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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Alexander Brome
England's Joy
14 May
Thomason dated his copy of Henry Brome's edition on Monday 14 May; Wood dated his simply May. An earlier and shorter version appeared under the title "For General Monk his entertainment at Cloath-workers Hall." [13 Mar]." rpt in Songs and Poems (1661, 1664, 1668), pp. 114-15, and is reprinted in Dubinski, 1.175-177.
ENGLANDS JOY
For the Coming in of our Gratious Soveraign
King CHARLES the Second
1: RIng bells, and let bonefires out-blaze the Sun,
2: Let Ecchoes contribute their voice,
3: For now a happy settlement's begun,
4: To shew how we do all rejoyce:
5: If we by this
6: Can have the bliss
7: To re-injoy a Unity,
8: Wee'll do no more
9: As heretofore,
10: But will in mutual love increase;
11: If we can once agen have peace
12: How joyful shall we be?
13: The King shall his Prerogatives enjoy,
14: The State their Privilege shall have,
15: He will not Theirs, nor will they His anoy,
16: But both each others strive to save:
17: The people shall
18: Turn loyal all
19: And strive t'obey his Majesty,
20: And truth and Peace
21: Shall both increase,
22: They'l be obedient to the Laws
23: And hate that Subtle name of Cause.
24: Then joyful shall we be.
25: The Parliament will rise no more in armes
26: To fight against their lawfull King,
27: Nor be349deluded by their factious charms
28: That all the Realm to treason bring:
29: They'l learn to vote
30: No more by rote
31: Nor pass their Bills ex tempore,
32: But study peace
33: And trades increase,
34: Since now we finde it is not good
35: To write the Kingdomes Peace in blood,
36: But joyfull shall we be.
37: The Coblers shall not edifie their Tubbs
38: Nor in Divinity set stitches,
39: Wee'l not b'instructed by Mechanick scrubs,
40: Women shan't preach with men for breeches,
41: The prickear'd Tribe
42: That won't subscribe
43: Unto our Churches Hierarchie
44: Must England leave,
45: And to Geneve,
46: New England, or to Amsterdam,
47: With all whom Church and State can't tame;
48: Then joyful, &c.
49: Wee'l toyle no more to maintain Patentees
50: That feed upon poor peoples trade,
51: Star Chamber shan't vex guiltless men for fees,
52: Nor Law to Vice for bribes be Bawd:
53: The Bishops each
54: Will learn to preach,
55: Rich Clergy will not silent be,
56: And Judges all
57: Impartial,
58: When Laws alike to all degrees,
59: No sleeping Judges gape for fees.
60: How joyfull, &c.
61: Wee'l fight no more for Jealousies, and Fears,
62: Nor spend our blood, we know not why;
63: The Roundheads shall shake hands with Cavaliers,
64: And both for King and Countrey die:
65: The Sword shall not
66: Maintain a Plot
67: For fear of plots which ne're shall be,
68: Nor will we still
69: Each other Kill
70: To fight for those that are as far
71: From peace as they will be from war.
72: But joyfull, &c.
73: The broken Citts no more shall lick their Chops,
74: Nor wealth recruit with Country's store,
75: But lay down armes, and keep within their Shops,
76: And cry what lack you? as before;
77: They'll turn agen,
78: Blew aprond men,
79: And leave their titles of degree,
80: Nor will they prate
81: 'Gainst Church, and State,
82: But change their Feathers, Flags, and Drums,
83: For Items and the total Sums.
84: How joyfull, &c.
85: We will not Garrisons of Lubbers feed,
86: To plunder, drink, and gather pay,
87: While they lye lazing, and are both agreed
88: To fetch our goods and us away;
89: And though they Swear,
90: We will not care,
91: Nor to such Skowndrells servile be;
92: We will not stand,
93: With Cap in hand,
94: Beseeching them to let alone
95: The goods which justly are our own.
96: But joyfull, &c.
97: Fanatick Troupers must go home agen,
98: And humbly walk afoot to plow,
99: Nor domineer thus over honest men,
100: But work to get their livings now;
101: Or if their mind
102: Be not inclin'd
103: To leave their former Knavery,
104: A halter shall
105: Dispatch them all,
106: And then the Gallows shall be made
107: The high'st preferment of their trade.
108: A joyfull sight to see.
109: Let Roundheads shake their circumcized ears,
110: We'll ride about as well as they,
111: Nor will we stand in fear of Cavaliers
112: That sleep all night, and drink all day;
113: When we can find
114: Both sides enclin'd
115: To change their War for Unity;
116: O 'twill be brave,
117: If we can have
118: The Freedom granted by our Charter,
119: And scape from plunder, pay, and quarter;
120: How joyfull shall we be?
London, Printed for H. Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane. 1660.
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