A SPEECH Spoken to His EXCELLENCY The Lord General Monck. AT SKINNERS-HALL On Wednesday, being the 4th. of April 1660. At which time he was nobly entertained by that Honourable Company. Written by Thomas Iorden.
I Can forbear no longer, out it must,
If I shall prove ingenious or Just.
I have with wary eys observ'd your steps
Your stands, your turns, your pauses and your leaps
And find (how ever you may mask your brow)
You are a Statesman, and ambitious too,
A right Self-ended person, for be't known
Yours and the Publick safety, are all one
You are ambitious to be good, that feat
Our Statesmen mist, for they were to be great.
But yet, as Solomon made that choice, which
Commanded all, VVisdome shall make you rich,
And great, and glorious, and these shall last
As long as Time, and after Time is past.
VVhen such as have their Countries Rights betray'd
Shall receive pay, in Lucifers Brigade.
My Lord, I scorn to flatter, I'le be trae t'ye,
All the good deeds y'have done, are but your Duty,
But yet your hand stretch'd in Iehovah's name
Hath snatch'd three burning Kingdoms from the flame.
Our Laws, our Liberties, or what to us
And all Mankind, may be held precious,
VVas at the Stake, this Action hath out run
All thought; VVe cannot tell you what y'have don
Nor you your self, it may not be exprest
Till divers years have made it manifest:
Those ravenous Beasts that our destruction wrought
VVhen Church and State were to the Barebone brought
(Prayse God) you ransom'd, and (without a Club)
Beat down the daring Doctrine of the Tub
The sinking Pulpit too You did restore:
Our Apron Prelates must come there no more;
And now the Ironmonger will not rush in
But cease to make an Anvill of the Cushin,
This you have done quite unknown to the Silly
Prognostications of Booker and Lilly;
VVho know not (with all help their Arts can do)
VVhat 'tis guides Charles his Wa [...]ne so well as You▪
But I forget my Message, Sir by Mee
This faithful Hospitable Company
Doth bid you Welcome, VVelcome as the Spring
As you your self wou'd Welcome home—the THING
VVee all expect, without the which each Nation
Subsi [...]teth onely by Anticipation.
These ten or twelve years our three Kingdoms have
Liv'd in a Darknesse equall to the Grave,
Stifled for want of Breath untill the bright
Beames of your presence gave a little light,
'Tis yet but Twilight, could we gain the Sun,
And the clear wholsom Air the work were done;
You can dispell these Mists, and make all fair,
VVe sue for nothing, but the Sun and Air.
Spoken by VValter Youckney.
FINIS.
VVhereas there are three several Pamphlets in Verse, Pretended to be spoken to my Lord General at Skinners-Hall, The Reader is desired to take notice, that this is the true and only Speech made to his Excellency there.