, and see,
His enemies asham'd and odious bee.
Upon thy Head still flourish may thy Crowne,
And ten times troubled be thy high Renoune
That thee and thine in glory here may Raigne,
Untill the King of glory come againe:
For such as speake peace, and doe warre intend,
For any Sinister or private end.
That of tranquillity doe prate and prattle,
But wish for war, yet dare not see a Battle,
Let all such never claime a Christian Name
Whose trade or pleasure in Blood and Flame,
Of their deere Country; to Rippe, Rend and teare,
Their Mothers Woombe, which did such Bastards beare.
Belike some feare that Peace would drive 'em hence
To England New, or th'Isle of Providence:
Virginia, Barmoodies, or St. Kitts.
Barbadoes, Mevis, or besides their witts:
But those that offering to the Altars bring,
To raise new warres 'gainst Kingdome Lawes and King,
8
And like false Traitours, hang both he and shee.
Those Sonnes of Hittits and of Amorites,
God doe to them, as to the Midianites,
As Heathen Sisera, and as Fabin dyd
At Endors Field, (where Kishowes Brooke doth slyd)
As they became as dunge, so let them be,
That to a blessed Peace will not a gree,
The peace of God, grant us thou God of Peace,
Let us cease sinne, thou wil't our sorrowes cease.
Let's frame our lives according to thy word
And let no Sword be drawne, but Justice Sword,
To which ends, thou good God of Consolation,
Send happy peace to this afflicted Nation.
So wellcome good King Charles to Hampton Court,
And God be still thy shield, defence and Fourt.
FINIS.
| Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 | |