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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A Countrey Song

May 1661


   Thomason dated this "May 1661" and commented "Loud" at the end. Ebsworth reprinted it in volume 9 of his Roxburghe Ballads, noted that it is not to the tune of "When the king enjoyes his own again, insisted that it appeared in "early May 1660," and erroneously stated that it was printed in blackletter.


A COUNTREY
SONG,
INTITULED,
THE RESTORATION.


I.


COme, come away,
To the Temple and pray,
And sing with a pleasant strain:
The Schismatick's dead,
5:           The Liturgy's read,
And the King enjoyes his own again.

II.


The Vicar is glad,
The Clerk is not sad,
And the Parish cannot refrain,
10:           To leap, and rejoyce,
And lift up their voyce,
That the King enjoyes his own again.

III.


The Countrey doth bow,
To old Iustices now,
15: That long aside have been lain:
The Bishop's restor'd,
God is rightly ador'd,
And the King enjoyes his own again.

IV.


Committee-men fall,
20:            And Majors Generall, 1
No more doe those Tyrants reign:
There's no Sequestration,
Nor new Decimation:
For the King enjoyes the Sword again.

V.


25:            The Scholar doth look,
With joy on his Book;
Tom whistles and plows amain:
Soldiers plunder no more,
As they did heretofore:
30: For the King enjoyes the Sword again.

VI.


The Citizens Trade,
The Merchants do Lade,
And send their Ships into Spain:
No Pirates at Sea,
35:           To make them a prey,
For the King enjoyes the Sword again.

VII.


The old Man and Boy,
The Clergy and Lay,
Their joyes cannot contain:
40:            'Tis better then of late,
With the Church and the State,
Now the King enjoyes the Sword again.

VIII.


Let's render our praise,
For these happy dayes,
45: To God and our Soveraign:
Your drinking give ore,
Swear not as before:
For the King bears not the Sword in vain.

IX.


Fanaticks be quiet,
And keep a good Diet,
To cure your crazy Brain:
Throw off your disguise,
Go to Church and be wise;
For the King bears not the Sword in vain.

X.


55:           Let Faction and Pride,
Be now laid aside,
That Truth and Peace may reign:
Let every one mend,
And there is an end,
60: For the King bears not the Sword in vain.


[1]Lambert and Fleetwood