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With the sad Tydings of the Day opprest,
I laid me down to seek Relief from Rest;
When lo! Britannia's Genius wrapt in Night,
But op'ning wide the Intellectual Sight,
Before me stood, and with a dismal Mien
Renew'd my Grief and gave me back to Spleen:
His weighty Sorrows I cou'd well divine,
Sprung from the same too cruel Cause with mine.
Old England's Weal was his peculiar Care,
And mine the fatal Loss of England's Heir.
But having now the opportunity
To know the secret Counsels of the Sky,
Led on by Princely Love and Loyal Fear,
Thus to the Genius I addrest my Prayer.

Great Guardian Angel of this happy Isle,
On which till now the Gods did ever smile,
Instruct me in the Mystery of Fate,
That thus perplexes and disjoints the State.
Since all the Kingly Race our Annals shew
Have had a Royal Issue still in view,
How comes it now (by a severe Decree)
That Blessing's wanting for Posterity?
Long on the Throne may Glorious William shine;
But Gloucester's gone!—the Promise of the Line!

I spoke, and thus the Gracious Form reply'd:
From you I'll not the Gods Intentions hide.
Things Sacred heretofore, are now profan'd;
Monarchs of old for publick Good ordain'd,
In lawless Rage and Lust of Pow'r have reign'd.
Lewis contemns Divine and Human Laws,
And on himself his Peoples Curses draws;
Nulls his own Compacts, and with raging Might,
By wilful Sway invades the Subjects Right:
Tyrant o'er Souls! he would usurp the Throne
Of Conscience, sacred to the Gods alone;
While by his impious Rage expell'd from home,
Distrest, from Pole to Pole his Vassals roam.
The strong Contagion of this Gallick Pest
Invades the Northern Air; and Denmark, blest
With King-restraining Rights of antient Date,
Shares with her Sister France an equal Fate.
From hence Great Ericson attempts in vain
The Liberties of Sweden to maintain:
And James, by the same ill Example led,
Thro furious Zeal his Kingdoms forfeited.
Cease then to wonder that a pious Prince,
The Darling, and the Care of Providence,
Just lent us for the Vision of a Day,
From wide Infection should be snatcht away!
The Weight of Empire, and the Cares of State
Should not depend upon a single Fate.
For tho in Antient Story we may find,
How some few Neighbouring Families combin'd
To chuse a Chief, by whose Paternal Care
They might be govern'd both in Peace and War;
Yet since the Scene is alter'd, and of late
Whole Nations join'd make but one common State,
What finite Person can sustain the Load,
Alone sufficient for the Common Good?
Thus when the scatter'd Swains of Alban Race,
For publick Safety sought the Sacred Place
Which the Twin-Brothers piously design'd
The Seat of Empire (should the Gods be kind);
One Chief was thought sufficient to command
Their new-born Empire, and small Tract of Land:
But when th'Auspicious Arms of rising Rome
Inlarg'd her Sway to Regions far from Home,
Her Discipline soon alter'd with her Fate;
Her Lords grew many, as her Empire great.
And since the Gods with Pleasure have survey'd
Albion's Increase in People, Pow'r and Trade;
And that Ierne's rich and fruitful Soil
Pays yearly Tribute to our British Isle;
That she extends her propagated Sway,
And either Indies her Commands obey;
Since none but Mighty William's awful Hand
The Reins of Power so justly can command,
No more lament your Prince's early Fate,
To Heav'nly Glory took from Earthly State;
He loses Life, but is of that secure
That louder sounds and longer will endure,
A faultless Name! when more the Fates deny,
The second Lot is happily to die.
Then happy He! who from the Task retires
Which all that Nassau can perform, requires.
And as the Attick Realm of old decreed
No Prince the Godlike Codrus should succeed;
Striving to build, by that new way to Fame,
Their last and best of Kings a Deathless Name;
So may the grateful Tribes of Britain's Race
This Handle, offer'd by the Gods, embrace;
And by their last Effort of Loyalty,
Th'Athenians Honour to their King decree.