Part 4

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FINIS.

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A P A N E G Y R I C TO Charles the Second, PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTIE The [HW: 1st X crossed out]XXXIII. of APRIL, being the Day OF HIS CORONATION. MDCLXI.

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By JOHN EVELYN, Esquire

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LONDON, Printed for John Crooke, and are to be sold at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard.

A PANEGYRIC TO CHARLES the II. PRESENTED TO HIS MAJESTY On the Day of His INAUGURATION, April 23. MDCLXI.

I have decreed with myself (O best and greatest of Kings!) to publish the just resentiments of a heart, perfectly touch'd with the Joy and Universal Acclamations of your People, for your this dayes Exaltation and glorious investiture. And truly, it was of custome us'd to good and gracious Princes, upon lesser occasions, to pronounce and celebrate their merits with Elogies and Panegyrics; but if ever they were due, it is to your Majesty this Day; because as your Virtues are superiour to all that pass'd before you; so is the Conjuncture, and the steps by which you are happily ascended to it, Miraculous, and alltogether stupendious: So that what the former Ages might produce to deprecate their fears, or flatter the Inclinations of a Tyrant, we offer spontaneously, and by Instinct, without Artifice to your Serene Majesty, our just and rightfull Soveraign. And if in these expressions of it, and the formes we use, it were possible to exceed, and so offend your Modesty; herein only (great Sir) do we not fear to disobey you; since it is not in your power to deny us our rejoycing, nor indeed in ours, to moderate. Permit us therefore (O best of Kings) to follow our genius, and to consecrate your Name, and this dayes exaltation to that posterity which you alone have preserved, and which had certainly seen its period, but for your happy Restauration; so that your Majesty does not so much accept a benefit from, as give it to your Subjects. For though the fulness of this Dayes joy, be like the seven years of plenty; yet, is that bread far more sweet, which is eaten with remembrance of the past Famine (too bitter, alas! to be forgotten on the suddain) especially, when it may serve to illustrate our present felicity, and conduce to your Majesties glory: For so the skillful Artist, studious of making a surprising peice, or representing some irradiated Deity, deepens the shadowes sometimes with the darkest touches, and approaching to horrour it self, thereby to render his lights the more refulgent, and striking in the eyes of the Spectator.

Let us then call to mind (and yet for ever cursed be the memory of it) those dismal clouds, which lately orespread us, when we served the lusts of those immane Usurpers, greedy of power, that themselves might be under none; Cruel, that they might murther the Innocent without cause; Rich, with the publick poverty; strong, by putting the sword into the hands of furies, and prosperous by unheard of perfidie. Armies, Battails, Impeaching, Imprisonment, Arraining, Condemning, Proscribing, Plundring, Gibbets and Executions were the eloquent expressions of our miseries: There was no language then heard but of Perjury, Delusion, Hypocrisie{7}, Heresie, Taxes, Excises, Sequestration, Decimation, and a thousand like barbarities: In summe, the solitudes were filled with noble Exiles, the Cities with rapacious Theives, the Temples with Sacrilegious Villains; They had the spoiles of Provinces, the robbing of Churches, the goods of the slain, the Stock of Pupils, the plunder of Loyal Subjects; no Testament, no State secure, and nothing escaped their cruelty and insatiable avarice. For if it be sweet in prosperity, to consider of the past adventures, if tempests commend the Haven; War, Peace; and our last sharp sickness, our present Health and Vigour; why should it not delight your Majesty to hear of the miseries we have suffered; since they re-inforce your own felicity, and the benefits which we receive by it? where then should I begin but with thy Calamities, O unfortunate England! who hadst only the priviledge of being miserable, when all the World were happy: But I will not go too for in repeating the sorrowes which are vanish't, or uncover the buried memory of the evils past; least whilst we strive to represent the vices of others, we seem to contaminate your Sacred purple, or alloy our present rejoycing; since that only is sign of a perfect and consummate felicity, when even the very remembrance of evils past, is quite forgotten.

Miraculous Reverse! O marvel greater then Mans Counsel! who will believe that which his eyes do see? what before a twenty years confusion had destroy'd; behold a few moneths have restor'd: But the wonder does yet so much more astonish, that the grief was not so universal for having suffer'd under such a Tyranny, as for having been so long depriv'd of so excellent a Prince: No more then do we henceforth accuse our past miseries; All things are by your presence repair'd, and so reflourish; as if they even rejoyc'd they had once been destroy'd, Auctior tuis facta beneficiis. So as not only a Diadem binds your sacred Temples this day; but you have even crown'd all your Subjects too; so has your auspicious presence gilded all things; our Churches, Tribunals, Theaters, Palaces, lift up their heads again; the very fields do laugh and exalt. O happy, and blessed spring! not so glorious yet with the pride and enamel of his flowers, the golden corn, and the gemms of the pregnant Vine, as with those Lillies and Roses which bloom and flourish in your Chaplet this day, to which not only these, but even all the productions of nature seem to bend, and pay their homage.

And let it be a new year, a new AEra, to all the future Generations, as it is the beginning of this, and of that immense, Platonic Revolution; for what could arrive more justly, more stupendious, were even the eight sphear it self now hurled about? For no sooner came our CHARLES on shore, but every Man was in the Haven where he would be; the storm Universally ceas'd, and every one ran forth to see our Palladium, tanquam coelo delapsum: Virgins, Children, Women, trembling old Men, venerating the very ship that wafted our Jason and his Heroes, ravish'd with the sight, yet hardly believing for astonishment; the greatness of the miracle, oppressing our sences, and endangering our very faith.

Credetne hoc olim ventura posteritas?

I would prayse you Great Prince, but having begun; where shall I make an end? since there remains not a Topic through all that kind, but one might write Decads of it, without offending the truth, were it as secure of your modesty; since I am as well to consider what your ears can suffer, as what is owing to your Virtues: On what heads shall I extend then my discourse? your Birth, Country, Form, Education, Manners, Studies, Friends, Honours and Fortune run through all partitions of the Demonstrative: An Orator could have nothing more to wish for, nor your Majesty to render you more accomplish'd.

Shall I consider then your Majesty as you were a Son to that glorious Father before his Apotheosis? As you were your self a Confessor after it; As you are now thus day in your Zenith and exaltation; and as we Augure you will by Gods blessing prove to your Subjects hereafter: For even through all these does our prospect lead us; Nor may it be objected that what shall be spoken of your Majesty, can be applied to any other; since the Fortune and Events of the rest of Princes, have been so differing from yours; as seeming to have been conducted by Men alone, and second Causes; yours only by God, and as it were by Miracle.

I begin then with your early Piety to that Kingly Martyr whose Sacred dictates did institute your tender years, and whose sufferings were so much alleviated by your Majesties early proficiency in all that might presage a hopefull and glorious Successor: For so did you run through all his Vicissitudes, during that implacable war, which sought nothing more then to defeat you of all opportunities of a Princely education, as fearing your future Virtues; because they knew the stock from whence you sprung, was not to be destroy'd by wounding the body, so long as such a Branch remained.

Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus Nigrae feraci frondis in Algido, Per damna, per caedes, ab ipso Ducit opes, animumque ferro.

Whilst he Reign'd and Govern'd, you learn'd only to obey; Living your own Princely Impress; [SN: ICH DIEN.] as knowing it would best instruct you one day how to Command, and which we now see accomplish'd: These then are the effects, when Princes are the Sons of Nobles; since only such know best to support the weight, who use to bear betimes, and by degrees; not those who rashly pull it on their shoulders; because they take it with less violence, less ambition, less jealousie: None so secure a Prince, as he that is so born.

But no sooner did that blessed Martyr expire, then our redivive Phoenix appear'd; rising from those Sacred Ashes Testator and Heir; Father and yet Son; Another, and yet the same; introsuming as it were his Spirit, as he breath'd it out, when singing his own Epicedium and Genethliack together, he seem'd prodigal of his own life to have it redouble'd in your felicity: Thus, Rex nunquam moritur. O admirable conduct of the Divine Providence, to immortalize the image of a just Monarch: Ipsa quidem, sed non eadem, quia & ipsa, nec ipsa est. Since that may as truly be apply'd to your Majesty, which was once to the wisest of Kings: Mortuus est Pater ejus, & quasi non mortuus, similem enim reliquit sibi post se.

But with how much prudence, is serenity attributed amongst the titles of Princes, and the beams of the sun to irradiate their Crowns; That the Scepter bears a Flower; since as that glorious planet produces, so does it also wither them; and there is nothing lasting, save their vertues, which are indeed their essential parts, and only immortal; For even yet did the clouds intercept our day with the continuance of so dismall a storm, as it obnubilated all those hopes of ours. It is an infinite adventure, if in a Princes Family [HW: Firmament] (once overcast) it ever grow fair weather again, but by a singular and extraordinary providence. I mention this to increase the wonder, and reinforce your felicity. Empires passe, Kingdomes are translated, and dominions cease: The Cecropides of old, the Arsacides, the Theban, Corinthian, Syracusian, and sundry more lasted nor to the fourth Age without strange and prodigious tragedies; but why go we so far back, when a few Centuries present us with so many fresh Revolutions? How many nests has the Roman Eagle changed? Bulgarian, Saracen, Latine; In the Comneni, Isaaci, Paleologi, &c. even till it dash'd it self in pieces against the Oetoman rock. What mutations have been in the house of Arragon? How many Riders has the Parthenopean horse unsaddl'd and flung? How many Sicily? What changes have been in Italy, What in France, and indeed through all Europe by Vandals, Saxons, Danes, Normans, by external invasion, internal Faction, Envy, Ambition, treachery and violence? The Consulate degenerated into Oligarchy, which occasion'd the Aventine sedition; Democraty into Ochlocraty under the Tribunes and wicked Gracchi; and Monarchy it self, (the very best of Governments) into Tyranny.

Indeed your sacred Majesty was cast out of your Kingdoms, but could never be thrown out of our hearts; There, you had a secure seat; and the Prince that is inthron'd there, is safe in all mutations; Keep there Sir, and you are inexpugnable, immoveable. And how should it otherwayes be? A Prince of your virtue could not miscarry, that being truly verified of Your Majesty, as well in your perfections, as your person, Certe, videtis quem elegit Dominus in Regem, quoniam non sit similis illi in omni populo. Nature design'd your Majesty a King, Fortune makes others; nor are you more your peoples by birth, and a glorious series of Progenitors, then by your merits: This appeared in all those digits of your darkest Eclipse; The defect was ours, not your Majesties. For the Sun is alwaies shining, though men alwaies see him not; and since the too great splendor, and prosperity did confound us, it pleased God to interpose those clouds, till we should be better able to behold you with more reverence and security; For then it was that you prepar'd your self for this weighty government, and gave us those presages of your Virtue, by what you did, for your people, and what you suffered for them; signalizing your Courage, your Fortitude, Constancy, Piety, Prudence and Temperance upon all occasions. Your Travels and Adventures are as far beyond those of Ulysses, as you exceed him in Dominions; Si quis enim velit percensere Caesaris res, totum profecto terrarum orbem enumeret: For he must go very far that would sum up your perfections: Your skill in the customes of Nations, the situations of Kingdomes, the Advantages of places, the temper of the Climates; so as the Ages to come shall tell with delight, where you fought valiantly, where you suffered gallantly, Quis sudores tuos hauserit campus, quae refectiones tuas arbores, quae somnum saxa praetexerint, quod denique tectum magnus hospes impleveris, and all those sacred Vestigia of yours: Thus what was once applyed to Trajan, becomes due to your Majesty, and I my self am witness both abroad, and at home, of what I pronounce, having now beheld you in both fortunes with love and admiration; But this is not halfe, and to stop at single perfections, were to give jealousie to the rest yet untouched, and should I but succinctly number them all, were not to weave a Panegyrick, but an Inventory.

But amongst all your Vertues none was more eminent then your constancy to your religion, which no shocks of Fortune, no assaults of sophisters, events and successe of adversaries, or offers of specious Friends could shake; so great a thing it was that you did persevere, so much greater quod non timuisti ne perseverare non posses.

But whilst Armies on earth fought for the Usurper, the Hosts of Heaven fought in their courses for your Majesty; [SN: Spaine.] dashing your greatest enemy upon that Rock, which afforded you shelter, till that Tyranny was over past: And how welcome to Us was that blessed day qui tyrannum abstulit pessimum, Principem dedit optimum! He liv'd by storming others, dyed in one himself, & post Nubila, Phoebus. Yet did not that quite dissolve our fears, till that other head of Hydra was cut off, that despicable Rump which succeeded, not by the sword, or any humane addresse, least we should sacrifice to our own Nets; but by the immediate hand of heaven, without noise, without Armes, or stratageme, the fame of your vertues, more then the sense of our own misery, universally turning the hearts even of your very Enemies; and then that Northern Star began the dawning of this day, till your nearer approach did guild our Horizon, brighter then the rayes of the Eastern sun, from whose spicy coast, like a true Phoenix you were to come; For so at the sight of that Royal Bird was the memory of Sesostris, of Amasis and Ptolemy ever fortunate, and so was yours to us;

----Tum rusticus ergo Suspicit observans volucrem; nam creditur annus Ille salutaris----

the happy presages of our glorious Returne, stupendious indeed and almost indicible: For no sooner did your Argo hoise sail, that the Eagles themselves fled not swifter, then the report of your approach from ten thousand mouthes of brasse, echoing from ship to ship, and shore to shore, with their thundring voices, out done yet with the shouts and acclamations of your glad people, when our shaken Republique rushed at once into your princely Armes for safety and Asylum, not by the occult power of Destiny, or blind revolution, but the extraordinary hand of Providence, whose pathes are in the great Waters, and whose footsteps are not known: O novum atque inauditum ad principatum iter, who that shall write Annals, or Verses can ever forget that day? not decrepit age, not the sick, not the tender Sex were kept back from resolving to behold that miraculous entry of yours; The very little children pointed to you, the striplings and young men exsulted, the Antient men stood amazed, and those who were under the empire of a cruel disease, leaped out of their beds, to have the sight of you, that were the safety of the People, returning with cure and refreshment: Others protested, they had even now lived long enough, and were ready to expire with joy, and the transports of their spirits; as satisfied that this Ball could not present them with an other object worthy their admiration; others wished now to live more then ever, that they might still enjoy their desired object; and women forgetting the pains of childbirth, brought forth with joy, because they gave Citizens to their Prince, and Souldiers now to their lawful Emperour.

Your Majesty must needs remember, nor is the sound yet out of your sacred ears, when the houses of this your August Metropolis were covered with the loud and cheerful spectators, because the earth was too narrow to contain them; the wayes and the trees were filled with the shouting of your people, LONG LIVE KING CHARLES THE II. tamque aequaliter ab omnibus ex adventu tuo laetitia percepta est, quam omnibus venisti. For when the wise Arbiter of things began to look down upon us, all things conspir'd to make us happy; our Deliverance by your Majesty as by another Moses, leading us out of that AEgyptian bondage; or by a nearer resemblance that of the Babylonish captivity, if not yet farr greater; since God did there only turne the heart of a Prince to let a nation go: Here, the hearts of a whole Nation, to invite a banish'd Prince to come, when no other visible power interpos'd. Let others boast then of their miracles; we can produce such, as no age, no people under heaven can shew; God moving the hearts of his most implacable Enemies in a moment as it were, and those who had been before inhumanely thirsty after your blood, now ready to sacrifice their own for your safety; Digna res memoratu! ibat sub ducibus vexillisque Regiis, hostis aliquando Regius, & signa contra quae steterat sequebatur. But I suffer [HW: surfeit] with too much Plenty, and what eloquence is able to expresse the triumph of that your never to be forgotten Entry, unlesse it be the renewing of it this day? For then were we as those who dream, and can yet hardly be perswaded, that we are truly awake: Dies ille aeternis seculis monumentisque mandandus, A day never to be forgotten in all our Generations, but to be consecrated to posterity, transmitted to future Ages, and inserted into Monuments more lasting then Brasse. Away then with these Woodden and temporary Arches, to be taken down by the People at pleasure; erect Marble ones, lasting as the Pyramids, and immovable as the mountains themselves, and when they fail, let the memory of it still remain engraven in our Hearts, Books, Records, novissimo haud peritura die.

And yet not this altogether, because we have received a Prince, but such a Prince, whose state and fortune in all this blessed change, we so much admire not, as his mind; For that is truly felicity, not to possesse great things, but to be thought worthy of them: And indeed Great Sir, necessity constrains me, and the laws of Panegyric, to verifie it in your Praises, by running over at least those other Appellations, which both your vertue has given to your Majesty, and your Fortune acquir'd. For he is really no King who possesses not (like you) a Kingly mind, be his other advantages what they may: If the Republick belong then to Caesar, Caesar belongs much more to the Republick; and of this you have given proof.