Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A36598
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Annus mirabilis, The year of wonders, 1666 an historical poem containing the progress and various successes of our naval war with Holland, under the conduct of His Highness Prince Rupert, and His Grace the Duke of Albemarl : and describing the fire of London / by John Dryden, Esq.
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Dryden, John, 1631-1700.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing D2238; ESTC R14738
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30,420
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102
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See how he feeds th' Iberian with delays To render us his timely friendship vain And while his secret Soul on Flanders preys He rocks the Cradle of the Babe of Spain 9. Such deep designs of Empire does he lay O're them whose cause he seems to take in hand And prudently would make them Lords at Sea To whom with ease he can give Laws by Land 10. This saw our King and long within his breast His pensive counsels ballanc'd too and fro He griev'd the Land he freed should be oppress'd And he less for it then Usurpers do 11. His gen'rous mind the fair Idea's drew Of Fame and Honour which in dangers lay Where wealth like fruit an precipices grew Not to be gather'd but by Birds of prey 12. The loss and gain each fatally were great And still his Subjects call'd aloud for war But peaceful Kings o'r martial people set Each others poize and counter-ballance are 13. He first survey'd the charge with careful eyes Which none but mighty Monarchs could maintain Yet judg'd like vapours that from Limbecks rise It would in richer showers descend again 14. At length resolv'd t'assert the watry Ball He in himself did whole Armado's bring Him aged Sea-men might their Master call And choose for General were he not their King 15. It seems as every Ship their Sovereign knows His awful summons they so soon obey So here the skaly Herd when Proteus blows And so to pasture follow through the Sea 16. To see this Fleet upon the Ocean move Angels drew wide the Curtains of the skies And Heav'n as if their wanted Lights above For Tapers made two glareing Comets rise 17. Whether they unctuous Exhalations are Fir'd by the Sun or seeming so alone Or each some more remote and slippery Star Which looses footing when to Mortals shown 18. Or one that bright companion of the Sun Whose glorious aspect seal'd our new-born King And now a round of greater years begun New influence from his walks of light did bring 19. Victorious York did first with fam'd success To his known valour make the Dutch give place Thus Heav'n our Monarch's fortune did confess Beginning conquest from his Royal Race 20. But since it was decreed Auspicious King In Britain's right that thou should'st wed the Main Heav'n as a gage would cast some precious thing And therefore doom'd that Lawson should be slain 21. Lawson amongst the formost met his fate Whom Sea-green Syrens from the Rocks lament Thus as an off'ring for the Grecian State He first was kill'd who first to Battel went 22. Their Chief blown up in air not waves expir'd To which his pride presum'd to give the Law The Dutch confess'd Heav'n present and retir'd And all was Britain the wide Ocean saw 23. To nearest Ports their shatter'd Ships repair Where by our dreadful Canon they lay aw'd So reverently men quit the open air When thunder speaks the angry Gods abroad 24. And now approach'd their Fleet from India fraught With all the riches of the rising Sun And precious Sand from Southern Climates brought The fatal Regions where the War begun 25. Like hunted Castors conscious of their store Their way-laid wealth to Norway's coasts they bring There first the North's cold bosome Spices bore And Winter brooded on the Eastern Spring 26. By the rich scent we found our perfum'd prey Which flanck'd with Rocks did close in covert lie And round about their murdering Canon lay At once to threaten and inviâ—e the eye 27. Fieâ—cer then Canon and then Rocks more hard The English undertook th' unequal War Seven Ships alone by which the Port is barrâ—d Besiege the Indies and all Denmark dare 28. These fight like Husbands but like Lovers those These fain would keep and those more fain enjoy And to such height their frantick passion grows That what both love both hazard to destroy 29. Amidst whole heaps of Spices lights a Ball And now their Odours arm'd against them flie Some preciously by shatter'd Porc'lain fall And some by Aromatick splinters die 30. An though by Tempests of the prize bereâ—t In Heavens inclemency some ease we find Our foes we vanquish'd by our valour left And onely yielded to the Seas and Wind. 31. Nor wholly lost we so deserv'd a prey For storms repenting part of it restor'd Which as a tribute from the Balthick Sea The British Ocean sent her mighty Lord. 32. Go Mortals now and vex your selves in vain For wealth which so uncertainly must come When what was brought so far and with such pain Was onely kept to lose it neerer home 33. The Son who twice three month 's on th' Ocean tost Prepar'd to tell what he had pass'd before Now sees in English Ships the Holland Coast And Parents arms in vain stretch'd from the shore 34. This carefull Husband had been long away Whom his chast wife and little children mourn Who on their fingers learn'd to tell the day On which their Father promis'd to return 35. Such are the proud designs of human kind And so we suffer Shipwrack every where Alas what Port can such a Pilot find Who in the night of Fate must blindly steer 36. The undistinguish'd seeds of good and ill Heav'n in his bosom from our knowledge hides And draws them in contempt of human skill Which oft for friends mistaken foes provides 37. Let Munsters Prelate ever be accurst In whom we seek the German faith in vain Alas that he should teach the English first That fraud and avarice in the Church could reign 38. Happy who never trust a Strangers will Whose friendship 's in his interest understood Since money giv'n but tempts him to be ill When pow'r is too remote to make him good 39. â—ill now alone the Mighty Nations strove The rest at gaze without the Lists did stand â—nd threatning France plac'd like a painted â—ove Kept idle thunder in his lifted hand 40. That Eunuch Guardian of rich Hollâ—â—â— trade Who envies us what he wants 〈◊〉 enjoy Whose noisefull valour does no foe invade And weak assistance will his friends destroy 41. Offended that we fought without hi◠〈◊〉 He takes this time his secret haâ—e to show Which Charles does with a mind so calm receive As one that neither seeks nor 〈◊〉 his foe 42. With France to aid the Dutch the Danes unite France as their Tyrant Denmark as their Slave But when with one three Nations joyn to fight They silently confess that one more brave 43. Lewis had chas'd the English from his shore But Charles the French as Subjects does invite VVould Heav'n for each some Salomon restore VVho by their mercy may decide their right 44. VVere Subjects so but onely buy their choice And not from Birth did forc'd Dominion take Our Prince alone would have the publique voice And all his Neighbours Realms would desarts make 45. He without fear a dangerous VVar pursues VVhich without rashness he began before As Honour made him first the danger