THE SPEECH SPOKEN By Sir WILLIAM WYLDE Knight & Baronet, One of His MAJESTIES Serjeants at Law, (And Recorder of the City of LONDON.) TO His Most Sacred MAJESTY CHARLES THE SECOND: In His Passage from the TOVVER to WHITE-HALL. April 22. 1661.
Being the Day before His CORONATION.
⟨Aprill 12⟩ LONDON, Printed by William Godbid for Edward Powell.
TO declare the Happinesse of Your People in the Enjoyment of this glorious Day, is a Subject for an Angel, not a Man.
It is not long since, Most Mighty Prince, But yet 'twas long Sir, that for want of Your Royal Presence, Your People were miserably intangled in, and infested with, many Sad and Destructive Revolutions; such, that thereby so Violent a Sea of Confusion and Disorder, was broke in upon them, that their Lives, Liberties, Estates, and that which is most dear to all Good Men, their very Religion, (the best Reform'd throughout the World) were ready to have been swallowed up.
But no sooner did Your Glorious Person appear amongst them, but those Furious Waters did abate, and that Black Cloud of Misery, and Calamity from thence exhaled, and ready to fall upon them, was dispers'd and gone, and they, in a full Careere to their Pristine Glory and Happiness.
And now by this time, Most Puissant King, I make no Question but all Your People, I am sure Your Loyal Ones, and I have Charity enough, to hope they will all prove such, are fully satisfi'd, that because it was in England, as sometimes 'twas in Israel, that they had no King amongst them, therefore their latter dayes were so Calamitous; Quod tot tanta (que) mala conciliarat non habuisse Regem.
But to the Everlasting Praise of our good God, we have now not only a King amongst us, but such a King which is a Blessing to His People, not of a Mushroom Descent, but the Son of Nobles, of a most Royal Stemme, not intituled to His Kingdomes by Perjury, and Villany, but by an Ancient and Undoubted Right, A KING of [Page 5] whom it may be truly said, that had all that Clemency, Goodnesse, and Sweetnesse of Temper proper to a Prince, and advantagious to a People, been totally lost, they are all reunited, and concentred in His Royal Person.
And therefore; as I said at first, of our Happinesse, give me leave Most Illustrious Prince, to say also of our Joys, their Declaration is an Angelical Employment, Matter in truth, rather of Admiration, than for Expression. Exigua gaudia loquuntur ingentia stupent: Only let me say this, and I hope I may say it with a Pious Allusion,
This is the Day which the Lord hath made, we will Rejoyce and be Glad in it.
And that Our Joyes may not be short liv'd, Your Happinesse and Our Joyes being like Hypocrates his Twins, must live, and Dye together.
May Your Days be many, Your Reign ever peaceful and prosperous, and Your posterity Numerous; May Your Feet be always upon the Neck of Your Enemies; [Page 6] Let them be ever bless'd which shall blesse you, and Cursed be they which shall Curse You; and let all your people say Amen.
I know well Most Mighty King, that neither the Time nor the Place, will admit of any long Discourse; and that I now speak not only to a Solon but a Solomon; One that is no Friend to many words, as well knowing, in multiloquio non deest Peccatum; And therefore be pleas'd to give your Servant leave in a Word to deliver his Errand, which is, in the Name of this Ancient and renowned City, most Cordially to Congratulate your Gracious Accession hither this Day, upon this solemn and glorious Occasion, and as a pure signal of that true Allegiance, and duty, which they owe to your Sacred Majesty, humbly to present unto your Royal Hands this Purse of Gold; which let me assure You comes from Free Hearts, full of Loyalty and Fidelity, the best of Presents to a Gracious King; and therefore I am confident, that as they offer it cheerfully, your Majesty will vouchsafe to accept it Graciously. [Page 7] I have done Sir, and have no more to say but this,
God Save the KING.