THOMAS LORD BUTLER Earle of Ossory Baron of Moorparke Generall of his Ma t s Subjects of Greate Britaine in the service of his Highness the Princeof ORANGE the STASS of the United Provinces Lieu t. Generall of his Ma t s forces inthe Kingdom of Ireland Lord Chamberlaine to the QUEEN one of the Lords of his Ma te most Hon bll Privy Councell in the Kingdomes of England Ireland one of the Lords of his Ma t s Bedchamber and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter An Heroick POEM ON The Right Honourable THOMAS EARL OF OSSORY LONDON Printed for William Cadman at the Popes Head in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange MDCLXXXI To His GRACE The DUKE of ORMOND My LORD I Ought to implore Pardon for daring to throw my self at Your GRACES Feet did not the Occasion warrant the Ambition and the Glory of the Subject consecrate the Poëm I present You. Thus whilst I have endeavoured to pourtraict the Illustrious Earl of OSSORY how faintly soever I have perform'd it yet I have this Security on my side that this Worthless Mirrour will receive that Lustre from the Bright Image that fills it that methinks with that Name for my Authority I make my Address to the Great Duke of ORMOND as the Ancient Romans made their Entrance to the Temple of Honour which was through that of Vertue But in the Commemoration of his transcendant Perfections I am got so far into so ample a Field that 't is impossible for me to take a Prospect of his splendid Gallantries without surveying their sacred Source Your GRACES Elder Glories 'T was in our late Civil Wars an Age which I may call the Libertines Carnival when Treason and Rebellion play'd the Frantick Revellers 't was then the famous Duke of ORMOND laid his first Foundation for Immortality resolved to drein at once his Veins and Fortunes in a Cause Divinely Glorious But in vain your GRACES infinite exhausted Treasures with your own personal Command in Arms bent their whole force to oppose that Torrent which Providence had ordain'd should meet to stop Heaven had decreed the State-Hydra should be Invincible and even an Herculean Labour ineffectual 'T was then 't was then that England's Royal Martyr fell and by a Stroke so universally deplor'd that all the Business of such surviving Loyalty as the Duke of ORMOND's was either to Revenge his Murder'd Master or set in Bloud and make a Ruby in his Crown of Martyrdome But as the first was predestin'd to be Impossible so Heav'n would not permit the last but gave Your GRACE this Recompence for all your Indefatigable Endeavours in the Loyal Cause that you survived to see the Restoration of our blessed Soveraign and by a Turn so Miraculous that what was an Age in destroying was recover'd in a Day whilst Heaven appeased our troubled World with as much Ease as it spoke the Creating Word that form'd it And Rebellion that had so long misled our Sun like Phaeton was by the Thunderer dasht from its Seat whilst our Returning CHARLES stept in and in a Moment reassum'd his Light and Throne This happie day Your GRACE justly lived to see and acted so great a Part in the Universal Triumph that after Your Honourable Exile and the long Sequestration of so prodigious an Estate You attended his Majesties Coronation with Your Shatter'd Fortunes like ragged Ensignes at once both Ruinous and Glorious too Nor must Your GRACE'S unwearied Services to Your King and Country finish here for after the unexampled Honour of four several Commissions for the Government of the hard-neckt Stubborn Ireland Your GRACE has render'd Your self rather the Founder than the Viceroy of a Kingdom whilst by Your unfadom'd Depths and incomparable Conduct You have made that a Jewel in a Crown which was formerly a Rent-Charge to the English Diadem and disclosed the profitable Royal Mine without the least Murmur of the People or even the shadow of an Oppression whilst holding out Your Powerful Scepter in this bold Enterprise like the old Mosaick Rod You have stemm'd all Oppositions and past through that Great but hazardous Office on safe and solid Ground where all Your intervening Competitors have been overwhelm'd or lost Thus whilst my elevated Thoughts have often rais'd me to the Contemplation of the Glorious Duke of ORMOND and the no less Glorious Earl of OSSORY two such Worthies in one Age and in one Family I cannot but think their Noble and Heroick Mindes could not have a less Original than the Transmigrated Spirits of a Philip and an Alexander That restless and daring Courage shone in the Son and that solid Prudence and Judgment in the Father that one had a Soul fit to Conquer a World and the other to Govern it But now my Lord with how great and how just an Adoration soever I have offered this pious Duty to the Immortal Memory of the Valiant and Loyal OSSORY never was so unhappie an Altar rais'd or so unwilling an Oblation paid For had the united tenderest Wishes of all Mankinde prevail'd England had still enjoy'd her Champion and ORMOND his OSSORY This Pious Theme should then have been the work of later Historians and enricht the Chronicles of Remoter Ages Then how numerous had his great Atchievements been and how much more Voluminous had his Recorded Glories swell'd had Providence thought fit to have lengthen'd out his Life to the Performance of those Wonders which the World so justly expected from so promising a Greatness But now alas considering his Early Setting his too untimely Fate he that writes his shining Character as dazling as it is yet comes so short of what Nature by his daily rising Growth design'd it that we register his Memorials but as the Famous Sibyl publisht her Prophecies when of her Nine sacred Folio's she left but Three Her malicious hand that committed the other Six to the Fire was less spightful to the World than that Fatal Destiny that brought an OSSORY to his Grave His Race of Honour was so shortned that his Miracles come forth no less curtaliz'd than her Oracles And now my Lord if so weak a Pen as mine has so unworthily presumed on so sublime a Treatise I beg Your Grace would be pleased to impute it to an Impulse that was wholly Irresistible His Matchless Vertues were such that in spight of Nature it self have made an Enthusiast And if the Inspiration is too humble for the Divinity it celebrates let my Zeal expiate for my Boldness and my Veneration for that Great Man make some part of an Atonement for My Lord Your GRACES Most Obedient and most humbly Devoted servant ELKANAH SETTLE AN HEROICK POEM ON The Right Honourable THOMAS Earl of OSSORY TO Worthies Dead we Shrines Altars give The Temple is but building whilst they live True Greatness is a Pile does daily rise Till its last Pinacle has kiss'd the Skies Then fixt as Fate th'unshaken Columns hold The Fabrick strongest when the Cement's cold
PILLAR rod Their Light or Umbrage and in both a GOD. Yet were his shining Trophies infinite His Orb a Galaxy and much more Bright Not thir whole Blaze one spark of Pride cou'd light Glory his Breast did Fill but never Swell Never such height was so accessible No Greatness so familiar and so free No Temple to the humblest Votary Worth never spoke nor Justice su'd in vain So have I fancy'd on Pharsalia's Plain A Tatter'd Roman in his Rusty Steel With a rough bow untaught to Fawn or Kneel T' his Royal Leaders Ear for Justice flie And to Great CAESAR onely Caesar cry Here in that bright Triumphant Chariot hurl'd Design'd to drive around the vanquisht World The Awful Universal Majestie Casts on his Honourable Scars an Eye Curbs his hot Steeds and makes a halting Pause To Judge and Right an honest Souldiers Cause Nor was the Temper of his Minde alone Healthful and Vigorous in Wars Torrid Zone In Peace's Cooler Climes he flourisht too Shining and sweetning every Air he drew Here Muse his Praise like thy Parnassus frame On two Twin-Mounts of Greatness build his Fame His Vertues led a Court as well as Camp And taught 'em Honour of the Noblest Stamp To Promises he Resolution brought And never launcht a Word beyond a Thought So Courtly too his Conversation made That in his Face all Manly Graces play'd Tho' Fate and Thunder did his Arm surround The Fires were Lambent w ch his Temples crown'd Whilst with those Gentle Courteous Airs he smil'd Calm as Loves Mother than Her Son more mild But rougher than the Sea where she was born When Plumes and Steel his haughty Brows adorn If such heap'd Vertues to one man were given Challenge thy own his Great First Mover Heaven Thy own indeed for every Martial Star Those Hosts of animating Fires shine there With all their whole united Influence hung O'er his blest Head strong was their Force as strong His Parentage th' alike Ascendant Pow'rs Of a long Line of far-fam'd Ancestours Worthies enroll'd such Antiquated Dust Whose Images of venerable Rust Lie stretcht on moulder'd Monuments so old That they are scarce less Dust than what they hold So eat by Time till Light 's officious Ray Peeps through and to the Grave lets in the Day Thus in his Greatness and Allegiance too His Miracles Hereditary grew In ORMOND's Heir the last firm Link he bears Of one unbroken Chain drawn thro' four hundred years A Chain which from such Ages held so fast Must thro' the whole Platonick Circle last Till wondring Time to th' Ormond-praise shall tell That Greatness truly stands that never fell These Honours OSSORY thy Birth create But thou' rt a nearer Favourite of Fate ' Mongst all the Virtues in thy Bosome reign A Godlike Courage leads th' Angelick Train And since unactive Loyalty's no more Than a bright Minde rich Natures hidden Oar This Bolder Gamester takes a Nobler way Sets high for Fame and brings his Gold in play Eager he threw and Young to 'th Lists he came Th' Abetting God of War pusht on the Game Thro' his fir'd Veins made the warm Heroe rise Glow in his Cheeks and sparkle in his Eyes War was his early Mistress his first Aim Thro' untrod ways to court uncommon Fame Whilst with a Strength unequal to his Will And wanting Years his Wishes to fulfil Oft would he murmur at the lazie Sun And bid the tedious Charioteer drive on Tir'd with his Youth in Natures face he flew Curst her slow Architect and Envious grew At that quick Bloud in our First Parent ran Who at a Word created stept out Man Young as a Ganymede he long'd to be As neer th' Almighty Thunderer as He. With Transport view'd Jove's Royal Eagle soar And envy'd her her Height her Pride but more The fatal Bolt her Radiant Talons bore Alcides Rage did his young Bosome fill His Infant-hands wanted his Snakes to kill With this fresh Bloom his Youthful spirit grew Early he read Fames written Volumes through But by the Earlier hand of Fate attaqu'd Was taught to Suffer ere h 'had power to Act. When England late with her own Bloud did flow And that dire Stroke th'unutterable Blow Did the whole British forfeit World enslave Digging in Royal Veins the English Honours Grave Th' Usurping Lucifer here snatcht the Throne Cry'd Hell's amongst 'em and all Hell 's my own Whilst Loyal Hearts for Sacrifice decreed In Hecatombs to the new Moloch bleed Amongst the Crouds for Lingering deaths secur'd Is our young Pris'ner in the Tow'r immur'd 'T is true no Fact against his Life they bring Too weak a Pillar yet t' uphold a King But what occasion for a stronger Proof He 's born of th' Ormond-Race and that 's enough A Native Loyalty darts from his Eye And Looks are Guilt when Murder'd Monarchs die Besides the Hell-born Locust not alone Contented to pollute the Kingly Throne His sacred Purple stain his Land devour But to root up all Seeds of Royal Pow'r Resolv'd he 'd that Eternal Winter bring Should blast all Thoughts of SECOND CHARLES his Spring Would his last Hopes of Loyal Labourers spoil And leave no Hands to Cultivate the Soyl. Thus our young Brave's t' a timely Dungeon sent Chain'd but not tam'd and crusht but yet unbent So Terrible his unarm'd Hand appear'd In th'unstruck Flint the hidden Fires he fear'd So dreadful to th' old Fiend was the First Man His Vertues fatal t' his Infernal Raign Such Threatning Beams did his young Dawn dispence Was Formidable ev'n in Innocence If such thy Morning was what was thy Noon Alas my dazled Eyes answer too soon 'T is true with our Erected Eyes we may To thy full Orb our Adoration pay But humbler Mindes Heroick Souls survey As Men view Stars at whose prodigious Height We see a Point but not a Globe of Light Great Lustre either distant shines or when By Mortal View approacht 't is nearer seen 'T is like th' old Sire that walkt with God whose Face Too bright came veil'd to talk to humane Race If then the Region of thy Soul 's too high To which the Fluttering Muses cannot flie Not their wing'd Pegasus th' Attempt dares breath But shrinks at the Ascent and lags beneath Thy Deeds then be the safer Theme we 'll sing He that would Paint the Sun must draw the Spring A Land there is on Bold Foundations laid Foundations that durst Natures self invade A Land by Heav'ns Creation never made A Land where Keels once cut their Liquid way Where in the Surge the stretcht Leviathan lay Whilst all the Slimy Race did wondring round him play A Nation who to that strange Greatness come Out-did th' Asylum of old Rising Rome They rob'd all Corners of the Earth to be A People for their Land they rob'd the Sea First elbow'd Neptune out to build a Seat And then they justled Monarchs to be Great This Stubborn Race could face the Ocean's Lord GREAT BRITAINS KING and face him unador'd
Disdain'd their Duteous Homage to allow Too Stiff to Kneel or else too Tall to Bow Pamper'd to Pride t' a Lust of Pow'r high-fed By Envy's Eldest Birth Ambition led They durst dispute the Empire of the Main Spur'd with a hope more rash than Xerxes Chain Here our Great OSSORY's first Toyls begun T was CHARLES his Ocean saw his Rising Sun His Country's Quarrel does his Hand embrace Sent out to Lash this Bold Amphibious Race A posting Mercury more swift ne'r rod To bear the Mandates of an Angry God Wings on his Feet and Duty in his Eyes Than OSSORY with CHARLES his Vengeance flies Not CAESAR's proud Armado could engage The valiant Anthony with deadlier Rage Whilst the Aegyptian Warriour by his side Saw Cleopatra's Glittering Galley ride Fill'd with a Beauty that ev'n Death could warm A Mistriss sight t' a Fighting Lovers Arm Both by her Wishes and her Eyes inspir'd Wing'd as she Breath'd and as she Lookt she fir'd Ambition never joyn'd two Foes more fierce Engag'd for the disputed Universe Whilst Caesar's WORLD as little cou'd afford As CHARLES his SEAS Room for a Rival-Lord On such a Theme our English Champion draws A Sword that 's no less Glorious than his Cause Here his long Banks his pouring Torrent breaks And an unbounded loose to Ruine takes Whilst Tempest-like it Gathers as it rouls The natural Start of all Impetuous Souls So roar'd his Cannons thro' the trembling Floud Th' admiring Gods for his Spectators stood Sally'd from all the utmost Ports of Heav'n To the Mid-Air to see the Onset giv'n So loud so dismal was the Voice of War That at the Scene the Bashful Thunderer With awful silence was astonisht grown Listning to Sounds more Dreadful than his own Saw Bolts of Fire in Hissing Billows drown'd And heard the Shores with greater Shocks rebound Than when the Sweating Cyclops burning Toyl Makes his own Firmamental Waters boyl So did our OSSORY's keen Lightning play Gilding the Streams and Burnishing the Sea Whilst the enlightned Waves at ev'ry Flash Drank up more Fires than when their watry Face Natures great Mirrour Elemental Glass Drinks up the Stars when in the sparkling Main The Pilot views a second CHARLES HIS WAIN Reflected Heav'ns inverted Concave lie With twinkling Lights danc'd in a Waving Skie Thus fought our OSSORY And thus inspir'd His heartned Souldiers with a Zeal untir'd Pusht thir whole Strength to th' utmost Tug of War Nor thought they could have trod on Graves too far Such vig'rous Health thir chearful Spirits wear No unrewarded Valour murmur'd there He onely exercis'd those Nerves he fed His Bounty fatning what his Courage led Thus mov'd they in the Circle of his Charms His Influence sate above to guide their Arms. Soul of their World did his great Genius flow So the high Spheres their vast tun'd Measures go Whilst Seasons Days Years dance after 'em below He was an Admiral deserv'd to grace A Constellation more than that Greek Race VVhose Honour in the ravisht Golden Prize Bore the Rich Argonaut above the Skies Where in Eternal Calms each Spangled Streamer shines Whilst everlasting Lights adorn Immortal Pines But now on Shore let 's view his next Command His Watry Chariot left to drive at Land Th'unharness'd Tritons to their Rest restor'd Whilst his Yoakt Lyons wait their mounting Lord. Here OSSORY let MONS thy Deeds proclaim And sing an English General 's deathless Fame Flanders last Battle fought and won by Thee A Battle ' gainst a Glorious Enemy Flusht with Success and long with Laurels Crown'd Perhaps before untaught to quit his ground A Foe who with his Arts of War prepar'd Batt'ries and Trenches and all Natures Guard Encamp'd with all th' Advantage of the Field Did onely to Victorious Courage yeild Raising that Siege thou didst such Wonders do Raise th' universal Siege of Flanders too For to that one determinating Blow The Northern Peace does her Foundations owe. Thus that great Work for which so long desir'd Contending Kingdoms had in vain conspir'd United fought united toyl'd and tir'd Fate did alone for thy bold Arm decree As being the onely Labour fit for Thee How far proud France's Fury uncontroul'd Unbounded like a Fiery Deluge roul'd Till OSSORY did that Great Day appear And bid the Conflagration finish there So when Omnipotence the Globe had fram'd Had spoke out Light and warring Elements tam'd When nought but his great Word in Bounds could keep The Lawless Torrents of the Mighty Deep He bid the Foaming OCEAN know the Shore Thus far its Rages Limits and no more A scarce less Work for thy Illustrious Hand Had the Decision of one Day ordain'd Flanders her Peace did to Thy Sword assigne Whilst the Libration of a World was Thine The Belgick Lyon from his Toyl set free And the long Plagues of War dispell'd by Thee Thy Bounteous Influence like o'rflowing Nile Clear'd the Sick Air and fatten'd all the Soyl. Thus the old Gods from Ida's top beheld The Phrygian Plains with Greeks and Trojans fill'd Saw Death and wild Destruction stalk around And Massacre with Blazing Chaplets Crown'd Till the warm Cause some Heav'nly mind inspir'd From a Spectator to a Champion fir'd And when on Heaps the dismal Ruines lay Steps a descending God and parts the Fray Here let the Labours of our Heroe cease Encircled in his own Creation Peace The greatest Warriours have in Ease most share And always act the shortest part in War To Victory they cut too near a way Too firm a Ground for lasting Triumphs lay And the whole work of Years ends in a Day Rare are the Toyls of all Stupendious Pow'r Great Michael fought but once and Jove no more But stay these humble Praises are too small To say he Led Fought Vanquisht Triumph'd all 'T is not enough unless all Tongues record His Principles more Glorious than his Sword The Pen of Steel alone it must not be That to fam'd Chiefs writes Immortality Men the True Heroe like the Martyr paint 'T is the Great Cause that consecrates the Saint When his Heroick Vertues spread so far The universal darling Son of War That Rival-States for his Alliance su'd His Hand and Sword by courting Nations woo'd First the great France his assail'd Passions try'd Brought her gay Cause in all her tempting Pride The Richest Haughtiest most Majestick Bride Upon her head she wore a Coronet Of Mystick Figure for the Ground was Jet A Sable Field with Sanguine Rubies set Her best-lov'd Jewel on her Arm was plac'd In Modern Mould a Roman Medal cast A JULIUS CAESAR pictur'd to the Wast Amidst her shining Breast-plates Radiant Beams Loaded with Pearl and Studded o'r with Jems A curious Eye might at a Glimpse see drawn In Aëry Rays of scatter'd Silver Dawn An Inlaid Remnant of a CROSS she bore But Shaded with the Massier PRIDE she wore Upon her Shield for she was Martial drest A Painter had in Miniature exprest Her vanquisht Slaves great Leaders once and most The Lords