A POEM, On the Most Deplorable Death of the Mighty MONARCH CHARLES II. King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland.
COuld I compose my thoughts, and now bethink,
Or keep my Eyes from blubbering my Ink;
Could Passion let me speak, or Grief forbear,
To let my Tongue go on without a Tear,
Could I have respite but to wipe mine Eyes,
A little to compose sad Elegies.
Something perhaps my loaded Soul might vent;
Something might flow from Spirits that are pent;
But now confusion my sad Soul o're-whelms,
When the Great Monarch of three mighty Realms
The Second CHARLES lies Dead, Oh here! Who can
Go on to speak of such a Royal Man?
What Pen so ready? What Tongue so eloquent?
Invention good, or mind is so intent?
That dares to offer at the least worthy praise
Of him, or can his broken fancy raise,
To write or speak or him enough and fit,
Is sure beyond the reach of Humane Wit.
Yet Love and Loyalty amongst the rest
Will make me croude my lines, tho' not the best,
[Page 2]His Sacred MAJESTY, let all bemoan
His Death, the best, do it best, but let none
Forbear the Tribute of a mournful Verse,
To lay upon their Gracious Sovereign's Herse.
Startle ye Princes o'th' Earth, let the News
Of the Death of Great Britains KING, infuse
Such melancholy Thoughts, such Changes make
Within your Breasts, may make your Hearts to ake.
Doth Englands KING lie breathless? Ah! Who then
Is free from Fate among the Sons of Men?
The Glories of your Birth and State must end,
Your strongest Force, and Royal Limbs must bend
To the King of Terrors, your loftiest thought,
Will perish in that day and come to nought;
Millions of Wishes, prayers, and long live,
Cannot Death's Fatal Stroke i'th' least retreive.
Is CHARLES the Second Dead? A Prince whose life,
Was full of Wonders, Peace, but little Strife;
A Prince that at whose Birth was never heard,
So strange a thing, at Noon a Starr appear'd,
Heaven thereby, denoting such strange things
To him, not common unto other Kings.
And so miraculous have been e're since,
And Great the doings of wise Providence.
The Royal Oake a story still will tell,
To the World of wonders, and so will Boscobell.
His sufferings in his Exile, and Distress
Long time beyond the Seas, will say no less:
The Fury of his Foes their Usurpation,
Decrees against him, yet his Preservation
Are full of great Remarks, and Admiration.
[Page 3]But yet a greater Miracle was May,
The second Joyful Nine and Twentieth Day,
When that again he was restor'd and brought
Forth, as it were again, beyond the thought
of Mortals, without spilling any Blood,
Or by his Enemies i'th' least withstood.
And still how prosperous have been his Days,
His Government easie, peaceable his ways,
Gentle his Reign, Gracious and Merciful,
To those that would not wilful Vengeance pull
O'th' Law upon them, and yet ev'n to those
Children, he would be kind of such his Foes.
Careful of's people in's Life, and at his Death
Enjoyning their Well-fare with his latest Breath.
Weep not then if you can, you that don't love
Monarchy, yet can't so ill-natur'd prove,
But you will grieve for him per force and say,
Surely a Gracious KING is dead to Day:
A Prince whose Royal and Heroick Worth,
Can no more followed be than pattern'd forth.
And see how freely all his Subjects come,
To bring their Tears and pungent Sorrows home,
There needs no Summons; the wants to Collect
The Tribute of their Eyes, that with respect
To neither Bounds nor Measures over-flows
Th' Exchequer, and no narrow limits knows.
The Court, the City, Country all look sad,
Who sees a Face that merry is or glad.
The Mourners ev'ry where do pass the street,
And with their mutual Sorrows others greet;
A sadder time these Islands never knew,
Since wretched Rebel's Royal Father slew.
[Page 4]And thus ends the Life, and so concludes the Reign
Of Great Brittains Mighty Prince Charlemaign.
But are our Comforts now all gone? Is there
No other Sun within our Hemisphere?
Is CHARLES now in his Wain? And doth no other
Bright Starr appear. Behold his Illustrious Brother,
And lawful Successor, drying our Tears,
Cheering our Hearts, taking away false fears;
A Prince no Novice, but Wise, approved,
Experienc'd, and of the best beloved.
Sprung of the same great Stock, and Royal Race;
Sharer in exile, troubles, and disgrace.
Allotted now by Heaven to take a Close
Of Royal Dignity, in spight of's Foes.
And after's Brother now to wear the Crown,
Tho' misled Zealots would have pull'd him down.
IAMES the Second's in CHARLES the Seconds stead,
As CHARLES the First, did IAMES the First succeed.
IAMES and CHARLES, and CHARLES and IAMES do twine,
And in two parts do make one Royal Line.
And in that Line may England ever be
Both happy now and to Posterity.
LONDON; Printed by E. Mallet, 1685.