MacLean, Gerald, editor. The Return of the King : An Anthology of English Poems Commemorating the Restoration
of Charles II / edited by Gerald MacLean
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
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The Glory of these Nations.
[after 29 May]
Fifth of the "trunk ballads," this broadside marks various stages in the king's progress with the putative authority of an eye-witness report, listing names and places along the way from Dover to Westminster. As with all such eye-witness reports, it provides a selective list of those the poet recognizes. Monck and the king, are greeted at Deptford by "maidens … all in white." Apprentices appear to greet him at Walworth field; the Lord Mayor joins the train at Newington Butts where a banquet is served. This ballad names several members of the Sealed Knot who had plotted the king's return.
Despite its title, this ballad's perspective is English rather than British -- at times appearing to be specifically aimed at appealing to those living in metropolitan London. There is a strong commercialist emphasis in the final emphasis on the return of trade.
Of this ballad Ebsworth writes: "A Second `Trunk Ballad' is `The Glory of These Nations; or, King and People's Happiness.' It is an imitation of Martin Parker's ballad `Upon Defacing of Whitehal' (reprinted, vii. 633), and to the same tune, When the King enjoys his own again. It begins, "Wher's those that did prognosticate, and did envy fair England's state, And said King Charles no more shall reign? Their predicitions were but in vain, For the King is now return'd" etc. It tells of his reception on 22nd May at Dover, and his progress to Canterbury, Cobham Hall, Deptford, Walworth, and Newington Butts, where he was received by the Lord Mayor." (9:786-7)
The Glory of these Nations.
Or, King and peoples happinesse, being a brief Relation of King
Charles's Royall progresse from Dover to London, how the Lord Generall and
the Lord Mayor with all the nobility and Gentrey of the Land, brought him tho-row the Famous City of London to
his Pallace at Westminster the 29. of May last, be-
ing his Majesties birth-day, to the great comfort of his Loyall Subjects.
The Tune is, When the King enjoys his own again.
[cut:
equestrian King with two heralds in front, riding left to right]
WHer's those that did Prognosticate,
And did envy fair Englands State;
And said King Charles no more should Raign;
Their Predictions were but in vain,
5: For the King is now return'd
For whom fair England mournd.
His Nobles Royally him entertain,
Now blessed be the day
Thus do his Subjects say,
10: That God hath brought him home again.
The twenty second of lovely May 1
At Dover arrived Fame doth say,
Where our most Noble Generall
Did on his knees before him fall.
15: Craving to kiss his hand.
So soon as he did land
Royally they did him entertain 2
With all their power and might
To bring him to his Right,
20: And place him in his own again.
Then the King I understand
Did kindly take him by the hand,
And lovingly did him embrace,
Rejoycing for to see his face;
25: Hee lift him from the ground
With joy that did abound,
And graciously did him entertain,
Rejoycing that once more,
He was o'th' English shore,
30: To enjoy his own in peace again.
From Dover to Canterbury they past,
And so to Cobham-Hall at last;
From thence to London march amain,
With a Triumphant and glorious Train,
35: Where he was receiv'd with joy
His sorrow to destroy.
In England once more for to raign,
Now all men do sing
God save Charles our King.
40: That now enjoyes 3 his own again.4
At Deptford the Maidens they
Stood all in White by the high-way,
Their Loyalty to Charls to show,
That with sweet flowers his way to strew;
45: Each wore a Ribbin blew,
They were of comely hue;
With joy they did him entertain
With aclamations 5 to the skye
As the King passed by,
50: For joy that he receives his own again.
In Wallworth-Fields a gallant band
Of London-Prentices did stand
All in White Dublets very gay,
To entertain King Charles that day,
55: With Muskets, swords and Pike,
I never saw the like,
Nor a more youthfull gallant train,
They up their Hats did fling,
And cry God save the King.
60: Now he enjoys his own again.
[cut: royal coat of arms]
At Newington-Buts the Lord Mayor 6 willed
A famous Booth for to be builded,
Where King Charls did make a stand
And received the sword into his hand,
65: Which his Majesty did take,
And then returned back
Unto the Mayor with love again;7
A Banquet they him make,
He doth thereof partake,
70: Then marcht his Triumphant Train.
The King with all his Noblemen,
Through Southwark they marched then.
First marched Major General Brown,8
Then Norwich Earle 9 of great renown
75: With many a valiant Knight,
And gallant men of might,
Richly attired marching amain.
These Lords Mordin, 10 Gerard 11 and
The good Earl of Cleavland,12
80: To bring thee King to his own again.
Near sixty flags and streamers then
Was born before a thousand men,
In Plush Coats and Chaines of gold,
These were most rich for to behold
85: With every man his Page,
The glory of his age,
With courage bold they marcht amain,
Then with gladnesse they,
Brought the King on his way
90: For to enjoy &c.
Then Liechfields 13 and Darlyes 14 Earles,
Two of fair Englands Royall Pearls;
Major Generall Massey 15 then
Commanded the Life guard of men
95: The King for to defend,
If any should contend,
Or seem his comming to restrain,
But also joyful were
That no such durst appear,
100: Now the King, &c.
Four rich Maces before them went,
And many Heralds well content.
The Lord Mayor and the Generall
Did march before the King with all,
105: His Brothers on each side,
A long by him did ride;
The Southwark-Waits did play amain,
Which made them all to smile
and to stand still a while,
110: and then they marched 16 on again.
Then with drawn swords all men did ride,
and flourishing the same then cryed
Charles the second now God save.
That he his lawfull right may have,
115: and we all on him attend,
From dangers him to defend:
and all that with him doth remain
Blessed be God that we
Did live these days to see
120: That the King, &c.
The Bells likewise did loudly ring,
Bonefires did burn and people sing,
London Conduits did run with Wine;
and all men do to Charls incline,17
125: hoping now that all
Unto their Trades may fall,
Their Famylies for to maintain
and from wrong be free,
'Cause wee have liv'd to see
The King enjoy his own again. FINIS.
London, Printed for Charles Tyus on London Bridge.
[1]A hasty error? should be 26th of May.
[2]entertain] enertain copytext
[3]enjoyes] ed. enjoyss copytext
[4][sic]
[5]aclamations] ed. a clamations copytext
[6]Lord Mayor of London at the time was Sir Thomas Alleyne, who followed Sir John Ireton and was followed in turn by Sir Richard Browne, the alderman who suppressed Venner's insurrection in January 1661. Alleyne's sheriffs were William Bolton and Richard Peake. Alleyne is linked with Monck in a poem by John Rowland, M. A. of Christ Church, "In Honour of the Lord General Monck and Thomas Allen, Lord Mayor of London, for their great Valour, Loyalty, and Prudence: Epinicia" (LT copy dated 22 May, 1660).
[7]see The Noble Progress
[8]Major General, later Sir Richard Browne (d. 1669) was one of the most influential figures in the City of London at the Restoration. Representing the City, he was among those sent to meet the king at Breda and, as indicated in the ballad here, headed the procession that brought Charles into London. Browne was appointed Lord Mayor in October 1660, having served as MP for the City in 1656, Jan-April 1659, and in the Convention Parliament 1660. A woodmonger from Whitefriars, Browne emerged into national politics as the leader of the City trainbands in the early stages of the first civil war, but broke with the war party in 1648, spending five years in prison. During the early preparations before Booth's rising, he received a commission from the King on 1 March 1659 together with Lord Willoughby of Parham and Sir William Waller. These three, as former parliamentarians, were to cement support with the presbyterians, but only Parham signed on at that time (Davis, 125). Following its failure, Browne went into hiding but continued to be involved in Sealed Knot activities; he was a member of the group in December 1659 that tried to preempt Monck by urging Whitlocke to persuade Fleetwood to see the king at Breda and agree on terms for his return (Davis 188). Browne took his seat representing the City of London in the Convention Parliament on 21 February 1660, and was unanimously nominated recorder (ibid 293, 324). In January 1661 he suppressed the Venner's insurrection. He "remained a favourite with the London apprentices" to the end of his life (Pepys, Companion, p. 48).
[9]George, Lord Goring, later Earl of Norwich (d. 1663), had known Charles personally since at least 1645, when Goring was appointed general in command of the royalist field army in the Westcountry at a time when the royalist effort there had been assigned to the young Prince of Wales. Unable to hold out against Waller's invasion and the internal squabbling among the other royalist generals, Goring fled to France.
[10]John Mordaunt, viscount (1626/7-75); check DND, G. E. C. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage. While a commoner, he plotted against both Charles I and Charles II. In 1658-60, however, he was one of the leaders of the royalist underground aiming at a restoration by bringing about an alliance between the Presbyterians and the City. He was tried for treason 1-3 June 1658, but was acquitted thanks to the casting vote of John Lisle, president of the High Court of Justice. Francis, Lord Willoughby of Parham appealed to Whitelocke to help Mordaunt, 5 June 1658. During July and August, he helped organize a nationwide uprising that failed. In 1659, Mordaunt accompanied Greenville and joined Charles in Brussels where he was created Baron Mordaunt of Ryegate and Viscount Mordaunt of Avalon in July 1659. For services leading to the Restoration, he was appointed High Steward of Windsor and Governor of the Castle, but was impeached by the Commons in January 1666 -- for arbitrary persecution of a subordinate at Windsor -- he was pardoned but resigned; see Whitelocke Diary 22 Oct 1667.
[11]Gerrard: ambiguous, probably (1) Charles, Lord Gerard, Earl of Macclesfield (cf DNB): this is Ebsworth's candidate but check: (2)Sir Gilbert Gerrard (1587-1670): former treasurer at war for parliament during Civil War, became committed royalist; secluded MP (Davies, 321-2);; see Keeler, The Long Parliament, R, Somerville, Office Holders of the Duchy of Lancaster (1972), G. E. Aylmer, The Kings Servants; Davies 1955: 321-22; Of Grays Inn; created Bart. 1620. Treasurer at war for Parliament during the Civil War, Gerrard became a devoted royalist. Appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1648, he was secluded at Pride's Purge, but later reappointed.
[12]Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Cleaveland, "lead a company of 300 noblemen and gentry in the Restoration procession" (Ebsworth, 9:xxxix), cf J. W.'s The King and Kingdom's Joyful Day.
[13]Charles Stuart, Earl of Lichfield and afterwards Duke of Richmon; plotted with Mordaunt for the King's return cf Davies 138
[14]No doubt a misprint for "Darbyes." Charles Stanley, Earl of Derby, was son of the murdered James Stanley, 7th Earl, and Charlotte de la Tremouille, the heroine of Lathom House in 1644. (Ebsworth 9.xl)
[15]Major General Sir Edward Massey, had defended Gloucester for Charles 1; joined with Mordaunt and Sealed Knot to bring King back; he stood for Gloucester in early May and nearly lost his life (Davies 327) See Pepys 25 November 1661.
[16]marched] marced copytext
[17]incline] inclineline