[Page] VENI; VIDI; VICI.
THE TRIUMPHS OF THE Most Excellent & Illustrious, OLIVER CROMWELL, &c.
Set forth in a Panegyricke.
Written Originally in Latine, and faithfully done into English Heroicall Verse, By T: M: Jun. Esq
Whereto is added An Elegy upon the death of the late Lord Deputy of Ireland, the much lamented, HENRY IRETON, &c.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Tey, at the White Lion in the Strand, near the New Exchange, 1652.
TO THE Most Excellent, and Right Honourable, as well for his valourous Atchievements, as His Incomparable Vertues, His Excellency OLIVER CROMWELL, Lord Generall of Great Brittaine, Chancellor of the famous University of Oxford, Lord Chiefe Governour of Ireland: A Member of the Parliament of England, and of the Right Honourable the Councell of State.
IT is reported of Caesar, Right Honourable Lord, that he never rejoyced more then when he heard his valiant exploits were spoken of in simple Cottages, alledging this, that a bright Sun shines in every corner; which makes not the beames worse, but the [Page] place better. My Lord, having seen the following Panegyricke in Latine, a Language too high for the greatest part of our Nation to understand: and considering that it was a jewell exposed only to the view, not to the understandings of all, made me presume to render it into English, that even the meanest of our Natives might be able in their hearts with joy and thankfulness to confess the greatness of their Obligations to your Excellency; by whose successefull and divinely victorious hand the yoke is broken off their necks, and their happy Liberty restored, that thereby, with that great Macedonian Conquerour, there may not be so much as a Miller but both loves and praises thee.
Neither durst I offer to any other hand what is only fit to be laid on thine own Altars, least I might become presumptuously foolish, but that as the Acts sung in the ensuing Panegyrick were thine own, the honour of them thine own, so thou only thy selfe wert fit to be their Patron. Accept therefore, Most Noble Sir, these weake endeavours, whose only aime hath been to publish and make known thy Vertues in our uttermost Borders, and that it may appeare [Page] how evidently the hand of God hath gone along with thee in all thy Actions, and carried thee with triumphall honours through the midst of so many dangers.
May the Great God of Heaven and Earth still carry you on that you may add triumph to triumph, and be victorious on every side, till arrived at that height of earthly happiness than which no man can enjoy more, you may at last be crowned with eternall felicity; which is the humble desire, and hearty Prayer of
Jan. 30. 1652.
My Lord,
Your Excellencies most devoted, in all duty and observance,
Tho. Manley Junior.
To my Honoured Friend Mr. THOMAS MANLY on his accurate Translation, &c.
SEE how the
Thespian Gyrles can dare those Fates
That threaten Kingdomes, and disorder States:
Ages to come, had never known the use
Of wilie War, had
Fishers Buskin'd Muse
Been silent; he doth trayterously conspire,
Even to dis member the
Maeonian Lyre;
His fancie like a flame her way does take,
Leaving no track for after-times to make
Progression; Is't not strange, see, heres no oddes
Betwixt his worthies, and the
Grecian Gods,
The frowns of
Mars, and dire
Bellonas rage
Drawn to the life, in each elaborate page
[Page] So that the Effigie of our Famous
Nol
Rather then here, deserv's
Romes Capitol,
But if such thanks to him be due, what praise,
What Heccatombs of
Beev's, what Groves of Bayes
Shall we designe thy worth, who mak'st his Song
To vail it's Bonnet, to our
English tongue.
Th' Indulgent censure of succeeding times
Shall crown thee
(Manly) for thy flowing Rime,
With the same
Chaplet that wreathes
Sands his brow,
This he predicts, who honours thee, I vow,
SAMUEL SHEPPARD.
Errata.
PAge 3. line. 4. for sate read state. p. 10. l. 14. bear, r. owe, p. 11. l. 13. deere, r. done, p. 12. l. 1. expect her, r. expects she, ibid. l. 12. brow, r. browes, p. 23. l. 15. strayning, r. streaming, ibid. l. 17. bracked, r. wracked, p. 31. l. 14. on, r. or, p. 33. l. 7. th [...]e, r. them, p. 34. l. 6. for, r. soe, p. 38. l. 9. Muse, r. Muses, p. 52. l. 16. louring, r. lowing, p. 76. l. 17. layd, r. lay, p. 92. l. 1. the, r. Thou.
[Page] A GRATULATORY Song of PEACE: OR, Triumphall Canto for the Victories of the Most Illustrious and Right Hon ble OLIVER CROMWELL, &c.
Dedicated to the Lord President BRADSHAVV, And the rest of the Right Hon ble the Councell of STATE, &c.
In the yeare of our Redemption, 1652; And of Englands Restored Liberty, 4 Translated into English out of Latine, BY T: M: Jun. Esq
[Page] To the All-Worthy (The good hand of the great God so ordaining; And by the choice of the Supreme Authority of ENGLAND) The Overseer of the Common-wealth, and Re-gained Liberty, JOHN Lord BRADSHAVV, Sergeant at LAVV, Chiefe Iustice of CHESTER, Chancellor of the Dutchy and County Palatine of LANCASTER, LORD HIGH-PRESIDENT OF THE Right Hon ble the Councell of STATE:
AS ALSO, To the rest of those ever Renowned Patriots, Sitting Members of the same Right Hon ble Councell,
- Lords Commiss
ners of the great Seale of
England.
- Bulstrode Whitlock,
- John Lisle,
- Lords Chief Iustices of
England.
- Oliver Saint-John,
- Henry Rolls,
- Charles Fleetwood, Lievtenant-General of the ARMY.
- Knights and Baronets.
- Sir Arthur Haslerigge,
- Sir Henry Vane, junior,
- Sir William Masham,
- Sir James Harrington,
- Sir Gilbert Pickering,
- Colonels.
- William Purefoy,
- Valentine Walton,
- Richard Salloway.
-
Esq
- Thomas Challoner,
- Thomas Scot,
- John Gourdon,
- John Carew,
- Nicholas Love,
- Dionys Bond.
- [Page] Philip Earl of Pembrooke.
- Philip Sidney Viscount Lisle.
- Knights of the
Bath.
- Sir William Constable,
- Sir Peter Wentworth,
- Generall Rob. Blake, Admiral of the Sea.
- Colonels.
- Alexander Popham,
- Anthony Stapylton,
- Herbert Morley,
- Iohn Downes,
- Henry Marten,
-
Esq
- Robert Wallop,
- Cornelius Holland,
- Isaac Penington,
- Abraham Burwell,
- Henry Nevell,
- William Masham,
- Henry Herbert,
- Iohn Dixwell,
- William Heyes.
- Iohn Corbet, &c.
F. F.
Happinesse, Victory, Triumphs,
&
[...]
The Epistle Dedicatory.
Honoured Lord, and you most eminent & worthy Patriots,
THat I should go unarmed into the field to meet the Muses, the wishes of a few might easily perswade me, since my own affections drew me; by which Incitement egged on as by Spurs, I recalled my now old-grown Genius from the Camp to the Court, from the War to congratulate the return of the Lord-Chief-Generall. And who in such ovations would not even be wrapt beyond himself? Who can contain his joy within bounds at so solemn, so publike a [Page] Triumph? That we may the better perceive the effects of this rejoycing, we must first weigh the causes. Cast your eyes then upon our conducting General, whose heroick acts (exceeding even the utmost limits of belief) to the present age proclaime their own triumph, and amazes succeeding generations with their greatness. Consider how with more then Herculean strength he strook off the Head of those Hydraes of superstition with his Conquering Sword! How many Centaures breathing forth nought but slavery hath he tamed! How many Troopes of enraged enemies hath he overthrown, and offered them so humbled as so many satisfactory victims to the publike liberty! Hence it proceedes that war is banisht from [Page] our borders: hence is it that the serener beams of Concord have so cleerly darted down upon us: O the happiness of Brittain grown even beyond expectation great! For who can but admire so many the elaborate endeavors of the Parliament? Who will gaynsay you the succeeding upholders of our State? Who but will confess the immediate providence and Divine Finger of God to be seen even apparently in the victorious, atcheivements of our Generall; In the acts of our Parliament, the Supreme Authority; And in your own consultations and designes? That therefore the happiness of our established Common-wealth may the more largely be notified to all the world, weigh we but equally in the ballance of our [Page] serious consideration the tottering basis even of the most firmly seated thrones; but if your enemies are yet so stubborn that they will not be convinced thereby, let them peruse that excellent peece with a little seriousness that cleerly declares the Prerogative of Kings, and evidently defends the Priviledges and liberty of the people: but whereto tends this? I will not obtrude upon your wisdoms trifling examples, or vain relations: for I have onely mentioned these few, that all your malicious enemies may know, and knowing confess, that God alone is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, that he puts down Princes from their Thrones, and disposes of the powers of the world after his own pleasure.
[Page] Away then you malicious enemies of order; and since ye acknowledge all powers to come from God, obey the present as Gods stewards placed here by himself for the governing of the Common-Wealth. Me-think, even our publike profession of Religion should draw us to this, if our own security also did not whisper the same; for it is somwhat an inhumane thing to resist our common, our publike Parents, and altogether repugnant to reason, to kick against the Pricks. But I deviate from my first proposition; and humbly beg your pardon, most worthy Fathers of the Commonwealth, hoping you will cherish these firstfruits of my duty under the wings of your indulgent protection: Which have betaken [Page] themselves with a blushing humility to the sanctuary of your Honors goodness. An Olive is sometime brought in amongst the costlyest dainties and well rellisht too; somtimes the Ivy doth happily grow and increase among trees of a greater tallness: And you, most Noble Heroes, suffer this low-growing Ivy to creep forth among the Laureat Cypresses of your Eminencies. If you approve of these my desires, and favor my present endeavors, you will infuse new life and confidence into me, who may enterprise a greater work worthy acknowledgement, perhaps both from your selves and future ages.
In the mean while, the All-great, the All-good God make you all unanimous even for ever, [Page] that therby his Church may be glorified, & the Common good and liberty be inviolable to all the people, that the secure peace and quiet of a flourishing Common-Wealth may be reciprocall from you and yours to the Common-Wealth; that ye may be blessed here in earth with continuing happiness, and in heaven with future eternity, which is, and shall be prayed for by
The most obliged to your Honours by all bonds of duty and obedience, F. F.
A Gratulatory Ode of Peace.
ALL hail great Patron of our
English Isle!
Dreadfull as lightning to the
Irish vile,
Double triumpher o're the
Scottish crown,
Chief refuge of the godly when cast down,
Restorer of our liberty once lost!
All Hail! whose warlike actions every coast
Doth Eccho, and the world fill with the fame
Of the deserving vertues of his Name.
[Page 2] Rise now ye Muses, help ye Virgin Quire
Aeonian Nymphes, once all your skill inspire;
Favor my task, our Generalls praise I'de sing,
From whose each act Honor and greatness spring.
And thou, who of the supream Parliament,
Art (justice prop) the worthy
President,
With the same calmness both of brest and eye
That you into much greater writings spye,
Deign but to look at ours,
Thalia thén
May happen somwhat stoop to grace my pen.
And you brave
Heroes, whose grave counsels waite
Upon the high designments of the State;
And who skill'd in the Laws do first amend,
And then the burden of their rule defend:
So that stout
Atlas is not said more even
With a strong shoulder to prop up the heaven,
You steere the
English, you the Pilots are,
You sit at prow and poope in peace and war,
[Page 3] While you do seek
Charybdis sad to fly,
And would put off the Rocks of Monarchy,
With safe and gentle gales you change the Scene,
And make a Sate where Monarchy hath beene;
Thus free from danger at the last in health
Arrives ith' port a happy Common-wealth.
Tell me ye Muses in your milder Vein
To sing these changes what must be my strain.
These joy'd retreates no verse can truly sing,
Cromwells return doth nought but raptures bring.
Til now the earth groan'd through the weight of war,
Scarce was the care of cattell, use of share;
The fields were barren and did uselessly,
Through the neglect of ceasing Husbandry.
Wisdom was out of date, had no regard,
Minerva and the Muses small reward,
The pious Prophets little leasure had,
With warlike tumults being made afraid.
[Page 4] Such and the like displeasures alwayes are
Attendants on the rage of kindled war.
Cromwell but thou (thy Countryes hope and care,
Pious in Peace and politick in war;
The present age their glory reads in him,
And the amazement of succeeding time)
Hast shut up
Janus place with treble gates,
And strongly call'd back Peace from lower shades,
Whence to the Rulers both and people brought
Shewes better times to those that better sought.
Hence to us
English springeth up new bliss,
And just reward to learning promis'd is.
Parnassian Laurell will put forth new shoots,
The mourning Muses will retune their
Lutes,
To sing new verses: no less doth the State,
Arms being laid aside, grown moderate,
Revive and rise again even from her urne
At thy so wished, thy so joy'd returne,
[Page 5] Feeling her changed reines she doth implore,
That Tyrants never her may ravish more.
Religion saw thee come and hasted hither,
Mercy and Piety met thee together,
And here began to settle: Justice too
Came back from heaven, and here her self did shew;
And banisht from our
English Coasts those jarres
Which breeding factions had commenced warres.
As the Sun entring th'
Agenorian signe,
The happy Planet doth the earth refine,
And the celestiall vertue quickning th'earth
Begins new pledges for a tender birth:
So doth blest
England flourish joy'd while shee
Her Generall returning safe did see;
The dancers leap'd, the Musick sweetly playde,
The warlike
Trumpet too rejoycing made,
No hostile clangor to blood-swelling veines,
But sweetly Warbles forth some gentler straynes.
[Page 6] The zealous vulgar this just joy resent,
Meeting therein City and Parliament;
The Souldier more safe rejoyces now
With
Olive wreathes on his triumphall brow;
He even his well-come Generall adores,
And out of's heart to heaven thanksgiving powres.
Thrice happy
Brittans, whom the world so call,
Under the care of such a Generall!
As Children, Parents,
England values thee,
Or as a Bride her Husband, so doth shee:
Whil'st broke with
Scottish tumults, growing harms,
And shook with cruell
Mars his bloody arms,
Begins at last at least to hope to see
Her Treasure-blood-bought quiet under Thee.
But stay my Muse, rash
Clio, whither away?
Thou know'st not how thy sails plow up the Sea;
Hold in, and lesser use the winde and Sail,
At the first setting out Oars best prevail.
[Page 7] It is enough for triall once to soare
Up to the highest top of glories store;
But if high flying now I shipwrack shall,
I shall arise much prouder by my fall;
For why? 'twould comfort both, and credit be
In such a gulph of vertues even to dye.
The league of peace so long since made was broke,
By the unfaithfull
Scot, who did provoke
The harmless
English injurious harmes,
To punish treachery with Victorious armes.
The
Scottish truce thus broken, straight contempt,
A while was throwne on th'
English Parliament;
Deceits by little to increase begin,
At which report
Bellona entring in,
Taking the
Vizer off did soon produce
The horrid actions that were then in use.
As fire rak'd up in ashes doth revive,
And by a gentle blast new heat receive;
[Page 8] First burning softly, with the hafle playes,
And like uneven shrubs, anon doth blaze
More siercely, while still it burning moves,
And levels without number woods and groves;
Sparing nor knotty
Beach, high
Ash nor
Pine,
So much renowned for that head of thine;
Thus rageth
Scotland in her war, her ire,
While every house brings fewell to the fire:
While every hand and age more arms do bring,
Scotland of nought but warlike troopes did ring.
Such was the madness of the Priests, and such
The
Presbyterian power, and so much
Besides the peoples dotings were so great,
Of that which heaven withstands, 'tis vain to treat.
A swift, a sure revenge, plagues, death, what not
Will persecute the Covenant-breaking
Scot.
God will destroy them:
Cromwell doth appeare
With his unconquer'd troopes victorious there,
[Page 9] Removing hence, the war he there doth start,
More cunning then the foe in his own art.
Thus the unhappy
Scot is compast round
Within the limits of his proper ground,
And turn'd their sword on their own plotting pate,
By them for us intended with such hate:
Thus did
Perillus in those torments dye
Wherein the others had design'd to lye.
The Generall proceedes; the Common peace,
And common danger do his cares increase,
To waft his troopes to
Scottish ground in time;
Who meetes a sickness cures it in its prime.
He undertook this journey, that he might
His countreys honor and the people right:
Worthy revenger of unfaithfull acts,
Whose virtue famous by so many facts,
Oppressed with so many treacheries,
Ennobled with so many victories,
[Page 10] Tryed with so many suff'rings; yet no art
Could make him waver, fear, give ground or start;
Learning at last that ridicle to know,
A
Scottish battail is but wars mock-show.
So the fair Cypress having fixt his rootes,
Boasting her high-top-growing, heaven-sent shootes
Doth nothing fear winters tempestuous stormes,
Nor
Tyrant Aeolus his threatned harmes.
Then go to
Fame, paint out old
Times best story,
We can no less then Romane
Trophies glory;
Admire our
Cromwell, fading
Englands fort,
A sconse whereto the
Britaines may resort.
Not
Italy to
Fabius, nor
Greece
So much doth beare to her
Themistocles,
Nor
Carthage proud to her known
Haraill,
As we to our renowned Generall:
Nor
Trojan Hector, nor
Aeneas just,
Penelopes Vlysses neither must,
Upon the confines of each several coast.
Blest
Hero, whose uprightness all commands,
Whose joy in vertue more then triumph stands,
Thou scorn'st the peoples suffrage, or their praise,
Those airy cracks cannot thy
Trophies raise;
Thus doest thou valiant Leader overthrow
Thine enemies, thy selfe thus conquer too.
While you curb passions sea, and wandring sense,
You shew your self guarded with reasons fence,
As
Castor is reported to restrain,
Those tam'd yoke-bearers with
Amyclean rain,
Well dear! thou care of heaven! the sole renown
Of future ages,
Brittains fort and crown,
Thy Countrey ownes thee as her Dearest
Son,
Yet doth to thee as to a
Father run;
While shewing hearty Love, she
quits now free,
All
former Tyes at thy return for
Thee.
[Page 12] Expect her peace I her reformation must
Have
thee her refuge, her assured trust;
The fatall judgment seat doth ask the same,
The Courts of Justice even adore thy name,
And in the fatall danger that they stand,
Implore the help of thy victorious hand.
But too much hast is nought, stay, what do I
In this mean paper scrible things so high?
These are not things for our so humble quill,
Void or of worth, or confidence, or skill;
Nor
Ivy dare I put among the boughes
Of conquering
Cypress circling round your brow.
Why should I speak the rest? why should I blaze
The civill battailes of our troubled dayes?
To count the conquered foes, the nobles slain,
This is a labor, this a work of pain;
Whose many funeralls and herses stand,
So many
Trophies of thy conquering hand.
With large inscriptions for thy greater praise:
Naisby Triumphall Arches will compile,
Excelling far the
Pyramides of
Nile;
Though to the wandring stars th' advance their head,
And in Fames book are the worlds wonders read.
This was no period, here no end as yet
To his atcheivement, or his praise was set;
England alone can't circumscribe his fame,
The
world it selfe's too narrow for his name:
While o're the sea you waft your troopes, and goe
Implacably upon another foe,
Ogygian nets were laid; the
Irish shore
Trembled at thy approach, though proud before.
Thus conqueror in
England, you proceede
The
Rebell-Irish to chastise with speede;
O're whom victorious too, at last you come
To scourge the
Scot in his own hated home.
[Page 14] And broughtst their necks under a double chain,
Who were before impatient of the rain.
The glory is as great, the happiness,
Of conquering
that people, is no less
Then from that feared watching
Dragon fell,
By cunning stratagems the
fleece to steal;
Or the half Bull, half man
Chimaera tame,
Kept in the
Cretane Labyrinth of fame.
Thus you proceede still happily, and do
As often
fight, so often
triumph too.
While for your
Countreys liberty and right,
While for
Religions sake you truly fight;
Even God will help you, and the stars will stand,
Assistant to your troops in rear and van.
The heaven stayes for thee, moving not a jot,
An ample Weight of glory hast
thou got.
To have the
Thund'rer lead
thee as it were,
And to have servants full of pious care,
[Page 15]
Vulcan himself put on thy arms, and those
Sicilian
Cyclops magazines compose,
Bron
[...]es thy feared
Crest and helmet made,
And
Steropes temper'd the active
blade
Of thy
all-threatning sword, Pyracmon yields
His best endeavors to thy massy
shields;
Thy
Huntingdon doth still this favour crave,
Thee with her native brooks and springs to lave.
Tethys her self brought up thy
horse, neer whom
Arion, Theron can't for courage come,
Nor
Cyllarus, nor
Aethon can compare,
Made tame by
Pollux hand the yoke to beare.
On Souldiers backs how well do corslets sit!
How well do martiall hearts and brest-plates sit!
When once the
Scottish Armies saw the fire
Diffuse it self, each minute growing higher,
When once they saw our so-increasing light,
And crests whose tops like diamonds shined bright,
[Page 16] There might'st thou in amazement see menstand,
Of fearfull coward hearts, and trembling hand,
And trees were from their stations like to fall,
Such was the presence of our Generall.
As on the
Lybian coasts, when weaker beasts
See a fierce Lion range those long-left wasts,
If they distrust their heels and fear to f
[...]y,
Straight at his feet they lay them down to dy.
So barbarous
Scotland did
thy entrance dread:
Magnanimous
Cromwell, fear neer made her dead;
The
shadow of so great a
name as
Thine,
Made
Caledonia tremble when but seene,
So did our standards fright those
Scottish slaves,
They shun'd our troopes and sought them safer caves.
Lik
Crowes that hover o're those fields, where
Mars
Hath glutted's fury in the heat of wars,
Sitting securely safe, while all is still;
Preying now here, now there with greedy bill;
[Page 17] But if a hasty hunts-man, or by chance
On that sad place a traveller do glance,
Affrighted straight their pitch-like-wings they take,
And with out-stretched necks the same forsake.
Tell me ye
Scots: how oft were you defeate
By war-like
Cromwell? Towns how strong and great,
With Forts and Castles hath he overthrowne?
In
one years compass, how
much hath
he done?
Go to, and call to minde that former fight,
When
famous Cromwell with his very sight
Uanquish't your coward Armies, and did venter
The quitted garrison of
Dunbur to enter.
Speak (if old griefs 'tis lawfull to renew)
You that the co
[...]fines of (once)
Glads-more knew,
Relate those slaughters; when stout
Lambert fought,
The great
Montgomery, and to nothing brought
Both his and
Naeirnyes troopes; I say relate
When his small force on
Hamilton did waite,
[Page 18] And in a hasty, yet well order'd fight,
Great-bragging
Kerr and's fellows put to flight.
Lambert, what more should I of
thee set down?
That art thy Countreys both and
Yorkes renown
Who draw'st the
English with the cords of Love,
But mak'st the
Scots thy swords sharp edges prove,
While careless of thy blood, thou dost encrease
And to the
English would'st establish Peace.
Who can recount the foes slain by thy hand?
What arms have been reduc'd by thy command?
For
Maro's quill these things are onely fit,
They onely suite with
Homers sharper wit.
Great
Fleetwood! of our present age the glory,
Of future times the trust and faithfull story,
It is not fit, nor can our humble string
The worthy prayses of thy actions sing.
For why? such plenty cloyes, and I grow dry
Like
Tantalus in midst of waters high.
[Page 19] Nor can I speak enough of what was done
By thy fam'd vertues gallant
Harrison;
That by thy growing merits doest augment,
Thy
Countreys honor: neither art thou spent
With stollen titles studying how to rise,
But lying vainer honors dost despise,
Knowing that granted truth, that thou shalt get
More noble glory, to be
good then
great.
Whaley, who truly can thy praise set forth?
Most noble
Deane, what can describe thy worth,
Potent at sea and land, whose ready skill
Is fortunately met with active will?
Or who, brave
Okey, can thy deeds rehearse
As they deserve in a sublimer verse?
Nor can I famous
Lytcot pass thee by,
Or let
M
[...]nkes actions in oblivionly,
Vnder the
first of
whom my self begun
In
Martiall pathes a ready course to run.
Next when our troopes the
Irish did invade.
No more, it is enough, I must not pass
Th' appointed limits of my hour-glass.
To you, brave Souldiers, I this little sing,
Summing great acts in compass of a ring;
The time perchance may come, (if once my Muse
Can take the boldness confidence to use)
That I may write such fields, such deedes, such wars,
More largely, by the help of favouring stars,
And to discover in a graver strain,
The many Triumphs of your
Irish gain.
With such like Omens war-like
Lambert still
Proceedes, and
Scotland doth with terror sill,
Which straight began with an inveterate hate
Some new seditions to meditate.
The villages lost peace; when Country Clownes,
And brawny neat-herds sled to fenced townes.
[Page 21] What rage and terror then was in the brest
Of
Musleborow, spoyled of her rest,
To hear her neighbouring
Croziers crack, and see
O're all her bordering fields slain bodies lie?
Say, when our
Leader did possess those hills
Of
Penc-land, and their tops with
foot-men fills.
How was th'adjoyning Countrey moved, and how
Did murmurs through the villages creep now?
The sword and bullet knocking at the gate,
Red-house was open'd to the souldiers straight,
And
Collington seeing our lucky hap,
Yieldest thy self into the conquerors lap.
Relate that happy
Omen of our war,
The famed wondrous battel of
Dumbar,
Fit to be kept for ever holy, when
Cromwell, more strong in's vertue then in's men,
O'rethrew the head-strong impious rout of those,
Call'd the
Kirk-party but the
Churches foes.
[Page 22] What liberty was then, how cruel rage
Was acted by the sword on every age!
The bullets flew, o're all the field were spread
Disheartned men that dying were, or dead;
Nor from the darkened skie doth ever fall
So much, so great, so terrible a hail,
Even when the Sun his shining lustre shrouds
Under the threatning veiles of sable clouds;
Or when thick mists the darkned air bedew,
Foreshewing rainy weather to ensue.
The ground infectious grew, with such a blast
Was layd as open all the woody wast;
The beeches fall, the husbandman doth finde
His broken corn lodg'd by this furious winde,
And nipt his blooming hopes even in their bud,
Which in his thoughts before as ripned stood;
Thus did
Bellona proud of slaughter rage,
Boasting her self in funeralls and strage
[Page 23] Fell
Mars his work, while with the blood that's shed
The very hands of every man grew red.
Alas! what store of
Scottish Commons fell,
What Priests, what clerks, what leaders? how did swel,
That great account by the vast multitude,
Of the unknown and name-less vulgar rude?
Tell me ye Muses, what loss did redound,
What damage to those
Scottish vagabonds.
Flying dispersed o're the scattering plain,
Unto the neighbor garrison, though vain.
Alas! the pastures did abound with woe,
Proceeding from that tragick overthrow;
The bodyes of slain men lay scatt'red here,
Wounded and maimed in their members there,
Strayning their purple blood upon the grass,
Even moving pity in such foes as pass.
As in a ship bracked by stor my blasts,
Whose broken ribs, here, there, the Ocean casts
[Page 24] Now under water, now above again.
What discord grows there in the swelling main!
The decks can't keep the saylers, now the mast,
Anon the Sail-yard 's in the waters cast.
Here the sailes float far off, and there behold,
Both Pilots seat, and rowers loose their hold.
Such madness in that
Scottish rout did raign,
So fell their Souldiers, so their youth was slain.
The horse forsake the foot; th'unhappy foot
Turning the scale straight leave the hors-men to't.
But see! their coward leaders arms thrown by
Leave both forsaken, and most basely fly;
By providence thus
Cromwell, still you bear
A Lawrell in your hand as conquerer;
Thus with the sword the
falling Scot you reach,
And the rewards of peace from war you fetch;
Extracting honey from that
fatall juice,
Which all men else as poysonous refuse:
[Page 25] Let all posterity think how
memorable
That fight to th'
English was and
profitable!
Which we who find the profit must confess,
Then the great'st acts of former times no less.
For if we weigh the
English few weak hands,
And note the foes so
great, so
many bands;
Marius himself gave not so great a blow,
Vnto the
Cimbriams in their overthrow:
Nor was that famed
Persian defeat,
At
Marathon so cruell or so great,
When stout
Miltiades the fight made good,
Even till the field was buried in blood.
Thus happy
Cromwell, daring greatest things,
Ads wounds to wounds, slaughters to slaughters brings;
Leaving the road, his
sword new wayes did hew
Through that base people, till a
conquest grew.
Let fame forget each ancient Roman wighte,
And not
Fabritius or
Serranus cite:
That by delays his slaved Countrey freed;
Speak not of
Pompey, nor the deeds enhance
Of
Caesar, that to heaven their fame advance.
Neither let
Greece in all her height of pride,
Brag of her
Heroes that were
Deify'd,
Nor her
Vlysses of so sharp a wit,
Nor
Jason that the
golden fleece did get.
For why? the
Vertues of our
Generall
Equall the
Trophies of these worthies
all.
What said I equall? heaven will witness bear,
Our
Mars his fame exceeds their want as far
As the tall
Cypress, that so high doth grow,
O're-tops the
Ivy that but creepes below.
For if we may speak truth, but
one great deed,
The ancient
Heroes famous oft decreed;
One
Hector made
Achilles fam'd, and one
Darius rais'd the name of
Macedon.
[Page 27] But one
Heraclian vict'ry did create
Pyrrhus not onely great but fortunate.
To
Hanniball one
Cannae gave a name,
Scipio from
him did raise a latter fame.
One
Mithridates heighten'd
Pompeys praise,
Whose fall did
Julius Caesars Trophies raise;
So the
Lernaean Lake one
Hydra bred,
In the
Arcadian woods
one wild boar fed,
On the
Nemean rock
one Lyon was,
One Geryon for Three bodies did surpass,
But
one Antaeus of
Gigantick frame,
Whom thou
Alcides with thy club didst tame.
But
Cromwell's greater yet, whose frequent blowes
Thousand
Gigantike monsters overthrowes,
Taming proud Nobles with a fatall stroke,
Bringing their necks under a servile yoke;
Revenger of
Scotch Tyranny, who will,
On the poor people better laws distill.
[Page 28] At last, report had carried neer and far,
The news of this, the slaughter of
Dumbar,
And the Kirk-party overthrown relates.
Thus forced by their neighbors evill fates,
And the quick fall of many castles strong,
To
Istrome, Crawford, Godward that belong,
To reckon which would to a volum mount,
And 'tis unfit at present to recount:
They yield themselves, and to our mercy leave
Their empty walls, our Souldiers to receive.
As a free
Lyon ranging in the plain,
Doth mock the barking of the dogs as vain,
And conscious of his strength, fears nought, but fiyes
Enraged on the Hunts-mens treacheries,
Chasing the dogs, and Hunts-men here and there,
Making a
Vacuum where he doth appear.
Whole herdes of beasts through terror stand as dumb,
And at his pleasure
Vassals do become,
[Page 29] Being too few to tyre the preying
paw
Of wolves and beares or glut their greedy maw;
Choosing their death, they'de be
one Lyons food,
Rather then thousand dogs should suck their blood.
Tell me ye
Muses (that do oft relate
The greater actions of a rising state.)
Tell me I say, what horrors did arise,
In
Edinburghs sad dwellers hearts and eyes,
When first our
Generall did invest about
That City with his spreading armies stout?
Say, in thy streets how did the tumults roare,
When,
Edinburgh, thy Natives greater store
Fled, and of comfort did themselves bereave,
And of their own accord their dwellings leave;
When both the
Souldiers and
Commanders runs
Shelt'ring themselves in
High-land Garrisons?
Like birds by coming winter forc'd away
To warmer climats for a surer stay.
[Page 30] Such was that Cities terror, and so great.
But the more generous sons of
Mars retreate
Into the
Castle, that for building rare
And strength, with our best
English may compare;
Then which in all the
Caledonian land
(Sterling except) a rarer doth not stand.
For this those other Castles doth out-vye,
As a grand
monastery built on High,
Those other
creeping houses doth out-go,
Which round about it placed are below.
Or as the
Moon those lesser light excells
That in the sky are hidden as in cells.
Now
Cromwells fame and labors did designe
The Castle and defenders t'undermine.
Upon the towers they their standards place,
Part guard the walls, part are in other case
Loading with stones the upper battlement.
Nor did their rage stay here, but further went
[Page 31] Within, without their fury they display;
Here some the corn, there others cut down hay,
Cramming their bags to bursting, corne and all
That they can reach hoarding within their wall,
And what through fear they can't import they burne,
Themselves chief foes unto their fruits and corne.
Alas poor wretched
Citizens, whose fate
Is to become sadly unfortunate?
Whither, O whither do you think to fly
From a Provoked angry Deity?
Though you inclose your selves in rocks, and heap
Up strengths together liberty to keep;
Yet neither walls nor forts can force delay
On swift revenge, when in her hastened way
The strongest gates cannot resist her force;
No brazen walls with-holds her in her course:
Nor can your Castle, (which such Columnes beare
Though to the clouds it's lofty head it reare,)
[Page 32] Can from the scourge of
Cromwells wrath secure
Your guilt, or to you liberty insure.
But now under the walls our
Generall came
And of his coming overwent the fame,
(That they might never into question call,
The carefull mercy of our Generall)
When drawing neer, he first a summons sent,
That if they would be speedily content
To yield the Castle so besieged, he
Would give them quarter and fair liberty.
Such pious godly care we only finde
Kept in the casket of a
noble minde;
But they elated with vain-glorious pride,
With boasting brags our clemency deride.
(Free from our Souldiers, in their Castle safe)
With jeering tannts they at our proffers laugh;
Straight they'r alarum'd, and the trumpers sound
To arms, each
Scot takes his appointed ground.
[Page 33] And now with wrath the blood begins to boil,
The cruell sword, and fire begin the spoil,
The heaven even thunders with the noise of war,
The flying bullets dark the troubled air.
Nor do the Northerne windes more loudly rage,
When
Aeolus op'ning their close kept cage,
Lets there rush out, and calleth back again
Orion with the windes that showre down rain.
On th' other side did
Cromwells army stand
Triumphing in their victory, not gain'd;
A squadron of
old footmen pitched here,
Who for a famous death had quit all fear;
And with undaunted courage dare to run,
And meet the bullet from the thundring gun,
Dreadless receiving the swords direfull stroke,
Even
destiny it self they dare
provoke.
The famous Generall bold on these straight calls
For warlike
Engines to approach the walls.
[Page 34] Wherwith the strongest He can soon make weak,
And through the inmost rooms of Castles break.
Nor in the
Cannon was his only hope,
Worse
Instruments of death are now laid ope;
A Mortar-peece was brought, whose very sight
Sufficient was th'
immured for to fright
(About the mouth it did appeare more wide
In a great Circle raising up the side)
When it goes off, you sulphurous flames may note
Fram'd by the
Cyclops, belching from his throat;
You would beleeve the heaven were
darknes grown,
And that the
Basis of the Earth made moan:
It did but make a noise, and straight there was
A Breach, wherby whole Troops of men might passe.
Hence by this thunder, with these frequent blows
Weary'd at length, the
Castle fearfull grows,
And that wals best upholders, those same Bars
VVhich never danger knew in former wars,
[Page 35] Did now begin to shake, and doubt their strength,
Fearing their utter ruine at the length.
The besieg'd Citizens now in despaire
Their courage lose, and 'tis their only care
That they together hand in hand may dye
In this so publike a calamity.
All things their ruine feare, and to be brought
Or to their ancient
Chaos, or to nought:
Now they beleeve the Stars inflam'd may fall,
And that their eyes see the worlds Funerall.
Not much unlike a well-grown Hart (that doth
In his faire hornes equall the Beeches growth,
And in his flight the wind) insnar'd at last
Stands at a bay, th' Hunters about him cast
Into a Ring, seeing himselfe beset
By barking Hounds, intangled in a net,
Perceives their closing shoutings set a date
Unto his Life, and hasten on his Fate.
[Page 36] Sad Fate of
Scotland! doubly full of woes;
Within by terrors, and without by foes.
And in these fractions doubtfull what they will,
Whether to
yeeld their
strength or
keep it still,
Th' issue proceeds from wavering desire.
On this side whisp'ring hope doth good inspire;
Standing on that side hurtfull feare they find
With various fancies to disturbe their mind:
But taught by greater evils of the wars,
And by the insluence of malignant Stars,
While they do weigh the strength of adverse Arms,
And see their Neighbors daily growing harms;
Feare overcame at last, and so decreed,
That to
surrender there was
fat all need.
Say; then what
glory did our Troops receive,
When such a Foe did such a Castle leave;
And
Cromwell, having gotten both the Place
And
Magazines, did presently possesse
[Page 37] The same with chosen souldiers of his own,
Making that Princely
Fort his
Garrison.
Thus
Edenborough taken, all the rest
That were of smaller strength, themselves addrest
To
Him in hope of mercy, learning wit,
To
Cromwels sword with patience to submit.
At
Paulus deaththe case with
Rome thus stood,
When
Cannae was o'reflown with
Roman blood,
Th'
Apulians, Brutians, Samnites, fell away,
With the unfaithfull, though rich
Capna,
Opening her Gates to conquering
Hannibal,
Fearing his Force might be too Tragicall.
What should I speak of
Kelbright, Kinmore, Hume?
Or why of
Black-nesse should I talk assume?
Kilkowbrey's gone, nor could
Tantallon scape
Free from our swords most just though furious Rape:
Though spurred on by malice, madnesse, hast,
With horrid flames he laid whole Townships wast.
[Page 38] 'Tis not my work to write each action,
Or name each Fort or Town, great
Cromwell won,
That tedious Labor would be much more fit,
For an Historians accurater wit,
Who in large folio Chronicles indite,
Whose length great acts doth rather hide then write;
Leith, Lithgoe, Rosband, I pass by and more,
To sing atcheivements, never done before.
Tell me ye
Muse; how it came to pass,
That in our
Troopes such confidence there was;
And how beyond all common humane sense,
In all designes we had such confidence:
When our brave
Leader did each day renew,
His horse the
flying enemy to
pursue,
In little boats he sent a thousand foot,
Over the
Frith, to put the foe to rout.
Who did so well, that the astonisht
flood
Was purple colour'd with the enemies blood.
[Page 39] Great was that work; whose like was never found
Within the limits of all
Scotlands ground.
Horatius Cocles, thy report be dumbe,
And wonder at the
dotage of
old Rome.
Thus is the sea cover'd with ships and boats,
Caesar himselfe did not more safely float
Upon the
Rhene, or tame the prouder course
Of
Rhodanus proud waves by witty force;
Nor did
Augustus teach
Araxis so,
By joyning banks, th' yoke to undergo.
Nor did great
Xerxes merit such a name,
When he the rouling waves did seek to tame
By casting fetters on them, and did threat
Irons to
Neptunes selfe at his retreat.
Happy that voyage was, happy in both
Its
end and
entrance; the
Pellaean youth
Did not more fame by his atchievement win,
Nor with more happy Omens did begin,
Convey'd o're
Ganges as a Common pass,
And all the dangerous hardships did o're-come
Of the
Gigantike Po
[...]us far from home.
Tell me, what rage or fury thence did flow,
What wrath in
Iohns-town dwellers hearts did grow,
When
our brave troops possest the adverse shore,
And made
Fife tremble with their coming o're,
While yet we are hardly entred, and our scouts
The neighbor coasts were ranging round about.
What a new
tempest bringing death did rage,
Dewing the moystned fields with blood and strage?
War made men mad, the fields were cover'd too
With growing tumults and with ensignes new.
Their army rag'd, as if all
Scotland had
To ruine
Cromwell a
conjunction made:
But he resolv'd for
all, doth undergo
Meekly, the worst
Fortune can put him to,
[Page 41] For the high glory of the
English name,
And to protect
Religion from shame.
Protected thus and guarded from above,
To adverse coasts he doth more boldly move.
He doth the sword and bullet fearless pass,
Standing against them as a wall of brass.
Like to a rock that lifts his towring head
Above the Sea by tempests furrowed;
When th' angry windes lift up her waves so high,
That you would think they'd reach the very sky:
Yet stands it firmly 'gainst the furious puffes
Of winds, and th' Oceans furious Counter-buffes,
Rising triumpher from his watry bed,
Breaking the billowes with his conquering head.
Speak (for ye know) how many
captaines great,
Were taken with their troopes in that defeat?
How did death triumph in the fields of
Fife,
That cover'd were with bodyes voide of life?
[Page 42] It was a
fell-black-day, alas! how there
In various manners did grim death appear!
When
Lesley fled well-hors'd, through cross by-waies▪
And among others whom our troops did seize
As Captives, was unhappy
Brown, who gave
Himselfe to
Lamberts armes, his life to save.
Speak ye, whose soules are slow and dull as lead;
Is ancient virtue or retir'd or dead?
If that Book speak the truth; if we believe
What's written there, or it as true receive,
Ye have been valiant, when your Armies stood,
And
Rhenes and
Isters streams dy'd red with blood,
And when Count
Tilly did affrighted stand,
To see the wonders acted by your hand.
All
Germany look'd on you as the Fort
Whereto the
Dutch-men chiefly did resort.
Such was your honour then; alas! but now
Where is that former vertue? do you know
[Page 43] Only to shew the
Valour of your state
Abroad, and be at
home degenerate?
Your spirits, like your soyle, are poore and dry,
At
home your hearts are in a
Lethargy,;
Your
Army else would not let us surprize
Calenders fenced house before their eyes:
In so great danger they like Cowards stand,
Fearefull to lend their Mates a helping hand.
Thus
Cromwell art thou Conquerour, thus do
Armies surrender up themselves to
You.
Thy conquering sword thousands of foes doth rule,
Whose habitation is the furthest
Thule:
The valiant
Scots and
Picts, that did let fly
Their
Ensignes through the lower
Germany,
And those of other Lands that Conquerors be,
Magnanimous
Cromwell, are subdu'd by
Thee.
Thou dost destroy the
Caledonian Boare,
(Sooner than
Meleager could before;)
[Page 44] Thou brok'st the bonds of tyrants now grown strong,
And kill'dst the
Hydra while it yet was young;
Half-buri'd
England, while
you were her Head,
Rais'd up her self again as from the Dead;
By
thee regayning strength she rises free,
Wasted before by
Scottish treachery.
What should I speak of more, what words or wit
Can such high darings with expressions fit?
Or how can my so mean endeavors raise,
Trophies to equall your deserved praise?
Be it enough (since all my pains fall short)
To be amazed at the fam'd report
Of your great actions, and since all I write
In these mean papers doth appeare too light;
Seeming to do no more, when all is done
Then hold a candle to the shining Sun
Or adde a drop unto the Ocean.
[Page 45] After our
Leader had triumphing got,
Into the
Fisian region of the
Scot,
When both Saint
Johnstons, and
Burnt-I stand came,
And
Torwood subjects to thy honoured name:
And other towns did of their own accord,
Yield up themselves, and to our troops afford
Shelter; the half-dead
Scots seeing affairs
Thus to go backward, falling in despair,
Suffering such woes in their polluted home,
Resolve from that
accursed place to come,
In so great danger only hoping health,
(Though much deceiv'd from th'
English Common-wealth:
Such was the confidence, and such the hopes
Springing among the
Caledonian troopes.
But that their
hope was vain, the
cure was worse
Then the disease and prov'd a greater curse:
Wretches ye headlong run, (changing the star)
Into the hazards of a sharper war.
[Page 46] So a poore Sayler tost from shore to shore,
When in a storm the winds and waters roare,
To whom no glimmering star yields any light,
No
Cynosura to direct him right
In that his unknown way, being struck with feare,
Not knowing to what place his course to steere,
Stands void of sense, and while he seeks to fly
The ro
[...]ks, and barking
Scylla to pass by,
And takes a care
Synphlegades to shun,
Sad Fate doth make him on
Charybdis run.
"What reason, pray, had we to trust you so,
"That you to
England a new guest would go;
"To take those dainties from us, which you knew
"Not being cal'd were ne'r prepar'd for you?
"Think'st
thou the
English look'd for thee once more
"That
Presbyterian fancies did adore,
"And on their slaved necks bore
Calvins yoke?
"Tell me ye mad men, what did thus provoke
[Page 47] "Your minds to this beliefe that you should have
"From the discording English, what you crave?
"Vaine hope!
Caerdigan cannot helpe you now,
"Nor are the
Norfolke Rebels helpfull, who
"Proud in their hopes of greater numbers grown,
"By
Rich's smaller force were overthrown.
"Most honour'd
Rich, that dost advance thy fame,
"And by thy vertues raise thy budding name;
"Who after he had
Norfolke quiet made,
"And those seditions by his Sword allay'de,
"He fals upon the
Scots, who once againe
"Invade us, but he made their journey vaine:
"That they might learne by such mischances sad,
"Nought to the
good is hard, safe to the bad.
"Keep back therefore, the Fates have all decreed,
"Ye must not,
Brethren, pass the River
Tweed.
"The way that leads to
England is beset
"With thorns, and dismall shades of mountains great.
[Page 48] "Unlucky Birds did your first March attend,
"And will wait on you to the very end.)
"Poore greedy rout! you the sole wretches are
"That closely nursed our first Civill warre;
"Then wicked thou thy just reward wilt have,
"And of a double tongue the losse receive,
"When those Troops slain by
us thou shalt bemoane,
"And in thy losse and nearer ruine groane.
"Oh! Nation base and treacherous! what lyes
"Have you maintain'd as greatest verities
"Under a specious Vizor? Oh what Sects
"And swarmes of Errors did your zeale protect?
"Who can relate, how wisely you did sow
"Such seeds of discord as you knew would grow?
"When thus
your policy had gain'd the day,
"How on th' intangled
English did you prey?
"With thousands witcherafts you did them inchant
"Forcing at last a guilefull
Covenant.
[Page 49] "Could love of gold, and like insatiate tricks
"
"Saint you, and with us in our Border fix?
"Was this your zeale, your
Covenant, to rise
"More rich and full by
Englands miseries?
"Was this your care to
Canaan, that so
"Your
Thistle might in our sweet Gardens grow?
"And that your Tares might at the least oppose,
"If not quite choke the growing of our
Rose?
"This was the
Scots fully resolved scope,
"They thought them sure of this their wretched hope.
"But Heaven forbad the banes, and with the eyes
"Of pity, looking on our miseryes,
"Turning the scale quite blasted all their hopes,
"And in their Borders set our valiant Troops.
"Could the blind zeale of Priests such ills perswade
"To quiet peace, through Seas of blood to wade:
"Or that the sword was a fit instrument,
"Religion to establish with content?
[Page 50] "O damned impious crew! doth your
Kirke teach
"Her
Clerkes the very
Gospell thus to preach?
"What godliness is that, with bloud and spoile,
"And rage of War the Churches to defile?
"Away, and to
your Countrey when you come,
"This Doctrine may be fit to teach at home:
"Let your mad Priests belch out these Tenets there,
"Your
Scottish Kirks such things as these may beare;
"If in these lines you happily may meet
"Some barbarous names, (your pardons I entreat)
"For I was forc'd to use them, since but few
"Would well agree with such a
cock-braine crew.
"But whither doth this straying errorlead?
"If I go further, convoyes I shall need.
"Well! all this while I speake but to the winde,
"And cast a
Pearle before a durty swine.
And now all things go back, for cruell Fate
Sent o're the
Scots our coasts to depraedate;
[Page 51] And since at
home they suffered so much ill,
At last
abroad their Fortunes try they will;
Not much unlike a cruell Wolfe, whom bloud
Of a young tender Lambe makes far more wood;
Leaving his empty Den, he doth infest
Sheep-cotes with grinning mouth, and hatefull brest,
Where he a bloudy rendezvous doth keep,
On the securer Neighbours harmless sheep.
So
Scotland thou, forgetting ancient fame,
And having soyled thy once-better name,
Unmindfull of thy
Covenant, dost come
To spoile the guiltless English in their home;
Daring to hope, and in that hope you dare
Some Trophies from our English wreath to teare.
Oh foolish men, and too too credulous,
By hopes delusive to be guided thus!
Your sense is drown'd in such a Lethargie,
Wherein the
Hamiltonian troopes did lie,
Did with a handfull see his army slain!
That against heaven with harden'd hearts did bowl,
Nor would b' admonish'd by proud Pharaohs fall!
For nor the cruell slaughter of that fight.
Nor loss of such a battell could you fright.
For Hydra-like one head cut off, you have
Not one but two ith' place, more seeming brave,
With tongues extended mingling hisses great,
Wherewith you ruine to opposers threat.
Like to a bull ta'ne from his wonted bait,
At last regathering strength doth fiercely waite,
And whisking's fatted buttocks doth invite,
Now with his foot, then with his horns, to fight,
And then again unto the skirmish cogs,
By his loud Louring the stout
Mastive-Dogs.
So you poor
Scots, like hunted beasts secure
Account your selves, till you your selves immure
[Page 53] In
Worcester, there a gin and net
To catch your selves at unawares you set,
You build the Funerall Pile, whereon you'l lye,
And doe as 'twere appoint your day to dye.
Whom providence enraged doth designe
To ruine for their sin, it gives the line,
Untill at last blind by security
They are the authors of their misery.
And now the
Scottish Armies weary'd are
With the crosse chance of unsuccessefull war,
And with the toile of tedious Marches prest,
Till
Worcester did become their place of rest:
Nor was there any place whereto they might
Betake themselves more safely in that plight;
The tumult grew so great on every side,
That very clowns arm'd to the war did ride.
And gallant
Cromwell daring greatest things
(Whose very name an equall terror brings
[Page 54] To
Scottish hearts, and feare as dreadfull works,
As
Castriots did among the scourged Turks)
Him all the
Scottish Nation feare, and sly
When with his Army he approacheth nigh.
Like Chickens, who no sooner see a Kite
Stoop with his wing, but in a deadly fright
To the first place of safety they make hast,
And soon get in, each fearing to be last.
Or as the Lybian Ostrich; if she spy
Over the sands by chance men passing by,
With her rich plumes straight hides both head & ey,
And by that means conceits her self unknown,
And now she sees not, thinks she's seen by none:
So too kind
Worcesler did the
Scots receive,
And like a mother all their wants relieve:
But oh sad off-spring, thou most viperous brood,
Whom nought contents but
such a
Mothers blood!
[Page 55] For whose defence that City underwent
So many slaughters, hath such detriment;
That if it would, it cannot but retaine
Fresh in its mind the sadnes of their gain.
Alas! unhappy, whither dost thou flee?
That
City will not
Refuge stand for
Thee,
Though with the Country you at first prevaile,
And make your first met enemies to quaile;
Yet
Cromwels deadly scourge thou canst not shun,
Such provocations are not
Scot-free done.
Not much unlike a Ship that Pirates bears,
Preying on all, replete with stollen wares
Of daily spoiled Barks, but if at last
'Tis on a ship of war adversely cast,
Alas, how soon it suffers! and must beare
That losse, for others which it did prepare!
Her Sayles are torne, her Oares are broke, and now
Tost by the winds, she doth the Ocean plow,
[Page 56] Till now no longer able up to keep,
As she deserv'd, shee's drenched in the
Deep.
And now 'twas fully by the heavens decreed,
To give the
Scots an overthrow
indeed;
The
Fates did presse it, and the
Furies were
With all their mischiefs summon'd to be there.
The Sun foreseeing that so great defeat,
Under a cloud did make a sad retreat,
And to
Olympus tremblingly he trips,
Making an unaccustomed Eclipse;
The standing Stars distilling waters powre,
The
Scottish woes ensuing to deplore.
Nor were they long delay'd, All-conquering Fate
Within short time those things did perpetrate.
For the
three fat all Sisters never know
Their furious wrath intended to foreslow.
Then ye triumph'd, when
Cromwells valiant
Train,
With brave atchievements
Vpton-bridge did gain,
[Page 57] What trumpets sounded the alarum then?
How did the hoarser drums call out the men,
Hastning those troopes that first were in a fright,
With promis'd hope of glory to the fight!
The slaughter with the horse-men doth begin,
Unto whose help th' enraged foot run in.
Arm, arm, they cry. And thus both parties meet,
And with their swords in hand each other greet,
And that no terrors wanting might appear,
The Gun re-ecchoing thunder doubles there
And by their sending shew what they prepare.
The heaven was clouded with a dismall mist,
Which of thick smoke and bullets did consist;
The ratling noise of arms did make the ground
Tremble for fear, and yield a dolefull sound.
Opening her very inmost bowels wide,
Seen through the open gapings on each side.
[Page 58] Sure no such noise in heaven and earth doth rise,
When
Jove commands out of his Treasuries
Whole showers of raine and haile, and brings againe
Those Stars to sight, he did before restraine.
Nor doe inclosed
Aetna's flames, though blow'd
By a strong blast of wind, roare halfe so loud;
The ayre grows dark with smoaking fires, each stone
Scorcht by the fiery heat sends forth a groane.
How grew your rage so fierce! O how increast
Such cruell anger in your heated breast!
The Armyes edg'ling fight, they mingled stand,
Swords meeting swords, and hand encountring hand.
Like to the
Centaures, when with dreadfull cryes
Against each other they with fury rise:
Hylaeus puls up rocks, and
Hippason
With torne up Trees doth lusty stroaks lay on;
Abas with monstrous strength doth Castles throw:
And
Polyphemus comming from below
[Page 95] Out of his den, with some excessive weight
Exceeding all the rest the ayre doth beat;
Raging
Antaeus, Lapithus more fierce
Does through the sides of his mad brethren pierce;
Nylaeus rises, and whole woods doe shake
Bistonian Rocks with terror strook doe quake;
Othrys and
Ossa tremble, and the rest
Feare by their doings to be quite supprest.
The victory was doubtfull, for the fight
Was full of various changes: now to flight
This side betook them, and anon they fly
On t' other side: they must or run or dye.
Now with full hopes on
Cromwels Troops she smiles,
And straight unto the
Enemy recoyles;
Thus
Fortune kept the triumph doubtfull long,
None could decide who was more stout, more strong.
As when the Northwind with the Ocean strives,
And the then calmer waves to tempests drives,
[Page 60] The tottring ships do first on one side lean,
Then with the wind to t'other turn again:
So many turns did in this fight appear,
Such many changes; and the chance of
War,
Though it stood doubtfull yet it did proclaim,
Bayes for the
Victor, to the conquer'd shame.
One wing of
Cromwells seem'd at first to yield,
And falling in it self, to leave the field:
But when the Royall Fort our
Generall gayn'd,
And kill'd the valiant
Scots that it maintain'd,
Immediatly they on the enemies are
Quicker then lightning or a falling-star,
Being the first within the Cities wall.
And now th'example of the
Generall,
And
his so war-like presence did increase
New strength in those where it began to cease.
The
English Souldiers minds are now on fire,
And blown with angers bellowes still grow higher:
[Page 61] So force encreaseth from received wrong,
And Vengeance by delay grows twice as strong.
Nor was't enough for
ours, in every street
The proudest of their enemies to meet,
And kill, but they search every Lane,
And every house hath in it some one slaine.
Where search they not? the sword no Church doth pass,
But rages in the very market place.
Now a new storme arises, (such as
Aeolus
HeWho keeps the blustring winds did never see,)
Which did the troubled Citizens assaile,
And in the Cities very heart prevaile.
What fury there? when strife, the sword and rage
Even in the Market acted hourely strage,
When heapes of dead, and those that stoutly stood
Fil'd every house with danger and with blood;
When both the childrens and the mothers cries
Did with their terrour pierce the very skies?
[Page 62] Vertue and Honour in that fight appeare
Clos'd in the brest of every
High-lander.
Whom no attempts could breake, no valour tame,
But with their swords, (til kil'd) they rais'd their fame.
The more they were opprest, the more they raise
Their greater minds
(to their eternall praise)
In death, not slight, they did their vertue shew;
And from the slaughter rising up anew,
Like Wolves, they run upon the sword and speare,
Nor Bullets they, nor armed Legions feare.
You'd thinke them either desperate or mad,
When cover'd with their shields, themselves they add
Unto that place where
Mars doth reigne as chiefe,
Scorning the title of a given life;
Slaughter to slaughter adding, still they go
First wounding, next they kill the wounded foe.
Like to a cruell
Dragon, full of scales,
And therin dreadfull, 'gainst whom nought prevailes,
[Page 63] Whose brawny
back feares no ensuing harmes,
Nor can be pierced by the strongest Armes.
But if his
Belly or more
secret parts
Be once but touched by the meanest Darts,
How soone he fals, how soon his breath is fled!
See I how he cu
[...]les his body (not yet dead)
In various circling formes! and at his death
With stretcht out tongue, yield up his poysonous breath!
So the unhappy
High-lander doth try
All meanes for life, not knowing how to dye;
At last the Sword and Bullet makes a lane
Among their ranks, and so
those Foot are slaine.
Not much unlike a Husbandman, who goes
Through all his sields, and with his Sickle mows
The riper Corne, and the fit Grass for hay,
Where e're he comes making an open way,
And laies those Plants which did so glorious stand,
Like to dead stubble, on the mowed land:
[Page 64] So do those towring lightnings sadly cleere
The place from Troopes, and make a
Vacuum there:
But they undaunted bear the greatest ill
Standing, their members fallen, and distill
Their utmost strength untill they fall, and shew
Their armes cut from the sinews where they grew.
Like to a happy Oake, whose Trunke so great
Is both to birds and beasts a safe retreat,
Which hath endur'd the shocks of wind and weather
Untouch'd and free for a long time together;
Laid at, at last, with Axes doth begin
His lofty head towards the earth to leane,
Falling with monstrous weight, doth plow the ground,
Digging as 't were his grave with falling down.
So those brave Foot, who had the burden bore
Of that sad fight, all day and night before,
Seeing their loss, at last began to doubt,
And faile; their valour was quite weary'd out.
[Page 65] For when the horse ingloriously were fled,
And left their
Royall Squadron vanquished,
Then all went backwards with the
Scots, then they
For their first treachery receiv'd the pay,
And the revenge due to them till that day.
Relate; how many carkases there were
Scatter'd about the
City every where,
Which nor
Eumenides nor
Tisiphone could
Without a dismall horror but behold,
Which did encrease the shambles, while of course
Whole heards of beasts dy'd there without remorse.
So great a worke it was to overthrow
And give the Scots
so terrible a blow.
All things at last thus running back and gone,
And the whole Army being overthrown;
And when poore
Charles neither by prayers nor force
Could to a new engagement bring the
Horse,
[Page 66] He grows starke mad, (and trusting armes no more)
His wretched fortune sadly doth deplore,
(Weighing His Royall Race, and Kingly Stem)
And blames the Stars, foes to
that Diadem.
So without more delay, to horse
He hies,
And much afflicted at his loss, he slies
Among his scatter'd Troopes, t' avoid the fate
Of
Worcester bloudy battell, though too late.
Thus with much labour and expence of bloud,
(Mosley and others dying where they stood)
Stout Cromwell did th' amazed City win,
And lead
his toyled weary Legions in,
To take the plunder, due to their desert.
For a new conquer'd City must impart
Of force her Riches, and her captiv'd Youth
Unto the Conquerors spoile and pleasure both:
Rich housholdstuffe one Souldier plunders there,
Another Princely Aras hanging here;
[Page 67] Entring this house he richer comes away,
Soone growing rich with such a royall prey.
But there were others, (whom not any love
Of spoile, but hate against the
Scots did move)
Well hors'd, who laying Clemency aside,
Did of the flying
Scots pursuers ride.
Whom once o'retaken, strongly they assaile,
Nor do their prayers or teares at all prevaile;
They spread their hands in vaine, for they must dye,
And in the dust their hated bodies lye.
Nor cease they here, still more and more they kill,
A cruell slaughter doth continue still
In stragling ruines. that far scatter'd be,
As leaves in Winter fallen from the Tree.
Tempests so great as these are seldome seen,
Even when the
Pleiades heve raging been,
And shew their feared head, which showres beget
Th'
Olenian Capricornus to make wet.
[Page 68] Nor,
Congleton, was that revenge the least,
Which by the angred
High-shooes was exprest.
Nor dost thou,
Samback, let the
Scots proud horse
Pass free, but fallest on them with thy force;
Those Country Clowns, (which neither can nor wil
[...]
Pardon, forget, or beare the smallest ill)
As Bees, fly in his face, whose anger drives
Them from the quiet of
Hyblaean hives,
Sharpning their stings: so these run with delight,
And those known forces do provoke to fight:
Some arm'd with pitch-forkes, some with clubs, and some
Only with stones, unto the conflict come.
Nor without slaughter could they drive them thence,
Though they stood scarcely in their own defence.
So when a Troope of many shepheards have
With valiant Mastives slaine a Lyon brave,
Which long before the Moorish coasts did wast,
Th' Inhabitants, over-joyed, meet in hast
[Page 69] On his despised feared trunk to stare,
Some pull him by the main, some by the hair
Of other parts, all fain would be before
His bared members fearing now no more.
The ancient mischiefes that he us'd to do
At the beginning, they remember now.
Nor otherwise rage they; what Muse can tell
Thy gratefull anger,
Samback, and how well
The madness of thy many-headed Rout
Became thee, as to skirmish they went out.
Nor was that slaughter less, which did succeed
In the
Lancastrian fields by fate decreed,
When valiant
Lilburne Darbyes forces met
Like Lightning, and the victory did get,
Breaking his strongest troops at their first charge.
But whither stray I? why do I enlarge
Or dwell on these? If I should strive to write
Each single battle, mention every fight,
[Page 70] The day would fail; And th'Ocean hide the sun,
And stars would glimmer e're my task were done.
A glimpse of peace, brave
Cromwell now we see,
Since
Scotlands conquer'd, and o'recome by
thee.
Thus do
you fight, and fighting overcome,
And overcoming triumph: fame be dumbe;
What more can be? here sets
he up his rest.
No, no,
his triumphs make the
English blest,
Which way so ere you go, you still prevail,
Vertue attends you, Fortune fills your sail.
With what old
Heroes may I
thee compare,
Guardian of
England, the renown of war?
For few of these by upright fame were crown'd,
Unwearied zeal with few of these was found;
Some crimes their Vertue oftentimes did blot,
Their milky colour oft receiv'd a spot.
As when a cloud obscures that
eye of
Night,
The sun withdrawing his, she gives no light.
[Page 71] As
Caesars conquests did his honor raise,
And crown his temples with Imperiall bayes;
So did his treacherous dealing merit shame,
And mixe dishonor with so great a fame.
Nay more then this, most horrid but to speak,
For gold the very temples he did break,
And stayn'd his sword with country mens dear blood,
If His unlawfull pleasures they withstood.
Great
Hannibal, Cannae thy fame doth praise,
That battell honor to thy Name did raise;
That womens slights this Conqueror should spoil,
This, this alone doth all thy honors soil.
The farthest
Indie and
Taprobane did sing,
Th' eternall fame of the
Aemathian King:
But when he was enrag'd, to his disgrace,
Cruell he'd fly into his
Nobles face.
Ev'n at his feasts of mirth, his cruell sword
With guiltless blood defiles his very Boord.
The Empire of your Vertues reacheth far,
And keeping Passion under, dost restrain
Its insolencies with the strongest rain.
No Avarice with it's destroying hooks
Inrolles thy Name in Fames infamous books;
At hopes of Lucre
you unmoved stand,
No wretched gold thy spirit can command.
Nor doth the
Carthaginians pattern please,
By lying long in a continu'd eafe,
And too much pleasure to lose war-like State,
And grow unfit for
Mars, effeminate:
For
you a charging horse, and sword embrace
Before the witch-crafts of a womans face,
And hating idle sloth, and sinfull peace,
By constant warfare th'
English dost encrease.
Nor like the
Macedoni an, drunk with wine,
Doth passion sway
you to a dire designe:
[Page 73] For moderation rules
you, not abuse
Of Life
you love, but a more sober use.
If
you be angry, Prudence doth allay
Your milder temper; Clemency doth sway,
And seat it self upon your calmer brow,
Not breaking any that it can make bow.
One
Scipio there is, whose name no blot
Ever receiv'd, whose vertue ne're had spot,
With whom,
thy Goodness admirably rare,
And pious zeal may make thee to compare.
You are both equall in the book of Fame,
Your equall love of justice saith the same;
You both alike to maintain chastness move,
Both alike goodness, and Religion Love.
What do I sing thy deeds? alas! my verse
Neither thy prayse nor battells can rehearse.
They do exceed the Muses faith, nor can
The quickest wit their true dimensions scan,
[Page 74] Unless he saw them and were present by
At the atcheived deeds, so done, so high;
Thou Patron of our peace, and of our war
The just revenger;
you our helper are
You come a new
Alcydes, and do bear
Those things upright, that er'st declining were.
The greatness of thy minde did still supply
Our wants, when losses made us gasping ly;
You did with succors always ready stand,
And save from common
shipwrack with
your hand:
You did that English-ruine-threatning war,
Unto the
Scots, that plotted it, trans-fer,
Like
Jove himself, who doth his lightnings throw
On rocks and Pirates, carefull lest a blow
Should shed our blood, his Thunderbolts doth cast
Within the limits of some forraine wast.
Your merits ask, Great Sir, a larger store,
But you must
Pardon, if I can no more;
[Page 75] 'Twould be too great a Task; my skill surmount,
All the atcheivements of your hands to count.
Can I so many great Commanders name?
No, my weak Muse can never know the same.
Mongst whom come
Gray of Grooby like the Sun,
His shining Vertue has the rest out-gone.
That is his
Countreys Father and delight,
And a true Guardian of oppressed right,
Whose faith in all the heat of war was try'de
Yet without moving constant did abide;
Whose constancy was lessen'd by no harms,
Was neither shaken nor remov'd by storms:
But like an anchor in this sea of blood,
To stay the wavering people firmly stood.
Most noble
Grey, the rest I'le not repeat,
Nor speak thy care in
Peace, and
War how great:
How many great endeavors didst thou blow
With fortunes bellows, till at last they grow,
[Page 76] To famous actions; and how great a light,
Of Vertue didst thou shew at
Worcester fight.
My muse would longer dwell in such a field,
That she to
Disbroughs better times might yield
Victorious
Trophies, raysing to the stars
His fame and acts of Valor in the wars.
But now to war I here must set an end,
And what remaines to well-come
Cromwell send.
Hail happy star! Sweet comfort bringing light;
Our Nations and this ages glory bright!
At whose return, black clouds no more appear,
Our calmer sky begins to shine more cleer.
The Citizen, and Souldier both rejoyce,
Shewing their joy in their triumphall noise;
Pallas and
Mars, arms laid aside, do meet,
And weekly guarded, at this triumph greet
Each other, while to laid aside they yield
The
Gorgons head, the sword, and
goat-skin shield.
[Page 77] Thrice happy day that dost deserve a note
Of happinesse never to be forgot,
Which brought
thee safe from
Scottish enemies,
And from the dangers of a dire disease,
Returning
thee to our more safer shore
More strong and healthfull than thou wert before.
What gratefull thankes do we acknowledge due
Goddard renowned for thy skill to you?
Which brought back
Cromwel from the gates of death,
And when he gasp'd, as dying, gave new breath;
Renewing th' intrals that before decay'd,
And cur'd his sicknesse, which had all dismay'd.
Thus
Cromwell comes, whom false report had said
Of his disease so long and doubtfull, dead.
As a kind mother doth in mind embrace
Her dearest son in some remoter place,
Is so o'rejoyed, when once she sees the coast
Of her bewailed pledge so long since lost,
[Page 78] That words grown insufficient to express
The weight and greatness of her happiness,
(Filling her swelling heart and pleased eyes)
She melts to teares, and when embracing cries:
So
England joyes at
Thy returne, so she
Ambitious dayly growes to honour
thee;
And in the reall wishes of her heart
Shewes her sincerest Love to thy desert.
Cambridge confirm'd by
thy returne, doth boast
Thee for her
Burgesse, that her borders coast
Thy neighboring birth-place, now remembring those
Her ancient Honours, doth againe propose
Unto her Muses promised reward
From thy
Paternall fatherly regard.
And
Oxford doth her happinesse prefer.
Triumphing: under
Thee her
Chancellor.
And now at last, if it may lawfull be,
Mixtures of small with so great things to see,
[Page 79] Even I my selfe mov'd by your vertues rage,
To sing your greatnesse in this narrow page.
As in a pleasant garden when we come
Plucking the flowers, here and there we rome,
Still plucking more, although in nothing rare,
But that by our own hand they pulled were;
And as we never count an evening cleare,
Unless we number every chiefest star:
So with mv humble quill I thought to write
Only great acts, and famous to recite.
The time may come, wherein I may declare
At large the triumphs of your greater war,
And all your Souldiers famous actions shew,
Laying them open to the publike view.
If those most honour'd
Nobles of the State
With their great President but animate
Kindly these first-fruits of my zeale and toyle,
A new designe may grow from every smile.
What hitherto is done, Great
Cromwell lies
Upon
Thy Altars as a Sacrifice.
Now it becomes the Coll'nels names to shew,
(And but to shew them) and to tell those few
That fell in service, since you first did stand
As chiefe
Commander in the
Brittish Land.
Of noble
Sydney, Bingham, Heynes Id' speake,
But straight-lac'd time doth my intentions breake.
Who knows not
Barksteads Regiments report,
The Citizens and Cities happy Fort,
For who declining were, or wholly broke,
Fearing their state, themselves to thee betooke,
And turning souldiers under thee, they reach
To that whereto their Trade would never stretch.
Thus to thy men thou'rt good, and they in thee,
And thou in them hast a felicity;
(And at the supreme
Parliaments desire,
While you brave Captaine do at
home retire
[Page 81] Your selfe from war, with a more watchfull eye
Th' Army abroad you with Recruits supply.
And as the Sea, into whose bosome go
A thousand Rivers, doth more fiercely slow,
Grown great with many waters, and expands
Her raging waves o're all the neighbour sands:
Such is thy Regiment, which though you draine,
With fuller numbers still it swels againe;
Now sending forces to the
Irish coasts,
Anon transfunding into
Scotland hosts.
Cobbet; what narrow verse can thee inclose?
Or who can
Talbots worthy praise compose?
Who did his knowing skill in warfare shew,
When the
Kings Troopes of horse he overthrew;
Innobled by thy birth, and in the field,
By thy true valour, thou to none dost yeild.
Nor can my Quill, O
Hasilrige, set forth
Thy so excelling, so deserving worth.
[Page 82] Nor may I famous
Constable report
Thy acts in briefe,
[...]ast striving to be short
I grow obscure) and in the middle breake
His gotten same, while I so little speake,
I pass by
Mackworth, and it grieves me sore
That at the present I may speake no more:
As of his perseverance in the right
And wonted faith, which neither threats could fright,
Nor
Kingly proffers win to baser slight.
Berry and
Gosse, and famous
Coxe I pass,
And many other names which aske a place,
Which I perchance may in a scrole set down,
With famous
Moyle our judge of high renown,
That smiling fortune may my next part crowne.
Brave
Hacker, that hast from the first drawn blood,
Immovable by art most sirmely stood,
Both Horse and Foot, and Drums thy praise proclame,
And fierce
Bellona doth extoll thy name.
[Page 83] Nor will I mention old and ancient acts,
But I will trace thee in those newer tracts,
Thy latter deeds, which
Scotland will attest,
And
Worcester felt thy scourging hand and brest;
(And which was first) i'
[...]h' battell of
Dumbarre
The enemy found thy armes were fit for war.
Nor can I ought of
Gravener repeat,
In whom all gifts of mind and body meet;
Whose bloody hand, where ere it went, did shew
With how much strength it could lay on a blow.
Of
Bradshaw nought, whose Ancestors have been
In the
Lancastrian fields some ages seene,
Of old deducted from the
Saxon Race.
Neither for
Brookes, nor
Crexton have I place,
Nor have I time to set out
Chesters worth,
Or tell how many Troopes they have set forth.
Or say what
Essex did: nor can I looke
On
Matthewes, Honney-wood, or famous
Cooke.
[Page 84] Nothing of
Kenricke, Gibbons, may be said,
Both which in
Kentish fertile fields were bred.
My Index would to a vast volume swell,
If I on every severall head should dwell;
If
Twisletons, or honour'd
Birches fame
I with Fames shriller trumpet should proclame;
I will not speake the gallantry of
Pride,
Nor many others, which I pass beside:
As
Tomlinson and
Alred known of all,
Nor
Downing the Scout-master Generall.
Beaumont, nor
Benner, whom I only name,
Commanded briefeness doth exact the same,
By whose victorious armes the
English gain'd
A glimpse of concord,
Tyranny restrain'd;
By these encreased
Liberty they have
Restor'd unto them from the very grave.
Whither doth my rash errour lead? do I
Only to Souldiers yield these praises high?
[Page 85] I do revoke those speeches, I recall
My slipping tongue from that unwilling fall;
For pious Zeale, the pulpits sacred Lawes,
And our own pray'rs stood bull-warkes of our cause.
Some Ministers examples I'le unfold,
Whose godly precepts, and monitions bold,
Strengthened our war-prepared troopes with might,
And made them oft victorious in fight.
For Armes and Armies of no value be,
Where not conjoyned with true piety,
And helped with an awfull reverence
Of the divine all-ruling Providence:
Hence noble
Deale and
Lockyer you became
The
Pulpits honour, and the Preachers fame.
And
Stapleton in's predecessors great,
While with diviner vertues he's repleat;
Doth grace the Pulpit on occasion fit,
With the rich dowries of thy ripest wit.
[Page 86] That honour in our Armies you have got,
What help your wisdome and your learning brought
Unto our forts, the good event doth shew,
And the got triumphs, which from thence did grow,
And
Peters (though thou scarce wert known before,
Though thy report had hardly reacht our shore.)
Thy vertuous courage, and thy zeale compile
Their own record, worthy the highest stile;
Whether the minist eriall function
You,
Or publike civill charges looke into.
Is there a man that in his place doth know
A quicker wit, a readier hond to show?
Who in the Pulpit is so oft and free,
Declaring Heavenly Oracles as He?
Nor doth he teach like them, who credit win
By soothing up their Auditors in sin:
But mindfull of the Gospell which you teach,
And of that saving health whereof you preach.
[Page 87] You soare more neere to heaven, and with the word
Pierce neerer to the heart than with a sword;
Only to preach at home, contents not Thee,
The Utmost limits of the world you see:
And to the savage Indians where you came
The Gospell of salvation you proclame;
Shining a happy star to guide aright
Those barbarous peoples feet into the light.
Nor can my little leysure spare to sing
From what most noble Ancestors you spring,
Nor what great deeds their honour made to swell,
Thy noble Lignage let thy
Cornewall tell,
And shew your late increased coat of armes,
How beautifi'd from
Hamiltonian harmes.
Thy wondrous zeale the godly doth befriend
A hand, to all that want or aske, you lend,
In thy admired vertue quick and wise,
Who on the common Altars sacrifice.
[Page 88] You to th' afflicted, like
Achates, prove,
To them, like
Atlas, whom sad terrors move;
The falling
English in the heate of war
Were kept upright by thy upholding care.
Nazeby, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, Worcester too
Sooner or late have felt what you can do;
Thy frequent toile, thy dangers, thy great heart
Broke by no threatnings, let those men impart,
Who verst in war and Martiall bloudy strife,
Know what belong to a right-ruled life.
Thy travels both in body and in mind
Let their relation be to them assign'd.
These common things,
Peters, I soly own
Thy selfe and deeds, being both to me unknown.
Pardon, I pray, I only mention this,
That the
Priests worth the
English may confess;
And that the peoples safety doth not stand
Fortifi'd only by the souldiers hand.
And
You who of the
Councell of our
State
Members at
present are, or were of late,
Who by the
supreme Senate are decreed
The first in changed courses to succeed.
GOD make you all
unanimous, and bless
You with eternall growing happiness:
And, as Attendants, make the stars to waite
Upon your high atchievements for the State;
That pure Religion undefil'd may be
Increasing with revived piety,
Whose sweet perfnme will to the heav'ns arise
A gratefull and accepted sacrifice.
Then peace and truth will kiss; and all that sinke
Of horrid blasphemies to
Hell will shrinke.
Concord will grow, and all divisions ceafe,
And all things whisper to the
Brittaines peace,
Then shall the Woolfe,
that with a fatall eye
Did meditate before new treachery,
Henceforth together safely they reside,
And the safe flocks of kids
need not to fear,
When they the roarings of the Leopard
hear;
The Lions
whelp and Calf,
now void of dread,
Dare company together in one bed.
A little childe these tamed beasts shall lead
Unto their pastures where content they feed.
The Cow
doth feed together with the Bear,
Their young
ones are Companions void of fear,
The Lyon
leaves to prey; and the same. ficld
Both to the Ox
and him doth fodder yield.
All deadly poyson's taken from the Aspe,
The sucking child him in his hand may graspe,
Nor shall the Viper
hurt the weaned childe,
That sporteth with him, it is grown so milde.
These raging beasts shall act no future ill,
For God will seat his Chosen
on a hill.
[Page 91]
Even on Mount Sion: when he shall record
O're all the earth the knowledge of the Lord,
As do the raging waters of the deepe
O'reflow the earth in a tumultuous heape.
Go on grave
Fathers therefore, and imprint
These secrets in the heart from sacred hint:
That the first honour of your counsels may
To
God redound, the next that peace may sway
In all our Regions, while there is a day.
And thou most honour'd
Bradshaw by consent
The parent of our State and President.
(Although thy innate modesty won't beare
All thy deserved praises but to heare;
And though with patience thou dost hardly know
The burden of thy honour t'undergoe)
Yet give me leave, thy vertue and thy fame
Moves me a little to extoll thy name.
[Page 92] The Vindicator of our
Liberty,
And sharpe revenger of our slavery;
When first thy stretched hand did strongly break
The cruell chains from off the
Britaines neck,
Like faithfull
Palinurus, without feare
You undertooke a weighty taske, to steere
A raging boystrous people, and procure
Through unknown swelling waves a haven sure.
You mindfull of your Countries good, uphold
The Common-wealth, resembling
Atlas bold:
Free from the cares of a dissembling brest,
The publike you prefer to private rest.
Hence your unwearied pious zeale and paines
A glad remembrance to all Ages gaines:
But if your actions here have no reward
Worthy their merits, 'tis not worth regard;
All earthly things thy vertue doth surpasse,
And will in heaven have their deserved place;
[Page 93] Mean while to heaven these are our dayly prayers,
Methusalems or aged
Nestors years,
That you may reach to make us
English blest,
And that at last freed from this worlds unrest,
With more content you may, as
old in
this
Praeside new Councells in a
State of Bliss.
FINIS.
An Animadversion.
IT was not my purpose to write an elaborate History, but onely in brief in a Panegyrick, to point at the triumphall victories of our most excellent Generall. Neither be troubled, Reader, that tying my self to such brevity, I have either slenderly or not at all, touched every single Action, or Actor by name, especially those truly worthy, and Honourable Men Monke and Overton, whose famous acts rather challenge a volume then the narrow scantling of a Page. Neverthelesse I shall neither forget these nor those, when (God assisting and by the favour of the Councell of State) I shall set forth in their lively Colours the whole series of all things done, (as far as Poesy can) to adorn a second book, taking it's beginning from the rendition of S. Johnstown. In the mean, while Gentle Reader.
If ought you know that may more worthy be,
Impart them, but if not, use these with me.
TO THE Most Excellent, The Lord Generall of Great Brittayne, OLIVER CROMWEL.
VVHat force can drive, or what perswade
My wandring minde farther to wade?
Whence is it, sickle fancy mine
You bring me to my old designe,
Thy vertue
bright,
our losses do invite,
(Like harping
Flaccus) me to be
An humble suppliant to thee,
Who in another cause deserv'd of late,
Though sadly crossed by decree
of Fate.
Even providence your arms befriends,
'Tis not blind Fortune that attends
Vicissitudes of men, and things:
But heaven it self such changes brings;
Who gives and takes
Esteem from things, and makes
The smallest things grow great, and can
Change the renown of any man;
Though on a Throne to day he sit on high,
Making his height upon the ground to lye.
The great disposer whose bare word,
Or grow'th or ruine will afford;
Turning mans heart, and firm intent,
Against their own accomplishment.
Thus am I come
At last unto your home,
A willing guest; drawn by the fame
Of your great deeds and honor'd name,
[Page] And spotless life; I humbly do appear
Thy
glories trumpet, and
Thy Honorer.
Unto the mighty as a rain,
Their tyrannizing to restrain;
To the unarmed as a shield;
Unto the Souldiers strength you yield,
The Cities light
Cleer, shining, bright;
Chief Leader of the
Epick Quire:
The drum, the trumpet, and the Lyre,
Together-with the sweeter
Lute agree,
To sing thy praises in a
Symphony.
The heaven assists you in your war;
Your high and wary counsells are
Thy Countreys stay, the hoped health
Of the decaying Common-wealth.
A deadly strage
To this malignant age.
[Page] When the unhappy Kings ill luck
The State into a storm did pluck,
Thy Country found
thee her
desender then,
Thou wert a
Victor without blood of men.
Thou dost with meekness happy
Guide,
The greatness of thy chance abide.
When formerly the war did grow,
By doubtfull causes hindred, slow,
Then there was need
of you, great Sir, to lead.
In dangers by your humble prayer,
You move the Deity to hear,
Beloved Guardian sent us from on high,
Thus dost thou conquer even necessity.
The cunning
Scot, the
Irish wilde,
And
Wales with hills and mountaines fill'd,
And all our
Northern world confess,
Thy strength of hand, of head no less,
[Page] Forrayners next
Shall by thy sword be vext,
If 'gainst the
English they devise
Mischiefes by stop of merchandise;
Whether they quarrells pick not known before,
Or else pretend a greater, older score.
Rise up revenger of our harme;
Quickly prescribe a heavenly charme
To free our
Church from sad debate,
And fixe the Pillar of our
State.
Let banisht truth
From
thee receive new growth;
Silence contentious Schismes, and stand
A safe protector of our Land;
Shine like a star in our Horizon, cleare,
And both of heaven and men the joy appeare.
Go, famous for thy acts, replete
With honours, happy, good, and great
[Page] Exult therein; may no annoy
Once interrupt thy calmer joy,
O do not stain,
With grief too much or vain,
His gallant funeralls: though void of breath
This
Heroe lyes, yet in his death
He triumphs in a never dying fame,
His vertue left him an eternall name.
Leave of to grieve, and cease to moan,
Let no sad sigh or fatall groan
Accompany his funerall:
Because he liv'd enough to all,
Himself, his friends
And Country; while he lends
To after ages a clear light
Arising from his vertues bright,
And having done what wit could not enlarge,
Quite weary'd out he got a free discharge.
[Page] On God all humane changes tend,
He all things towards their end,
Close to true Piety you keep,
And thence deserved honor reap.
(Since now come back)
My Muse shall not be slack,
Thy prays'd Encomiums to sing,
Or gratefull
Panegyrtckes bring,
Others may praise thee in a verse more high;
But none so
well, since not so
soon as I.
Make me but happy by thy smile,
If thou with favour dain my toile,
By that thy favourable breath
We are (as 'twere) redeem'd from death.
Thus rais'd by thee,
It shall our Triumph be,
In the eternall house of Fame
To register thy present name,
[Page] That future ages each succeeding hour
To thy blest name may new Encomiums powr.
Thy Coat of Arms, brave
Cromwell fill,
And by thy acts adde something still
To make it greater, looke and see
The Common-wealths calamity,
And be a stay
To Religions decay;
So will thy Country thee reward
With more, with new, and fresh regard,
And
Mars, and
Pallas will, thy fame to spread,
With
Bays, and
Olive crown thy
Pregnant head.
Thus do you sit exalted high,
Applauded by the joyfull Cry
Of the pleas'd City; those who are
Truly religious send a prai
[...]
To heaven for thee;
(Poor Poets) so do we.
[Page] Now on a
Dytherambicke Lyre
Anon in a
Pindarick Quire,
Or else like
Virgil we thy deeds rehearse,
And joy'd return in an heroike verse.
REader (if ought)
Come and be taught,
Why do you so
Look on a
picture, or
dumbe show?
Would you unconquer'd
Cromwell know? alas!
View not then a carved face,
But mark his vertues manifold,
Then Brass more lasting, more desir'd then gold.
Attentive be;
This, This is He,
Who, for the
Publike born, doth
Live
To that, for which Nature did Give
Him life; whose sharper wit
For all great counsells fit
His valor shew'd
So oft abroad,
(Equally happy to his
own,
And to the
foe most fatall grown)
Unto his Countrey renders him to be
The
fort and
Patron of her Liberty.
Honor his Name,
This is the same;
Our freedomes strongest Hold,
Brittaines
Alcides bold,
Th'unwearied
Atlas of our State,
Keeping upright, what would precipitate,
Diverting all the spleen of fate.
Acknowledge this,
He, He, it is,
Englands new leading
Ioshuah, (no less
Or in his cause or his success)
[Page] Guarded by heaven, to whom the helping stars,
Serve as inferior Officers.
Applauded by the righteous, while he fights
For the Republikes private rights
And common too—
A Deadly scourge of Tyranny
And superstitious Vanity.
Delighted be;
For this is He,
Who when the flood
Of late shed blood,
Began to ebbe, and cease,
Brought back the Olive both, and Bayes;
Who shutting all the passages of war,
And taking away cause of jar,
With the same sword that he before did cut
Ope
Ianus gates, again the same doth shut.
Hence Readers go
And these things show,
Them to your Children yet to come proclaime,
And to their off-spring let them do the same,
Both even amazed at our Generalls fame;
Whose Monument (which doth in triumph stand,
Ore enemies conquer'd by thy hand)
The world will soon confess without abuse
'Tis the eighth wonder which she can produce.
And you
(Great Sir) of honours full and dayes
To thy eternall praise
Added at length
To the nine former
Heroes, make the
TENTH.
TO THE Most accomplished Gentleman.
EDMƲND LƲDLOW The Most Noble Deputy-Governour of
Ireland, when he set forward on his journey thither. An
Ode wishing health.
NEptune make smooth the waves, lest in a throng
Justling together they grow high, and wrong
This new Commander. And thou
Milford too,
When he thy neer-adjoyning waves shall plow,
See that there only be a gentle gale,
And that no tempest on the main prevail,
May the contentious winde abate it's pride,
And those their ancient strivings lay aside:
And when he goes, whisper a gentle blast
Into his sails, to countervail his hast;
[Page] And you the
Tritons who dominion have,
Although unhappy, on each
Irish wave,
Compose their tumults when on high they rise,
As if their rage would reach the very skyes,
Till your
Vice-leader pass the dangerous sands,
And on th'
Ogygian coasts with safety stands.
And thou most famous
Ireton, whose head
And hand, are alwayes powerfull indeed,
To whom the former nor the present time
Did ever yield an equall in our Clime,
Assist thy
Ludlow with a free consent,
Since Hee this dangerous
journey underwent,
That by conjoyned arms he might relieve
That tedious war and fitting succors give.
Othou whose worthy memory's more sweet
Then all the best Companions I meet!
My fort and comfort! what heroick verse
Can thy great prayses worthily rehearse!
[Page] How, where shall I begin? shall I record
The valour that thy younger yeares afford?
Or that thy Candor! what, a child, you shew'd
Of valour, while you ne'r had been abroad,
Only at
Blanford; how you did excell
Among three restlers! how you shewd your skill
In turning bals: what man did better know
To throw the Bar, or give a stronger blow.
With such like trophies you did think no scorne
The first yeares of your active youth t'adorne;
But when a downy cheeke makes you put on
An age more virile, straight these to
[...]es are gone;
You wish to heare the Trumpet which doth raise
The Horses courage to the Riders praise;
You lov'd to bound and curvet; hence it came,
That in your youth you did begin your fame
By your great vertue, when as yet your force
Was ty'd within a
Century of Horse,
[Page] But not your courage, for with them you go
Through many Troopes of a more potent Foe.
England will speake this of thee, and confess
The greatnesse of thy acts with joyfulness.
Sad
Warder Caster, which long siege did tame,
Will speake thy labours, and confess the same;
Who, when her wals all broken did appeare,
And all her buildings nought but ruines were,
Yet did remaine valiantly faithfull still,
A Conquerour by suffering so much ill.
A worthy act, which fame will ever sing,
Amazement to the present age to bring,
And future too: then
Mayden-Bradley holds
Out to the world thy fame, renown'd of old
From thy fore-fathers, known both wise and bold.
Next happy
Wiltshire doth triumphing stand,
So often sav'd by thy victorious hand,
[Page] When the destroying Enemy with boasts
Entred, and rage, into that Countries coasts.
Wiltshire relate the changes of that war,
When
Ludlow followed the Enemy so far.
Speak
Sarisbury Church-yard, which stood and gaz'd
Upon thy passage through the swords amaz'd;
Like to a Lion when he is beset,
Which fearelss runs and breakes the scorned net.
'Tis a vaine worke thy praises all to bring
Within the compasse of a narrow ring;
A little now shall serve; for that we know
We do unto thy praises much more ow.
Which we shall pay; if once our
Muse can get
A little respite to refresh her wit.
In the meane while, brave
Captaine, go thou on
With happy
Omens, as you have begun,
That by your Guard, fam'd
Ireton may rise
Much more conspicuous in the publike eyes.
[Page] While to each other force and armes you lend
The horrid bloudy
Irish war to end,
That once againe her ruin'd houses may
Of their rebuilding see the happy day.
And that poore
Ireland, wearied out with age
May yet grow young againe, when freed from strage
By your most worthy hands; and that sweet peace
In her may settle first, and then increase.
TO THE Most Famous, as well for his Valour, as Vertues, HENRY IRETON, Late Lord Deputy of Ireland, A Member of the Parliament of England; As also, Of the Right Honourable, the Councell of State.
At whose Tombe, and to whose Memory this Funerall Elegy is offered and Wept By T. M. Junior.
An Elegy.
IS
Ireton dead, and yet the heavens not beare
In such a
publike loss an equall share?
Can such a
Patron of our
Liberty
VVithout a grand
Eclipse, or Comet dye?
Although not at his death, yet he will have
The
Sun a mourner at his honour'd grave.
The
Muses Fountaine is too small, too dry,
My Quill with fit Encomiums to supply.
If all your raptures, all your sacred fits
Could be inspir'd into my working wits,
Could
Aganippe by some secret veine
Be brought into the Cisternes of my braine,
[Page] Your fits would faile and that exhale in teares,
By this new
Sun late placed in the spheares.
Let
England speake his worth,
Ireland proclame
His Trophies, and proud
Limrick keepe his name
Ingrav'd in brass, that future times may see,
And speake his honour to Posterity.
Great
Cromwel's Son! Oh speak not Titles, Fame,
"But tell his Vertues, give his Soule a name.
His Valour mixed with such meekeness rare,
That no old
Hero might with him compare,
But only
Moses: And straight cal'd aside,
And
Canaan seen in hopes, he gently dy'd.
His VVisdome speake, his Temperance, his Zeale,
And strong endeavors for the Common-weale;
But that you can't, the Dotes thereof was such,
That nor my tongue, nor Pen can say how much
Their Value was; but when that all is done,
If you would speake their worth, say
Ireton,
[Page] Whom all rich graces round about beset,
And piety the Center where they met.
Hence then all smiles, come weeping, change we mirth
To mourning Dirges, lave the pretious earth
Of this so honour'd Patron with our teares
(Fertile as them the cheeke of
Aprill weares)
Let Angels sing his graces, who did call
His soule to heaven to its originall;
And murmur not that losse, which here but lay
A pawne that might be cal'd for every day.
But if upon our sorrow and thy fate
Poore Mortals could but set an equall rate;
The world would praise thee, while it did appeare
With a full sorrow, in each eye a teare:
For where Art failes to yeild us her reliefe,
Our will to praise thee wee'l express in griefe.
FINIS.