A Congratulatory POEM ON The Miraculous and Glorious Return of that unparallel'd KING CHARLS the II. May 29. 1660. By ALEX. BROME Pers Ipse Semipaganus Ad Sacra Regum carmen affero nostrum LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in Ivy-Lane 1660. To the Kings most Sacred Majesty NOw our Spring-royal's come this ravish'd Land That for twelve years did bring forth Tyrants and Traytors in such aboundance that the King And Subjects were forgot both name and thing Bears Kings again a memorable Spring May first brought forth May now brings home our King Auspitious twenty nineth this day of Mirth Now gives Redemption that before gave Birth Hark ho w th' admiring people cry and shout See how they flock and leap for joy the Rout Whose Zeal and Ignorance for many years Devis'd those Goblins Jealousies and Fears And fighting blindfold in those puzling Mists Rais'd by the conjuring of our Exorcists They Beat and Wound and Kill each other while Their Setters-on did share the prey and smile Now they 're unhood-wink'd they do plainly see What once they were what now they ought to be The warlike Trumpet whose unhallow'd breath Inspir'd Rebellion throws aside the wreath Of ill-got Laurel scandaliz'd to be Made instrumental to such Victorie As shames and beats the Conqueror and layes A Crown o' th' conquer'd baffling th' others Bayes Tun'd by your Fame with loud and loyal voice Contributes sounds and helps us to Rejoyce Th' enlarged Bells that in these latter dayes Have been all silenc'd and forbid to raise Their Voice but cross or backward from the steeple To proclaim Fire or to amaze the people Or if they chim'd 't was out of tune and so Did other grating tuneless Sounds forego Now with their gracefull discords all proclaim Your safe return and celebrate your Name And the contiguous Bon-fires made the Nation To apprehend a final Conflagration And made the ground at midnight to appear Like Heaven at noon and in the heat o' th' year 'Bout which rejoycing Neighbours friendly came And with fresh wood fed the devouring Flame Mean while th' old Subjects who so long have slept In Caves and been miraculously kept From Rage and Famine while the only thing That fed and cloath'd them was the name of King Do all New-plume themselves to entertain Your long'd-for Majesty and splendid Train And as in Jobs time 't was those Spurious things Who look like Subjects but did ne'r love Kings Appear among your Subjects in array That 's undiscernable unless more gay All with loud hallows pierce the smiling skies While brandish'd Swords please and amaze our eyes Why then should only I stand still and bear No part of triumph in this Theatre Though I 'm not wise enough to speak t' a King What 's worth his ear nor rich enough to bring Gifts worthy his acceptance though I do Not ride in Buff and Feathers which might show Vain Ostentation or a needless Pride Which some appland while others do deride That Pomp I did industriously eschue The Cost being more to me than th' shew to you Nor do I love a Souldiers garb to own When my own Conscience tells me I am none Yet I 'll doe duty too for I 've a minde Will not be Idle but will something finde To bid my SOVERAIGN Welcom to his own Long-widow'd Realm his Scepter Crown Throne And though too mean and empty it appear If he afford a well-pleas'd Eye and Ear His pow'r can't by my Weakness be withstood Bee 't what it will he 'll finde or make it good Hail long-desired Soveraign you that are Now our sole joy and hope as once our fear The Princely Son of a most pious Sire Whose Precepts and Example did inspire Your tender years with virtues that become A King that 's sit to rule all Christendom Which your great Soul hath so improved since Europe can't shew such an accomplish'd Prince Whose whole life 's so exemplary that you Convinc'd those foes which we could not subdue And those that did t' your Court t' abuse you come Converted Proselytes returned home Such strong and sympathetick virtues lye In your great name it cures when you 're not nigh Like Weapon-salve If fame can reach up to This hight of Cures what would your person do Your Subjects high'st Ambition and their Cure Bold Rebells terror you that did endure What e're the Wit or Malice of your foes Could lay on you or yours yet stoutly chose To suffer on rather than to Retort Their injuries and grew Victorious for 't And by your patient suffering did subdue The Traytors fury and the Traytors too The great King-makers favourite a Prince Born to a Crown and kept for 't ever since From Open force from all the Close designs Of all your Foes and all our Catalines From all th' insatiate malice of that bold Bloud-thirsty Tyrant from his sword and gold Which hurt you more and from your own false Friends Who sacrific'd to his Ambitious ends Your Crown and people and were kept in pay Your Cause and Sacred Person to betray In which he ev'ry year expended more Than your Revenues have been heretofore Yet you 're deliverd out of all these things By your Protector who 's the King of Kings No more that proud Usurper now shall boast His partial Conquests which more Money cost And Blood than they were worth no more remember His thrice auspicious third day of September Which he design'd to be redeem'd from black And in Red letters writ i th' Almanack Since he fought not for victories but paid Nor were you conquer'd by him but betray'd And now your May by love has gotten more Than his Septembers did by blood before Thanks to that Glory of the West that Star By whose conductive influence you are Brought to enjoy your own whose eminent worth These Islands are too small to Eccho forth Whose courage bafled fear whose purer soul No bribes could e'r seduce no threats controul But strangely cross'd the proverb and brought forth The best of Goods from th'once-pernicious North To whose Integrity your Kingdomes owe Their restauration and what thence does flow Your blest arrival with such prudence still He manag'd these affairs such truth such skill Such valor too he led these Nations through Red Seas of Blood and yet ne'r wet their shoe Blest be the Heavenly pow'rs that hither sent This Noble Hero to be th' instrument To ' enthrone your Royal Person and to bring To 's longing subjects oâ—â— long absent King Welcom from forein Kingdoms where you 've been Driven by hard-hearted Fate and where you 've seen Strange men and manners yet too truly known Those far more Hospitable than your own From those that would not those that durst not do Right to themselves by being kinde to you From profess'd foes and from pretended friends Whose feigned love promotes their sordid Ends. Kings treating Kings springs not from love but state Their love's to policy subordinate From
banishment from dangers and from want From all those mischiefs that depend upon 't You 'r truly welcome welcome to your throne Your Crowns and Scepters and what ere 's your own Nay to what 's ours too for we finde it true Our wealth is gotten and preserv'd by you Welcome t' your Subjects hearts who long did burn With strong desires to see your bless'd return Welcome t' your friends welcome to your wisest foes Whose bought Experience tells them now that those Riches they 've got by plunder fraud and force Doe not increase but make their fortunes worse Like Robbers spoyls just as they come they goe And leave the Robbers poor and wicked too They see their error now and do begin Could they but hope youl 'd pardon their Huge sin To think you th' only means and th' only man That will restore our liberties and can Since you 're come out o' th fire twelve years refin'd With hard'ned body and Experienc'd minde Only that crew of Caitiffs who have been So long so deeply plung'd in so great sin That they despair of pardon and believe You can't have so much mercy to forgive As they had villanie t' offend and sin And therefore to get out get further in These never were and never will be true Unto your loyal Subjects or to you The scum and scorn of every sort of men That for abilities Could scarce tell ten And of estates proportion'd to their parts Of mean enjoyments and of worse deserts Whom want made bold and impudence supply'd Those gifts which art and nature had deny'd And in their practice perfect Atheists too For half-wit and half-learning makes men so These first contriv'd and then promoted all Those troubles which upon your Realm did fall Inflam'd three populous Nations that they might Get better opportunity and light To steal and plunder and our goods might have By robbing those whom they pretend to save Our new commotions new employments made And what was our affliction grew their trade And when they saw the plots th' had laid did take Then they turn'd Gamsters and put in their stake Ventured their All their Credit which was small And next their Conscience which was none at all Put on all forms and all Religions own And all alike for they were all of none A thousand of them han't one Christian soul No oathes oblige them and no Laws controul Their strong desires but paenal ones and those Make them not innocent but cautelous Crimes that are scandalous and yield no gain Revenge or pleasure they perhaps refrain But where a crime was gainfull to commit Or pleas'd their luct or malice how they bit This did invade the Pulpit and the Throne And made them both and all that 's ours their own Depos'd the Ministers and Magistrates And in a godly way seiz'd their estates Then did the Gentry follow and the Rich Those neutral sinners by omission which Had good estates for 't was a lesser sin To plunder than t' have ought worth Plundring And by religious forms and shews and paints They 're call'd the Godly party and the Saints And as those men that live ill lives desire To die good deaths so these vile men aspire To be reputed honest and did stile Themselves so but they were meer Cheats the while Yet by their artless Oratory they Vent'ring to make Orations preach and pray Drew in too many silly souls that were Caught with vain shewes drawn on by hope and fear Poor undiscerning all believing Elves Fit but to be the ruin of themselves Born to be cozen'd trod on and abus'd Lov'd to be fool'd and easily seduc'd These beasts they make with courage fight and dy Like Andabates not knowing how nor why Till they destroy'd King Kingdome Church Laws And sacrific'd all to that word The Cause While those possesse the fruit of all the toiles Of these blind slaves and flourish with their spoils Plum'd with gay feathers stoln like Aesops crow They seem gay birds but it was only show Now publique lands and private too they share Among themselves whose mawes did never spare Ought they could grasp to get the Royal lands They in Blood royal bath'd their rav'nous hands With which they shortly pamper'd grew and rich Then was their blood infected with the itch Of Pomp and Power and now they must be Squires And Knights and Lords to please their wives desires And Madam them A broken tradesman now Peic'd with Church-lands makes all the vulgar bow Unto his honour and their Bonets vail To 's worship that sold Peticoates or Ale In pomp attire and everything they did Look like true Gentry but the Soul and Head By which they were discern'd for they were rude With harsh and ill-bred natures still endu'd Proud and penurious What Nobility Sprung in an instant from all trades had wee Such t'other things crept into t'other House Whose Sires heel'd stockings and whose Dams sold sowse There 's Lord Protectors but of such a Crew As people Newgate not good men and true There were Lord Keepers but of Cowes and Swine Lord Coblers and Lord Drawers not of wine Fine Cockney-pageant Lords and Lords Gee-hoo Lords Butchers and Lords Butlers Dray-Lords too And to transact with these was hatch'd a brood Of Justices and Squires nor great nor good Rays'd out of plunder and of sequestration Like Frogs of Nilus from an inundation A foundred Warrier when the wars did cease As nat'rally turn'd Justice of the Peace And did with boldness th' office undertake As a blinde Coach-horse does a Stalion make These fill'd all Countries and in every Town Dwelt one or more to tread your Subjects down And to compleat this Stratagem of theirs They use Auxiliary Lecturers Illiterate Dolts pickt out of every Trade Of the same metal as Jeroboams made That ne'r took Orders nor e're any keep But boldly into others Pulpits creep And vent their Heresies and there inspire The vulgar with Sedition who desire Still to be cheated and do love to be Mis-led by th' ears by couzning Sophistrie These sold Divinity as Witches doe In Lapland Windes to drive where e're you go The Sword no action did so dire and fell But that some Pulpiteers pronounc'd it Well With these ingredients were the Countries all Poyson'd and fool'd and aw'd while they did call Themselves the Cities or the Counties and Did in their names what they ne'r understand Or hear of These did that old Drie-bone call Up to the Throne if he were call'd at all And vow'd to live and dye with him and then Address'd to Dick and vow'd the same agen And so to Rump but these vowes were no more Than what they vow'd to Essex long before And so perform'd they dyed alike with all Yet liv'd on unconcerned in their fall So as these Corks might swim at top they n'ere Care what the liquor is that them did bear These taught the easie people prone to fin And ready to imbibe ill customs in To betray trusts
to break an Oath and Word Things that th' old English Protestant abhor'd And lest these Kingdoms should hereafter be Took for inchanted Islands where men see Nothing but Devills did inhabit and All virtuous people had forsook the land And left it to these Monsters these took care To make us match and mix our bloud with their Polluted issue and so do as when Gods sons did take the daughters once of men To fright men into this they did begin To decimate them for Original Sin Children that were unborn in those mad times And unconcern'd in what they Voted crimes If guilty of Estates were forc'd to pay The tenth to those who took nine parts away The Law was made a standing pool and grew Corrupt for want of current thence a crew Of monstrous Animals out daily crawl'd Who little knew but impudently ball'd And made the Law the Eccho of the Sword And with such Cattel were the Benches stor'd That made the Gown ridiculous Now and then The Malefactors were the wiser men Oft times the honester these did dispence And rack the Laws ' gainst equity and sence Which way the Buff would have them turn by which They long continued powerfull and Rich. Now they 'ld all wheel about and be for you For like Camaelions they still change their hue And look like that that 's next them they will vow Their hearts were alwayes for you and are now T is no new Wit t is in a Play we know Who would not wish you King now you are so But if to be of both sides be a Crime What is' t to turn of all sides with the time Yet you can pardon all for you have more Mercy and love than they have crimes in store And you can love or pity them which none But you could doe you can their persons own And with unconquer'd patience look on them Because your Nature knowes not to condemn You 'll let them live and by your grace convince Their trech'rous hearts that they have wrong'd a Prince Whom God and Angels love keep whose minde Solely to love and mercy is inclin'd Whom none but such as they would hurt or grieve And none but such as you could e'r forgive Such men and crimes Those feathers ne'rtheless Pluck'd from your Subjects backs their own to dress Should be repluck'd or else they should restore They 'll still be left Crows as they were before But if you trust them you 'll as surely be Betray'd and ruin'd as you now are free And now you are returned to your Realm May you sit long and stedfastly at th' Helm And rule these head-strong people may you be The true Protector of our Libertie Your wisdom only answers th' expectation Of this long injur'd now reviving Nation May true Religion flourish and increase And we love virtue as the ground of peace May all pretences outward forms and shewes Whereby we have been gull'd give way for those True acts of pure religion and may we Not only seem religious but be Of taking Oathes may you and we be shy But being ta'ne think no necessity Or power can make us break them may we ne'r Make wilfull breach of promises nor e're Basely betray our trusts but strive to be Men both of honour and of honestie And may those onely that are just and true Be alwaies honor'd and imploy'd by you Next let our sacred Lawes in which do stand The wealth the peace and safety of our Land Be kept inviolable and never made Nets to the small while the great Flies evade May those that are intrusted with them be Men of sound knowledge and integrity And sober courage such as dare and will And can doe Justice We have felt what ill Comes by such Clarkes and Judges as have been For favor faction or design put in Without respect to Merit who have made The Law to Tyrants various lusts a Bawd Perverted Justice and our Rights have sold And Rulers have been over-rul'd by Gold Then are the people happy and Kings too When they that are in power are good and doe On these two Bases let our peace be built So firm and lasting that no bloud be spilt No Country wasted and no treasure spent While you and yours do reign no future rent Disturb your happiness but we may strive Each in his sphere to make our Nation thrive Grow plentifull and powerfull and become The Ioy or Terror of all Christendom And those who lately thought themselves above us May spite of fate or tremble at or love us May no incroaching spirit break the hedge Between Prerogative and Priviledge And may your sacred MAJESTY enjoy Delights of Minde and Body that ne'r cloy Not only be obey'd but lov'd at home Prais'd and admir'd by all that near you come And may your Royal Fame be spread as farr As valiant and as virtuous people are And when you 'r Majesty shall be inclin'd To blesse your Realms with heirs oh may you find A Spouse that may for Beauty Virtue Wit And royal birth be for your person fit May you abound in hopefull babes that may Govern the Nations and your Scepters sway Till time shall be no more and pledges be Both of our love and our felicitie May you live long and happily and finde No pains of body and no griefs of minde While we with loyal hearts rejoyce and sing God bless your Kingdoms and God save our KING FINIS