SUSPIRIA, or SIGHS On the DEATH of the Late Most Illustrious MONARCH CHARLES the II. KING OF Great
Britain, France and
Ireland &c. who Changed his Earthly for a Heavenly Crown, on
Fryday the
6th. of
February 1684. in the
36th year of his Reign, and
55th of his Age.
Can Great, Illustrious
Britains Monarch, Dye,
Without Sacrifice of Tears! what Eye,
Forbears to Drill whole
Hecatombs! when we
Have lost the
Atlas of our Monarchy!
Ah! sharpest Grief put out thy Keenest Stings,
Bemoan the best of Men, the best of Kings.
Can an Inrag'd Distracted Museforbear,
To Rail at Death, that must so rudely tear
Our [
Pater Patriae] Countries Father, hence!
Unruly
Grief, Rail not at Providence.
How dar'st thou Murmur at they Kings Remove?
The King of Kings, would have him mountabove
An Earthly Crown, to a more Glorious one.
Bright Rays of Majesty, about him Shone.
When here!--he now in greater Glory Dwells;
A Glory that allows no Paralells!
Then spiteful
Grief be still, and Envy not
Thy Prince, the great Advancement he has got.
Ah! Words where are ye! Ah!what must I borrow
Language from Tears to Represently my Sorrow!
Drop then ye friendly Streams, till like a Flood,
[More Elegant than Words] be Understood,
Our Universal Grief, to Mourn thus, you,
Better than Groans, to Elegles, can do.
Dull stupid Pen, away! give place to Sighs,
The Fittest Mourners for such Obequies.
Perfume not then to draw his Character,
His Royal Name is Blazon'dev'ry where,
The Sun in its Orbicular surround
Scarce sees a Place, but where his Fame does found.
Ah! but I will! And tell the World that he
Was
Great, and
Good, and full of
Clemency.
A Prince of much Majesty, that none
Could with more splendid virtues grace a Throne
That lent (not borrow'd) Lustre to his
Crown.
Away, away; thou Blunt Poetick Art;
On meaner Subjects, Act thy little Part.
No Rhapsodies of Verse, no Prose can Rise
To Accents fit for such great Obsequies:
Oh! Great but Dismal Subject! could my Quill
Instead of Ink; with other Drops Distill,
I'de Represent to ev'ry Readers view,
Lines (not of Sable, but) of Crimson hiew.
There's nothing of Idolarry in the,
Right Application of
Apostrophe!
Then Great, (now then before more Glorious Prince)
Since our Supremest King, has call'd thee hence,
May Heav'ns o're-ruling, Bright, Illustrious Rays,
Give thy surviving Subjects
Hakyon Days,
May this August Celebrious Kingdom see,
No
Inter-Regnum of that Clemency,
Which sav'd three Kingdom from a Fatal Yoke,
The Dire Results of an
Intended Stroke!
Dismis thy fear, His Royal Brother; who
Succeeds him in his Throne, and Virtues too,
Has so Majestick, so subline a Soul,
That what he promis'd, none shall dare Controul.
Away Suspicion! here's the Royal Word;
What great surety can Mankind afford?
That Publick-Sacred-Obligation binds
The Royal Breast to leave things as he finds,
The Constitution of our Laws to be,
Just to the Subjects: just to Monarchy.
LONDON, printed for L. C. near Fleet-bridge. 1680.