A Congratulatory POEM TO HER Sacred Majesty QUEEN MARY, UPON HER ARRIVAL in ENGLAND.  
By Mrs. A. BEHN.  
LONDON, Printed by R. E. for R. Bentley in Russel-street in Covent Garden, and W. Canning at his Shop in the Temple Cloisters. 1689.   

A Congratulatory POEM TO HER Sacred Majesty QUEEN MARY, UPON HER ARRIVAL in ENGLAND.  

WHile my sad Muse the darkest Covert Sought,  
To give a loose to Melancholy Thought;  
Oppressed, and sighing with the Heavy Weight  
Of an Unhappy dear Loved Monarch's Fate;  
A loan retreat, on Thames' Brink she found,  
With Murmuring Osiers fringed, and bending Willows Crowned,  
Through the thick Shade could dart no Cheerful Ray,  
Nature dwelled here as in disdain of Day▪  
Content, and Pleased with Nobler Solitude,  
No Wood-Gods, Fawns, nor Loves did here Intrude,  
Nor Nests for wanton Birds, the Glade allows;  
Scarce the soft Winds were heard amongst the Boughs.   

While thus She lay resolved to tune no more  
Her fruitless Songs on Britain's Faithless Shore,  
All on a sudden through the Woods there Rung,  
Loud Sounds of Joy that Io Paeans Sung.  
Maria! Blessed Maria! was the Theme,  
Great Britain's happy Genius, and her Queen.   

The River Nymphs their Crystal Courts forsake,  
Curl their Blue Locks, and Shelly Trumpets take;  
And the surprising News along the Shore,  
In raptured Songs the wondering Virgins bore;  
Whilst Mourning Echo now forgot her Sighs,  
And sung the new taught Anthem to the Skies.   

All things in Nature, a New Face put on,  
Thames with Harmonious Purl glides along,  
And tells her Ravished Banks, she lately bore  
A Prize more great than all her hidden Store,  
Or all the Sun itself c're saw before.  
The brooding Spring, her Fragrant Bloom sent out,  
Scattering her early Perfumes round about;  
No longer waits the Lazy teeming Hours,  
But e'er her time produced her Oderous Flowers;  
Maria's Eyes Anticipate the May,  
And Life inspired beyond the God of Day.   

The Muses all upon this Theme Divine,  
Tuned their best Lays, the Muses all, but mine,  
Sullen with Stubborn Loyalty she lay,  
And saw the World its eager Homage pay,  
While Heaven and Earth on the new Scene looked gay.  
But Oh! What Human Fortitude can be  
Sufficient to Resist a Deity?  
Even our Allegiance here, too feebly pleads,  
The Change in so Divine a Form persuades;  
Maria with the Sun has equal Force,  
No Opposition stops her Glorious Course,  
Her pointed Beams through all a passage find,  
And fix their Rays Triumphant in the Mind.   

And now I wished among the Crowds to Adore,  
And constant wishing did increase my Power;  
From every thought a Newborn Reason came  
Which fortified by bright Maria's Fame,  
Inspired My Genius with new Life and Flame,   

And thou, 
I. R.  Great Lord, of all my Vows, permit  
My Muse who never failed Obedience yet,  
To pay her Tribute at Maria's Feet,  
Maria so Divine a part of You,  
Let me be Just— but Just with Honour too.   

Resolved, She joined her Chorus with the Throng,  
And to the listening Groves Maria's Virtues Sung;  
Maria all Enchanting, Gay, and Young,   

All Hail Illustrious Daughter of a King,  
Shining without, and Glorious all within,  
Whose Eyes beyond your scantier Power give Laws,  
Command the Word, and justify the Cause;  
Nor to secure your Empire needs more Arms  
Than your resistless, and all Conquering Charms;  
Minerva Thus alone, Old Troy Sustained,  
Whilst her Blessed Image with three Gods remained;  
But Oh! your Form and Manner to relate,  
The Envying Fair as soon may Imitate,  
'Tis all Engaging Sweet, 'tis all Surprising Great;  
A thousand Beauty's Triumph in your Air,  
Like those of soft Young Loves your Smiles appear,  
And to th' Ungarded Hearts, as dangerous are▪   

All Natures Charms are opened in your Face,  
You Look, you Talk, with more than Human Grace;  
All that is Wit, all that is Eloquence.  
The Births of finest Thought and Noblest Sense,  
Easie and Natural from your Language break,  
And 'tis Eternal Music when you speak;  
Through all no formal Nicety is seen,  
But Free and Generous your Majestic Mien,  
In every Motion, every Part a Queen;  
All that is Great and Lovely in the Sex,  
Heaven did in this One Glorious Wonder fix,  
Apellis thus to dress the Queen of Love,  
Robbed the whole Race, a Goddess to improve.   

Yet if with Sighs we View that Lovely Face,  
And all the Lines of your great Father's Trace,  
Your Virtues should forgive, while we adore  
That Face that Awes, and Charms our Hearts the more;  
But if the Monarch in your Looks we find,  
Behold him yet more glorious in your Mind;  
'Tis there His Godlike Attributes we see.  
A Gracious Sweetness, Affability,  
A Tender Mercy and True Piety;  
And Virtues even sufficient to Atone  
For all the Ills the Ungrateful World has done,  
Where several Factions, several Interests sway,  
And that is still it'h Right who gains the Day;  
How e'er they differ, this they all must grant,  
Your Form and Mind, no One Perfection want,  
Without all Angel, and within all Saint.   

The Murmuring World till now divided lay,  
Vainly debating whom they should Obey,  
Till You Great Cesar's Offspring blest our Isle,  
The differing Multitudes to Reconcile;  
Thus Stiff-necked Israel in defiance stood,  
Till they beheld the Prophet of their God;  
Who from the Mount with dazzling brightness came,  
And Eyes all shining with Celestial Flame;  
Whose Awful Looks, dispelled each Rebel Thought,  
And to a Just Compliance, the wild Nations brought.   
FINIS.