To Charles's fame for ever fhall remain,
Who did as wondrous things, who did as greatly reign.'
Happy were they who could before him ftand,
"And faw the wifdom of his dread command;" 405 For heaven refolv'd, that much above the rest
Of other nations Britain fhould be bleft.
Found him when banish'd from his facred right,
Try'd his great foul, and in it took delight;
Then to his throne in triumph did him bring,
Where never rul'd a wifer, juster king.
But now (alas!) in the fad grave he lies,
Yet fhall his praife for ever live, and laurels from it rise. Thus far the painter's hand did guide the Muse,
Now let her lead, nor will he fure refufe.
Two kindred arts they are, fo near ally'd,
They oft have by each other been fupply'd.
Therefore, great man! when next thy thoughts in
The works of Fame, let this be the defign:
As thou couldst best great Charles's glory show,
Shew how he fell, and whence the fatal blow.
In a large scene, may give beholders awe,
The meeting of a numerous fenate draw!
Over their heads a black diftemper'd sky,
And through the air let grinning Furies fly,
Charg'd with commiffions of infernal date,
To raife fell difcord and inteftine hate;
From their foul heads let them by handfuls tear
The uglieft fnakes, and beft-lov'd favourites there,
Then whirl them (fpouting venom as they fall)
'Mongft the affembled numbers of the hall;
There into murmuring bosoms let them go,
Till their infection to confusion grow;
Till fuch bold tumults and disorders rise,
As when the impious fons of earth affail'd the threaten'd fkies.
But then let mighty Charles at diftance stand,
His crown upon his head, and fceptre in his hand;
To fend abroad his word, or with a frown
Repel, and dafh th' aspiring rebels down :
Unable to behold his dreaded ray,
Let them grow blind, difperfe, and reel away.
Let the dark fiends the troubled air forfake,
And all new peaceful order seem to take.
But, oh, imagine Fate t' have waited long
An hour like this, and mingled in the throng,
Rous'd with thofe furies from her feat below,
T' have watch'd her only time to give the blow:
When cruel cares, by faithless subjects bred,
Too closely prefs'd his facred peaceful head;
With them t' have pointed her destroying dart,
And through the brain found paffage to the heart.
Deep-wounding plagues avenging heaven bestow
On thofe curs'd heads to whom this lofs we owe!
On all who Charles's heart affliction gave,
And fent him to the forrows of the grave!
Now, painter, (if thy griefs can let thee) draw
The faddeft scenes that weeping eyes e'er faw;
How on his royal bed that woeful day
The much-lamented mighty monarch lay ;
Great in his fate, and ev'n o'er that a king,
No terror could the Lord of Terrors bring.
Through many steady and well-manag'd years
He'd arm'd his mind 'gainft all thofe little fears,
Which common mortals want the power to hide,
When their mean fouls and valued clay divide.
He'd ftudy'd well the worth of life, and knew
Its troubles many, and its bleffings few :
Therefore unmov'd did Death's approaches see,
And grew familiar with his destiny;
Like an acquaintance entertain'd his fate,
Who, as it knew him, feem'd content to wait,
Not as his gaoler, but his friendly guide,
While he for his great journey did provide.
Oh couldft thou express the yearnings of his mind
To his poor mourning people left behind!
But that I fear will ev'n thy fkill deceive,
None but a foul like his fuch goodness could conceive. For though a stubborn race deserving ill,
Yet would he fhew himself a father ftill.
Therefore he chofe for that peculiar care,
His crown's, his virtue's, and his mercy's heir.
Great James, who to his throne does now fucceed,
And charg'd him tenderly his flocks to feed;
To guide them too, too apt to run aftray,
And keep the foxes and the wolves away.
Here, painter, if thou canft, thy art improve,
And fhew the wonders of fraternal love;
How mourning James by fading Charles did ftand,
The dying grafping the furviving hand;
How round each other's necks their arms they caft, 490
Moan'd with endearing murmurings, and embrac'd;
And of their parting pangs fuch marks did give,
'Twas hard to guess which yet could longest live.
Both their fad tongues quite loft the
power to speak,
And their kind hearts feem'd both prepar'd to break. 495
Here let thy curious pencil next display,
How round his bed a beauteous offspring lay,
With their great father's bleffing to be crown'd,
Like young fierce lions ftretch'd upon the ground,
And in majestic filent forrow drown'd.
This done, fuppofe the ghaftly minute nigh,
And paint the griefs of the sad standers-by;
Th' unweary'd reverend father's pious care,
Offering (as oft as tears could stop) a prayer.
Of kindred nobles draw a forrowing train,
Whose looks may speak how much they fhar'd his pain;
How from each groan of his, deriving smart,
Each fetch'd another from a tortur'd heart.
Mingled with these, his faithful servants place,
With different lines of woe in every face ;
With downcaft heads, fwoln breasts, and streaming eyes,
And fighs that mount in vain the unrelenting skies.
But yet there ftill remains a task behind,
In which thy readiest art may labour find.
At distance let the mourning queen appear,
(But where fad news too foon may reach her ear;)
Defcribe her proftrate to the throne above,
Pleading with prayer the tender cause of love:
Shew troops of angels hovering from the sky
(For they, whene'er fhe call'd, were always nigh); 520
Let them attend her eries and hear her moan,
With looks of beauteous fadnefs like her own,
Because they know her lord's great doom is feal'd,
And cannot (though fhe afks it) be repeal'd.
By this time think the work of Fate is done,
So any farther fad defcription fhun.
Shew him not pale and breathlefs on his bed,
'Twould make all gazers on thy art fall dead;
And thou thyfelf to fuch a scene of woe
Add a new piece, and thy own ftatue grow.
Wipe therefore all thy pencils, and prepare
To draw a profpect now of clearer air.
Paint in an eastern sky new dawning day,
And there the embryos of time display;
The forms of many fmiling years to come,
Juft ripe for birth, and labouring from their womb;
Each ftruggling which fhall eldership obtain,
To be firft grac'd with mighty James's reign.
Let the dread monarch on his throne appear,
Place too the charming partner of it there.
O'er his their wings let Fame and Triumph spread,
And foft-ey'd Cupids hover o'er her head;
In his, paint fmiling, yet majestic grace,
But all the wealth of beauty in her face.
Then from the different corners of the earth
Defcribe applauding nations coming forth,
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