Echos from the Sixth Trumpet, Part 9
Verſes to the King's Majeſty: Written immediately after His Reſtauration, and imprinted Anno 1662.
IN the ſixth page, the Author thus proceeds with what he had begun.
I had preſum'd a perſonal Addreſs
Long ſince; but difficult is an Acceſs
For ſuch as I appear, who hazard blame
And diſreſpect enough, where I now am,
Becauſe that which to do, my Conſcience calls,
Is by ſome numbred among Criminals.
In that regard this Paper muſt make way
For gaining an admittance, as it may,
And will perhaps preſented be by ſome
Who ſhall have entrance where I muſt not come.
I cannot write ſtrong lines with ſwelling words,
Whoſe Elegancy ſcarcely room affords
For ſober ſence; nor muſter up their Names
Whom Hiſtory, or whom Tradition fames
For brav'ſt Atchievements ſince time firſt begun,
And then ſay, You have all of them outgone;
And think my fooliſh Words may add unto
Your honour, more then your own Deeds can do.
Or, that there's any wiſe man who gives Creed
To what they in a flat'ring Poem read.
It it is not in the Pow'r of any other
By Pen or Tongue to clear up, or to ſmother
Your true Deſerts; for in Your Self that lies,
Which either them be clouds or Dignifies.
No other thoughts I entertain of You,
But ſuch as I may think, and you allow.
Yet to extol Your Worth, I ſhall not dare,
Till I know truly what Your Virtues are.
For though to Flat'rers, all Kings ſeem to be
Of like Deſert; they ſeem not ſo to me.
I'le ſerve You faithfully in what I may,
And You, as King, love, honour and obey:
I would conceal, not publiſh Your Defects
If I knew any; and give due reſpects
To all Your Merits; but I will not own
One Line that praiſes them, till they are known.
For, till I know I give but what is due,
I am a Lyar, though my words be true.
Since equally both good and evil things,
Are famed of the beſt and worſt of Kings.
A ſtranger likewiſe, You have been long time
To moſt of Your own Subjects in this Clime;
And, I was neyer where I did behold
Your face, ſince you were two or three years old;
What good ſoever therefore I aver
Of You, I ſhall but ſeem a Flatterer:
Yea, You Your Self would think ſo, ſhould I add
Thoſe Virtues which You know You never had;
And, Praiſe which is aſcrib'd to any one
I…n that mode, is a little leſs then none.
But little credit alſo hath a Poet,
To celebrate Your Worth when he ſhall know it,
Or counterpoiſe or ſilence Contradictions,
Since moſt eſteem his Writings to be Fictions.
And You would have more honor then from them
By theſe blunt Lines, if they had Your eſteem.
I therefore ſo ſhall ſtudy to encreaſe
Your Honour, that I may not make it leſs;
And, whatſoever I can ſay or do,
(Although You give a Countermand thereto)
I'le ſay and do it, when I ſhall be ſure
Your Life, or Peace, or Honour 'twill ſecure:
And if this be a fault, I do intend
To be thus faulty till my life ſhall end.
I know well, Royal Sir, who 'tis that ſayes,
To pleaſe great men, deſerves not meaneſt praiſe.
I ſee how 'tis approv'd, and what they gain,
Who can that thriving Faculty attain;
Yet I ſhall wave that Art, and will aſſay
To do You honour in another way,
By giving You occaſions to expreſs
Your Juſtice, Mercy, and Your Prudentneſs,
That You Your Self may make the World to ſee
Your Virtues more, then words can ſay they be.
To that end much might in my Caeſe be ſhown,
But rather for Your ſake, then for mine own,
Is this Addreſs; yea, rather to prevent
What may be Your Harm, then my Detriment:
I'le therefore wave that too, that no ſelf-end
May fruſtrate what I chiefly do intend, &c.
Page 20, it thus follows.
—leſt my good intent
To You, ſome future Caſualties prevent,
I will ſo far forth as my Chain doth ſtretch,
(And my own ſhortned Arm and Hand will reach)
Exhibit ſuch Expedients, as from time,
And other Herbs, I've ſuckt within our Clime;
And wanting better Gifts, will offer You
This little Cluſter of thoſe Grapes which grew
Upon my Wither'd Vine; for though they are
But ſow'r, Your Kingdom yeelds none wholſomer,
If you ſhall ſeaſonably preſs out the Juice,
And then aſſume it without prejudice.
This Time is Critical, the wayes be rough,
And many of thoſe Chariot Wheels flye off,
By which Your Marches expedited ſeem'd;
And, loſt Advantages muſt be redeem'd,
Leſt when You think that they are come to hand,
Your main Expectances are at a ſtand,
Or put ſo far back, that You may ſurvive
Your hopes, and Your own happineſs outlive.
I wiſh it otherwiſe, and know it may
Be as I wiſh, if you the means aſſay,
Not giving ear to thoſe who will withſtand
Your good, and that which GOD hath now in hand.
I have diſcharg'd my Conſcience, and ſo ſhall,
What ever for ſo doing doth befall;
And hope that will not wholly be deſpis'd,
Which now ſhall be in faithfulneſs advis'd.
To thoſe men do not over-much adhere,
Who think all Wiſdom lies within their Sphere.
For Honours, Riches, and Self-Intereſt,
Have made wiſe men as brutiſh as a Beaſt.
Heed other while, what Common Fame doth ſay,
As well as what Your Courtiers whiſper may;
Leſt You be ignorant of many things
Whoſe cognizance is pertinent to Kings.
Make no man Your Chief Confident, but he
That is diſcreet and honeſt fam'd to be;
Leſt he deceives Your Truſt, and in the cloſe,
Deſtroys Your old Friends, and begets new Foes.
Let Juſtice be your Scepter; and Your Crown
Be Mercy; and if You would keep Your own,
Give that to others which to them belongs,
And free the poor and fatherleſs from wrongs;
Eſpecially Your main Endeavours bend
To make & keep Your Soveraign Lord Your Friend;
And if You would be ſetled on Your Throne,
Take care that His Uſurped be by none.
Enjoy Your Conſcience, whatſoe'er it be,
So other men may have their Conſcience free;
And hang me for a Traitor, if hereby
You then enjoy not more Security
Then what Your ſtrength by Land & Sea now gives,
And all that Humane Policy contrives.
Let Truth and Error fight it out together,
Whilſt Civil Peace diſturbed is by neither;
Which may be ſo provided for, that none
Shall juſtly be diſpleas'd with what is done;
Nor You thenceforward be (for evermore)
Diſturbed, as You have been heretofore.
If You neglect this, and I diſobey,
'T will be with much grief, and no other way
But onelyonly paſſively; and whatſoever
I ſuffer, will Your Welfare ſtill endeavour.
To be of this mind, thouſands I believe,
Whom You to favour do not yet receive;
And whilſt they are excluded (though in peace
They live) ſuſpitions daily will encreaſe,
By which You may have trouble, and they blame,
Who ſhall be no way guilty of the ſame.
Your taking timely opportunities
Now offer'd (from what yet before You lies)
May render You a bleſſed Inſtrument
In making ſmooth way to that Government
Which Tyrants and ungodly men moſt fear,
You and Your Subjects mutually endear,
More glorious make Your Temporary Throne,
Then ever Engliſh King yet ſate upon;
And Your Name to be terrible to thoſe
Who to Chriſt's Kingdom ſhall continue Foes.
Herein I've ſpoke according to my Creed
Wiſhing my juſt hopes may thereon ſucceed;
And, that upon Your heart it may work more
Then what I've ſpoke to others heretofore.
But, GOD's time is at hand, within his Pow'r
Are all mens wayes, yea both Your heart and our;
And I will patiently ſubmit unto
What either he or you ſhall pleaſe to do;
Not asking (whatſoe're I ſeem to want)
Ought more then You ſpontaneouſly ſhall grant;
For what I may expect, if You deny,
So far as need ſhall be, GOD will ſupply.
The Liberty I covet to enjoy,
Is that which no man living can deſtroy.
The Wealth I aim at, is nor leſs nor more
But to be well contented, rich or poor;
And if I had a will my Wits to ſtrain,
That I to Earthly Honours might attain,
I ſhould to no ſuch Vulgar Heights aſpire,
As now are Objects of moſt mens deſire;
Or to a ſtyle of ſo mean Conſequence
As is an Earl, a Marqueſs, Duke or Prince;
Or to be call'd Your Couſin. For, no leſs
Would ſatisfie my large Ambitiouſneſs,
But ſuch a Dignity as did commend
His Loyalty, whom David called Friend;
And means enough to make a Parallel
Of ev'ry Traitor with Achitophel.
For, then you ſhould in very ſhort time ſee
That no man more deſerves eſteem'd to be
Your Loyal Subject.