And now they divers Articles object,
Of Rigor, Malice, private Favourings,
Exaction, Riot, Falshood, and Neglect;
Crimes done, but seldom answered by Kings;
Which Subjects do lament, but not correct.
And all these Faults which Lancaster now brings
Against a King, must be his own, when he
By urging other Sins, a King shall be.

Upon those Articles in Parli'ment, So heinous made, enforc'd, and urg'd so hard, He was adjudg'd unfit for Government, And of all Regal Pow'r and Rule debarr'd: For who durst contradict the Duke's Intent? Or if they durst, should patiently be heard? Desire of Change, old Wrongs, new Hopes, fresh Fear, Being far the Major Part, the Cause must bear.

Yet must we think, that some which saw the Course, (The better few, whom Passion made not blind) Stood careful Lookers on, with sad Commorse, Amaz'd to see what headlong Rage design'd; And in a more considerate Discourse Of Tragical Events, thereof divin'd; And would excuse and pity those Defects,

Which with such Hate the adverse Parts objects:

Saying, "Better Years might work a better Care; "And Time might well have cur'd what was amiss; "Since all these Faults fatal to Greatness are, "And worse Deserts have not been punish'd thus. "But yet in this, the Heavens (we fear) prepare "Confusion for our Sins, as well as his; "And his Calamity beginneth our

"For He his own, and we abus'd his Pow'r.

Thus murmur'd they: When to the King were sent

Certain, who might persuade him to forsake

And leave his Crown, and with his free Consent

A Voluntary Resignation make;

Since that he could no other way prevent

These Dangers, which ne else must needs partake.
For not to yield to what Fear would constrain,
Would bar the Hope of Life that did remain.

And yet this scarce could work him to consent To yield up that so soon, Men hold so dear: "Why, let him take (said he) the Government; "And let Me yet the Name, the Title bear. "Leave Me that Shew, and I will be content; "And let them Rule and Govern without Fear. "What! can they not my shadow now endure "When they, of all the rest, do stand secure?

"Let me hold that, I ask no other Good: "Nay, that I will hold-Henry, do thy worst. "For e're I yield my Crown, I'll lose my Blood; "That Blood, that shall make thee and thine accurs'd. Thus resolute a-while he firmly stood;

Till Love of Life, and Fear of being forc'd,
Vanquish'd th' innated Valour of his Mind;

And Hope and Friends so wrought, that he resign'd.

Then to the Tow'r (where he remained) went
The Duke, with all the Peers in Company,

To take his Offer with his Free Consent,
And this his Resignation testify;

And thereof to inform the Parli❜ment,

That all Things might be done more formally,
And Men thereby rest better satisfy'd,

As of an Act not forc'd or falsify'd.

And forth H' is brought unto th' Accomplishment, Deck'd with the Crown in Princely Robes that Day: Like as the Dead, in other Lands, are sent Unto their Graves in all their best Array. And ev'n like Good did him this Ornament: For what he brought he must not bear away; But buries there his Glory and his name, Entomb'd both in his own, and others Blame.

And there unto th' Assembly of these States,
His Sorrow for their long-endured Wrong
Thro' his abus'd Authority, relates,
Excuses with Confessions mix'd among:
And glad (he says) to finish all Debates,

He was to leave the Rule they sought for long;
Protesting, if it might be for their Good,

He would as gladly sacrifice his Blood.

D

There He his Subjects all in general Assoils, and quits of Oath and Fealty; Renounces Int'rest, Title, Right, and All That appertain'd to Kingly Dignity: Subscribes thereto, and doth to Witness call

Both Heav'n and Earth, and God, and Saints on high, To testify his Act; and doth profess

To do the same with most free Willingness.

'Tis said, with his own Hands He gave the Crown To Lancaster; and wish'd to God he might Have better Joy thereof than He had know; And that his Pow'r might make it his by Right. And furthermore he crav'd (of all his own) But Life, to live apart a private Wight: The Vanity of Greatness he had try'd, And how unsurely stands the Foot of Pride.

This brought to pass, the Lords return with Speed, The Parli'ment hereof to certify;

Where they at large publish'd the King's own Deed,
And Form of his Resignment verbally:

And thereupon doth Lancaster proceed,
To make his Claim unto the Monarchy;

And shews the Right He hath, both by Descent,
And by Recov'ry, to the Government.

Which being granted, Canterbury rose,

And animates them by the Sacred Word In this their Course: And by his Text he shows "How well they made their Choice of such a Lord; "Who, as a Man, was able to dispose,

"And guide the State: And how the Royal Sword "Ought to be at a Man's Commandement ; "Not at a Childe's, or one as impotent.

"Then to the Present all his Speech he draws,

"And shews what admirable Parts abound

"In this Brave Prince; being fit to give them Laws; "Fit for his Valour; fit for Judgment sound.

And Lancaster, indeed I would thy Cause
Had had as Lawful and as Sure a Ground,
As had thy Virtues and thy Noble Heart,
Ordain'd and born for an Imperial Part.

Then had not that confus'd succeeding Age Our Field's ingrain'd with Blood, our Rivers dy'd With purple-streaming Wounds of our own Rage, Nor seen our Princes slaughter'd, Peers destroy'd. Then had'st not thou, Dear Country, com'n to wage War with thy self, nor those Afflictions try'd Of all-consuming Discord here so long; Too mighty now, against thy self too strong.

COWLEY.

THE COMPLAINT.

In a deep vision's intellectual scene,
Beneath a bower for sorrow made,
Th' uncomfortable shade

Of the black yew's unlucky green,

Mixt with the mourning willow's careful grey,
Where reverend Cham cuts out his famous way,
The melancholy Cowley lay:

And lo! a Muse appear'd to 's closed sight,
(The Muses oft in lands of vision play)
Body'd, array'd, and seen, by an internal light.
A golden harp with silver strings she bore;
A wondrous hieroglyphick robe she wore,
In which all colours and all figures were,
That nature or that fancy can create,

That art can never imitate;

And with loose pride it wanton'd in the air
In such a dress, in such a well-cloth'd dream,
She us'd, of old, near fair Ismenus' stream,
Pindar, her Theban favourite, to meet ;

A crown was on her head, and wings were on her feet.

She touch'd him with her harp, and rais'd him from the The shaken strings melodiously resound.

"Art thou return'd at last," said she, "To this forsaken place and me? "Thou prodigal! who didst so loosely waste "Of all thy youthful years the good estate; "Art thou return'd here, to repent too late,

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