TO THE KING,
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS MAJESTY’S REIGN.
May all thy years, like this, auſpicious be,
And bring thee crowns, and peace, and victory!
Scarce hadſt thou time t’ unſheath thy conqu’ring blade;
It did but glitter, and the rebels fled.
Thy ſword, the ſafeguard of thy brother’s throne,5
Is now as much the bulwark of thy own.
Aw’d by thy fame, the trembling nations ſend
Throughout the world to court ſo firm a friend;
The guilty ſenates that refus’d thy ſway
Repent their crime, and haſten to obey;10
Tribute they raiſe, and vows and off’rings bring,
Confeſs their frenzy, and confirm their king:
Who with their venom overſpread thy ſoil,
Thoſe ſcorpions of the ſtate, preſent their oil.
So the world’s Saviour, like a mortal dreſs’d,15
Altho’ by daily miracles confeſs’d,
Accus’d of evil doctrine by the Jews,
The giddy crowd their rightful Prince refuſe;
But when they ſaw ſuch terror in the ſkies,
The temple rent, their King in glory rise,20
Seiz’d with amaze they own’d their lawful Lord,
And, ſtruck with guilt, bow’d, trembled, and ador’d.22
