the Piercing terror of his Light Each coming vulgar-day the MONARCH show'd But this more Sacred views Him all a GOD New youth and vigor fill His Royal Veins His Glorious Eyes young flames adorn A new Divinity in His looks Proclames That for Eternal Empire He was Born 'T was so He look'd in Dunkirks bloody field When the dull faithless Belgians He compell'd But when he saw th' ungrateful British Foe advance For whom even yet He had a tender sense Thus spoke When mounted like a Conquering God From Rank to Rank the wond'rous Hero Rod Before said be mixt Nations We withstood Conquest scarce worthy our expence of Blood Like Gallick onsets brisk at first they'ppear But dare not trust the event of fiercer War 'T was play before a game We smiling won Now'twill be Toyl and work not easily done My dear lov'd Souldiers these are English Men Who though they 're forc'd to fly will turn agen Stanch to the Scent of War inur'd to Blood Oh happy if the expensive flood Had been defus'd for wretched Englands good New Courage to the fainting Troops He gave And by His great Example taught 'em to be Brave Wonders the Promis'd Monarch did perform And dealt Destruction round like a resistless storm VIII Nor did His forward Gallantry in War Surmount his Clemency in Peace His Captives proudly their soft Fetters bear And charm'd to an excess Adore the wonders they beheld And kist the Sacred Hand that chast'em ore the field His early Courage did His Foes convince Who now their scorn'd Commissions tear No longer will the Tyrants Ensigns bear But Vow Allegiance to their Native Prince They saw the God of War in ev'ry Grace While soft Adonis revell'd in His face The Goddess here might all her wish enjoy The rough stern HERO in the Charming Boy Such Looks as after Victory He put on With such to day the Glitt'ring MONARCH shone Such Grace in Smiles such sweetness in address Awfull as Heav'n as easy of Access And Merciful as that when e're he can redress True Representer of the Pow'rs Divine Such was the first Born-Man Heav'n did for an immortal Race design E're the first bright deluded Maid To sense of Fear the Lord of All betray'd So look'd the new-form'd wonder so His Reign began So the gay Beauties of His World survey'd While Heav'n look'd down and smil'd well-pleas'd with what ' thad made IX See the bright QUEEN forsakes her softer ioys And now prepares for Pomp and Noise That necessary Toyl of the Illustrious Great Who rarely taste the Bliss of sweet Retreat Like Heav'n who neither sleep nor slumber knows Short Dreams of Glory make their whole repose Whatever rest soft Nature do's design The Sun and They must still appear and shine And now the more surprising Light Breaks from the silent Empire of the Night So Venus look't when from the Seas The rising Beauty view'd the world When amorous Waves around the Virgin curl'd And all the wond'ring Gods with awful pleasure gaz'd All sigh with Love all languish in their flame Yet none his pain presumes to name For oh the God-born Maid from mighty Neptune came X. And now the Nymphs ply all their Female arts To dress Her for Her victory of hearts A Thousand little LOVES descend Young waiting Cupids with officious care In smiling order all attend This decks Her Snowy Neck and that Her Ebon Hair The Trophies which the Conqueress must adorn Are by the busie wantons born Who at Her Feet the shining burdens lay The GODDESS pleas'd to see their Toyls Scatters Ten Thousand Graces from Her Smiles While the wing'd Boys catch ev'ry flying Ray. This bears the valu'd Treasure of the East And lugs the Golden casket on His Breast Anothers little hand sustains The weight of Oriental Chains And in the flowing jetty curles They weave and braid the luced Pearls Round Her bright Face their nimble fingers play And ev'ry touch gives the young Gods a joy They gaze and hov'r round Her wond'rous Eyes Where a vast Heav'n of Wit and Beauty lies They point their Darts and make their Arrows fine From the eternal Rays with which they shine From her fair rising Breasts soft sighs they take To keep young tortur'd Lovers still awake From ev'ry Charm and Grace they bear Uneasie wishes and despair From Her alone the Bankrupt LOVES supply Their rifl'd Quivers with Artillery Fatal to All but Her Lov'd Monarchs heart Who of the same Divine Materials wrought Cou'd equally exchange the dart Receive the wound with Life with Life the wound impart And mixt the Soul as gently as the thought So the Great THUND'RER Semele d'stroy'd Whil'st only JUNO cou'd embrace the God! XI Behold Her now by Loves and Graces drest Like the Great Wife of Iove in Venus Cest Now She may ask whate're the God can grant If ought of Pow'r or Glory She can want But Heav'n has superseded all Her care And giv'n till it has left no use for Pray'r No wish for Times swift Coursers to run back To catch one flying minute past The coming hours new pleasures hast Fortune and Nature still agree to make Each present minute gayer than the last This gives you Empire while Three Nations pay Their willing homage to your Scepters sway That gives you Beauty which without the aid Of feebler pow'r Commands and is obey'd Bewitching youth do's over all appear So Flow'rs just blown their noblest Luster shew When shining in their Morning dew All their fresh Fragrancies they wear Almighty Wit and Vertue Crowns the whole In ev'ry look and Feature of your Face We may the well-known Excellencies Trace Of your Diviner Soul Though the soft Musick of your Words shou'd cease Your Charming Eyes wou'd Your great Thoughts confess Oh Blest are they that may at distance gaze And Inspirations from Your looks may take But how much more their happier Stars they Praise Who wait and listen when you speak Mine for no scanted bliss so much I blame Though they the humblest Portion destin'd me As when they stint my noblest Aim And by a silent dull obscurity Set me at distance much too far The Deity to view or Divine Oracle to hear So when the Israelites all wond'ring stood With awful Rev'rence in the vale beneath They saw from far the Glory 's of the GOD But to approach the Sacred Mount was Death His Dictates by the Holy Prophet came 'T was He alone that did the pow'r receive To hear th' ALMIGHTY'S voice and live It was enough for them below to view the Heav'nly flame XII Not the gay feather'd Chanters of the Air With earlier Songs salute the breaking Day Than crowding Here 's who to Court repair Do hail and bless the Kingdoms Hope and Ioy And now the gilded Barges wait The coming of th' Illustrious Fraight So Rich a Prize no Vessel blest before But that which the Almighty SAVIOUR bore Their Golden Streamers glitter in the Air And rufl'd by the softer Wind That plays
A PINDARICK POEM ON THE HAPPY CORONATION Of His most Sacred MAJESTY JAMES II. AND His Illustrious Consort QUEEN MARY By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by I. Playford for Henry Playford near the Temple-Church 1685. A Pindarick Poem ON THE CORONATION I. ARise my Muse Advance the Mourning Head And cease lamenting for the Mighty Dead Quench all the Funeral Tapers in your Tears And as the fainting flames expire Let your soft falling Tides retire While you behold the Prospect that appears In the vast Glories of succeeding years Advance and throw thy sable weeds away And string thy Lyre for some Harmonious Lay Worthy the Celebration of this Mighty Day Come ye soft Angels all and lend your aid Ye little Gods that tun'd the Spheres That wanton'd sung and smil'd and play'd When the first World was by your Numbers made And Danc'd to order by your Sacred Ayrs Such Heavenly Notes as Souls Divine can warm Such wond'rous touches as wou'd move And teach the Blest to Sing and Love And even the Anger of a GOD wou'd Charm O Tune it high and strike with bold success But sweet and gentle every strain As that which once taught by the Charming Swain By its soft force the Spirit disposest From the great King and Prophers raging Breast II. Yet when thou woud'st the Royal HERO sing Thy Godlike PATRON and they Godlike KING Rough as a useful storm make him appear Or as that welcome Eastern Wind By which th' Almighty Pow'r design'd Th' Egyptian Locust from the Land to bear Resolv'd as the first Messenger of Heav'n To whom the great Command was giv'n The first Born Rebells to chastise Who while the flaming Sword he bore 'T was only to declare his Pow'r And unusurpt maintain his Paradice Paint him like Mars when Battails were in view And no soft Venus cou'd his Soul subdue All bent for nobler spoil than Beauties Charms And loos'd a while from Sacred LAURA's Arms. LAURA the Chast the Pious and the Fair Glorious and kind as Guardian-Angels are Earths darling Goddess and Heav'ns tend'rest care III. But oh my Muse when e're thou do'st presume To touch on so Divine a Theam Let it be Nature all thou do'st indite That those who read in Ages distant hence May feel the very Zeal with which I write And by th' unlabour'd Verse be warm'd to tender sense That future Lovers when they hear Your all-ador'd and wond'rous character For sure the mighty LAURA's Name will Live As long as Time its self survive May find the Holy Passions you inspire Such awful flame such hopeless pain Wander and trill through every trembling Vein And Bless the Charmer that Creates the Fire Bless the soft Muse that cou'd express Beauty and Majesty in such a dress As all the World Adoring shall confess Oh fond seducer of my Nobler part Thou soft insinuating Muse If ever inspiration did impart The Soul of Musick or Poetick Art Teach me oh teach me how to chuse Fancy for so Divine a Theam O thou inchanting Muse IV. The Glorious Ides of April now were come And Heav'n all open'd to survey The Mighty Triumphs of the Blessed Day And Earth had drest her self in all her Bloom And sent abroad a universal joy Ten Thousand Angels fill'd the glitt'ring Air And all was Harmony above O're all the Azure plains the Golden Cherubs move And Seraphins were chanting every where Gay Robes of Light the young Divinities put on And spread their shining Locks to outvie the Sun On Pillows form'd of yielding Air they lye Plac'd in the mid-way Regions of the Sky On Iury Lutes and Silver Harps they play'd And gave the Sacred PAIR a Heav'nly Serenade Call'd forth the wond'ring Crowd the Beaut'ous throng While all the Host of Heav'n attended on the Song V. Awake Oh Royal Sir Oh Queen ador'd awake For whom our Triumphs and our Songs we make The Sleepless Crowds their early duties show Th' attending Hierarchies of Angles bow All Heav'n and Earth with one united joy Expect the mighty business of this coming Day All Languish for its blest approach but You You to whom Glory 's can no Luster give Whose Beams like the expanded Sun Adorn what e're they deign to Shine upon But no exalt addition can receive Thou HERO of th' expecting world arise Shake off the downy pleasures from thy eyes And from the softest Charms of LOVE Arise From joys too fierce for any sense but Thine Whose Soul whose Faculty's are all Divine So Bodies when refin'd all Heav'n survey While feebler Mortals faint with ev'ry ray O rise from the inchanting Ravisher Nor listen to the Musick of Her Tongue Her Angel Eyes and Voice so conqu'ring are Love will make humbler Glory wait too long VI. And Thou bright Goddess of the Day For Whom all longing Eyes and Hearts prepare These tender panting those soft Tears of Ioy And with impatient Murm'rings fill the Air O Charming Goddess of the Day appear Full of Thy Blest Idea they disdain A vulgar thought to entertain Big with Prophetick Ioy they lab'ring wait To utter Blessings wonderful and great This day no rough Fatigues of Life shall vex No more Domestick Cares the mind perplex All common thoughts are lost in the vast crowd of Ioy. This Iubilee this Sacred Holy-day The Soul resolves for Mirth and Play She leaves all Worldly thoughts behind And in Her hast out-strips the wanton Wind Wou'd ev'n her early vows neglect to pay But that to Heav'n you guide the way When for Your safety all agree to Pray The Poor Man now forgets his pressing needs No Penury his exalted looks confess Neglects the Body while the Soul he feeds On fancy'd pleasures scarce arriv'd in guess No sad Complaints ascend the Sky's No Nymphs reproach'd in Lovers sighs Or Maid forsaken bends her lovely eyes All with erected Looks salute the World None bow beneath the Pressure of a thought Unless where Envy has her Vipers hurl'd And raging Malice even to Madness wrought They hate the Light that guides the work Divine And how'l and gnash their Teeth and suffer Hell before their time The Brave are glad and gay the young rejoyce The old in Prayers and Blessings lift the Voice Virgins the wealth of Flow'ry April bring And all the Muses and the Angels sing VII Behold the HERO the blest Voice obeys And like the God of Luster gilds With early Beams the Eastern Hills And by degrees th' adoring World surveys So the bright Harness he puts on And in his hand Divine he takes the Reins And with life-giving Rule the God maintains The Glorious Empire of the Sun With ease he guides the fiery Coursers round And heat and life and light do still abound And all things smile and thrive that are in Nature found Now fiercer Rays of Brightness he assumes And ev'ry Minute do's inlarge his Beams Till to the farthest Poles their Influence spread And scatter Plenty where his Glory 's shed While all the guilty fantôms of the Night Shrink from
Witty Great and Good admire Supports the awful Mystick Rod DORSET whose Eyes with all the Beauties shone Which he in Love and in Success puts on A carless Grandure and a Generous Air Did over all the Lord of Hearts appear Eternal softness and Eternal Wit His looks made good to day all he e're spoke or Write XXI The Golden Scepter noble RUTLAND bore In whose rich Veins the Royal Purple Springs From mighty YORK whose conqu'ring Arms of yore Could sway the Fortunes and the Fates of Kings Still to the juster side they brought their Swords And many a Glorious field the wond'rous Name Records Next view a Hero in His propher Sphere While BEAUFORD do's the Sacred Circle beat A Prince whom Heav'n and Nature form'd to move The ill-maner'd World to Reverence and to Love A Prince so truly brave so greatly good That when in after Ages Men would Fame Some future Hero with the Noblest Name Whose constant Loyalty undaunted stood Preserv'd it self in its divinest forms Amidst a Thousand meeting Storms A second BEAUFORD's Name the youth shall Crown And over pay His Glory and Renown XXII And now loud Admirations fill the space And Hearts with nimbler Motions beat Behold the QUEEN the Raptur'd Crowds repeat She comes She comes with a Triumphant Grace And all Heav'n opens in her Angel Face Bright were Her Beams and all around they Shone And darted awful Fire to all the lookers on So heedless Lovers do with CUPIDS play 'Till the Boys shoot and spoil their fancy'd Joy Thus all adorn'd with Sacred Beauty's Charms Through the vast Christian Camp the fair INCHANTRESS Rode And where the noblest Warriers wond'ring stood Her killing eyes dealt their resistless harms Through the rough Male the subtle Light'ning plaid And the stern Heart to tenderness betray'd Her Love-drawn Chariot mov'd with solemn State While round it the adoring Princes wait With Sigh and Vows Petitioning their Fate But with this difference while that Charmer strove To take Revenge in the soft snares of Love Ours all Divine by chance her Beauty 's hurl'd And has without design subdu'd the World But oh in vain is any likeness made 'T is Coppying of the Day by Gloom and Shade The wonder that the PROPHET did unfold When Heav'n in Revelation he survey'd And the Bright WOMAN did behold In wond'rous Garments of the SUN Aray'd And underneath her feet the Moon subdu'd At this Divine Appearance seem'd renew'd XXIII A NYMPH the fairest ever shin'd in Courts NORFOLK the Generous Gay and Great To whom each Muse officiously resorts And with their Songs their Patron Mistress Greet To make the Illustrious Train compleat The Sacred ROBE supports Aided by young DIANA'S all as fair As the coy Maid the amorous GOD pursu'd As Chast as she as unsubdu'd Unsoyl'd even by the wanton wisp'ring Air No guilty though had ever spread Their lovely Virgin Cheeks with Red No Lovers Sighs had blown the blushes there For all their Roses in the Bud appear XXIV And now the ravisht People shout a new Their KING their dear-lov'd MONARCH is in view The constant AYLESBURY and the Loyal GRAY Prepare the mighty Way This bears the Marshal Staff and that the Spur Of blest Saint EDWARD KING and CONFESSOR To whom Heav'n first the Mystery did unfold By Sacred Touches and by Hollow'd Gold To heal that else uncurable Disease that poses Art and baffles all the Wise. The faithful PETERBOROW whose unmatch'd zeal Pursu'd his Suffering Princes adverse Fate When Factious Malice that out-acted Hell Drove the submitting Exile to a Foreign State Deserv'd the Glory which that day he wore And dares defend the Treasure that he bore Scepter PEMBROOK the thoughful PEMBROOK next surveys All form'd for Victory and Love In whose fine Eyes a Thousand Graces move And little sighing Gods around him play Who watch each melancholy look and bear The pointed Ruin to some gazing fair His hand the SWORD adorn'd with equal Grace As Wit his softer Tongue or Love his conqu'ring Face Great DARBY and the long-fam'd SHREWSBURY Whose happless Sires in bright Allegiance shone With Toyl and Wounds and many a Victory Such Trophies for their Heirs have wone As this days Triumphs do their Fames reward The Pointed and more Honour'd Broken SWORD OXFORD the Brave whose unexampl'd Name Was never tainted with Rebellious Crimes But 'mongst the vast Records of deeds and times Remains unblemisht in the Book of Fame Justly that Sword of State in Peace he ought to bear Who knows so Nobly how to manage it in War XXV Upon the Royal Charge two Princes wait Youg GRAFTON the Illustrious and the Great England's High Constable for this blest Day Too large a Power to bear a longer Sway. Beneath this Change ah sigh not Royal Youth Thy blooming Vertues still will rise and Live As Flowers transplanted better thrive And mend their Luster and their growth Securely thou may'st shine beneath this Sun And in the Path of Honour thou 'st begun May'st a long Race of lasting Glories run Remaining as thou art brave Loyal true Thou in thy KING will find the FATHER too NORFOLK the greatest Subject and the best Whose Loyalty indur'd the utmost test A PRINCE whose Glorious Name has stood Belov'd at home ador'd abroad Stedfast in all the Vertues of the Brave And to no Vices of the Great a slave True to his KING his Honour and his Word MAECENA of my Muse my Patron Lord. XXVI Great ORMOND whom no time or Age can bow But on his awful Reverend brow Serenely as the Summer of his years Before the Autumn blasts bereaves The goodly Ceder of his youthful Leaves Full blown not fading still appears Who to Command and to obey For a long Race of years has show'd the noblest way Brave in the Field in Council Wise Stedfast in Loyalty in Honour nice Gracious in Power unruffl'd in a Storm Humble in Court and Glorious in a Calm This Day the Sacred Diadem he bore Whose dear defence so long had been his care That Diadem that Grac'd his hand before Whose Right so oft he did assert in War Great SOMERSET that Name of high Renown Allied to Kings though not of Kingly Race Guarded the Worlds great Treasure England Crown While the World 's Emblim did the Hero Grace His Youth and Beauty did Adorn his State And the young Atlas smil'd beneath his Glorious weight The n're to be forgotten ALBEMARLE Whose Name shall last when Nature is no more That Name that did lost Britain's Joy restore It s Worship'd Champion and its General The second Guardian of the CROWN was made And in his hand to day the Peaceful SCEPTER sway'd The true-born English Bravery of whose mind His Native Loyalty and intrinsick worth Shows him of that Diviner kind When Demi-Gods with Mortals joyn'd And brought the first-born Race of Hero's forth XXVII And now the Earthly GOD appears in view While the glad Crowd their lowder shouts renew Wild with their joy even rudly they express Its vast