THE APOTHEOSIS Of the Most Serene and Illustrious Monarch CHARLS the II.

VVith an humble Address to His Most Sacred Majesty King JAMES the II.

And a POEM to the Queen Dowager.

By JOSHUA BARNES, M.A. Fellow of Emma­nuel Colledge in Cambridge.

As they were Printed among the Cambridge Poems: And now, (for the Excellency and Loyalty of them) by the command of an Honourable Friend of the Authors, (but without his Privity) Reprinted.

Anno Domini MDCLXXXV.

THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE Most SERENE and Most Illustrious Monarch CHARLES the II. &c.

I.
OH! who to Mighty CHARLES His Name
Shall rear a Stately never-fading Frame;
Such as His own Immortal Worth requires,
To Vye with Long-liv'd Time, and kiss th'E'thereal Fires?
Oh! who shall for that God-like Monarch raise
Poetick Obelisks unto His Praise,
Firm as His Soul, and Glorious, as His peaceful Days?
Fancy, the Architect, must now be here.—
Truth, History, Description, are the best
For such a work; the Shop, my Lab'ring Breast:
But what vast Quarries of strong Verse appear!
Solid Marble, furrow'd deep,
With pointed Words; Words that will keep
His Fame alive, although His Body sleep!
Sincerity and Sense Cement the Frame,
And bind the Junctures fast,
Temper'd with Tears, that from My Loyal sorrow came:
Rude, Indigested Grief doth polish all at last.
On the firm Basis of my Heart
I have rear'd this Funeral Pile;
Tho' the Basis shakes the while,
Tho' Confusion play Her part;
Yet even Confusion here expresses wondrous Art.
II.
Now from the Lofty Spire behold!
The Sacred Eagle, with an Urne of Gold,
Proud of the Noble Burthen, flies
Tow'rd CHARLES His Native Skies!
'Tis CHARLES His Generous Soul, He bears away;
To increase the Number of the Gods above:
Where He shall view perpetual Day,
And Drink full Bowls of Bliss, and Feast on endless Love.
The Royal Martyr in a Silver Cloud
Drawn through the Shining Ayr,
With Milky Horses in a Golden Chair;
Met His Sons Spirit, and welcom'd Him aloud,
Commending all His Pious Care,
His wondrous Clemency and Wisdom Great,
Wherewith so long He had sustain'd so vast an Empires weight;
"My Son, My CHARLES, My Heir in all that's Good,
"As well, as in My Name and in my Blood,
"Now welcom to these Blisful Bowers;
"VVhere endless Joys rain down in never-ceasing Showers!
"Bless'd be that Providence, that fix'd Thee on
"My once too-long Usurped Throne;
"That did thy Sacred Head Protect,
"From Trayt'rous Plots of every discontented Sect;
"And nourish'd in Thy Royal Breast
"That Gracious Soul, that Love to Peace and Rest,
"VVhich Hell reveres, and Heavenly-Minds respect▪
"Now since Thou'st Conquer'd all that boyst'rous Rage
"Of Fiery Zeal, and Calm'd the troubled Age;
"'Tis time to enter these Rewarding Gates,
"And leave thy BROTHER to fulfil His Happier Fates.
"But say, say, how does that Our other Son,
The Heir of all Thy Virtnes and Thy Throne,
"My JAMES, even then a Hopeful Boy,
VVhen I exchang'd a Crown of Thorns for Everlasting Joy?
III.
To whom the Second CHARLES reply'd,
VVith Calm Serenity upon His Brow,
Glorious as Heroes newly Deify'd,
And Great as His Great FATHER now;
Three times He made a lowly Bow,
And said, (the Chariot slowly went along
Returning tow'rd th' Angelick throng,
VVho made a shining Lane, and bow'd and List'ned to His Song)
" Father, I've left th' Illustrious JAMES below,
"Laden with Triumphs and His Peoples Love;
"Full of such Bliss as Mortal Regions know
"Except that sad Alloy, which My Decease did move:
"As I Ascended through the Neither-Air,
"I heard the welcom Shouts of loving Subjects ring,
"VVhile Officers with Zealous Voice declare,
"My Royal Brother their Most Gracious King.
"But Hee, (for Souls can take the softest Voice)
"Bemoan'd the Unsought Burthen of a Crown:
"I heard him sigh and say, He never could rejoyce;
Till He come up to Heaven to Me; or I to Him go down.
"But after all My Labours, Toyls and Cares,
"For Six and Thirty teadious, rowling Years,
"Methinks (and surely not amiss)
"The shortest stay,
"On this side (tho' in sight of) Bliss
"Is too too long delay.
"To Heavens High Care and JAMES His we resign
"Our Earthly Realms, and hast to those that shine
"VVith un-extinguish'd Day, and flow with Joys Divine.
IV.
Now th' Azure Gates of Bliss expanded wide,
Receive the Glorious Cavalcade;
Angels, like Lacquyes, running on each side:
And wondrous Tunes on David's Lyre were play'd.
And parallel 'tween CHARLES and DAVID made,
In rapt'rous, strange, Angelick Verse,
Too strong and High for Mortals to rehearse!
Go! Blessed CHARLES, receive those Entertains,
VVorthy thy Self, in Noble Heavenly strains.
We, low and weak and grovelling on the Ground
Will strive however to advance a sound,
That shall address to living JAMES His Ear;
And sure (for He's like CHARLES) He will vouchsafe to hear.

ADDRESS TO THE KING.

"GReat JAMES! whose worth portends so vast a Good;
"That even thy Brother's loss is hardly understood,
"May all the Glories of Thine House and Race
"Shine round Thy Sacred Head, and kiss thy Royal Face!
"And while their Mercies Thou do'st Imitate;
"May all their Thunder on Thine Anger wait!
"May all adore Thy Smile and Dread Thee too;
"And those be forc'd, who choose not thus to do;
"May all thy Parents and Thy Brothers Fame,
"And Years Extend Thy Days, and CROWN Thy Name!
"May all Their Virtues in Thy Bosome meet;
"And all Their Treasures Couch beneath Thy Feet!
"May all their Guardian-Angels round Thee stand;
"And all their Blessings wait on Thy Command!
"And may'st Thou leave (when Thy long Life's resign'd)
"Such matchless Sons, as Thy Great Father left behind!
Joshua Barns, M. A. Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge.

TO THE Queen Dowager.

MAdam, whose Mercies are so boundless known,
That justly they were match'd with CHARLES His own;
The sole Good Queen, Worthy so good a Lord,
Who only equal'd, whom all else Ador'd:
Gladly to You our Muse would comfort bring:
But ah! what Comfort after such a King?
VVe'ld Piously Condole, and lend relief
VVith Loyal Art to Your Exub'tant Grief:
But ah! we're drown'd in Tears, as well as You!
In CHARLES His Death all Englands VVidow'd too.
You lost an Husband and the best that e're
Did th' Honourable Chains of Wedlock wear:
Tis true, and sure Your Grief we must allow:
But we're concern'd, Great Queen, as deep as You!
For We the Best of worthyest Kings have lost!
No tender Father could like Mercies boast!
No Heart can Fathom, and no Tongue relate
Those Blessings that on CHARLES His Reign did wait!
But oh! I've done: For, while to mind I call
His God-like Worth: The Tears like Rivers, fall
From Your Bright Eyes, half languish'd now with Cares,
Shaded with Grief and almost quench'd in Tears!
Oh! who'ld not melt, to see such Charming woe:
Majestick Sorrows in so sad a Show!
But ah! with You we cannot Sympathis
CHARLES fills our Hearts, and flow [...] [...] at our Eyes:
Nor can We lend one Tear, Great Queen [...] You;
Nor can we to our Grief one sigh allow:
CHARLES has engrost our Tears; and all we have,
Flow in one groaning Torrent tow'rd His Grave!
Yet when upon Your Woes we cast an Eye:
Tears fall more quick, and Sobs do beat more high:
Compassion strives t' exalt Our Grief the more,
But surely That was at the heigth before.
Yet, Royal Widow, this poor service take,
That tho' opprest with Griefs, no Tongue can speak,
We yet at last desire more SORROW for YOUR SAKE:
Joshua Barnes M. A. Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.

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