Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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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