Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A36702
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Threnodia augustalis a funeral-pindarique sacred to the happy memory of King Charles II / by John Dryden.
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Dryden, John, 1631-1700.
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1685
(1685)
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Wing D2383; ESTC R121
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7,310
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28
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THRENODIA AVGVSTALIS A Funeral-Pindarique POEM Sacred to the Happy Memory OF King CHARLES II. By IOHN DRYDEN Servant to His late MAJESTY and to the Present KING Fortunati Ambo si quid mea Carmina possunt Nulla dies unquam memori vos eximet aevo London Printed for Iacob Tonson at the Iudge's Head in Chancery lane near Fleet-Street 1685. THRENODIA AVGVSTALIS A FUNERAL-PINDARIQVE POEM Sacred to the Happy Memory OF King CHARLES II. I. THus long my Grief has kept me dumb Sure there 's a Lethargy in mighty Woe Tears stand congeal'd and cannot flow And the sad Soul retires into her inmost Room Tears for a Stroke foreseen afford Relief But unprovided for a sudden Blow Like Niobe we Marble grow And Petrifie with Grief Our British Heav'n was all Serene No threatning Cloud was nigh Not the least wrinkle to deform the Sky We liv'd as unconcern'd and happily As the first Age in Natures golden Scene Supine amidst our flowing Store We slept securely and we dreamt of more When suddenly the Thunder-clap was heard It took us unprepar'd and out of guard Already lost before we fear'd Th' amazing News of Charles at once were spread At once the general Voice declar'd Our Gracious Prince was dead No Sickness known before no slow Disease To soften Grief by Just Degrees But like an Hurricane on Indian Seas The Tempest rose An unexpected Burst of Woes With scarce a breathing space betwixt This Now becalm'd and perishing the next As if great Atlas from his Height Shou'd sink beneath his heavenly Weight And with a mighty Flaw the flaming Wall As once it shall Shou'd gape immense and rushing down o'erwhelm this neather Ball So swift and so surprizing was our Fear Our Atlas fell indeed But Hercules was near II. His Pious Brother sure the best Who ever bore that Name Was newly risen from his Rest And with a fervent Flame His usual morning Vows had just addrest For his dear Sovereign's Health And hop'd to have 'em heard In long increase of years In Honour Fame and Wealth Guiltless of Greatness thus he always pray'd Nor knew nor wisht those Vows he made On his own Head shou'd be repay'd Soon as th' ill omen'd Rumour reacht his Ear Ill News is wing'd with Fate and flies apace Who can describe th' Amazement in his Face Horrour in all his Pomp was there Mute and magnificent without a Tear And then the Hero first was seen to fear Halâ— unartay'd he ran to his Relief So hasty and so artless was his Grief Approaching Greatness met him with her Charms Of Pow'r and future State But look'd so ghastly in a Brother's Fate He shook her from his Armes Arriv'd within the mournfull Room he saw A wild Distraction void of Awe And arbitrary Grief unbounded by a Law God's Image God's Anointed lay Without Motion Pulse or Breath A senseless Lump of sacred Clay An Image now of Death Amidst his sad Attendants Grones and Cryes The Lines of that ador'd forgiving Face Distorted from their native grace An Iron Slumber sate on his Majestick Eyes The Pious Duke forbear audacious Muse No Terms thy feeble Art can use Are able to adorn so vast a Woe The grief of all the rest like subject-grief did show His like a Sovereign did transcend No Wife no Brother such a Grief cou'd know Nor any name but friend III. O wondrous Changes of a fatal Scene Still varying to the last Heav'n though its hard Decree was past Seem'd pointing to a gracious Turn agen And Death's up-lifted Arme arrested in its hast Heav'n half repented of the doom And almost griev'd it had foreseen What by Foresight it will'd eternally to come Mercy above did hourly plead For her Resemblance here below And mild Forgiveness intercede To stop the coming Blow New Miracles approach'd th' Etherial Throne Such as his wondrous Life had oft and lately known And urg'd that still they might be shown On Earth his Pious Brother pray'd and vow'd Renouncing Greatness at so dear a rate Himself defending what he cou'd From all the Glories of his future Fate With him th' innumerable Croud Of armed Prayers Knock'd at the Gates of Heav'n and knock'd aloud The first well meaning rude Petitioners All for his Life assayl'd the Throne All wou'd have brib'd the Skyes by offring up their own So great a Throng not Heav'n it self cou'd bar 'T was almost born by force as in the Giants War The Pray'rs at least for his Reprieve were heard His Death like Hezekiah's was deferr'd Against the Sun the Shadow went Five days those five Degrees were lent To form our Patience and prepare th' Event The second Causes took the swift Command The med'cinal Head the ready Hand All eager to perform their Part All but Eternal Doom was conquer'd by their Art Once more the fleeting Soul came back T' inspire the mortal Frame And in the Body took a doubtfull Stand Doubtfull and hov'ring like expiring Flame That mounts and falls by turns and trembles o'er the Brand. IV. The joyful short-liv'd news soon spread around Took the same Train the same impetuous bound The drooping Town in smiles again was drest Gladness in every Face exprest Their Eyes before their Tongues confest Men met each other with erected look The steps were higher that they took Each to congratulate his friend made haste And long inveterate Foes saluted as they past Above the rest Heroick Iames appear'd Exalted more because he more had fear'd His manly heart whose Noble pride Was still above Dissembled hate or varnisht Love It s more then common transport cou'd not hide But like an Eagre rode in triumph o're the tide Thus in alternate Course The Tyrant passions hope and fear Did in extreams appear And flasht upon the Soul with equal force Thus at half Ebb a rowling Sea Returns and wins upon the shoar The watry Herd affrighted at the roar Rest on their Fins a while and stay Then backward take their wondring way The Prophet wonders more than they At Prodigies but rarely seen before And cries a King must fall or Kingdoms change their sway Such were our counter-tydes at land and so Presaging of the fatal blow In their prodigious Ebb and flow The Royal Soul that like the labouring Moon By Charms of Art was hurried down Forc'd with regret to leave her Native Sphear Came but a while on liking here Soon weary of the painful strife And made but faint Essays of Life An Evening light Soon shut in Night A strong distemper and a weak relief Short intervals of joy and long returns of grief V. The Sons of Art all Med'cines try'd And every Noble remedy apply'd With emulation each essay'd His utmost skill nay more they pray'd Was never losing game with better conduct plaid Death never won a stake with greater toyl Nor ere was Fate so near a foil But like a fortress on a Rock Th' impregnable Disease their vain attempts did mock They min'd it near they batter'd from a
indeed too fruitful was before But all uncultivated lay Out of the Solar walk and Heavens high way With rank Geneva Weeds run o're And Cockle at the best amidst the Corn it bore The Royal Husbandman appear'd And Plough'd and Sow'd and Till'd The Thorns he rooted out the Rubbish clear'd And Blest th' obedient Field When straight a double Harvest rose Such as the swarthy Indian mowes Or happier Climates near the Line Or Paradise manur'd and drest by hands Divine XIII As when the New-born Phoenix takes his way His rich Paternal Regions to Survey Of airy Choristers a numerous Train Attend his wondrous Progress o're the Plain So rising from his Fathers Urn So Glorious did our Charles return Th' officious Muses came along A gay Harmonious Quire of Angels ever Young The Muse that mourns him now his happy Triumph sung Even they cou'd thrive in his Auspicious reign And such a plenteous Crop they bore Of purest and well winow'd Grain As Britain never knew before Tho little was their Hire and light their Gain Yet somewhat to their share he threw Fed from his Hand they sung and flew Like Birds of Paradise that liv'd on Morning dew Oh never let their Lays his Name forget The Pension of a Prince's Praise is great Live then thou great Encourager of Arts Live ever in our Thankful Hearts Live blest Above almost invok'd Below Live and receive this Pious Vow Our Patron once our Guardian Angel now Thou Fabius of a sinking State Who didst by wise delays divert our Fate When Faction like a Tempest rose In Death's most hideous form Then Art to Rage thou didst oppose To weather out the Storm Not quitting thy Supream command Thou heldst the Rudder with a steady hand Till safely on the Shore the Bark did land The Bark that all our Blessings brought Charg'd with thy Self and Iames a doubly Royal fraught XIV Oh frail Estate of Humane things And slippery hopes below Now to our Cost your Emptiness we know For 't is a Lesson dearly bought Assurance here is never to be sought The Best and best belov'd of Kings And best deserving to be so When scarce he had escap'd the fatal blow Of Faction and Conspiracy Death did his promis'd hopes destroy He toyl'd He gain'd but liv'd not to enjoy What mists of Providence are these Through which we cannot see So Saints by supernatural Pow'r set free Are left at last in Martyrdom to dye Such is the end of oft repeated Miracles Forgive me Heav'n that Impious thought 'T was Grief for Charles to Madness wrought That Question'd thy Supream Decree Thou didst his gracious Reign prolong Even in thy Saints and Angels wrong His Fellow Citizens of Immortality For Twelve long years of Exile born Twice Twelve we number'd since his blest Return So strictly wer't thou Just to pay Even to the driblet of a day Yet still we murmur and Complain The Quails and Manna shou'd no longer rain Those Miracles 't was needless to renew The Chosen Flock has now the Promis'd Land in view VX A Warlike Prince ascends the Regal State A Prince long exercis'd by Fate Long may he keep tho he obtains it late Heroes in Heaven's peculiar Mold are cast They and their Poets are not form'd in hast Man was the first in God's design and Man was made the last False Heroes made by Flattery so Heav'n can strike out like Sparkles at a blow But e're a Prince is to Perfection brought He costs Omnipotence a second thought With Toyl and Sweat With hardning Cold and forming Heat The Cyclops did their strokes repeat Before th' impenetrable Shield was wrought It looks as if the Maker wou'd not own The Noble work for his Before 't was try'd and found a Masterpiece XVI View then a Monarch ripen'd for a Throne Alcides thus his race began O're Infancy he swiftly ran The future God at first was more than Man Dangers and Toils and Iuno's Hate Even o're his Cradle lay in wait And there he grappled first with Fate In his young Hands the hissing Snakes he prest So early was the Deity confest Thus by degrees he rose to Iove's Imperial Seat Thus difficulties prove a Soul legitimately great Like his our Hero's Infancy was try'd Betimes the Furies did their Snakes provide And to his Infant Arms oppose His Father's Rebels and his Brother's Foes The more opprest the higher still he rose Those were the Preludes of his Fate That form'd his Manhood to subdue The Hydra of the many-headed hissing Crew XVII As after Numa's peaceful Reign The Martial Ancus did the Scepter wield Furbish'd the rusty Sword again Resum'd the long forgotten Shield And led the Latins to the dusty Field So Iames the drowsy Genius wakes Of Britain long entranc'd in Charms Restiff and slumbring on its Arms 'T is rows'd with a new strung Nerve the Spear already shakes No Neighing of the Warriour Steeds No Drum or louder Trumpet needs T' inspire the Coward warm the Cold His Voice his sole Appearance makes 'em bold Gaul and Batavia dread th' impending blow Too well the Vigour of that Arm they know They lick the dust and Crouch beneath their fatal Foe Long may they fear this awful Prince And not Provoke his lingring Sword Peace is their only sure Defence There best Security his Word In all the Changes of his doubtful State His Truth like Heav'ns was kept inviolate For him to Promise is to make it Fate His Valour can Triumph o're Land and Main With broken Oaths his Fame he will not stain With Conquest basely bought and with Inglorious gain XVIII For once O Heav'n unfold thy Adamantine Book And let his wondring Senate see If not thy firm Immutable Decree At least the second Page of great contingency Such as consists with wills Originally free Let them with glad amazement look On what their happiness may be Let them not still be obstinately blind Still to divert the Good thou hast design'd Or with Malignant penury To sterve the Royal Vertues of his Mind Faith is a Christian's and a Subject's Test Oh give them to believe and they are surely blest They do and with a distant view I see Th' amended Vows of English Loyalty And all beyond that Object there appears The long Retinue of a Prosperous Reign A Series of Successful years In orderly Array a Martial manly Train Behold ev'n to remoter Shores A Conquering Navy proudly spread The British Cannon formidably roars While starting from his Oozy Bed Th' asserted Ocean rears his reverend Head To View and Recognize his ancient Lord again And with a willing hand restores The Fasces of the Main FINIS Advertisement ☞ The History of the League Written in French by Mounsieur Maimbourg Englished upon his late Majesties Command by Mr. Dryden Sold by J. Tonson * An Eagre is a Tyde swelling above another Tyde which I have my self observ'd on the River Trent