Security a Poet can ask for, to be shelter'd I I need not tell the World how well Your Grace has follow'd the Examples of Honour and Virtue in your own Family. The Establish'd Church, the Crown and Your Country, have receiv'd many Eminent Teftimonies of Your unalterable Zeal for their Service, and unfhaken Refolution in their Defence. There was a Time, fomewhat above twenty Years ago, when the pernicious Councils of fome Men put the Crown upon taking fuch Measures as might have been fatal in the last Degree to both Our Religious and Civil Liberties; when they had the Hardinefs not only to avow a Religion equally deftructive to the Church and State, but did even prefume to bring in a publick Minister from the Bishop of Rome, as it were in Defiance of Our Conftitution, and in Triumph over Our Laws ; It was then, I fay, that they thought it highly neceffary to their Purpose, that a Man of the firft Quality and Figure in England, fhould countenance fo bold and unexampled an Undertaking. They pitch'd upon one, 'tis true, whofe known Love of his Country might in a good meafure have taken off the Odiousness of that Action, and and even allay'd the Apprehenfions of Danger, which on fuch an Occafion PeoThe ple naturally had. It must be own'd, that ur eir at ᄒ they had thought prudently for themselves ; but they were highly mistaken in the Man elr they had chofen, and found him to be above all Temptation; fuch a one, whom neither the Respect he bore to the Perfon of the Prince, (which was very great) nor the Menaces of an infolent Faction, could, prevail upon, for any Regards, to do Violence to his Country, or engage in any thing which might be an Offence to his Honour and Confcience. ve ΟΙ ch It is with Pleasure, my Lord, that we compare the troublesome Condition of those paft Times, with the Security of these pre0- fent. And I cannot but Congratulate Your Grace upon the Profperity and Succefs of Her Majesty's Counfels, in the great Juncture of Affairs which now draws the Eyes and Expectations of all Europe. Never, certainly, was there a fairer Profpect of Happiness than that which now rifes to our IS View. There appears to be a general Difposition for Unanimity and good Agreement at Home, as for Peace Abroad. Thefe a e are are the IVSW L great Rewards given to the Piety of Mthe Best of Queens: And it seems a Blessing peculiarly referv'd for Her, to fave, not only Europe in General, but even France, her Enemy, from the laft Ruin. That Your Grace may long enjoy the Happiness of that Peace, which in Your feveral high Stations, um of a bus clas either as a Patriot to Your Country, or a faithful Councellor to the Queen, You have fo largely contributed to, is the most humble and hearty With of, my Lord, bai bas monit id to Mr. William Shakespear. T feems to be a kind of Refpect due to the Memory of Excellent Men, especially of thofe whom their Wit and Learning have made Famous, to deliver fome Account of themselves, as well as their Works, to Pofterity. For this Reason, how fond do we see fome People of difcovering any little Perfonal Story of the great Men of Antiquity, their Families, the common Accidents of their Lives, and even their Shape, Make and Features have VOL. I. a been |