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, 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 imperiał crown: Not faction, when it shook thy regal seat, Those echoes of a thoughtless crowd, Could warp thy soul to their unjust decree. XI. 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, 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. 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 Attend his wonderous progress o'er the plain; 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, Charged with thyself and James, a doubly-royal fraught. XIV. Oh frail estate of human things, And slippery hopes below! Now to our cost your emptiness we know; + See the Astræa Redux. For 'tis a lesson dearly bought, When scarce he had escaped the fatal blow Death did his promised hopes destroy; So saints, by supernatural power set free, Twice twelve we numbered since his blest return: So strictly wer't thou just to pay, Even to the driblet of a day. * Yet still we murmur, and complain The quails and manna should no longer rain: Those miracles 'twas needless to renew ; The chosen flock has now the promised land in view. XV. A warlike prince ascends the regal state, A prince long exercised by fate : Long may he keep, though he obtains it late! * Reckoning from the death of his father, Charles had reigned thirty-six years and eight days; and, counting from his restoration, twenty-four years, eight months, and nine days. |