Thus far my muse, though rudely, has designed Though that's a term too mean and low; Like painters, when their heightening arts are I cast into a shade. That all-forgiving king, Himself to his next self accused, And asked that pardon which he ne'er refused; Of godless men, and of rebellious times; For an hard exile kindly meant, When his ungrateful country sent Their best Camillus into banishment, And forced their sovereign's act, they could not his consent. Oh how much rather had that injured chief Than hear a pardon begged at last, Which yet the brother and the friend so plenteously confest. IX. Amidst that silent shower, the royal mind An easy passage found, And left its sacred earth behind; Nor murmuring groan expressed, nor labouring sound, Nor any least tumultuous breath; Calm was his life, and quiet was his death. In which the Almighty did appear; By the still voice the prophet knew him there. That peace which made thy prosperous reign to shine, That peace thou leav'st to thy imperial line, X. For all those joys thy restoration brought, For all the healing balm thy mercy poured And care, that after kept it sound, * For numerous blessings yearly showered, Freedom, which in no other land will thrive, For these, and more, accept our pious praise; "Tis all the subsidy The present age can raise, The rest is charged on late posterity. • King Charles' first parliament, from passing the Act of Indemnity, and taking other measures to drown all angry recollection of the civil wars, was called the Healing Parliament. Posterity is charged the more, Because the large abounding store To them, and to their heirs, is still entailed by thee. Equal almost to time in its extent, Thou hast derived this mighty blessing down, And fixed the fairest gem that decks the imperial crown: Not faction, when it shook thy regal seat, Those echoes of a thoughtless crowd, Be true, O Clio, to thy hero's name; That all who view the piece may know, In scanty truth thou hast confined Forgiving, bounteous, humble, just, and kind: His conversation, wit, and parts, His knowledge in the noblest useful arts, Were such, dead authors could not give; Who, lighting him, did greater lights receive: He drained from all, and all they knew; XII. Amidst the peaceful triumphs of his reign, If science raised her head, And soft humanity, that from rebellion fled. Our isle, indeed, too fruitful was before; But all uncultivated lay Out of the solar walk, and heaven's high way; With rank Geneva weeds run o'er, And cockle, at the best, amidst the corn it bore: The royal husbandman appeared, And ploughed, and sowed, and tilled; The thorns he rooted out, the rubbish cleared, When strait a double harvest rose, Or paradise manured, and drest by hands divine. XIII. As when the new-born phoenix takes his way, Of airy choristers a numerous train So glorious did our Charles return; * A similar line occurs in the Annus Mirabilis, St. 160: Beyond the year, and out of heaven's high-way. The expression is originally Virgil's: Extra anni, solisque vias. * The officious muses came along, A gay harmonious quire, like angels ever young; The muse, that mourns him now, his happy triumph sung. † Even they could thrive in his auspicious reign; And such a plenteous crop they bore Of purest and well-winnowed grain, As Britain never knew before. Though little was their hire, and light their gain, Like birds of paradise, that lived on morning dew. Live blest above, almost invoked below; Our patron once, our guardian angel now! Who didst by wise delays divert our fate, In death's most hideous form, Not quitting thy supreme command, XIV. Oh frail estate of human things, And slippery hopes below! Now to our cost your emptiness we know ; See the Astræa Redux. |