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EBBA 32122

Huntington Library - Bridgewater
Ballad XSLT Template
A
PANEGYRICK
TO
His Highness Prince RUPERT,
ON
His present Expedition with His Majesties NAVY ROYAL
against the DUTCH.
Arma VIRUMq; cano--- ---

GReat PRINCE! to whose unwearied Pains and Care
England Eternal Monuments must rear
Of Gratitude, as having found in YOU
At once her Nestor and Achilles too:
Whose Grave Advice does first our Factions close,
And then your Matchless Arm subdues our Foes.
Permit an Humble Muse your Fame to greet,
And with your Canvase spread a Votive Sheet,
Predicting Victory: Assurd no less,
RUPERT Commanding warranteth success.
RUPERT, that Glorious Name, wherein we have
Whatevers Prudent, Valiant, Great, or Brave;
In whom Nature all past Heros does summe,
And Copies sets to those that are to come.
With such a Chief and such a Navy blest,
As never yet the Oceans Surface prest,
For strength, for courage, and for number too,
What ist we may not fairly hope to do?
Especially upon a Cause so Just,
As might to Providence and Cock-boats trust:
Though thanks to Heaven a Moving Wood, we see,
Covers the bosom of our Narrow Sea;
A Floating Island; that seems to surpass
Denmark and Dantzick for full choice of Masts:
As if that Womb of Ships (Forest of Dean)
Into the Ocean now had shifted Scene.
Phansie no more Fond Hogens to surprise
Us with Fair Words and Foul Advantages;
Nor hope a doubtful Treaties sly pretence
Shall gull us to omit needful Defence.
Wel parly Armd, and if you Deaf remain
To Reason still, and our Just Terms disdain,
Wel Bore your Ears with Thunder, till you cease
Your haughty Pride, and humbly beg for Peace.

See how Fate to your Ruine does advance,
The English Valour, and Fury of France.
Vessels of such a bulk! we may maintain
That Wooden Mountains Dance upon the Main.
Their stately Rigging charm the gazing eye;
But with what horrour and stupidity
Must you receive that Dread Salute that comes
From gaping Entrails of their Numerous Guns!
Whose language speaks Confusion, and their breath
Impregnates Air with Sentences of death;
Outroaring Thunder with their Frightful Sounds,
Which evry Wave to neighbouring Shores rebounds,
Like to unhinge the Poles, and dash the Spheres,
In shatters about trembling Atlas ears.
Those Fatal Peals Heaven hath designed well,
To ring your Hogen Mogen Stateships Knell.

Zerxes his Chains were but a Foolery;
Such Fleets alone the Seas in Fetters tie:
Mand with stout Seamen yielding to no stroke;
For (like their Ships) their Hearts are Trusty Oke.
Spains King, that formerly Sirnamed His
INVINCIBLE, how would he Christen This!
To which that proud Armado was no more
Then Sholes of Fisher-boats crept from the Shore.
Let none repine that Bacons Art did fail;
His Brazen to these Wooden Walls must vail.

May Sacred CHARLES have always such a Fleet,
Incroaching Foes to prostrate at his Feet,
And never want such Arguments as these
T assert his Right unto the Narrow Seas.


FINIS.
LONDON, Printed for Jonathan Edwin, at the Three Roses in Ludgate Street, 1673.

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