An epistle to Charles Montague Esq., on His Majesty's voyage to Holland by Mr. George Stepney. Stepney, George, 1663-1707. 1691 Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A61465 Wing S5467 ESTC R14516 13337588 ocm 13337588 99121 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A61465) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 99121) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 477:7) An epistle to Charles Montague Esq., on His Majesty's voyage to Holland by Mr. George Stepney. Stepney, George, 1663-1707. [2], 10 p. Printed for Francis Saunders ..., London : 1691. In verse. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Halifax, Charles Montagu, -- Earl of, 1661-1715. William -- III, -- King of England, 1650-1702. Great Britain -- History -- William and Mary, 1689-1702 -- Sources. 2000-00 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2001-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2001-11 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2001-11 TCP Staff (Michigan) Text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion AN EPISTLE TO Charles Montague Esq ON His MAJESTY's VOYAGE TO HOLLAND . BY Mr. GEORGE STEPNEY . LICENSED Ian. 31. 1690 / 1 I. Fraser . LONDON , Printed for Francis Saunders , at the Blue Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange , 1691. AN EPISTLE TO Charles Montague Esq. SIR , SInce you oft invite me to renew An Art I 've either lost , or never knew , Pleas'd my past follies kindly to commend , And fondly lose the Critick in the Friend ; Thô my warm Youth untimely be decay'd , From Grave to Dull insensibly betray'd , I 'll contradict the Humour of the Times , ( Inclin'd to bus'ness , and averse to Rhimes ) And to obey the Man I love , in spight Of the World's Genius , and my own , I 'll write . But think not that I vainly do aspire To Rival what I only wou'd Admire , The Heat and Beauty of your manly thought , And Force like that with which your Heroe fought . Like Sampson's Riddle is that powerful Song , Sweet as the Honey , as the Lyon strong ; The Colours there so artfully are laid , They fear no Lustre , and they want no Shade , But shall of writing a just model give , While Boyne shall flow , and William's Glory live . Yet since his ev'ry Act may well infuse Some happy Rapture in the humblest Muse , Thô mine despairs to reach the wondrous height , She prunes her pinnions , eager of the flight ; The King 's the Theme , and I 've a Subject's Right : When William's Deeds , and rescu'd Europe's Joy Do ev'ry Tongue and ev'ry Pen employ , 'T is to think Treason sure to shew no Zeal , And not to Write is almost to Rebel . Let Albion then forgive her Meanest Son , Who wou'd continue what her Best begun ; Who , leaving Conquests and the Pomp of War , Wou'd sing the pious King 's divided Care ; How eagerly he flew when Europe's Fate Did for the Seeds of future Actions wait ; And how two Nations did with Transport boast Which was belov'd , and lov'd the Victor most : How joyful Belgia gratefully prepar'd Trophies and Vows for her returning Lord ; How the Fair Isle with rival passion strove , How by her Sorrow she exprest her Love , When He withdrew from what his Arm had free'd , And how she blest his way , yet sigh'd , and said , Is it decree'd my Heroe ne'er shall rest , Ne'er be of me , and I of him possest ? Scarce had I met his Vertue with my Throne , ( By Right , by Merit , and by Arms his own ) But Ireland's freedom and the Wars alarms Call'd him from me and his Maria's Charms . Oh gen'rous Prince ! too prodigally kind , Can the diffusive Goodness of your Mind Be in no bounds , but of the World , confin'd ? Shou'd sinking Nations summon You away , Maria's Love might justifie Your stay . Imperfectly the many Vows are paid , Which for your Safety to the Gods were made , While , on the Boyne , they labour'd to out-do Your Zeal for Albion by their Care for You ; When too impatient of a glorious Ease , You tempt new Dangers on the Winter-Seas . The Belgick State has rested long secure Within the Circle of thy Guardian Power ; Rear'd by thy care that noble Lyon , grown Mature in strength , can range the Woods Alone : When to my Arms they did the Prince resign , I blest the Change , and thought Him wholly mine ; Conceiv'd Long hopes I jointly shou'd obey His stronger , and Maria's gentle Sway , He fierce as Thunder , she as Lightning bright ; One my Defence , and t'other my Delight . Yet go — where Honour calls the Heroe , go ; Nor let your eyes behold how mine do flow ; Go , meet your Country's joy , your Vertue 's due , Receive their Triumphs , and prepare for new ; Inlarge my Empire , and let France afford The next large Harvest to thy prosp'rous Sword ; Again in Crecy let my Arms be rear'd , And o'er the Continent Britannia fear'd ; While under Mary's tutelary Care , Far from the Danger , or the Noise of War , In honourable Pleasure I possess The Spoils of Conquest , and the Charms of Peace . As the Great Lamp by which the Globe is blest , Constant in toil , and ignorant of rest , Thrô diff'rent Regions does his Course pursue , And leaves one World but to revive a new ; While , by a pleasing Change , the Queen of Night Relieves his Lustre with a milder Light : So when your Beams do distant Nations chear , The Partner of your Crown shall mount the Sphere , Able Alone my Empire to sustain , And carry on the Glories of thy Reign — But why has fate maliciously decree'd , That greatest blessings must by turns succeed ? Here she relented , and would urge his stay By all that fondness and that grief could say ; But soon did her presaging thoughts employ On Scenes of Triumphs and returning Joy : Thus , like the Tide , while her unconstant brest Was swell'd with Rapture , by Despair deprest , Fate call'd ; The Heroe must his way pursue , And her cries lessen'd as the shore withdrew . The Winds were silent , and the Gentle Main Bore an Auspicious Omen of his Reign , When Neptune , owning whom those Seas obey , Nodded , and bad the chearful Tritons play . Each chose a diff'rent Subject for their Lays , But Orange was the Burthen of their Praise : Some in their strains up to the Fountain run , From whence this stream of Vertue first begun ; Others chose Heroes of a later date , And sung the * Founder of the neighb'ring State , How daringly he Tyranny withstood , And seal'd his Country's freedom with his Blood. Then to the two illustrious † Brethren came , The glorious Rivals of their Father's Fame : And to the ‖ Youth , whose pregnant hopes out-ran The steps of Time , and early shew'd the Man , For whose Alliance Monarchs did contend , And gave a Daughter to secure a Friend . But as , by Nature's Law , the Phoenix dies , That from its Urn a Nobler Bird may rise , So fate ordain'd the Parent soon shou'd set To make the Glories of * his Heir compleat . At William's Name each fill'd his vocal shell , And on the happy Sound rejoic'd to dwell ; Some sung his Birth , and how discerning Fate Sav'd Infant Vertue against powerful hate , Of pois'nous Snakes by young Alcides quell'd , And Palms that spread the more , the more with-held . Some sung Seneffe , and early Wonders done By the bold Youth , Himself a War Alone ; And how his firmer Courage did oppose His Country's foreign and intestine Foes , The Lion He who held their Arrows close . Others sung Perseus , and the injur'd Maid , Redeem'd by the wing'd Warrior's timely Aid ; Or in mysterious Numbers did unfold Sad modern truths wrapt up in tales of old , How Saturn , , flush'd with Arbitrary Power , Design'd his Lawful Issue to devour , But Iove , ( reserv'd for better fate ) withstood The black Contrivance of the doating God ; With Arms he came , His guilty Father fled , ( 'T was Italy secur'd his frighted Head ) And by his Flight resign'd his empty Throne And Tripple Empire to his Worthier Son. Then in one note their Artful force they joyn , Eager to reach the Victor and the Boyne ; How on the wond'ring Bank the Heroe stood , Lavishly bold and desperately Good ; Till fate , designing to convince the Brave That they can dare no more than Heav'n can save , Let Death approach , and yet with-held the sting , Wounded the Man , distinguishing the King. They had inlarg'd out found the strain too strong , And in soft notes allay'd the bolder Song : Flow , gentle Boyne , ( they cry'd ) and round thy Bed For ever may victorious Wreaths be spread ; No more may Travellers desire to know Where Simois and Granicus did flow ; Nor Rubicon , a poor forgotten Stream , Be , or the Soldiers rant , or Poet's theme ; All Waters shall unite their Fame in Thee , Lost in thy Waves as those are in the Sea. They breath'd afresh , unwilling to give o'er ; And begg'd thick mists long to conceal the shore ; Smooth was the Liquid Plain ; the sleeping Wind , More to the Sea , than to its Master , kind , Detain'd a Treasure , which we value more Than All the Deep e're hid , or Waters bore . But He , with a Superior Genius born , Treats Chance with Insolence , and Death with Scorn , Darkness and Ice in vain obstruct his way , Holland is near , and Nature must obey ; Charg'd with our hopes the Boat Securely rode , For Caesar and His Fortune were the Load . With eager transport Belgia met her Son , Yet trembling for the danger He had run ; Till , certain of her Joy , she bow'd her Head , Confest her Lord , blest his return , and said , If Passion by long Absence does improve , And makes that Rapture which before was Love , Think on my old , my intermitted bliss , And by my former pleasure measure this ; Not by these feeble Pillars which I raise , Unequal to sustain the Heroe's praise , Too faint the Colours , and too mean the Art To represent Your Glories , or my Heart : These humble Emblems are design'd to show , Not how we wou'd Reward , but what we Owe. Here from your Childhood take a short review How Holland's happiness advanc'd with you ; How her stout Vessel did in Triumph ride , And mock'd the storms , while Orange was her Guide . What since has been our Fate — I need not say , ( Ill suiting with the blessings of the day . ) Our better fortune with our Prince was gone , Conquest was only there where He led on . Like the Palladium , wheresoe'er you go You turn all Death and Danger on the Foe . In you we but too sadly understood How Angels have their Spheres of doing good , Else the same Soul which did your Troops possess , And Crown'd their daring Courage with Success , Had taught our Fleet to triumph o'er the Main , And Fleurus had been still a guiltless Plain . What pity 't is , ye Gods ! an arm and mind Like Yours , shou'd be to time and place confin'd ? But Thy return shall fix our kinder fate , For Thee our Councils , Thee our Armies wait , Discording Princes shall with Thee combine , And center all their Interests in Thine ; Proud of Thy friendship , shall forego their sway , As Rome Her great Dictator did obey ; And all united make a Gordian knot , Which neither Craft shall loose , nor Force shall cut . ADVERTISEMENT . AN Epistle to Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex , Lord Chamberl●●● of His Majesty's Houshold . Occasioned by His Majesty's late Vic●●●● in Ireland . By Charles Montague , Esq Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A61465-e150 * William . † Maurice and Henry . ‖ William . * His present Majesty