Part 6

Let your Majestie now proceed in his Triumph, and hear the Acclamations of his people; what can they more expresse who are ready to pave the very streets with their bodies, in testimonie of their zeal? behold all about You, the Gratulating old Fathers, the exulting Youths, the glad mothers; And why should it not be so? Here's no goods publicated, none restrain'd or mulcted of their Libertie, none diminish'd of dignitie, none molested, or exil'd; all are again return'd into{9} their houses, Relations and Properties, and which is yet more then all, to their antient innocencie{10} and mutual charitie.

If the Philosopher in the Ethicks enquiring whether the felicity of the sun, do any whit concern the happinesse of the defunct progenitor, after much reasoning have determin'd that the honour only which his son acquires by worthie and great actions, does certainly refresh his Ghost: What a day of Jubilee, is this then to Your blessed Father! Not the odor of those flowers did so recreate the dead Archemorus which the Nymphs were yearly wont to strow upon his watry Sepulcher, as this daies Inauguration of Yours, does even seem to revive the Ashes of that sacred Martyr.

Should some one from the clouds that had looked down on the sad face of things, when our Temples lay in dust, our Palaces in desolation, and the Altars demolished; when these Citie Gates were dashed to pieces, Gibbets and Executions erected in every Street, and all things turned into universal silence and solitude, behold now the change of this daies glorious scean; that we see the Churches in repair, the sacred Assemblies open'd, our Cities re-edified, the Markets full of People, our Palaces richly furnished, and the Streets proud with the burden of their Triumphal Arches, and the shouts of a rejoycing multitude: How would he wonder and stand amaz'd, at the Prodigie, and leap down from his lofty station, though already so near to heaven, to joyne with us in earth, participate of our felicitie, and ravish'd with the Ecstasie, cry out aloud now with Us.

Set open the Temple-Gates, let the Prisoners go free, the Altars smoak perfumes, bring forth the Pretious things, strow the Waies with Flowers, let the Fountains run Wine, Crown the Gobblets, bring Chapplets of Palmes and Lawrells, the Bells ring, the Trumpets sound, the Cannon roar, O happy Descent, and strange Reverse! I have seen{11} Englands Restorer, Great CHARLES the II. RETURN'D, REVENG'D, BELOV'D, CROWN'D, RE-ESTABLISH'D.

Terrasque Astraea Revisit.

And O that it were now in my power to speak some great thing, worthy this great day; I should put all the flowers of Orators and Raptures of Poets into one lofty & high Expression, and yet not Reach what I would say to Your Majestie: For never since there was a Citie, or Kingdom, did a Day appear more glorious to England, never since it was a Nation, and in which there either was, or ought to be so universal a Jubilation: Not that Your Triumphal Charriots do drag the miserable Captives, but are accompanied by freed Citizens; perfidie is now vanquished, popular fury chayn'd, crueltie tam'd, luxury restrained, these lie under the spondells of Your Wheeles, where Empire, Faith, Love, and Justice Ride Triumphant, and nothing can be added to Your Majesties glory but its perpetuitie. But whence, alas! should I have this confidence, after so many Elogies and Panegyricks of great and Eloquent men, who consecrate the memorie of this daies happinesse; and (were the subject, like that of all other things) would have left me nothing more to add, unless he who was sometimes wont to employ his pen for Your Majestie being absent, should now be silent that you are present, and inflame me with a kind of new Enthusiasme: I find myself then compell'd out of a grateful sense of my dutie for the publick benefit, and if your Majestie forbid not, or withdraw your influence, who shall hinder, that even my slender voice should not strive to be heard, in such an universall{12} consort, wherein everybody has a part, every one a share?

Permit me therefore (O best of Kings) to present, and lay these my vowes at your sacred feet, to exsult, and to Rejoyce with the Rest of your Loyal Subjects; not as I desire, but as I am able, and as I would do it to God, and as he best loves it,

Sentiendo copiosius, quam loquendo.

DIXI.

William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: University of California

THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY

General Editors

H. RICHARD ARCHER William Andrews Clark Memorial Library

R. C. BOYS University of Michigan

E. N. HOOKER University of California, Los Angeles

JOHN LOFTIS University of California, Los Angeles

The society exists to make available inexpensive reprints (usually facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

The editorial policy of the Society continues unchanged. As in the past, the editors welcome suggestions concerning publications.

All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 18, California. Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors. Membership fee continues $2.50 per year. British and European subscribers should address B. H. Blackwell, Broad Street, Oxford, England.

Publications for the fifth year [1950-1951]

(At least six items, most of them from the following list, will be reprinted.)

FRANCES REYNOLDS (?): An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Taste, and of the Origin of Our Ideas of Beauty, &c. (1785). Introduction by James L. Clifford.

THOMAS BAKER: The Fine Lady's Airs (1709). Introduction by John Harrington Smith.

DANIEL DEFOE: Vindication of the Press (1718). Introduction by Otho Clinton Williams.

JOHN EVELYN: An Apologie for the Royal Party (1659); A Panegyric to Charles the Second (1661). Introduction by Geoffrey Keynes.

CHARLES MACKLIN: Man of the World (1781). Introduction by Dougald MacMillan.

Prefaces to Fiction. Selected and with an Introduction by Benjamin Boyce.

THOMAS SPRAT: Poems.