A PANEGYRICK TO His Highness Prince RUPERT, ON His present Expedition with His Majesties NAVY ROYAL against the DƲTCH.
Arma VIRƲM (que) cano—
GReat PRINCE! to whose unwearied Pains and Care
England Eternal Monuments must rear
Of Gratitude, as having found in YOU
At once her Nestor and Ach [...]lles too:
Whose Grave Advice does fi [...]st our Factions c [...]se,
And then your Matchless Ar [...] subdues our Foes.
Permit an Humble Muse your Fame to greet,
And with your Canv [...]se spread a Votive Sheet,
Predicting Victory: Assur'd no less,
RƲPERT Commanding warranteth success.
RƲPERT, that Glorious Name, wherein we have
Whatever's Prudent, Valiant, Great, or Brave;
In whom Nature all past Hero's does summe,
And Copies sets to those that are to come.
With such a Chief and such a Navy blest,
As never yet the Oceans Surf [...]ce prest,
For strength, for courage and for number too,
What i'st we may not [...]ai [...]ly hope to do?
Especially upon a Cause so Just,
As might to Providence and Cock [...]b [...]a [...]s trust:
Though thanks to Heaven a Moving Wood, we see,
Covers the bosom of our Narrow Sea;
A Floating Island, that seems to surpass
Denmark and Dantzick for full choice of Masts:
As if that Womb of Ships (Forest of Dean)
Into the Ocean now had shisted Scene.
Phansie no more Fond Hogens to su [...]prise
Us with Fair Words and Foul Advantages;
Nor hope a doubtful Trea [...]ies sly pretence
Shall gull us to omit needful Def [...]nce.
We'l parly A [...]m'd, and if you Deaf remain
To Reason still, and our Just Terms disdain,
We'l Bore your Ears with Thunder, till you cease
Your haughty Pride, and humbly beg for Peace.
See how Fate to your Ruine does advance,
The English Valour, and Fury of France.
Vessel [...] of such a bulk! we may maintain
That Wo [...]den M [...]unta [...]ns Dance upon the Main.
Their state [...]y R [...]gging charm the gazing eye;
But with what horrour and stupidity
Must you receive that Dread Salute that comes
From gaping Entrails of their Numerous Guns!
Whose language speaks Confusion; and their breath
Impregnates Air with Sentences of death;
Outroaring Thunder with their Frightful Sounds,
Which ev' [...]y Wave to neighbouring Shores rebounds,
Like to unhinge the Poles, and dash the Spheres,
In shatters about trembling Atlas ears.
Those Fatal Peals Heaven hath designed well,
To ring your Hogen Mogen Stateships Knell.
Zerxes his Chains were but a Foolery;
Such Fleets alone the Seas in Fetters tie:
Man'd with stout Seamen yielding to no stroke;
For (like their Ships) their Hearts are Trusty Oke.
Spains King, that formerly Sirnamed His
INVINCIBLE, how would he Christen This!
To which that proud Armado was no more
Then Sholes of Fisher-boats crept from the Shore.
Let none repine that Bacons Art did fail;
His Brazen to these Wooden Walls must vail.
May Sa [...]red CHARLES have always such a Fleet,
Incroaching Foes to prostrate at his Feet,
And never want such Arguments as these
T' assert his Right unto the Narrow Seas.
FINIS.
LONDON, Printed for Jonathan Edwin, at the Three Roses in Ludgate Street, 1673.