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Albion's Elegie

or, A Poem Upon the High and Mighty Prince James Duke of Albany and York, His Departure from Scotland. Presented to His Royal Highness, By M. L. [i.e. Michael Livingstone]

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ALBANUM toto resonabunt littore ripæ,
Et tristes Elegos, te decedente, canemus.


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TO His Royal Highness, JAMES, Duke of ALBANY and YORK.

ALBION'S Elegie

What to Depart, the DUKE? such News ye bring,
As use t'assume the preying Eagle's wing:
It's like the uncouth Accent ye mistook,
Or Read the Thing in a Demurring look;
Else pensive Thoughts possess my sleepy Head
With th' Object, which awake to lose, I dread:
But sure, no Dream my Fancy thus deludes,
Upon my Watch such Jealousie intrudes,
These Flames dispers'd offend my tender Eyes,
My Ears do itch with such nois'd Homilies;
So that incens'd Eolian Thunder-clap,
Had sure prognosticate this Dismal Rap:
So Syren-pleasures Fatal events Form,
And Halcyon Calmness hatch a future Storm.
But whither this gay Navie Lee-ward Glides?
Like Stately Genets Prauncing on the Tides,
Doth kind Enamour'd Paris hither Sail
To steal our Sparkling Helen, and prevail?

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These Beautie's darts may, with the Grecian State,
Enflame us to Rescue, but with worse Fate.
Or, here dare these light sportful Yachts arrive,
And of our Isle's Palladium us deprive,
Let's shun Ulysses Guile, the Fate of Troy,
To steal our GODS, and then our Isle destroy:
The breach, if great Apollo once depart,
May scarce prevent Politick Sinon's Art,
For tho' repair'd, and fenc'd 'gainst Forreign Ginn,
The Grecian Horse may lurk secure within.
Will this Abortive Exit leave a doom?
As Cæsar's sad recluse had done to Rome,
The smooth-tongu'd Hostage to the Oil of Greece;
Shall we let Jason steal our Golden Fleece,
With fond Medea? rather let's implore
Neptune, to ward the Argonauts from shore:
Or if arriv'd, the Lion rampant Arm,
Lest they the watchful Dragon learn to charm.
But why, Great Sir, Desert you us so soon?
Abridge our Year, and leave your Task undone?
Doth not the Sun through the whole Zodiack reign?
Before he Mount on Aries Horns again;
Whereas you in the Archer but begun,
And scarce through Winter's Scaly Signe have run;
But also Flora's fragrant prime leapt o're,
With Ceres verdant Robes, and Liber's store,
While our obscure Horizon you decline,
And in the Noon-tide intermits to shine:
O! to Cimmerian darkness not expose
Us, like those whom the Frigid Zone enclose,
Or in the same Estate with those enroll,
Whose direct Zenith is the Artick Pole:
Nay worse, while they enjoy Phœbus pow'r,
His beams six Months display'd, and we but four.

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O let not Thetis Bow'rs our Titan shade,
His flammed Chariot with her Mantle spread,
Until another Phœbus sway the Rains,
Which our Lent Titan soon by course resigns:
So Pylades is call'd Orestes Brother,
Prompt to Die for, and Represent each Other;
So it's betwixt fair Leda's Twins agreed,
When one descends, the other to succeed;
So the great Luminaries straight appear,
Or hold Empire in either Hemisphere.
Stand then, Our Sun, or let the posting Ships
Embark another, else a long Eclipse
We suffer, and without a misty Trope,
Grim Saturn seems to cast our Horoscope.
Her Golden Leaves the Marigold at Night
Wraps up, and griev's her Sun's deprived sight,
But to his early Rayes she doth display
Her cheerful Banners; yet both night and day
Our Hearts must Frieze, our Eyes be Shut, and Swell
With Tears, untill your Glad arise dispell
Our Sight's black Cloud, grief's Dew drink up, and drive
Love's frost away, each Sense decay'd revive.
The Sun emits most Force, when most remote,
When he aloft the Crab's Aspect hath got;
Then if our Sun Ascend, let's but Intreate
For the Reflexions of his absent Heat.
Hath ALBANY set Sail still to remain
Abroad, or shortly to come Home again?
Yes, to Return, like those, who to desire
The City more, to Rural Farmes retire.
Could he forsake that Kindly Plot of Ground?
Which his Ancestor's Fame, and Temples Crown'd,
Through whole five hundred, three Olympiad's hinge,
A Century, and Decad strong of Kings;

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And which as many Monarchs counts, as are
Dayes, when four Moons have couch'd their watry Care,
Or Years, in full five Golden Numbers fixt,
Lacking but Five Kings to compleat the Sixt.
But your Abode some Mystery Imports,
I cannot Circumscribe it Long nor Short:
If with the number of your Vertuous Acts,
Through all thy sweet Deportment's Lively tracts,
We Scan your Presence, and your Stay Compute,
It might with Aged Tim's large Annals sute:
But if your Stay We ballance with the Joy,
And Balmy pleasures which our Senses Cloy,
Ah too abrupt! nay it as brief appears,
As these Delights which so transport the Ears,
Or of a well-tun'd Lyre the warbling Note,
Which hath an Obit with its Audience got.
As if, when first an hopeful Youth the stage
Had entred, and shown Wit more ripe than Age,
The Courtain fell, the Scene became his Urne,
The plotting Prologue to th' Epilogue turn;
Sure it would move th' amaz'd Spectatours more,
Then his aspiring Sp'rit made glad before:
Ev'n so, Most Royal Sir, you first let's taste
Your Lips delicious Fruit, unlocks the Breast
Where we Contemplate BRITAIN'S Paradise,
Elysium's rare Abstract; then in a trice
Excluded from this Eden, all Afloat
We're left, reflecting on the curious plot:
What have we done? Omitted to effect?
Did any Rules our Tasting e're direct?
Or Caveats starve? No, here the Serpent lurks,
We could not Feed, unless wee'd swell'd like Turks.
Our charmed Eyes, O had you never cloy'd,
Our Palate tickled, or we still enjoy'd

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That pleasant prospect, this Soul-raping Guest,
That Royal fare, we had been always Blest.
But since you Vaile anon that splendid Face,
The Diapason of Majestick Grace,
Whose Symmetry had once the Cynick seen,
It Tub and Sun, and Aliment had been;
You ev'n retract our Joy begun, and so
Your Advent frames the Epoch of our woe;
Here I could in the Adamant infuse
A Melancholick Fit, the Flow'r de Luce
Force in a stone to weep, in this Comprise
All former woe, make Nature sympathise
With her condoling Quire, but that my Grief
Exceeds all these as far, as they belief.
Is Caledon's Sun fled? Life of the nine,
Of Honour, Pleasure, Fame, and Vertu's Shrine;
Fly hence Refreshing Pastime, and all Sport,
Here let no active Exercise Resort:
The Fields as Paralytick nod about,
Clubs take the Cramp, and Gamesome-Balls the Gout;
No more their Lungs the coursing Horses waste,
But, by the slowest pace, strive to be last;
Let Foot-men to their flight add Breath, and feel
A change, to lose the prize, tho' gain the heels,
The trained Hounds all Discipline disdain,
And at the Quest, or Hollow bark again;
No search the Hare disclose, no fear her wake,
While she the Plains, and they the Mountains take:
And let no Gun with th' eager Sports-man frame,
But wrest the Artist's Skil, and Master's Aim;
Let no Inclosure, Grove, or Walking-plain
Invite to Recreate, or Love entertain;
Let no Heroick Vertue here Reside,
Nor pompous Honour in proud Triumph ride,

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No gen'rous Soul, here no good Genius haunt,
The Valiant SCOTS of their Achilles Vaunt,
Nor Mars Disciples speak, but Silence deep
Like Punies of the Samian Wise-man keep;
Affected Smiles no more Comedians Ape,
Or wanton Looks invest; be forc'd to shape
Their Mimick gesture, not to Passions shown
In other Minds, but squared to their own,
Let Tragick ends, and Interludes beguile
The Comick-muse, in a Drammatick-stile;
No Beauteous Madam more, or Courtly Wench
Let moderate a Jig, or Galliard-French,
But Chorus-like, to Vary with the Time
And tune her feet proportion'd to a Chime:
Let neither Court nor Courtier stay behind,
Since swelling Waters, with the justling Wind
Contending for Supremacy, through pride,
Give the Advantage both of Wind and Tide;
Let both unite to heave them to the Port
Now most desir'd, where they Saint James his Court
Preparing with all Vines, and various Cates,
All solemn Pomp, and Ornament of States,
With Purple, Porphery, and Turkie-work,
May welcome, and receive, the Duke of York,
Whose mild Aspect, and Influence on CHARLES,
May Introduce the Barons, Lords, and Earls
Of th' Ancient Kingdom, joint to represent
Their equal-pressing Grievance, and Dissent
Of ALBANIE's dire Exodus; their Eye,
VVhose sad Privation nothing can supplie,
But Talion Justice; or to reinstall
The Head-stone, snatch'd away from ALBION's wall.
Jove's Sacred Brood no more a drop distill
Of fluent Nectar, in a Poet's Quill,

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Through the Castalian Chrystal Limbeck Strain'd,
From Helicon's adjacent Fountain drain'd,
Whereby in Lyrick, or in Epick Verse,
He may a Hero's Praise, or Acts rehearse,
But Elegies compile, since Sir, to you
Poets all kinds of Panegyricks Ow,
And when done all that Art, or thought can Vent,
But patcheth Chinks of the old Argument.
Lo what Distress I grasp with in extream!
Lost both my sole Mœcenas, and sole Theam,
Nay to enlarge my Grief, compleat my loss,
I cannot by Retail Trade, nor in Gross:
I henceforth bid to thee, fond Muse, adieu,
To all the Whinning and the Bankrout Crue;
No more thy rambling Phantasies suggest,
As pass'd a feign'd Enthusiastick test:
I'le no more chew the cud, and beat my brains,
In hot persuits not empty all my Veins,
For lo the trump that hug'd thee from the Womb,
The same repon'd, shal drag thee to thy Tomb.
Thou mad'st me twice the Feet of ROYAL JAMES
Salute, as Rivers usher'd in by Thames
To London's Streets, and Wellcome did'st afford,
Without exchange of a superfluous word:
And wilt thou Train me in, Commence my fee?
To consummate my Climacterick three,
Which sure proves Dismal, since I'm forc'd to spell,
And openly pronounce to Both, Farewell;
Then Farewell Muse the Patrone of my Crime,
Thrice to accost a Prince with scantling Rhime,
Twice to present Tongue's Noble Architect,
The Gleanings of his own rich Dialect.
Thou might'st have rather stiffled doting Love,
Then the entrusted Talent not Improve.

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But Faith I'm loath that Bratt to disinherit,
Which Homage payes by Zeal, and not by Merit,
And prompt his Clemency to interpose
'Twixt Poet's Wrath, and her insipid Dose:
Come truck along, and rather chuse one Doom,
To Hope abroad, than still Despair at home;
Come let's attend the Ocean's Crowned Glore,
And waft him safe unto the English Shore.
FINIS.

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ALBION'S Farewel:

OR, POEM, Presented to his Royal Highness returning to COURT.

ALBANUM en oculis abeuntem prosequor udis,
Et dixit tenui murmure Lingua, VALE.
Ovid.


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TO His Royall Highness.

1.

Since Fates our pleasures thus disjoyne,
Out of one Mass two Bodies coine,
yet with one breath inspir'd,
We will the rigid Section find,
Or can one half survive behind,
when th' other hath retir'd;
But we must now our half resign,
So Honour bids, and we incline;
The shrubs yeeld to the lofty pine.

2.

Should we your Sympathy augment
By grudge? and be as impudent
as him who chides his Friend,
By some Emergent call'd away,
And forced to abridge his Stay,
as if Guests were confin'd;
So Honour calls you to set Sail,
Your Tide, our Good, let's not bewail!
But heartily impart all hail.

3.

Then Farewell MONARCH of one Heart,
Whereof all SCOTLAND claims a part,
except some clownish Boo'rs,

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Whose savage Breasts no Law can tame,
Or Stars have influence to inflame,
who feel no Higher Pow'rs,
Farewell our Hope's betrothed Dove,
Darling of Thoughts, Load-stone of Love,
Like Aristotle's Quadrate prove.

4.

To th' midle Region of the Air,
May all the blustring Winds repair,
But as much gentle Gale,
Let Eolus send from his Cave,
As him to port in Waine may heave,
Or chariot under sail.
To tread the Sea when you're descri'd,
The gods their Fish-tail'd Steeds bestride,
And summon all their Host to ride:

5.

In Honour gladly to attend,
From Fear release, from Harm desend
your welcome Laureat-Train.
Let Neptune all Sea-passions curb,
Which may obstruct, or dare disturb
The Cæsar of the main;
Or which may move in any sort
The second Column of the Court,
And render it to need support

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O! let's not this Occasion slip,
Of reering up our selves the Ship,
wherein, Great Sir, secure
You may all Storms out-ride, and cast
Safe Anchor on our Breasts; the Mast
shall Valour's proof endure,

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Experience shall the Rudder steer,
Sound Resolution Top-sail bear,
Our Loyalty the Flag appear;

7.

The full-spread Sails, enlarged Hope,
Our hearty Wishes Teloscope,
The Badge our Lyon shew;
The Soul's Cinque-port shall Compass be,
And to the Needle (Love) agree,
As always fixt on you.
Farewell Elected Admiral
Of CALEDON's high Brazen wall,
Which will all Hostile force appall:

8.

Nor Competition dare invest
Her outward dress, and tho' possess't
with hidden flames, yet must
In her own ashes straight consume,
Or otherwise produce but fume
the Honour to adjust.
Farewell the most advent'rous Prore,
That e're cut Sea, or Jason bore,
Your fraught without exchange restore.

9.

Unless supream great Cæsar please,
To prove thy Conduct in the Seas,
to whose Empire most pure
Strick sail, and all Obedience shew,
Crave humbly home to steer, and view
his Primogeniture.
Farewell the most renowned Pair,
That e're tread Land, or Main did square,
This yeelds to You, that vails to Her.

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10.

Lo how the Fishes dance and leap,
As if they did more pleasure reap
from her unchanging eye,
Then Rocks from Amphion's warbling lyre
Or that Fish which his back did hire
for Arion's melodie
Farewell bright Lamps, and all your Train,
Your Luster always to retain
Long both in Love, and Honour raign.

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Let SCOTLAND penetrate the Skies
By suffrage, and Heart-sacrifice,
Jove's Herauld to employ;
That he their voyage a sweet sleep
Make seem, time with the Sea-gods keep
t'afford a safe Convoy
Let England Neptune's war rage pay
Their other Hope deal'd with the Bay
Receive, and solemnize the day
Of his long wish'd return; while we
Long for the same, and so may He,
by visiting once more
This loving Clime, and tender Nurse,
His presence hath remov'd the curse
entail'd on SCOTLAND poor
The very thought doth sweetly smell,
Our Love return Glad-news; to dwell?
He's on the rode, why do I add? FAREWELL.
FINIS.