THere is none so great a stranger to your Virtues, but knows, with how gracious a Candour, and Equanimity you receive the vows and acclamations of all the World, and the bolder ad­dresses of some particular Persons: So accessary is your good­ness to your own disquet: And as offences are m [...]reast by the encouraging permission of Superiours, so is this the only Crime your Sacred Majesty ever favoured with your Connivance, by the unjust Martyrdome of your own Patience making an Atonement for the rude sins of those aspiring Invocations. But w [...]r [...] this time less pregnant with examples of your Indulgence, or your Subjects Importunities, yet I should hope, that this transgression might be venial, and be interpreted an unres [...]rainable effusion of his joyes, who chuses rather to disclose his resentments of our publique feli­cities by this affectionate pr [...]sumption, than to smother your v [...]rtues and his own admiration by too scrupulous a silence. Many have applauded the miraculous, though long expected change of your Fortune, and with early Salutes, like the Persians, ran out betimes to catch the first glimpse of your Sun rising out of the Sea of affliction, not considering whether your clear morning might be overcast with the dark vapours of ill Government drawn up too frequently by the ac­tractive heat of prosperity; but now that by your long Continuance in this our Sphere, we see, and joyfully admire the Constant and indistemper'd serenity of your Justice, and find by undeceiv'd experience, that the influence of your in­creasing Perfections warms, no less, than the splendour of your Gr [...]atness in­lightens us, it is no wonder, the most contemptible of those Worm [...], that creep upon this your Earth, should be drawn out at last, and inspir'd with an unusual ala­crity to the discharging of a duty which he finds as impossible to be omitted, as to be well perform'd. Then Royal Sir, since Heaven ha's smooth'd the brows of these latter times, and fill'd up the deepest wrinckles that Warr ever intrench't in, let us admire how partially the Divine Providence was pleas [...]d to signalize your glorious Restauration at the same moment, when it seem'd only to satisfie the [Page 2] complaining World, with some proportionable, though not equal benedictions. Th [...]re was, Great Sir, in the time of your return, as in Augustus's, an Universal peace, and let us ever boast the same conjuncture of affairs, brought down a Savi­our, which re-inthron'd a Soveraign, and no unlike occasion too: for as he gave the earn [...]st of Salvation to our Souls, so you now give us the assurance of our Lives and Fortunes, like him, absolving us from an universal guilt; So that you seem not only born to give Laws upon Earth, but to confirm the Decrees of Heav [...]n itself, and to be the joynt Conveyancer of our most gracious Charters, our Lives, Liberties and Possessions: From that moment we began to live, and we owe more to you for our Lives than to our Parents, more to you for our Fortunes, than to the Industry, and pious transmission of our Ancestors. You are the individual Soul and Genius of this great Nation, solely appropriated by Nature to actuate, and inform its praedisposed Organs, and it is no wonder there ha's been so long a sus­pension of your Animating faculties, and a kind of Political trance in these three Kingdoms, since the chiefest vessel [...] of Life and Motion in this your Body have been obstructed by many crude and depraved ho [...]rours, whil [...] the nobler and more Vital Parts, having lost great quantities of Blood, suffered under a Loyal Lethar­gy, and were almost extinguished: But when an over-ruling Providence, ac [...]or­d [...]ng to its just and even measures, had c [...]ose a season fittest to remove the fatal symptoms of this expiring Body, and had sw [...]pt, and cl [...]ansed this d [...]filed House for your reception, you came back to the Nat [...]on, and the Nation came back to its self, you returned after so tedious an Ecc [...]ipse to the anti [...]nt Spl [...]ndo [...]r, and Dignity du [...] to your Sacred Majesty by a triple Title, your Birth, your Merits, and the De­sires of your People. Then let the Worl [...] forget the records of Antiquity, and r [...]ad no Lectures, but on your Actions; Let men be convinc'd of their Cruelty and Barbarism, that see your Humanity and Compassion; of their Rapines and Oppression, that look upon your Justice, and Impartial distribution; of their Dis­pirited and groveling Souls, that have seen, and heard of your Active and Passive fortitude, your Magnanimity in the Dubious decisions of fortune, and your grea­t [...]r courage in the Support of its highest indignities, in those frowning times, when nothing was left you that was invincible but your Self, nothing that was impreg­nable, but your own Firmness and Constancy. We have liv'd a [...]ongst the [...]n [...]mies of mank [...]nd, and your self, and heard them ever celebrate your too Prodigal va­lour in that unsuccessful though not inglorious day, [...]n which you did at [...]nce oppose both Fortune, Tr [...]chery, and unequal Numbers, in which the sec [...]y of Heaven intr [...]sted by your fa [...]t [...]full servants, miraculously laid up for our future use the greatest treasure of the English Nation: and if you did no sooner dis­possess those bold usurpers, it was because you had d [...]sign'd to re-instate your self more gloriously, and make the World confess you w [...]re more ne [...]ssary to England, than England to you, piously resolving, though your sute was dep [...]nding longer, to over-come your own Subjects by Law, and yo [...]r other En [...]mies by Arms. It was by those well manag'd adversities you [...]ad occas [...]on to make your Gr [...]atness more illustrious, and as th [...]re could no doubt arise of your Title, and priority of degree, so you endeavour'd there should be none at all of you [...] sup [...]ri­ority in Virtue, and peculiar aptitude to govern. For many Princes plac'd in an advantagious l [...]ght, and at that d [...]stance, which Maj [...]sty requires [...] have app [...]ar'd like Pictures in perspective, more profound, and capacious, more wise and virt [...]ous than a [...]loser inspection would have render [...]d them: and though that Virtues (as one saies well) have their false resemblances, as Divinities have their Idols, yet your accomplishments are real, and unquestionable, and have past the touch-stone of adverse fortune, shining through the darkest of calamities, and ow [...]ng nothing to the glittering varnish of success. To your Fortitude you have annex'd her con­stant associate Cl [...]mency, which is so eminently conspicuous and admirable in all your Actions, and so congenial to your Heroique soul, that it seems to be your Darling virtue. Never Prince at once converted, and absolv'd so many sinners, [Page 3] piec'd together so many inconsistent Factions, so many dissonant Religions: You are the first that ever found out the praeternatural art of uniting Contraries, of making fire and water joyn without the destruction of one Species. The Har­mony of your Government is made more sweet and musical by the friendly discord of several Parties, and you handle so dexterously the char [...]ing Instrument of Peace, that like Orpheus, Wild-beasts and men do equally follow you. You have tam'd the bellowing Independent, and the bleating Presbyterian: the barking Qua­ker, and the biting Anabaptist. You have united Pulpits and Tubs, Surplices and Cloaks, limber Preciseness and starched Formality. You have reconcil'd th [...]ngs of the greatest Antipathies, our Ears to Drums and Trumpets, our Eyes to red Coats and Crosses, our Hands to Swords, and our Purses to Money. In your ab­sence we were more naked than the Indians, because unarm'd, it being more ne­cessary to repell the injuries of men, than those of the weather: but in some kind of Justice they proportion'd our strength to the share of Riches they left us, and having nothing to lose, we had less need of defending our selves. But since that now we bless those Miseries that have receiv'd so glorious a Consolation, we may with as much freedome as integrity assert a [...]ruth which was a Paradox in the late equalizing times, that a Glorious Court under a Righteous King does ever make a wealthy Nation, and that the Plentiful Hospitality and splendid Bravery, for­merly call'd the Luxury, and Vanity of the Gentry, are the most indisp [...]nsable Actions and essential Virtues of a Political Gov [...]rnment, if according to the maxims of the Republicans themselves, the incr [...]ase of Trade, the relief and em­ployment of the Poor, the depression of the Nobil [...]ty from too monstrous an in­crease, and the elvation of the Commonalty may be r [...]puted the chief [...]nter [...]sts of a Nations happiness and security. For whereas w [...]al [...]h before was retir'd into solitary Creeks, and had no reflux into the Community, it is now deriv'd through bountifull Chanels upon the lower grounds, and Convey'd to f [...]rtilize all barren places according to their necessities: so that there is not only a mutual commu­nication of Riches, but frequently a transm [...]gration of Estates, and to make For­tune have some equity in her change [...], out of the ashes of one family arises ano­ther, and each one takes successively the [...]r vicissitudes of Plenty. There is indubi­tably in the body Politique no less, than in the Natural, a Circulation: and trea­sure, like Blood, must first be convey'd unto the Nobler Parts, then to the Rest, else there will ensue a Putrefaction of the whole Mass, a Decay of Commerce, and gen [...]ral Poverty. If then the Emperour [...]aligula, fearing an oblivion of his Name, could wish himself the happiness of having his Government signaliz'd to Posterity for some publique Calamities, how much more Glorious an Immortality may your Maj [...]sty promise to your Self, whose prosperous Reign, though your Virtues were silent, would be to all ages recommended as the Golden season, and pr [...]gnant harvest of Englands most transcendent and diffusive felicities? Your Maj [...]sties Thankfulness to your Friends is no less eminent than your Mercy to your Enemies; nor are your favours to your S [...]rvants (as was said of a Cardinals) like those of Eunuchs to women, that they never grow great by them, but such as fully satisfie the most arrogant and Complaining merits, and make them pregnant in Affection, and Loyalty, and productive of good services to your Majesties ho­nour, and the publique Utility: but since that benefits to ungrateful men, or un­deserving, are like great summs of Money thrown away to unthrifts, you give your larger talents to your better Stewards, making your moderation obvious to Poste­rity, in having rais'd up none unto the Peerage, but such as have been instrumental to your Return, or inseparable in your Sufferings, judging rightly, that a nume­rous Nobility, is like the fixed Stars, whose multitude makes them severally less considerable, but few and choice ones are like the Planets, every one of which ha's some proper excellency, and remarkable motion. But amongst the well cho­sen objects of your Judicious Liberality, we find the chief to be the two great Pillars of your Kingdome, your Cato, and your Fabius, your Cato is that grave [Page 4] Senator and Skilful Pilot, who in the Roughest Seas, though your Majesty ever held the stern your self, yet help'd to guide your course so right, that you never struck upon the shallow Promises of forein Princes, but kept still even in the safer chanel of your Subjects Affections, and who in this season of Tranquillity, advises your Majesty not to be becalm'd, but still to make some orderly progress in your motion to glory. This is our Atlas, upon whose shoulders lies the burden of these three Kingdoms, in whose head are conserv'd the Axioms of eternal truth for the Go­vernment of this Nation, and in whose breast lodges the universal equity, or the mitigated Justice of our Severer Laws. Your Fabius is he, who by his prudent and prosperous Cunctation restor'd the antient Glory of the English World, who finding himself not able to grapple with the monstrous Whale of the Co [...]mon­wealth, baited, tickled, and play'd with her so long, till at length the Tides forsook her, and left her to his mercy on the dry Land. Tis he, who when the wearied Arms of long contending fortune could no longer support your unsuccessful Standards, recovered the Ark out of the hands of the Philistines, which those bold Rebels who would have touch'd or pry'd into, like Uzziah perish'd, and with a most religious caution resign'd up faithfully to your Majesty your most sa­cred and incommunicable Throne, absolving at once, and glorifying the English Nation. We owe to him, more than our selves, that is, your Majesty, and this bankrupt Nation must ever be indebted to him, since it has nothing to give him of equal value with that in [...]stimable Present. Some Princes have made use of their Ministers to be Skreens of envy from their People, yours are the Receivers, and tasters of their affection, since there can be nothing Commanded by your Majesty, which your Subjects wishes do not prevent, nothing wish'd by your Sub­jects, which your Majesties commands do not Confirm. Nor does the favour they obtain from the People, by thus humouring them with your pleasing injuncti­ons, impair at all, or lessen the Peoples indearments to your Majesty, since their love is as over-flowing, and inexhaustible, as the Sources of it, your Royal Virtues, and 'tis almost a Paradox to think we are no more in love with Virtue, since we are so much with You. When your Majesty had thus sacrifiz'd to your own Gra­titude in the remuneration of your Friends, to your generosity in the absolution of your Enemies, and to your wisdome in the re-establishment of your disorder'd Realms, when you were I say by these heroique Steps arriv'd at the supreme point of single felicity, what remain'd there to the accumulated measures of your tem­poral enjoyments, but the possession of a Person of such rare endowments, that in the adorning of her, Fortune and Beauty have been aemulous competitors, in the presenting of her to your Royal Bed, her Birth and Virtue passionate Rivals, and there is nothing left to terminate so intricate a dispute, but the Concession of her universal excellencies? for as each mans soul is to his human nature, so she is yours in all, and yours in every one. She is the only Person in the World, whose merit is proportion'd to the happiness of being enjoy'd by you, and whose trans­cendent accomplishments exceed the measure of any other Princes pretensions. 'Tis she alone that can return you one perfection for another, exchange Content­ments, and mingle Virtues. For Marriage, which is Natures truest multiplying-glass, makes us not only see our selves without loss of quantity divided into nume­rous progenies, but causes too a mutual transmigration of a [...]l Con [...]ernments, and does so p [...]rfectly collect the scatter'd Beams of Vir [...]ue, Fame and Greatn [...]ss, that what before was singly glorious receives by it a double illustration, and by re­flexion on Posterity renders us those duplicates of happin [...]ss innumerable. And how could penitent Fortune after the noble pr [...]sent of a Kingdome [...]mprove her Liberality but by con [...]rring on you a gr [...]ater gift, A Glorious Queen? For Nature too seems to have been so carefully intent in the premeditation, and con­trivance of this great Match, that like an over-busied House-wi [...]e, she forgot all other affairs in this our Island, and left us in the greatest disorder and confusion that ever was since the Chaos was in labour of the Creation. Live then and enjoy [Page 5] those ravishing sweets that are the sole Antidotes to Adverse Fortune, and the chief ingredients of the most flattering Prosperity, without which the insipid World ha's nothing that rellishes to the elevated taste of man, to which all other luke-warm pleasures are but as Dreams, or the slumbring remembrances of our Mortality, little constrained motions to keep our selves awake from the sleep of Eternity, exerciz'd with as much indifferency as they are accomplisn'd with dis­satisfaction: whilst Beauty, the most uniting cement both of Souls and Bodies, associating her self with Friendship to give duration to her effects, entertains, and foments the Lethargy of this benummed Life, with a most Medicinal fountain of ardent desires, boyling up perpetually into the chast and caelestial delights of never-surfeting Fruitions. It is the fate of Virtues, as of Friends, sometimes to be at odds with one another, and though their cause and end of Action be the same, yet in their mediate operations, they do not seldome seem incompatible: but since that vulgar Impossibilities are but Heroes easie Recreations, we may observe, that as your Majesty has the blessed Art of reconciling Factions, and self-opposing Vice in others, you have another no less glorious to joyn all differing and unac­quainted Virtues in your self: for there appears to be in the heavenly frame of your mind, a Constellation of endowments rarely sociable; Acuteness of Wit, and Solidity of Judgment; Gravity of Aspect, and Pleasantn [...]ss of Humour; an unrestrained Power, and a most tender Civility; an early Apprehension, and a mature Prudence. You have a fervent kindness for your Friends, and no inflexi­ble hatred to your Enemies: You are a passionate Lover of right, and as calm a Forgiver of wrong. You enjoy the nakedness of truth by Contemplation, and cloath it in the most ingenious Ornaments of Discourse. You have a Soul rich­ly furnish'd with heroique Passions, and an incredible temper in their Government, and Order. You have many Pleasures that are your Favourites, but none that mislead your Virtue, that is their Soveraign. In fine, your Judgment never errs, but when it is Seduc'd by the powerfull imposture of your self-injurious Cle­mency, and your Goodness so disciplines and tutours your Greatness, that we never taste of the sharper streams of Justice, till they have run through the Royal Correctives of Tenderness, and Humanity. Yet after all these Excellencies, and truly Royal Prerogatives, give me leave to tell you, you have left a general dis­content in the hearts of all your Subjects, I mean a disquieting and tormenting desire to attempt a thing they can never accomplish, A perfect Copy of your Virtues. For men must propose you as a pattern for their Wishes, not their Hopes, and 'tis a loyal Virtue to Imitate those perfections, which 'tis a rebellious presumption to think to Parallel. What need then those superfluous Oaths of Allegiance, and Supremacy? wherefore should they so sollicitously bind our pre­ingaged affections? Those are but feeble props to tottering Monarchs, but to your Majesty who is so unremoveably fix't in the very Centre of our hearts, the Law-giver, and the Law it self, the Precept, and the Pattern of these three King­doms, what needs there any greater security than those praevious Oaths, and vo­luntary Resolutions, that every one has made within himself, to make your Service the most ambitious aim of all his actions? Since the same rule that makes you our Superiour, Commands us at once to Obey your Person, and Imitate your Virtues, and the Divinity it self ha's included in one duty, both his own Venera­tion, and your Obedience.

Auspicious Prince, whose Clemency gives us Innocence, whose Moderation Tranquillity, whose Prudence Instruction, and whose Virtue Example; whom to See, and not Admire, is to be Insensible, whom to Admire, and not to Reverence, is to be Rebellious, whom to Reverence, and not Adore, is to be Profane, and whom to Honour, Obey, and Venerate, is the most unalienable Concernment and complicated Duty of our Religion, our Allegiance, and our human Nature.