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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Vox Populi, the Voice of the People
28 May
Written in two parts, the first set of thirty heroic stanzas are not composed in quatrains such as Dryden had used to praise Cromwell, but rhymed pentamenter couplets organized into fours. The second part, an "Elogium Carolinum," is both more learned and more formally composed, and the poet even claims to be able to outdo Virgil since he is singing of so noble a ruler. Since these verses were reissued in Edinburgh, it is tempting to imagine that the poet of Laetitiae Caladonicae had them in mind when composing the satires of that poem. Lots of exaggerated claims are made on behalf of the peoples willingness, skill, and desire to fight foreign nations and extend the new king's empire.
The brief character sketch of Charles in the Elogium is vague and generalizing; contrast with Flecknoe's portrait.
Vox Populi,
His Sacred Majesty 398 happy return congratulated
in
Thirty Heroic Stanza's
BRitain behold thy King, and Royal Head,
For whom thy Nobles and Plebeians bled,
Thy common Saftey, Glory, and the Sun
That ends the Night which in the Sire begun.
5: Whom absent thou so long hast doted on,
The Heav'ns399propitious to thy wish hath thrown
Into thine400Arms, that thou might know and see
T'was401his Exile commenc'd thy Misery.
They were thy sins, not his that did engage
10: Him in so sad, yet Royall Pilgrimage,402
Whence he returns with Reliques stor'd to heal
Thy Sick Estate, and widow'd Common-weal.
A Nobler Prince ne're wore thy Diadem,
Of all that issu'd from that Noble Stem;
15: Affliction made him wise, and Wisdom good,
He is the best of Princes and of Blood.
Nor his return that made the Gallique State
Do homage to his Sword; nor his whom Fate
Design'd the jarring houses to compose,
20: Nor his that did, divided Britain close.
Produc'd such quiet to his State, as we
Hope from his Soveraign Sacred Majestie,
His People's only joy, their life, their love,
To whom all hearts as to their Center move.
25: He, he it is that can Fanatique rage,
And Bedlams Quakers fury disengage,
The Elders and the Miters shall not jar,
Zeal and Religion shall not henceforth war.
But both united Zealous Puritan,
30: And the Religious, Loyal Protestant
Shall shake the tripple Crown, and make it know
We have Religion in the life, not show.
For now our Keepers and our chains are gone,
Pluto bestirs how to secure his own,
35: Least of his despair should drive them down to Hell,
They there attempt to frame a Common-weal;
That lech'rous House long Pandariz'd to please
The rampant humours of State Tyrannies,
The Monsters that for Laws forth from it came,
40: Would blister any modest tongue to name.
They have out-done their Ancestors in crimes,
And Acted past belief in Future times;
Religion, Law like twins of grief lament
Th'invenom'd sting of that Tail-Parliament.
45: The Bloody Cannibals would shame to own
Those Hellish Acts, this monstrous House hath done;
And cruell 403 Tartar, barb'rous Arabs they
Go not to Hell, through such a sanguine way.
But now those Meteors which we fear'd and felt,
50: Are by a Northern Star to vapours melt:
O may they fall in Lethe's stream, that so
Forgetting us, we may them never know.
And now our Bells report unto the Sky
The restitution of our Liberty;
55: And sacred Flames have purg'd th'infected air,
The heavens now smile to welcome home the Heir.
Since then thou art most glorious Prince return'd,
See how thy love our loyall 404 hearts hath burn'd;
Be thou the head, and we will Members be,
60: Obedient Members to thy Laws and thee.
Nor fear thou Treason now, we love too well
To breed up Vipers that are hatch'd in Hell:
Nor shall thy heart to thee more faithfull prove,
Then shall thy People's fix'd and constant love.
65: No greater care doth on our spirits lye,
Then how to care for (Charls) 405 thy Majesty;
To see thee glorious, in a glorious Throne,
No great care have we then thee alone.
Men train'd for War attend on thy commands
70: With Marshall Weapons in their warlike hands;
What King more blest, what Subjects happier be,
Thour't blest by them, they happy made by thee.
Nor may'st thou boast of some few Cohorts, we
Auxiliar Legions here present to thee,
75: Whose daring swords do wait upon thy will,
To save thine allies, and thy Foes to spill.
A Legion yet of English lads there are
Born for to fight, and bred up in the Warre:406
Let Monck but head them, stubborn France shall bow,
80: And humbly set her Crown upon they brow.
The Austrian house shall shake and quake for fear,
The Lyon's Paw should the spread Eagle teare,407
And force the vaster Continent to come;
To this your Isle for to receive its doom.408
85: Our hearts and Purses, we will ope'together,
Ask which thou wilt, we will deny thee neither:409
The first are thine, thou hast them in possession,
The latter shall be thine by free Concession.
Command and have; who for a Prince 410 so good,
90: Would spare to spend his treasure or his blood:
We have no riches, but to spend for thee,
Our riches whil'st thou want'st are Povertie.411
Nor is your land lesse rich, then that of France,
And for her king, dares pound for pound advance;
What they do by constraint, we willing doe;
We pray thee to receive, and thank thee too.
And though rich Spain be underlaid with Gold,
We've English Brasse, will force it from their hold; 412
95: We let them drudge to bring the Indies home,
The greater part unto your Coffers come.
The watry continent owns none but you
As Lord; your Fleet did it long since subdue:
Nor Spain, nor Belgium dares, without you please,
100: To give them leave, appear upon the Seas.
We have provided for you, such a Fleet
As makes the Belgians tremble when they see't:
They've 413 felt the vengeance of our Guns, and now
They think it safer then to fight, to bow.
105: Brave Mountague 414, he rules upon the Main,
And gallant Monck commands the Martiall 415 Train,
That, shall your Forreign foes ship down to hell,
This shall Domestick flames and fury quell.
See how the People throng unto the Town,
110: To see your brows invested with a Crown:
And thus by me they doe Congratulate
Your blest return, to this now-blessed State.
Long live our C'sar, our Augustus long,
May he triumph over our hearts and tongue's,416
115: Our hearts shall love, our tongues his praises sing:
Both heart and tongue, now cry, God save the King.
Floreat Rex Angli'. Floreat, floreat.
Majesty] OC; Majesties EN
Heav'ns] OC; heav'ns EN
thine] thy EN
T'was] 'Twas EN
Royall Pilgrimage] Royal pilgrimage EN
cruell] cruel EN
loyall] Loyall EN
(Charls)] (Charles) EN
Warre] War EN
spread Eagle teare] Spread-Eagle tear EN
doom] dome EN
neither:] neither; EN
Prince] prince EN
Povertie] povertie EN
hold;] hold? EN
They've] EN; The've copytext
Mountague] Montague EN
Martiall] Martial EN
tongue's] tong's EN
Elogium Carolinum, Or, a brief Panegyrick to the praise of his Illustrious Ma-jesty, our most Serene Soveraign Charls the II. by
the
grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and
Ireland; Defender of the Faith.
YOu thrice three sisters, all ye sacred Nine,
Apollo's 417 darlings! Helicon Divine,
And sweet Castalian Groves forsake, distill
Immortall Verses from my numerous quill;418
5: And whilest one better then 'n'as, 419 I
Doe sing, then grant sweet Maro's melodie:
Would you I tell his birth? Tis 420 one who springs
From the Illustrious 421 stock of ancient Kings,
Whose Sires, and Grandsires fame and lasting glory,
10: Not any former Hero, or their story
Can parralel,422 but let our Muse survey
His proper virtues, which themsevles display
Through every lineament,423 shall I commend
His outward form, my verse would have no end:
15: His stately height doth so advance his Crest,
As if in worldly things thee were no rest:
He emulates the skie, and would fetch down
A starry Diadem to grace his Crown,
Nature herself determin'd him to be,
20: A Royall C'dar, no inferiour Tree;
What shall I of his comely Visage Tell?
Wherein both Majesty and mildnese dwell:
These are his outward gits; what bold pen dare
His inward undertake for to declare?
25: His large endowments do exceed the station,
And narrow bounds of humane Declaration,
His Learning, Valour, Bounty and great spirit
Accomplish him throughout, for to inherit
Paternal Kingdomes, and to govern all
30: The Nations in this vast terrestiall ball;
When like to furious Mars, he doth advance
To his unhappy foes, his dreadfull lance
Is tipp'd with speedy death, no spell can charm
The Conquering force of his victorious arm;
35: When bloody conflicts and stern War asswage
Its fatall violence, and his just rage
Appeas'd, when cloath'd in milder purple, he
Excels just 'acus 424 in clemency;
Then glorious Hero since the Gods ordain
40: That England shall be happy in thy reigne;
And that thy Potent arm shall rule and sway
The Brittish Scepter, (long'd for many a day)
And that we shall regain our old renown
And usuall lustre by our Monarchs Crown:
45: Then let thy radiant brightnesse quite dispell
The clouds of all sedition, and refell [sic
Phanatick errours, whilst the skie shall ring
With one applause, God save our noble King.
FINIS
Apollo's] Appollo's EN
quill;] quill? EN
'n'as,] AENeas EN
Tis] 'Tis EN
Illustrious] Illustruious EN
parralel] parallel EN
lineamENt] lieamENt EN
'acus] Aeacus EN