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
|
Table of Contents for this work | | All on-line databases | Etext Center Homepage |
Richard Brathwait
To His Majesty
12 July
Titlepage: TO HIS / MAJESTY / UPON HIS / HAPPY ARRIVALL / In our late discomposed / ALBION. / [rule] / [royal arms] / [rule] / Sidon. / Vidi quod speravi, vidisse tamen dolui, per'grŠ spectando quod petii. / [rule] / By R. Brathwait Esq. / [rule] / LONDON, / Printed for Henry Brome, at the Gun in Ivie-lane. 1660.
Thomason dated his copy on Thursday, 12 July.
To
HIS MAJESTIE
UPON HIS
HAPPY ARRIVALL
In our late discomposed
ALBION.
BLest be that all-ey'd-Lord, who gave us eyes
To see the Period of our Miseries.
Now be our longing hopes safe brought a Shore;
Our State secur'd, what can we wish for more?
5: Secur'd! not so as we were us'd of late
When our Security was through a Grate.
But that Storm's past, we from those Shackles free,
Our glorious State rid of that Anarchie
Or Syracusan thraldom, which no age
10: E're parallel'd with more tyrannick rage.
Was ever any such distraction known,
As no man might impropriate his own?
All out of joynt; no sympathizing sence
Applide a Cure to wounded Innocence.
15: No Crime like Loyalty: He that would clime
Must suit himselfe to th' Habit of the time.
None to the Throne of Justice durst arise
Unlesse He were o'th' Protectorian Size.
That gave him footing, and dimension too,
20: Acting what his Rebellion will'd him doe.
Were these pure Lesbian Rules where morall Law
Deriv'd her Spirit from Usurpers aw?
Were these Cloanthes Tables holden meet
For minced Justice to erect a Seat?
25: And with an oily tongue delude the ear,
Like Fauns o're-ballanced with gaine or fear?
What rare Sysambres have we had, whose Sin
Deserved well the forfeit of a Skin
For their Skrude Judicature: -- -- now struck dumb
30: Me thinks they tremble at Your coming home,
Fearing their sad Accompt; but if they grieve
For what they've done, Your mercy can forgive,
Such is Your Princely Candor: holding fit
Where Justice dooms, Mercy should sweeten it.
35: Which seems presented in that prudent sort
As th' Lyons Cave becomes Astr'a's Court.
Yet an Indulgence, to egregious Crimes
Would not sort well with temper of these times.
Such State-pretenders should Your Censure feel.
40: Who under Colour of a Commonweale,
Rear'd of their own foundation, have exprest
Their Sole Concern to be self-interest;
And to promote it as their supreame good,
Imbrude their lawlesse hands in loyall-blood.
45: For their destruction, order, quality,
To name them all would swell an Elegy
To a vast Iliad. -- -- There's no publick place
Wherein the tincture of a Jewish face
Brands them not Conscious: should I write in Steel,
50: Those rubrick Characters no age can heal
Nor Annal parallel; it might appear
A Subject fitting to extract a tear
From the Perusers eye, but wanting Strength
To Analize those tragick acts at length;
55: Which our Anarchiall Stage so late presented
In lines of blood, and tyranny indented.
Sometimes I made my walk in Rufus Hall,
Where I might see a Scarlet-arras'd wall
Deep-dyed in Crimson gore; this reft me Sence
60: To find a Shambles 1 on a Royall Bench,
Asking what that ascendent chaire might be?
Seat of High Justice, it was answer'd me.
Inquiring further of him what it ment?
Here, he reply'd, sits the Lord President
65: Th' 2 Protectors Favourite, Commissioner Lisle,
To try th' Delinquents of our Purple Isle.
Rough Rhadamant, said I, blancht be his fame
To derogate from such a loyall Name
As Colchester perpetuates, where his prize
70: Fames him his Princes LOYALL SACRIFICE;
Whose innocent blood in Annals shall be found,
Recording how no 3 grasse grows on that ground.
But in the revolution of that State
Both Names and Natures were degenearte;
75: For as th' First did his blood for's Sov'raign shed,
In Subjects blood the Later surfeted.
But let's divert our Current; Jubilees
Reserve no Eare for such sad Histories.
When th' Sabine State appear'd without dispute
80: Subjects to none, but Masters absolute;
They'd wear no Black, nor tast an hearb was sour
Upon the Choice of a new Governour.
It skills not much for Habits, but I'm sure
Your wish'd arrivall has applide a Cure
85: To worse distempers then this age brought forth,
By th' Conduct of that happy Starre o'th' North.
But for as much as Humane Blessings give
Their just proportion when Comparative
To our preceding sufferings: let each part
90: Communicate a portion to the heart;
And with an active vivid accent cry,
Blest be th' approach of lineall Sov'raignty
Cloath'd with a native Splendor! ev're way
With Pouls and Bushes keep their Holy-day.
95: Our Checker'd-curled Groves prepare their Bowrs
Artfully wreath'd with shady Sycomours
For their choice aery quires; whose cheerfull song
Tyres not their Spirits though the day be long:
Virgins their untoucht Loyalty display,
100: Paving with fragrant flowrs his Highnesse way.
Zeal makes all Tasks delightfull: but no tune
In this our prelude to a cheerfull June.
Though 4 May were th'month that brought our May-game in,
Without which sight our hopes had blasted bin)
105: Me thinks I hear of joy this Signall token
Breth'd forth, A three-fold-cord is hardly broken
Computed and Compleated in that Trine
Of You, and Your two Brothers; from which line
Spring our aspiring hopes, that Your blest Reigne
110: Shall parallel the fame of Charlemaine;
And in Your Brothers princely vertues live
To give Your Comforts a prerogative.
This cheers mine aged hopes as much as any,
And makes me sprightly, though my years be many:
115: So as some think both by my face and gate
That I had eaten 'sons herbe of late.
But those sweet prosp'rous gales which waf't you hither
Gave me that Colour which can hardly wither;
That was the Herbe of Grace, or if you please
120: A Chaplet interwoven with Hearts Ease.
I court not th' rising Sun, to cause his rayes
To dart their Splendor on my rurall layes:
Zeal makes my Muse enthusiastick; which
Though it pretend not to a Bard that's rich,
125: For these late times did publickly proclaime
None should be rich that own'd their Soveraign,
My ruin'd fortunes I shall nere bemone
Though I have felt as much as any one
Of the Delinquents whip: I'm still the man
130: I was, before these Civil warrs began;
Those Capitall Grand-Bugbears had no power
T' affright Your Servant, though they might devour
That small remainder which He then possest;
Wherein they grew half-Sharers at the least:
135: Amidst those dusky Clouds which adverse Fate
Had thrown on mine anatomized State,
The morning Sun shone cheerfully on me
Because a subject sworn to loyalty.
Th'infringment of which Oath has brought some witts
140: In these distracted times to Bedlamites.
We shall not need their features to display,
Some have we catch't, and others run away
In a disguised habit; who like Apes
Aray'd in garish-counterfeated Shapes
145: With royalized Ribbands, in them writ
VIVE LE ROY, an Impreze most unfit
For such perfidious Rooks, who boldly made
VENDE LE ROY their universall trade;
Have ta'ne their flight -- -- and that they might appear
150: In this their fev'rish passage to be cleare
From Cordiall Rebeliion, upsefreze
They drunk their Sov'raigns Health upon their knees.
Brave Presidents of Justice! did Your House
Teach Your imbrodered Honours to carouse?
155: In blood it did; witness so many lives:
They needs must run apace whom th' Devil drives.
Farre be these Scorpions from my Soveraigns head,
Who eat Your Subjects as their daily bread.
May You make Your distinction still 'twixt those
160: Who be Your reall Friends and bosom foes.
May You conferre Your honours on such men
Whose loyall Service has deserved them.
Your Royall Grandsire num'rously inthrall'd,
No other then a Craft, a Kingship call'd;
165: And sure, me thinks, that Simele may fit,
For we shall find rare workmanship in it.
Kings are like Hammers, and their Subjects like
To Bells, which sound just as their Hammers strike.
But if the Clock fall to a tunelesse Straine;
170: Art more then Force must bring't to Frame again.
Titus that princely Darling of Mankind, 5
As in his life related we doe find,
Would not bestow his Style on any man
Unless his Actions with Vespacian [sic
175: Had merited that Title, which was done
In honour to a Father by his Son.
Gifts when they'r rarely given oblige the most
And by the Givers hand, then by their Cost
More highly valued: Your Experience
180: Knows the gradations of Munificence;
How You the Fabrick of Your State should make,
What Princes are to give, and Subjects take.
Many rough Tempests has my Liedge sustain'd,
And by those Sufferings infinitely gain'd
185: In Your Observance; You have found how Kings
Are oft-times mutable as other things
In their affections: when successfull gales
Breath with a prosperous convoy on our Sails,
Each coast smiles on us: whereas adverse winds
190: Make Seas not only brackish, but mens minds. 6
What a rich Lecture is it to read man!
Wherein you were improv'd before you came,
And can instruct your Courtiers in that feat
Which in my judgment makes them most compleat.
195: For what is it to know the use of Plants,
Those various tempers of the Elements,
The deep discovery of each Minerall,
Nay, th' notion of all things since Adams fall,
If our eyes in mans knowledge should grow dim
200: Whom doth contain a Little world in Him?
To make the work exact, Augustus form
Might with his Principles a Court adorn:
His Course was this: That Courtier He approv'd
Who his improvement seriously lov'd.
205: Tasks he injoyn'd: Each' plide his Exercise
In Musick, Posy, Gymnick Masteries.
Sloath was exil'd the Court: though Stages were
Enrich'd with State and Action; they were rare.
Artfull Dramaticks in high buskind lines
210: Addrest their Sceans for These Theatrall times;
And with such ample pensions gratified,
Archias sat close by Augustus side;
Learned Meco/enas did not then refuse
To become Patran to a Laureat Muse.
215: Those Halcyon days crown'd Poets! as for those
Who could Encomiums write on C'sars foes
As well as on his Friends, they were discarded,
And with Contempt deservingly rewarded.
I shall not need to give a further touch,
220: Your piercing Judgment can discover such,
Holding them worthlesse in a Princes eye;
A Parasite dishonours Poetrie;
Much more Seditious Pens who would advance
A State usurp'd, and Styl't Inheritance;
225: This our Diurnals, Almanacks could doe,
Which prudent eyes, no doubt, will look into.
Lillies should fancy Candor, and retain
Their Native Hue, and not be dy'd in grain,
As that Star-starer in his Rubrick writ;
230: Sure he was sign'd with Aries penned it:
But let not his Predictions now deceive him,
Neither his Book nor Sweden Chaine will save him,
Unless your pious heart indulgence give,
And grant him life that merits not to live.
235: As for Diurnals, we shall never read them,
The Game is up, and therefore little Need'am:
The Ev'ning crowns the Day; these Calmer times
All Stormings chase and Sallies from our lines:
But if Corranto's must be sent abroad,
240: As Countrys have been burd'ned with their load,
I hope we shall receive them stored more }
With Honest Novells then we had before. }
But let us gather yet one Select-flower }
From th' royall Seed-plot of that Emperour,}
And though long distanc'd by the course of time,
May give a light to present Discipline,
But specially in order to the Court;
Where many beg who have small reason for't,
Yet oft preyaile by means of such an one
Whom many craving eyes are fixt upon.
But should Great Gifts bestowed be on those
Who in these Civil Warres became our Foes;
Or should our Honours here be set at price,
And in our Court made private Marchandice,
255: So prudent is our Prince, so firmly just,
No Mushrom Spirit shall have them, so we trust.
May those who such Hydroptick thoughts have nurst
With Grandure of their burden swell, and burst.
The best receipt prescribed by Physician
260: Is Surfeting of Honour, to Ambition.
That Prince withall a Catalogue did keep 7
Which he perus'd before he fell asleep,
Of his days-promises: and 'twas his Task
To serve those first, who were the slow'st to ask.
265: A Serious care he took what Courtiers were
Worth the attention of a Princes ear:
Some cull'd He, and indeard, because He found
Their apprehensions quick, their Judgments sound;
But of this Number scarce one chus'd of twenty,
270: So as the City fill'd, the Court grew empty.
Augustus well observing this decrease,
No wonder, said He, if there were in Greece
But found seaven Sages, when in this wise age
The Court of Rome affords so little Sage.
275: But he supply'd that want with such a Call,
His Court appeared Academicall,
Stor'd with best wits the Latian could afford;
Complete in all both for the Gown and sword.
Which Court-directions though they Ethnick be,
280: They suit well with a Christian liverie.
Politicall, and Civil too they are
And may conduce much to a Princes care
In rallying his affairs, which throughly wrought
He acts not what he might, but what he ought.
285: Levell be his dimensions, and so right
As they draw by the Curtain of the night
Lest it obscure their Splendor: such are you,
To limne you fully in your Peoples view,
A Model so transparent, as it gives
290: By its Example form to others lives.
Such rare Id'a's Princes be, when worth
Contests with Birth to set their goodness forth.
Let Him my Liedge, a modest boldness take
Who has expos'd his fortunes for Your sake:
295: And late ingag'd both life and liberty
In his defence of Legall Sov'raignty;
Sweep off those Gnats, and Cobwebs which resort
To beg without deserving in your Court.
He merits ill the Title of a Knight,
300: That has more heart to vapour then to fight.
My gratious Liedge, make Sponges of all such
As soak your Land by draining it too much.
Such numbers crouded at your Gate last day,
Your ancient Servants could not find a way
305: For their Addresses: let those Fauns decline,
They'r held the Chattering Swallows of our time
That flicker o're Successe, but hide their head,
When those they hugg'd before, shall stand in need.
He breaths not upon Earth can be pursude
310: By a worse Fury then Ingratitude.
Even-ballanc't Justice may she steer your State;
Urim and Thummin o're the Clergies gate.
The only way to make Presbytery
Run Diapasan with Epispacy,
315: Is to acquaint one th' other with their grieves,
And stich up their Divisions in Laun sleeves.
This may procure Church-union speedily,
And make our Organs whistle cheerfully:
Which presuppos'd, no Charity can want
320: 'Twixt moderate Presbyter and Protestant.
Now that your vine her branches may display,
'Twere fit luxurious Sprigs were lopt away;
They cumber but the Land, and by their force,
Should they grow great, your vine would prosper worse.
325: But those Expressions from your royall pen
'Gainst vicious, prophane and debauched men.
Confirme your Native Goodness, and renue
The knowledge of our Happinesse in you.
This in your neer accession to your Crown 8
330: Must needs redound much to your high renown.
Peace, precious plenty, high-priz'd Liberty, ing Coronation
Late Strangers to us, usher Majesty.
These cheerfull accents breath'd from loyall hearts
Methings I hear resounding in all Parts.
335: Our Seas grown calme; our Ayre refin'd, and clear,
With joyfull News re-echoing ev'ry where,
Our CHARLES safe return'd, by whose direction
Were steer'd, and need not OLIVERS Protection.
Our Score's discharg'd; our Liberty re-gain'd,
340: And Nol who long 9 triennially raign'd,
Call'd to account: Mab and her Court broke up,
And all his Sweets drench'd in a worm-wood Cup,
His Rich Relations stript: He is to be tride
At th' Barre of Justice for a Regicide:
345: Where if that wild usurping Beast get free,
We'l Annals write in praise of Tyrannie.
A new Call of sad Justices had we,
Which, I confesse, did much dis-relish me.
Green-Lapwing-Novices of sence bereft,
350: Who scarcely knew the right hand from the left:
Holding the Acts of Justice to be Dreams,
As if they car'd not what their Office means.
Such should be put Apprentices to Sence
Before they were admitted to the Bench.
355: Let ancient Justices mount to their place,
Such will support the State, secure your Grace.
These, these be they who can deliver sence,
And make their Sessions feats of Conscience.
Let honest Jenkins flowrish in your Isle,
360: And passe a Sentence on perfidious Lisle.
Let onely such ascend unto that Throne
Who scorn rewards and sleight an awfull frown.
Those were the Lures our Ayri's did pursue,
While State and Treason held their Interview.
365: But th' Tide is turn'd; Themis now smiles on Thames,
And crowns our Consuls with religious Names.
BY HIM, WHO EVER HELD HIS INTIMACY OF
LOYALTY A SUFFICIENT REWARD FOR ALL HIS
SUFFERINGS: AND HIS HOUSE MOST HAPPY
IN THE HOSPITALITY OF YOUR SERVANTS.
[1].úú[handwritten i.e. butcher's]
[2]Th'] Th OH, OW
[3]As it hath been observed and constantly reported for a truth
[4]Ut Carolus rediit Terris Astr'a refulcit; Nunrius ut Floris Maius, honoris erit.
[5]Procop.
[6].úú[hand written: printing off in CH too -- loose type]
[7]He goes on with the discovery of Augustus curiall care or Court discipline.
[8]Alluding to his approaching Coronation
[9]Triennium mensium, perennium dementium incendium. Innocentium suspendium. Rhem. Miles. A Glancing at those Mechanich Justices, who were created Commissioners in our late Anarchiall Government.
To the Croud of Supplicants at White-hall.
HOw is it Friends, that you do thus resort,
Croud, and disturbe the Quiet of the Court?
Is this the Loyalty you have profest
To give no time unto your King to rest?
5: Be these your set imployments thus to stand
At th'Presence door to kiss his Highness hand,
Or beg an Office? How do you contrive
The way to get where there is none to give?
Honours He freely can conferre, but those
10: Will not discharge the Mercer for his cloaths.
Be civil SIRS; he bears a royall heart,
And will bestow on every one a part,
When He is setled; mean time 'tis well known
Where nought remaines, the King must loss his own.
15: Should all the Rebells Lands to th'Checker fall;
Their values would not satisfie us all.
Our Sufferings be so numerous, as alas
We'r like Bare-bones, who i'th' Last Synod was.
Let it content us, that the State's our Debter,
20: And if unpaid, our own will thrive the better.
Who serves his Soveraign for meer hope of gain,
May have an Hector's heart, but's mind a Swain.
FINIS