NASSAU: A POEM Occasioned by the PEACE.  
By THOMAS BARKER, A. M. Cantab.  
— Vocabitur Hic quóque votis,  
Aspera cum positis mitescent Secula bellis.  Virg. 
LONDON: Printed for Will. Rogers. And F. Hicks, Bookseller in Cambridge. 1698.   

NASSAU:  
A POEM Occasioned by the PEACE.  
WHAT can exceed Man's Goodness, Power, and Skill?  
Faith, Sage Experience, with a zealous Will?  
What e'er Conceit may promise, Strength fulfil?  
Heaven and the Conduct can, which NASSAV shows:  
Whose boundless Force so wholly rules his Foes,  
That we conclude their Stars in his Dispose.  
So to his Bent their Steely Hearts are brought;  
As if their Movements were by NASSAV wrought▪  
The Vassals still of his directing Thought.  
Come, Muse, and This surpassing HERO view;  
Who, after all th' Old Demigods could do,  
Acts what is Greater still, and more Surprising New.  
We'll sing of Victors on a sudden charmed,  
Despoiled among their Spoils, amidst their Arms disarmed:  
Of Wars Invisibly restrained we'll sing,  
And, without Conquest, a Triumphant King.  
A Theme sublime! provoking Tragic Rage!  
Light are the Lamps, and we've prepared the Stage.  
Soft, soft, my Muse; while slow the Curtains rise:  
But— Lo the Scenes! what Figures strike our Eyes?  
Gallia disrobed! her circling Glory fled!  
Folded her Arms, and unadorned her Head!  
Castles and Towns, her Victories, resigned!  
And Power, and Strength, and Tribute, left behind!  
Though no Superiors seen; no stronger Hand,  
These Dues, such Resignations to command.  
'Tis wondrous strange! who can the Cause explore?  
What Muse can tell, what Muse ne'er knew before!  
Go, Thou; inquire of Those that yonder sit,  
To 〈…〉 for Gallia's Cause their subtle Wit;  
Ask 'em what Influence did their Arts elude,  
And slurred the Interest they so long pursued?  
Follow Those Warriors that retreat so fast;  
And ask the reason of th' unusual Haste:  
What Magic's This so mocks their prosperous Toil?  
And sends them Home, divested of their Spoil.  
Will they not speak?— yet, see they point Within  
And NASSAV glitters from behind the Scene.  
NASSAV Alone, this Mystery can unfold:  
Consider Him— th' Important Secrets told.  
NASSAV has Spells to bind the wildest things,  
Revengeful Captains and Successful Kings.  
No sooner do the Wars impetuous grow,  
And bear down All in their destructive Flow;  
But NASSAV rises, and He checks the Tide  
With unseen Force, and makes the Waves subside;  
They feel his Charms, retire, and leave the Shore  
Strowed with the Wealth they swept away before.  
Ponder the matter, Muse; contemplate well;  
And give thy Sense, if 't been't too deep to tell.  
Thou seest the gallic Host in haste withdraw;  
How bends their Mien, under an Inward Awe?  
Seems not some Greater Genius to be there,  
That on the Less impressed This secret Fear.  
While NASSAV's Conduct doth the Gauls control,  
They like Hot Passions, seems not He the Soul:  
So without Touching 'em He makes 'em yield,  
Tempers their Outrage, and serenes the Field.  
Thus have I seen, where Rustics do resort,  
(For Rustics can best speak of Rural Sport),  
Accomplished Gamesters of the Grassy Rings,  
Command mean Wrestlers Joints, and Nervous Strings:  
Th' Antagonists may boast the Brutal Part;  
But Unawares they sink, and bow to nicer Art.  
Yet, say,— What Influence This that NASSAV has?  
Which Gallia's Strength and Glory can surpass.  
Which seizes Courage, wild to overcome;  
And chains the Madness, and confines it home?  
What sort of Lightning is't, that NASSAV sheds?  
Which blasts even Laurels on Victorious Heads:  
That no Resistance can restrain its Darts,  
From melting Swords, and from dissolving Hearts.  
In vain is Armour in their Passage placed;  
And falls itself, unpropped, when all within's laid waste.  
Lightning, like This, the Ancient Giants slew;  
And This Ambition slays, a Giant too.  
The Mightiest Force, that on Earth's Face is seen,  
And doubled with Success and Discipline,  
Neglect their Triumphs? and their Trophies throw  
At the weak Feet of an Insulted Foe?  
Comes This, from Gallia's Goodness, or Remorse?  
Regard to NASSAV's Friendship, or his Force?  
O my astonished Muse! what can we say,  
But that we know, upon mature Survey,  
That the Whole World does Unseen Powers obey?  
Those Unseen Powers, that act what e'er they please,  
And Hidden, rule Heaven, Earth, and Air, and Seas;  
Which trembling Human Race in Prayer adores,  
And NASSAV only imitates in Secret Powers.  
NASSAV, who equalled not the Numerous Foes,  
Nor with their Union did their Might oppose;  
Yet, with Command divided, Numbers short,  
Was not content the Balance to support,  
But drew their Boasted Acquisitions down,  
And took Their Palms his own Allies to crown.  
NASSAV, my Muse, exceeds the Poet's Jove,  
Who Wars decided, sitting Safe above:  
But NASSAV mingling in the dangerous Broil,  
Humbles the Conqueror, and enjoys his Toil.  
O NASSAV! versed i'th' Menagement of Men,  
Who knows their Springs, and how to Move, and when!  
Plays with their Threats! on Terror sports his Skill?  
And bends the Haughty to his Pious Will!  
He, Sovereign Lord of Love, Hate, Hope, Despair,  
Can make a REVOLUTION Every where;  
Not only there, where Favouring Passions tend  
To ease his Work, and to procure his End:  
(As once when to BRITANNIA's Aid he came,  
And ORANGE was the since-famed WILLIAM's Name:)  
But where such Prospect no Conjunctures bring:  
So well's the PRINCE succeeded by the KING.  
Hail, Mighty KING! to whom All Courts apply,  
The Potent sue, and the Oppressed fly!  
Well with thy Judgement does the World advise,  
Seeking, from Springs that never fail, Supplies.  
Th' Ocean of Knowledge has indeed no Bound;  
But in thy Breast a Caspian Sea is found.  
Well were Concerns of Intricate Affairs,  
Placed in Thy Hands, submitted to Thy Cares:  
For Best Confederate Powers would interfere,  
No less than Circles i'th' Celestial Sphere:  
No otherwise would Star entangle Star,  
Than Commonwealths allied perplex the War;  
Did not some Vast Intelligence preside,  
An ANGEL, or a NASSAV for their Guide.  
Well was committed to thy Prudent Might,  
The only Reigning Sword that's used to Fight.  
For Thou canst wield it well, and scornest to use  
The desperate Rage, such Last Reserves excuse.  
Yet claims It Homage, 'midst the rude Alarms;  
And Instinct hears It in the Clash of Arms.  
Bright in thy Hand, and, Naked, it confounds,  
blunt's every other Sword; and heals their Wounds.  
Not much unlike to what in Writ is told,  
Of Venomed Snakes made Innocent of old:  
When the Brass Serpent overawed the Beast;  
His By't recovered, and the Anguish ceased.  
Nor doth thy dexterous Skill less bravely wield  
Sceptres at Home, than Weapons in the Field:  
Scots, English, Dutch, Ireland, and Orange tell,  
How Thou canst Rule; as France thy Power to Quell.  
And as the Gaul shrinks to thy Closed Hand,  
Five Happy States its Gracious Joints expand.  
O, well did Heaven so much enlarge thy Throne!  
Republics, Realms, all Government Thine own!  
Her Tree of Life! her sickening Safety's Cure!  
Thou canst from Danger with such Ease insure.  
Wise NASSAV! dear Completion of our Joy!  
Thou perfect Master of thy great Employ!  
Made by thy God Vicegerent at a Strait;  
The sole Dictator on a Pinch of Fate.  
Thee no Precarious Politics have wrought;  
O Genuine Product of th' Almighty Thought!  
How hast Thou evidenced thy High Extract?  
And by the same Inimitable Act,  
Ennobled Those Thou sav'st? How does the Check  
Thou gav'st thy Haughty Foes, distort the Neck  
Of Envy, their Ally? How does it strike  
With the same Note, Hearts that are strung alike?  
Just as those Shocks that Aetna's Entrails tear,  
Urge her Convulsion through the trembling Air;  
And far at distance, where unmov'd's the Ground,  
Affect Weak Heads, and turn their Brains around.  
Yet Scenes to come shall Greater things declare,  
And teach Invidious Monarches to despair.  
Thy Divine Sabre th' Adverse Squadrons feel,  
And thy Drawn Reason's sharper than thy Steel;  
But still Thou hast more Glories to reveal:  
Such as shall dazzle Kings with vivid Light,  
And force 'em to Contract, to help their Sight.  
In Hurry, Noise, Confusion vastly great,  
How'll NASSAV shine, when round Him all's sedate?  
If such Accomplishments his Way attend,  
What Prodigies await his Journey's End?  
When He shall labour, not for Us alone;  
But with strange Miracles, as yet unknown,  
Reflect upon Himself the Splendours of his Crown.  
Take, Muse, this Noble Hint; indulge the Task:  
Sing of One Action more, 'tis all I ask.  
She hears my Invocation, loves the Deed,  
And ventures Thus of NASSAV to proceed.  
Remoter Lands had NASSAV long revered,  
Extremely Loved him, or extremely Feared;  
(Rich sure the Soil, for choicest Products fit,  
Which had so long imbibed the Nitre of his Wit.)  
When hither come, He did Our Griefs expel,  
And freed th' Oppressed, that knew not to REBEL:  
He came an Instrument of wondrous Use,  
That made Our Knot, Our Difficulties lose:  
O NASSAV, Then Thou show'dst what Thou couldst do!  
When before Thee Our Mists and Tempests flew.  
When That Important Knot thy Hands untied,  
Which was to All, but only Thee, denied.  
Thus the Pelloean, from the Gordian Twine,  
Received His Fortune, and prefigured Thine.  
Now round the Globe does NASSAV's Wisdom run,  
enlivening and enlight'ning like the Sun.  
His Aspect like the Sun's, all under't sees,  
And Verdure waits upon the Sun's and His.  
Where e'er He comes, his Beams extirpate Night;  
The Soul his Fire, the Sense receives his Light;  
He calls each Nature in his Progress forth,  
Digests their Humours, and improves their Worth.  
He sees 'em, as he moves, exert their Force;  
And then does He rejoice in his Industrious Course.  
Call we those Provinces his Hands defend,  
And Those t'attest, to whom his Arms extend.  
This speaks the Frozen North, and sultry Spain;  
The straightened Billows, and the outstretched Main.  
Nor shall Muscovian Empires want a Place,  
Which moan their Distance from his Glorious Face.  
But must Few Regions only have the Day!  
Does the bright Sun withhold his plenteous Ray!  
And is th' Assistance stinted Heroes give?  
Are Provinces enough for NASSAV to relieve?  
NASSAV! who's born th' Asylum for Distress,  
The Public Refuge when the Stars oppress.  
Thy Faculties, GREAT KING! so Vast, so Large,  
Oblige thy Heart to take the World in Charge.  
Thy Conscience rising from thy Sense to know,  
And Strength t' accomplish all Affairs below;  
With Charity, proportioned to the Great,  
Dilates thy Care through the Terrestrial State,  
And makes Thee GVARANTEE between the Earth and Fate.  
How Wisely Nature acts! how well conspire  
The wants of Human Race with Thy Desire!  
Men, dreading to be Slaves, with Fear dismayed,  
Required no less than thy sufficient Aid;  
And thy prodigious Talon asks no less  
Than such Employment, for it's own excess.  
Thou savedst Three Kingdoms, so as no Record  
Can parallel; no Times the like afford,  
No Man can do. But still that Action's small,  
For NASSAV's Spirit must embrace the Ball.  
What Pride itself would count the greatest Height,  
Proved but one step t' advance Thy generous Flight.  
The LOCAL LAWS of Nations to restore,  
Is an Exploit for Those can do no more;  
The LAW OF NATIONS Parts like Thine sustain;  
And Thy known Worth stops UNIVERSAL REIGN.  
O, what Success had That VAST PROJECT gained;  
But for Thy Parts, Thy Worth, from Heaven obtained?  
How Proud, how Bold, how Pressing was't e'er while?  
Till They compelled the MISCHIEF to recoil.  
But now, how falls it shivered with the stroke?  
How's the GRAND MONARCHY to its first Pieces broke!  
O happy Worth of Thine! O blessed Parts!  
How many Nations, SIR, are your Deserts!  
Numberless Monarchies has NASSAV won,  
To leave 'em Separate as Heaven has done.  
While greedy GALLIA quite mistook the thing;  
For who does all PROTECT is UNIVERSAL KING.  
Thus NASSAV's Empire boundlessly extends.  
Of Time and Place has no Extremes, no Ends:  
But as the Orbs of Time and Place do rise,  
Rolling with Them itself, itself supplies.  
For All We stand Indebted to his Deeds;  
And all Futurity to Us succeeds:  
So far, so wide, their sacred Virtue saves,  
And manumits a World of destined Slaves.  
Hail, NASSAV once again! Hail, Mightier Prince!  
Wondrous before, more Admirable since!  
Thou didst compel the Raging Foe's Retreat,  
And with thy bloodless Skill their Arms defeat;  
Thou clear'dst the Field: Now the whole Earth's the Field,  
And th' very Globe the Trophy that They yield.  
Prosperous in Thee their Foe, they well resign,  
To share in thy Magnificent Design.  
Blessed Finisher of the Huge Work begun!  
Now, Lo, the Work! the Mighty Work is done!  
Now NASSAV too has his own Freedom gained,  
From the HARD TASKS in which He long was trained.  
For where's the People that He rules, but shows  
In Lesser Draughts what Now he ampler does?  
There is not One, whose Welfare doth not stand,  
A Lucky Instance of his Practising Hand.  
And Each, in Proper Liberty secure,  
Is the whole Rescued World in Miniature.  
So a small Speck, that in th' enclosing Shell,  
But keeps the White and Yolk distinct and well;  
Becomes the Heart, informs the Foot, the Wing,  
All of the Bird, and teaches him to sing.  
Each Place franchised His Model was designed;  
But the exactest Model's Alderman Conjoined.  
Their divers Laws, their various Liberty,  
Differ, though joined; though differing, yet agree,  
So like— But, O how Godlike the Intent!  
To Preserve Every where All Forms of Government.  
Now should we see again One Hinge designed,  
On which to turn the Forms of every kind;  
What Diffidence, what Weakness would it show,  
Compared with NASSAV, who's as Providence below.  
O Excellence!— How far dost Thou excel?  
What Thou canst not accomplish, who can tell?  
For could not Want, that overspread thy Land,  
Joined with thy Foreign Foes, Thy Powers withstand?  
Couldst Thou avert with a New Golden Age,  
What Numerous Hosts and Want of Coin presage?  
In the Afflicted Cause of CIVIL RIGHT,  
Couldst Thou make Mars, without his Sinews, fight?  
And, at one time, our Blessings to advance,  
Disband Three Armies of Aspiring France?  
When Resolved NASSAV pressed the Public Good,  
Necessity had Law, nor Treble Monsters stood.  
When Two famed Heroes opened th' Elysian Plain,  
The Furies grinned, and Cerberus howled in vain:  
Orpheus, the one, did with soft Hands prevail,  
Alcides t'other, with his Hands of Mail:  
But, wondrous Brave, and of Victorious Charms,  
Thou joinest the Orpheus with Herculean Arms.  
STUPENDIOUS KING! who can enough admire?  
Yet who can speak, though NASSAV does inspire?  
O Virtues, evident by such wondrous Proof!  
Who can forbear? yet who can praise enough?  
Who can Encomiums worthy NASSAV make?  
Thy Deeds speak more than what our Tongues can speak▪  
Such Deeds by such defective Means essayed:  
And even those Means Thyself before hadst made:  
For were not We, Impotent We, the Means?  
The Pencils used on thy (now perfect) Scenes?  
We the first Matter that thy Goodness chose,  
ere thy Creation to its Splendour rose:  
Was't not sufficient to have rescued us?  
But, in thy Hands, could We such things produce!  
Learned Archimedes would the Earth remove,  
But found no footing whence his Art to prove:  
But WILLIAM's Virtue doth both fix his Style,  
And turns that Earth, from th' Centre of an Isle.  
O KING! who dost our Words, our Thoughts exceed▪  
How much must They have failed in time of need?  
But Potent Kings, in a more proper way,  
Make thy Encomiums and thy Fate obey:  
To use the Pen, they throw the Weapon down,  
Confess thy Glory, and thy Rightful Crown.  
But of Thyself Thou too Thyself dost write,  
In all the Laws for which thy Hands did fight;  
The GREAT RESTORER's read in every place,  
I th' Characters of Gesture, Garb, and Face:  
Published at Paris, and in London seen,  
And echoed on the Danube and the Rhine;  
These Panegyrics only suit thy Name;  
The Royal Eulogies should govern Fame.  
Yet must not They whose Freedom thou hast won,  
Must not We sing a Part of what thou'st done?  
Because our Meanness, Impotence is such;  
Because our King's too Great, our Theme too Much.  
Must we not ease the Fullness of our Breast?  
Will WILLIAM let us be, though 't be with Joy, oppressed?  
Cannot thy Actions bear with hearty Rhimes?  
Nor recommend 'em to the future Times?  
When they'll perhaps be read with better Gust,  
And show more Likeness than is seen at first:  
When the Original no more appears;  
And the present Face of things is changed by distant Years.  
Thy Actions, that this scanty Age o'erflow,  
And to th' Abyss of endless Ages go,  
Though they're above the Accents of our Tongue,  
Fancy outsoar, yet ought they to be sung;  
That our Posterity at least may know,  
When they are happy born, who caused 'em to be so.  
Yes, We must sing 'em, howsoe'er unfit;  
Lest the great Truths be lost in future Wit.  
Songs much deserved, our Benefits require,  
And all the World should be a grateful Lyre:  
None unobliged, there's none but must rejoice,  
And add to th' common Song, at least their Voice.  
So when this Natural Order that we see,  
Was first composed to perfect Harmony;  
No feeble Bird but strained its new-made Throat;  
And every Creature did the Tune promote.  
Thus then we'll sing:— But, NASSAV, first forbear  
To augment our Obligations, and Thy Care;  
For thine own sake, now Peace and Leisure give,  
And to contemplate rightly, let us live:  
Lest we depress the Honour we would raise,  
And taint thy Name with Scandals of rash Praise:  
For to digest thy Acts, and sound thy Sense,  
Requires an Age of Ease and Affluence.  
'Tis done; and thy SURE PEACE the Living see,  
And find the Good Effects of Prayers for thee.  
Come then; Return, GREAT MAN, from Travel cease,  
And be the blessed First-fruits, Firstborn of Peace.  
'Tis PEACE, next Thee's the greatest Blessing known;  
Which brings Thee home, restores Thee All our own.  
Invidious War gives not so quick a Sense,  
In All its Harms, as taking WILLIAM hence.  
Though the known Contrary to Peace be War,  
Thy Absence is more opposite by far.  
Oh!— Wished for PEACE does make Thee Ours entire,  
And our whole Hearts with suited Love inspire.  
PEACE, that All Hate, All Rancour shall destroy,  
Refines our Love, and teaches to enjoy.  
With what Intenseness will our Passions burn,  
When they're collected home, and all t' Affection turn.  
PEACE! which thy watchful Nights, and Toilsome Days,  
Th' Effusion of thy Veins and Purse repays:  
Which to Astonishment converts our Fears,  
The Apprehensions of these thrice three Years.  
Comes, the Reward of Trials, bravely passed,  
Which has Celestial Sweetness in its Taste,  
And takes from Heaven Capacity to last.  
Dear PEACE itself! how will it make Us blessed!  
Who under Thee a PEACE in War possessed.  
Who, when no means could Raging Mars withstand,  
Saw Thee divert him to a Foreign Land;  
Who greater Plenty in Distress receive,  
Than all our Neighbours when They Richly live;  
What mayn't We Hope what Danger can we fear,  
When PEACE Indulges and our GUARDIAN Angels here.  
And NASSAV Thou—  
Whose Solid Life in War finds no Decrease,  
Grow Thou Immortal in the Arms of PEACE.  
Oft hast Thou shown new Vigour 'mong the Dead;  
While whistling Calls of Fate played round thy Head:  
And how is PEACE more prevalent to Kill?  
O Live in PEACE, and be Thou Deathless still!  
Outlive Revengeful Spleen, and Plotting Wit:  
And, though thou'rt not Invulnerable yet,  
May'st Thou whilst strong Restraints on Vice are laid,  
Enjoy the Paradise which thou hast made.  
For ever Live! Thou high exalted Good!  
Hard to be Learned! Sweet to be Understood!  
Thou Wise Assertor of Religion's Cause!  
Transcript of Faith! Transcriber of its Laws!  
Of Nature Pious! of Religion Pure!  
Fearless of Dying, and of Life Secure!  
Still in th' Immortal Road! Hadst Thou but Trod  
The Roman way, Thou hadst been made a God.  
FINIS.