Ta tōn Mousōn eisodia: = The Muses welcome to the high and mightie prince Iames by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland, defender of the faith &c. At His Majesties happie returne to his olde and natiue kingdome of Scotland, after 14 yeeres absence, in anno 1617. Digested according to the order of his Majesties progresse, by I.A.

HOW JOYFULL YOVR MAJE∣sties returne (gracious and dread SO∣VERAINE) is to this your M. native I owne, from that Kingdome due to your Sacred person by Royall discent, the countenances and eyes of these your M. loyall Subjects speake for their harts. This is that happie Day of our New-birth, ever to bee retai∣ned in fresh memorie, with conside∣ration of the goodnesse of th' Almightie GOD, considered with aknowledgement of the same, aknowledged with admira∣tion, admired with love, and loved with joy; wherein our eyes behold the greatest humaine felicitie our harts could wish, which is to feide vpon the Royall countenance of our true Phoenix, the brigt Starre of our Northerne Firmament, the Ornament of our Age, wherein wee are refreshed, yea revived with the heat and bright Beames of our Sunne (the powerfull Adamant of our Wealth) by whose removing from our Hemisphaere, we were darkned, deepe sorrow and feare possessing our harts (without envying of your M. happines and felicitie) our places of solace euer giving a newe beat to the fever of the languishing remem∣brance of our happinesse: The verie Hilles and Groves, accusto∣med of before to be refreshed with the dewe of your M. presen∣ce, not putting on their wounted Apparrell; but with pale lookes representing their miserie for the departure of their Royal King.

J most humblie begge pardon of your Sacred Majestie, who most vnworthie and vngarnished by Arte or Nature, with Rhe toricall coloures haue presumed to deliver to your sacred M, for∣med by Nature, and framed by education, to the perfection of all eloquence: the publike message of your M. l••y••ll subiectes

heere conveened: Upon the verie knees of mine hart beseeching your sacred M. that mine obedience to my Superiors command may bee a sacrifice acceptable to expiate my presumption: your M. wounted clemencie may give strength and vigour to my dis∣trustfull spirites, in gracious acceptance of that which shall bee delivered, and pardoning myne escapes.

Receiue then, dread Soveraine, from your M. faithfull and loyall Subjectes, the Magistrats and Citizens of your H. good Towne of Edinburgh, such welcome, as is due from these, who with thankfull harts doe acknowledge the infinite blessinges plen teoslie flowing to them from the paradise of your M. vnspot∣ted goodnes and Vertue, wishing your M. eyes might pearce into their veri••hartes there to behold the excessiue joye inwardlie conceived of the first messinger of your M. princelie resolution visite this your M. good Towne, increassed by your M. constan∣cie in prosequuting what was so happilie intended, and nowe accomplished by your M. fortunate and safe returne, which no tongue, howe liberall so ever, is able to expresse.

Who shall consider with an vnpartiall eye the continuall care∣fulnesse your M. hath had over vs from your tender yeeres: the setled temper of your M. governament, wherein the nycest eye could find no spot, your selfe as the life of the Countrey, as the father of the people, instructing not so much by precept, as by example, your M. Court, the mariage place of Wisedome and Godlinesse: without impietie hee cannot refuse to avouch, but as your M. prudencie hath wonne the pryze from all Kings and Emperours which standeth in degrie of comparison: so hath your M. governament beene such, that everie mans eye may bee a messinger to his minde, that in your M. standeth the Quint-essēce in ruling skill, of all prosperous & peaceable governament, much wished by our Fore-fathers; but most abundantlie, praised be GOD, enjoyed by vs, vnder your Sacred Majestie.

For if wee shall in a view lay before vs the times past, even since the first fundation of this Kingdome, and therein consider your M. most noble progenitoures: they were indeede all Prin∣ces renowned for their vertues, not inferior to any Emperoures or Kinges of their time, they mainteined & delivered their Vir∣gine Scepters vnconquered, from age to age, from the inunda∣tion of the most violent floods of conquering Sworde, which ouer-whelmed the rest of the whole Earth, & carried the Crowns

of all other Kings of this Terrestrial Globe captives vnto thral∣dome: But farre short of your Majestie, nature having placed in your sacred person alone, what in everie one of them was excel∣lent, the senate-house of the Planets being, as it wold seeme, con∣vened at your M. birth, for decreeing o•• all perfections in your Royall person. The Heavens and Earth witnessing your Heroi∣call frame, none influence whatsoever being able to bring the same to any higher degree.

If wee shall call to minde the tumultuous dayes of your M. more tender yeeres, and therein your M. prudencie, wisedome, and constancie in Uniting the disjoynted members of this Com∣mon-wealth, who will not with the Queene of Sheba confesse hee hath seene more wisedome in your Royall person, than re∣port hath brought to forraine eares.

There is not of any estate or age within this your M. King∣dome who hath not had particular experience of the same, and as it were, sensiblie felt the fruites thereof: The fire of civile dis∣corde, which as a flāme had devoured vs, was thereby quenched, euerie man possessed his owne Vineyard in peace, reaping that which hee had sowne, & enjoying the fruites of his owne labours: Your M. great vigilancie, and Godlie zeale in propagating the Gospell, defacing the monuments of Idolatrie, banishing that Romane and Antichristian Hierarchie, and establishing of our Church, repairing the ruines thereof, protecting vs from foraine invasion. The rich trophees' of your M. victories, more power∣fullie atchieved by your sacred wisedome, & deserved more wor∣thelie by your vertue, than these of the Caesars, to much extolled by the ancients; all ages shall recorde: and euen our posteritie shall blesse the Almightie our GOD, for giving to vs their Fore-fathers a King in hart vpright as DAVID, wise as Salomon, and godlie as Josias.

And who can better witnesse your M. Royal favour and be∣neficence then this your Good Towne of Edinburgh, which being founded in the dayes of that worthie King, FERGUS the first, builder of this Kingdome, and famous for her vnspotted fidelitie to your M. most noble progenitours, was by them enriched with manie Freedomes, Priviledges, and Dignities, which all your M. hath not onlie confirmed, but also with accession of many more enlarged, beautifying her also with a new erected Colledge, fa∣mous for profession of all liberall Sciences: So that shee justlie

doeth acknowledge your M. as the author and conserver of her peace, her sacred Phisition, who bound vp the woundes of her distracted Common-wealth, the onlie Magnes of her prosperitie, and the true fountaine from whence, vnder GOD, all her happi∣nesse and felicitie floweth, and doeth in all humilitie record your M. Royall favours extended towards her at all rymes.

Wee should prooue most vngratefull, if wee should passe over in silence your M. sacred wisedome in disposing of the governa∣ment of this your M. natiue Kingdome, during your H. absence, and placing such subalterne Magistrates & officers of the Crowne, within the same, who haue shined as cleare Starres in this firma∣ment, keeping ever the prescript of your M. Royall commands, watching for the good of your H. Subjects, and squaring al their actions to your M. frame, as their paterne: and returning al their springes to the same fountaine from whence they themselues re∣ceiued influence of vertue: being vigilant in nothing more than in procuring the good and peace of this Church and Common∣wealth: To approve their loyaltie to your M. and to knit vs your Highnesse Subjects in a more firme knot of obedience to your sacred authoritie.

Neither hath the oceane of your M. vertues contained it selfe within the precinct of this Isle: What eare is so barbarous, that hath not heard of the same? What forraine Prince is not indeb∣ted to your sacred wisedome? What reformed Church doeth not blesse your M. Birth-day, and is not protected vnder the wings of your M. sacred authoritie from that Beast of Rome and his Antichristian locustes, whose walles your M. by the Soveraigne wisedome wherewith the LORD hath endewed your sacred per∣son hath battred and shaken more than did the Goths and Van∣dales the old frame of the same by their sworde: Would GOD as your M. hath made happie beginnings in drying vp their Fu∣phrates, laying the nakednesse of that whoore open to the view of the world, and ruinating of that Lernaean Hydra: so your M. dayes may be prolonged, to see the accomplishment of the same.

All this your M. Royall Store-house of vertues, perpetuall vi∣gilancie in managing of the publicke affaires, your prudencie in your actions, your vertue in your life, and your felicitie in all, the LORD hath crowned, not onelie with continuance of yo••r M. peaceable governament ouer vs your natiue Subjects, m•…•… yeeres nor anie of your pre dicessours reignes attained vnto▪ But

also with accession of three great Kingdoms, and made your na∣me famous thorow the whole Earth aboue all the Princes of your time.

And therefore, wee your M. most humble Subjects doe in all submission of minds acknowledge your M. not onelie for oure just and lawfull Prince; but also for the first founder of the Uni∣ted Monarchie of this famous Isle, borne for the good of the same: who during the whole time of your M. most happie reigne hath so in publicke carried your selfe towards ws your subjects, (as if yee had been private) that no man could lay any imputation to your vnspotted life: yee neuer more desiring to bee aboue vs than for vs, nor to bee accounted great than good: joyning euer to power modestie and true pietie: And, as for your sacred vertue your Majestie deserveth to bee Monarch of the world, So for your pietie and vnfained zeale in propagating and main∣teming of the Gospell, doeth of due apperteine to your M. the true titles of the most Christian and Catholicke King.

For all which your M. Royall favours, having nothing to render but that which is due, Wee your M. humble Subjectes, prostrate at your M. sacred feete, lay downe our Lives, Goods, Liberties, and whatsoeuer else is most deare vnto vs; and doe vow to keepe vnto your sacred M. vnspotted Loyaltie and Sub∣jection, and euer to bee readie to consecrate and sacrifice our sel∣ves for mainteinance of your Royall Person and Estate: Praying th' Eternall our GOD, that Peace may bee within your M. wal∣les, Prosperitie within your M. Palaces, Length of Dayes to your Sacred Person, One from your M. Loynes neuer wanting to sway the Scepter of these your M. Kingdomes, And that Mercie may bee to your selfe and your Seede for euer.

Amen.