seeks their private good the publique none So whither Kings Liberties Banks restrain Or these or ' flow them still the harm 's the same And to the State alike pernitious t is Where all is lawfull or where nothing is Only of every domination Whether of many or of one alone Of King or People this we may conclude The nobler Lord the nobler Servitude For Liberty which some un-skill'd to make Their right distinctions for licence take As there no difference were between the thing They freedom call and Shrovetide ryotting 'T is true ' mongst mortals it was found at first Whilst nothing they desir'd but what was just Whilst vertue only kept their minds in awe And every one was to himself a Law Till Lawless grown and Vice their minds possest Expelling Vertue and Justice from their breast From Cities Courts and Villages it fled Mans habitation quite abandoned Making to desart wilderness repair And ever since has liv'd an Hermit there Choosing so great aversion 'thas from men Rather to live amongst wild Beasts than them Only there still remains a bastard one Begot 'twixt Power and Moderation That Fantosm or Fools-Paradise ' i th' air With vain endeavour some seek here some there When all is sought at last you 'll find alone In well obeying just dominion Where one or more must govern if one he Is then the King what ere his Title be If more w 'ave got by alteration But only this ' thave many Kings for one Less care for doing well whilst each one has So many to participat the praise Nor ill whilst they so many have again Participating the reproach and shame Let levelling Spirits then go equal all At home and wee 'll allow them so withall They can aswell equal and level too Our Neighbours all abroad which till they do They for our honours should provide but ill To lessen us and leave them greater still For Times are chang'd and Common-wealths no more In such high reputation as before When Romain Citizens to Kings gave Law And Common-wealths their Kingdoms kept in awe Now petty Provinces may cantonize And call their Weaknesses their Liberties Whilst mighty Kingdoms common notion Is many Provinces conjoyn'd in one If then the Kingdom you 'd again restore Unto the royalties it possest before The publique to their honour and their wealths The private to their freedom and themselves Nobility its splendor Law its course Justice its awe Authority its force Make us a Kingdom give us Kings again May date from this day their first year of reign As we our first of happiness happy alone May choose our King and be inforc'd to none By suture times so shall you equail'd be To those first founded have our Monarchy Since t is as great a work and greater too To raise from ruines as to build a new So all things setled as they were before None e're shall seek for innovation more Nor e're shall count more reformation fit For rightly ordering or our selves or it So shall our foes and those to them adhear No longer hope and we no longer fear So wars dissentions factions all shall cease And we enjoy an everlasting peace So Heaven shall bless you and men look upon Your work in fine as work of Heaven alone And all shall bless and praise you as t is fit As Heavens sole Iustruments in doing it At this unanimously all arose Just as in Forests when Favonius blows With gentle breath and all one waies inclines The heads and murmurs of the lofty pines Inclining all with gentle murmuring To Themis vote for Kingdom and for King But as when this great Fabrique began God first did make the world then made man So they enough of business did suppose For first daies work the Kingdom to have chose Leaving to an other day their choyce of King As we t' an other Canto for to sing FINIS CANTO 1. ANNOTATIONS Upon the first CANTO a WIth good reason Themis or Justice is introduc'd voting for the postliminary Restitution as I maysay of ENGLAND to its former Royalties again and state of Kingdom which immemorable Time before it had been possessed of without disputing whether Monarchy or Democraty be the better form of Government it being best for every one to continue in the state they have alwaies been and Justices part to give to every one their own b. The Bishops chiefly who when they perceived Sectaries grown dangerous forbad them the publique Pulpit without prohibiting them their private conventicles by which means those peccant humours droven inwards apostumed and wext afterwards more dangerous c France more feared war with us than with any other Nation experiencing alwaies by their losses that they alwaies lost by it And Spain was so desirous of peace with us as it became an ordinary Proverb with them Pace co l' Ingleterra e con toto il mondo guerra not caring so they had peace with us though they had war with all the World besides For our arbitration of the Christian worlds affairs we need look up no further than to the times of King Henry the 8th and in no other Author than every Chronicle d The Parlament of England is neither an imperious Master as in some Countries are their Assemblies of States nor an abject Vassal as are the Parlaments in other Countries but only in nature of an humble Friend to propose unto the Soveraign Majesty what they imagine most expedient for the Kingdoms good and theirs Nor is the Soveraign power more bounded and limited by them than is the Ocean by its shore preserving it only from effusion and dissipation and not so much bounding and limiting it as not leaving it altogether boundless and limitless there being certain things which seem onerous and burthensom as the wheels of Chariots wings of Birds and such like which on the contrary more lighten and alleviat the load The Soveraign Majestrate then in England can do all things without Parlament but only ruine the Kingdom and himself a restriction no more derogating from his Soveraign power than it does from Alm. God's the not being able to sin and do amiss which on the contrary is one of his most God-like attributes And all this be spoken by the way for the better information of some who count nothing great but what is excessive and imagin how to reign courteously as they do in England is only to reign at others courtesies e Edgar of whom thus Daniel writes Edgar re-edified and set forth a Fleet consisting as some write of 1600 sayl others a far greater number which he divided and plac'd in four parts of the Realm making his progress yearly with part of this mighty Navy round about the Isle Touching Edward the 3d. and Henry the 5th none I suppose is so much a Stranger to our Countries Histories as not to have read of the Battels of Cressy Poictiers and Agincourt where he took the French King Prisoner and conquer'd France f Of their
ANGLIA Rediviva OR ENGLAND Revived AN Heroick Poem London Anno M. D.C.L.VIII To his Highnesse OLIVER Lord Protector c. My Lord ALL I can hope when your Highnesse reads this Piece is onely your Pardon for my writing it which I did upon a double impulsion the Excellency of your Person and the forcible inclination of mine own Genius to Honour Admire and Celebrate all that is Excellent If things happen as I have Imagined them I am both Poet and Prophet too If not I am a Poet onely who has more liberty than the Historographer and his likelihood most commonly is more worth than tothers Truth Mean time my Lord t is my ambition not yours you have glory enough in refusing the Crown and it should be ours in urging you to the accepting it which all should do who understand the publique Interest for those who do not I should be glad to teach them this verity that things standing as they do no Fagot with its band broke would sooner fall in pieces Nor Edifice without foundation sooner fall to ruine and destruction than we should were you a way which God defend T is the hearty prayer my Lord of one who has no particular Interest of his own being so wholy unknown unto your Highness as it were superfluous for me to subscribe my self by any other name than only Your Highnesse most faithfull Honourer and Admirer Canto 1. The Argument By Themis in full Parliament's declar'd The Kingdoms state and want of King which heard All opinat with general Consent For King again and Kingly Government NOw the great Body of the State to frame From several parts its several Members came Just as the Sultans Ingeniers Canons make In several pieces they asunder take Till Warlike execution's to be done When all the pieces are conjoyn'd in one And now the Members all inbodyed strait Assume again their oft assum'd debate The State o'th'Kingdom rightly understood Which most conduc'd unto their present good Which most their future dangers to prevent Or popular or Kingly government Much for the first by popular spirited men Contested was and much for th' last agen By such who though they were not Kings at least Had Kingly spirits reigning in their breast Nor could it be determin'd more than when Now Eurus blows now Aquilon agen To whither part th' impulsed waves in fine Equally 'twixt both suspended should incline Untill at last a Themis the sage arose Themis the just they had for Speaker chose Than whom a sager nor a juster man Athens nor Rome ne'r bred and thus began When ' th politique Body's sick which as you know Has as the Natural its sickness too Faint languishings and strong Disterp'raturs Cold Lethargies and burning Calenturs It fits the Statists as Physicians care Well to examine what the Causes are What the effects what every circumstance May th' cure retard or malady advance As with their utmost diligence t' explore Its state of health and Regiment before That so those known they better might apply To every Ill convenient remedy For ours what most perturb'd us has of late Are some disquiet humours in the State Occasion'd by unskilfulness of b some More skil'd in stirring than in purging them Of consequence so dangerous as just As th' Hedg-hog of its prickly brood at first Might be delivered with little pain Till too indulgent to its ease whilst fain It would escape by shrinking up its wombe At last 't dos so intollerable become Without huge torment 't can'st delivered be Without huge jeopardy of life So we So long deferred have the cures of them They almost are incurable become By ' indulging them we gaining nothing else But ruine and destruction of our selves As for the rest who is' t that does not see Our former state of health was Monarchy As that which did maintain that state agen In vigorous health was Kingly Regimen Nor may we ought expect but crassy health Whilst we remain in state of Common-wealth More than our Bodys but continual pain Till its dis-joynted Joynts be set again There being a certain Innate quiet in things Which once disturb'd as great disquiet brings So th' Mariners needle by some tamp'ring hand Turn'd from its North mark how 't dos wav'ring stand In restless agitation and pain Till it return unto its North again Vice-nature Custom rendring all things light And easie t' us With it there is no weight No pain without it ease repose ther 's none But all is trouble pain vexation All is impediment let and hinderance There is no clog but in-accustumance This if we know ther 's hope of remedy If not more dangerous is our malady Since those sick's healths are most despair'd of stil Imagin they are well when they are ill For but compare our Countries former state And welfare with 'ts condition of late At home its plenty and its opulence Abroad its reputation when c France With none than us more feared war and Spain With none than us more wished peace again When we in all the Christian worlds affairs Were absolute Arbiters of peace and wars And all not passion-blind shall see themselves Happier in Kingdoms than in Common-wealths But some perchance will say t 'had nothing don Or too much rather Kings had overthrown If now we should decree to their disgrace T' advance a new some others to their place As if 't had been against the lawfull use Of Kingly government and not th' abuse Th 'ad tan up arms and so much bloud had shed VVhich mighty workat last accomplished VVhat rests there but th' abuse away being tan The lawfull use of Kings should still remain So when we bend t'on waies a rod or wand That tother waies did too much bended stand 'T is to redresse and straighten it again Not that it crooked so should still remain d For Parlaments which some cry up again Rare helps of Government whilst Kings did reign As formerly with Members all compleat But not as now all maim'd and mutilat We as of fire and water well may say That they command ill though they well obey Nor is it just the odium they have cast On names of latter Kings should longer last Than Love and Reverence w' are oblig'd to bear To names of former Kings who reigned here e Edgar as far extending our command By Sea as our third Edward did by Land Or our fifth Henry glories of their name And ours and Englands everlasting Fame As for the Peoples Angel Liberty And Friend Oppression and Tyranny They err suppose this found with Kings alone Proudly and sternly seated on their Throne Bout which a barbarous crew of Lectors stands With visages as bloudy as their hands Violently keeping all like slaves in awe With nothing but their wills and lusts for law You 'll find as well with th' popularity Who proudly mincing Kings authority Either as rigid fell and cruel are As ever yet Sicilian Tyrants were Or else o th' contrary remissive grown Ech
pondrous weight o'th'crown He wold not stoupfort tho'twas thrown him down What others would have div'd the deepest maine And clim'd aires highest Region to obtain Saying to 's silent thoughts h 'ad nothing done Or coming should he now be overcome And he should loose in this one Victory o're Himself all th' victories he had gain'd before No no quoth he 't shall ne're be said that I Ambitious was of Soveraignty Nor shall the People ever say agen That I had Conquerd for my self not them For me I 'm ready when their dangers ask To put my Armour on and heavy Cask The Royall Ornaments and Crown said he Let who 's list take who 's list put on for me Resolv'd to live and dye with this Renown T is gloriouser to win than wear the Crown Let those with glittering things so pleased be They even are pleas'd with glittering misery Be taken with 't for me I think 't heavens will For such as those to guild the bitter Pill And bait the Inward hook with outward sweet None else would be so fond to swallow it Such is the happinesse of uncrowned heads They find soft rest even in the hardest beds While such is their unhappinesse wear the crown They hardly rest even in their beds of down Nor did he this now out of sluggishnesse Like some love honour but more love their case Contented still the greatest part to share o th' Kingdomes troubles and the kingdoms care Whilst freely he resign'd to others all By falser Titles they Illustrious call So the Libidinous may refuse a Wife For incommodities of mariage life But when that incommodities are none But they refuse for Continence alone From all the Rags of Interest stript and free Their single life than shews most gloriously But be 't our vice or virtue to become More vehement by opposition Or modesty to merit adds a grace Makes it appear twice worthier than it was Or Honour has our shaddows property To fly who follows follow those who fly This his refusall rendred them but more Eager to presse him than they were before Counting him now doubly for honour fit Both for deserving and refusing it When seeing all refusall was in vain To those wear full resolved to obtain Forc't his unwilling shoulders he bowd down To th' Royall Roabs and head unto the Crown Especially since so great consentment showd The voice o th' People was the voice of God From whom then by their hands deliver'd him He did accept the Royall Diadem At which the numerous multitude aloud With voices heaven as they the earth did croud Made th' middle vault with acclamations ring In joyfully proclaiming him their King Whilst one more eloquent amongst the rest In 's one voice thus the voice of all exprest Even such a person such a minde as thine Brave Heroe Emperours had in ancient time When choosing men for Empire onely sit The bravest mind and Person carried it Till by a Tenour worse than Gavel-kinde They Empire gave to th' body not the minde Kings in cold blood their Active heat quite gone Becoming such chil passive things alone No wonder they and th' Throne together fall Where men do nothing Titles can't do all But pitty alas rather than envy those For others virtues not their own are chose T is Fortune to be Kings as others be But onely virtue to be one like thee And who now doubts whe're he be King or no The people generally have proclaimed so Or who so selly is to doubt again Where he or no legitimatly raign The Laws confirm together with th' applause Of the whole Kingdome that confirms those laws FINIS CANTO 2. ANNOTATIONS on the Second CANTO a OF Soveraign Titles some are Military some Civil that of Imperator or Emperour as Dux or Duke most properly taking its denomination from the wars the one signifying one who has Soveraign Command over the Army the other one who leads an Army though since promiscuously us'd and appropriated to Civill government as military conquerers appropriated to to themselves the Countries Conquered That of Rex or King most properly signifies a Pacifique Ruler or Governour whose Office being chiefly to Defendand Protect the People King and Protector are but Titles convertible in this sense and signifie but one and the same thing though in England the papular ear be more accustomed to the sound of t 'one than tother and their minds to a more awfull reverence of the name b Henry the 8. is reported in disparing manner at his death to have said to one who put him in mind of Gods mercies How can he have mercy on me who never spared man in my wrath nor woman in my lust A fearfull example to all such as he if it be true as like enough it is considering the libidinousnesse and cruelty of his life Richard the 2. Is famous in History for his magnificence even to profusion and prodigality which proved his ruine in the end for what Princes spend prodigally one wayes they injuriously extort of the People the other of which whilest they complained who are alwayes most insolent over necessitous Princes that quarrell begun was never ended but by his untimely end There is nothing in our Chronicles more notorious than Edward the 2s immoderate favor to Peirce Gaveston and the Spencers which cost them all their lives at last The too great favour of weak Princes not able to defend them from the hatred of the people and envy of the Nobility proving alwayes fatall to their Favourites in the end if not unto themselves as it did to this unfortunate Prince the counterblow of the blow given the Favourite most commonly lighting upon them at last c Such a shaddow of a King was Arideus Alexanders umbratile successor according to Plutarch and others d There are but too many examples of such Princes taught so long by their Flatterers to remember their Authorities as they forget themselves even to suffer themselves like Herod to be cryed up for gods whilst the poor miserable man like a painted Sepulcher all glorious without was all consumed within with worms and vermine e Alluding to that saying of Themistocles who requested to touch I know not what Instrument of musick a quality then much in vouge and fashion amongst the nobler and better sort answered He could not Fiddle but he could make a great Citty of a little one f So they stile Titus Vespasian and deservedly it being his usuall motto that none should ever depart a Princes presence disconsolate and sad whence he never denyed them any boon they asked and if perchance he remembred at night that none that day had askt him any he was accustumed to say in sighing to those about him that He had lost a day counting his life more by giving than by living and living more for others than for himself g Pater patriae or father of their Country was a title more ambitioned by the antients then that of King or Emperour it speaking