A POEM Humbly Dedicated to the QUEEN, On the Occasion of HER MAJESTY'S HAPPY CONCEPTION.  
By Edm. Arwaker, M. A.  
Licenced Feb. 11th. 1687/8. Roger L'Estrange.  
LONDON: Printed for Randal Taylor, near Stationers-Hall▪ M DC LXXXVIII.   

A POEM Humbly Dedicated to the QUEEN, on the Occasion of Her Majesty's Happy Conception.  

HEaven's kind concurrence has our Wishes crowned,  
And thro' its Starry Courts around,  
Which with Petitions heretofore were filled,  
Loud shouts of Joy and Gratitude resound;  
Great as the Good for which their Tribute's paid,  
And answerable to the Vows we made.  
At last the rich, the Royal Field,  
That once did fertile Plenty yield,  
But long has unsuccessfully been tilled,  
Does happy signs of a new Product wear,  
And promises a joyful Harvest near:  
A wished Accession to that Princely store,  
With which another Soil had blest our Isles before,  
And which increase alone could make us value more.   

2.  
Great Queen, by us and Heaven beloved!  
Heaven that of you t' increase our Bliss approved;  
Your three exulting Kingdoms prostrate view,  
As pregnant all with hope and joy  
As with the Royal Burden you  
And all with due Congratulations come  
To bless and to adore your Sacred Womb;  
Whose load does all their Prayers, does all their Thanks employ.  
Low at your Feet the fair jerna lies,  
Whom not the dangers of her Seas,  
Nor love of dear, because unusual, ease,  
Deter from paying there her Sacrifice.  
She, though long practised in complaint,  
And only in that Language acquaint,  
Anew her celebrated Harp has strung,  
And wiped the querulous humour from her Tongue,  
Resolved on this occasion to rejoice,  
And that her Heart shall move in Consort with her Hand and Voice.   

3.  
Nor let her elder Sisters take offence,  
That she, though last, sues first for Audience;  
For she, alas! is placed remote from Court,  
And thither very rarely can resort:  
The envious distance does to her deny  
The privilege they every day enjoy.  
Vouchsafe her then, dread Queen, a gracious ear,  
Let her your Favours, as your Sufferings share:  
For she the Royal Cause did bravely own,  
By Plots and Perjuries almost run down.  
Even in the height of that audacious Time,  
When not t' oppose it was alone a Crime.  
And finds that Virtue now its own Reward,  
In the blessed Influence of our Sovereign's Reign,  
Whose Interest she before her own preferred,  
Nor was she just to Heaven and Him in vain.   

4.  
Till his benigner Aspect blest her shore,  
The Yoke of Conquest she impatient wore;  
But finds since he ascended Albion's Throne,  
Her great advantage was to be overcome,  
And by Subjection has a Freedom known,  
Beyond her boasted Native Liberty;  
So kind, so easy in his sway,  
She serves herself when she does him obey:  
Proud of the Bliss, she does his Empire own,  
And returns laden with Allegiance home.  
Resolved she will for ever faithful be,  
And from Disloyalty, as Venom, always free.   

5.  
Albania at your Footstool next appears,  
Drawn by your stronger Influence from her Pole,  
Hither a faithful Course she steers,  
Not her restringent Frosts, nor her attractive Stars  
Confine her motion, or her will control.  
Pleased with the hoped increase of that Great Race  
That made her happy, and preserved her so,  
Thro a long series of successive years,  
By gentle Methods of a Godlike Reign,  
Eager th' expected Infant to embrace,  
And her known Character of Loyalty maintain.  
She does an humble Votary bow,  
She who could boast, and not be counted vain,  
Of being thought, and proving Just to you.   

6.  
When factious Rage did saucy Crowds ferment,  
And boiled their Blood to a rebellious heat;  
That did envenomed Arrows dart  
Against your Royal Consorts heart,  
And you his dearer part,  
With her you chose and found a safe Retreat.  
Baffled their Plots, and did their bold attempts prevent,  
Preserved to bless us with your Government.  
In your defence her Lion roared aloud,  
And frightened and dispersed the impious Crowd.  
But now with Joy he seems transported more,  
More Rampant grows,  
To see their vain Designs or'e-thrown,  
Who did your Right, and heavens Decree oppose,  
By this addition to the Royal store,  
This third Supporter of the Crown,  
That gives a triple Prop to the Succession.   

7.  
But Albion's Joys are loud, and will be heard,  
Impatient grown to be deferred.  
Wide as her Empire she her Voice extends,  
And thro' the World her acclamations sends;  
Whilst her Triumphant fires ascend on high,  
And bear the joyful Tidings to the Sky.  
The miseries of Usurpation  
Such deep resentments on her sense impressed,  
As cannot vanish from her memory soon,  
But by a just abhorrence will be still expressed:  
Will teach her how to prise, and to maintain  
Th'unequaled Blessing of a Lawful Reign.   

8.  
For this she did her daring Breast expose  
To armed Rebellion's furious rage,  
Designed her rightful Sovereign to dethrone,  
And bravely did in his Defence engage,  
Regardless of her own.  
Nor feared she any more pernicious Foes  
Than th'enemies' of his Succession,  
To which she all her Peace, she all her Plenty owes.  
And to confirm it to his Royal Line,  
At no Expense, no Dangers will repine:  
So Heaven does Albion's Bliss with Caesar's Interest join.   

9  
How then shall she her Joy declare,  
How of its Burden ease her teeming Breast,  
Impatient grown to be released,  
And vent its exultations in the Air,  
For her large hope conceived to see the Royal Seed increased:  
Those Links that lengthen the Succession's Chain,  
And shall to yet far distant Ages reach,  
In which no length of Time shall make a breach,  
Nor Usurpation interrupt again  
The settled course it shall maintain.  
Till the unhinged World tumble from its frame,  
And find no more a place, and know no more a name.   

10.  
Inspire her, O thou Power Divine!  
That gavest the blest occasion of her Joy,  
Her Voice in just Addresses to employ,  
Worthy the Royal Ears, and thine.  
Teach her to sing thy dear loved Caesar's Fame.  
Of Men the justest, and of Kings the best;  
Teach her his Godlike Virtues to proclaim,  
Teach her to sound bright Mariana's Name,  
The Glory of the Ancient House of Este.  
Bright Mariana, whose Illustrious Race  
Will the famed Catalogue of Albion's Prince's grace.  
Teach her the Royal Sisters to Address,  
The early hopes of our long Happiness;  
Teach her the approaching Infant to caress,  
And wait its Birth with her expanded Arms,  
To be its Sanctuary from all harms;  
That whether Fate the mighty Product dooms  
To add new whiteness to the British Plumes,  
Or pleased the Nobler Sex t' increase,  
Presents it to us in their finer dress,  
Its Life may long our Happy Kingdoms bless.  
And when this Subject of our earnest Prayer  
Is brought by Angels to th' Almighty's Ear,  
May the bright Crowds their Suffrage in a loud AMEN declare.   
FINIS.