MacLean, Gerald, editor. The Return of the King : An Anthology of English Poems Commemorating the Restoration of Charles II / edited by Gerald MacLean
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Thomas Fuller
A Panegyrick to His Majesty
[undated: after 6 July?]


   Titlepage: A / PANEGYRICK / TO HIS / MAJESTY, / ON HIS / Happy Return. / [rule] / By Tho. Fuller B. D. / [rule] / LONDON, / Printed for John Playford at his Shop in the / Temple, 1660.

   See John Eglinton Bailey, Life of Thomas Fuller (1874) for detailed bibliographical notes.
-- accused of popery by John Ley in Flagellum Flagelli (woods 2: 193)
-- from the same town as Dryden

    Thomas Fuller (1608-61), went up to Queens College, Cambridge in 1621 aged 13, later moving to Sidney Sussex as a fellow commoner. He moved to Oxford during the civil wars, but preached in London during 1647 and 1655-56, earning the admiration of Pepys who attended. He was patronized by the Mountagus of Broughton and served as chaplain to the 8th and 9th Barons Berkeley (Pepys Companion, p. 152). He may have accompanied a member of the same family, John, Lord Berkeley of Stratton to the Hague to meet Charles in 1660: this might have provided the occasion for updating his Worcester verses as a tribute.

    In keeping with the generally unexpected nature of Charles return, Fuller treats the removal of the City gates as a providential paradox (stanza 11).

    Of this poem, Fuller was his own first critic, and he set a trend for high standards. Commenting on the version of this poem found in The Worthies, Fuller himself promises "never to make Verses more" (p. 184), against which a contemporary wit wrote in the copy now in the Clark Library UCLA: "your Muse is a dull jade." Fuller's editor, Alexander Grosart, seems rather to have liked the poem, but agrees in the end:

The `Panegyrick' has happy lines: and was the genuine utterance of our large-hearted Worthy's loyalty to his idea of monarchy. Hence the transfiguration of Charles the Second. Historically it is valuable as an evidence of the glowing hopes that centred in the `merry monarch.' The actual `Life' Fuller did not witness. He was `gone' before the brightness of the exile-years paled into foulest Night. High pitched as is his praise it is low compared with innumerable con/[end p. 15]temporary `Welcomes' still preserved in the British Museum and elsewhere. (pp. 15-16)


A
PANEGYRICK
ON HIS
MAJESTIES
HAPPY RETURN.


I.


AT Wor'ster great Gods goodness to our Nation,
It was a Conquest, Your bare Preservation.
When 'midst Your fiercest foes on every side
For Your escape God did a LANE provide; 1
5: They saw You gone, but whither could not tell,
Star-staring, though they ask'd both Heaven and Hell.

2.


Of forreign States You since have studied store,
And read whole Libraries of Princes o're.
To you all Forts, Towns, Towers, and Ships are known,
10: (But none like those which now become Your OWN)
And though Your Eyes were with all Objects fill'd,
Onely the Good into Your Heart distill'd.

3.


Garbling mens manners You did well divide,
To take the Spaniards wisdom, not their pride.
15: With French activity You stor'd Your Mind.
Leaving to them their Ficklenesse behind;
And soon did learn, Your Temperance was such,
A sober Industry even from the Dutch.

4.


But tell us, Gracious Sovereign, from whence
20: Took You the pattern of Your Patience?
Learn't in Afflictions School, under the Rod,
Which was both us'd and sanctifi'd by God;
From Him alone that Lesson did proceed,
Best Tutor with best Pupil best agreed.

5.


25: We, Your dull Subjects, must confess our crime,
Who learnt so little in as long a time,
And the same School, thus Dunces poring looks
Mend not themselves, but onely marre their Books.
How vast the difference 'twixt wise and fool?
30: The Master makes the Schollar, not the School.

6.


With rich conditions ROME did You invite,
Hoping to purchase You their PROSELYTE,
(An empty soul's soon tempted with full Coffers)
Whilst You with sacred scorn refus'd their proffers.
35: And for the FAITH did earnestly 2 CONTEND
Abroad, which now You do at Home DEFEND.

7.


Amidst all Storms, Calm to Your Self the while,
Saddest Afflictions You did teach to smile.
Some faces best become a Mourning Dress,
And such Your Patience, which did grace Distress,
40: Whose Soul despising want of worldly pelf,
At lowest ebbe went not beneath it Self.

8.


Gods JUSTICE now no longer could dispence
With the Abusing of His PROVIDENCE,
To hear SUCCESSE his APPROBATION styl'd,
45: And see the Bastard brought against the Child.
[Scripture] by such, who in their own excuse
Their Actings 'gainst Gods Writings did produce.

9.


The Independent doth the Papist shun,
Contrary wayes their violence doth run,
50: And yet in such a Round at last they met,
That both their SAINTS for 3 MEDIATORS set; 4
We were not ripe for Mercy, God He knows,
But ready for his Justice were our Foes.

10.


55: The Pillar, which Gods people did attend,
To them in night a constant Light did lend, 5
Though Dark unto th'Egyptians behind;
Such was brave MONCK in his reserved mind,
A Riddle to his Foes he did appear,
60: But to Himself and You, Sense plain and clear.

11.


By Means unlikely God atchieves his End,
And crooked wayes straight to his Honour tend;
The great and ancient Gates of LONDON Town,
(No Gates, no City) now are voted down,
65: And down were cast, O happy day! for all
Do date our hopeful rising from their fall. 6

12.


The Matter of Your Restitution's good,
The Manner better, without drop of Bloud;
By a dry Conquest, without forreign hand,
70: Self-hurt, and now Self-healed, is Our Land.
This silent Turn did make no noise, O strange!
Few saw the changing, all behold the Change.

13.


So Solomon most wisely did contrive,
His Temple should be STIL-BORN though ALIVE.
75: That stately Structure started from the ground
Unto the Roof, not guilty of the sound
Of Iron Tool, all noise therein debarr'd;
This Virgin-Temple thus was seen, not heard.

14. 7


When two Protectors were of late proclaim'd,
80: Courting mens tongues, both miss't at what they aim'd,
True English hearts did with just anger burn,
And would no Eccho of GOD SAVE return:
Though smiling silence doth Consent imply,
A Tongue-tied Sorrow flatly doth deny. 8

15.


85: But at Your MAJESTIES first Proclamation,
How loud a Stentor 9 did invoice our Nation?
A Mouth without a Tongue was sooner found
In all that Crowd, than Tongue without a sound;
Nor was't a wonder men did silence break,
90: When Conduits did both French and Spanish speak. 10

16. 11


The Bells aloud did ring, for joy they felt
Hereafter Sacriledge shall not them melt.
The Bonfires round about the Streets did blaze, 12
And these NEW LIGHTS Fanatiques did amaze: 13
95: The brandisht Swords this Boon begg'd before Death,
Once to be shew'd, then buried in the Sheath.

17. 14


The Spaniard looking with a serious Eye,
Was forc'd to trespass on his Gravity,
Close 15 to conceal his wondring he desir'd,
100: But all in vain, he openly admir'd.
The French, who thought the English mad in mind,
Now fear too soon they may them Sober find. 16

18. 17


The Germans seeing this Your sudden Power,
Freely confess another Emperour.
105: The joyful Dane to Heav'ns cast up his Eyes,
Presuming suffering Kings will sympathize.
The Hollanders (first in a sad suspence)
Hop'd that Your Mercy was their Innocence.

19. 18


As Aged Jacob with good news intranc'd,
110: That Joseph was both living and advanc'd,
The great surprise so deeply did prevail
On the good Patriarch, that his Heart did fail,
Too little for to lodge so large a joy,
For sudden happiness may much annoy.

20.


But when he saw (with serious intent
115: To fetch him home) the Waggons his Son sent,
That Cordial soon his fainting Heart did cure,
'Twas past suspicion, all things then were sure:
The Father his old Spirits did renew,
And found his fears were false, his joyes were true. 19

21.


120: Such Our Condition: At the first Express
We could not credit our own Happiness;
Told of the Coming of Your MAJESTY,
Our fainting Hearts did give their Tongues the Lye.
A Boon too big for us (so ill we live)
125: For to receive, though not for GOD to give.

22.


But when we saw the ROYAL FLEET at Dover,
Voted to wait and waft Your Highness over,
And valiant Mountague (all vertues Friend) 20
Appointed on Your Person to attend,
130: Joy from that moment did expell our grief,
Converted into slow, but sure belief.

23.


Th'impatient Land did for Your presence long,
England in swarms did into Holland throng,
To bring Your Highness home, by th'Parliament
135: Lords, Commons, Citizens, Divines were sent:
Such honour Subjects never had before,
And hope that never any shall have more.

24. 21


With all degrees Your Carriage accords,
Most Lord-like Your Reception of the LORDS,
140: Your Answer with the COMMONS so comply'd
They were to admiration satisfi'd;
Civil the CITIZENS You entertain'd,
As if in LONDON Born, Y'ad there remain'd.

25.


But, Oh! Your short, but thick expressive lines,
145: Which did both please and profit the DIVINES,
Those Pastors, when returned to their Charge,
For their next Sermon had Your words at large,
With some Notes from Your Practice; who can teach
Our Miters by Your Living what to preach.

26.


150: The States of Holland (or Low Countries now)
Unto Your SACRED MAJESTY did bow,
What Air, what Earth, what Water could afford
Best in the Kind, was crowded on their Board:
And yet, when all was done, the ROYAL GUEST,
155: And not the Chear, He, HE, did make the Feast.

27.


Th'officious Wind to serve You did not fail,
But scour'd from West to East to fill Your Sail,
And fearing that his Breath might be too rough,
Prov'd over-civil, and was scarce enough;
160: Almost You were becalm'd amidst the Main,
Prognostick of Your perfect peaceful Reign.

28.


Your Narrow Seas, for Forreigners do wrong
To claim them, (surely doth the Ditch belong
Not to the common Continent, but Isle
165: Inclosed) did on You their Owner smile,
Not the least loss, onely the NASEBY mar'ls
To see her self now drowned in the CHARLES.

29.


You land at Dover, shoals of People come,
And KENT alone now seems all CHRISTENDOM.
170: The Cornish Rebels (eight score Summers since)
At BLACK HEATH fought against their lawful Prince
Henry the Seventh, which place with Treason stain'd
Its Credit, now by Loyalty regain'd.

30.


Great LONDON the last station You did make,
175: You took not it, but LONDON You did take:
Where some, who sav'd themselves amongst the Croud,
Did lose their hearing, shoutings were so loud.
Now at WHITE HALL the Guard, which You attends,
Keeps out Your Foes, God keep You from Your Friends.

31. 22


180: Thus far fair Weather on Your Work attended,
Let Showres begin now where the Sun-shine ended.
Next day We smil'd at th'weeping of the Skies,
With all Concerns how Providence complies!
The City serv'd, next followeth the Village,
185: And, Trading quickned, God provides for Tillage.

32.


One Face, one Forme in all the Land appears,
All (former Foot) now Hors'd to CAVALIERS.
As for Your Enemies, their cursed Crew
Are now more hard to find out, than subdue.
190: 'Tis very Death to them, they cannot dye,
Who do know whence, not whither, for to flie.

33.


France flouts, Spain scorns, and Italy denies them
Any access, the Dane with Dutch defies them;
Unto New-England they were known of old,
195: And now no footing for them on that mold.
Rich Amsterdam (the Staple of all Sects)
These bankrupt Rebels with contempt rejects.

34.


Thus cruell Cain, who pious blood first spilt, 23
Was Pursevanted after by his Guilt, 24
With MURDERER imbranded on his face, 25
Kept his Condition, though he chang'd his place:
Wandring from Land to Land, from shore to shelf,
His guilty Soul nere wandred from it self.

35.


Let them themselves in unknown Lands disperse,
215: Or if they please with Canibals converse,
Like unto like, that all the World may see
KING-KILLERS and MEN-EATERS do agree:
In no Land they'l increase, 'tis Natures love
Unto Mankind, all Monsters barren prove.

36.


210: Long live Our Gracious CHARLES, Second to none
In Honour, who ere sate upon the Throne:
Be You above Your Ancestors renown'd,
Whose Goodness wisely doth Your Greatness bound;
And knowing that You may be What You would,
215: Are pleased to be onely What You should.

37.


EUROP's Great ARBITRATOR, in Your choice
Is plac'd of Christendom the CASTING VOICE;
Hold You the Scales in Your Judicious Hand,
And when the equal Beam shall doubtful stand,
225: As You are pleased to dispose one Grain,
So falls or riseth either France or Spain.

38.


As Sheba's Queen defective Fame accus'd,
Whose nigardly Relations had abus'd
Th'abundant worth of Solomon, and told
225: Not half of what she after did behold:
The same Your case, Fame hath not done You right,
Our Ears are far out-acted by our Sight.

39.


Your SELF's the Ship return'd from forreign Trading,
England's Your Port, Experience the Lading,
230: God is the Pilot; and now richly fraught,
Unto the Port the Ship is safely brought:
What's dear to You, is to Your Subjects cheap,
You sow'd with pain, what we with pleasure reap.

40. 26


The most renowned EDWARD the CONFESSOR,
235: Was both Your Parallel and Precedessor,
Exil'd He many years did live in France,
(From low Foundations highest Roofs advance)
The Yoak in Youth with patience he bore,
But in his Age the Crown with honour wore.

41.27


240: The COMMON LAW to him the English owe,
On whom a better gift You will bestow:
That which He made by You shall be made good,
That Prince and Peoples rights both understood,
Both may be Bankt in their respective station;
245: Which done, no fear of future Inundation.

42.


Oppression, the KINGS EVIL, long indur'd,
By others caus'd, by YOU alone thus cur'd:
GOD onely have the glory, You the praise,
And we the profit of our peaceful dayes,
250: All Forreigners the pattern, for their State
To envy rather than to imitate.

FINIS.



[1]Presumably an arch reference to Jane Lane, though Grosart found the allusion confusing, commenting: "`Lane' (line 4th) is printed in large capitals LANE -- Why?" (p. 91 n.2).

[2]Jude 3. contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.

[3]Witness a Sermon.

[4]Grosart speculates thus: "Query -- Dr Thomas Goodwin and Peter Sterry? The famous `prayer' of the former so perverted in one expression therein, doubtless simply used Jeremiah's sorrowful plaint: Jeremiah xx.7." p. 94 n.1.

[5]Nehemiah 9.12.

[6]On Wednesday, 8 February, two days after Monck first addressed the House of Commons, the Common Council of the City of London favourably received a petition from the freeholders not to submit to any authority that could not rightfully claim legislative power. The Committee of Saftey, perceiving this as a threatened tax strike, ordered Monck to reduce the City to obedience by arresting eleven ringleaders, and removing the chains and city gates. On the 9th, Monck reluctantly complied with part of the order, arresting nine of the eleven named ringleaders and removing the chains. But he demurred about removing the gates until the 10th, and then only after receiving a repeat command to do so (see Davis 1955: 278-79; Hutton 1985: 91-93). The next day, however, Monck turned on the Rumpers and presented his own ultimatum demanding new elections -- "the first good omen" as Evelyn reported it -- thereby precipitating the "roasting of the Rump" on the night of the 11th; see A Psalme.

[7].úústanzas 14,15 omitted from Worthies 1662.

[8]Grosart comments: "The `two Protectors' alluded to were Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell. It need scarcely be said that it is a Royalist delusion that in either case but specially in that of Oliver the national `welcome' was less real or less warm than that to Charles II." (p. 96 n.2)

[9]Stentor: person with a powerful voice.

[10]Charles was proclaimed king on Tuesday 8 May. The Public Intelligencer #7 reports that in Oxford on Thursday, 10 May, "The conduit ran claret at two places about three hours, a thing never done here before." The next day, three hogsheads of claret were poured into the conduits in Exeter (Parliamentary Intelligencer #21). The London conduits ran with wine the evening of Charles's arrival, 29 May (see The Glory of these Nations). The next day, public drunkeness had become sufficiently widespread for Charles to issue a proclamation banning the drinking of healths.

[11] set as stanza 18 in Worthies, 1662

[12]line 93] O, OW, L, WF; And round about the Streets the Bonfires blaz'd, Worthies 1662

[13]line 94] O, OW, WF; At which NEW LIGHTS did the Fanatiques gaze: L; With which NEW LIGHTS Fanatiques were amaz'd. Worthies 1662

[14] set as stanza 19 in Worthies 1662

[15] Close] OW, O, WF; For L; Close Worthies 1662.

[16] line 102] O, OW, WF; Now fear that them they may too Sober find. L; Now fear too soon they may them Sober find. Worthies 1662.

[17]set as stanza 20 in Worthies 1662

[18].úú verses 19-22 ommited in W 62.

[19] See Gen. 25-28.

[20] Edward Lord Montagu of Boughton (1625-72), created Earl of Sandwich at the Restoration, had fought for parliament during the first civil war, but retired in 1644 and stayed out of public affairs until 1653 when he was appointed to serve in Barebones parliament. Cromwell made him joint General-at-Sea with Admiral Blake in 1656. After the death of Cromwell, he was courted by royalist agents and, with Monck, organized bringing the king back from exile. See Pepys. In 1631, Fuller dedicated his biblical poem, David's Hainous Sinne, to "the honorable Mr Edward, Mr William, and Mr Christopher Montagu, sonnes to the Right honourable Edward Lord Montagu of Boughton."

[21] .úústanzas 24-26 omitted in W 62

[22] .úústanzas 31-35 omitted in W62

[23] line 198] O, OW, WF; Thus Philistims the Plague-infected Ark L

[24] line 199] O, OW, WF; Posted from Town to Town, thus Kain with mark L

[25] line 200] O, OW, WF; Of MURDERER imbranded on his face, L

[26] stanza 40 omitted Worthies 1662

[27] stanzas 41-42 collapsed into one variant stanza in Worthies 1662.