AN Heroic Poem UPON THE KING: Humbly Presented to the QUEEN.  
By WILLIAM CULPEPER, Esq.  The Hero makes the Poet.— 
LONDON; Printed for Daniel Brown, at the Bible without Temple-Bar. MDCXCIV.   

TO THE QUEEN.  
May it please Your Majesty,  
SO soon as I had finished this Poem (and indeed while I was composing it) I hoped it might not be unwelcome to YOUR MAJESTY, since it presents (though not so perfectly as I could wish) the Character of the Greatest Man that lives, whose Person must ever be so dear to YOUR MAJESTY and the Kingdom.  
What I have now Writ, I beg YOUR MAJESTY to Accept, not as the Work of a Low, Servile Pen, but as the Zeal of a Man that desires to raise his Thoughts as high as Truth and Justice.  
With this Mind I have represented King William and King Lewis as Unlike as they really are, as Contrary as Light and Darkness; which I have done with respect to King Lewis (as a Crowned Head) greater than he Personally deserves.  
Several Pens are now employed by that King to write his Life; but whatever they can say, Truth is Truth, and will be too mighty for King Lewis; no doubt the Praises of Nero, Domitian, Commodus, and other Monsters of Human Nature were writ by as Ingenious Men as any France can boast of, though none of their Works have Survived, as indeed they neither ought nor could, being against all Truth and Modesty; but after their Deaths the Histories of these Wicked Tyrants were Impartially writ, and their Names recorded Odious to Posterity; while the Excellent Characters of Augustus, Nerva, Trajan, and other Good Princes and Patriots (which were writ in their own Times, and which Themselves had the Satisfaction to read) have descended Ages, and will probably last as long as the World.  
This Great Reward of Virtue will be paid to the KING's and YOUR OWN MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, whose Memories must be, as Your Lives, Glorious.  
That Your Lives may long continue so, that the greatest of Earthly Blessings may be preserved to these Nations, and indeed to the World, is the most Earnest Prayer of,  
May it please Your Majesty, YOUR MAJESTY'S, Most Obedient Dutiful Subject, and most Devoted Humble Servant, W. CULPEPER.   

AN Heroic POEM UPON THE KING.  

IF the Disturbers of the World can raise  
Themselves a Name, and loud Admirers find;  
What is, or aught to be those Prince's praise,  
That awe th' Oppressors, and relieve Mankind?   

The French Dominion still increased by wrong,  
To a prodigious height at last is grown;  
As if Heaven suffered it t' obtain so long,  
To be by NASSAW'S Conduct overthrown.   

In whose first years th' expecting World could see  
Rare Wisdom with undaunted Courage meet;  
Like young Augustus, promising to be  
What since we've found him, every thing that's Great.   

Descended from a truly Glorious Race;  
His Ancestors the Power of Austria broke:  
Now France usurps, and takes the Tyrant's place,  
His Arm delivers Europe from the Yoke.   

The Far-designing Lewis soon betrayed  
His fear of this, and with deserved Success,  
That most Injurious War with Holland made,  
In hopes the rising Hero to oppress.   

Whose solid Virtue fenced against the Blow,  
And Courage to the Holland State restored:  
The French ('tis now resolved) the weight shall know,  
Of the Young General's revenging Sword.   

Towns that were forced the Invaders to obey,  
(Before Illustrious William undertook  
The near expiring Commonwealth to sway)  
Now with the last Confusion They forsook.   

As once by Hercules a Serpent's head  
Was bruised when touched by his yet tender hand;  
So the French Hope of conquering lay dead,  
When the Young Prince exerted his Command.   

But fierce Ambition will not be at rest,  
Tho here 'tis stopped from its intended Course,  
'Twill, as it can, some other place infest,  
And rage till 'tis again repelled by force.   

Flanders by violent Incursions laid  
In heaps of Ruin, yet was unsubdued:  
His Highness ever came with powerful Aid,  
And hither the destroying French pursued.   

Seneff, I must with Admiration name,  
Where Conde's Glory an Affront received;  
And Mons of equal everlasting Fame,  
With Slaughter of the routed French relieved.   

At length all Nations for a Peace declare,  
And now 'twas hoped that Europe's broils might cease;  
But France is not so dangerous in War,  
As by her black Contrivances in Peace.   

Strasburgh and Luxemburgh's surprised, or bought;  
The Swiss by Forts to Lewis Slaves are made;  
His Allies to besiege Vienna brought,  
And Christendom to Infidels betrayed.   

In England by Intrigues, as King, he reigned;  
Our wretched Government itself destroyed:  
We find a Foreign Interest maintained  
By Men in all Affairs of State employed.   

The Prince contending in his Pious Breast,  
Long our deliverance by entreaty sought,  
(If his high Virtue may be so expressed)  
He bore, till Patience was almost a fault.   

Till Horror and Destruction were at hand;  
Our Forts to Irish Garrisons betrayed;  
Till Priests like Locusts overspread the Land;  
Till Jesuits Privy-Counsellors were made.   

Who longing the Occasion to improve,  
Meant England should by Civil Rage be torn;  
But the Almighty Ruling Power above  
Laughs on the Wise Achitophel's with scorn.   

Whilst with a most Auspicious Wind and Tide,  
The Great Redeemer to our Island sails,  
The Partisans of France prepare to hide,  
And England's Cause to England's Wish prevails.   

Caesar first came, and then subdued his Foes;  
His Highness Conquered faster than he came;  
A Mighty Royal Army to oppose,  
He sent before THE TERROR OF HIS NAME.   

Too powerful for resistance or delay;  
No signs of War are horrid to our sight;  
But as the Glorious Planet of the Day,  
Without Disturbance gives the Globe its light,   

Our HERO so ascends the English Throne,  
Approved by Gracious heavens peculiar Choice;  
Choice by the whole Consent of Nations known,  
The Lords, the Commons, and the People's Voice.   

Who now regain their Ancient Freedoms lost,  
And all their sense of Gratitude express;  
Men that against Crowned Heads pretended most  
On this occasion their mistake confess.   

Were Vane to live again, no more he would  
His Notion of a Commonwealth maintain;  
Cromwell himself would yield to Public Good,  
And own Great WILLIAM only fit to Reign.   

At England's Union Lewis is aggrieved;  
With hate and fierce intent of War he burns;  
At Scotland strikes, and having there received  
A sharp Repulse, his Force to Ireland turns.   

For all Designs can Lewis want pretence?  
He puts Religion to that only use;  
He's Ireland's Friend, her Safety, her Defence;  
Her State to perfect Quiet he'll reduce.   

'Tis sure, where nothing is alive to take  
This, or that Party, Faction needs must cease;  
Wherever Tyrant's Desolation make,  
Their Mischief they applaud, and call it Peace.   

This Lewis meant, to this his power employed;  
Ireland throughout with dying Cries is filled:  
Men with a Cruel Pleasure are destroyed,  
And Ravished Women with their Infants killed.   

The KING was moved, and with disdainful haste  
This Insolent Barbarity restrained;  
Of English Rage he made its Actors taste,  
And Ever Glorious Victory obtained.   

As to this day, we mention with delight,  
What England's Foes in former Wars have lost;  
What Numbers of the French were put to Flight;  
What Fleets of Spaniards wrecked upon our Coast.   

Our Children speaking of the present State,  
Shall say, What Conduct by the KING was shown;  
How Ireland by his Hand was snatched from Fate;  
And Armies strongly posted, overthrown.   

Nor are his Glories here or there confined,  
But in all Parts alike their Lustre keep;  
His Arm's extended on the Seas and Wind;  
His Laurels root and flourish in the deep.   

Let the French King his Enterprise repent;  
The proud Inscription on his Royal Sun  
Is to the Bottom with Derision sent,  
And a Deciding Day by England won.   

No Artifice could hide what Lewis lost;  
'Twas seen by Flames, by sound of Cannon known;  
A dreadful Sound that Echoed from his Coast,  
And shook the Fearful Monarch on his Throne.   

What Eloquence can just description make  
Of English Valour used to burn and board!  
'Twas roused to see that France should undertake  
To Cope with England's KING, the Ocean's LORD.   

Lepanto's fight the Christians safety brought,  
And well restrained the growing Turkish Pride;  
Let Lewis learn from this, his giddy Thought  
Of Empire in the West to lay aside.   

The World indeed shall feel Great WILLIAM's Sway,  
And distant Climates know his powerful Hand;  
Both Indies with their Riches shall obey;  
He that Commands the Sea Commands the Land.   

Whilst France distrustful of her shattered Fleet,  
Can only the Algiers of Europe be;  
Careful our Royal Navy not to meet,  
But with her Piracies t'infest the Sea.   

In vain by Lewis some Revenge is sought,  
Vast Armies like an over-whelming Flood  
Are now to Miserable Flanders brought,  
And Flanders is again the Scene of Blood.   

What Blood has Landen's Fierce Engagement cost?  
Where all the most amazing things were done!  
Lewis of such a Victory may boast  
As Ruined Pyrrhus, from the Romans won.   

The French, a Force not equal came to find;  
But this was only by the KING supplied,  
Who still heheld with an unshaken Mind,  
Contending Troops, and Death on every side.   

The Almighty here our highest Praise shall claim,  
To Guard the KING, whose Fate had Europe's been;  
heavens Power is always in itself the same;  
But thus more clearly to the World is seen.   

Sure the Great Lewis may be now content  
His eager Thirst of Glory to restrain;  
His Fame to after Ages shall be sent,  
It shall to Immortality attain,   

For Persecutions his Renown shall last;  
For secret Practices that fear the light,  
For breaking Leagues, for laying Country's waist;  
Yet never once appearing in a Fight.   

Whilst WILLIAM's Godlike Character shall be  
Opposed to all that men in Lewis find;  
To set the Nations from his Rapine free;  
To quell the Beast that preys upon Mankind.   

Could Lewis see with what auspicious Joy  
And Minds of Constancy Our Commons meet,  
When voting against France Our Arms t' employ  
They pour out Millions at our Monarch's feet.   

Despairing Lewis would in spite confess,  
These Men that hold their Liberty so fast,  
Deserve their Dear-loved Blessing to possess,  
And will (no doubt) be English to their last.   

Should Heaven (which Heaven forbid) our choice require,  
A conquered Nation, or No more to be;  
This Favour then, from Heaven We should desire,  
To sink our Ancient Island in the Sea.   

Let Slaves, like Slaves, for fear Allegiance pay,  
Let Lewis by Dragoons his Subjects awe;  
The Freeborn English willingly obey  
A KING that Governs, and is Great by Law.   

Here our Desires are fixed, our Wishes rest,  
Sure now the Effect of England's Prayers is seen;  
The people in their KING entirely Blest;  
The KING in Them; both in the Charming QUEEN.   

THE Charming QUEEN, the Lustre of her Court,  
THE Charming QUEEN, whose Goodness unconfined,  
And Noble Zeal the Injured to support,  
Shows a true Picture of Her HERO's mind.   

Who with this Fair Companion of his Throne  
The honour of his Kingdom shall maintain;  
And over Vice successfully go on,  
To use the Power of this Illustrious Reign.   

When Kings like Kings, and God's Vicegerents, act;  
When they by their Examples Virtue grace,  
Virtue with all their Subjects finds Respect;  
And Vice, with Shame confounded, gives her place.   

Most of those Men that are for Heroes famed,  
To trace their Lives with an impartial care,  
For some ill Actions may perhaps be blamed;  
Some Stain presents their Memories less fair.   

Either their Youth in Luxury was drowned,  
Or nothing could their Rage to Reason bring;  
Or nothing could their wild Ambition bound;  
But every virtue's equal in THE KING.   

Let me the Macedonian's mighty mind,  
And Caesar's Clemency together take,  
They may perhaps, to Cato's Justice joined,  
And Scipio's Temperance, One WILLIAM make.   

My Generous Muse that long has silent been,  
That never would to Flattery descend,  
Never to praise successful Vice begin;  
Engaged in Virtue's 'Cause would never end.   

But all the Wars, and deep Affairs of State,  
In which Great WILLIAM had a Glorious Part;  
Exactly and with Judgement to relate  
Requires the World's both Industry and Art.   

The willing Nations many shall afford,  
A Work so vast, so noble to pursue,  
Whose Pens the greatest Wonders must record,  
To give THIS HERO of the Age his due.   
FINIS.