or King no longer were obey'd But that good Angel whose surmounting Power Waited Great Charles in each emergent hour Against whose Caro Hell vainly did decree Nor faster could design than That foresee Guarding the Crown upon his Sacred Brow From all its blackest Arts was with him now Assur'd him Peace must be for him design'd For he was born to give it all mankind By Patience Mercies large and many Toils In his own Realms to calm intestine Broils Thence ev'ry root of Discord to remove And plant us new with Unity and Love Then stretch his healing Hands to neighbouring Shores Where Slaughter rages and wild Rapine roars To cool their Ferments with the Charmes of Peace Who so their Madness and their Rage might cease Grow all embracing what such Friendship brings Like us the People and like Him their Kings But now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels from it rise For this Assurance pious Thanks he paid Then in his Mind the beauteous Modell laid Of that Majestick Pile where oft his Care A while forgot he might for Ease repair A Seat for sweet Retirement Health and Love Britain's Olympus where like awfull Iove He pleas'd could sit and his Regards bestow On the vain busie swarming World below E'en I the meanest of those humble Swains Who sang his Praises through the fertile Plains Once in a happy hour was thither led Curious to see what Fame so far had spread There Tell my Muse what wonders thou didst find Worthy thy Song and his Gelestial Mind 'T was at that joyfull hallow'd Day 's return On which that Man of Miracles was born At whose great Birth appear'd a noon-day Star Which Prodigy foretold yet many more Did strange Escapes from dreadfull Fate declare Nor shin'd but for one greater King before Though now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels from it rise For this great Day were equal Joys prepar'd The Voice of Triumph on the Hills was heard Redoubl'd Shoutings wak'd the Echo's round And chearfull Bowls with loyal Vows were crown'd But above all within those losty Towers Where Glorious Charles then spent his happy hours Joy wore a solemn though a smiling Face 'T was gay but yet Majestick as the Place Tell then my Muse what Wonders thou didst find Worthy thy Song and his Celestial Mind Within a Gate of strength whose ancient Frame Has out-worn Time and the Records of Fame A Reverend Dome there stands where twice each day Assembling Prophets their Devotions pay In Prayers and Hymns to Heaven's Eternal King The Cornet Flute and Shawme assisting as they sing Here Israel's mystick Statutes they recount From the first Tables of the Holy Mount To the blest Gospel of that Glorious Lord Whose pretious Death Salvation has restor'd Here speak my Muse what Wonders thou didst find Worthy thy Song and his Celestial Mind Within this Dome a shining Chapel 's rais'd Too Noble to be well describ'd or prais'd Before the Door fix'd in an Awe profound I stood and gaz'd with pleasing Wonder round When one approach'd who bore much sober Grace Order and Ceremony in his Face A threatning Rod did his dread Right-hand poize A badge of Rule and Terrour o'er the Boys His Left a Massy bunch of Keys did sway Ready to open all to all that pay This Courteous Squire observing how amaz'd My Eyes betray'd me as they wildly gaz'd Thus gently spoke Those Banners rais'd on high Betoken noble Vows of Chivalry Which here their Hero's with Religion make When they the Ensigns of this Order take Then in due method made me understand What Honour fam'd St. George had done our Land What Toils he vanquish'd with what Monsters strove Whos 's Champion's since for Vertue Truth and Love Hang here their Trophies while their gen'rous Arms Keep Wrong supprest and Innocence from Harms At this m' Amazement yet did greater grow For I had been told all Vertue was but Show That oft bold Villany had best Success As if its Use were more nor Merit less But here I saw how it rewarded shin'd Tell on my Muse what Wonders thou didst find Worthy thy Song and Charles his mighty Mind I turn'd around my Eyes and Lo a Cell Where melancholy Ruine seem'd to dwell The Door unhing'd without or Bolt or Ward Seem'd as what lodg'd within found small regard Like some old Den scarce visited by Day Where dark Oblivion lurk't and watch't for Prey Here in a Heap of confus'd Waste I found Neglected Hatchments tumbled on the ground The Spoils of Time and Triumph of that Fate Which equally on all Mankind does wait The Hero levell'd in his humble Grave With other men was now nor great nor brave While here his Trophies like their Master lay To Darkness Worms and Rottenness a Prey Urg'd by such Thoughts as guide the truly Great Perhaps his Fate he did in Battel meet Fell in his Prince's and his Countrey 's Cause But what his Recompence A short Applause Which he ne'er hears his Memory may grace Till soon forgot another takes his Place And happy that Man's Chance who falls in time E'er yet his Vertue be become his Crime E'er his abus'd Desert be call'd his Pride Or Fools and Villains on his Ruine ride But truly blest is he whose Soul can bear The Wrongs of Fate nor think them worth his Care Whose Mind no Disappointment here can shake Who a true Estimate of Life does make Knows 't is uncertain frail and will have end So to that Prospect still his Thoughts does bend Who though his Right a stronger Power invade Though Fate oppress and no man give him Aid Cheer'd with th' Assurance that he there shall find Rest from all Toils and no Remorse of mind Can Fortune's Smiles despise her Frowns out-brave For who 's a Prince or Beggar in the Grave But if Immortal any thing remain Rejoice my Muse and strive that End to gain Thou kind Dissolver of encroaching Care And Ease of e'ery bitter Weight I bear Keep from my Soul Repining while I sing The Praise and Honour of this Glorious King And farther tell what Wonders thou didst find Worthy thy Song and his Celestial Mind Beyond the Dome a Lofty Tower appears Beauteous in Strength the Work of long past years Old as his noble Stem who there bears sway And like his Loyalty without Decay This goodly ancient Frame looks as it stood The mother Pile and all the rest her brood So carefull Watch seems piously to keep While underneath her Wings the Mighty sleep And they may rest since Norfolk there commands Safe in his faithfull Heart and valiant Hands But now appears the Beautous Seat of Peace Large of extent and fit for goodly Ease Where Noble Order strikes the greedy Sight With Wonder as it fills it with Delight The massy Walls seem as the Womb of Earth Shrunk when such mighty Quarries thence
grow blind disperse and reel away Let the dark Fiends the troubled Air forsake And all new peacefull Order seem to take But oh Imagine Fate t' have waited long An hour like this and mingled in the Throng Rous'd with those Furies from her seat below T' have watcht her onely time to give the blow When cruel Cares by faithless Subjects bred Too closely prest his Sacred Peacefull Head With them t' have pointed her destroying Dart And through the Brain found passage to the Heart Deep wounding Plagues Avenging Heav'n bestow On those Curst Heads to whom this loss we owe On all who Charles his Heart affliction gave And sent him to the sorrows of the Grave Now Painter if thy Griefs can let thee draw The saddest Scene that weeping Eyes e'er saw How on his Royal Bed that wofull day The much lamented Mighty Monarch lay Great in his fate and ev'n o'er that a King No terrour could the Lord of Terrours bring Through many steady and well manag'd years He'ad arm'd his Mind'gainst all those little fears Which common Mortals want the Pow'r to hide When their mean Souls and valu'd Clay divide Had studied well the worth of Life and knew Its troubles many and its blessings few Therefore unmov'd did Deaths approaches see And grew familiar with his Destiny Like an Acquaintance entertain'd his Fate Who as it knew him seem'd content to wait Not as his Gaoler but his friendly Guide While he for his great Journey did provide Oh couldst thou express the yearnings of his mind To his poor mourning People left behind But that I fear will e'en thy skill deceive None but a Soul like his such goodness could conceive For though a stubborn Race deserving ill Yet would he shew himself a Father still Therefore he chose for that peculiar care His Crowns his Vertues and his Mercies Heir Great Iames who to his Throne does now succeed And charg'd him tenderly his Flocks to feed To guide them too too apt to run astray And keep the Poxes and the Wolves away Here Painter if thou canst thy Art Improve And shew the wonders of Fraternal Love How mourning Iames by fading Charles did stand The Dying grasping the Surviving Hand How round each others Necks there Armes they cast Moan'd with endearing mur'mrings and embrac't And of their parting Pangs such marks did give 'T was hard to guess which yet could longest live Both their sad Tongues quite lost the pow'r to speak And their kind Hearts seem'd both prepar'd to break Here let thy curious Pencil next display How round his Bed a beauteous Off-spring lay With their Great Father's Blessing to be Crown'd Like young fierce Lions stretcht upon the ground And in Majestick silent Sorrow drown'd This done suppose the Ghastly minute nigh And Paint the Griefs of the sad Standers-by Th' unwearied Rev'rend Father's pious care Off'ring as oft as tears could stop a Prayer Of Kindred Nobles draw a sorrowing Train Whose looks may speak how much they shar'd his pain How from each Groan of his deriving smart Each fetcht another from a tortur'd Heart Mingled with these his faithfull Servants place With different Lines of Woe in ev'ry Face With down cast Heads swoln Breasts streaming Eyes And Sighs that mount in vain the unrelenting Skyes But yet there still remains a Task behind In which thy readiest Art may labour find At distance let the Mourning Queen appear But where sad News too soon may reach her Ear Describe her prostrate to the Throne above Pleading with Pray'r the tender cause of Love Shew Troops of Angels hov'ring from the Sky For They whene'er she call'd were always nigh Let them attend her Cries and hear her moan With looks of beauteous sadness like her own Because they know her Lord 's great Doom is scl'd And cannot though she ask it be repeal'd By this time think the work of Fate is done So any farther sad Description shun Shew him not Pale and Breathless on his Bed 'T would make all Gazers on thy Art fall Dead And thou thy self to such a scene of woe Add a new Piece and thy own statue grow Wipe therefore all thy Pencils and prepare To Draw a prospect now of clearer Air. Paint in an Eastern Sky new dawning Day And there the Embrio's of Time display The forms of many smiling years to come Just ripe for birth and lab'ring from their Womb Each strugling which shall Eldership obtain To be first Grac't with Mighty Iames his Reign Let the Dread Monarch on his Throne appear Place too the charming Partner of it there O'er his their wings let Fame and Triumph spread And soft-Ey'd Cupid's Hover o'er her Head In his Paint Smiling yet Majestick Grace But all the wealth of Beauty in her Face Then from the diff'rent Corners of the Earth Describe Applauding Nations coming forth Homage to pay or humble Peace to gain And own Auspicious Omens from his Reign Set at long distance his Contracted Foes Shrinking from what they dare not now oppose Draw shame or mean despair in all their Eyes And terrour lest th' Avenging Hand should rise But where his Smiles extend draw beauteous Peace The Poor Man's chearfull Toils the Rich Man's Ease Here Shepherds Piping to their feeding Sheep Or stretcht at length in their warm Hutts asleep There jolly Hinds spread through the sultry Fields Reaping such Harvests as their Tillage yields Or sheltr'd from the scorchings of the Sun Their Labours ended and repast begun Rang'd on Green Banks which they themselves did raise Singing their own Content and Rulers Praise Draw beauteous Meadows Gardens Groves and Bowers Where Contemplation best may pass her Hours Fill'd with Chast Lovers plighting Constant Hearts Rejoycing Muses and encourag'd Arts. Draw ev'ry thing like this that Thought can frame Best suiting with thy Theam Great Iames his Fame Known for the Man who from his Youthfull years By mighty Deeds has earn'd the Crown he wears Whose Conq'ring Arm far envied wonders wrought When an ungratefull Peoples Cause he Fought When for their Rights he his brave Sword employ'd Who in Return would have his Rights destroy'd But Heav'n such Injur'd merit did regard As Heav'n in time true Vertue will regard So to a Throne by Providence he rose And all who e'er were his were Providence's Foes FINIS * S. George's Church †S. George's Chapel * The Banners of the Knights of the Garter * An old Isle in the Church where the Banner of a dead Knight is carried when another succeeds him * The Keep * The now Duke of N. Constable of Windsor * The House * The Paintings done by †The Sieur Verrio his Majestie 's chief Painter * Where St. George's Feast is kept †Edw. III. * The Black Prince The Chapel at the end of the Hall
Windsor Castle IN A MONUMENT To our Late Sovereign K. CHARLES II. Of ever Blessed Memory A POEM By THO. OTWAY Dum Iuga Montis Aper fluvios dum Piscis amabit Dúmque Thymo pascentur Apes dum Rore Cicadae Semper Honos Noménque tuum Laudésque manebunt Si canimus Sylvas Sylvae sint Consule dignae London Printed for Charles Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Paul's 1685. TO THE IMMORTAL FAME OF Our Late Dread Sovereign K. CHARLES II. Of ever Blessed Memory AND TO THE SACRED MAJESTY OF The Most August and Mighty Prince JAMES II. Now by the Grace of God KING of ENGLAND SCOTLAND FRANCE and IRELAND Defender of the Faith c. This following POEM is in all Humility dedicated By His ever devoted and obedient Subject and Servant THO. OTWAY Windsor Castle IN A MONUMENT TO K. CHARLES II. A POEM THough Poets Immortality may give And Troy does still in Homer's numbers live How dare I touch thy Praise Thou glorious Frame Which must be Deathless as thy Raiser's Name But that I wanting Fame am sure of Thine To eternize this humble Song of mine At least the Mem'ry of that More than man From whose vast Mind thy Glories first began Shall even my mean and worthless Verse commend For Wonders always did his Name attend Though now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels from it rise Great were the Tolls attending the Command Of an ungratefull and a stiff-neck'd Land Which grown too wanton 'cause 't was over blest Wou'd never give its Nursing Father rest But having spoil'd the Edge of ill-forg'd Law By Rods and Axes had been kept in Awe But that his gracious Hands the Sceptre held In all the Arts of Mildly guiding skill'd Who saw those Engines which unhing'd us move Griev'd at our Follies with a Father's Love Knew the vile ways we did't afflict him take And watch'd what haste we did to Ruine make Yet when upon its brink we seem'd to stand Lent to our Succour a Forgiving hand Though now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels thence arise Mercy 's indeed the Attribute of Heav'n For Gods have Pow'r to keep the balance ev'n Which if Kings loose how can they govern well Mercy shou'd pardon but the Sword compell Compassion's else a Kingdom 's greatest harm Its Warmth engenders Rebels till they swarm And round the Throne themselves in Tumults spread To heave the Crown from a long Suff'rer'd Head By Example this that God-like King once knew And after by Experience found too true Under Philistian Lords we long had mourn'd When he our great Deliverer return'd But thence the Deluge of our Tears did cease The Royal Dove shew'd us such marks of Peace And when this Land in Bloud he might have laid Brought Balsam from the Wounds our selves had made Though now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels from it rise Then Matrons bless'd him as he pass'd along And Triumph echo'd through th' enfranchis'd throng On his each Hand his Royal Brothers shone Like two Supporters of Great Britain's Throne The first for Deeds of Arms renown'd as far As Fame e'er flew to tell great Tales of War Of Nature gen'rous and of stedfast Mind To Flat'ry deaf but ne'er to Merit blind Reserv'd in Pleasures but in Dangers bold Youthfull in Actions and in Conduct old True to his Friends as watchfull o'er his Foes And a just Value upon each bestows Slow to condemn nor partial to commend The brave Man's Patron and the wrong'd Man's Friend Now justly seated on th' Imperial Throne In which high Sphere no brighter Star e'er shone Vertue 's great Pattern and Rebellion's Dread Long may he live to bruise that Serpent's Head Till all his Foes their just Confusion meet And growle and pine beneath his mighty Feet The second for Debates in Councils fit Of steddy Judgment and deep piercing Wit To all the noblest Heights of Learning bred Both Men and Books with Curious Search had read Fathom'd the ancient Policies of Greece And having form'd from all one curious Piece Learn't thence what Springs best move and guide a State And could with ease direct the heavy Weight But our then angry Fate great Glo'ster seiz'd And never since seem'd perfectly appeas'd For oh What pity People bless'd as we With Plenty Peace and noble Liberty Should so much of our old Disease retain To make us surfeit into Slaves again Slaves to those Tyrant Lords whose Yoke we bore And serv'd so base a Bondage to before Yet 't was our Curse that Blessings flow'd too fast Or we had Appetites too course to taste Fond Israelites our Manna to refuse And Egypt's loathsome Flesh-pots murm'ring chuse Great Charles saw this yet hush'd his rising Breast Though much the Lion in his Bosome prest But he for Sway seem'd so by Nature made That his own Passions knew him and obey'd Master of them he soften'd his Command The Sword of Rule scarce threatn'd in his Hand Stern Majesty upon his Brow might sit But Smiles still playing round it made it sweet So finely mix'd had Nature dar'd t' afford One least Perfection more h 'ad been ador'd Mercifull just good natur'd lib'ral brave Witty a Pleasure's Friend yet not her Slave The paths of Life by noblest methods trod Of mortal mould but in his Mind a God Though now alas in the sad Grave he lies Yet shall his Praise for ever live and Laurels from it rise In this great Mind long he his Cares revolv'd And long it was e'er the great Mind resolv'd Till Weariness at last his Thoughts compos'd Peace was the Choice and their Debates were clos'd But oh Through all this Isle where it seems most design'd Nothing so hard as wish'd-for Peace to find The Elements due Order here maintain And pay their Tribute in of Warmth and Rain Cool Shades and Streams rich fertile Lands abound And Nature's bounty flows the seasons round But we a wretched race of Men thus blest Of so much Happiness if known possest Mistaking every noblest Use of Life Left beauteous Quiet that kind tender Wife For the unwholesome brawling Harlot Strife The Man in Power by wild Ambition led Envy'd all Honours on another's Head And to supplant some Rival by his Pride Embroil'd that State his Wisedom ought to guide The Priests who humble Temp'rance should profess Sought silken Robes and fat voluptuous Ease So with small Labours in the Vineyard shown Forsook God's harvest to improve their own That dark Aenigma yet unriddled Law Instead of doing Right and giving Awe Kept open Lists and at the noisy Bar Four times a year proclaim'd a Civil War Where daily Kinsman Father Son and Brother Might damn their Souls to ruine one another Hence Cavils rose 'gainst Heav'ns and Caesar's Cause From false Religions and corrupted Laws Till so at last Rebellion's Base was laid And God