HOw joyfull your Majesties returne (Gracious and dread Soueraigne) is to this your Majesties Natiue Towne, from that King­dome due to your Sacred person by Royall discent, the countenances & eyes of these your Majesties loyall Subjects speake for their hearts. This is that happie Day of our New-birth, euer to bee retained in fresh memorie, with consideration of the goodnesse of th'Almightie our God, considered [Page 4] with acknowledgement of the same, acknowledged with admiratiō, admited with loue, & loued with joy; wherein our eyes behold the greatest humane felicitie our heartes could wish, which is to gaze vpon the Royall countenance of our true Phoenix, the bright Starre of our Northerne Firmament, the Ornament of our Age, wherein wee are refreshed, yea reuiued with the heat and bright Beames of our Sunne, the powerfull Adamant of our Wealth; by whose remo­uing from our Hemisphaere, wee were darkened, deepe sorrow and feare possessing our heartes (with­out enuying your Majesties happinesse and felici­tie) our places of solace euer giuing a newe heat to the feuer of the languishing remembrance of our wonted happinesse: The verie Hilles and Groues ac­custumed of before to be refreshed with the dewe of your majesties presence, not putting on their wonted Apparrell; but with pale lookes representing their miserie for the departure of their Royall King.

I Most humblie begge pardon of your Sacred Ma­jestie, who most vnworthie and vngarnished by Arte or Nature with Rethoricall coloures haue presumed to deliuer to your sacred Majesty, formed by Nature, and framed by education, to the perfection of all elo­quence; the publike message of your majesties loyall subjectes, heere conuened vpon the verie knees of mine heart: Beseeching your sacred majestie, that mine obedience to my Superiours command may be a sacrifice acceptable to expiate my presumption: [Page 5] your Majesties wonted clemencie may giue strength and vigour to my distrustfull spirites, in gracious ac­ceptance of that which shall bee deliuered, and par­doning mine escapes.

REceiue then, dread Soueraigne, from your Ma­iesties faithfull and loyall Subiectes, the Magi­strates and Citizens of your maiesties good Towne of Edinburgh, such Welcome as is due, from these who with thankfull hearts doe acknowledge the infi­nite blessinges plenteouslie flowing from the para­dise of your maiesties vnspotted goodnesse and Ver­tue, gouerned with the Scepter of Wisedome, nowe fiftie yeeres to this your maiesties natiue Towne, wishing your maiesties eyes might pearce into their verie heartes, there to beholde the excessiue ioye in­wardlie conceiued of the first messenger of your ma­iesties princelie resolution to visite this your maie­sties good Towne, increased by your maiesties con­stancie in prosequuting what was so happily in­tended, and nowe accomplished by your maiesties fortunate and safe returne, which no tongue, howe liberall so euer, is able to expresse.

WHo shall consider with an vnpartiall eye the continuall carefulnesse your maiestie hath had ouer vs from the first houre that Nature opened your maiesties eyes: The setled temper of your ma­iesties gouernament, wherein the nycest eye could finde no spot, your selfe as the life of the Countrey, [Page 6] as the father of the people, instructing not so much by precept, as by example, your maiesties Court, the marriage place of Wisedome and Godlinesse: without impietie hee can not refuse to auouch, but as your maiesties prudencie hath wonne the pryze from all Kinges and Emperoures which standeth in degree of comparison: So hath your maiesties go­uernament beene such, that euerie mans eye may bee a messenger to his minde, that in your maiestie stan­deth the Quint-essence in ruling skill, of all prospe­rous and peaceable gouernament, much wished by our Fore-fathers; but most aboundantlie, praised be God, enjoyed by vs, vnder your Sacred maiestie.

For if wee shall in a view lay before vs the times past, euen since the first foundation of this Kingdom, and therein consider your maiesties most noble pro­genitoures; they were indeede all renowned princes for their vertues, not inferiour to anie Emperoures or Kinges of their time, maintained and deriued their Virgine Scepters vnconquered, from age to age, from the inundation of the most violent floods of conque­ring Sworde, which ouer-whelmed the rest of the whole Earth, and carried the Crownes of all other Kinges of this Terrestriall Globe captiues vnto thral­dome: But farre short of your sacred maiestie, na­ture hauing placed in your sacred person, alone what in euery one of them was excellent, the senate house of the Planets being, as it would seeme, conue­ned at your maiesties birth, for decreeing of all per­fections in your Royall person: The Heauens and [Page 7] Earth witnessing your Heroicall frame, none in­fluence whatsoeuer beeing able to bring the same to anie higher degree.

IF wee shall call to minde the tumultuous dayes of your maiesties more tender yeeres, and therein your maiesties prudencie, wisedome and constancie in Uniting the disjointed members of this Com­mon-wealth, who will not with the Queene of Sche­ba confesse hee hath seene more wisedome in your Royall person, than report hath brought to for­raine eares.

There is not of anie estate or age within this your maiesties Kingdome who hath not had particular ex­perience of the same, and as it were, sensiblie felt the fruites thereof: The fire of ciuile discorde, which as a flame had deuoured vs, beeing thereby quenched, euerie man possessing his owne Vineyarde in peace, reaping that which hee hath sowne, and enjoying the fruites of his owne laboures: Your maiesties great vi­gilancie and Godlie zeale in propagating the Gospel, defacing the monumentes of Idolatrie, banishing that Romane and Antichristian Hierarchie, and esta­blishing of our Church, repairing the ruines there­of, protecting vs from forraine inuasion. The rich trophees of your maiesties victories, more powerful­lie atchieued by your sacred wisedome, and deserued more worthilie by your vertue, than these of the Caesars, too much extolled by the ancients; all ages shall recorde: and euen our posteritie shall blesse the [Page 8] Almighty our God, for giuing to vs their Forefathers: A King in heart vpright as Dauid, wise as Salomon, and godlie as Iosias.

THis also your majesties Good Towne of Edin­burgh is not the lest witnesse of your majesties royall beneficence, and superexcellent wisedome, which beeing founded in the dayes of that worthie King, Fergus the first, builder of this Kingdome, and famous for her vnspotted fidelitie, to your maiesties most noble progenitours was by them enriched with manie Freedomes, Priueledges, and Dignities, which all your maiestie hath not onelie confirmed, but also with accession of manie more enlarged, beautifying her also with erecting of a Colledge, famous for pro­fession of all liberall Sciences: So that shee justlie doeth acknowledge your majestie as the author and conseruer of her peace, her sacred Phisition, who bound vp the woundes of her distracted Common­wealth, the onelie magnes of her prosperitie, and the true fountaine from whence, vnder God, all her hap­pinesse and felicitie floweth, and doeth in all humili­tie recorde your majesties Royall fauoures extended towardes her aswell absent as present.

WEe should prooue most vngratefull, if wee should passe ouer in silence your maiesties sa­cred wisedome, in disposing of the gouernament of this your maiesties natiue Kingdome, during your maiesties absence, and placing such subalterne [Page 9] magistrates and officers of the Crowne, within the same, who haue shined as cleare Starres in this firma­ment, keeping euer the prescript of your maiesties Royall commandes, watching for the good of your maiesties Subiectes, and squaring all their actions to your maiesties frame, as their paterne: and returning all their springes to the same fountaine from whence they themselues receiued influence of vertue: beeing vigilant in nothing more than in procuring the good and peace of this Church and Commonwealth: To approue their loyaltie to your maiestie and to knit vs your maiesties Subiectes in a more firme knot of obe­dience to your sacred authoritie.

NEither hath the oceane of your maiesties vertues contained it selfe within the precinct of this Ile: What eare is so barbarous, that hath not heard of the same? What forraine Prince is not indebted to your sacred wisedome? What reformed Church doeth not blesse your maiesties Birth-day, and is not prote­cted vnder the winges of your maiesties sacred au­thoritie from that Beast of Rome and his Antichri­stian locustes, whose walles your maiestie by the So­ueraigne wisedome wherewith the Lord hath ende­wed your sacred person hath battered & shaken more than did the Gothes and Vandales, the olde frame o­the same by their sworde: Would God as your ma­iestie hath made happie beginninges in drying vp their Euphrates, laying the nakednesse of that hoore open to the view of the world, & ruinating of that [Page 10] Lernean hydra: So your maiesties dayes may bee pro­longed, to see the accomplishment of the same.

ALl this your Majesties Royall Storehouse of ver­tues perpetuall vigilancie in managing of the pu­blicke affaires, your prudencie in your actions, your vertue in your life, and your felicitie in all the Lord hath crowned, not onelie with continuance of your maiesties peaceable gouernament ouer vs, your na­tiue Subiectes more yeares nor anie of your prede­cessoures reignes attained vnto: But also with acces­sion of three great Kingdomes, and made your name famous thorow the whole Earth aboue all the Prin­ces of your time.

And therefore, wee your maiesties most humble Subjects doe in all submission of minds acknowledge your maiestie, not onelie for our just and lawfull Prince; but also the first founder of the United Mo­narchie of this famous Ile, borne for the good of the same; who during the whole time of your maiesties most happie reigne, hath so in publicke carried your selfe ouer vs your maiesties Subiectes, as if yee were priuate, no man could lay anie imputation or blotte to your vnspotted life, who neuer more desired to bee aboue vs than for vs, nor to bee accounted great than good: joyning euer to your maiesties power modestie and true pietie: And that as for your sacred vertue, your maiestie deserueth to bee Monarch of the worlde: So for your pietie and vnfained zeale in propagating and maintaining of the Gospel, doth of [Page 11] due appertaine the true titles of the most Christian and Catholicke King.

FOr the which all your Majesties Royall fauoures hauing nothing to render but that which is due, We your Majest. humble Subjects, prostrate at your Majest. sacred feete, lay downe our Liues, Goods, Li­berties, and whatsoeuer else is most deare vnto vs: and doe vow to keepe vnto your sacred Majesty vn­spotted Loyaltie and Subjection, and shall euer bee readie to sacrifice and consecrate our selues for main­tainance of your Royall Person and Estate: Praying th'Eternall our God, that Peace may bee within your Majesties Walles, Prosperitie within your Maje­sties Palaces, Length of Dayes to your Sacred Per­son, One from your Majesties Loynes neuer wan­ting to weigh the Scepter of these your Majesties Kingdomes, And that Mercie may bee to your Ma­jestie and your Seede for euer.

REditum tuum (Rex Maxime) fortunatissimum, in Regnum hoc tuum, & vibem hanc diu & anxie probis om­nibus expetitum, Obvius gratulatum tibi hic prodit confessus: O foelicem hunc diem, albo notandum lapillo, & altissimis pectoribus ad perpetuam divini beneficii memoriam insculpen­dura, qui te sospitem & salvum iam pene post tria lu­stra in patriam reducem tuis, tuosque tibi subditos arctissimo amore, & obsequio obnoxios, restituerit.

Difficilis admodum mihi imposita est provincia pub­licam omnium laetitiam, benignos singulorum affe­ctus, [Page 14] innatam animorum in patrem patriae benevo­lentiam, coram Rege ipso non orationis elegantia­rum modo, sed & rationis ponderum scientissimo, tanto etiam doctissimorum stipato comitatu verbis exprimere: In hanc tamen partem, vt officio promp­tus dicar, peccare malui & paupertini ingenii maciem obsequendo publicare, quam sub rustico pudore in tanta omnium oblectatione, in tam celebri & quasi insperato totius patriae gaudio obmutescere: quam­vis tuarum laudum testimonia, quae ego ingenii cul­pa enarrando non deteram, in subditorum pectori­bus inhaerescere, quam in linguis versari malueris. Ludet operam profecto & frustra fuerit, qui ineffabi­lem Scotorum & devotissimae huius vrbis volupta­tem sermone commemorare, nedum exaequare stu­duerit

Quocunque oculos circumflexeris, quocunque gres­sum contuleris, circumspice, omnium ora, oculosque in te vnum admiratione veneranda & amico intuitu defixa invenies,

Herbae & semina hiberno frigore & nive obtecta, quae in terrae visceribus hieme, quasi sepulta & obruta de­lituerunt, vbi primum ab austro ad Septentrionem mundi ille oculus, qui accessu & vitali calore suo in­feriora reficit, vegetatque, ascenderit, protinus capi­ta sua exerunt, & in dias auras luminis erumpentia [Page 15] advenientem quasi Phoebum virore suo & colore ver. no salutant: Scotia tua illuvie, vastitudine, quotidia­no moerore propter dilectissimi Regis absentiam huc­usque squalida & lugubris in lessu & tristitia conta­buit: verum exoptatissimo tuo in patriam audito re­ditu, tanta omnium animos laetitia invasit, tam subi­tum & certum exortum est gaudium, vt divino quo­dam afflatu repente immutatos dicas: ipsaque

In risus abeunt lachrymae, sua gaudia quisque sermo­ne & vultu celebrat: Quare, ne in tanta animorum exultatione, Nos, quos potissimum tua praesentia beasti, [...] in hac scaena videamur praefectus, Consules, Senatores, Populusque tuus Edinburge­nus, quem vndatim ex aedibus erumpentem ad solis tui iubar spectandum: Cernis [...] suum cla­mant, fausta omnia & foelicia adventui huic & adven­tanti ex intimo pectoris sensu comprecantur & vo­vent: vt si prius torpore, in senium effaeta quasi, & desita haec tua vrbs (Serenissime Princeps) diutur­na tua absentia vergere quotidie & marcescere huc­usque caeperat, dum cui se ornaret, cui aedes instrue­ret, cui lautius se decoraret: Te, suis orbata delitiis, non haberet. Gratissimi tamen reditus vix rumor le­vissimus, incerto authore, fuerat dispersus, cum Tem­pla, forum, compita, privatae aedes, quantum contra­cti temporis tolerare posset angustia, ad testandam hi­laritatem non aspernando nitore refecta sunt, quin & [Page 16] caementa jam ipsa, & parietes gestire videntur & ad­ventum tibi gratulari; quod fortasse vehementiore delibuti gaudio tui cives, licet explicata & serena fronte prodeant, iucunditatis magnitudine & nimie­tate pene obruti viva voce explicare non possunt.

Tullianam fidem apud plerosque in hunc diem anci­pitem, pro certa hodie confirmandam contendam: Diagoram Rhodium cum tres filios Athletas eodem die vincere & victores coronari vidisset, po­pulumque gratulabundum flores in eum vndique ia­cere, in stadio spectante populo in manibus & oculis filiorum animam prae laetitia efflavisse: Plerique sic proculdubio immensa aspectus tui voluptate correp­ti ac meritissimae incolumitatis delectatione perfusi re­pente exspirarent, si non salutiferâ regiae tuae muni­ficentiae aura afflati: Respirare denuo & reviviscere cogerentur: Innumeris tuis beneficiis, quibus Sco­tiam tuam praesens absens cumulate affecisti, maius aut gratius accidere nullum potuit, quam recens & continuata nativi soli recordatio, quam non maximi imperii altitudo, non charissimae coniugis amplexus, non dilectissimi filii lachrymae, non vicinorum tur­batis suis rebus opem petentium preces, non vatica­ni Iovis minae, non Harpyarum Societatis proditoris illius Iudae verius quam IESV subdolae fraudes, non longissimi itineris taedium, non quod in humanis ti­bi [Page 17] charissimum, extinguere aut delere valuerunt: Quin Scotos tuos, quorum frequenti sermone fide­litatem, & amorem publice praedicâris, praedicando collaudâris, collaudando memori pectore collocaris, & natalitiam hanc tuam vrbem inviseres, & totius hujus regni administrationem, non auribus sed ocu­lis subjiceres. Certe verius de te praesagiuisse, quam de se dixisse videtur Vespasianus, Imperatorem stan­tem mori oportere: vtpote qui sicut militares statio­nes in excubiis contra hostem, in perpetua es vigilia & assidua Reipublicae cura, nec tam praeesse, quam semper prodesse vis, nec tibi tam subditos datos quam te subditis arbitraris: vt non solum tui, sed & exteri dubitent, tuamne magis nunquam intermissam pro Reipublicae bono vigilantiam, in actionibus pruden­tiam, in vita virtutem, an in omnibus foelicitatem admirentur, & vere exclament.

Solus ex omnibus mortalibus placuisti; electusque es, qui supremi Regis vice in terris fungere, vitae ne­cisque gentibus arbiter, cujus in manu qualem quisq. statum sortemque habeat, est positum: O dignitas vi­carium Dei esse & non esse aemulum! In vnius ani­mum totius Reipublicae curam admittere, & vniuer­si populi suscipere fata, oblitumque quodammodo sui, gentibus vivere, innumerabiles vndique nuntios accipere, Totidem mandata dimittere, Noctes om­nes, Diesque perpeti solicitudine pro salute omnium [Page 18] cogitare: Absque quo esset antiquissima gens Scotia diuturna ista pace, sincero religionis cultu, Incorrup­ta Iustitia tam placide non frueretur.

Permagna equidem, immortales Deo Optimo Maxi­mo, in perpetuum nobis agendi gratias offertur occa­sio, sive illibatam illam iam quinquaginta annos aequissimi tui dominatus foelicitatem ante oculos proponamus, quum & ciuili dissentione & Ecclesiae exitio miserè labefactaretur respublica: Tu protinus vt alter Asclepiades exortus es, qui salutarem ei dex­teram medicinamque porrexisti: A vi & tyrannide ex­terorum qua frequentius infestabamur, vindicasti, sive elapsa á regni conditu revocemus tempora▪ Maiores tui strenui omnes & egregii licet principes praecipuis illa tempestate regibus quibuscunque aut Caesaribus conferendi vixerunt: Tibi tamen longe secundi ce­dunt: quicquid enim in omnibus aut singulis insigne & divinum fuerat: Natura rerum opifex, id omne si­mul & semel in te vnum tanquam archetypum con­gessit: Illi equidem, vt tempora ferebant, domi, bo­ni, militiaeque, foelicibus auspiciis imperitarunt, quorum tamen res gestas fulgore tuo ita praeradias, vt si cum tua regni gerendi peritia componantur

Singulare etenim illud & eximium, si cum reliquis terrarum gubernatoribus conferantur, Majores tui tenuerunt, quod in tanta & tam frequenti, rerum & naturae ipsius vicissitudine, cum omnia susque deque multoties raperentur & migrarent, subitaeque regno­rum mutationes euenirent, nulli vnquam externo im­perio vi aut armis subacta Scotia tua paruerit, sed suo sibi regi hereditario (quod atavorum omnium bene­ficium commune est) per duo millia annorum libera & obsequens, liberum & immune sceptrum conser­varit. Illud tamen tui vnius proprium ac vnicum fa­temur, quod vt acceptum & traditum per tot saecula regnum incolume retinueris: Ita solus & primus sis: qui vniversam insulam, armis & dissidiis antea distra­ctam & inimicam, in amicam ditionem redegeris.

Avitamque insuper Hyberniam, cui primas Cu­nas & Originem Scoti debent, vectigalem & morige­ram reddideris. Neque enim Deus Optimus Maxi­mus, Te tantummodo parta tueri voluit sed

Augere dilatare, & venturis nepotibus per te subiice­re decrevit. Quam iniqua conditione sub tuis (Rex Invictissime) natalibus haec patria vastitatem spectans iaceret, & quam exinde indulgentem tuo ductu for­tunam habuerit, examussim si perpendamus, nemi­nem [Page 20] arbitror candidiorem paulo qui non privatim se fructum vberem imperii tui percepisse fatebitur: Nonne commune illud implacabilis odii incendium, quod vltroque citroque conflagrabat, restinctum est: Nonne absque furto & rapinis vnicuique fortu­nis suis secura fruendi facultas est?

Haec illa nimirum tantopere majoribus & toties exoptata tempora, nobis etiam priusquam obtige­rant, suspiriis & fletu advocata sunt. EDINBVRGVM etiam Regiam tuam in se fusius munificentiam testa­bitur: Cujus licet eadem cum Fergusio Cunabula & spectata in principes & Majores tuos (Rex Serenissi­me) fidelitas & obsequium, novas subinde dignita­tum accessiones & incrementa fecerunt, Solus tamen tu extitisti, qui paeonia manu Ecclesiae nostrae cla­dem, Reipublicae eversionem, obductasque cica­trices & plagas in integrum persanisti, Academiam insuper omnibus praeclaris florentem studiis, quae vt Hermodorus ille Ephesius virtute & aemulatione so­lummodo displicet, ampliasti: Inhumanum esset & illiberale admodum hic consultissimam tuam silentio praeterire prudentiam, qui Consilio, solertia, longissi­moque rerum vsu edoctos integerrimos huic Regno absens Consiliarios & Magistratus praefecisti, qui dies noctesque te tanquam prototypum, ad cujus exem­plar omnem suam administrationem & actiones con­forment, [Page 21] statuisti ne quid temere aut inconsulto, sed omnia ad praescriptum tuae voluntatis, & rationis per­pendiculum & subditorum emolumentum tanquam vnicam impositi muneris metam collimarent: vt si non praesenti nutu, Iussu tamen & mandato tuo tu ipse omnia dirigeres. Sed quid his terminis basilicas tuas circumsepio virtutes: Cujus fama orbem terra­rum cum laude pervagata est, cum longissimi princi­pes regendi prudentiam tibi debeant, Orthodoxae Ecclesiaete vt Cynosuram, vbique terrarum sequan­tur, Constantinum (que) rediuivum praedicent: qui elo­quio & stilo altae moenia Romae plus, quam prisci illi Gothi & Vandali cohortibus & armis dirueris & everteris: Tu tu es ille, quem Romuleus ille Triceps cerberus, qui latratu trifauci nationes personat, so­lummodo praeter caeteros perhorrescit. Tu es, qui harpyas obscaenas illas volucres, quae rapinis conta­ctuque omnia foedant immundo (Iesuitas scilicet vel Esuitas potius intelligo) tuis finibus abegeris, & ex­terminaris: Atque utinam sicuti foeliciter hosce po­lypos & stelliones profligare occaeperis, ita ad vltimum persequi perdures, praecamur. Proprias tuas, quibus te ornarit Deus, animi dotes enarrandas suscipere in­genii esset nimium confidentis: Nemo adhoc opus aggredietur, qui non laborare mentis vitio existime­tur, vbi & Demostheni facultas & Ciceroni suum elo­quentiae flumen exaresceret, cui praemia virtutis exi­mios honores, tria opulentissima & florentissima [...]eg­na adjecit sine internecione aut sanguine Don inus, vitam (que) tuam insidiis toties dolisque hinc inde peti­tam▪ vltra proauorum omnium, qui sceptra [...] [...]ti­nuerunt [Page 22] aetatē, salvam & incolumem produxit produ­catque vovemus ad perpetuam huius orbis tranquil­litatem & continuum benefactorum in subditos in­crementum. Sed quia singula percensere nequeo, Timanthem imitabor, quod dicendo consequi non possum, Taciturnitatis & silentii velo tectum invo­lutumque relinquam, pa [...]ia facere non opis est no­strae. Nos nostraque omnia salutem, libertatem, divini cultus indulgentiam, fortunas, opes, vitasque nostras secundum Deum tibi soli accepta referimus: Tua esse dona agnoscimus & fatemur: Pro quibus meritis quas tibi laudes gratesque persolvemus, quae vindici & assertori nostro praemia rependemus.

Quam in hodiernum diem maioribus tuis illabatam fidelitatem servavimus, quodque tibi obsequii nostri sacramentum inviolabile nosipsi diximus, in perpe­tuum tibi tuisque praestituros nos vovemus. Quare quod reliquum est (Serenissime Princeps) cives tuos devotissimos ad pedes advolutos aeterno mancipi ne­xu addictissimos quo solitus clementiae & benefi­centiae favore dignare: Quaeque semel munifica li­beralitate indulsisti, Religionem, Iustitiam, Immu­nitates, Privilegia, Academiam, tuere, confirma, [Page 23] adauge. Nos coelestem parentem suppliciter & jugi­ter precibus & suppliciis, vt Patriae te patrem inco­lumem, integrum, valentem, diu esse velit, & iubeat, comprecamur.