The history of the worthies of England who for parts and learning have been eminent in the several counties : together with an historical narrative of the native commodities and rarities in each county / endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

PANEGYRICK.

1.

AT Wor'ster great Gods goodness to our Nation, It was a Conquest Your bare Preservation. When 'midst Your fiercest foes on every side For Your escape God did a LANE provide; They saw You gonc, but whether could not tell, Star-staring, though they ask'd both Heaven and Hell.

2.

Of forraign States You since have studied store, And read whole Libraries of Princes o're. To You all Forts, Towns, Towers and Ships are known, (But none like those which now become Your OWN.) And though Your Eyes were with all Objects fill'd, Onely the Good into Your Heart distill'd.

3.

Garbling mens manners You did well divide, To take the Spaniards wisdome, not their pride. With French activity You stor'd Your Mind, Leaving to them their Ficklenesse behind; And soon did learn, Your Temperance was such, A sober Industry even from the Dutch.

4.

But tell us, Gracious Soveraign from whence Took You the pattern of Your Patience? Learn't in Afflictions School, under the Rod, Which was both us'd and sanctifi'd by God; From Him alone that Lesson did proceed, Best Tutor with best Pupil best agreed.

5.

We, Your dull Subjects, must confess our crime, Who learnt so little in as long a time, And the same School. Thus Dunces poring looks Men•…•… not themselves, but onely marre their Bnoks. How vast the difference 'twixt wise and fool? The Master makes the Scholar, not the School.

6.

With rich conditions ROME did You invite, To purchase You their ROYALL PROSELYTE, (An emptysoul's soon tempted with full Coffers) Whilst You with sacred scorn refus'd their proffers. And for the FAITH did earnestly CONTEND Abroad, which now You do at Home DEFEND.

7.

Amidst all Storms, Calm to Your Self the while, Saddest Afflictions You did teach to smile. Some faces best become a Mourning Dress, And such Your Patience, which did grace Distress, Whose Soul despising want of worldly pelf, At lowest ebbe went not beneath it Self.

8.

GOds JUSTICE now no longer could dispence With the Abusing of His PROVIDENCE, To hear SUCCESSE his APPROBATION styl'd, And see the Bastard brought against the Child. [SCRIPTURE] by such, who in their own excuse Their Actings 'gainst His Writings did produce.

9.

The Pillar, which Gods people did attend, To them in night a constant Light did lend,

Though Dark unto th' Egyptians behind; Such was brave MONCK in his reserved mind, A Riddle to his Foes •…•…e did appear, But to YOU and Himselfe, Sense plain and clear.

10.

By Means unlikely God atchives his End, And crooked ways straight to his Honour tend; The great and antient Gates of LONDON Town, (No Gates, no City) now are voted down, And down were cast, O happy day! for all Do date our hopefull rising from their fall.

11.

Mens loyal Thoughts conceiv'd their Time was good, But Gods was best; Without one drop of Bloud, By a dry Conquest, without forraign hand, (Self-hurt, and now) Self-healed, is Our Land. This silent Turn did make no noise, O strange! Few saw the changing, all behold the Change.

12.

So Solomon most wisely did conceive, His Temple should be STIL BORN though ALIVE. That stately Structure started from the ground Unto the Roof, not guilty of the sound Of Iron Tool, all noise therein debarr'd; This Virgin-Temple thus was s•…•…en, not heard.

13.

TH' impatient Land did for Your presence long, England in swarms did into Holland throng, To bring Your Highness home, by th' Parliament Lords, Commons, Citizens, Divines were •…•…ent: Such honour Subjects never had before, Such honour Subjects never shall have more.

14.

Th' officious Wind to serve You did not fail, But scour'd from West to East to fill Your Sail, And fearing that his Breath might be too rough, Prov'd over-civil, and was scarce enough; Almost You were becalm'd amidst the Main, Prognostick of Your perfect peacefull Raign.

15.

Your Narrow Seas, for Forraigners do wrong To claim them, (surely doth the Ditch belong Not to the common Continent, but Isle Inclosed) did on You their Owner smile, Not the least loss, onely the NASEBY mar'ls To see her-self now drowned in the CHARLES.

16.

You land at Dover, shoals of People come, And KENT alone now •…•…eems all CHRISTEN DOM. The Cornish Rebels (eight score Summers since) At BLACK-HEATH fought against their lawful Prince Which dolefull place with hatefull Treason stain'd Its Credit now by Loyalty regain'd.

17.

Great LONDON the last station You did make, You took not it, but LONDON You did take: And now no wonder Men did silence break, When Conduits did both French and Spanish speak. Now at WHITE-HALL the Guard, which You attends, Keeps out Your Foes, God keep You from Your Friends.

18.

THe Bells aloud did ring, for joy they felt Hereafter Sacriledge shall not them melt. And round about the Streets the Bonfires blaz'd, With which NEW LIGHTS Fanatiques were amaz'd. The brandisht Swords this Boon begg'd before Death, Once to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, then buried in the Sheath.

19.

The Spaniard looking with a serious Eye, Was forc'd to trespass on his Gravity, Close to conceal his wondring he desir'd, But all in vain, who openly admir'd. The French, who thought the English mad in mind, Now fear too soon they may them Sober find.

20.

The Germans seeing this Your sudden Power, Freely confess'd another Emperour. The joyful Dane to Heav'ns cast up his Eyes, Presuming suffering Kings will •…•…ympathize. The Hollanders (first in a sad suspence) Hop'd, that Your Merty was their Innocence.

21.

LOng live Our Gracious CHARLES, Second to none In Honour, who ere sate upon the Throne: Be You above Your Ancestors renown'd, Whose Goodness wisely doth Your Greatness bound; And knowing that You may be What You would, Are pleased to be onely What You should.

22.

EUROP's Great ARBITRATOR, in Your choice Is plac'd of Christendom the CASTING VOICE; Hold You the Scales in Your Judicious Hand, And when the equal Beam shall doubtfull stand, As You are pleased to dispose one Grain, So falls or riseth either France or Spain.

23.

As Sheba's Queen defective Fame acc•…•…s'd, Whose niggardly Relations had abus'd Th' abundant worth of Solomon, and told Not half of what she after did behold: The same Your case, Fame hath not done You right, Our Ears are far out-acted by our Sight.

24.

Your SELF's the Ship return'd from forreign Trading, England's Your Port, Experience the Lading, God is the `Pilot; and now richly fraught, Unto the Port the Ship is safely brought: What's dear to You, is to Your Subjects cheap, You sow'd with pain, what we with pleasure reap.

25.

The Good-made Laws by You are now made Good, The Prince and Peoples right both understood, Both being Bank'd in their respective Station, No fear hereafter of an Inundation. Oppression, the KINGS-EVIL, long indur'd, By others caus'd, by YOU alone is cur'd.

And here my Muse craves her own nunc dimittis, never to make Verses more; and because she cannot write on a better, will not write on another Occasion, but heartily pray in Prose, for the happiness of her Lord and Master. And now having taken our Vale of verses, let us therewith take also our Farewell of Worcester-shire.