Poems &c. written by Mr. Ed. Waller ... ; and printed by a copy of his own hand-writing ; all the lyrick poems in this booke were set by Mr. Henry Lawes ...

Vpon his Majesties repai∣ring of Pauls.

THat shipwrackt vessell which th' Apostle bore, Scarce suffer'd more upon Melita's shore, Then did his Temple in the sea of time. (Our Nations glory, and our Nations crime)

When the first Monarch of this happy Isle, Mov'd with the ruine of so brave a pile, This worke of cost and piety begun, To be accomplish'd by his glorious sonne, Who all that came within the ample thought Of his wise Sire, has to perfection brought.

He like Amphion makes those quarries leape Into faire figures from a confus'd heape: For in his art of regiment is found A power like that of harmony in sound. Those antique minstrills sure were Charles-like Kings, Cities their Lutes, and Subjects hearts their strings, On which, with so divine a hand they strooke, Consent of motion from their breath they tooke: So all our mindes with his, conspire, to grace The gentiles great Apostle, and deface, Those state obscuring sheds, that like a chaine, Seem'd to confine, and fetter him againe:

Which the glad Saint shakes off at his command, As once the viper from his sacred hand. So ioyes the aged oak when wee divide The creeping Ivy from his injur'd side.

Ambition rather would effect the fame Of some new structure to have borne her name. Two distant vertues in one act we finde, The modesty and greatnesse of his minde. Which not content to bee above the rage And iniury of all impayring age; In its owne worth secure, doth higher clime, And things halfe swallow'd from the jawes of time, Reduce an earnest of his grand designe, To frame no new Church, but the old refine; Which spouse-like may with comely grace command More then by force of argument or hand: For doubtfull reason few can apprehend, And warr brings ruine where it should amend.

But beauty with a bloodless conquest findes A welcome soveraignty in rudest mindes. Not ought which Sheba's wondring Queene beheld Among the workes of Solomon exceld His Ships and building, Emblems of a heart Large both in magnanimity and art. While the propitious heavens this worke attend, Long wanted showers, they forget to fend: As if they meant to make it understood Of more importance then our vitall food.

The Sun which riseth to salute the Quire Already finish'd, setting shall admire How private bounty could so far extend, The KING built all but Charles the western end▪ So proud a Fabrick to devotion given, At once it threatneth and obligeth Heaven.

Laomedon that had the Gods in pay, Neptune with him that rules the sacred day,

Could no such structure raise, Troy wald so high, Th' Atrides might as well have forc'd the sky.

Glad, though amazed, are our neighbour Kings, To see such power imploy'd in peacefull things. They list not urge it to the dreadfull field: The taske is easier to destroy, then build.