A POEM ON THE CORONATION OF His Most Sacred Majesty King James the Second By the Grace of GOD Of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. &c.
And of His Royal CONSORT OUR GRACIOUS QUEEN MARY.
(Attempted) By R. PHILLIPS.
Largus enim liquidi Fons Luminis Aetherius Sol
Irrigat assidue Coelum candore recenti
Suppedit at (que) novo Confestim Lumine Lumen.
LUCR.
Entred according to Order.
London, Printed by J. Millet, for P. Brooksby, MDCLXXXV.
A POEM ON THE Coronation Of His Most Sacred Majesty King James the Second, &c.
IN ALBANY the Humble Sheaves do now
(As Jacob's Children did) to Joseph Bow;
Who is it? from the Wilderness draws near,
And like a Cloud of Incense does appear;
Before whose Bed the Mighty of the Land,
(The Sixty-Valiant) Girt with Swords do stand;
Whose Throne is Silver, and whose Seat is Gold,
Jerusalem with Joy may now behold.
Behold! the (QƲEEN) the Glorious-Shulamite,
As Tirzah Beautiful, as Armies Bright.
The Hebrews (like Divine-Arion) Strung
Their Warbling-Lutes (that on the Willows hung;)
But how could they the Songs of Sion Sing?
While Sion Wept for her Deceased KING.
Now Storms by Tears are Hush'd, as Winds with Rain,
And (loe) the Halcyon-Day, and Dove again;
Fair Cynthia's Lamps (that lie in Spangled-Beds)
(Like little Glow-Worms Blushing) hide their Heads;
Melts down the Snow, and warms the Frosty-Hills.
See! how he Thaws away the Icy-Chains,
That bound the Tender-Springs-soft-Violet-Veins.
See! how the Shaddows flee with Dews, and Cold,
How all the Earth appears in Glittering-Gold.
The Night.—stood Tip-toe on the Mountains-Top,
And, Reeling down, did Mistie-Jewels Drop.
See! how he Mounts into his Glorious-Chair,
How, like some Mighty-Conquerour in War,
He Chaces Clouds (as Enemies) away,
And brings (in Pomp.) the Bright-Triumphant-Day.
See! how the Flowers their Blooming-Curtains spread,
How beauteously they Mottle every Mead;
The New-born-Buds, their Infant-Leaves Display,
And strow Sweet-Blossoms to Perfume his Way;
The Tulips in their Sattin-Coats appear,
And Crimson-Gowns the Virgin-Roses wear;
The Lilly (Lady of the Field) in White,
(As Innocence) does imitate the Light.
See! how Divinely-Fair the Waters look,
The Christal-Fountain and the Silver-Brook,
Washt-clean, and curl'd abroad, do Glide and Rove,
Peep on the Masky-Bank, and Vizard-Grove,
And Murmur till they find their Primrose-Love.
See! how the Gentle-Linet Fanns her Wing,
While Nightingales Melodious Anthems Sing;
The Birds upon the yielding Poplar-sprays,
Marry their Notes for to Unite his Praise,
While round the World he sprinkles Chearful-Rays.
The KING admir'd does (Thus) Ascend the Throne,
(And as a Saviour) takes a Thorny-Crown,
That All the Nation may in him be Blest,
(Under the Royal-Vine securely rest.)
But (loe) besides the Wreath of Gold he wears,
(A Mortal-Mixture made of Pearls and Cares,)
He has in Heav'n a Diadem of Stars.
n="*"Charles his Wa [...]n.
As Heroes strove in the Olimpian Game,
So all the Poets Wrestle for his Fame;
Amphion will his Charming-Viol string,
And, Maro-like, of Great-Mecenas Sing;
Whether he Sings of Beeches, Bees, or Bays,
Sweet (as Apollo's-Wisdom) are his Lays.
Orpheus his Golden-Harp again will take,
And of the Island and Elisian make;
[Page 3] Before him they will like the Mothers strive,
Whose is the Dead, and who's the Child Alive.
Search all the Records of the Antique-Age,
(Not yet quite Conquer'd by Oblivions Rage,)
And early Similes from thence will bring,
Of some Great Hannibal, or Godlike-King.
Fancy can flee swift as the Nimble Roe,
Or Youthful-Hart that in Mount Bether go.
Wit, like a Torch, will her own Fire Consume,
Each minute offering Incence and Perfume:
Spending with Joy her sweetest Force and Might,
Till she grow blind by giving others sight,
As Homer did, whose Learning gave us Light.
But now by Dark-Degrees goes back in Men,
Yet Heav'n may work a Miracle agen:
As when the Hebrews Aarons-Ephod wrought,
Unthinking-Israel Jehovah taught.
'Tis true, that Art and Knowledge both are vain,
Leave like a Snail (at best) a Silver-stain:
Yet Duty as a Spirit Compact of Fire,
Should never sink, but like a Flame aspire:
Mount like the Coach in which the Prophet lay,
Wondring (e're yet he saw) Eternal-Day.
The Mariner the Pathless Ocean tries,
(And like another bold-Columbus flies,)
With Airy-Wings for his Illustrious-Prize.
He often Lands (we see) his Golden-Oar,
His Spice and Gums come safely to the Shore.
But if like Icarus our Wings we raise,
We must be lost in the vast Sea of Praise;
E're we to Lebanons-Green-Grove repair,
To fetch Immortal-Palms that flourish there.
Yet each a Mirror holds, that all may see,
The Bright-Idea of Divinity.
The Muses like Arachne, do impart,
In their Imbroidered-Arras various Art.
Here Angels seem upon an Azure-Cloud,
To sing their Halelujahs sweet and loud:
VVhile Gileads-Balm by Samuel is shed
Upon the Princely-Prophets Sacred Head.
By Figures we may shaddow things Divine,
To make the Truth the more Perspicuous shine:
There Joshua is sent by Heav'ns high Will,
To make Divisions-Son and Sons stand still;
To lead the Hebrews to the Promis'd-Land,
And fright the Amorite with all his Band.
To Prune Bad-Boughs, and save the Scions Life.
Mercy does like a Skill'd-Chyrugeon deal,
VVhen Gentle means and Balsom will not Heal;
VVhen (still) the growing-VVound does festring spread,
She cuts a Finger off to save a Head.
There Laws like Fountains seated on a Hill,
VVith VVholsome-Streams abroad do (Yonder) Trill;
And if they ever Thick and Mirie grow,
The Channels are in fault that lye below.
Ambition and Distrust on either hand,
Like two Red Seas Wall'd in with Waves, do stand:
Here one might view the Cities of the Plain,
On which the Heav'ns did Fire and Brimstone Rain:
But Faith like Little-Zoar, Lot doth save,
VVhen all the rest do find a Burning Grave,
Firm Faith does always like Young David fare,
That strangely Kill'd Goliah and the Bear.
Obedience like some fair and Fertile Vine,
Her goodly Branches lowest did decline.
Of Fortunes-Storms she need not stand in fear,
Hid under Leaves her Grapes in safety are.
Goodness all round the Nations Skirts was spread,
Like precious Oyntment upon Aarons Head.
How great were are all his Loyal Sujects fears,
VVhen Seas contending with their Tides of Tears,
At last fell out and made a Dismal Rore,
To bear their Prince to his Expecting Shore.
VVell might there Strife and Emulation be,
The VVaters knew the Soveraign of the Sea.
In Roughest Billows his Undaunted Breast,
Untoucht with Danger, found a Heav'n of Rest.
So Julius-Caesar in a Tempest stood,
Amaz'd the Boat-man, and the Wondring-Flood.
Geomitricians viewing Heav'ns fair Ball,
May think the World does in their Compass fall;
But Sailing forth, in little time Discern
Regions, which by their Mapps they ne'r could learn:
So when we think to make a Beauteous-Chain,
Of all the Vertues Nature does contain,
Experience mocks our weak and simple pain,
So vast we find the Glorious-Heav'nly Train:
(So Numberless) by Art can ne'r be told,
Rich and as Bright as Tagus Sands of Gold.
[Page 5] All that we can of Heav'nly-Canaan know,
Is this—that there can no Disorder grow,
Where Rivers of Eternal Vertues flow.
Concord (that sweet Musitian) Tunes the Strings,
And makes the Happy stretch their Hallowed-Wings;
While Miriam on the Sacred Timbrel Rings,
Immortal Praises to the King of Kings.
Now is the Golden Age that Poets fain,
Great Constantine the Scepter sways again;
Greater then Cyrus or Vespasions Son,
Or him that all Darius Empire Won.
The Heav'nly Atlas that appears Divine,
On whose Rich-shoulders all the Stars do shine.
Fame with her Diamond Pen will Write his Name
On Adamant, for ever to remain.
Ʋnion the King and Princes does Unite,
And makes a Damask-Rose of Red and White.
The Cynick in his Tub delight may find,
(While Alexander Raigne so Mild, so Kind)
So sweet a Tenant is Content of Mind.
Though Moses-Bush did Flame, it did not sear,
Flame to create as well Delight as Fear.
All Earthly-Fires and Flames, though ne'r so great,
(Excepting Subjects Love) abate their Heat;
But those Quick-Lights the more they are supprest,
The will more shine in the Inflamed Breast.
Not like to Euripus, whose Ebb and Flow,
By varying does her own Inconstance show.
What Vassal-Spirit can now Dispair or Faint,
Protected by so strong, so sure a Saint!
The Winter of all Fear is past and gone,
Can we feel Cold that are so near the Sun?
Alcides cannot hurt the Kingdoms Peace,
Nor Jason steal away her Golden-Fleece.
Wisdom that Fixed-Star stands firm and fast,
While Comet-Folly Blazing out, does waste.
But simple Men will Burning Glasses blame,
When their own Idle Hands Unite the Flame.
Subjects are Dials, Princes Suns that shine,
'Tis by their Light that Men show bright and fine,
The Dial Dies with Clouds, with Beams appears Divine.
Fair Amalthea with her Plenteous Horn,
Brings us our Wine, and Milk, and Fruit, and Corn.
Blest are the Palace-Gates with Joyful Peace,
Blest are the Fruitful Barns, with sweet encrease;
Blest are our Councils, by whose Learned Skill,
They make the happy Nation flourish still:
In all things blest that to a Realm pertain,
But most in Great King James our Soveraign.
Within the Treasure of whose Gracious Eyes,
Sweet Mercy and relenting Pitty lyes.
Long may he sway the Scepter in his Hand,
And make Jerusalem a Happy Land.
Obedience to whose Laws will plainly prove,
Whether we are true Gold, or Guilt with Love.
So Great, so Ʋniversal, is his Name,
What can we find to Paralell his Fame?
That Sion-Mount which none could e're remove,
The Hebrews Object of Delight and Love.
Will last like that strong Tower that David Built,
Whereon a Thousand Shields did hang all Guilt.
When Others Fame by Famine, Time shall cease,
His (like Zareptas-Oyl) will then Encrease.
FINIS.